Around the Nation board

[redswarm81]

D3football.com voters have generally given more respect to strength of schedule and conference strength, to the point where our poll doesn't necessarily reflect the AFCA poll.

FWIW.

However, it seems that D3football.com voters have recently given little respect to our faithful ATN columnist, who pointed out that undefeated Muhlenberg [currently ranked 24] defeated higher ranked College of New Jersey [22], who defeated still higher ranked Montclair State [15], who defeated top ten ranked Wesley [10].  I suppose that a voter could claim that regional and conference differences explain the Muhlenberg paradox, but New Jersey and Montclair State are in the same conference--what justifies Montclair State's significantly higher ranking relative to New Jersey?

Maybe it makes sense from the top down:

No. 10 ranked ACFC member and South Region Pool B contender Wesley's only loss was to no. 15 Montclair State of the East Region's NJAC.  Montclair State's only loss came to its NJAC conference mate New Jersey, currently ranked 22.  New Jersey also has only one loss, a shutout loss to undefeated no. 24 Muhlenberg of the Centennial Conference, in the South Region.  Muhlenberg's record also includes a 34-0 win over 4-2 Union, of the East Region's Liberty League.

. . . nope, that just makes it look like a description of water flowing uphill.  Keith, aren't your voters reading your column?

[K-Mack]

redswarm,
I noticed that too, that I have zero effect on the pollsters. They're definitely not MY voters, and you know it's not a fix.

I tried to look at it the other way too, like if Muhlenberg and TCNJ had played a bunch of weak nobodies while Wesley and Montclair played power schedules. Initially, those schedules looked pretty good, but Wilkes and Springfield for Montclair don't quite have the luster they once did. Wesley played a lot of good teams, but I think their ranking is more a product of them starting so high and people not wanting to drop them more than a certain number of spots from where they had them. Esp. since it's a 1-point loss to a good team in Montclair. Plus also, Wesley's loss seems almost like old news now given the top 25 carnage (sorry, love describing it like that) that's taken place since then.

I like the name "The Muhlenberg Paradox." 

[Ralph Turner]

I like the name "The Muhlenberg Paradox." 

It was the title of an obscure Michael Crichton novel involving a right-wing plot to conquer the world with mule virus. 

[redswarm81]

I like the name "The Muhlenberg Paradox." 

It was the title of an obscure Michael Crichton novel involving a right-wing plot to conquer the world with mule virus. 

I have a first edition printing of that book, signed by the author. 

The "paradox" comes from the fact most persons infected by the mule virus claim "victim status" and join the ACLU to protest the use of American Indian nicknames and mascots in college athletics.

Post Patterns jocks will have to read the book to learn if the surreptitious right-wing takeover of the ACLU was successful.

[K-Mack]

Isn't ACLU rumored to be joining the NAC as an affiliate member to ensure AQ status?

Wow, we just nerded this thread out completely.

Good times.

[DutchFan2004]

Great Podcast again.  You two really get around.

[Ron Boerger]

I hope Pat was hoarse from yelling at games and not coming down with something. 

Great job, regardless!

[Pat Coleman]

Little of both. Tough to communicate on the sidelines of the Wheaton game because of crowd noise.

[K-Mack]

I like the headline today: Feelin' Loopy and Looping Chicago.

Regarding this from the Saturday Live thread:

Pat Coleman Says:

October 14th, 2007 at 2:54 am e

Keith, who is King Narcolepsy, has been sleeping for a couple hours (Eric Gagne was still warming up) but I'm still up. Yikes.

Not that my business needs to be all in the streets like that, but heck yeah ... I did that Chicago craziness on 1.5 hours sleep at home plus another 2 maybe on the plane. Pat reportedly got him a nice 5-hour night, which is what passes for normal this time of year.

So yeah, I was awake at all our stops, but everytime we got in the car, Pat drove and I eventually knocked off in the passenger seat.

And heck yeah I hit the hotel bed face down with the computer open intending to do my vote, if I recall correctly (did it the next day on the plane).

How's that for inside access?

It really is weird what we do, kind of drag, kind of a rush. You can definitely only do it so many weeks in a row ...

I definitely love seeing all the fields and different teams and actually meeting the players and coaches we write so much about.

[K-Mack]

I guess this might be better anchored on the "me" thread, although it was relevant to the rivalry board from which it came:

Who needs a column or Crichton, that story was riveting.

I'm gonna hafta do a D3 rivalry book one of these years.

Keith -- If you're writing a book, I'd love to help!

K Mack:  I would STRONGLY suggest that you do a D III rivalry book.  You could travel on sort of the "blue road" kind of tour and pick maybe 10 or 20 that just have to be done! It would take a couple of years since all the games are on Saturday, but you could be the new GAMEDAY guy!! ( God Knows you'd be better than Corso and Herbstreet)  My guess is you could get some sponsors at every stop who would love to see your perspective in print!! I know I would.
Bill

Here's the deal.

I've been knowing I'm eventually going to write one for several years. As to when and how, not quite sure, but I'm getting closer.

Certainly I've seen a good portion of the D3 hot spots, and will see St. John's later in the year, for a more general book, but I also haven't taken in color specifically for a book on those trips. Would probably need to do a lot of background and follow-up in the preseason and offseason.

As for the rivalries themselves, yeah, with most of them being that same weekend in November each year, I would either have to write it over several years or write it without seeing them all. I think there are enough anecdotes and interviews and people who would point me in the right direction that it could be done, but I think I would have to see Cortland-Ithaca in a good year and of course Amherst-Williams. Although with video documentaries and team promotion/recruiting DVDs growing in popularity, there might be ways to get a substitute "feel" for a game

Also, I haven't the first clue about getting published.

Also not terribly sure how I'd survive while devoting the time to it. Would love to be full-time, if even just for one fall.

Also, there could be multiple volumes. Don't have to stop at one since there are so many of us and we are ever-changing.

Once I do one, I imagine the others would come easier.

[Josh Bowerman]

Keith--

Don't think it's entirely fair to lump Hardin-Simmons in with this year's disappointments, give the DIII Kickoff publication predicted them to go 7-3, losing to UW-LAX, Linfield and UMHB.   And they were still ranked in the preseason, to boot. 

As a fan, I'm disappointed, but from a national perspective, it's fair to say that one could see three losses for the Cowboys coming.   

[K-Mack]

You're entitled to your opinion.

I'm pretty sure I sensed disappointment when folks were pointing out how the Cowboys will be playing their first "meaningless" game in 10 years the week after the UMHB game, etc.

I understand what you're saying about the predicted Kickoff record. It's not really the same type of disappointment as the teams who completely underachieved, but when a team that expects to be in the playoffs is essentially eliminated by Game 5 and Week 6 ... What else should we call it?

[Josh Bowerman]

I guess that's my point--I'm not sure HSU has completely underachieved--and that would be my definition of "disappointment", at least in this context.

Just my humble .02 worth.

[Rick Akins]

Keith, I enjoyed your column as always.  Thanks for doing something a little different by looking at surprises and yes "disappointments."  Of course HSU played and lost to three really good teams, but in reading what many HSU posters have been saying, I would say that's a pretty mild word.  And anyway, I thought there was no "bad publicity."  I am sure lots of schools just want to get mentioned at all.

[K-Mack]

Fair enough, Josh.

I admit, although I tend to give these items lots of thought over the course of the week, this is more in-depth than I had gone previously on HSU. I think I added that one pretty late.