Defiantly Division I-AA, too

Random thought: Can you imagine the fun Joe Gardi would have had this week, preaching about how it’s time to run with the big dogs against UConn? It would have been timely, topical and, most of all, completely accurate!

Anyway, two days into Defiantly Dutch and two days before the Flying Dutchmen open the football season against the Huskies, it’s time to make a stand. I hereby declare that I’ll never, not even with the long arm of the NCAA tapping my shoulder, refer to Division I-A and Division I-AA by their “new” names.

I mean, seriously, of all the things the NCAA should be doing, sitting around and coming up with new, longer, more confusing names for Division I-A and Division I-AA should have been last on the list, well behind deciding which deli platter to order for lunch.

It was easy to distinguish between the two levels. Division I-AA’s champion is settled on the field, like the NCAA’s nine thousand other sports. Division I-A’s champion is settled by bowls, polls and a whole lotta B(C)S, because, you know, THAT’s less profitable and declarative than a four- or eight-team tournament.

And let’s face it: It’s not like a I-AA power could ever add to the “confusion” by beating a ranked I-A power. Right? Oh wait. It only took one year and one week under the New Name I Shall Never Mention Here for this to happen (the Appalachian State call, about halfway through, is one of the all-time great calls). Coincidence? I think not.

It’s Division I-A and I-AA. Period. My blog. My rules. Just don’t tell this guy, OK?

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Thanks to everyone who wrote in yesterday with words of support. I’ve updated the links and stuff to include some blogs and websites where you can find the writings of various friends, classmates and former co-workers. Please give them a click when you get a chance. Special thanks to the Icepick, whose tips and encouragement helped prod me to start this blog.

Feel free to leave a comment here or by emailing me at defiantlydutch@yahoo.com. See you tomorrow, when I think I'll wax poetic about the run-and-shoot.