As a former player and alum, I was glad that Amherst won, but I still struggle with soccer's insistence on all levels that penalty kicks decide the winner. It's the last game of the year, plenty of subs, why can't they play it out? The international game frequently is spoiled as teams do little in overtime, preferring to risk PKs than exposing themselves to a goal. And the loser counts it as a tie not a loss! Way too many crucial games are decided by penalties. I'd love to just see sudden death on all playoff games, but at least have it for the championship.

I was class of '76 and we were still D1 in those days. We scrimmaged UMass my sophomore year but I don't remember after that. There was no rancor then. Gooding had a good relationship with their coach, but they weren't that strong. UConn was the power (always NCAA bound) and we played them every year as well as a rotating two of Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard and Brown. After D3 was established the schedule changed dramatically and the team never got back to a top 20 ranking again. No NFL players after that as well.

You all follow and care about this more than I, but one of my pet peeves is that awards go to the best players on the best teams rather than simply to the best players. It's one thing to name someone MVP/Player of the year, but why should a Ralph Kiner be punished because he plays for the last placed Pirates? Players always look better on good teams as they simply don't have to do as much to excel. Some do, fine. But that doesn't mean because the other 4 players are subpar, that you weren't one of the best in the league. Most all-league, all-American lists lose some credibility in my eyes over this. Not all stars on bad teams deserve awards but the BJ Armstrongs don't deserve them either.

Dave was a teammate and fraternity brother of mine though a class ahead. This is obviously a great honor for him and one he certainly never expected following the career path he chose. Imagine a D3 coach being inducted in the HOF for just being that. Dave was a coach's son, his father a very highly respected one at Andover High, and always thought like one. This was the career he truly wanted. His timing was great as Rick Wilson, the long, longtime Amherst coach, who was credited with being the first one to use a full court press (against Holy Cross the year after Cousy left) was ready to retire, staying for Rehnquist's senior year. Hix was his assistant and given his strong relationship with Rick and athletic director Peter Gooding he was given the job at a very young age. This would never happen in this day and age for reasons which needn't be said. Nonetheless a great choice. He could have left, particularly when he was bypassed for AD, but that really wasn't Dave's m.o. Dave is a quality guy. Just the type of individual that a college would be proud to have representing its school. A great teammate and fraternity brother. Our frat had a less than stellar reputation given some rowdy hockey and football players. I just received an email from one of my roommates forwarding an old economics prof's excitement on Dave's selection who said it was nice to see a DU (Delta Upsilon) in the news but not in the police blotter. This is wonderful for Dave, a most deserving individual.

Totally agree. Strus is more athletic and at this point not shooting that much worse. Ironically, the team hasn't fared as well since DR has been relegated to the bench.

Quote from: JEFFFAN on March 24, 2022, 01:09:03 PM

So here is an off-season question for this group ... as you look at the best players in your respective schools' history, are they guards, forwards, or centers?  I generally know the answer at Amherst - Toomey and Olsen were guards and probably the GOAT (according to Hixon), Rehnquist, would be classified as a two guard given his incredible outside shooting prowess.

Dave Auten '70 was a forward and has to be considered in any Amherst discussion. 6'6" (probably listed as 6'8" today) and very mobile. Excellent shooter. Dominant player in that period. Late cut by the Rockets in the days before big expansion. Harry Sheehy '75 would also have to be considered at Williams. I'm sure he would think so as well. Rehnquist would have loved the 3 pointer. I didn't see Auten enough to know how he would like it given that coaches frowned on long range, low percentage shots in those days. Zones did pack it in.

I guess the world has changed since I played. As a point guard I made the passes that I thought I could make, that the defense gave me. I really didn't know the coaches now call every play, particularly late in a game in a rout. I wouldn't have known that the coach subbed a player specifically for an alley-oop play to embarrass the other team. I guess it was fortunate for him that the defense allowed it.

[  Often when you see posts about Amherst there is are comments about both their behavior and their style of play as though that almost goes hand in hand.
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Obviously I am not a fan of their behavior.  As far as style of play goes, I believe the coach has an obligation to put his team in the best position to win.  Given his track record, it is hard to argue that Serpone is not doing this.
[/quote]

As an alum who gets emailed game summaries and who watches perhaps 3 games a year online, I am curious about the negativity around Serpone and his teams. I have to say I haven't noticed the alleged behavior which has been criticized regularly on this board and wonder what I'm missing. Clearly I never see the verbal side of things online and am more than willing to hear the negatives, but it seems that various posters have strong opinions on the matter and others take it for granted because of that. I recently saw a criticism of the goalie, yet another poster equally strongly criticized another Nescac  goalie with a side comment that goalies are in their own worlds so to speak. Is this forum like many on the net that the loudest voices get to speak the truth or is there really a behavior issue with Amherst soccer?

