FB: Middle Atlantic Conference

[wone3]

The defense for Stevenson was there last year and they graduated some but not all from that side of the ball. The offense was a new one for them last year and they went thru a couple of QB's last year. The offense seems to have found itself this year and a lot of the "core" are juniors or younger. Not bad for a team in less than 10 years of existence.

Del Val is going to be a battle but it is also Homecoming/Family weekend and already sold out. I'm looking forward to a dynamite game next week.

JM I won't make my prediction either yet but I think 10 points is the max for a difference. Del Val's QB mobility has me worried; he has proven being able to run as well as pass and an earlier game, the D didn't do a great job with that. I'm thinking a 3-7 point game and nip-tuck all the way. I'd like to be able to breathe and enjoy it ( maybe similar to what happened with widener last year, where they went out big in first half and hung on); but I'm not even close to expecting it.

Pep is curious about this statement. Does Stevenson sell pre-game tickets? Are you saying that anyone arriving at the game will be turned away? Can't imagine that happening at any D3 venue. Pep recalls games back in the 1960s and early 1970s when between 7,000 and 8,000 were standing-room-only in then 5,000 capacity Merrill Field at Alfred. Mind you, some of the regulars showed up at 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. kickoff just to stand in line to get first dibs on the best seats. No one was ever turned away, to Pep's knowledge.

They do -- in fact, we mentioned the start of their season ticket package sales when I interviewed Ed Hottle on the June or July podcast. Stevenson's venue is not really configured for SRO patrons.

Yep they do sell tickets for the games online and do start it over the summer; but usually the only one that "sells out" is the homecoming/family weekend game. They'd be so smart to separate those and potentially get 2 sell out games. Yes, if you don't have a ticket then you won't be coming in the stadium; but they are also planning a viewing party up in Radcliffe( student center) with the TV/video feed. Usually they get 1500-2000 or so for a game, but that might change soon since they are now seeing consistent success.

As far as the stadium goes, yep there really isn't room for SRO and last year's homecoming game had a couple of people on the "hill" watching. There is only seating on one side as they have a practice 1/2 field for band and rec stuff and they put the beach volleyball courts for competition ( they just added it as a NCAA sport last year) further down on the visitor's side. The practice field area is also torn up right now as they are working on the walking bridge between Owings Mills and OM north with the school of design building and new academic center that they just opened this semester. This was the practice facilities for a while for the Ravens (NFL) and I believe Colts (NFL) too. If they wanted to add bleachers, it would mean re-configuring things and I don't see it happening right now.

[Pat Coleman]

The defense for Stevenson was there last year and they graduated some but not all from that side of the ball. The offense was a new one for them last year and they went thru a couple of QB's last year. The offense seems to have found itself this year and a lot of the "core" are juniors or younger. Not bad for a team in less than 10 years of existence.

Del Val is going to be a battle but it is also Homecoming/Family weekend and already sold out. I'm looking forward to a dynamite game next week.

JM I won't make my prediction either yet but I think 10 points is the max for a difference. Del Val's QB mobility has me worried; he has proven being able to run as well as pass and an earlier game, the D didn't do a great job with that. I'm thinking a 3-7 point game and nip-tuck all the way. I'd like to be able to breathe and enjoy it ( maybe similar to what happened with widener last year, where they went out big in first half and hung on); but I'm not even close to expecting it.

Pep is curious about this statement. Does Stevenson sell pre-game tickets? Are you saying that anyone arriving at the game will be turned away? Can't imagine that happening at any D3 venue. Pep recalls games back in the 1960s and early 1970s when between 7,000 and 8,000 were standing-room-only in then 5,000 capacity Merrill Field at Alfred. Mind you, some of the regulars showed up at 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. kickoff just to stand in line to get first dibs on the best seats. No one was ever turned away, to Pep's knowledge.

They do -- in fact, we mentioned the start of their season ticket package sales when I interviewed Ed Hottle on the June or July podcast. Stevenson's venue is not really configured for SRO patrons.

