FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[formerd3db]

altor:
While obviously not knowing you personally, from your participation and insightful posts on these boards in past years, I don't doubt for a minute that you have the highest integrity in your duties as an official.  However, as bad as it may seem, I will disagree with you regarding it being ludicrous that this doesnt happen - I have seen and know of a few, very rare occasions where a couple of officials have been indeed, wthout a doubt, vindictive towards a coach/team in some games.  I will grant you that it is absolutely unacceptable, but I KNOW and have seen it happen - of course, there were some reviews and repremands for that behavior.  Regardless, as mentioned, it is rare and I dare say that 99.9% of the officials are good intentioned persons like yourself.  It is sad, but just like life, there are always a few bad apples and miscreants.

Anyway, your post is good and well taken.

[wab64]

Just what do you think LK's thoughts would be of a player being 3 or 4 yards offsides on a "kickoff"...in the 4th quarter...with the score tied...playing for the conference championship...aggressive?...or undisciplined?

I think we can probably turn the page on this one.  The kid made a mistake.  It's unfair to pin last year's result on that one single play.  That one single penalty is not an indictment of the player or the program. 

I assume you are referring to last year vs Witt. If anything lost that game, it was inadequate special tems coverage on the NEXT kickoff, which,even though it was 5 yards longer. stayed in bounds at the corner, the return  was for 53-some yards with the  guy pinned to the sideline. Ouch- that set up the winning field goal in spades.

[wab64]

 The best kickoff coverage I've seen at Wabash was in the 2004 Monon Bell game. In the 14-7 loss Wabash only kicked off twice against DePauw's Shepherd, who was an all-world return man and game breaker.
     Both kicks were about 2-3 yards in bounds inside the 5. Shepherd had to run back both of them, since they weren't about to go out-of-bounds or into the end zone. He was stopped inside the ten on one and inside the fifteen on the other. Drag out the films and let the kickers practice it.

[wally_wabash]

The best kickoff coverage I've seen at Wabash was in the 2004 Monon Bell game. In the 14-7 loss Wabash only kicked off twice against DePauw's Shepherd, who was an all-world return man and game breaker.
     Both kicks were about 2-3 yards in bounds inside the 5. Shepherd had to run back both of them, since they weren't about to go out-of-bounds or into the end zone. He was stopped inside the ten on one and inside the fifteen on the other. Drag out the films and let the kickers practice it.

I always thought it was cool that CC didn't shy away from Shepherd in Bell games.  He was a terrific player for sure, but he never really did much damage in Bell games...at WR or special teams.  those Wabash teams did a good job of keeping him under control. 

[wab64]

The best kickoff coverage I've seen at Wabash was in the 2004 Monon Bell game. In the 14-7 loss Wabash only kicked off twice against DePauw's Shepherd, who was an all-world return man and game breaker.
     Both kicks were about 2-3 yards in bounds inside the 5. Shepherd had to run back both of them, since they weren't about to go out-of-bounds or into the end zone. He was stopped inside the ten on one and inside the fifteen on the other. Drag out the films and let the kickers practice it.

I always thought it was cool that CC didn't shy away from Shepherd in Bell games.  He was a terrific player for sure, but he never really did much damage in Bell games...at WR or special teams.  those Wabash teams did a good job of keeping him under control.
     
   Wally-- I also recall in that 2004 game that Shepherd only caught one pass: dePauw's only completion (1 for9)  Unfortunately they brought out a freshman named Marks who drove in the nail-the first of a few
[/quote

[Pat Coleman]

Latest regional rankings posted:
http://d3blogs.com/d3football/2010/11/03/ncaas-second-regional-rankings/

Guess they're making a statement on Wittenberg's SOS.

[SouthernWabMan]

"Witt Week" usually falls on one school's fall break. This one will be as big as the '02 regular season game but with the playoff implications of the second '02 game. I still can't decide which '02 game was more exciting.

[wally_wabash]

"Witt Week" usually falls on one school's fall break. This one will be as big as the '02 regular season game but with the playoff implications of the second '02 game. I still can't decide which '02 game was more exciting.

Definitely the regular season game.  46-43 in OT.  Both teams came back from two score deficits.  Horrible old Astroturf.  That game had absolutely everything.  I may have to fire up my copy of that game tonight to get my mind right for Saturday. 

