[Audlo]: Commissioner Duer Sharp Speaks To The Media


Kenn Rashad

Kenn Rashad

Person In Charge
Staff member
After a two year hiatus, SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp finally took the time to address questions from the media during Monday’s SWAC coaches teleconference.

During the 17-minute segment the commissioner addressed questions regarding the changing of traditional SWAC dates, the 9-game conference schedule, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge football game, the possibility of conference expansion and the impact it could have on the football championship game.

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Kenn Rashad said:
After a two year hiatus, SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp finally took the time to address questions from the media during Monday’s SWAC coaches teleconference.

During the 17-minute segment the commissioner addressed questions regarding the changing of traditional SWAC dates, the 9-game conference schedule, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge football game, the possibility of conference expansion and the impact it could have on the football championship game.

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kBnVA0IoQ-M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Duer basically told you Kenn, he works for the Presidents and Chancellors and have no input. If suggests left and the members say go right, then he goes right. LOL. Oh well. Nothing we didn't already know.
 

JR said:
Duer basically told you Kenn, he works for the Presidents and Chancellors and have no input. If suggests left and the members say go right, then he goes right. LOL. Oh well. Nothing we didn't already know.
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I think it boils down to how involved Duer gets with any given situation. If he really thinks the conference would be better served taking a particular course of action then he will go all out to "sell" the benefits of it. If it is a take it or leave it situation then it is up for grabs.

With that said, I am optimistic that the conference will consider a 7 or 8 game conference scheduling system in the near future. The good news is that we will see 12 game schedules during the 2013 and 2014 season. Maybe by 2015, the 7 or 8 game system will be in place.
 
JR said:
Duer basically told you Kenn, he works for the Presidents and Chancellors and have no input. If suggests left and the members say go right, then he goes right. LOL. Oh well. Nothing we didn't already know.
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OK with the Status Quo? For real no wonder the SWAC sucks presidents dont wannna do nothing and we have do boy for a Commissioner...
 
Folks, I think we're being harder on Comissioner Duer than we should be.

Tennessee State is key if anyone in the SWAC is serious about the Playoffs because Tennessee State is a Playoff School.

Any pitch that he makes to Tennessee State would revolve around The SWAC being a playoff conference.

So, it's not necessarily that Duer ISN'T trying to move the SWAC forward.

It's as he said, "(The Presidents are satisfied with) the Status quo."

I don't know if you all realize this, but it's a BOLD STATEMENT to insinuate that one's bosses, are just some 'ole status quo mofos... which is exactly what he just did. People have lost their jobs for saying less critical statements about their bosses.

Duer also said hinted that there might be some SWAC Schools that are plain tired of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and would rather get beat up by FBS teams for $500,000 or less. Duer said the MEAC/SWAC Challenge is a wonderful bowl-like event. So again, he's saying that HE'S FOR CONTINUING THE CHALLENGE AND GETTING THE SWAC BACK TO DEFEATING THE MEAC, but THE SCHOOLS ARE FEELING DIFFERENT.

SWAC, your problem in my opinion ISN'T YOUR COMISSIONER, it's the administrations and trustees of your schools. And as I read between the lines SWACPAGE, I got the impression that Duer is trying to reachout and say I'm with the fans and alums, but i can't do anything without your help.

I get the impression that Duer is progressive, but his bosses aren't.

**On a personal note, I would have enjoyed someone dropping in a Heritage Bowl question, lol. If the former format were improved and the schools received more money, is a Revived Heritage Bowl a relistic possibility?
 
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RA said:
SWAC, your problem in my opinion ISN'T YOUR COMISSIONER, it's the administrations and trustees of your schools. And as I read between the lines SWACPAGE, I got the impression that Duer is trying to reachout and say I'm with the fans and alums, but i can't do anything without your help.
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Your comment is not a revelation. We have said this about Duer AND the presidents many times before.

But make no mistake about it, there is nothing progressive about Duer.
 
It's 2012 and a certain faction of americans want to live and dwell in their unrealistic segregated little bitty world. Who'd have ever thunk? :smh:
 
JR said:
Duer basically told you Kenn, he works for the Presidents and Chancellors and have no input. If suggests left and the members say go right, then he goes right. LOL. Oh well. Nothing we didn't already know.
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You asked him for his stance on the 8 game schedule, and he basically said he didn't have one. Basic smoke and mirrors b/s.
 
