FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[polbear73]

Lumbercat-I've heard abouth these "offers" to juniors as well, but as far as I know, NESCAC rules still apply:  Only a decision to accept and offer admission to a student athlete can be made only by each school's admissions office and only after a complete application has been submitted and acted upon.  More likely, these "offers" to underclassmen are expressions of interests from coaches who believe that a prospective student will be qualified.  Again, I may not be current, but I doubt that any such offers can be made. 

[DadintheStands]

Lumbercat - Agree with your comment on Ritter's recruiting capabilities.  Civetti is no slouch either.  We went through the process last year and both do a great job selling 'the program'.  In the end my son went with another NESCAC school.  Made a great choice and he is really excited to get started.  If it came down to purely a football decision, I think he would have been at one of the above mentioned schools but players going to the NESCAC tend to be making college decisions rather than football decisions.

[IslandTime]

ColbyFootball, it's safer in certain ways.  Is the risk of brain damage lowered?  I'm not sure that is a "fact," especially with no baseline past data on athlete brain damage to study against.  Yes, there are more precautions taken in terms of equipment, limitations on practice, etc.  But on the other hand, human beings are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever before, and collisions are consequently more ferocious.  Our skulls haven't gotten any harder to compensate.  And it's repeated, powerful collisions that lead to brain trauma.  I don't think we can fairly say that in that department, which is the one that to me is by far the scariest, football is safer now than before.  I don't want to be a party pooper -- obviously I love football.  But the risks, especially for those who play at higher levels, are quite substantial and still not fully understood.

Just watched a GREAT FOOTBALL GAME last night at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando between my middle son's Merritt Island High School vs Avon High from Ohio. The Avon team had 96....I repeat 96 kids on their roster. Teams each traded touchdowns in the last 2 minutes of the game with Avon scoring last to win.

The game of football is more popular than ever. High School boys still want to be the kings of the school and no sport on earth allows an important spot on the field for a kid weighing 130 pounds as well as the kid weighing 300. Best team sport for building character in boys on earth.

[frank uible]

Schoolboy football has been historically and continues to be very important in Ohio. It will be relatively slow to lose popularity. But I don't expect it to gain. Greater Cleveland high school football has been very strong for decades and decades.  Avon OH is in Lorain County - a high school football stronghold as long as memory serves. For Old Timers see Victory Vic Janowicz.

[amh63]

Me thinks it is time for more positive Nescac Football posts.
Back from the family gathering on the Delaware ocean beaches.  Avoided the local hysteria wrt the eclipse...me....watched it on TV....did not want to blind myself .
Amherst campus is showing signs for the return of the " Boys of Fall".  The road between the new science building...construction...and the railroad tracks has just been reopened.  The road carries traffic to faculty housing, two basically senior resident bldgs and the tennis courts.
Today's WSJ Review section carries an article/book review.  The article is titled "The Elephant in the Room".  The book is titled "Discovering the Mammoth".  Brought a smile on my sun burnt face.
My preparation for Amherst Football is to get new polo type shirts.  Have a collection of polo type shirts that have some label...creature...on the upper left side...whale, shark, fish, Alligater, etc.  Picked up some shirts that have a profile of an African elephant with long tusks...almost Mammoth like.
Will have to await Homecoming to refresh my wardrobe further.  My daughter...an Amherst grad...has informed me that she will only wear LJs apparel at the Hamilton game in Clinton!  Brought a smile to my face .

[amh63]

DadintheStands...agree with your comments that student athletes going to Nescac schools tend to select schools for other reasons.  Plus K.  On the Midd website, there is an article that proves your point.  It is one that names the athletes that were selected to Phi Beta Kappa.