[bashbrother]

I am interested in seeing how #3, who is currently directing/filming a movie on location within 3 hours from Springfield, is going to stay away from this game on Saturday.    

R -  Cardboard cut-outs have been known to work for a couple of hours, or even Director scarecrow in a director's chair with a sign on it that says "Do not disturb, I am thinking"

At the end of the day, you're only the director of the thing.  Get to Springfield!

[Schwami]

Latest regional rankings posted:
http://d3blogs.com/d3football/2010/11/03/ncaas-second-regional-rankings/

Guess they're making a statement on Wittenberg's SOS.

It appears that the committee is placing more emphasis on SOS this year, and less emphasis on actual game results.  Why completely ignore Witt's wins against WashUStL and CMU?  Is it better to have played against Carthage and lost (Franklin) than to have played against Olivet and won (Witt)?  Sure appears that way.   

[bashbrother]

Another wonderful aspect of the UAA agreement.  Not the UAA's fault though, just a flawed SOS method OR region designation for some teams.

SOS should be extended to every game on a given teams schedule.   You can still factor in quality wins over regionally ranked teams.

It will prevent what could potentially be very exciting cross region scheduling between top D3 teams in the future, maybe already is.  

[wally_wabash]

Latest regional rankings posted:
http://d3blogs.com/d3football/2010/11/03/ncaas-second-regional-rankings/

Guess they're making a statement on Wittenberg's SOS.

It appears that the committee is placing more emphasis on SOS this year, and less emphasis on actual game results.  Why completely ignore Witt's wins against WashUStL and CMU?  Is it better to have played against Carthage and lost (Franklin) than to have played against Olivet and won (Witt)?  Sure appears that way.  

Do note that the regional rankings are creations of regional committees and not the national selection committee, so the end result of the groupthink may be different once we get to Selection Sunday.  

I'm pretty baffled by the logic of the regional rankings as well.  It's one thing to punish Wittenberg for their crappy schedule (and it is that), but there's an extent to which it isn't Wittenberg's fault that their SOS is that bad.  Wittenberg can't go win games for Kenyon and Hiram, nor can Wittenberg do anything about their non-elective games against WashU and CMU that have been deemed non-regional based on the arbitrary boundaries set by the NCAA.  If we apply the same emphasis on SOS to all of the top North region teams, I don't see how you can place Trine so far ahead of Wittenberg.  Their SOS is equally awful (worse if you want to include Wittenberg's UAA opponents which is another thing the comittee would seem to be doing selectively) yet they get to be ranked not only well ahead of Wittenberg but also above the 1-loss teams in the rankings.  Not a very consistent application of the criteria this week...which should worry every single team that doesn't automatically qualify because who the heck knows if you'll get in or not.  

While I'm ranting on this, I think this is probably my biggest gripe of the tournament that we have.  We have published criteria that the committees are supposed to use to rank, select, and seed teams.  Yet it seems very apparent that the committees don't apply these criteria as they are written.  How are you supposed to know what steps to take to make yourself appealing for a Pool C invitation when the committee isn't consistent with how they apply the criteria?

[oldtiger]

While the regional rankings are somewhat frustrating and confusing, both Witt and Wabash are in the enviable position of controlling their own destiny. The fact the final regional rankings are not released supports, at least to me, the contention the selection committee is in no way tethered to the regional rankings; however, the current rankings make it difficult to envision the NCAC receiving a Pool C berth again this year.

Next season Witt replaces Olivet and Hiram with Capital and Huntingdon which should help the SoS. Expecting to hear Rocky Pentello has been granted 2 more years of eligibility.

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/high-school-sports/capital-back-on-witts-schedule-in-2011-988017.html

[Li'l Giant]

Expecting to hear Rocky Pentello has been granted 2 more years of eligibility.

That made me laugh.

And so did this quote from Fincham:

I may need to start looking for that job selling hot dogs on the beach. That is my dream job.

[pennstghs]

I'm pretty pumped for Saturday, although I"ll be at the game late due to an officiating obligation.

FYI, Witt didn't sell presale tickets for the game so its first come first serve, although it won't be a sellout, Witt doesn't have huge amounts of bleacher seats, but the hill will be packed to the north of the field!