the only people that actually care about the CBB are the ones involved in it. i'm in a bad mood. I see Bowdoin winning it. Colby might be apathetic over having missed a golden opportunity to be undefeated and simply want to get out of the season(?). I'm just playing devils advocate here. I see: Bowdoin over Colby, Amherst over Williams, Middlebury over Tufts, Hamilton over Bates, Trinity over Wesleyan, and some eggs over easy. 

I was lucky enough to make it to the amherst/trinity game as well and must make a few onservations on the overall contest.

First of all, good gameplanning on both sides of the ball. Someone made a comment about Trinity's weak corner ... I wouldnt say weak, but he's a first year starter who really lacks the experiance and enough game knowledge in important situations to make big plays. Consequently, he let up some big plays. Now having said that, Amherst made some equally costly decisions ... not individually, but as a unit.

First, I have never seen a roster so inflated. For example, #14 was listed as 6'0"! He was 5'9" if I am being generous. And on the big TD pass, #2 was visibly hindered by cramps which was a big reason why there was no over coverage on the pass. Besdies that though, for a team with such a prolific run game, in the first stages of adversity they completely abandoned the run and went to the pass. Now, it worked for some big plays (which is what their offense lives on) but it hurt them in the long run. Defensivly they expected alot from their D-line and, in 65 or 70 weather, they just got run down. Some logisitical mistakes is what cost them and like I initially said ... two similar teams and the deciding would be the game plan.

I think our hats should go off to the three kahuna's at Trinity. Priore, Behrman, and Devanney just used good football sense and that ole Trinity know how to get the job done. Priore and the staff he selected are a cut above. It takes the Head Coach, the OC and the DC to be on the same page and in aggreance on everyhting to make a team work. I think its a special thing when you get hard working kids who make the most out of the opportunities they are afforded combined with a coaching staff that knows what it takes to win. The Trinity squad is a special group from top to bottom.

All interesting points of view. On this weekend for Trinity/Amherst, let me make a few comments on some insider information I have. Now, all information excludes Wesleyan ... because they suck something terrible.

Other than the Wes game, amherst has only had 4 sacks in 5 games, not something to go bragging about. I'd say more than anything, amherst just plays sounds football. Hamilton put 139 yards on the ground against them. They just dont allow big plays. And just to be a stickler, Amherst doesnt run a 50 front, they run a 3-4, much like the bantams. A 50 is similar to what Williams runs. The only difference being the two outside "end"s are actually OLB's walked down. Thats just me being a stickler, sorry.

I'd also say there is one more thing to disccuss. In all, the head honcho's at Trinity are much better football coaches than any other in the league. Now, I'm not saying they teach technique any better, but their schemes are far more effective. For example, what is the most effective offensive formation to run the ball against an ODD front team? Double Tight end sets. How many run double tights? Tufts, and they didnt for some reason. I would expect, if nothing else, just a better game plan from Trinity than for Tufts.

And my source also tells me that Amherst, while well equiped with their respective starting 11, is shallow, or just prefers not to substitute. It is supposed to be 70 tommorow, this could also cause a problem.

I thought I over-heard that from an Admissions person. i could have heard out of context and/or be wrong all together... it wouldnt be the first time. good defense.

glad to see some intelligence being thrown around about the "state of the league". Its interesting to see the difference is opinion on how differ programs gain the physical advantage in this league (or any league for that matter). An overlooked topic is recruiting. And I know we all know how recruiting works (roughly), there are a variety of ways to approach it. Often times, programs highlght certain aspects of its environment, of its facilities, of its networking, etc. etc.. to sell the school. Its my personal beleif that one of the most important skills for a coaching staff to possess is how to appropriatly recruit. After all, you can have flawless schemes and coaching out the wazoo, but if you fill your roster with "0's", all of that become meaningless. Maybe Amherst, Williams, and Trinity simply have superior recruiting practices than places like Tufts (who seem to get great athletes based solely on students being attracted to Boston).  I find it interesting to hear how some schools assign different coaches to particular socio-ecomonic classes, other schools simply assign states, other schools assign multiple high yeild areas in different states to particular coaches. Its funny to think that maybe in the grand scheme of things, some kids would just rather be in a city than in a rural town?

