Quote from: EnmoreCat on December 10, 2024, 06:21:18 PMThe Amherst players that can read, do also.

All three of them, in addition to your son?

Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 17, 2024, 08:26:32 PMFor the record, from a very neutral vantage, Messiah folks have been pretty objective and humble on this board. I've actually come to root for them, in large part because the supporters and fan base seem to be genuinely humble and straight-forward in their approach.

Much obliged, Hopkins02. Please let me say this about you: you're always honest, objective, humble, and well informed in your comments.

Quote from: PaulNewman on November 17, 2024, 08:28:41 PMOK, I guess you're not a homer and don't feel entitled.  I've got no interest in doing research on your behalf.  Interesting that you picked out my post when others thought you were ridiculous for asking for a red.  Also interesting because I gave a lot of praise to Messiah, how they competed, and said I was rooting for them. And they didn't lose because of that one play, 80 yards from where the goal was scored.

PN, we both know I'm a homer--and so are you. 

Others with more objectivity have said my call for a red card was unwarranted. I accept their view as more objective than mine, though nearly everyone agrees that play should have been called back (which is the heart of the matter). Given that neither team had scored for more than 100 minutes, it seems reasonable to conclude that the Falcons did lose because of that one play. What should have happened, by nearly all accounts, is that Messiah should have had a free kick from a fairly dangerous place. We can't know what would have followed, but there's no reason to believe that Williams would then have marched down the field and scored after stealing the ball.

Quote from: Dustin_Patrón on November 17, 2024, 03:53:15 PMThe ref had a great position and that "foul" looks like it belongs in an acting class. Williams scored the goal and won the game. Messiah didn't do nearly enough to deserve a result today.

Also, why are the messiah players always winners in life? Are the Williams players losers in life then? Not sure what you're getting at bird man.

Dustin,

I tried to reply to this about 20 minutes ago, before typing the reply to PN that you see above. For some reason my reply disappeared into cyberspace. So, let me try to reconstruct it.

I apologize for giving you the wrong impression. I certainly didn't mean to imply that the Williams players are "losers." I know I didn't say that, but I see why you might think I meant it anyway.

In fact, I added that as a final encouragement to the Falcon players, who must be feeling a bit down after the way the game ended on a bad non-call. I have several times in past seasons praised the Falcon players for their character and sportsmanship, using similar language. I don't recall if I did so earlier this year, but maybe I did somewhere. Anyway, it's well known here and elsewhere that Falcon opponents often credit them for class and sportsmanship, win or lose. The same can be said for many other D3 soccer teams; I only wish it could be said of every single one. As was pointed out above by a Falcon alum (in another sport), that's really the whole point of having IC sports at Messiah: to teach young men and women how to respond to what life throws at them. If character building weren't the heart and soul of athletics at Messiah, then Messiah would not sponsor any teams. That's really true. And, I am sure it's really true in many other places. (We're on the same page, Blooter.)

So, Dustin, no offense intended. If I had meant to offend, I'd have done so directly and without any ambiguity. A few times I have done that here and I don't regret those occasions, since I spoke the truth as I saw it. Still, I apologize for the lack of clarity in this instance.

PN says, [/quote]
So many life and faith lessons, and yet an awful lot of entitlement about winning comes with Messiah.  Not sure I've ever seen a totally clean pro-Messiah post accepting a loss in a genuinely gracious way...would have, should have, wanted to give full credit but somehow there's always a reason convenient enough or manufactured not to do so.  I do agree, though, that Messiah produces outstanding young men and women...and I was rooting hard for the Falcons today.
[/quote]
PN, I'm surprised to hear this from you, since we've both been here a long time. 

I have no idea where comments from past years are found, but if you can find them, you will see me giving unqualified congratulations to ONU last fall and to many other teams who've beaten the Falcons in past seasons, including in regular season games. Call that a little challenge. :-)

This season, for example, you will find me giving high praise to Dickinson for finally defeating the Falcons, after failing to get a single result in 40 previous contests. Indeed, a few more times I repeated my opinion that this year's version of the Red Devils is the best one I've ever seen. If that constitutes entitlement, then we apparently have different definitions of that word.

