FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[AO]

be convinced you would have had an oac stagg bowl all you want, but it's not going to happen--not this year anyways.

Furthermore--Mount has not beaten Bethel yet--and vice versa--therefore we can't even have a discussion about Central being better than everybody in the east or whoever being better than Bethel based upon a comparative score with Mount Union.  Even if the discussion is had in the future--It will not matter and Bethel will still have had a better year in 2007.

[muc-raider]

be convinced you would have had an oac stagg bowl all you want, but it's not going to happen--not this year anyways.

Furthermore--Mount has not beaten Bethel yet--and vice versa--therefore we can't even have a discussion about Central being better than everybody in the east or whoever being better than Bethel based upon a comparative score with Mount Union.  Even if the discussion is had in the future--It will not matter and Bethel will still have had a better year in 2007.

I doubt that the NCAA will ever allow an OAC Stagg Bowl.  They knew Capital didn't have the guns this year.  From what I read Bethel has a lot of talent and is to be respected.  I don't think they have enough playoff experience yet.  They are getting a lot of experience this year.  I'm still looking forward to Mount going to the Stagg Bowl next week.

[sfury]

Reality Check: What kind of moron doesn't recognize a team that makes it to the semi-finals of a tournament.  You cannot be considered for fourth place or higher when  you did not make it to the final four. 

I guess the voters in the D3football.com top 25 poll are a big old group of morons AO.  Afterall, they voted CAPITAL as the 3rd best team in the country despite the fact they lost in the regional finals (round of 8 ) after their 2006 performance.  In 2004, they voted HSU 4th nationally despite the fact they didn't make it to the final four but rather because they played UMHB tough in the playoffs when they met.

All those morons...

The argument is flawed logic.  You're not the fourth best team in the nation because you are playing in the final four.  Thank God, credible polls like the one on this site recognize that fact and don't go to the "AO School of Rankology". 

Flawed logic?  I said nothing about Bethel being ranked #4 or better in 2008.  That I used the rankings from this year to judge the relative strength of the region that Bethel won in the playoffs.  Not exactly a bunch of cupcakes.   I do believe that the poll on this site is about as accurate as it gets, so I used it.

Let me say it again if you didn't understand the first time; rankings do not really matter.  Bethel has won 3 playoff games earning them the right to the semi-finals.  Teams that are done playing football have no right to say they are better than Bethel--they didn't beat Bethel-Bethel has won more games-end of story.

Again, if Bethel had played Mount in the first round, they'd be out, so are they still the 4th best team in the country?  Who you've played matters.

Just look at MUC and Capital in 2005.  If they had the playoff brackets like they did this year, I'm convinced we could have had an OAC Stagg Bowl in 2005.

I think several teams from the West wish they would have had different brackets in 05 as well. Remember SJU being unbeaten, ranked third or fourth in the country, and being the third seed in the West? Not so sure Capital would have gotten past Linfield, Whitewater or SJU in a different bracket that year.

Regardless, I don't see Mount having any trouble with Bethel tomorrow.

[skunks_sidekick]

Ok all you Mount, Bethel, and D-III fans.........here's the scoop on the "official" pregame bar gathering tonight in Alliance.  

Brenda's Place

Brenda's Place is on State Street near the college.  

Time:  8:30 to ?

I have a table for about 10 people, but they would be happy to accommodate us if more show up.  The table (s) are under my name, AND Mount Union/Bethel (since almost all of you don't KNOW my real name).  

Post here if you think you are stopping by, or send me an email/PM.  I think the D-III gurus might not get to Alliance in time to join in, but that is not certain at this point.  Skunk and I will be present.

Bethel fans.......please stop by if you get a chance.  It would be great to meet some of you.  Ric....HSCoach.....the GREAT news for the rest of us is that Brenda's DOES NOT have krokey okey tonight!  

[AO]

We could have had an all WIAC stagg bowl this year as UW-Eau Claire was on the other side of the brackets--perhaps the WIAC could have done it last year with La Crosse being the national power that it was.

[skunks_sidekick]

Oh....tonight is "fish fry" night at Brenda's, and if I recall it's pretty good eats. 

Second oh......the field was covered with snow, and it looked like they were just starting to commence the removal process.  GET THOSE non-playoff roster kids SHOVELING!   

[jaypeter]

be convinced you would have had an oac stagg bowl all you want, but it's not going to happen--not this year anyways.

