FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[cave2bens]

However, W&J is a better fit for everyone involved but Wabash and maybe Wittenburg. 

Shorter travel distance doesn't necessarily equal best fit.  We're not talking about traveling cross country here...it's a couple of extra hours on a bus.  This isn't crushing anybody.  If an extra 150 miles a few times a year is the straw that breaks the budget's back, then our athletic departments have far bigger issues to deal with. 

I've beaten my case for an invitation to DePauw into the ground.  Maybe the better question to ask here is why not DePauw?  Seriously, other than saving a few bucks on gas (which I don't think is a dealbreaker...most of the conference has recently spent millions and millions and millions of dollars on upgrades to the athletics programs...gas money is NOT the issue), why not DePauw?  Who brings the academic and athletic profile to the conference that DePauw does? 

Isn't arm-chair conjecture fun?    If and when the NCAC determines a direction, it will be interesting to see if either institution would abandon their current affiliations.  Short's mention of John Carroll is an interesting twist as well. 

While DePauw would make an excellent addition (though effusive praise lends new meaning to ad nauseum  ) with their four, consecutive (or is it five) all-sports trophies in the SCAC and academic and GLCA pedigrees, Washington and Jefferson offers eerily, similar performance (five, successive all-sports performances in the PAC and strong academics).  The thoughts expressed by all are understandable.  Each (or even all) would strengthen the oft-mentioned softness of NCAC athletics - specifically football.

As to cancellation of on-site media days, I agree with Wally that in this age of tele- and video conferencing through outlets like Skype, such expenditures may be deemed as unnecessary extravagance.  It's not like ESPN is dispatching camera crews and talking heads to get the scoop for Sports Center.     

[DPU3619]

D3football.com pre-season poll is out.  LG's in at 18.  Wittenberg received 4 votes.

[wabco]

While I believe the DIII poll to be in error ... I kind of enjoy being disapointed at Wabash's ranking verses being elated to simply being included.

I believe DePauw deserves to be in the top 25, Franklin does not, Witt deserves better, and Woo deserves to be mentioned.

Our coughing up blood at the end of last year bit us a little.  Now, why we coughed the way we did against the Dannies (one can never tell in that game) but terrible against Wheaton ... that is a whole nother story ... but mercifully a past story. 

I think ER - with a season under his belt and good knowledge of his players and coaches and a couple of good good frosh with the balance generally able to be contributers shortly - we might, just might supprise even the all knowing D III rating board.

[D3_DPUFan]

Now, why we coughed the way we did against the Dannies (one can never tell in that game)

I think one team made lots of plays and the other didn't. If you watched the game, it should have been pretty elementary.

[wally_wabash]

Good looking poll to me.  18 out of 230 or so is quite good and it's completely unreasonable to think that the same voters that kicked Wabash all the way up to #3 based almost entirely on the hypothetical only to have that team get stomped in two of the last three games against the two best teams on the schedule aren't going to just forgive that.  The LGs have burned up any benefit of the doubt capital that they may have accrued.  Time to earn those top 10 rankings by beating good teams. 

I'm a little surprised that Wooster, one of the last four out from last season's postseason tournament didn't get a handful of votes.  I think that's a measure of how low the national rep for the NCAC is as a football conference right now...I'm starting to come to grips with the fact that said reputation is lower than I would have thought in recent years.  But again, nobody is to blame but ourselves...Wooster needs to start beating CWRU...Wittenberg needs to stop losing to WashU (what was that?)...Wabash has to stop getting blasted in the second round of the playoffs...when was the last time the NCAC won a marquee game?  Anybody?  The closest thing I can think of would be the 2005 Bell game.  DePauw was playoff caliber that year...but they weren't ranked.  I can't think of any marquee win that the league has in a long, long time. 

Agree with you about Franklin, wabco...but you'll notice that there are only four teams in this top 25 that weren't in the last top 25 from 2008.  Inertia from the previous season counts for a ton in this preseason polling. 

[Li'l Giant]

The poll looks fine to me. I hope we can keep Wabash and DPU ranked until the Bell Game. Would make another classic Monon Bell storyline.