Pat, how does Coe jump from #32 (seventh in the 'others receiving votes' group) by beating the #21 team by 11 points? I know #13, #15, #21 and #22 lost but that seems like a heck of a jump given where they were the week before with 17 total points. Does it seem spot on to you.........understanding that this is not a science? Thanks!

Yes, it seems good to me. I know you asked this question on a more related board and it was answered for you but I didn't want it to look like I was ignoring you here.

BTW, I think only two teams went on the road and beat an unbeaten team on Saturday. Whitewater was the other team to do so.

[jmcozenlaw]

The defense for Stevenson was there last year and they graduated some but not all from that side of the ball. The offense was a new one for them last year and they went thru a couple of QB's last year. The offense seems to have found itself this year and a lot of the "core" are juniors or younger. Not bad for a team in less than 10 years of existence.

Del Val is going to be a battle but it is also Homecoming/Family weekend and already sold out. I'm looking forward to a dynamite game next week.

JM I won't make my prediction either yet but I think 10 points is the max for a difference. Del Val's QB mobility has me worried; he has proven being able to run as well as pass and an earlier game, the D didn't do a great job with that. I'm thinking a 3-7 point game and nip-tuck all the way. I'd like to be able to breathe and enjoy it ( maybe similar to what happened with widener last year, where they went out big in first half and hung on); but I'm not even close to expecting it.

Pep is curious about this statement. Does Stevenson sell pre-game tickets? Are you saying that anyone arriving at the game will be turned away? Can't imagine that happening at any D3 venue. Pep recalls games back in the 1960s and early 1970s when between 7,000 and 8,000 were standing-room-only in then 5,000 capacity Merrill Field at Alfred. Mind you, some of the regulars showed up at 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. kickoff just to stand in line to get first dibs on the best seats. No one was ever turned away, to Pep's knowledge.

They do -- in fact, we mentioned the start of their season ticket package sales when I interviewed Ed Hottle on the June or July podcast. Stevenson's venue is not really configured for SRO patrons.

Pat, how does Coe jump from #32 (seventh in the 'others receiving votes' group) by beating the #21 team by 11 points? I know #13, #15, #21 and #22 lost but that seems like a heck of a jump given where they were the week before with 17 total points. Does it seem spot on to you.........understanding that this is not a science? Thanks!

Yes, it seems good to me. I know you asked this question on a more related board and it was answered for you but I didn't want it to look like I was ignoring you here.

BTW, I think only two teams went on the road and beat an unbeaten team on Saturday. Whitewater was the other team to do so.

Thanks Pat!!

[tweisman5]

The defense for Stevenson was there last year and they graduated some but not all from that side of the ball. The offense was a new one for them last year and they went thru a couple of QB's last year. The offense seems to have found itself this year and a lot of the "core" are juniors or younger. Not bad for a team in less than 10 years of existence.

Del Val is going to be a battle but it is also Homecoming/Family weekend and already sold out. I'm looking forward to a dynamite game next week.

JM I won't make my prediction either yet but I think 10 points is the max for a difference. Del Val's QB mobility has me worried; he has proven being able to run as well as pass and an earlier game, the D didn't do a great job with that. I'm thinking a 3-7 point game and nip-tuck all the way. I'd like to be able to breathe and enjoy it ( maybe similar to what happened with widener last year, where they went out big in first half and hung on); but I'm not even close to expecting it.

Pep is curious about this statement. Does Stevenson sell pre-game tickets? Are you saying that anyone arriving at the game will be turned away? Can't imagine that happening at any D3 venue. Pep recalls games back in the 1960s and early 1970s when between 7,000 and 8,000 were standing-room-only in then 5,000 capacity Merrill Field at Alfred. Mind you, some of the regulars showed up at 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. kickoff just to stand in line to get first dibs on the best seats. No one was ever turned away, to Pep's knowledge.

They do -- in fact, we mentioned the start of their season ticket package sales when I interviewed Ed Hottle on the June or July podcast. Stevenson's venue is not really configured for SRO patrons.

