The Mid Major Misnomer

With a small amount of internet research, I was able to learn that the term "mid major", was actually coined by the fine retiring athletic director at George Washington University, Jack Kvancz, in 1977.  He was then coaching Catholic University's basketball team, which in those days, had Division II status.  Kvancz was describing a game played between his team and Howard University and said, "It was everything that basketball's about at the level of our program.  For a game between two mid majors, or whatever you call us, it had everything you could wish for."

 WOW! Great find! Explains a LOT of the deep-rooted mentality over the past 5-6 years.

No kidding, Herve.  I've always gotten the feeling that he never believed GW could consistently compete, like he's part of the crew that focuses on our weaknesses instead of our strengths.  Maybe this quote gets to the heart of that.

Explains a lot.  Now, hopefully, on to a new era with a bigtime AD for GW!

I think JK kind of shielded himself and the program with the mid-major mentality over the past few years.  VCU and Butler showed that being a mid-major isn't such a bad thing, but you can't help but wonder if GW is selling itself a little short by not having more of a major program mentality. 

The A-10 is a tweener in terms of being mid-major and a major, so it is up to the programs themselves to either go big-time or not.  Are Temple and Xavier mid-major programs?  I don't think so.  So that means GW doesn't have to be either.  It would be nice to see a new AD that is a 2nd in command at a good ACC or Big East program, so they can come in and leave the mid-major mentality behind.

I'm surprised this is news to BM. FQ, and Herve. I knew it, and I hardly know anything. I thought it was part of this board's accumulated institutional memory.

My guess is that you guys knew this too, maybe 6-8 years ago when there was a lot of hub-bub about the mid major terminology, and you forgot it and are just getting back to it. That happens as you age. I gather you all are in your forties, and your legs already are gone, at least so far as sprinting goes. I'd tell you what goes next, but I forgot. 

 I couldn't find any previous mention of it on here, but did find this beauty of a thread.

That thread is from when we all were back in 4th grade, Herve. We're mostly 5th graders now.

It also reminds me of something else I forgot. Apparently, I used to know who Blue Seats was. I no longer have any recollection of the man, though I believe he was a size XXL.

"You have a better chance of seeing God than getting an apology from me."  It just doesn't get any better than that.

Anybody here remember Al McGuire? A true American original, for sure.

Anyway, as he stepped away from basketball's pinnacle, he said the handwriting already was on the wall, and that collegiate basketball soon would be just like collegiate football: a game in which teams sponsored by Big State Universities would be the only ones that could compete consistently for national prominence. 

The long-established big city Catholic basketball colleges have slowed down the rush to prominence of the Big State U's, but just barely. The day will come when the Top Twenty Five in collegiate sports all are State U, U of State, and variations on that theme.

Hopefully, GWU can have some more time in the national spotlight before that day comes. Gonzaga, Temple, and now Butler have all showed us how to escape the mid-major pack.

Meanwhile, GMU already is being ranked in next year's Top 25. And soon, it too will be a Big State U. Northern Virginia will demand it. I am concerned that when that happens, GW will be back in the Pony Leagues. Anybody else recall the Pony League?   

That was a good thread and it needed to be written.  I feel as if what I wrote back in 2005 was true  then, it's true now and it will always be true.  Blue (Seneca) Seats, Ziik and to a lesser extent, Poog, defended and supported Jack to the end. They might be loyal, but boy did they turn out to be wrong.  Jack's (forced) retirement was one of the best things to happen to GW athletics in a long, long time. 

LFO, I don't recall being part of that thread but if it makes you feel any better Blue Seats, Poog and ziik among others were right as to exactly what was being discussed. How does it feel to be wrong about something for 6 years?

LFO, I don't recall being part of that thread but if it makes you feel any better Blue Seats, Poog and ziik among others were right as to exactly what was being discussed. How does it feel to be wrong about something for 6 years?

 ....it's like a time machine picking-up just where you left off....

Without the deterrent of a Lev recap hanging over everyone, there is no reason for this mularky to go on and on and on. And so it will...

Ziik - too negative about GW's chances in the future - Duke is a private, non-catholic school (football is so bad there it doesn't count) and they seem to be doing quite well. Wish we were in a stronger conference like them though.

Seneca, do you not admit to being Blue Seats because you're not allowed to under an agreement you have with Herve or for some other perverse reason?  I actually believe that as Seneca, you've toned down your act some and I for one appreciate this.  However, this continuous denial of the two of you being the same poster is bordering on ridiculous.  The "two of you" share the exact same positions and often rely on the exact same vocabulary to get your points across.  What I'm saying is that unless you are not allowed to be on this site based on an agreement you may have with Herve, why not just admit to it?

I know this may appear to be bazaar coming from the poster who was at one time possibly thought of as Blue Seats as well (an erroneous report that was based on nothing more than the two of us using the same ISP and being located within the same county).  Seeing how my positions are radically different than BS's were (and most of Seneca's outside of being a KH defender), there really isn't a valid reason to think that I am either Blue seats or Seneca.

Any more sharks to jump?