Atlantic Central Football Conference/Independents

[purpled]

Hey Wesley fans! Congrats on making the final four! A great accomplishment! As of today the forecast for Saturday is a high of 30 with a 50% chance of snow...you'll be in the open stands so bring your long johns! 

Have a good trip and be safe. See ya Saturday!

[raiderpa]

Assistant Waterboy,  A purple raider is a ten time national champion...

that being said, we look forward to the visit of the Wolverines and their fine fine football team. we expect nothing less than a great game from the toughest opponent we will have faced thus far and by no means think the Stagg Bowl is our birthright.  We invite any fans who wish to join us for fellowship and game conversation, Friday night, probably at Rey's, a local bar and wing place that used to be a BW3.  Skunks Sidekick will set it up probably and put it on the board later this week. 
There is a Holiday Inn Express in town and a Comfort Inn which are both respectable, and the Canton area, 25 minutes or so west is the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and many fans stay in the Belden Village area and get a visit in to the Hall while they are here.
Finally for those who cannot make it, early word is that ESPN is televising both semis, we'll see.
Respectfully looking forward to a great game and safe travels for your fans...you will have to go a long way to match the Wabash fans for their numbers and passion.  See you Saturday...hope both teams show their best

[wesleydad]

raiderpa, I always stay at the Super8 on State Street.  Within walking distance of both Rey's and Don Ponchos if I wanted to, looked it up last night.  Also just a short trip to Mount, 5 - 10 mins in traffic if I remember correctly.  Now that I am old, got the AARP discount so the room is around $50.  Almost certainly going to be there by 900, have to see if I can get a friend to cover my classroom for the last hour or so of the day so I can get on the road by 2.  Hope to find out game time soon, likely still 1200.  Will be nice that it is on ESPN, but not as nice as it will be being there.

[Teamski]

I just hope the townies don't start taunting the Wesley fans like they did the last time Wesley visited Alliance.  It got pretty bad.

-Ski

[skunks_sidekick]

I just hope the townies don't start taunting the Wesley fans like they did the last time Wesley visited Alliance.  It got pretty bad.

-Ski

Ski...ski....ski.....that was primarily brought on by a few of your players playing to the crowd.  They couldn't help themselves but to make gestures, and it escalated from there. 

[Pat Coleman]

Assistant Waterboy,  A purple raider is a ten time national champion...

that being said, we look forward to the visit of the Wolverines and their fine fine football team. we expect nothing less than a great game from the toughest opponent we will have faced thus far and by no means think the Stagg Bowl is our birthright.  We invite any fans who wish to join us for fellowship and game conversation, Friday night, probably at Rey's, a local bar and wing place that used to be a BW3.  Skunks Sidekick will set it up probably and put it on the board later this week. 
There is a Holiday Inn Express in town and a Comfort Inn which are both respectable, and the Canton area, 25 minutes or so west is the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and many fans stay in the Belden Village area and get a visit in to the Hall while they are here.
Finally for those who cannot make it, early word is that ESPN is televising both semis, we'll see.
Respectfully looking forward to a great game and safe travels for your fans...you will have to go a long way to match the Wabash fans for their numbers and passion.  See you Saturday...hope both teams show their best

People keep saying that but all we know for sure is they are online on ESPN3.

[Teamski]

I just hope the townies don't start taunting the Wesley fans like they did the last time Wesley visited Alliance.  It got pretty bad.

-Ski

Ski...ski....ski.....that was primarily brought on by a few of your players playing to the crowd.  They couldn't help themselves but to make gestures, and it escalated from there.

And?  At halftime, one of the townies got up and walked towards the Wesley crowd and asked if they wanted a fight.  I know at least one of them was talking about the "cheap shot" on the QB.   I was in the camera box above the stands and got an apology from a MU assistant coach stating that they had little control over the townies that showed up for the game.  Regardless what happened between the teams when they shuffled in the locker rooms at halftime, I thought the townies were out of line as the Wesley crowd were mostly parents and kept to themselves for the most part.

