Around the Nation board

[K-Mack]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Per Pat's request, I am at Keith@D3football.com.

Also, private message on this board would serve the same purpose.

I am definitely looking for people who you've read before covering the team on a regular basis. I am not looking to cold-call. Although we have had some success picking up random freelancers who have no connection to Division III prior to working with us, I/we feel the quality of work would be better with folks who have some experience covering the conference we're asking them to preview or D3 in general.

[theoriginalupstate]

Not sure where to post this but I came accross this....

2008 Pre-Season DIII Consensus Draft Services All-American Team

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB Rob Kramer, 5'10", 215, St. John Fisher
WR Pierre Garcon, 6'1", 205, Mount Union
WR Joe Cline, 5'11", 190, Alma
TE Nolan Swett, 6'5", 220, Colorado College
RB Nate Kmic, 5'9", 190, Mount Union (Jr.)
RB Justin Beaver, 5'9", 200, WI-Whitewater
OT Brennan Fortune, 6'3", 285, St. John Fisher
OG Brandon Bennett, 6'2", 280, Willamette
OL Jordan Purdy, 6'4", 288, Wilkes U.
OG Dan Casper, 6'3", 280, Central College
OT Jeff Cihlar, 6'5", 325, Rockford College
K Connor Pearce, Cal Lutheran
KR Travis Masters, Linfield

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB Josh Vogelbach, 6'0", 185, Guilford (Jr.)
WR Jay Jay Vanderstyne, 6'0", 191, Rochester (NY)
WR Matt Frank, 6'5", 202, Carleton (Jr.)
TE Charles Gryska, 6'5", 255, UMass-Dartmouth
RB R.V. Carroll, 5'10", 185, Oberlin College
RB Matt Bielecki, 6'1", 208, Rochester (NY)
OT Andrew Althous, 6'1", 260, Carnegie Mellon
OG Eric Yuen, 6'2", 295, St. Olaf
OL Eric Safran, 6'3", 290, Mount Union
OG Brady Ramseier, 6'6", 308, WI-Whitewater
OT Steve Wergers, 6'3", 290, Col. of Mt. St. Joseph
K Ryan Graboski, WI-Stevens Pt.
KR Lindy Crea, Harwick (RB)


FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DE Andy Studebaker, 6'5", 249, Wheaton
DT Don Miller, 6'2", 310, Alfred
DT Andrew Eisentrout, 6'4", 230, Pacific Lutheran
DE Bryan Robinson, 6'3", 207, Wesley
LB Jerrell Freeman, 6'0", 205, Mary Hardin-Baylor
LB Mark Mashburn, 5'10", 195, Dubuque
LB Cody Pierce, 5'10", 194, Buena Vista
LB Jeff Gibbs, 6'0", 200, Principia
CB James Bascon, 5'9", 170, Bridgewater St. (MA) (Jr.)
S Mark Snoddy, 6'0", 185, Washington & Lee
S Harold Green, 6'0", 186, William Patterson
CB Drew Gallaugher, 5'10", 198, Colorado College
P Kevin Sofikiancs, Baldwin-Wallace
PR Joshua Kraemer, Ripon

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DE Brian Calderone, 6'2", 225, Case Western Reserve (Jr.)
DT Joe King, 6'5", 235, The Col. of New Jersey
DT Rishard Davis, 6'1", 231, Huntingdon
DE Matt Rugenstein, 6'3", 250, Hope (MI)
LB Eric Dube, 5'10", 200, Dickinson St.
LB Jeremy Winter, 5'10", 225, Carroll (WI) (Jr.)
LB Brett Maloney, 6'2", 230, Grinnell (Jr.)
LB Brock Hall, 6'1", 210, Loras
CB Jonah Wilson, 5'9", 170, Mount Union (Jr.)
S Jonathan Tefft, 6'0", 195, Husson (ME)
S Phil Schroer, 6'2", 175, Nebraska Wesleyan (Jr.)
CB Marcus Harris, 5'9", 170, Millsaps (Jr.)
P Jesse Harms, Coast Guard
PR Jason Jackson, Illinois College 

[DutchFan2004]

Not to pick on you Upstate but was this a 2007 preseason all american selection. 

[theoriginalupstate]

Not to pick on you Upstate but was this a 2007 preseason all american selection. 

I'd have to say yes, I copied and pasted it from http://condraft.com/all-american-teams/div-iii.php

[Ralph Turner]

Endangered Zebras

If we are having this problem in west Texas, then this must be developing around the country.

Football officials do the job for the love of the game.  There is no amount of money that can make up for the "abuse" that an official may take. The "pay strata" at the top is for the "biggest" games.  If you imagine four hours on site, two hours each way in rush hour or late night traffic and one hour preparation for the game, that is nine hours.

When I was active in our youth soccer association, the penalty for the most egregious sportsmanship violations was for the offending parent to earn their basic officials card and to officiate a full season of games (9 games), usually at the under-8 and under-10 level, to get off probation.  Otherwise that person was prohibited from any attending any soccer matches.

I have wondered about that penalty being employed more widely.

