Is it my imagination, or is deputy dog schizo?!? It seems like this guy is having six different conversations with himself! Seven straight, one-line posts of the most random format? Somebody calm Sybil down...

I'm really hoping we see a repeat of our sectional down in Salem. Hope and Wash U should beat the heck out of each other. While I think it foolish to underestimate any team who's making the trip to Salem, it sounds like the Jeffs got the best matchup with Ursinus.

Long story short, Amherst heads down there with the most championship experience of any team, and there's no subsitution for it. These guys have been on the national stage before and they know what it's like to hold that championship trophy.

One more time...

Three straight Final Fours, and four of the last five?

Damn...

Props to Bowdoin, on to the dance...

Quote from: NY Hoopster on February 25, 2008, 01:14:09 PM
Friar T;

Last time Midd and Trinity matched up, Harris was still out with an injury.
I thought Midd would easily handle Williams, and I think they will beat Trinity as well. They have better shooters, and have an imposing inside presence. I'm guessing Midd will win, but with less than a 10 point spread. I was underwhelmed by Trinity when they played Colby.

Didn't know this, the lack of Harris would definitely make a large difference.

Quote from: toad22 on February 25, 2008, 01:15:55 PM
Friar T:
It's hard to know what to write after a 37 point second half slaughter. Clearly, the Ephs never got a good team rhythm going the entire year. I Think it is very difficult for a team to adjust to the severe slump of a star player. I can't explain what happened to Chris Rose, but it wasn't because he didn't try or didn't care. The whole team seemed to go into a slump along with him, and so went the season. The one bright spot was the play of Matt Weisbrot. He finally got a chance to play for a whole year without injury and he made the most of it. Middlebury should get a bid to the NCAAs. They really do have game this year. 

It also should be hard to write after falling from #4 in the nation to not making the tourney...

Quote from: golflax99 on February 25, 2008, 02:30:40 PM
Friar T:

- Also keep in mind that Middlebury has played better on the road this whole season.
- Middlebury is also coming off a game in which they shot 58% from the field versus their 36% they shot versus Trinity...

Field goal percentage is sometimes a reflection of hot or cold shooting. More often, it is a reflection of the level of defense played against them. Comparing how a team shot against a Williams defense to how the same team shot against a Trinity defense may have more to do with quality of opponent...

Home-court advantage is a HUGE thing in college basketball regardless of division. However, you have to look at quality of opponent. Going 5-0 on the road in conference is less impressive when you see that Midd played at Colby, at Tufts, at Bates, at Williams and at Bowdoin (only two of these teams had winning conference records and the win at Bowdoin is impressive). To say a team plays better on the road is a ridiculous excuse for losing to two of the top teams in the conference (plus Conn College) at home.

La Verdad spoke truths. Harsher than necessary? Maybe... True nonetheless? Definitely.

Facts aren't insults.

Do you hear that? Yes, that would be sounds of silence from Williamstown... 37 points? Really now...

Westbrooks is an animal. Anyone who's seen that kid play, and knows anything about the game, can see that his defensive footwork and attitude are unmatched in the NESCAC. Big enough to handle some post defense and fast enough to lockdown almost every guard in the league. What coach wouldn't want this?

Walzy, I think your Trinity spread is a bit conservative... They won at Midd., why wouldn't they win by more on a neutral court?

Quote from: CCsalive on February 21, 2008, 09:56:52 AM
FriarT- If you only knew what it was like to travel to Amherst for that game to watch Stone sit down 8 minutes in. It was kind of like the time my parents traveled a long way to watch a team I was coaching only to watch me get ejected 10 minutes after they arrived...I know what you guys are thinking...2nd graders should never be witness to their coach getting two techs...

Outstanding analogy CC. Stone is a hell of a player who has had a solid NESCAC career, I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm glad the boys in purple won't have to face him any longer.

If a second grader can't see that a ref is jobbing you, what in God's name are we doing with the youth of America?

Quote from: CCsalive on February 20, 2008, 10:48:12 AM
but the refs screwed Stone in the first 8 minutes calling two quick love taps-one in the front court when a 'herst player had rebounded the ball and 8 players had already run down the floor and Stone and the 'herst player got their legs tangled-a good ref has to call a travel and let the star player stay in the game

Holy Sour Grapes Batman!

Walzy is the king of the NESCAC spread. No one has been accurate as often or for as long, and he doesn't even see 75-80% of these teams play. For some no-name to come in on his first five posts and challenge him and use insulting words like "degenerate," is not only absurd, but probably proof of a needed stay in Bellvue.

Also his comments on gambling and then challenges to bet are similar to a scene in Dumb and Dumber

Lloyd: I'll bet you twenty dollars I can get you gambling before the day is out!
Harry: No!
Lloyd: I'll give you three to one odds.
Harry: No.
Lloyd: Five to one.
Harry: No.
Lloyd: Ten to one?
Harry: You're on!
Lloyd: I'm gonna get ya!
Harry: Nu uh!
Lloyd: I don't know how but I'm gonna get ya.

Quote from: NY Hoopster on February 13, 2008, 01:01:38 PMFriar T; why don't you ask someone on Amherst, Trinity, Wiliams or Middlebury whether they think Colby is a "bad" team? Losing a string of close games does't = bad.

