FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Roonyhufsfarts]

Did anyone see the documentary?  My cable service did not provide it. 

[frank uible]

Just read the Trinity press release about its immediately upcoming game against Bowdoin. Sounds like Godzilla against Orphan Annie. Send in Daddy Warbucks.

[pbfan]

David vs. Goliath

[PB5]

I am with you pbfan. while they haven't really dominated this year, the bears have an uncanny way of sticking around in a game (even over the last two years, save the 41-0 defeat to Trinity last year). When you stick around, anything can happen.

[Trin9-0]

Did anyone see the documentary? My cable service did not provide it.

I saw it on direct TV last night and it was very well done.  The first few segments did an excellent job of outlining the history of both the Williams win streak in the early '90s and the current Trinity win streak.  It detailed the significance of the rivalry in relation to New England football history and how the game always had such an impact on the final NESCAC standings because the two schools always play so early in the year and are usually both very good.

There were a few points throughout the program that got me thinking though. As a former Trinity player I agreed with their point of view that despite the Trinity-Wesleyan rivalry, Williams is always the biggest game of the year for the Bantams. However, I couldn't help but think what people from Williams and even Amherst would think about the documentary. Despite so much being on the line every year in the Trinity-Williams game... is it really that big of a rivalry game for the Ephs, or are they too concerned with the Jeffs? I'm sure Williams enjoyed holding the record for consecutive wins and hated having Trinity break the streak against them, but will it really matter to the Ephs as long as they beat Amherst?

It's only a rivalry if the game means as much to both team. I also thought it was a shame how they portrayed the October 1st game as a summation of the entire streak. They didn't mention even one of the previous 24 games and chose soley to focus on a 34-6 blow-out. I realize they didn't have footage of the other games but some of them should have been mentioned. The 2 point win against Middlebury in '02, the 10-0 win over Williams in '03 and even the comeback win against Amherst were all great sub-plots that could have added to the real story of the streak.

I loved the footage from the legendary '91 Trinity-Williams game that had 4 lead changes in the final minute and a half. And the coaches and players gave great insight in their interviews. However, I found it insulting that the producers tried to convince the viewer that Williams was even in the game after the 2nd quarter, and that it was a hard fought win. I was at the game, and it was one of the most boring Trinity games I've ever seen.

Overall it was very well produced and fun to watch as a Trinity and NESCAC football fan. However, it missed out on the real story. Trinity's win streak has been accomplished because the coaches and players know that it is about more than just one game, therefore the story should have been about the streak and more than just one game.

[Roonyhufsfarts]

Trin,  i sure you were upset the 03 amherst comeback win wasnt incorporated    i agree though, if they didnt get any of those games in, even mention them in passing, they did a diservice to the streak

[Trin9-0]

huftfarts: That '03 Amherst comeback is arguable the most exciting game of the streak... especially when that extremely smart (not to mention incredibly handsome) Trinity player scored on the punt return because the Amherst players failed to down the ball. 


PB5: Don't expect the Bants to let the Polar Bears hang around. This year Trinity has outscore its opponents 95-0 in the first half.

[formerbant10]

Trin, I agree with Roony on the Amherst game.  But don't worry about things you can't control.  
About the rivalry factor...there is a similar situation for Trin in hoops, especially the last couple years.  Since the conference tourney started, Amherst has played in every final game.  Without Williams winning it all in 02-03, Amherst has clearly been the class of the league.  Last year Trinity and Amherst played in the first weekend of conference play.  Going into the season it seemed like that game was going to decide who won the conference title.  It meant everything to the Trinity players, but the Williams-Amherst rivalry seems to trump everything in the NESCAC.  One weekend of play in 03-04 saw #11 Trinity play at #6 (I think) Williams on Friday night and #2 (again, I think but no lower than 3) Amherst at Williams Saturday afternoon.  The Friday night game meant everything to Trinity, players and fans alike, but Williams was really looking towards Amherst the next day.  It will always be like that, no matter how good Trinity gets.
So all we can do is just beat them both and let them have their own meaningless Biggest Little Game in America.

