Hutchinson Wins GLIAC 55m

Charger DB (#11) Josh Hutchinson won the 55m GLIAC Indoor Track Championship Saturday at Saginaw Valley with with a winning time of 6.48. The junior teamed up with Hillsdale freshman Jared Krout (unfortunately not a football player) to sweep the sprints as Krout won the 200 and 400 and later the LJ.

Cody Calligan, another Charger football player placed 8th in the triple jump with a jump of 41' 7 3/4".

California TE/LB Commits to Chargers

Coach Keith Otterbein's staff continues to add football players to next year's team. The newest commitment comes from San Pedro, California's Max Weischedel. The 6'3" 235 pound Weischedel earned all-Marine conference honors and was named to the All-Los Angeles 2nd team. San Pedro was the 4a Los Angeles area runner-up after falling in the city championship game held in the Los Angeles Colliseum.

Also signing on with Hillsdale recently is Saginaw Heritage QB Gerrit Yntema. The Hawks finished the season 9-1 with Yntema directing their veer option attack.

Hillsdale Explores Forming New D2 Conference

From the Hillsdale Collegian
2-22-2007

By Sarah Ishak
Collegian Freelancer

In a David versus Goliath scenario, the private college members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference have come forward and objected to the direction the GLIAC is taking. The smaller private schools, with Hillsdale College, Ashland University and University of Findlay leading the way, started discussions in mid-December to address their objections to the GLIAC and to discuss the possibility of leaving the conference.

Hillsdale College Athletic Director Dr. Mike Kovalchik explained in January the reasons behind the discussions were travel and missed class time for the student athletes as well as budgeting and financial aid equity. The problem originated when the GLIAC considered incorporating schools from the North Central Conference, which is splitting. Kovalchik said this particular expansion would increase travel time and expenses beyond the resources of the private schools.

President Larry Arnn said he was instrumental in reviving this discussion, which has been brought up by private schools in the past. He added that his goal is not to break up the conference.

“My wish [is] to do anything I can to reduce travel time,” he said. “Students are busy, and the time they spend traveling is lost time.”

Increased travel is also cutting into the time athletes spend in class and on homework. Both Arnn and Kovalchik stressed the importance that Hillsdale places on graduating student athletes and keeping athletes on par with the school’s academic philosophy, especially the core requirements.

There were also financial concerns. The private schools were facing difficulties competing with the public schools in tuition and financial aid packages for athletes.

“They [the public schools] can cover more people with the same amount of scholarships,” Kovalchik said.

All but one of the seven private schools in the GLIAC met Monday to discuss a proposal submitted by the six public schools in the GLIAC. The proposal recommended restructuring the GLIAC into new north and south divisions. The north division would include the public schools, while the private schools would belong to the south division. The schools would not be required to compete in intra-division contests, but would have the option available to them.

At the end of the season, the champions from each division would play each other to decide an overall conference champion. Arnn said if the proposal is approved this spring, it would take effect in 2009.

Both Arnn and Kovalchik said the decision does not reflect on the competitive nature of the private schools. Athletic standards will not be lowered, but the schools will finally be able to compete “like against like.”

“We believe strongly that athletics is important to higher education,” Arnn said. “And because it’s integral, that means it can’t be separated from all the larger purposes of the college. This is a move to make that integration better.”

"Losing sucks, and I don't care how much money you make. It's miserable.''

Former Charger and now Philadelphia Eagles GM Tom Heckert talks about his role with the franchise.

Rich Hofmann
Philadelphia Daily News
2-21-2007

GM used to being heard
FOR TOM HECKERT, football was the family business. He had played at Hillsdale College in Michigan and coached there for two seasons. Next was to be an entry-level coaching job as a graduate assistant at Arizona State. In between, there were a couple of months helping his

father, the Miami Dolphins' director of college scouting, prepare for the NFL draft.

These were the Dolphins of Don Shula and Dan Marino. Heckert worked for free that spring, just to do it. It was 16 years ago.

"I was getting ready to leave, to go to Arizona State as a coach,'' Heckert said, "and I went in to talk to coach Shula

to thank him for letting me come here and work and he said, 'Would you rather stay here?' And I said, 'Yeah, but I can't do it for free.' And he said, 'Oh, no, I meant it would be full time.' And I said, 'Where do I sign?'

"For 12 thousand bucks, I was in,'' he said.

Sixteen years later, Heckert is the Eagles' general manager. His is maybe the most misunderstood job in town.

People are wondering, now that Andy Reid is on a leave of absence, if Heckert's influence is suddenly on the rise. Those people miss two points: that Heckert says he still talks to Reid at least twice a day on the phone, and that Heckert's influence has been significant all along.

He has a voice and it is heard - maybe more in recent years, he acknowledges, but it has always been heard. Why else would he have stayed when other teams came calling? Why else would the Eagles have been so insistent on keeping him, upping his title and, presumably, his salary?

Full Article

No Better Way to Get through Winter than to buy a Shirt!

Alright, so that post title is pretty lame. But seriously, it would help me get through the Winter if you all bought a bunch of shirts at one of the online stores listed above. Get your Mother's and Father's Day buying out of the way. Heck, take care of Christmas 2007 while you are at it. Truth be told, I am one shirt away from picking up another commission check and it is killing me.

If you have any design ideas, please send me an email. As long as it is tasteful, or at least not too tasteless, and won't get me into too much hotwater (ie. Nuke Grand Valley design) it can easily become an apparel item.

Okay, no more begging. Go Chargers

Hutchinson Ties and Breaks School Record in 60m

Proof that the Charger football is increasing its overall team speed came Saturday afternoon when Hillsdale CB Josh Hutchinson tied the school record for the 60m dash with 7.03 last week at Findlay before breaking that mark at an Eastern Michigan University this past Saturday with a 7.01 performance. (Photo: Hillsdale College)

Five Minihelmets Available

I currently have 5 Hillsdale min-helmets remaining for purchase. Helmets are from Riddell and feature a metal facemask and all of the details of the same helmets worn each Saturday by the Chargers. The decals were designed from one of my team issued decals that Hillsdale still uses today. Helmets are $25 with shipping included. Just email me to set one aside and I will give you an address to send the check. These make great graduation gifts for all of the departing and incoming Chargers.