Yep they do sell tickets for the games online and do start it over the summer; but usually the only one that "sells out" is the homecoming/family weekend game. They'd be so smart to separate those and potentially get 2 sell out games. Yes, if you don't have a ticket then you won't be coming in the stadium; but they are also planning a viewing party up in Radcliffe( student center) with the TV/video feed. Usually they get 1500-2000 or so for a game, but that might change soon since they are now seeing consistent success.

As far as the stadium goes, yep there really isn't room for SRO and last year's homecoming game had a couple of people on the "hill" watching. There is only seating on one side as they have a practice 1/2 field for band and rec stuff and they put the beach volleyball courts for competition ( they just added it as a NCAA sport last year) further down on the visitor's side. The practice field area is also torn up right now as they are working on the walking bridge between Owings Mills and OM north with the school of design building and new academic center that they just opened this semester. This was the practice facilities for a while for the Ravens (NFL) and I believe Colts (NFL) too. If they wanted to add bleachers, it would mean re-configuring things and I don't see it happening right now.

I believe Dave mentioned on this board last year about Stevenson's stadium expansion plan briefly. Additionally, as a student at Stevenson University, I've heard talk about possible expansion. I believe it's been mentioned that eventually Stevenson would like to build the other side of the stadium near the visitor sideline to complete the stadium. Just like everything else Stevenson does, they will build it top class; just like the current side of the stadium. I'm not sure how it will be done with the beach volleyball courts recently built near the stadium field, but I believe they already have accounted for this. Maybe when they do decide to build this other side, the beach volleyball courts will be built on the new Rosewood property Stevenson is about to acquire. That property is huge, I believe something like 200 acres! I know the plan is to get to 10,000 students eventually, so expansion will be needed along with more fans coming too! The program success will continue to build a growing fan base! Anyways, maybe Dave can return to the board to speak on this again. I can't wait for that moment when they do decide to do stadium expansion!

[jmcozenlaw]

The defense for Stevenson was there last year and they graduated some but not all from that side of the ball. The offense was a new one for them last year and they went thru a couple of QB's last year. The offense seems to have found itself this year and a lot of the "core" are juniors or younger. Not bad for a team in less than 10 years of existence.

Del Val is going to be a battle but it is also Homecoming/Family weekend and already sold out. I'm looking forward to a dynamite game next week.

JM I won't make my prediction either yet but I think 10 points is the max for a difference. Del Val's QB mobility has me worried; he has proven being able to run as well as pass and an earlier game, the D didn't do a great job with that. I'm thinking a 3-7 point game and nip-tuck all the way. I'd like to be able to breathe and enjoy it ( maybe similar to what happened with widener last year, where they went out big in first half and hung on); but I'm not even close to expecting it.

Pep is curious about this statement. Does Stevenson sell pre-game tickets? Are you saying that anyone arriving at the game will be turned away? Can't imagine that happening at any D3 venue. Pep recalls games back in the 1960s and early 1970s when between 7,000 and 8,000 were standing-room-only in then 5,000 capacity Merrill Field at Alfred. Mind you, some of the regulars showed up at 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. kickoff just to stand in line to get first dibs on the best seats. No one was ever turned away, to Pep's knowledge.

They do -- in fact, we mentioned the start of their season ticket package sales when I interviewed Ed Hottle on the June or July podcast. Stevenson's venue is not really configured for SRO patrons.

Yep they do sell tickets for the games online and do start it over the summer; but usually the only one that "sells out" is the homecoming/family weekend game. They'd be so smart to separate those and potentially get 2 sell out games. Yes, if you don't have a ticket then you won't be coming in the stadium; but they are also planning a viewing party up in Radcliffe( student center) with the TV/video feed. Usually they get 1500-2000 or so for a game, but that might change soon since they are now seeing consistent success.

As far as the stadium goes, yep there really isn't room for SRO and last year's homecoming game had a couple of people on the "hill" watching. There is only seating on one side as they have a practice 1/2 field for band and rec stuff and they put the beach volleyball courts for competition ( they just added it as a NCAA sport last year) further down on the visitor's side. The practice field area is also torn up right now as they are working on the walking bridge between Owings Mills and OM north with the school of design building and new academic center that they just opened this semester. This was the practice facilities for a while for the Ravens (NFL) and I believe Colts (NFL) too. If they wanted to add bleachers, it would mean re-configuring things and I don't see it happening right now.

