FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[amh63]

The Fall sports season will start sooooon.  Amherst came out with its Orientation schedule. FYs' arrive early next week. Several days later...schedule shows FYs can tryout for sport teams....a little different from previous years.
Football page twitter cites "five days" for start of practice today.
The frenzy on the outside of of the new Science center...landscaping, walking paths, road granite edging, etc....keeping pace.  Roadways in area should get "top coating" very soon since upperclass sport players need to get to dorms.
Gridiron....thanks for the article.  Learned that Nescac has a limit of 7 assistant football coaches.  Interesting how Nescac schools list their assistant coaches.  Amherst and Trinity, imho, tend to have the fewest on field helpers.

[hamfan88]

Also off topic but a refreshing piece of insight from South Carolina Gamecocks coach Frank Martin on parents in organized sports. All in perspective.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J1OGqF5Eo1k

[ColbyFootball]

Great article regarding Cosgrove's path to Colby and efforts to turn things around in Waterville.

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/08/19/colby-helps-to-rejuvenate-jack-cosgroves-passion-for-coaching-football/

here's the difference between what Cosgrove brings to the program and what Michaeles failed to bring.

Quoting from this article:

The Mules open this season at home on Sept. 15 against Trinity, the defending NESCAC champion.

"It's a monumental challenge," said Cosgrove. "And it really starts with believing we can win that game. That's where it starts, preparing our players to believe they can win."

Last year in opening against Trinity Michaeles told the players that they just wanted to get out of Hartford "without getting too beaten up". Never conveying with his words, or his actions, a belief that they could win. Then the game came. Michaeles goes into the game switching QBs every series, regardless of anyone having the hot hand, and preventing either of the two QBs and the offense from establishing some rythme. Then Colby recovers the opening kickoff deep in Trinity territory. The bold coach wanting to make a statement and win would challenge the Trinity D in the end zone. Go for the kill. Instead they go three and out,  trying three predictable and conservative plays. The Michaeles message was sent to his players. We are not here to win. And to Trinity, we cannot beat you.

I love that Cosgrove wants to win the opener, and have his players believing they can win. Thankfully for Colby the losing attitude of Jonathan Michaeles is over. I can't wait for the opener.

[Canvas Hightops]

Mostly a lurker here.
However, it is nearly impossible to follow this board and not be alarmed by a certain contributor's twisted preoccupation with a former coach to an absurd repetitive point.

[Vandy74]

Mostly a lurker here.
However, it is nearly impossible to follow this board and not be alarmed by a certain contributor's twisted preoccupation with a former coach to an absurd repetitive point.

We can't stop him.  We can only hope to contain him.

[frank uible]

ColbyFootball - Let it go. You're damaging yourself.

[ColbyFootball]

I am used to the critics. That's fine, as I understand that the topic becomes tiresome.  But, nothing I have posted is untrue. But, I'll take the advice of others because although it may appear otherwise, my intention is not to make any of you uncomfortable. My wounds run very deep, so the bad experience still pains me as a parent.

[CardFanCT05]

Been watching this board for a long time--Can't we get more focus on, and information about,  the "stronger" and more interesting teams in the league, rather than all this attention to the very weak sisters?  Seems very out of proportion, and not worthy of the attention. 

[amh63]

To the newest poster....a Wesleyan fan to boot.   I remember when the Cardinals was a " weak sister".  Then a new coach arrived and within five years Wesleyan became a constant title chaser.  There were tough times at Tufts for 4-5 years but a new coach have made them a worrisome team for Amherst...especially in Medford.  Hamilton brought a winning coach from a nearby school and they are a dangerous team now.  Then there is Williams whose new coach has his team get to take "the Walk".
Colby has a new coach as well as Bates.  Bowdoin has a fine new stadium and a relative new coach with needed support from the school now.
It is going to be a Dog Fight in the Nescac soon...a nine game season with no schedule excuses now.
Amherst and Williams no longer have the 95 plus player roster advantage of my era.
I think I am going to enjoy Nescac football more now when there are battles every weekend.  Oh yes, Amherst still needs to win the Little Three!

[harlequinfarm]

As another newbie to NESCAC I'm excited to hear that there's competitive developments afoot across the conference.  Makes it interesting and brings additional dimensions of the matchups into play. 

Regarding our Colby fan, I thought his elaboration on the change in attitude with the coaching transition was cogent, relevant, and insightful.  I don't have the scar tissue long term posters have, so I hope this represents a new leaf and new focus on the team going forward, with more insights appreciated by all.  And then I hope Colby loses to Williams.

[HSCTiger74]

Been watching this board for a long time--Can't we get more focus on, and information about,  the "stronger" and more interesting teams in the league, rather than all this attention to the very weak sisters?  Seems very out of proportion, and not worthy of the attention.

This board, like all the boards on this site, is participant-driven; there is no moderator to suggest a topic of the day. If you want more information or discussion of your so-called stronger teams then you need to post it yourself and see what sort of response you get. As far as the "weak sisters", their fans are just as interested in those teams as you are in yours, and care just as much. If their share of the conversation is out of proportion then that's on you, not them.

[lumbercat]

Been watching this board for a long time--Can't we get more focus on, and information about,  the "stronger" and more interesting teams in the league, rather than all this attention to the very weak sisters?  Seems very out of proportion, and not worthy of the attention.

Don't remember much in the way input from you or other Wesleyan people.

[amh63]

Boy...had to clean up my last post here . No excuses for grammar mistakes.  No excuses for English/American not being my primary language....though I was not born in the USA.
Weather has been somewhat crazy here in the D.C. recently...flood watch, pollen alert, etc. It was slightly better in the Finger Lakes area of NY last week.  Checking my schedule for the Fall.  Due to my wife's relatives dropping in this Fall(Ca., Fl.) I have a slim chance of attending a Nescac football game soon.  No visit this year to The lovely village of Clinton.  Only the Homecoming game in the "Winter" game with Williams.  I use to get to a couple of other games....but my best man moved to the Chapel Hill area several years ago and he is really a basketball fan.  My wife now thinks that I'm too interested in property in the Amherst area...sort of 2nd home for the Fall/Winter months.  I am digressing again.
pre-season starts very soon....Sunday arrival of upperclass players??.

[JoeBag]

Boy...had to clean up my last post here . No excuses for grammar mistakes.  No excuses for English/American not being my primary language....though I was not born in the USA.
Weather has been somewhat crazy here in the D.C. recently...flood watch, pollen alert, etc. It was slightly better in the Finger Lakes area of NY last week.  Checking my schedule for the Fall.  Due to my wife's relatives dropping in this Fall(Ca., Fl.) I have a slim chance of attending a Nescac football game soon.  No visit this year to The lovely village of Clinton.  Only the Homecoming game in the "Winter" game with Williams.  I use to get to a couple of other games....but my best man moved to the Chapel Hill area several years ago and he is really a basketball fan.  My wife now thinks that I'm too interested in property in the Amherst area...sort of 2nd home for the Fall/Winter months.  I digressing again.
pre-season starts very soon....Sunday arrival of upperclass players??.

I believe all players report this Saturday and non contact practices start on Sunday.

[DC 53]

This:https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm1FaydB6SA/