RA said:
Folks, I think we're being harder on Comissioner Duer than we should be.

Tennessee State is key if anyone in the SWAC is serious about the Playoffs because Tennessee State is a Playoff School.

Any pitch that he makes to Tennessee State would revolve around The SWAC being a playoff conference.

So, it's not necessarily that Duer ISN'T trying to move the SWAC forward.

It's as he said, "(The Presidents are satisfied with) the Status quo."

I don't know if you all realize this, but it's a BOLD STATEMENT to insinuate that one's bosses, are just some 'ole status quo mofos... which is exactly what he just did. People have lost their jobs for saying less critical statements about their bosses.

Duer also said hinted that there might be some SWAC Schools that are plain tired of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and would rather get beat up by FBS teams for $500,000 or less. Duer said the MEAC/SWAC Challenge is a wonderful bowl-like event. So again, he's saying that HE'S FOR CONTINUING THE CHALLENGE AND GETTING THE SWAC BACK TO DEFEATING THE MEAC, but THE SCHOOLS ARE FEELING DIFFERENT.

SWAC, your problem in my opinion ISN'T YOUR COMISSIONER, it's the administrations and trustees of your schools. And as I read between the lines SWACPAGE, I got the impression that Duer is trying to reachout and say I'm with the fans and alums, but i can't do anything without your help.

I get the impression that Duer is progressive, but his bosses aren't.

**On a personal note, I would have enjoyed someone dropping in a Heritage Bowl question, lol. If the former format were improved and the schools received more money, is a Revived Heritage Bowl a relistic possibility?
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Tenn State has TOUCHED the playoffs once in how many years? How are they a playoff school?
 
DAHILL said:
Tenn State has TOUCHED the playoffs once in how many years? How are they a playoff school?
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That's what they want, the Playoffs. So if your goal is to participate in the Playoffs and win a National title, I call that being a playoff school
 
DAHILL said:
Tenn State has TOUCHED the playoffs once in how many years? How are they a playoff school?
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Conference Breakdown by Divisions
Someone asked me for a breakdown of the divisions and conferences. This is a “quick” reference to the conferences which participate in each division “below” FBS:

Division I FCS
Conferences with automatic bids to the FCS playoffs (scholarship limit in parens):
Big Sky Conference (65)
Big South Conference (60)
Colonial Athletic Association (65)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65)
Missouri Valley Football Conference (65)
Northeast Conference (30)
Ohio Valley Conference (65)
Patriot League (0)
Southern Conference (65)
Southland Conference (65)

Conferences with auto-bids who choose not to utilize them:
Ivy League (0) – chooses not to participate in post-season football
Southwestern Athletic Conference (65) – opts to stage a conference championship game the same week as the first round of the playoffsOther FCS conferences:
Great West Conference (65 scholarships, but no auto-bid; soon to be extinct, at least for football)
Pioneer Football League (no scholarships, no auto-bid but has an “automatic at-large” under certain conditions)

http://jonfmorse.com/tog/?page_id=160

Why leave a conference that has an automatic bid for another one that does not?
 
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Thanks for posting Kenn. I had mixed feelings about the answers that he gave. On the one hand, he tried to distance himself for taking responsibility for any good or bad that comes out of the SWAC. The statement of, "At the end of the day I work for the presidents." When pushed if he would make recommendations on a given issue, you would have to infer that it doesn't really matter because they'll do what they want but on the other hand he hinted that he has make suggestions." Another point that he seemed to back-pedal on is moving the schedule around. How can you address schedule changes but still allow schools to say you can't move this game because our fans look forward to it being played on that date. I just do not see the accountability.
 
I just listened to his interview and I'm not at all impressed. He may work for the presidents but part of his job is to provide a vision and direction for the conference. Based on his interview, the individual schools are on there own w/ any future plans.
 
RA said:
Folks, I think we're being harder on Comissioner Duer than we should be.