[cawcdad]

. . . .When I was active in our youth soccer association, the penalty for the most egregious sportsmanship violations was for the offending parent to earn their basic officials card and to officiate a full season of games (9 games), usually at the under-8 and under-10 level, to get off probation.  Otherwise that person was prohibited from any attending any soccer matches.

I have wondered about that penalty being employed more widely.

Sounds like a good plan to me Ralph. I have commented to many a parent / fan that if they do not like the officiating, go get certified and get out on the field or court.

[DutchFan2004]

Wow Ralph,

How current is that article for officials pay?  I got out of it last year as the arthritis in my knees got to be to bad.  I really miss it.  I loved doing the football games.  When I got out a JV freshman game was paying 55-65 a night.  Junior high was paying the same but you did two games a 7th and 8th grade game.  I have only done a handful of varsity games as Friday nights were watching my own boys play.  The pay for varisty was 90-100 and if you did a double header like sophmore jv varsity was like 130-150 a night.  Travel time for varsity was longer but in my area the longest drive for a game was 30 minutes.  I know it is tuff to find people to do it as many would rather scream their displeasure at the zebras then really learn the rules and find out that the refs 99% of the time get it correct.  If they just knew the rules of the game and what rules apply they might not scream in disgust but realize that hey they do know what is going on!!!!!. 

[K-Mack]

Ralph,
Always enjoy the ATN thread being the home for random issues only the die-hard die-hards might care about.

That said, I find this very interesting. 

Also want to mention a story I did for last year's Stagg Bowl Game Program on officiating. They definitely have a love and don't deserve half the abuse they take. What they do to stay up on the rules, get , in addition to their full-time jobs, is borderline insane.

I'l see if I can find a version of it and repost, not so much to self-promote, but to add to this discussion.

I think that penalty is a phenomenal idea, BTW

Endangered Zebras

If we are having this problem in west Texas, then this must be developing around the country.

Football officials do the job for the love of the game.  There is no amount of money that can make up for the "abuse" that an official may take. The "pay strata" at the top is for the "biggest" games.  If you imagine four hours on site, two hours each way in rush hour or late night traffic and one hour preparation for the game, that is nine hours.

When I was active in our youth soccer association, the penalty for the most egregious sportsmanship violations was for the offending parent to earn their basic officials card and to officiate a full season of games (9 games), usually at the under-8 and under-10 level, to get off probation.  Otherwise that person was prohibited from any attending any soccer matches.

I have wondered about that penalty being employed more widely.

[K-Mack]

Another piece of randomity. I assume this guy was a force in the Aztec Bowl:

(has never watched; is usually busy that day)

Eagles sign Mexican DT Lopez
Philly.com Staff

The Philadelphia Eagles today announced they have signed defensive tackle Mauricio Lopez.

A 27-year-old native of Mexico City , Lopez (6-foot-1, 329 pounds) spent three seasons in NFL Europa, playing with the Cologne Centurions and the Amsterdam Admirals. In 2007, he recorded 9 tackles (6 solo) and one sack for the Centurions.  Lopez recorded three tackles for Cologne in 2006, and appeared in one game with the Admirals in 2005.

Lopez spent three years playing for the Mexican National Team and he played collegiately for Monterrey Tech.

As far as the All-American team, looks solid on first very-quick glance.

Who is Consensus Draft Services and have they actually seen any of these guys play?

[K-Mack]

http://condraft.com/about.php

Meh.

Sounds like CDS has an interesting theory. But compiling rankings from "all the available qualified opinion" out there would seem to work a lot better for Division I-A than III.

I'd love to find a scout or a service that watches D3 games and could speak to the talent differential between conferences and identify potential pro prospects from non-playoff teams.

Ah well.

[theoriginalupstate]

They (condraft) probably just looked at the NCAA stats and who was returning....

[K-Mack]

Watching former R-MC OC Ed Hodgkiss coach Arena Ball on The Deuce right now. Can't say I've watched much arena ball, although it's like hockey ... awesome in person.

Upstate, that was what I figured about condraft. That explains Joe Cline as an A-A even though Brehm won't be back, etc.

But maybe someone who had seen an Alma game could say "Nope, that guy's a legitimate talent, he made Brehm same as Brehm made him (which is what I sort of assumed, from afar)

Wish I could watch everyone. Maybe when I go full-time I'll request tapes and do the knowledge on everyone in my basement a la Kiper.

Also, I'm thinking, all the reliable sources on D3 still doesn't give you a very wide cross-section of informed opinions.

[K-Mack]

Matt D'Orazio, the QB from Otterbein, is in this game too.

LA Avengers vs. Chicago whosiewhatzits.

(Waits for Pat to post how many times we've had notables on D'Orazio and his Chicago team)

[Pat Coleman]

D'Orazio's name is on the front page of D3football.com in the lead story this very minute.

[Jonny Utah]

D'Orazio's name is on the front page of D3football.com in the lead story this very minute.

Man, where was the press when my man Jamie McGourty was tearin up the Areana League for the Rush in the early 2000s!!!