Around the Nation board

@d3jason · October 16, 2008, 03:04:22 PM

K-Mack

Loved this week's Around the Nation about the venues.

Which made me think, how many D-III venues I had been to as either a player, coach, fan or broadcaster/writer?

The number I came up with was 40.

I didn't count Wesley playing Morrisville last year at Colgate or Thomas More at Nippert Stadium on the campus of Cincinnati back in 1993. (You are right D-III games are not made or big D-I stadiums.)

Carnegie-Mellon was cool.( Do they still have the old astro cement?) Their band was all dressed in kilts and at halftime aligned opposite the stands and press box and came running on to the field Braveheart style.

I did notice the number of venues with trains near (add Waynesburg, Del Val, Kean, FDU? its been since '93, Gettysburg)

It would be hard pick a favorite, I'll have to think on it a bit.

HSC85 · October 16, 2008, 03:15:17 PM

Two more venues with trains running near the fields are Emory & Henry and Randolph Macon.

Knightstalker · October 16, 2008, 03:54:56 PM

MSU has trains nearby too. In fact the tailgates before the football games are in the NJ Transit train station parking lot.

Back when we had a football team NJCU had a nice spot. It is still the outdoor sports complex, Softball, Baseball, Soccer are all played there. It is right on the Newark Bay and made for a pleasant fall afternoon watching football. It could get nasty with the wind, the baseball team christened it Candlestick East several years ago.

bash06 · October 16, 2008, 04:52:49 PM

Wabash has tracks that divide the parking lot from the football field but in my 4 year tenure as a student I might have spotted maybe 1 or 2 trains on the track

@d3jason · October 16, 2008, 10:04:28 PM

Quote from: Knightstalker on October 16, 2008, 03:54:56 PM
MSU has trains nearby too. In fact the tailgates before the football games are in the NJ Transit train station parking lot.

Back when we had a football team NJCU had a nice spot. It is still the outdoor sports complex, Softball, Baseball, Soccer are all played there. It is right on the Newark Bay and made for a pleasant fall afternoon watching football. It could get nasty with the wind, the baseball team christened it Candlestick East several years ago.

Forgot about NJCU, been there too (in '96). That is a good spot. I remember a view of the twin towers and some urban blight but the facility was nice.

ADL70 · October 16, 2008, 10:13:49 PM

CMU now has the new style turf.

PA_wesleyfan · October 16, 2008, 10:16:08 PM

Quote from: Conrad on October 16, 2008, 10:04:28 PM
Quote from: Knightstalker on October 16, 2008, 03:54:56 PM
MSU has trains nearby too. In fact the tailgates before the football games are in the NJ Transit train station parking lot.

Back when we had a football team NJCU had a nice spot. It is still the outdoor sports complex, Softball, Baseball, Soccer are all played there. It is right on the Newark Bay and made for a pleasant fall afternoon watching football. It could get nasty with the wind, the baseball team christened it Candlestick East several years ago.

Forgot about NJCU, been there too (in '96). That is a good spot. I remember a view of the twin towers and some urban blight but the facility was nice.

Conrad

Isn't that the game that one that the Jersey City player used Tate's head for a football? Rather nasty brawl ensued???

HSC85 · October 16, 2008, 10:48:40 PM

K-Mack,

Great Around the Nation article. I really find the descriptions of the different places interesting. This site really adds to the D III experience. I agree with you about the discussions about the polls and the other issues in the general football sections are worthy reads.

PA_wesleyfan · October 16, 2008, 11:11:58 PM

K-Mack

Ironic that you mention Dorothy and The Emerald city. L. Frank Baum was born a stones throw down the road rt. 13 from Cortland in Chittenango and they have a a yellow brick road.. There is some beautiful views along rt 81 in southern N.Y. Stop at the welcome center just north of the N.Y./ Pa. boarded and enjoy the panorama.

@d3jason · October 17, 2008, 10:28:40 AM

Quote from: PA_wesleyfan on October 16, 2008, 10:16:08 PM
Quote from: Conrad on October 16, 2008, 10:04:28 PM
Quote from: Knightstalker on October 16, 2008, 03:54:56 PM
MSU has trains nearby too. In fact the tailgates before the football games are in the NJ Transit train station parking lot.

Back when we had a football team NJCU had a nice spot. It is still the outdoor sports complex, Softball, Baseball, Soccer are all played there. It is right on the Newark Bay and made for a pleasant fall afternoon watching football. It could get nasty with the wind, the baseball team christened it Candlestick East several years ago.
Knight LB Scott Fairlamb with a karate to the head. I remember both teams handling themselves well though, not a brawl. Fairlamb got tossed and the game went on.
Forgot about NJCU, been there too (in '96). That is a good spot. I remember a view of the twin towers and some urban blight but the facility was nice.

