FB: Conference of New England

[lewdogg11]

Are there any NEFC schools in or around the Boston area?

I'm trying to collect something from each DIII football program. My wife might be headed out that way next weekend, and I might have her stop and pick something up for me?

Much appreicated!!

We'll happily donate Charles to you for your Endicott collection.

I'm up for trading. I have stuff from UWW, Chapman, La Verne, Occidental.....

we'll take 1 Occidental in exchange for 1 Charles

What's Charles?

I believe Charles is an old wooden ship.

[fulbakdad]

Nice finish to a successful season for Salve by beating Worc State.  Congrats Coach C!

[Boxer7806]

Nice finish to a successful season for Salve by beating Worc State.  Congrats Coach C!

Congrats to Salve as well. I believe the NEFC will run through them next year even though they do lose some key defensive pieces. But the majority of the offense is back, they seem to recruit well, and Chesney seems to be the real deal as a coach. WNEC won't repeat, their only game without thier QB they lost to Mass Maritime and he graduates. Endicott is going to plunge, they lose the majority of thier offense and two key defensive players as well. I think they are in for a 5-5 type season next year. Lets hope Salve can keep the conference moving in positive direction and more schools schedule more OOC opponents, even though I don't think you will see it, especially in the Bogan side with the state schools.

[InTheMix]

I have been hearing rumors lately that the NEFC is going to split. I'm not sure when it's going to happen, but from what I hear the state schools are going to break off and go to the MASCAC and the private/military schools will remain as the NEFC.

Anyone hear anything similar?

[ExTartanPlayer]

I have been hearing rumors lately that the NEFC is going to split. I'm not sure when it's going to happen, but from what I hear the state schools are going to break off and go to the MASCAC and the private/military schools will remain as the NEFC.

Anyone hear anything similar?

If this happens, you can bet that the Empire 8 and Liberty League fans will have something to say about it.

[Upstate]

I have been hearing rumors lately that the NEFC is going to split. I'm not sure when it's going to happen, but from what I hear the state schools are going to break off and go to the MASCAC and the private/military schools will remain as the NEFC.

Anyone hear anything similar?

If this happens, you can bet that the Empire 8 and Liberty League fans will have something to say about it.

Eh it will just be another first round bye for a team if they get 2 pool A's, no biggie...

[ExTartanPlayer]

I have been hearing rumors lately that the NEFC is going to split. I'm not sure when it's going to happen, but from what I hear the state schools are going to break off and go to the MASCAC and the private/military schools will remain as the NEFC.

Anyone hear anything similar?

If this happens, you can bet that the Empire 8 and Liberty League fans will have something to say about it.

Eh it will just be another first round bye for a team if they get 2 pool A's, no biggie...

Kind of like Ithaca's first-round "bye" in 2008?

I even admit that I was still skeptical that the NEFC could produce a playoff-worthy team even after Curry beat Hartwick in 2007, because Hartwick played zero defense and won a share of the E8 title that year solely on the strength of a great QB.  However, when Curry beat Ithaca the next year, I accepted that OCCASIONALLY the NEFC could produce a competitive team (even if there's ample evidence that Ithaca just overlooked them, given that Curry lost 42-0 the following week to a Cortland State team that Ithaca soundly defeated in Week 11).

I know that the NEFC certainly doesn't match up on a year-to-year basis, and I'd be upset if they swallow up two Pool A bids instead of one.  But I think it's a tad hasty to dismiss NEFC schools as a "bye" altogether.

[Upstate]

I have been hearing rumors lately that the NEFC is going to split. I'm not sure when it's going to happen, but from what I hear the state schools are going to break off and go to the MASCAC and the private/military schools will remain as the NEFC.

Anyone hear anything similar?

If this happens, you can bet that the Empire 8 and Liberty League fans will have something to say about it.

Eh it will just be another first round bye for a team if they get 2 pool A's, no biggie...

Kind of like Ithaca's first-round "bye" in 2008?

I even admit that I was still skeptical that the NEFC could produce a playoff-worthy team even after Curry beat Hartwick in 2007, because Hartwick played zero defense and won a share of the E8 title that year solely on the strength of a great QB.  However, when Curry beat Ithaca the next year, I accepted that OCCASIONALLY the NEFC could produce a competitive team (even if there's ample evidence that Ithaca just overlooked them, given that Curry lost 42-0 the following week to a Cortland State team that Ithaca soundly defeated in Week 11).

I know that the NEFC certainly doesn't match up on a year-to-year basis, and I'd be upset if they swallow up two Pool A bids instead of one.  But I think it's a tad hasty to dismiss NEFC schools as a "bye" altogether.

In 2007 Hartwick beat Fisher during the regular season.  Curry beat Hartwick in the first round and then Fisher blew out Curry in the 2nd round.  Then the following year Ithaca beat Cortland during the regular season, Curry beat Ithaca and then Cortland blew out Curry in the 2nd round...

That's the only 2 NCAA wins in their conferences history, by the same team mind you.  Hartwick was ridiculously unprepared for that game despite having one of the East's best QBs ever to come through the region and how Ithaca let Curry hang around during that game is beyond me...

They're a bye...