I believe Dave mentioned on this board last year about Stevenson's stadium expansion plan briefly. Additionally, as a student at Stevenson University, I've heard talk about possible expansion. I believe it's been mentioned that eventually Stevenson would like to build the other side of the stadium near the visitor sideline to complete the stadium. Just like everything else Stevenson does, they will build it top class; just like the current side of the stadium. I'm not sure how it will be done with the beach volleyball courts recently built near the stadium field, but I believe they already have accounted for this. Maybe when they do decide to build this other side, the beach volleyball courts will be built on the new Rosewood property Stevenson is about to acquire. That property is huge, I believe something like 200 acres! I know the plan is to get to 10,000 students eventually, so expansion will be needed along with more fans coming too! The program success will continue to build a growing fan base! Anyways, maybe Dave can return to the board to speak on this again. I can't wait for that moment when they do decide to do stadium expansion!

Looking at the student population of the average MAC school now, if Stevenson gets much larger, let alone to 10,000 students (2X the size of Villanova ) I can see them departing or being asked to depart the MAC, maybe for a conference like the NJAC with much larger schools like Rowan, Montclair State, etc.

[jmcozenlaw]

jmcozenlaw: D3 New York University has 20,000-plus undergraduates. I'm not aware of any sentiment to "force" them to join a different conference or move "down" to a "higher" division. 

Things they are a changing..........and I did not come up with the "Stevenson to 10,000 students" thing on my own. Believe me. No names though. I would have never thought of it had I not heard it a few times in the past several months and I personally doubt that it ever happens. Montclair is huge and they aren't going anywhere as well.

I do predict that 10 years out, we will look back and see quite a bit of conference reshuffling.........and having nothing to do with the phony, false narrative called the bogus "like minded institutions". That is hogwash!!

When you have the resources of a Stevenson and the additional resources that will come to bear with 10,000+ students, they will have huge competitive advantages from a facilities and "package" standpoint, not to mention of the lack of proximate D-III institutions competing for talent.

I predicted Stevenson to win the MAC this year and will also go out on a thick limb and predict that they will be at or near the top year in and year out.

[jmcozenlaw]

Warren, it is nice to see you still opining here once in a while. The board has been dying a slow death as PBR, bman, simba and bill have entered the Witness Protection program and me and newbies like wone and tweisman are trying to hold it together with our weekly predictions. We have LebVal, DelVal and Stevenson regulars.............but Lyco, Widener and FDU have left the room and I'm not sure that we ever had any Albright, King's, Wilkes contributors of note. Makes me slightly jealous of the constant action on some of the other boards. I adopted DelVal (as a Swarthmore grad) having moved to bucolic Doylestown 20 years ago. I may adopt a team in a few other conferences to get my "board fix" each week.

[AUPepBand]

Warren, it is nice to see you still opining here once in a while. The board has been dying a slow death as PBR, bman, simba and bill have entered the Witness Protection program and me and newbies like wone and tweisman are trying to hold it together with our weekly predictions. We have LebVal, DelVal and Stevenson regulars.............but Lyco, Widener and FDU have left the room and I'm not sure that we ever had any Albright, King's, Wilkes contributors of note. Makes me slightly jealous of the constant action on some of the other boards. I adopted DelVal (as a Swarthmore grad) having moved to bucolic Doylestown 20 years ago. I may adopt a team in a few other conferences to get my "board fix" each week.

We've got a similar problem in the E8 as we have only a couple of Ithaca Bomber posters remaining (and one of them is now out on maternity leave), two or three Alfred posters and then some Fisher posters who get peeved by one of their own who seems disgruntled with the 2016 defense. Come on over the Empire 8 and see what you can stir up!


But Pep has had some interesting off-season monologues!

