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Athens, GA (Nov 9, 2007) - The boys in the the power conferences are unhappy with ESPN this weekend. Instead of coming to one of the Big Ten or SEC Conference games, the ESPN GameDay crew is headed to Williams College for the 122nd meeting between Williams and Amherst Colleges, the longest rivalry in Division III. Why in the world would ESPN pick this as a site instead of Athens, Georgia, where Auburn and the University of Georgia will meet for only the 111th time?

Chris Fowler gives a great explanation on his ESPN.com column, where he writes:

Why go there, you fans of the SEC and Big Ten powers ask? Well, we've been looking for an opportunity to showcase the passion and the purity of D-III ball for a few years. This is that opportunity, a rivalry that dates to 1821, when Amherst broke off from Williams because then-Williams president Zephaniah Swift Moore thought it a better idea to move the school to a more populated part of the Commonwealth. Moore recruited (or "stole," from Williams' perspective) some faculty, students and even some books from the library to found Amherst. Williams never really got over it. They have long memories in rural New England.

It is great for the little guys to get a little love this weekend. It would be nice of the power schools and conferences would share as well, to show their love for the game, and not the money.

Photograph courtesy of Amherst College.