Furthermore--Mount has not beaten Bethel yet--and vice versa--therefore we can't even have a discussion about Central being better than everybody in the east or whoever being better than Bethel based upon a comparative score with Mount Union.  Even if the discussion is had in the future--It will not matter and Bethel will still have had a better year in 2007.

I will agree with your statement that Bethel will have had a better year in 2007 than the 28 teams that made it to the playoffs and the hundreds of others that didn't even make it that far.  However, better season doesn't always mean a better team.  You're also right that we cannot yet fully have the discussion about "Centrel being better than everybody in the east or whoever being better than Bethel based on a comparative score with Mount Union."  But, by the same logic, you can't really have the discussion about Bethel being better than those other teams either.  Really, even with a comparative score, it's difficult to have the discussion unless every team played every team, round-robin style.  But, much like you are doing with your claims for Bethel, we are making similar claims for the teams we have seen.  Can we do it perfectly?  No.  Can we do it with the information we have from having seen these teams play?  Yes, but it's always going to be imperfect.

[jaypeter]

AO, you might also want to be a little careful.  Though I'm not always agreeing with your arguments, you're almost starting to make sense!  You're reputation is in danger.   

[Toph]

We could have had an all WIAC stagg bowl this year as UW-Eau Claire was on the other side of the brackets--perhaps the WIAC could have done it last year with La Crosse being the national power that it was.

Mount Union isn't in the WIAC.  Don't forget that.

[amonachino]

neutralobserver Says that it is not fair that Mt. gets all the home games during playoffs, even though there are four #1 seeds.  They seed the No. 1's.  this is done in the NFL, div. 2, 1AA, baseball, hockey, etc.  Mt. last away playoff game was in 1996 in Wis.

[muc-raider]

neutralobserver Says that it is not fair that Mt. gets all the home games during playoffs, even though there are four #1 seeds.  They seed the No. 1's.  this is done in the NFL, div. 2, 1AA, baseball, hockey, etc.  Mt. last away playoff game was in 1996 in Wis.

If it is any consolation to you, in 2005 if Capital had lost to Wabash in the second round, then Mount would have played at Wabash in the third round.

[Redtooth]

be convinced you would have had an oac stagg bowl all you want, but it's not going to happen--not this year anyways.

Furthermore--Mount has not beaten Bethel yet--and vice versa--therefore we can't even have a discussion about Central being better than everybody in the east or whoever being better than Bethel based upon a comparative score with Mount Union.  Even if the discussion is had in the future--It will not matter and Bethel will still have had a better year in 2007.

I will agree with your statement that Bethel will have had a better year in 2007 than the 28 teams that made it to the playoffs and the hundreds of others that didn't even make it that far.  However, better season doesn't always mean a better team.  You're also right that we cannot yet fully have the discussion about "Centrel being better than everybody in the east or whoever being better than Bethel based on a comparative score with Mount Union."  But, by the same logic, you can't really have the discussion about Bethel being better than those other teams either.  Really, even with a comparative score, it's difficult to have the discussion unless every team played every team, round-robin style.  But, much like you are doing with your claims for Bethel, we are making similar claims for the teams we have seen.  Can we do it perfectly?  No.  Can we do it with the information we have from having seen these teams play?  Yes, but it's always going to be imperfect.

Let's keep AO's argument in context----Bethel has won three playoff games and a regional championship for the first time in their history and that is something to be proud of.......however prior to beating Central last week in the snow/slop they defeated such notable playoff participants as Concordia (Wisc) and UWEC.....between the two them 6 loses....arguably two of the weaker teams coming into the playoffs (UWEC deserves huge respect for playing the way they did in the playoffs with their injury situation being what it was)....This was not Murderer's Row in the playoffs

[seventiesraider]

AO
  Winning three games in the playoffs means only that. Sorry to burst yuor bubble but unless we make this a double elimination tournament and do away with regions, there are teams already out of the playoffs that have the right to claim they are better than teams that are left based on who the lost to and how strong they feel that team is. The four semi-final teams are not necessarily the four best teams. It just don't work that way.

  Gonna be pretty quit around here about this time tomorrow. Break out the blowers and the shovels and get that field clean.

[mtfan]

Congrats to both Nate Kmic and Pat McCullough for the D3 North Region offensive and defensive Player of the year Awards! Great accomplishment guys!!

[seventiesraider]

Zimmerman doesn't even make 3rd team North Region  kicker after setting the D3 record for consecutive PAT's. I know Mount can't have every position but this kid deserves some recognition.