FB: American Southwest Conference

[TrickyTroy]

I agree just miss those great south finals between hsu and trinity and MHB vs trinity. Texas south finals were usually close and last play decided who won.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity hasn't been competitive with the ASC playoff rep since 2002 (c'mon, if they couldn't beat ETBU in 2003, etc.)

[TrickyTroy]

I know but the 1999 and 2000 south finals are probley the best in the history of south finals, 1999 Trinity wins in 1999 hsu 20 yrds from endzone few secs left and incompletion in endzone that could of won the game, vice vesa in 2000

[golden_dome]

Well i can definitely say i expect a much different outcome for HSU in the playoffs. I just had to see the brackets put up this way but i guess we should all be use to it by now. i was hoping to see 2 texas teams make it out of round 1.

I think that the 2nd Trinity loss did us in!

As I listened to the Selection podcast, Curry, a weak 1-loss team from the NEFC made the playoffs.  Had TU beaten Centre, then we could have seen a Millsaps-LaGrange/UMHB-TU bracket and HSU be flown to the West Coast (as a travel orphan).

Bus LaGrange to Millsaps
Bus Trinity to UMHB.

Top seeds win and bus UMHB to Millsaps.

HSU, the travel orphan, could have been flown to the West Coast.

No home game there, but a chance to play outside of Texas.  (Lots of experience for the Cowboys!)

HSU, don't y'all have a plane flight non-conference game next year?

It would have been nice if it played out that way Ralph. It gets old seeing the ASC get the short end year in and year out.

[golden_dome]

A final post about MS College's season and next year for us, since this year is obviously over. Nobody's happy with 5-5, but I'm sure the coaches were happy to win the final three to get back to .500. Not bad considering Adam Shaffer missed the year and four of our losses were to teams ranked in the Top 11.

• Junior Desmond Mays led the league in rushing with over 1,100 yards in 9 games.
  
• The defense has taken heat, but they only gave up 17.8 points per in ASC games. 
• Offense ended up 2nd in total offense in the ASC despite no Adam Shaffer all year.
• Had ASC's 2nd best rushing offense averaging 236 a game, and that was with an inseason philosophical switch.
• This is no excuse considering UMHB also had injuries this year and won the league, but we had ten players miss the final game because of season-ending injuries during the year. 

We only lose three offensive starters and three defensive starters for next year. Six offensive linemen return who started games this year, Desmond Mays will be back, Adam Shaffer will be back and the defense returns a lot. Maybe the schedule will ease up a bit on us also and we can make another run at getting up there with HSU and UMHB.

Good luck to HSU and UMHB, I hate you're playing each other in the first round. I think both teams were good enough this year to win a few playoff games.

[coco]

I'm sorry you guys got screwed again.

So did the West Coast, again. Did you check out the West bracket? The #2 team (undefeated) has to travel to the #1 team. In the other three brackets, the #1 team plays the #8 team.

[Josh Bowerman]

In your scenario, Ralph, why does HSU have to fly as a "travel orphan"?  They certainly would have deserved a home game as much, if not more, than W&J and St. John's.

Not that it matters.

[Ralph Turner]

In your scenario, Ralph, why does HSU have to fly as a "travel orphan"?  They certainly would have deserved a home game as much, if not more, than W&J and St. John's.

Not that it matters.

Thinking that the travel orphans in that scenario would have been #3 HSU, #2 OXY and #1 Willamette.  A fourth travel orphan would have been needed.

On the In the HuddLLe webcast*, Coach Kaiser mentioned that Oxy and Willamette were paired by the "finance" guys.

*See my summary on the Pool C boards.

[drinkxs.com]

it will not do any good to change things, but who are these nc(fema)aa guys? Who is this committe that makes these ignorant decisions?

[Josh Bowerman]

On the In the HuddLLe webcast*, Coach Kaiser mentioned that Oxy and Willamette were paired by the "finance" guys.

Ahh...THAT's who keeps pairing HSU and UMHB up in the first round!   

