View From The Press Box with Sha

View From The Press Box with Shawn Jones, Greg Hassler & Joe Moore
September 5, 2007	VFTPB Archives
Shawn Jones is in his eighth season as the radio play-by-play voice of Mules football, basketball and baseball. In addition to his radio and television duties as host of "Sportspage", he is UCM's Associate Athletic Director for External Relations in charge of marketing, promotions, media relations, fund-raising events and special events. Greg Hassler is in his seventh season as the sideline reporter and pre and post-game host for Mules broadcasts. He is the Sports Director of flagship stations 1450 KOKO and 98.5 MIKE-FM. Joe Moore and Bob Jackson will provide color analysis this season and Moore will also contribute to this column. Jackson has been a part of the UCM broadcast team since 1981 and is UCM's Athletic Promotions Coordinator and Web Manager. Moore is a former Mules football player and UCM Athletic Media Relations Director. He is now an instructor in Central Missouri's Department of Communication.

I love college football. More specifically, I love Division II football. Yes, I appreciate the NCAA’s mission for Division II, the focus on the complete STUDENT-athlete who is a part of the community. And yes, I am biased because I played in “the Deuce.” It’s more than that, though. Many people look down on those schools playing a couple notches below USC, Notre Dame, and Mizzou. To me, though, the fact that we are not as well known is the best part. Sure, every team, from Pop Warner to the NFL, begins each season with renewed hope. After all, each team is getting new players who bring a whole new set of skills to the table. But whereas the teams in Division I (now called the Football Bowl Series) sign big name All-America players who show up in all the preseason magazines, Division II institutions are typically signing the solid high school student-athletes who made all-conference or all-state, and were team captains. As a result, you really never know what to expect. Oh, sure, every team has returnees, which can serve as a gauge. And, yes, many football fans have heard of the Kansas City and St. Louis players of the year (the University of Central Missouri Mules have signed several of them in the past few seasons, by the way). But high school recruits in the Deuce typically are more regionalized and don’t come with all the hype. Even junior college players who sign in Division II don’t usually come with as much press as those you see on television every Saturday afternoon. Because of this, until the opening game, many fans are held in suspense, eager to see the product their local D-II team puts on the field. Take our Mules, for example. Sure, we got to see Eric Czerniewski in the first two games last year, but how will he react when he is called upon to run the show? We saw (or heard on the radio) glimpses of his ability at Minnesota State, but how about in the MIAA. He is a talented young man, and I love his footwork and throwing motion. Will that translate into wins for the Cardinal & Black? Time will tell. And what about Glenn Milner, our rugged new feature back who joined the Mules from Eastern Arizona Community College? Ever heard of him before the broadcast two weeks ago? Probably not, but Central Missouri’s coaching staff and support team say he has what it takes to be one of the top ball carriers in the league. I could go on and on. The point is, football is exciting. It is dramatic. It is the ultimate team game. And, in NCAA Division II, it has the added value of suspense. If you want to learn how the story plays out, come out to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. as your Mules take on Concordia-St. Paul; chapter 2 of the 2007 Mules Football novel is about to begin!
"View From The Press Box" is published every Wednesday throughout the football season.