Okay, "bad" may not be the right word, but they're sure as hell not good. 1-6 in NESCAC (you lose by 1 or 100 IT'S A LOSS) and 11-11 overall, they're either the most unlucky team in the nation or just not that good...

Let's face it, Colby isn't exactly a NESCAC power. We're talking about a program that has finished in the bottom half of the conference in 6 of the last 7 years, and has had a winning record in conference ONCE over that span (5-4 in 06-07). The team has had an overall winning record twice in that span (15-11 in 06-07 and 14-8 in 04-05).

All this being considered, Choice would have to incredible to be considered for 1st team and pretty good and typically an upperclassman for 2nd team. Granted I've never seen him play, but his numbers are neither. A few points taken straight from Mule-folklore.

2006-07
Nick Farrell named First-Team All-NESCAC
Colby in top half of conference, team winning record overall and in conference
Farrell leads NESCAC in scoring and 3s

2005-06
Drew Cohen named First-Team All-NESCAC
Colby in bottom half with losing record
Cohen dominates, second in scoring, first in rebounds, almost 5 blocks per game (led nation)

2004-05
Pat McGowen named Second-Team All-NESCAC
Colby in bottom half with losing record
A senior...top 10 in scoring, #1 in 3s, #2 in steals
Cohen gets nothing despite equal if not better #'s
Top 10 in scoring and rebounding, led NESCAC in blocks and #2 in FG%

It's real simple:
Solid team + good player = All-NESCAC
Great player = All-NESCAC
Bad team + good player = Maybe second-team, maybe a chance to read about other people getting All-NESCAC honors

If history rings true, Choice might get 2nd team, he might not...

I didn't write the book, I just preach it's teachings...

All-NESCAC honors have a direct correlation to overall team success. Is this right or wrong? Don't know, but it's a fact nonetheless. To get a player from a 1-6 conference team on the All-NESCAC list means he has to be dominant. Jbergman said it best in mentioning there are several other bigs across the league that would average those types of numbers in Waterville...

Being the best player on a bad team doesn't make one an elite player.

Amen.

Quote from: Route9_Cassie on February 12, 2008, 12:48:14 AM
Friar T, you are not alone.  I knew Fletcher was great since his first order at the diner.  It was just the way he emphasized the "CH" sound in challah toast.

And Pat, while I am sure Dan Wheeler gave you a very gracious and humble response.  I could spit in his coffee, tell him I did so, and probably still receive a tip out of the kindness of his heart.  Had you asked Tim or Dan O'Shea they most likely would have flipped the table over like I had forgotten to take their muffins off the grill.  (I'll never forget the time that happened.  Two wasted muffins not to mention forks and knives everywhere.)

Brandon Jones not player of the week?  I think I am going to go put something sad on the jukebox and drown my sorrows in a pink.

Incredible post, and so very true. O'Shea would've turned green like The Hulk and his jersey would have exploded off his body.

Walzy you continue to amaze...

Interesting possible first-round matchup eclinchy... although I'm not thrilled about ANOTHER Jeff-Jumbo postseason matchup. Overtime is bad for my heart...

Quote from: Friar T on December 11, 2006, 12:23:22 PM
Fletcher Walters for Breakout Player of the Year in the 'CAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(robotic tone) I AM A SCORING MACH-INE.
Dude just puts it in the hole. Plain and simple.

More proof of my seer like abilities...

Quote from: Friar T on December 08, 2006, 01:32:52 PM
(Fletch is a scoring machine)

This just goes to show who knew Fletch was a beast way back when. Glad to see him getting his love now.

No worries Pat, I get it.

Good call on the banner of the main page. Gives cred to our man Pat giving respect of greatness.

I get all warm and fuzzy too seeing Fletch's mug on there.

Wow... I've never seen such a case of "He Said, She Said" in my life!

JeffRookie, your questioning of the All-Decade team is absurd! Considering the fact that you NEVER saw 90% of these guys play, how do you justify comparing them with Amherst guys. Remind yourself that this criticism is coming from AN AMHERST FAN! I only saw a few of the guys on this list play (I personally think that Keelan Amelianovich got dogged, that dude was gross), but I know enough to realize that if as good as I thought they were, they're no higher than the third-team, these other dudes must have been pretty damn good. I mean Devean George is still in the league for God's sake...

Let's throw in there that a good chunk of All-American consideration comes from overall team success. Has Amherst had some great teams? Yes. But until about four years ago, none had been to a Final Four. I wonder how many of the players on this list played in 0 Final Fours? Odds aren't too high...

As for the rest of the accusations, who cares? Pat do you really feel the need to defend yourself against accusations from a guy that most of us find pretty believable to be hard to remember meeting? Let's face it, Amherst is pretty easy to hate. They're elite in most things they do and reject more applicants than nearly every school in existance. In a few years in the Amherst environment, I even at times found the self-proclaimed Lord Jeff Nation to be aggrivating and not half the amazing fan base they thought they were.

All the same I love the Jeffs and do see the bias against them on this site as a whole. Bottomline Pat, this is your universe. You can be biased against anyone you want! You've created the greatest resource for Division III basketball the world has, but you find it necessary to use BOLD LETTERING to quash the rumors starting by some guy who contrivesy is laughable and can't be validated?

Have some self-confidence and security and stop taking up board space with your defensive manuvers, expert witnesses and glove-not-fitting theories.

To see Williams not make the tourney would be hilarious.