On another topic, let me say this about Trinity college: Trinity is by far the most diverse and need blind school. Something like almost 40% of enrolled students receive aid in some form. I think the next closest is Wesleyan at 25%. Perhaps Trinity is simply more progressive than other NESCAC schools in affording slghtly less qualified students the same opportunities as others. And I forget who said it, but there are certainly kids walking around hartford that are brighter than anyone of us but wont be noticed or do anything with their skills because they lack the money or the support to attend any sort of secondary education. I think its a breath of fresh air to see schools being more liberal in their applicant pool and break the all too familiar trend of white, upper-middle to upper class student bodies.

Go Whalers

I just think Hauser is A) either has some tricks up his sleeve for recruiting purposes or B) he has simply given up on the idea of a run game. I know a couple great kids that played for the Cards and they loved the game but all comment on how practice is still run like a HS practice i.e. the head coach is the one that makes the timeing decisions in practice and decides what gets worked on. I know at Trinity, for example, there is a clock that is broken down into 5 minute periods and practice is schedualed and the schedual is stuck to. Every time the clock alarm sounds off, the period changes and the next task is worked on. I think in no matter what people do in life, organization and a gameplan are necessary. You cant help but wonder if Hauser looks down at his watch sometimes hoping 2.5 hours hasnt gone by yet so he can squeeze some run into their team period.

Lets talk about an interesting little trend with the wesleyan cardinals. Why is it that the head coach continually passes the ball without a legit attempt at a run game? I mean they fell to Hamilton and just fell to an injury ridden Bobcat squad. Is it a pride/bragging thing to have the most prolific passing offense in the league? I mean they are struggling to keep thier completion percentage above 50% and their overall scheme seems to be hugely unorganized as they flail in the games they play. Head coahing regime change at Wes tech?

the kelly story is true. he was a tufts student who withdrew but continued to play football. and I believe he didnt even return for his junior spring semester.  and its a hundred percent true. the league met and suggested taking all their wins away but instead opted to have it be water under the bridge. GO JUMBO's.

steroids are used in the NESCAC, ironically though, moreso by the kids trying to get on the field, not the ones actually on the field.

and as far as I know, the kids at trinity who transfered from D-I schools didnt flunk out, they transfered for an opportunity to play football, not ride the pine.

I have been taking a few spare moments over the course of the last few weeks to catch up on everybody's opinion on NESCAC football. On the whole, i feel there are alot of valid arguments and viewpoints made as well as some absolutly rediculous comments made.

To comment on the strength of schools in the NESCAC (more appropriatly: the Trinity bashing): NESCAC schools have the "little Ivy" tag for a reason. Now, whether you're Williams or you're Conn College, you're getting a great education. Whats the point of going to a good school? To set yourself apart from the rest of the educated people right? Now a days, over 85% of the woring world is educated at the post high school level. To quickly contrast, the reason NESCACs and Ivy's are so elite is because of their reputation, but also because of the relatively small graduating class sizes. For every 1 graduate from trinity there are 14 graduate from UCONN. Thats why our schools are special. Now, when a person is applying to a job after they graduate from school and the man is comparing a student from Trinity and a student from Amherst, do you think all the emplyer is concerned with is the institution? I hope not. The fact is, once you get into a school like any of the ones in the NESCAC you've got yourself in a good position for success in the future. Rest assured there are more successful people who have graduated from Conn College than from Williams or Amherst, and visa versa; what it comes down to is drive and desire, not alma mater. Now that being said, lets look to athletics ...

I think this stuff on trinity cheating is funny. The fact is that Trinity has done a great job closing the discrepencies between administration and athletics. At trinty, one helps the other, at other schools, the two dont give a load about the other. Its like any other BUSINESS organization; when everyone is on the same page, things happen smoother and more successfully. When you have one department fighting against the other, companies file for bankruptcy.

One last thing ... Trinity has never cheated in recruiting like one other university that I cant believe has been failed to be mentioned. Tufts univeristy in the season of 2001 had a tailback, last name Kelly, who wasnt even an enrolled student playing and winning games for the Jumbos. The league became wise to this and decided to simply slap tufts on the wrist.