[Trin9-0]

former: I completely agree with you. Though Trinity doesn't even have it that bad compared to Wesleyan. The Cardinals make up one third of "The Little Three" but to be honest, no one even gives any consideration to their game against Wes Tech because the Cardinals are so bad.

At least Trinity and Williams have a rivarly because they're both good... Wesleyan pretends to have a rivalry with Williams and Amherst, when all it amounts to is two brothers bullying their little sister.

[formerbant10]

Trin:  Exactly the same in hoops.  Although in 03-04 Wesleyan played Williams into overtime, and Amherst barely pulled it out against them in the regular season and playoffs.  If they are the littlest brother in the little 3, what does that make them???

[dirtybirds8-0]

really wish I had been able to see the documentary...if anyone I know taped it I would like to have a copy, will pay for it.  Anyway, I am really anxious about tomorrows game vs the bears.  Some of these posts got me thiking....and you never know...you never know....No I am just kidding....Prediction......100000-0  Trinity dominates highest scoring game in history.

[First6Ws]

former:  I think that makes Wesleyan the Wee member of the Wee Three...but those trophies within the league are virtually meaningless.  I think of the mighty Bates Bobcats who won the 2003 BBC (or whatever the hell it is) with an impressive record of 3-5 overall.  Congratulations to the Tallest Man in the Land of the Midgets. 
Trin:  they should have also featured the second game of the streak when a blocked punt (and extra point) made the difference in a 13-12 win over the Jumbos on Homecoming or perhaps the last game of 2002 when that Bant safety did his best impression of "Havlicek steals it, Havlicek stole the ball!" en route to victory over the Cardinals.  Without those early Ws would the ball ever have gotten rolling?  Also if you have a copy of the documentary let me know.  I'll trade you for a Summer Slam 2005 shirt

[frank uible]

Irrespective of the sport, Williams vs. Amherst is THE game for those 2 colleges. That state of affairs probably will not change.

[Trin9-0]

6Ws: Great point, those were both very exciting games, but despite their absence in the documentary it was still fun to watch. I am willing to sell both you and dirty a copy of the show for a modest price. Maybe I'll make a auction off copies to the highest bidder at Homecoming.

Frank: You're probably right, the Williams-Amherst game will always be the highlight of every Eph-Jeff season... But in my opinion they can have it because while they're playing for bragging rights Trinity will be playing for another ring.

[nescac1]

Williams seems to be the biggest game on the schedule for about half the league in almost every sport -- certainly for Middlebury, Amherst, and Trinity, and arguable for Tufts and Wesleyan as well.  I once met someone from Bowdoin who said -- yeah, Williams, that is a big rival of ours, and I wasn't sure how to respond.  A combination of Williams' historical success and the publicity it has generated, the Little 3, and, in the case of Midd and Amherst at least, geography. 

I would say that for Williams, in every sport, Amherst will always be the biggest rivalry by far.  Middlebury is also a big rival because of the proximity of the schools and Midd being the only school in the conference that can rival Williams' overall athletic dominance in the league.  Trinity is a big game in basketball and football, but that is really it (the other sports Trinity is good at, hockey, baseball, and squash, aren't exactly big on the Williams campus).  Wesleyan is sort of a rival because it has to be, but no one from the Williams side gets very excited about competitions against Wesleyan.

I'm sure if Trinity continues playing like it does, they will (if they have not already) be considered the biggest game on everyone's schedule in football.  Remember, though, that Trinity's dominance is fairly recent.  From around 1995 through 2002, Williams and Amherst dominated the league, and the league title (in addition to bragging rights) often came down to the last game of the season.  But it seems, like the Yankees, that everyone hates success, and therefore hates Williams the most.  We like it that way. .   Before 1995, Williams and Trinity were the two teams to beat.  But Williams had a much longer run of dominance than the current Trin squad, and memories of being pummeled die hard. 

We'll see what happens after this year -- both Williams and Amherst return pretty loaded squads next year, although both will still be big underdogs to Trinity.  I think the Amherst game may be close, but Trinity will be up for it and should emerge undefeated.  Bowdoin doesn't have a chance in hell, they are the worst 4-0 team in Nescac history, have had two pretty flukey wins.  I am happy for them as some good breaks were a long time coming, but they will likely finish at best 6-2 and probably 5-3.