[ColbyFootball]

Me thinks it is time for more positive Nescac Football posts.
Back from the family gathering on the Delaware ocean beaches.  Avoided the local hysteria wrt the eclipse...me....watched it on TV....did not want to blind myself .
Amherst campus is showing signs for the return of the " Boys of Fall".  The road between the new science building...construction...and the railroad tracks has just been reopened.  The road carries traffic to faculty housing, two basically senior resident bldgs and the tennis courts.
Today's WSJ Review section carries an article/book review.  The article is titled "The Elephant in the Room".  The book is titled "Discovering the Mammoth".  Brought a smile on my sun burnt face.
My preparation for Amherst Football is to get new polo type shirts.  Have a collection of polo type shirts that have some label...creature...on the upper left side...whale, shark, fish, Alligater, etc.  Picked up some shirts that have a profile of an African elephant with long tusks...almost Mammoth like.
Will have to await Homecoming to refresh my wardrobe further.  My daughter...an Amherst grad...has informed me that she will only wear LJs apparel at the Hamilton game in Clinton!  Brought a smile to my face .

Funny you mention The Boys of Fall. I hope you and the rest enjoy this link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEc1m-r_0gM

[jumpshot]

ColbyFootball,

Thanks for providing the link to "The Boys of Fall" which features prominently Celina, a small school in north Texas that has a remarkable culture of high school football deeply embedded in a rural community. Hardly ever lose, play good competition, and compete with speed and skill. Worth experiencing a "Friday night" there for sure whether you played football as I did or are simply a fan ----or want insight to a community with sound values and a premium on family.

[PolarCat]

What a fantastic locker room speech by Sean Payton.  "You've got only plenty of time for tomorrow, but you only have so many Friday nights."  I've shared this with my son.  As he and his Bobcat teammates enter their senior season, it's bittersweet advice.

(BTW, I am pretty sure that is Kenney Chesney wearing #7 on his own senior day at 8:14 in the video.  Poignant to see him and his dad; Kenney did a great tribute to his father in 2011 when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's).

[ColbyFootball]

What a fantastic locker room speech by Sean Payton.  "You've got only plenty of time for tomorrow, but you only have so many Friday nights."  I've shared this with my son.  As he and his Bobcat teammates enter their senior season, it's bittersweet advice.

(BTW, I am pretty sure that is Kenney Chesney wearing #7 on his own senior day at 8:14 in the video.  Poignant to see him and his dad; Kenney did a great tribute to his father in 2011 when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's).

That was Kenny Chesney wearing #7. And that locker room speech by Sean Payton was a few months before the Saints won the Super Bowl. If watching that video, and listening to the lyrics of that song, don't make you appreciate what football's about, nothing will. Can't wait for the season to start.

[amh63]

Checking on Amherst's first two opponents in this the first 9- game season.
Interesting Twitter on the Hamilton website...football.  States that 1st  practice completed, 2nd on the way!  Posted earlier that Hamilton starts its academic year earlier than ALL the other conference schools.
Meanwhile, Amherst has its first mtg on Monday.

[amh63]

Will be taking a recess for awhile.  News/ info out of Amherst is hindered in part, imo, due to the absence of a SID.  Noticed that some particular sport websites need refreshing.  Also the lack of broadcast video/ stats info for home football games have not been provided to other schools.
Heck, was anxious to see the new uniforms for the sports team as a result of the Mascot Change and the new supplier of apparel to the teams.  Oh well, first team sport event is on Sept. 5....men's soccer game.
Will rely on other posters on the boards for info. 

[dadof4bz]

A question for board.  I am going to games at Amherst, Bates, and Tufts.  Where is the closest airport for each.  My research says Hartford, Portland and Boston.  Is that correct?  Time to make reservations!

[amh63]

dadof4bz...welcome to the board!   For Amherst, Hartford for sure.  For Tufts, Boston would be my Choice.  For Bates, best advice would be from PolarCat, I believe.  Airports that is .

[PolarCat]

Portland is closest to Bates, an hour drive.  Boston's Logan Airport is an hour and a half farther away, and may have a better selection of flights and lower fares.  (But if you fly in Friday, the rush hour traffic coming out of Boston can be brutal).  Manchester (NH) is another option, 2 1/2 hours from Lewiston - same as Boston, but with less traffic.

For which team does your son play?  Happy to offer recommendations for hotels and restaurants if you like.