Curious about Woo not being higher ranked. They just seem like a team that can make some noise this year.

I hope this is the year that all of us in the NCAC win those games you talk about Wally.

[D3_DPUFan]

The poll looks fine to me. I hope we can keep Wabash and DPU ranked until the Bell Game. Would make another classic Monon Bell storyline.

Would like nothing better than to see both teams move up through the course of the season...

[ScotsFan]

In a way, I'm kind of glad that Wooster is not even mentioned in the poll.  I would rather have a team that is eager to go out and prove everybody wrong than a team that is patting themselves on the back about how highly ranked they are...

Besides, as Wally said, Wooster needs to go out and beat Case before anyone starts to take notice.  But first, the Scots have to take care of business in their first 4 games of the season leading up to Case.   Then, if Wooster can somehow find a way to bring the Baird Brother's trophy back to it's rightful home in the trophy case at the PEC, I think you will see the voters start to take notice of the Scots.  But, Wooster has to prove it on the field first!

[raiderguy]

In a way, I'm kind of glad that Wooster is not even mentioned in the poll.  I would rather have a team that is eager to go out and prove everybody wrong than a team that is patting themselves on the back about how highly ranked they are...

That has been a problem in the past. 

Come to Alliance and prove it on the field. Look what happened to Whitewater after playing the Raiders in the regular season '02 & '03.

[bashbrother]

The poll looks good to me.  It would be very cool for Wabash and Depauw to be ranked highly come mid-November.   I look for Depauw to win their Division this year and I hope it happens... the program that has played at such a high level for quite awhile deserves it.  They will get it done.

Ok..back to your regularly scheduled programming 

I do wish Monmouth the best as well.   They have quite a QB and supporting cast returning.   Mitch started something there, it is a nice story.

[fantastic50]

In a way, I'm kind of glad that Wooster is not even mentioned in the poll.  I would rather have a team that is eager to go out and prove everybody wrong than a team that is patting themselves on the back about how highly ranked they are...

That has been a problem in the past. 

Come to Alliance and prove it on the field. Look what happened to Whitewater after playing the Raiders in the regular season '02 & '03.

I don't think Wooster is trying to prove that they're a national title contender.  I think they could prove that they are arguably a top-25 team with a win over Case or Wabash (both of whom come to Wooster), or a victory at Witt (for the first time since 1949) in the season finale  Win two of those three (plus the other seven) and the Scots should find themselves ranked at season's end.

[wally_wabash]

Have some NCAC preseason polling info...http://northcoast.org/fo/fo.html

The coaches poll shakes out like this:

Wabash 93 (6)
Wooster 91 (3)
Wittenberg 84 (1)
Allegheny 69
Denison 54
OWU 46
Hiram 30
Oberlin 30
Earlham 28
Kenyon 23

Nothing terribly surprising here unless Denison being voted higher than OWU is surprising. 

Also, the media guide linked from the page I've linked is really quite good and loaded with tons of info that stats junkies are going to eat up. 

[raiderguy]

In a way, I'm kind of glad that Wooster is not even mentioned in the poll.  I would rather have a team that is eager to go out and prove everybody wrong than a team that is patting themselves on the back about how highly ranked they are...

That has been a problem in the past. 

Come to Alliance and prove it on the field. Look what happened to Whitewater after playing the Raiders in the regular season '02 & '03.

I don't think Wooster is trying to prove that they're a national title contender.  I think they could prove that they are arguably a top-25 team with a win over Case or Wabash (both of whom come to Wooster), or a victory at Witt (for the first time since 1949) in the season finale  Win two of those three (plus the other seven) and the Scots should find themselves ranked at season's end.

Why not? Are they playing for a ten game season record and go home or are the playoffs an option?

I'm just yankin' your chain here a little. It is such a natural for a rivalry game between these two neighbors and old OAC opponents. Maybe they will catch up on old times in the playoffs. There have been a few chances but it just hasn't happend yet.

[wally_wabash]

How about those Gators?!?  Ok, actually we don't know much about those Gators, but they do have a spiffy new website.  Very nice update to their athletics webbery. 

[Li'l Giant]

That is a nice website. Way to go Gheny.