FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Mitch -

That was then - this is now. There was no nefarious doings by Kenyon to avoid Wabash and Witt. As posted above, it's the way the power rankings played out. Go to the NCAC site and look at the upcoming schedule for 2006 - they have the power ranking posted.


Buffet Fan - you do realize this is like the 1899 Cleveland Spiders rising up to win the pennant in a few short years afterwards??

[wally_wabash]

I'll restate this...Kenyon needs to get by OWU, who is much better than people give them credit for, before we should be giving serious creedence to any Kenyon as our AQ thoughts.  I love what Kenyon is doing.  I really do.  But I think the fairy tale ends on Saturday.  We've seen teams like this jump up in the standings before only to regress big time...I hope that Kenyon has staying power. 

The conference should NOT give Kenyon the AQ just to get two teams in.  I think the conference hiding the tiebreak criteria is bogus as well.  There shouldn't be any room for any allegations of fixing the tiebreak rules so that the conference gets multiple bids.  Transparency is important here, I think.  I harped on this subject ad nauseum when it became clear that the SCAC didn't have a suitable tiebreak in place after the Depauw/Trinity game was cancelled.  The SCAC has since released their tiebreak crieteria.  I don't see the need to be cryptic about it. 

I don't like the idea of overall records playing a part in the tiebreak.  We should applaud anything that doesn't discourage teams from taking on challenges in the non-conference portion of the schedules.  Such a rule would do just that. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Wally,

While I agree with you about the AQ, I also don't understand why so many Wabash posters are going so ballistic.  If the Giants win out, they WILL be in the play-offs, regardless of the AQ.  If they win out EXCEPT for that team in Greencastle, they're still 95% assured of the playoffs.

Everyone, lighten up! 

1.  I doubt Kenyon will run the table.
2.  If Wabash does THEIR thing, #1 doesn't matter!

[smedindy]

Amen!

Wally - with the running game Kenyon has - I think they can play ball control with OWU. It may be a quick game - but I wouldn't discount Kenyon's chances.

You know this will be the first time that anyone will really care about a Kenyon score I report during the game Saturday...

[wabco]

kenyonkid .... ... as you describe that you know current Kenyon players:  give us a Ben report.  What is up with "Ben The Face Planter"?  Is he still on the team?  If so ... per his self description as one of the best football specimens ever to leave Fla. and end up at Kenyon ... what is he doing for the Lords?  Inquiring minds need to know.


ALL:  two subjects:

1) What is it with the secret AQ selection process?  Is there a need ... not capable of being understood by the lowly masses ...  to keep it secret?  Perhaps so that the Powers That Be (as in "She Who Must Be Obeyed") can manipulate it?  Perhaps the Powers That Be are afraid that it will not make sense and it will not pass the light of day?  What benefit is gained by this cloak of "only we ... the anointed" ... can see the formula"?

2) As long as the Powers That Be are receiving attention:  Why does NCAC only have an All Sports Trophy which is set up with rules which effectively disqualifies one of the members from ever having a chance at it?  Why not a Men's All Sports Trophy, a Women' All Sports Trophy, and a Combined All Sports Trophy?  That makes the most sense, is the most enclusive, has lots of trophies (which even Kenyon can take a couple of years off and then compete for) and does not pointedly trample upon one member.  Perchance ... NCAC were to have an all women's college as a member?  Is correctness or desire to mold correctness (as the "correct people" perceive it) at work here? 

NOW IS THE TIME FOR NCAC TO: 1) Make public the secret rules and 2) Set up the trophies which properly reflect the actual situation in the NCAC as opposed to what they may "desire" to be the situation.

[oldguy]

"I don't like the idea of overall records playing a part in the tiebreak.  We should applaud anything that doesn't discourage teams from taking on challenges in the non-conference portion of the schedules.  Such a rule would do just that."

I can't believe it Wally, but I actually agree with you and think that's a good point.