They get blown out time and time again...

[ExTartanPlayer]

In 2007 Hartwick beat Fisher during the regular season.  Curry beat Hartwick in the first round and then Fisher blew out Curry in the 2nd round.  Then the following year Ithaca beat Cortland during the regular season, Curry beat Ithaca and then Cortland blew out Curry in the 2nd round...

That's the only 2 NCAA wins in their conferences history, by the same team mind you.  Hartwick was ridiculously unprepared for that game despite having one of the East's best QBs ever to come through the region and how Ithaca let Curry hang around during that game is beyond me...

I acknowledged as much in my post (re: the fact that Curry was blown out in the second round both times).  I stated that the Hartwick upset wasn't that shocking b/c Hartwick was a semi-fluky E8 "champion" with a horrendous defense (gving up 70 points to Utica?), and I still agree that it's puzzling how Curry beat Ithaca in 2008.

With that said...those wins still count for something, you know.  You sound like a BCS-conference fan continually arguing that Boise State would never compete with bigtime teams, then making excuses when Boise goes ahead and beats those teams (ex. Boise State beat Oregon in 2009, Boise State beat ACC champion Virginia Tech ON THE ROAD last year, Boise State beat SEC title-game participant Georgia ON THE ROAD this year...and yet BCS-conference fans continue to make excuses about how every time that happens it must be a "fluke").

To recap: I still believe that the NEFC is significantly weaker than the other Eastern conferences.  I do NOT believe that the NEFC champion constitutes a "bye" for whomever plays them - I know you pointed out that they have two playoff wins in conference history, but those are RELATIVELY recent, and in 2009-10 the NEFC champion was at least MODERATELY competitive in the first round.  They weren't exactly threatening to WIN the games, but nor were they completely hapless.

This year, WNEC got crushed by Salibsury...but so did EVERYONE in the Empire 8 (69 points vs Alfred, 65 vs Springfield, 70 vs Utica, 61 vs Hartwick).

[ExTartanPlayer]

Look, I'm not even trying to argue that the NEFC is "decent" - I'm just nitpicking your use of the word "bye" when, within the past five years, the NEFC champion defeated an Empire 8 team in the playoffs in two consecutive seasons.  Again, that doesn't mean that the NEFC is "good" or that they should split into two conferences and (God forbid) take another playoff berth.  It just means that they aren't NECESSARILY an automatic one-and-done, although they often will be.

[Pat Coleman]

Regardless of how they perform, splitting into two leagues and grabbing a second automatic bid takes away a Pool C bid from a much more deserving team. I've heard the committee in the past actively discouraging the NEFC from doing this but there wasn't anything in the rules preventing it.

I have heard more about a possible split this year than in the past five or so combined.

[Jonny Utah]

Regardless of how they perform, splitting into two leagues and grabbing a second automatic bid takes away a Pool C bid from a much more deserving team. I've heard the committee in the past actively discouraging the NEFC from doing this but there wasn't anything in the rules preventing it.

I have heard more about a possible split this year than in the past five or so combined.

I bet if the NEFC split up, you would see conferences like the OAC or WIAC split up into "north and south" or the "Kerehes and London Fletcher" divisions.  They could add a few teams to make it happen as well. 

But if the NEFC did do that, you can bet leagues would have to start thinking about their own.

[SUADC]

Regardless of how they perform, splitting into two leagues and grabbing a second automatic bid takes away a Pool C bid from a much more deserving team. I've heard the committee in the past actively discouraging the NEFC from doing this but there wasn't anything in the rules preventing it.

I have heard more about a possible split this year than in the past five or so combined.

Pat,

With the possible split of the NEFC and the uprising of other Division III National programs starting football, do you believe that in the long run there will to many teams, which may result in to many conferences. So, hypothetically speaking, if there are more than 32 conferences and only 32 bids, do you believe the committee would suggest making some conferences play each other to get a pool A bid and/or do we move to a 64 team bracket for playoffs and create more Pool C bids, which may allow some more deserving teams to get into the playoffs? Also, what happens to the Pool B bids in the long run.

[Jonny Utah]

Regardless of how they perform, splitting into two leagues and grabbing a second automatic bid takes away a Pool C bid from a much more deserving team. I've heard the committee in the past actively discouraging the NEFC from doing this but there wasn't anything in the rules preventing it.

I have heard more about a possible split this year than in the past five or so combined.

Pat,

With the possible split of the NEFC and the uprising of other Division III National programs starting football, do you believe that in the long run there will to many teams, which may result in to many conferences. So, hypothetically speaking, if there are more than 32 conferences and only 32 bids, do you believe the committee would suggest making some conferences play each other to get a pool A bid and/or do we move to a 64 team bracket for playoffs and create more Pool C bids, which may allow some more deserving teams to get into the playoffs? Also, what happens to the Pool B bids in the long run.

I would say they would simply raise the pool A min to 8, 9, or 10 teams.  Everyone else can then fight for a pool C or B bid.  And then the NEFC would just form back up again to steal some more playoff spots.

[InTheMix]

But even if the NEFC does split into two "power" (lol) conferences, isn't there a minimum amount of schools needed in order to get an AQ?