Tennessee State is key if anyone in the SWAC is serious about the Playoffs because Tennessee State is a Playoff School.

Any pitch that he makes to Tennessee State would revolve around The SWAC being a playoff conference.

So, it's not necessarily that Duer ISN'T trying to move the SWAC forward.

It's as he said, "(The Presidents are satisfied with) the Status quo."

I don't know if you all realize this, but it's a BOLD STATEMENT to insinuate that one's bosses, are just some 'ole status quo mofos... which is exactly what he just did. People have lost their jobs for saying less critical statements about their bosses.

Duer also said hinted that there might be some SWAC Schools that are plain tired of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and would rather get beat up by FBS teams for $500,000 or less. Duer said the MEAC/SWAC Challenge is a wonderful bowl-like event. So again, he's saying that HE'S FOR CONTINUING THE CHALLENGE AND GETTING THE SWAC BACK TO DEFEATING THE MEAC, but THE SCHOOLS ARE FEELING DIFFERENT.

SWAC, your problem in my opinion ISN'T YOUR COMISSIONER, it's the administrations and trustees of your schools. And as I read between the lines SWACPAGE, I got the impression that Duer is trying to reachout and say I'm with the fans and alums, but i can't do anything without your help.

I get the impression that Duer is progressive, but his bosses aren't.

**On a personal note, I would have enjoyed someone dropping in a Heritage Bowl question, lol. If the former format were improved and the schools received more money, is a Revived Heritage Bowl a relistic possibility?
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When did TNState become a playoff school? :lol: Them mofos would jump for joy to come to Bham. They have not been to the playoffs in over 10 years. Barely had many winning seasons and got bounced in the FIRST round when they did go. Playoff school? They need to bring their azzez to the SWAC.
 

Psilent_rage said:
Conference Breakdown by Divisions
Someone asked me for a breakdown of the divisions and conferences. This is a “quick” reference to the conferences which participate in each division “below” FBS:

Division I FCS
Conferences with automatic bids to the FCS playoffs (scholarship limit in parens):
Big Sky Conference (65)
Big South Conference (60)
Colonial Athletic Association (65)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65)
Missouri Valley Football Conference (65)
Northeast Conference (30)
Ohio Valley Conference (65)
Patriot League (0)
Southern Conference (65)
Southland Conference (65)

Conferences with auto-bids who choose not to utilize them:
Ivy League (0) – chooses not to participate in post-season football
Southwestern Athletic Conference (65) – opts to stage a conference championship game the same week as the first round of the playoffsOther FCS conferences:
Great West Conference (65 scholarships, but no auto-bid; soon to be extinct, at least for football)
Pioneer Football League (no scholarships, no auto-bid but has an “automatic at-large” under certain conditions)

http://jonfmorse.com/tog/?page_id=160

Why leave a conference that has an automatic bid for another one that does not?
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What good is that autobid doing TNState?
 
mhurd97 said:
Thanks for posting Kenn. I had mixed feelings about the answers that he gave. On the one hand, he tried to distance himself for taking responsibility for any good or bad that comes out of the SWAC. The statement of, "At the end of the day I work for the presidents." When pushed if he would make recommendations on a given issue, you would have to infer that it doesn't really matter because they'll do what they want but on the other hand he hinted that he has make suggestions." Another point that he seemed to back-pedal on is moving the schedule around. How can you address schedule changes but still allow schools to say you can't move this game because our fans look forward to it being played on that date. I just do not see the accountability.
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Man, this is why we need Rudy back. Rudy told the Presidents, "ya'll can stay at home, I got this". :lol:
 
RA said:
Tennessee State is key if anyone in the SWAC is serious about the Playoffs because Tennessee State is a Playoff School.

Any pitch that he makes to Tennessee State would revolve around The SWAC being a playoff conference.
Click to expand...

TSU has the opportunity to go being in the OVC... that don't mean they can actually go :lol: (since most of your posts seem to be taking swipes at the SWAC opting to not participate in the playoffs)

Plus TSU gets their cake (playing 4 HBCU's) and eat it too (only playing 7 OVC games and counting one of the HBCU games as a conference game).

I won't say they would jump at a SWAC invite... but I guarantee they will listen....
 
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