Likewise, I have often stated quite honestly what the Falcons' problems were early in the season. I said they weren't up to snuff and offered my analysis of the reasons--including a point about not having as much talent as they have had recently. Did that constitute entitlement? Or, simply a fair assessment of the facts?

And--going way back, but you and I both go that far back, before this board even existed. I said often in the previous decade that the Falcons didn't deserve the 2010 nattie, because there was a huge uncalled foul that gave the Falcons an undeserved game-tying goal in the last few seconds of regulation. They then won in OT. But, that season, Lynchburg was in my mind the true national champion. They got robbed. Was that more entitlement? Since I've said that repeatedly, it doesn't sound like entitlement simply to say that a huge uncalled foul cost the Falcons the game today. That's just a fact. Not entitlement.

Quote from: boomer on November 17, 2024, 03:33:26 PM

Quote from: GKForverr1 on November 17, 2024, 03:27:58 PMFor those who come looking later here is that moment clipped

https://youtube.com/shorts/5RwWHZTKJVw?si=1PRuRMGE9kZGmzUA

certainly a foul

In real time it was unquestionably a foul that led directly to the GW.

On the replay, it looks to my biased eyes that the Williams player directly, intentionally threw either an elbow or his shoulder, or both, into the Messiah player, who stayed down. In other words, it should have been a straight red. As others have asked above, how could that play not be whistled? I hope the main official is not allowed to officiate again in this tournament. It's incredible, isn't it?

If the game hadn't ended this way, I wouldn't hesitate to congratulate Williams. They were every bit as good as Messiah, though not better. I expected PKs and hoped for a different result from 2022. But this one leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

If anyone thinks I'm just being a homer (I am certainly a homer), please tell me what I'm missing.

This was a tough way to lose.

On the other hand, the Messiah players are always winners. In life. That's what matters most. If not, then let's cash it in and forget sports altogether.

Trinity-Bowdoin starting to resemble Messiah-Albright. The Maine men are just standing around, watching spectacular plays.

Trinity is putting on a clinic in offensive soccer. Bowdoin is lucky not to be trailing by 6.

Quote from: pinball on November 12, 2024, 04:11:51 PMI watched both games for York/Messiah - definitely could feel and tell the despair at the conclusion of Sunday's game for York.  I was completely unimpressed the first time they played as I was expecting more of a match but it was like York just sat back and took a beating.

Sunday's match was more competitive but it was still not really close.  York's goal came from a handball in the box that was an unlucky bounce straight up hitting the Messiah defenders arm.  (Well slotted PK though - with a run-up).  They really didn't create many chances at all, and didn't have the ball much.

They were better than Lancaster Bible, and Widener and that's where they missed out.

That York PK was their only Shot (not just their only SOG) the entire game.

Messiah dominated York for 180 minutes this fall. No question that this year's Falcons are better than this year's Spartans, no question at all. Maybe if they played early in the season, York would have gotten a result.

York's fate (in which I take no pleasure) reminds me of a few times when Etown lost twice to Messiah, once in the regular season and once in the conference tournament, and then failed to get a bid. In those days, it wasn't uncommon for the tournament to pencil in Etown vs Messiah in (say) round three. I think at least once, Etown lost 3 times to Messiah in one season. Of course they are no longer in the same conference.

Quote from: Mr_November on November 12, 2024, 10:04:52 AMWilliams vs Messiah - Historical View (3 meetings)
2009 - Messiah 2-1 Williams (NCAA Final Four)
2013 - Messiah 4-0 Williams (NCAA Final Four)
2022 - Messiah 0-0 Williams*(NCAA First Round)

Wiliams win 4-3 on PKs

To which can be added:

1993 - Williams 3-1 Messiah (NCAA Round Three)
2006 - Williams 0-0 Messiah (NCAA Sweet Sixteen), Messiah wins 4-2 in PKs. Both teams were stacked, among their greatest teams ever. The Falcon GK Dustin Shambach (https://vwuathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/coaches/dustin-shambach/50) was arguably the best Falcon keeper ever. He kept the Falcons in the game, at one point saving a point-blank header that everyone had already put down as a goal.

Massey has messiah in top 25 which is about right. They are playing higher than that at this point in the season. If they hold firm vs York this weekend, then any team looking forward to drawing them in the tournament is in for a most unpleasant surprise.