Conrad

Isn't that the game that one that the Jersey City player used Tate's head for a football? Rather nasty brawl ensued???

'gro · October 17, 2008, 10:37:36 AM

Great ATN column this week Kmack (from this geographically biased poster). It's a shame that this is the last year for RPI's '86 field - in use since 1912 - but the new stadium is going to be great for the program. Appreciate the links to other schools fields it was cool to see the different styles.

Oh, and you forgot to add one thing about Cortland to the article:

Quote
Given the Red Dragons' history -- especially after going 9-1 with an overtime loss to conference champion Rowan and not making the playoffs in 2006 then lost to RPI in the ECACs 26-7

Ralph Turner · October 17, 2008, 02:06:04 PM

ATN road trips...

If you needed a good reason to go to Alabama/Georgia, the Huntingdon/LaGrange game on Nov 15th might have playoff implications. Tipping a hat to those "new" programs might be a good thing to do if you cannot find another playoff-calbire team. Otherwise, that is the "southeasternmost" venue for D-III football, and there is no other Oglethorpe/Emory/Piedmont team playing.

A general scouting trip might take in (non-football) Berry College GA which is exploratory for D-III this year.

Maine/New Hampshire has the North Atlantic Conference sponsoring football in 2009.

AF4 · October 17, 2008, 02:20:40 PM

Ralph Turner

thanks for the Huntingdon-LaGrange plug

keep the faith

K-Mack · October 18, 2008, 12:30:41 AM

Thanks for the feedback this week everybody. Lots of quick responses:

I am certain I mentioned Gettysburg and R-MC on my list of train schools, no? I have been to Del Val and Emory & Henry and had no recollection of a train at those ones, but now that you mention it, I remember Del Val's. My prevailing non-field memory of E&H was the pool being the visitors' locker room. If that ain't D3 for you, I dont know what is.

Quote from: Knightstalker on October 16, 2008, 03:54:56 PMMSU has trains nearby too. In fact the tailgates before the football games are in the NJ Transit train station parking lot.

Now that I think if it, the NJ Transit station in Union is right by Kean's field. Add another one!

Gro, I can assure you not acknowledging the ECAC game was no accident, but I did feel wrong saying 9-1.

If I remember to book a flight, I will be at the final '86 Field Game. I don't know if I ever confirmed with the crew, but LLPP attendance is essential!

Was wondering if anyone bothered with the links. Good to know they are liked, they are a pain to include, but as long as people get something out of it ...

Quote from: PA_wesleyfan on October 16, 2008, 11:11:58 PM
K-Mack

Ironic that you mention Dorothy and The Emerald city. L. Frank Baum was born a stones throw down the road rt. 13 from Cortland in Chittenango and they have a a yellow brick road.. There is some beautiful views along rt 81 in southern N.Y. Stop at the welcome center just north of the N.Y./ Pa. boarded and enjoy the panorama.

Coincidental even!

(copy nerd in the house!)

Yes, I stopped at Whiting Point or whatever it was called. Great idea. I was tempted to drive the Cayuga Lake scenic byway for a while too, but since I didn't make it to Ithaca's field until sunset, I figured it was time to get a move on (as my Dad would say)

Someone also told me the Penn-Cam truck stop between Scranton and Binghamton makes the meanest chocolate shakes on earth, but I didn't notice it on the way up or back.

In Binghamton there's a football field right off the highway, and there was a game going on both times I passed it.

Ralph, I am free on the 15th so far, but I try to keep that open for rivalries or really key playoff-implication games. Which I guess the 'don/Granger game might fit.

Will definitely have to do the other NE states at some point. Did I remember to mention in the column that I'm told Middlebury had a ridiculously great view too?

Was surprised how easy it was to find field photos at a lot of these sites (a lot of 'facilities' tabs on football pages). It makes sense, I just don't always expect D3 schools to do everything that makes sense (if it costs dollars ... ho! rim shot, I'll be her all week)

I still need to update the Daily Dose thread with places I have been and compare to Pat. See how far the two of us have to go to "complete the grid." I'm more ticked about the ones I've missed when I've had opportunities (Whittier, Puget Sound, Methodist, etc.)

Ralph Turner · October 18, 2008, 06:56:18 PM

Jackson Field Alpine TX runs east-west and is just south of the Southern Pacific tracks.

The east-west orientation makes for a crosswind that we seldom experience in Texas. It is tough on the QB's to get used to. The press box is on the north sideline and so the sight lines in the late afternoon require you to look into the sun when looking towards the west.

You can google-map "Jackson Field Alpine TX" to get the satellite picture of the field to see the layout vis-a-vis the sun and the RR tracks.