[wone3]

Week 8 picks:

Start with the easier ones

Widener 42 vs Misercordia 7 - The 7 for Misercordia is late in game

Albright 24 vs Wilkes 17 Wilkes is such a "wild card" but just can't see anything good and Albright is holding on for playoff chances

Kings 17 vs FDU 21 When you can't seem to put Misercordia away, and an improving home team; you get a game like this. Kings certainly could pull this out, but I'm not sold yet.

Leb Valley 10  vs Lyco 24- normally this would be a more straight forward pick; but both teams aren't good this year.  Lyco has more firepower and still wants to play the spoiler in later weeks.

Finally the match-up for the potential MAC

Del Val 24 vs Stevenson 28- Homecoming with the crowd should help this game...it will be nip and tuck with the wind. Both want the auto bid and probably the loser will get the home game for the MAC/ Centennial bowl match up as 1st runner up in the conference in my book. These 2 are the top of the league right now with Albright and Widener a small step behind

[dlippiel]

Warren, it is nice to see you still opining here once in a while. The board has been dying a slow death as PBR, bman, simba and bill have entered the Witness Protection program and me and newbies like wone and tweisman are trying to hold it together with our weekly predictions. We have LebVal, DelVal and Stevenson regulars.............but Lyco, Widener and FDU have left the room and I'm not sure that we ever had any Albright, King's, Wilkes contributors of note. Makes me slightly jealous of the constant action on some of the other boards. I adopted DelVal (as a Swarthmore grad) having moved to bucolic Doylestown 20 years ago. I may adopt a team in a few other conferences to get my "board fix" each week.

The Dutchmen faithful would ****ing love to have you over on the LL thread rooting for the U!

[D3MAFAN]

Week 8 picks:

Start with the easier ones

Widener 42 vs Misercordia 7 - The 7 for Misercordia is late in game

Albright 24 vs Wilkes 17 Wilkes is such a "wild card" but just can't see anything good and Albright is holding on for playoff chances

Kings 17 vs FDU 21 When you can't seem to put Misercordia away, and an improving home team; you get a game like this. Kings certainly could pull this out, but I'm not sold yet.

Leb Valley 10  vs Lyco 24- normally this would be a more straight forward pick; but both teams aren't good this year.  Lyco has more firepower and still wants to play the spoiler in later weeks.

Finally the match-up for the potential MAC

Del Val 24 vs Stevenson 28- Homecoming with the crowd should help this game...it will be nip and tuck with the wind. Both want the auto bid and probably the loser will get the home game for the MAC/ Centennial bowl match up as 1st runner up in the conference in my book. These 2 are the top of the league right now with Albright and Widener a small step behind

If Del Val wins, I believe Stevenson has a good chance to go, especially if they lose in a close one and Albright continues to win.

[jmcozenlaw]

Week 8 picks:

Start with the easier ones

Widener 42 vs Misercordia 7 - The 7 for Misercordia is late in game

Albright 24 vs Wilkes 17 Wilkes is such a "wild card" but just can't see anything good and Albright is holding on for playoff chances

Kings 17 vs FDU 21 When you can't seem to put Misercordia away, and an improving home team; you get a game like this. Kings certainly could pull this out, but I'm not sold yet.

Leb Valley 10  vs Lyco 24- normally this would be a more straight forward pick; but both teams aren't good this year.  Lyco has more firepower and still wants to play the spoiler in later weeks.

Finally the match-up for the potential MAC

Del Val 24 vs Stevenson 28- Homecoming with the crowd should help this game...it will be nip and tuck with the wind. Both want the auto bid and probably the loser will get the home game for the MAC/ Centennial bowl match up as 1st runner up in the conference in my book. These 2 are the top of the league right now with Albright and Widener a small step behind

At this point, you have to put Albright in front of DelVal as they both have one loss.............with Albright's being to the undefeated team and DelVal's being at home in the head-to-head against Albright. With a DelVal loss, they will not be the #2 team and host in the MAC/Centennial matchup........Albright will.