Quote from: paclassic89 on October 30, 2024, 12:10:14 PMFrom a purely stats pov, probably either Saul Iwowo or Ethan Jarden from Dickinson

As I said after watching Dickinson defeat Messiah, 2-1, for the first time ever in more than 40 contests: this is the best Dickinson team I've ever seen. Nothing since then gives me pause.

And, since I've been watching such games since the 1980s, usually in Grantham but sometimes in Carlisle, I've probably seen more Dickinson teams than anyone else here. Obviously, that doesn't "prove" my opinion, but I probably have as much right to it as anyone else, including longtime Dickinson fans unless their visual experience goes back equally far.

The York team Messiah beat last evening started 6 or 7 players who are SR or 5Y, more in the latter category. I hadn't realized that prior to the introductions. In other words, if they are going to go far any time soon, it has to be this year. I expect that level of experience is more than anything else responsible for their record thus far.

Messiah leads unbeaten York, 3-0, at the half. The game is not as close as the score. This is the unquestionably the best the Falcons have played in 11 months. Total domination on both ends. York has one great shot, a rocket from outside the box right at the keeper. Otherwise they've struggled to generate chances. Messiah could very well have six goals. I don't exaggerate.

I hope York is actually as good as their excellent record. If so, then the Falcons have righted the ship. Even if not, they're playing beautiful soccer again.

Saturday evening was the first Falcon home game in two weeks. I saw the stream at UMW and most of the stream at Rowan, but none of it at Lycoming since I won't pay to watch Landmark games. Here's my assessment of where they are more than halfway through what is undeniably, and quite unexpectedly, a true rebuilding season. The Falcons don't have those very often, as everyone knows.

First, against a very ordinary Eastern side they were dominant, despite the parity in team statistics. Officiating was a factor in Eastern's favor. (I know I like to play that card, and to many it may sound like an excuse. But, I call them as I see them, and unfortunately that's often what I see.) Many very knowledgeable Falcon fans (not the student body, which was out in large numbers for Homecoming), including parents of players and others who've been watching the Falcons for two or three decades, were dumbfounded by several of the calls. Unlike my usual complaint, the problem wasn't neglecting obvious fouls by opponents, often intentional, that are designed to slow down the Falcons' signature possession-style game. Rather, the problem was inventing fouls that didn't happen, or else calling fouls the wrong way. The Falcons don't usually collect more fouls than their opponents, but yesterday they did by a larger margin (15 to 9), whereas (IM biased opinion) the fouls were even and should have been called that way. In other words, the Falcons really dominated possession more than they are credited for. In one especially glaring instance when an Eagle nearly pulled down a Falcon but the Falcon escaped an initiated a dangerous attack, the foul was called—however, the Falcons should have been given the advantage as the situation developed. Instead, the play was called back upfield for a free kick and Eastern may have dodged a bullet. More importantly, there was a huge non-call on a very obvious Eastern hand-ball in the box that turned back a shot on goal. Everyone saw it, apparently, except the officials. So, this one was probably 4-0.

On the other hand, Eastern hit the crossbar on a direct kick late in the game, and then GK Adam Carter stood on his head to save the rebound. So, maybe 4-1. Eastern had other excellent chances, but the Falcons turned them all away, including some scrums that nearly always in earlier games resulted in goals (like both Dickinson goals).

In short, despite poor officiating, the Falcons just had better luck last night. They converted their best chances and denied their opponent's best chances. OK, there's more to it than just luck, but everyone knows that luck can be a bigger factor in soccer than in most other team sports. Last evening, the Falcons really did outplay their opponent all night long, but this time they weren't skunked so the scoreboard reflects how well they did.

None of that changes the fact that this year's team is not as good as nearly all others since the Falcon ascendency in the late 1990s. They aren't. They will need to win the AQ to get a bid, and with a greatly improved York squad and a couple other good teams in the conference that will be a challenge this year. However, over the past several games there are subtle signs of improvement, suggesting that the AQ could still be in their grasp.