[BashBacker#16]

Can we get back to the matchups this weekend??? 

I hope there is a big crowd at Hollett this Saturday.  There should be from what I am hearing.  Aside from Bell games, this has the makings of one of the best gameday environments since the '02 season.  I'd love to see 5,000...

[wally_wabash]

Week 7 poll points...

d3football.com - As has been discussed at length, Wabash is 27th with 51 points.  Up four spots from last week.

AFCA - Wabash slides up three spots to #21. Wabash leapfrogged Wheaton this week and just about caught Thiel for #20.  

Wabash also cracked the Don Hansen top 40 at #37 this week.  

In various computer rankings...Wabash is 13th or 24th in the Massey depending on how you read it and 19th in the Laz Index,

[firstdown]

Wabash folks are a bit paranoid about the selection process after our 10 - 0 team was not invited in 1982.

I for one am glad to Kenyon having a good season rather than being always being a doormat of late.

Wabash fans, the play offs will take of themselves.  The focus is and must be on Witt.  Notwithstanding their record in the early season and who is hurt, they have a strong program and great pride in that program.  They will show up to play in C'ville on Saturday and won't roll over.  A win will come only through a hard battle.

[kenyonkid]

MITCH-

We didn't cut Witt and Wabash this year- the only season we did that was 2003, my last year.  And, we weren't part of the league that year- we didn't have any All-Conference players(whether or not we deserved them), we didn't win any NCAC Player of the Week awards, we didn't count in the standings.  This year, we are part of the league, and were not scheduled Witt and Wabash- Just like Purdue didn't have OSU or Michigan on their schedules this year.

WABCO-

If the Ben I think you're talking about is a lineman, then I don't think he's seen the field yet....this year or last.  I haven't been able to go to every game, but the ones I have been to, he hasn't played.

OLDGUY-

I also agree, for obvious reasons this year, but for logical reasons in other years.  I mean, if one team schedules Mount Union, why punish them for trying to beat the best?

FIRSTDOWN-
I understand where all the paranoia is coming from now... thanks for clearing that up.  Thanks also for the kind thoughts.


Also, I don't believe that the Lords are overlooking OWU at all- we simply aren't good enough to be able to look past anyone.  With their quirky offense and defense, it should be tough, although OUr offensive scheme matches up pretty well with the Air Force defense, or whatever variation that OWU is running.

Finally, I believe that the tiebreak rules should be readily avaiable- when you don't have something out there, it leads people to believe you're trying to hide something, whether or not you actually are.  Transparency is the best policy in these matters.

[BashBacker#16]

Witt's preview...

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/football/gamenotes/wabashgamenotes05.html

[wally_wabash]

Where does Wabash sit in the national statistics rankings you ask?  Well I'll tell you.  

Wabash sits in the top 30 in the following categories:
Total offense (11)
Total defense (10)
Rushing defense (2)
Passing offense (7)
Pass efficiency defense* (29)
Scoring offense (16)
Scoring defense (3)
Turnover Margin (23)
Team punt returns (27)

Sweet.  For comparison, Witt ranks in the top 30 nationally in the following categories:
Team net punting (3)

Hat's off to the Wittenberg Puntin' Tigers. 

*Special note here...Denison is ranked 13th in this category thanks in large part to their 8(interrobang) interception game vs. Hiram. 

[wabco]

Kenyonkid ... I think you have found "Our Ben," a/k/a "Ben The Face Planter", "Ben the Awesome From Florida" ... seriously ... he was correct about one thing ... he had an abiding belief that Kenyon would improve and it has.

Wabash be 2 TDs (and extra points).

[OldPhart]

1) What is it with the secret AQ selection process? 

Dean Vernon Wormer has apparently found a position with the NCAC.  It actually is a double-secret AQ selection process: you don't know it and they don't either. 

[Li'l Giant]

I don't know why they don't just fess up. The SCAC didn't have a tie break for their TU/DPU situtation so they created one and released it. What's so hard about that?