2018 Convention news

Too poor to attend wrote:

Couldn’t afford to send whole staff this year. What are some of the happening and rumors?

Who did good presentations?

What jobs are rumored to be opening?

Any salacious hookups?

Western Carolina University opening

Cross Country only scholarships.

Power 5 schools not letting other teams into their home meets

XC aid wrote:

Cross Country only scholarships.

Power 5 schools not letting other teams into their home meets

Neither will ever happen.

Not enough money for XC aid.

Too much entry fee money for track meetS.

What’s the story with Tara Davis not being released? I thought the whole idea of the transfer portal is you don’t need permission any more? You forfeit your scholarship immediately, but you’re eligible to receive aid and compete immediately?

I was wondering the same thing?

Heavy drinking.

Big debate in CC was on a proposal for a new qualifying system for nationals. Instead of regionals you’d have some formula determine who makes 2 super regionals.

Coaches have zero power when it comes to real legislation at all. Convention just an excuse to booze, flirt, and spend even more time away from family.

"Coaches have zero power when it comes to real legislation at all. Convention just an excuse to booze, flirt, and spend even more time away from family."

Very true, but you forgot angling for jobs. I've been to several conventions and the constant verbal resume delivery is enough to make you sick. Drink. Flirt. Try to get another job. That's convention.

Many of the recent rules changes and qualifying procedures have all come from proposals at the convention.

Now unless u are an executive committee member you really don’t have a lot of say other than the end of convention voting* but u still get a chance to speak your thoughts

*unless the 4-2-1 voting passes and it becomes P-5 TFCCCA

Do coaches gossip about their runners?

4-2-1 didn't pass.

get rid of regionals in XC didn't pass. It was very close.

Some transfer and redshirt rules passed.

The behind the scenes drama was a bit nuts. P5 coaches tried to pull a fast one on the majority. They put in a proposal that merely said “align with NCAA voting” which was a cladenstine version of the truth which was to get 4 votes for every one “other guy” vote at the convention. It was so ridiculous that I think most didn’t believe it was happening. They send out an eleventh-hour email to the G5 coaches to join them in their super secret meeting to try and “align” voting preference on this but luckily those coaches are smart enough. Got shut down instantly and now most of the paranoia that coaches have about the P5 has all been confirmed.

Highlights of the convention were:

The Power 5 move: Seeing the LSU coach get up in front of the group of 5 coaches and spin how giving the P5 coaches 4 votes compared to 2 for G5 and 1 for everyone else was what was needed to get things passed. He kept saying we're "0-for!" as if giving them more power will lead to the NCAA suddenly listening to the coaches convention. It was an almost unbelievable power grab.

The XC regional debate. A lot of passion in this one. Mick Byrne and the gang really want to push through two 72 super regionals. Highlight was seeing Dave Smith flip out, Byrne issue a very strong and passionate rebuttal about the legacy of cross-country, and Magness tore apart and essentially killed the CCRI ranking system.

I left feeling weary of the Power 5 and their agenda. Rumors were swirling of them wanting 2 national championships for track. The normal one and then a 'team' one which would be almost exclusively P5 schools.

Also, mountain region folks should be happy - no more top 25 requirement to make NCAAs as an individual.

All of the proposals that were passed at the convention still have to be approved by the NCAA. correct me if i'm wrong

Best looking coaches?

Actually, the proposal would see Power5 get 4 votes, Group of 5 get 2 votes, and everyone else one vote. Group of 5 felt Power 5 was trying to pull a fast one quickly turned down the offer. Group of 5 did not think this through well at all. If they went to 4-2-1 voting the Power 5 does not have a majority without the Group of 5 jumping on board. Group of 5 would have had more power than they currently have and leverage to get some things from the Power 5. Current voting for WXC is 65 votes (19%) for Power 5, 66 votes (19.3%) for Group of 5, and 211 votes (61.7%) for all other schools. Even if Power 5 and Group of 5 joined forces, all the schools in the smaller conferences have the power because they own the majority. In the proposed voting structure Power 5 would have had 260 votes (43.1%), Group of 5 would have 132 votes (21.9%), and all others 211 (35%). Power 5 would have to get a coalition with either Group 5 or some other schools in order to get anything passed. Group of 5 becomes the swing votes and had serious LEVERAGE to get some things from the Power 5, most notably ACCESS TO MEETS in exchange for votes. Now that they have accused the power 5 of "trying to pull a fast one" you will see them blocked from meets much more frequently. Group of 5 schools totally blew this opportunity.

Other newz wrote:

The behind the scenes drama was a bit nuts. P5 coaches tried to pull a fast one on the majority. They put in a proposal that merely said “align with NCAA voting” which was a cladenstine version of the truth which was to get 4 votes for every one “other guy” vote at the convention. It was so ridiculous that I think most didn’t believe it was happening. They send out an eleventh-hour email to the G5 coaches to join them in their super secret meeting to try and “align” voting preference on this but luckily those coaches are smart enough. Got shut down instantly and now most of the paranoia that coaches have about the P5 has all been confirmed.

Any discussion at Convention about increasing women's XC distance from 6k to 8k?