[jmcozenlaw]

Warren, it is nice to see you still opining here once in a while. The board has been dying a slow death as PBR, bman, simba and bill have entered the Witness Protection program and me and newbies like wone and tweisman are trying to hold it together with our weekly predictions. We have LebVal, DelVal and Stevenson regulars.............but Lyco, Widener and FDU have left the room and I'm not sure that we ever had any Albright, King's, Wilkes contributors of note. Makes me slightly jealous of the constant action on some of the other boards. I adopted DelVal (as a Swarthmore grad) having moved to bucolic Doylestown 20 years ago. I may adopt a team in a few other conferences to get my "board fix" each week.

We've got a similar problem in the E8 as we have only a couple of Ithaca Bomber posters remaining (and one of them is now out on maternity leave), two or three Alfred posters and then some Fisher posters who get peeved by one of their own who seems disgruntled with the 2016 defense. Come on over the Empire 8 and see what you can stir up!


But Pep has had some interesting off-season monologues!

I might just have to take you up on that Pep as losing longtimer's like PBR, bman, simba and bill have really made this board quite moribund. I do not adhere to any "we're too busy" or "life got in the way", nor do I subscribe to the "it's an outdated way to communicate" given that there is nothing like this site anywhere. We're talking a few minutes per week. Everybody walking the planet, not in a coma, has a few minutes a week.

I chalk it up to a diminished lack of interest, especially if one's team is not "all that" anymore. I have gone back to the start of the messages on the new MAC board in 2005 and find myself asking, "where the heck did all of these people go"? Did they all cross the Clinton's? That's the big difference, for the vast majority, between big time D1 and D3 football. D1 fanatics take their love and pride to the grave. Most D3 fans lose it, for those that even had it, shortly after graduation, or shortly after their kids graduation (if the poster is the parent of a player). I've never understood it................but I am a bit jealous of my buddies who talk SEC football 365/24/7..............and most D3 boards go dark from mid-November - mid-August..........unless we're talking about the D1-AA programs disguised as D3 programs (hello WIAC ) It's a dynamic that I can not wrap my arms around. Oh well............

[jmcozenlaw]

Warren, it is nice to see you still opining here once in a while. The board has been dying a slow death as PBR, bman, simba and bill have entered the Witness Protection program and me and newbies like wone and tweisman are trying to hold it together with our weekly predictions. We have LebVal, DelVal and Stevenson regulars.............but Lyco, Widener and FDU have left the room and I'm not sure that we ever had any Albright, King's, Wilkes contributors of note. Makes me slightly jealous of the constant action on some of the other boards. I adopted DelVal (as a Swarthmore grad) having moved to bucolic Doylestown 20 years ago. I may adopt a team in a few other conferences to get my "board fix" each week.

The Dutchmen faithful would ****ing love to have you over on the LL thread rooting for the U!

I might just have to do that dlip!!

[jmcozenlaw]

Week 8 picks:

Start with the easier ones

Widener 42 vs Misercordia 7 - The 7 for Misercordia is late in game

Albright 24 vs Wilkes 17 Wilkes is such a "wild card" but just can't see anything good and Albright is holding on for playoff chances

Kings 17 vs FDU 21 When you can't seem to put Misercordia away, and an improving home team; you get a game like this. Kings certainly could pull this out, but I'm not sold yet.

Leb Valley 10  vs Lyco 24- normally this would be a more straight forward pick; but both teams aren't good this year.  Lyco has more firepower and still wants to play the spoiler in later weeks.

Finally the match-up for the potential MAC

Del Val 24 vs Stevenson 28- Homecoming with the crowd should help this game...it will be nip and tuck with the wind. Both want the auto bid and probably the loser will get the home game for the MAC/ Centennial bowl match up as 1st runner up in the conference in my book. These 2 are the top of the league right now with Albright and Widener a small step behind

If Del Val wins, I believe Stevenson has a good chance to go, especially if they lose in a close one and Albright continues to win.

I don't think DelVal has a prayer, but I agree that Stevenson goes if DelVal gets the auto bid and Stevenson runs the table, which they should easily.