As much as I hate flagrant fouls, I really don't think the game is rife with subs coming in and injuring people. A foul is a foul. There is a cost on set pieces, officials getting irritated, etc. The biggest problem of multiple subs to me is that conditioning is less stressed and depth of roster more important, not big issues. I watched the end of the Amherst-Middlebury game, so I only could see as the camera did and heard the announcers. However, I didn't think Middlebury handled themselves that well after the game. Regardless of what the goalie or someone else said, I don't think it's a valid excuse to blame everything always on Amherst. The announcer did note a cheap shot by a previously yellow-carded M player behind the official's back right at the end of the game. Players note these things too. Also, playing a rival 3 times in important games does heightened some emotions. As a former Amherst player under Peter Gooding, I'm disappointed that the team's current reputation is so vastly different from what Peter would have tolerated.

Perhaps he could have argued for a more challenging schedule. I'm not sure these games accomplish much other than getting everyone on these overpopulated rosters a chance to play. Since most teams try to peak at tournament time I understand not having a killer Nov/Dec. schedule, but at least have some competition.

The speed of the game is too great, which is generally the problem in most sports. Court coverage in tennis, defense in bball in addition to the obvious strength and height differentials. If one looks at the recent US/Mexico soccer game, the US got bailed out essentially because it's team speed and superior athleticism countered the greater skill level of Mexico. A D3/top 5 hs team game would depend on the discipline/coaching of the college team v. the most likely superior athleticism of the hs team. Remember the US bball team struggled about 15-20 years ago against inferior athletic international teams due to being outsmarted by teams used to the international rules (and US players not being protected by the officials the way they were used to). That's all passed now. I'm usually disappointed when I watch these hs teams though I recognize the raw talent. Larry Bird said LeBron would start immediately in the NBA after hs, he was that good. Not too many LeBrons on these teams but some of the talent is extraordinariy, though very undisciplined.

Quote from: nescac1 on June 08, 2021, 02:43:49 PM
On the last Bill Simmons - Ryen Russillo podcast, they were discussing fun ideas for unothordox sporting events and proposed a match-up between the Williams men's team and UConn women.  As usual, they have no understanding of just how good D3 hoops is .... I think the Williams men would probably win that match-up something like 110-50.  The size and strength mismatch would just be so massive.  A game between the Williams men and the WNBA champions would be a lot more interesting, but Williams would still be a very heavy favorite.

UConn's women's team regularly scrimmages with a group of men (who aren't on any team, high school letter winners) for competition. They would be killed by Williams (as would the WNBA champions). The US women's national soccer team lost to a Dallas U-15 boys team by 3 goals a couple of years ago. Bobby Riggs lost in the quarters of the national 55s right before he beat world #1 Margaret Court. People simply don't know levels in sports. It's not just that they don't understand D3, they really just don't understand levels in sports.

Quote from: JEFFFAN on February 09, 2021, 02:07:28 PMSomeone had to take the fall for the Title 9 debacle at Dartmouth and it looks like it was Sheehy.   Can't fire the president so you allow the AD to retire.   Dartmouth looks awful with the way they handling their efforts to get rid of some of their sports programs.   A course in "how not to eliminate sports" taught at both Brown and Dartmouth!

Dartmouth tried to ditch swimming around 10-15 years ago, but the alumni objected and funded the program, though apparently not enough (though it didn't seem like $$$ was really the issue this time). Wright handled that poorly and so has Hanlon this time. But so did Sheehy. He has struggled with many alums over his coaching choices and general leadership, so his bungling of the Title IX issues made him perhaps vulnerable. The faculties at these schools seem to really resent the athletic programs. That of course is a forever topic.

In the FWIW category, Harry Sheehy retired today from his Dartmouth athletic director position. Having covered him for two years in the day and with children who played varsity sports at Dartmouth, I have always kept up with what he's been up to.
Lots of sub-plots going on now with Dartmouth athletics which is more suited for another board, but he is around 68 with a full career behind him. Very difficult guy to cover particularly when you're giving up 5 inches and can't really jump. But then he had that with pretty much everybody he played. Long time lurker on this board and first time poster, but I'm a bit bored with no games in NESCAC and the Ivies. I've really enjoyed the civil and high quality commentary here.