It's no secret that there have been four keys to their success this century. (1) Top play on the back line, in some seasons among the 4 or 5 best in D3, often with an AA CB in that mix. (2) Excellent team speed that only helps their possession game. (3) Precision passing all the way down the field, sometimes to the point of overkill in and around the box, such that a very good look is often ignored. (4) Great depth and overall conditioning. This last factor is the one that Brandt used to such advantage, forcing opponents to leave their starters on the field because their benches just couldn't match the Falcons when Brandt sent in the subs.
Saturday evening I often saw (3), except when bad calls turned the ball over. (2) Is not characteristic of this year's team, despite the fact that SO Sam Phillips (who was injured in practice the day before and DNP) might be the single fastest Falcon this century (in terms of HS sprint times). I've said before that Matt McDonald was the fastest striker in decades, but others now graduated also had a lot of speed. They are still faster than many teams, but not quite at the level of recent teams. That won't change, obviously, until maybe next season. I have yet to see evidence of (4). There are certainly fewer regional HS AAs on this squad than Falcon fans are accustomed to seeing, and maybe fewer All-state players as well. To be sure, there are still several excellent HS players who are playing at a good D3 level at this point in the season, but the bench isn't as stacked as it normally is. Perhaps this is a lingering effect of COVID, with many talented players the past two seasons playing past the pre-COVID norm of 4 years, such that some really good younger players never started and got that experience. Time will tell, especially next year.
 
What about (1)? This has to my eyes been the biggest issue so far this year, right out of the gate. Last year the Falcons had two AA CBs, one of them (Jake Kent-Loop) among the very best ever in Grantham, and a FR backup who is very athletic and a quick study. Kent-Loop graduated to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, the FR transferred to a MD community college, and the only returning CB with a lot of PT, 5Y Ben Vollmer (2nd team AA in 2023), went down with a career-ending injury in the first 25 minutes of the season. That left an enormous experiential hole that the Falcons are still trying to plug. I saw definite improvement vs Eastern. One factor is that McCarty moved the Falcons' best handler, Jarec Marlotte, all the way back to CB. Unless he played there vs Lycoming (the game I didn't see), it was his first time in that position and he played it awfully well. In a related move, speedster JR Davis Pagett, one of the best players left this year, played outside back opposite equally fast 5Y Caleb Aldridge. IMO, Aldridge was the single best player on the field vs UMW, repeatedly stopping them cold and often stealing the ball from attackers. I think he merited consideration for all-conference each of the past two seasons, but on such stacked teams it's hard to get that honor when half a dozen teammates already have it. He and Marlotte are the most experienced Falcon defenders, and with both of them now on the back line with Pagett, the Falcons might have solved this problem as well as possible this season. I hope they continue to play as a unit throughout the conference season. If they can run the table with them, they might have enough experience together to make a decent showing in the tournament.

I should also give a shout-out to FR Grant Shreiner, who's now started all but once in the MF. Although he was All-state in PA last year, he went to a small Christian school, so I wasn't sure how good he would be. I hadn't realized that two brothers starred for Lancaster Bible College. Anyway, Grant is already an excellent D3 player, who surprises me with his all-around ability. He's not a scorer, but he shoots with authority when open outside the box—he had a rocket blocked vs Eastern—and is a top notch handler with quickness and great field vision. Even on a somewhat depleted team, it's uncommon for a FR to start all season. Those who do often end their careers as AAs. Is Grant in that category? It's too early to say, but it's not too early to say that he's a real find.

Falcon fans, hold on to your butts. The next four weeks will make or break their chances.

When Dickinson scored the last two goals vs Messiah last Wednesday and Salisbury scored the first two goals on Saturday, it was probably just the second time this century in which the Falcons yielded four goals in a row to opponents. The previous instance in my mind was in 2015, when Rowan scored 4 in Grantham before Messiah rookie Nick West got 2 of them back. That was a rare rebuilding season for the Falcons, who for the only time since 1996 failed to qualify for the tournament. They came back quickly, owing to 3 FR players who had been regional HS AAs: Nick West, David Alejos, and Samuel Ruiz Plaza. Two of those men were first-team AAs at Messiah. In their final season (2018), West had that brilliant season, scoring in the last 15 games of the season, but Ruiz Plaza--the engine of that offense--went down before the Elite Eight game vs Rochester, in which Rochester took advantage of his absence to stymie the Falcon attack on the way to a 2-1 victory.

This season so far reminds me of 2015. If that means a national title two years from now, I'll take it. But, I don't see 3 great FR who could make that happen this time. We'll see...