Random Thoughts: running the gaumet

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Random Thoughts center around the NWC, possible conference realignment, border conferences, budget cuts, NASCAR, baseball and Terry Pluto. 

Parkway and the NWC

If I had $1 for each person who wonders why Parkway isn’t joining the Northwest Conference, I’d probably have a fairly sizable down payment on a new car right now.

As I said in the Monday Mailbag, I’m guessing one or both sides – Parkway and/or the NWC decided it wouldn’t be a good fit.

You can’t force a conference or league to invite a school and you can’t force a school to join. It’s as simple as that. 

What if…

I received a Twitter direct message from a reader who came up with an intriguing scenario that would involve some conference changes.

It included Parkway and Delphos St. John’s leaving the Midwest Athletic Conference, Wayne Trace leaving the Green Meadows Conference and Perry leaving the Northwest Central Conference, with all four joining the NWC to create a 13-team conference (12 for football).

Of course, it would leave holes in the MAC, GMC and NWCC.

Again, it looks intriguing on paper, but it’s probably not going to happen anytime soon.

Border conferences/leagues

Another reader wondered why schools along the Ohio-Indiana border don’t get together to form a conference.

At this point, I’m not sure there’s a need for that, but it’s an interesting idea, and there is a border conference along the Ohio-West Virginia border. 

It’s called the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference and it has 48 (yes, 48) teams, the largest of any conference or league in the United States.

30 schools are in Ohio and the remaining 18 are in West Virginia. 

Most of the schools have other conference affiliations as well, but OVAC membership makes scheduling incredibly easy. 

Cuts

Bowling Green State University made the stunning announcement last week that baseball is being cut, effective immediately. 

The University of Akron also announced the elimination of men’s golf and cross country and women’s tennis and several weeks ago the University of Cincinnati announced plans to drop the men’s soccer program.

The Mid-American Conference is also making changes to certain postseason tournaments and eliminating others altogether. 

All of these cuts are tied to budget shortfalls caused by COVID-19 and sadly, these almost certainly won’t be the only programs that get the axe. 

Sports coming back

On the bright side, it was nice to see some live sports this past weekend.

I’m not exactly what you’d call a big NASCAR fan, although I do appreciate the strategy, nerve and precision of the drivers and their crews.

Regardless, it was nice to hear the engines roar and see the cars race around the track. 

To me, it’s a big step in the right direction.

Baseball

Major League Baseball – the ball is in your court – or glove.

I hope the owners and players can come to an agreement and come to it very soon to get the season underway by early July.

Both sides are looking out for their own interests, which is understandable, but prolonged negotiations aren’t what fans want to see right now. 

It’d be nice if the two sides agreed to a deal by the holiday weekend.

Terry Pluto

Terry Pluto is a sportswriter for cleveland.com and does an excellent job. He writes various features on the Cleveland Browns, Indians and Cavaliers, including a popular column called “Terry’s Talkin’”. 

I had to chuckle went I saw the column’s latest headline on Sunday “What can we expect from the Cleveland Browns this season? How about less dumb football?”

While the headline is funny, the story itself become depressing when you read about how undisciplined the team was last season.

The point is, the Browns should be much more disciplined this season. 

If you have thoughts on any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.