Well there is no doubt

[Kenny11]

I feel like you're pretty uninformed on this topic. I actually played in the Little East and the basketball is very solid. Players like Daquan Brooken, D1 transfers from schools like Sacred Heart, D3 All-Americans who end up playing overseas are scattered around the top teams in the Little East. When I played we had an All-American who played pro in Germany on my team in addition to a 6'10" transfer from College of Charleston. Maybe you saw a game between the bottom feeders of the league, but there is some high level D3 talent that an "intramural team" wouldnt be able to compete with. I agree that there are low-level D3 teams that stink, but the high level teams can be very talented.

FWIW - I'm still bitter about gettting robbed of a 3rd team all conference selection my senior year.

That was a worse robbery than Kemba not being unanimous all big east first team.

 

[Stainmaster]

Imagine JC starts sending more guys to the NBA from D3 St. Joe's than we do. YIKES.

What a sad reflection of the fanbase - people are so emotionally distressed by the current state of the program that they are unable to think clearly, and actually believe this.

 

[Horatio]

I feel like many of you have never seen a D-3 game....

I went to the Little East Tourney 2-3 years ago when it was in Willi... 90% of the schools could put together an intramural team that can beat the school’s team.

It’s brutal to watch.

I watched about six years of WCSU basketball in the 90's. It was quality college basketball played by some guys that did have some Lower level div. 1 options.

 

[Waquoit]

What a sad reflection of the fanbase - people are so emotionally distressed by the current state of the program that they are unable to think clearly, and actually believe this.

What a sad reflection that so many hyperbole detectors are malfunctioning.

 

[Stainmaster]

What a sad reflection that so many hyperbole detectors are malfunctioning.

It stopped being hyperbole a while ago.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

What a sad reflection of the fanbase - people are so emotionally distressed by the current state of the program that they are unable to think clearly, and actually believe this.

Yeah, because I definitely believe that it's going to happen. Definitely wasn't joking and playing into Chief's exaggerated vision of things.

 

[EDouble]

No offense. You are nuts.

I did radio play by play for a division III team for multiple years. I’ve had the misfortune of seeing hundreds of D3 games.

Yeah a handful of players with no options randomly show up now and again.

By and large 90% of the D3 teams in the country are terrible.

You don’t think the 8 best intramural players at UConn could compete in the LEC? Ha.

I played in the Nescac from 2002-2006 and in that time period both Williams and Amherst both won national championships and Williams beat Holy Cross (2003 I think). We beat AIC (Division 2) and had a transfer from BU, who was very good but not even the best player on our roster. The point is that there were some very talented players in our conference. I think they have expanded the D3 tournament in the last decade, so it may be easier to get a bid, but winning a national championship at the D3 level will be challenging. Especially since the school is just beginning to accept men. I am sure that some of your intramural teams were really good, but there are some very talented D3 teams in New England and Wisconsin (at least when I was following D3 basketball more closely). I really hope that Calhoun is able to make a splash at St. Joe's and I am rooting for him, but it is not as easy a task as your post implies.

 

[Ant3411]

No offense. You are nuts.

I did radio play by play for a division III team for multiple years. I’ve had the misfortune of seeing hundreds of D3 games.

Yeah a handful of players with no options randomly show up now and again.

By and large 90% of the D3 teams in the country are terrible.

You don’t think the 8 best intramural players at UConn could compete in the LEC? Ha.

I have a hard time taking your opinion seriously since you never actually played in a collegiate game. We can agree to disagee.

 

[whaler11]

I have a hard time taking your opinion seriously since you never actually played in a collegiate game. We can agree to disagee.

LOL. Thanks for the laugh.

 

[Ant3411]

LOL. Thanks for the laugh.

You as well.

Let me know when the next intramural playoffs are and I'll be sure to swing by to watch.

 

[freescooter]

Yeah, but St Joe’s won’t be able to match Louisville’s pay scale. So that’s a problem.

Not unheard of for D3 schools to land the odd D1 transfer though. Wesleyan has a running back from Army. I think Trinity had a kid and Middlebury (?) had a quarterback who transferred from Duke or somewhere. But you have to take a very different view. You get to buy your own shoes though at a discount. Stay at the Motel 6 rather than the Hilton, bus from Hartford to Waterville Maine or Erie PA for games. Bus to Upstate New York Friday morning, Play Fri night and Saturday afternoon, eat box lunches on the bus on the way home. It is a different existence than D1, for sure.

 

[Mr. French]

There are people that think an intramural team can beat a D-3 roster? What an insult.

I don't think people understand the level of skill it requires to play collegiate basketball. Everyone thinks they can play D-3 at least, apparently.

I think you've been watching too many D-1 games on TV and it's affecting your reality.

Most every D-3 player I've ever known, even on lesser D-3 teams, would smoke your casual intramural / former HS superstars.

 

[8893]

There is only one way to resolve this: @whaler11 will assemble an intramural team comprised of 'yarders and will play JC's St. Joe's team in an exhibition game.

I will pay to watch, as would many here. We could make it a fundraiser for the Calhoun cardiac deal.

 

[whaler11]

You as well.

Let me know when the next intramural playoffs are and I'll be sure to swing by to watch.

Guy if you don’t think you can roundup the nine best intramural players at UConn and compete in the LEC you are delusional.

