FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[amh63]

Lumbercat...suggestions heard, but some things are not under one's control.  One is the sport contests between Amherst and Williams.  Nescac1 hinted at it when he pointed out the students support of football/ sports.  The battle with Weslyean at Homecoming brought out just over 2000 plus fans...though there were three other contests going on that drew fans away.  I do believe that future games will have bigger crowds since...as Coach Whalen put it...paraphrasing here..we are now competative again...The Little Two has again become The Little Three.  Bigger crowds, more fans also should mean Cardinal fans.  One has only to go to key sports such as BB and football games to see where the student and Alumni interests rest...for now.  Amherst vs Williams football games fill the stands in all sorts of weather and drawn over  10,000 fans in stadiums that have far less seats. 
With respect to TV broadcasts...that is a commercial call.  The broadcasts will be sent around the world...truly  as both school fans gather together to watch.  The one in the DC area will usually draw around 200 or more..number fluctuates depending on the records and where the game is played.
Acknowledgement of The changing of the guards is given for now too.  Remember, it will change again.  It is going on among the Maine schools, as you know.  A more meaningful rivalry between the CT schools is also a good thing.  Sure it will be standing room only again!

[toad22]

The problem with the Wes/Williams rivalry, from my point of view, is that I don't dislike Wesleyan. The level of dislike for Wesleyan, from the Williams point of view, will never come close to approaching the dislike for Amherst. No matter what the records, whenever they meet, nearly all Williams fans want to smite Amherst, to pummel them, lay them low. The same cannot be said for Wesleyan. Some of my best friends went to Wesleyan (haha)! Al, I would never smite you for supporting Wes. My suggestion might be, however,  that you not count your chickens...

[AlDavis]

...ok , I just woke up and not to far behind schedule today as it is Wesleyan O'clock on the hour , every hour this week of the Williams game.......only had 18 Margarita's last night so up rather early today as everyone was happy to see me in the North Shore last night......I am off to East Boston today as my friend Gerry S. just got out of prison for a short stint being caught up on the fringe with those phatt ass East Boston wanna be yahooz that where swept up in 2010 , this is great news for AlDavis as East Boston may not look pretty , but is fertile ground and we will commence drilling for more oil there fa show , fa show , true dat bihhh..........hey DougFlutieToad , I agree with you on the chickens and have given Williams enough Bulletin Board material to shut down every Meth Lab in North Adams and a little extra to fix all those broken tombstones at those old local graveyards , but I am going to roll with it and do like the Heat and will stay in the kitchen and with all these chickens hatching this Saturday I will gather them and drop them off at the Walls of the Chicken Coop at that Walled of Ghetto Slum next Saturday morning around 1:00 AM.

[Jonny Utah]

AlDavis......

What are you smoking, and where can I get some?

[AlDavis]

.....Hey JohnyUtahFootball.......I joke about many things , but no smoking here and for any kids or student athletes that read this , listen to me , don't even dabble , stay smart , achieve great things........but funny you say that JohnyUtahFootball as my friend I am seeing today got caught with 800 pounds in 2010 , was front page Boston Globe.

[nescac1]

Agree with toad ...

Between Whalen and Dicenzo (not to mention a QB) being poached by Wesleyan, Wesleyan's clear decision to emphasize football recruiting, the Little 3, the fact that the Cards are actually now a legit contender and will likely remain so for the forseeable future, and the fact that every other year, Wesleyan IS after all the homecoming game, plus AlDavis's provocations / confidence, the Wesleyan game now in my mind at least equals Trinity as a secondary rivalry game for the Ephs going forward.  It's nice to see some animosity brewing between the rivals and a reason to care about the game beyond being told that we should care because of the Little 3.  Someday Wesleyan may even eclipse Trinity (despite the great Williams-Trinity history) as the Ephs' number two football rival.  All that being said, I still would not trade, ever, a win over Amherst for a win over Wesleyan, in any sport, under any circumstance. 

While the Ephs are a well-deserved big underdog on Saturday, I don't think a win for the Ephs is impossible -- unlikely, granted, but not impossible.  The Ephs have been playing better of yet but have yet to put together one game where they are totally clicking in all three phases.  For the Ephs to have a chance, at least three of the four things has to happen: the d-line has to (1) play out of its mind to bottle up the rushing game and force Wesleyan to pass more than they are comfortable doing, allowing the strong Eph pass rush the chance to make an impact on the game; (2) get some big plays on special teams from Lapointe or others, (3) turn the ball over one or fewer times, while forcing a few turnovers; and (4) get at least 3-4 big downfield passing plays from the big-play threats of Kiesel, Payton, Sime, and Way.  That is a lot of iffs ...  but good for AlDavis for giving some bulletin board materials, at least! 