-Ski

[Teamski]

I am also curious to see if the MU kickers kick their footballs across the field to our sidelines during the pregame like they did last time.  Cecil Shorts did his sprints across the field to our sidelines as well.  This was the only place I ever saw this done and I was really pissed about it. 

-Ski

[bleedpurple]

I just hope the townies don't start taunting the Wesley fans like they did the last time Wesley visited Alliance.  It got pretty bad.

-Ski

Ski...ski....ski.....that was primarily brought on by a few of your players playing to the crowd.  They couldn't help themselves but to make gestures, and it escalated from there.

And?  At halftime, one of the townies got up and walked towards the Wesley crowd and asked if they wanted a fight.  I know at least one of them was talking about the "cheap shot" on the QB.   I was in the camera box above the stands and got an apology from a MU assistant coach stating that they had little control over the townies that showed up for the game.  Regardless what happened between the teams when they shuffled in the locker rooms at halftime, I thought the townies were out of line as the Wesley crowd were mostly parents and kept to themselves for the most part.

-Ski

Was he wearing a Purple Raiders #99 jersey? 

[wesleydad]

bleedpurple, no, I will vouch for 70's, he was not involved in it.  I had no issues where I was sitting, in fact the crowd around me was rather cordial, they had many positive things to say about how Wesley played the game, well except for the pop pass play that was called.  Can we make sure that is not in the play book or if it is make sure it is run to the wide side of the field.  I agree with Skunks, the players were rather animated.  And I agree with Ski, the fact that Mount exits the field under the away stands is certainly done to intimidate.  Officials seldom stop normal warm ups, but any issue towards the other sideline should be stopped to avoid issues.

[thewaterboy]

Time to get our shot at at least a championship appearance. If Wesley can play relatively penalty and mistake free, I think we have a really good shot at knocking Mount Union off, regardless of who they have playing QB. I think once again the game hinges on the performance of Shane McSweeny, who, throughout these playoffs has solidified himself as the the best quarterback in Division III. No one has been putting up numbers like he has, and the dude is playing with a purpose, and is very fun to watch.

Excited to see Wesley in Ohio again. I wonder if Mount has changed the way they warm up I remember that they were in Wesley's warmup area in 2009 and i think that might have been another attempt to intimidate.

Go Wesley!

[Raider 68]

bleedpurple, no, I will vouch for 70's, he was not involved in it.  I had no issues where I was sitting, in fact the crowd around me was rather cordial, they had many positive things to say about how Wesley played the game, well except for the pop pass play that was called.  Can we make sure that is not in the play book or if it is make sure it is run to the wide side of the field.  I agree with Skunks, the players were rather animated.  And I agree with Ski, the fact that Mount exits the field under the away stands is certainly done to intimidate.  Officials seldom stop normal warm ups, but any issue towards the other sideline should be stopped to avoid issues.

wesleydad,

The Raiders starting this year enter and exit the field from the Northwest corner. The visiting team enters the field from the east side if the field so, both teams are not even close to one another!

[wesleydad]

Raider68, just thought it was weird when they came across the field at halftime to exit under the stands when there was a clear exit by the scoreboard to go to the building they went to that day.

[wdelsean]

If I had to guess... this ESPN3 thing could be similar to what I-AA does with its quarterfinals.  ESPN/2/U probably won't pick up a game, but they'll make both broadcasts available via ESPN Syndication for local stations/networks to pick up.  Then again it's possible ESPN could just go for the ESPN3 exclusive too.

Regardless we'll have the game on WDEL, and the play-by-play guy won't have any brisket in his stomach this week.

[Pat Coleman]

If I had to guess... this ESPN3 thing could be similar to what I-AA does with its quarterfinals.  ESPN/2/U probably won't pick up a game, but they'll make both broadcasts available via ESPN Syndication for local stations/networks to pick up. Then again it's possible ESPN could just go for the ESPN3 exclusive too.

Regardless we'll have the game on WDEL, and the play-by-play guy won't have any brisket in his stomach this week.

That's correct -- that's how this works also. Don't know if/when we will know more.