I’m sorry that this reality impacts your self worth but that’s D-3 sports. Most people don’t want to trade their college experience for riding busses and getting out of bed at 5am for the potential glory of beating Rhode Island College.

There is a reason why D-3 sports are literally played in front of friends and families.

Anyone who can actually meet the challenge of sitting through a D-3 game would understand this by halftime.

 

[whaler11]

There is only one way to resolve this: @whaler11 will assemble an intramural team comprised of 'yarders and will play JC's St. Joe's team in an exhibition game.

I will pay to watch, as would many here. We could make it a fundraiser for the Calhoun cardiac deal.

There probably aren’t 9 guys here who can tie their shoes.

 

[Padutch5]

People probably don’t realize, but D3 is the most likely destination for marginal D1 level kids that don’t get a D1 offer. Unlike 20 years ago, there are very few D2 programs these days. Most schools upgraded or dropped to D3. As a result, there are many very good players in D3, and a significant number go overseas to play pro ball. As far as cost, D3 players get scholarships and grants based on academic criteria or need. I can tell you from personal experience, they will find any way to give you an academic scholarship they can if they want you there. You do not need to qualify for financial aid either, the offer shows up in the mail with no financial aid application even being completed in many cases.

It’s actually more difficult to cheat in D3 than in D1 believe it or not. The NCAA actually monitors the proportion of scholarship $ in each sport vs. the school overall.

 

[intlzncster]

I have a hard time taking your opinion seriously since you never actually played in a collegiate game. We can agree to disagee.

You don't have to have played to possess strong analytical abilities. The best analyst/commentators often haven't. See Zach Lowe. And on the opposite end, the legion of the total boob former player talking heads.

No opinion on the discussion at hand.

 

[Padutch5]

Let me get this right.

An old man who I’m told is too physically compromised to walk near others in the XL Center is going to recruit NBA prospects to a start up D3 program.

They are going to ride busses to Southern Maine and Elizabeth City State U.

They are going to improve playing teams with 6’2 centers.

Ok.

You might look at what Rollie Massimino did in Florida before you laugh to hard. Actually had some pretty good players. Much Older than Calhoun
My d3 school actually had two 7 foot brothers playing several years ago. Now playing pro in Europe
D 3 can actually be quite a good spectator sport and, best of all, no tv time outs interrupting the game flow.

 

[intlzncster]

You get to buy your own shoes though at a discount. Stay at the Motel 6 rather than the Hilton, bus from Hartford to Waterville Maine or Erie PA for games. Bus to Upstate New York Friday morning, Play Fri night and Saturday afternoon, eat box lunches on the bus on the way home. It is a different existence than D1, for sure.

The minor league baseball of college hoops.

 

[husky429]

There are people that think an intramural team can beat a D-3 roster? What an insult.

I don't think people understand the level of skill it requires to play collegiate basketball. Everyone thinks they can play D-3 at least, apparently.

I think you've been watching too many D-1 games on TV and it's affecting your reality.

Most every D-3 player I've ever known, even on lesser D-3 teams, would smoke your casual intramural / former HS superstars.

Ueah, d3 bball is tough, athletic guys. Theres SO many basketball players that were just a little too short, a little bit slower that are still very good.

D3 bball is much higher level than soccer, baseball etc. That have a smaller base of kids

 

[superjohn]

There probably aren’t 9 guys here who can tie their shoes.

Or see their d 1 c ks.

 

[whaler11]

You might look at what Rollie Massimino did in Florida before you laugh to hard. Actually had some pretty good players. Much Older than Calhoun
My d3 school actually had two 7 foot brothers playing several years ago. Now playing pro in Europe
D 3 can actually be quite a good spectator sport and, best of all, no tv time outs interrupting the game flow.

I am quite aware that there are random good players scattered across hundreds of schools.

There are what 10k+ male students at UConn.

You don’t think you could take the 9-10 best basketball players from that lot and have a better team than Plymouth State or Mitchell College?

I mean come on. More players qualified to play D-3 pass rather than play. The ROI on giving away your college experience for it is pretty low.

 

[Padutch5]

I watched about six years of WCSU basketball in the 90's. It was quality college basketball played by some guys that did have some Lower level div. 1 options.

With the east coast orientation of this board, I guess you never heard of Jack Sikma out of Illinois Wesleyan, a d 3 school. Played a long career in the NBA
With the transfer rules, more and more talented players are deciding to play a year of D3 in the hopes of being re recruited at a higher lever D 1 school without sitting out a year.

 

[Ant3411]

Guy if you don’t think you can roundup the nine best intramural players at UConn and compete in the LEC you are delusional.

I’m sorry that this reality impacts your self worth but that’s D-3 sports. Most people don’t want to trade their college experience for riding busses and getting out of bed at 5am for the potential glory of beating Rhode Island College.

There is a reason why D-3 sports are literally played in front of friends and families.

Anyone who can actually meet the challenge of sitting through a D-3 game would understand this by halftime.

I misread you earlier comment. I thought you said "take the 8 best intramural teams"...you actually said "8 best players".

Yes, I assume the 8 best players at Uconn intramurals are pretty good. Law of large numbers.

You still seem sorely bitter about something. Maybe you got cut from the varsity squad in high school.

 

[8893]

You still seem sorely bitter about something.

It's like you don't even know him.