Wesleyan has clearly replaced Trinity as the top power in NESCAC, and it did happen very fast.  I thought Wesleyan would be down a bit after losing FOUR key players as transfers, but the Cards restocked with [another] great recruiting class including several guys making major impacts right away on defense, which is pretty rare for a team that has a chance to win the league.  Wesleyan's QB has been as close to perfect in terms of efficiency as a QB can be, and the Cards have a RB duo that rivals Trinity's in terms of talent, but with an even better offensive line.  Wesleyan brings nearly every player of consequence back next season, so they are going to be even better going forward, especially when you consider that Midd loses Foote and Trinty loses the aforementioned RB duo. 

[middhoops]

NESCACman--Without question Trinity/Amherst.  Williams/Wesleyan is way too much of a mismatch.

Attended both Midd/Amh and Midd/Trinity.
Middlebury played awful at Amherst and their D played outta their minds against Trinity.  It's easy for me to say Amherst will win, but something tells me that playing Trinity after a close loss is a position in which you do not want to be.
Williams is improving and probably angry about their record.  Wouldn't want to see them the rest of the way. 
Most interesting to me is the Wesleyan/Trinity game next week (duh...).  Will Trinity lose two in one season?  Maybe not.
Bottom line, the LJs have a lot of work ahead.  My guys, not so much.

[amh63]

The Amherst preview of the Trinity game is posted.  The HFC podcast with comments on the Tufts game past and the upcoming Trinity game is also available.  Early this week because of the Series?

[gridiron]

All this discussion about the Little Three game this week---what about the CBB game this week between Bates and Bowdoin?  How about some love there too?  A lot more likely to be a competitive contest too.  Both teams need the win to stay alive for at least a share of the crown this year with Colby currently in the lead due to its win over the Bobcats last week.

[FinethyOne]

Here's hoping the Bates coaching staff finally lets these QBs air it out this Saturday.  That triple-option puts me to sleep.

[gridiron]

Here's hoping the Bates coaching staff finally lets these QBs air it out this Saturday.  That triple-option puts me to sleep.

With that in mind occurs to me you probably DO NOT want to be a receiver if you are on the Bates team, a TE or WR on the Colby team (unless your last name is Duncklee), a run blocking offensive lineman at Middlebury, or a QB at Bowdoin not named Caputi.

Any others out there from this astute, esteemed and creative group??? Somehow I feel I may have just lobbed a softball to Mr. Al...

[gridiron]

Or Wesleyan's punter this season?  Or on Hamilton's kick-off team??  Tufts' placekicker??

[AlDavis]

hey Gridiron , great posts and am actually still a very good baseball player and can still groove a fastball down the middle , but I am not my ALDavis self today , this Red Sox is Strait Tapping my swagg and bothersome to my due logistics next week...... but I will try to get off the Mat here and get my act together today as it is Wesleyan O'clock on the hour very hour this week of the Williams Game........there was a great article today on Wesleyan and Coach Whalen in todays Hartford Courant......other than that I don't have my ALI'esque attitude today....might have to go tonite to Newton , MA to get it back by trashing some MOFO's there in Terd Burglarville.

[gridiron]

Not to worry Al, I have the utmost confidence your swag will return in fine fashion in the very, very near term.  Looking forward to it!

[FourMoreYears]

DON BEST SPORTS

Bowdoin          - 1 1/2
Bates                 42

Tufts                  44
Colby               - 8 1/2

Hamilton             45
Middlebury       - 23 1/2

Trinity               43 1/2
Amherst            -  3

Williams               50
Wesleyan           - 40 1/2

Al I know you are a man of numbers and logic and reason but have you lost your freaking mind?

Nice people or not, how can Bowdoin be favored over Bates?  I'll take Bates and the 1 1/2.
Yes, Wesleyan is good but they're not THAT good.  I'll take Williams and the 40 1/2.
Colby will be sky-high in the middle of their CBB sandwich, I'll take the Mules minus the 8 1/2.

The other two games I will stay away from ... uncertainty does not mix well with money.