I honestly just wish they'd take the whole "try to avoid conference rematches" thing out of the handbook, because it only really affects the Texas and West Coast schools.  It's really tiresome.  If they're going to hose us every time and blame it on money, then the least they could do is be open, up-front, and honest about it.

I know that's too much to ask, but I'm asking anyway.

[Ralph Turner]

it will not do any good to change things, but who are these nc(fema)aa guys? Who is this committe that makes these ignorant decisions?

Representatives of member institutions who volunteer to serve on these committees, like John Neese did as chair of the football committee in 2004.   

The names are published in the NCAA D-III Football Handbook.  Page 7-9

Practically speaking, the travel budget for D-III comes not from the individual institutions as in the NAIA, but from the CBS contract for March Madness.  We are stuck with that budget.   

[CRU96]

it will not do any good to change things, but who are these nc(fema)aa guys? Who is this committe that makes these ignorant decisions?

Representatives of member institutions who volunteer to serve on these committees, like John Neese did as chair of the football committee in 2004.  

The names are published in the NCAA D-III Football Handbook.  Page 7-9

Practically speaking, the travel budget for D-III comes not from the individual institutions as in the NAIA, but from the CBS contract for March Madness.  We are stuck with that budget.  

Ralph,

Thank you for helping us try to make sense of the "Novemeber Madness" that occurs routinely in the ASC around playoff time.  I do understand budgets and their structure often limits what can be done.  It seems that a road trip somewhere else for UMHB or HSU would make sense before pitting conference rivals first.  UMHB has been here before and I know that Coach Fred and his staff will have the Cru ready to play as Coach Keeling as well. I just saw the bracket and what has happened out West seems to be the same so I will move on.  As a UMHB fan I would love to see us play someone else first, as for HSU as well.  Two fine programs have to beat each early in the playoffs again.  I would love for both to have a chance to get a bit deeper in the playoffs.  Their contrast in style and play make both of them fun to watch.  Hey, I could even cheer for the ASC for once!  This should be another "game for the ages" between UMHB and HSU.  Go Cru!

[cowboyfan]

On the In the HuddLLe webcast*, Coach Kaiser mentioned that Oxy and Willamette were paired by the "finance" guys.

Ahh...THAT's who keeps pairing HSU and UMHB up in the first round!   

I honestly just wish they'd take the whole "try to avoid conference rematches" thing out of the handbook, because it only really affects the Texas and West Coast schools.  It's really tiresome.  If they're going to hose us every time and blame it on money, then the least they could do is be open, up-front, and honest about it.

I know that's too much to ask, but I'm asking anyway.

Josh,

I agree, nothing we can do about getting hosed and it happens year after year. Does the ASC deserve better? Probably so but all we can do is play the hand we are given. Good luck Cowboys get ready for UMHB. Perhaps its an advantage in a way because we both no what to expect and we will see a good football game (even if it is a repeat). I hate to see it happen but its been my experience that it happens and is evident at this point that we can expect it from year to year. I'm just glad to see that HSU and UMHB are good enough to both make the playoffs. I'm looking forward to a good game and returning the favor in the post season. GO COWBOYS!

[umhb2001]

Here is the contact page to let your displeasure be heard about the continually bogus pairing the NCAA gives the ASC!

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=34750

Otherwise, I look forward to another great game!  I love the game, but again, I hate it for our conference.  I don't profess to know it all, but somebody tell me, does this happen to any other bracket, where the top two teams from a conference have to face each other in the first round??  I understand the penny penching excuse, but why don't more people raise a fuss?  It's time to say something. 

[CRU96]

Cowboyfan,

I agree with you.  The ASC does deserve better but both of us will play the hand that is dealt and it should be another great game.  Can anyone tell me how the Cowboys finished the regular season?  Any injuries?  What will HSU bring into the second game different from the first?  What are the keys for this game for the Cowboys?  Believe me, as a Cru fan we have been riddled by injuries and it is good to hear that we are almost at full strength minus QD.   Looking forward to the game this weekend.