FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[FourMoreYears]

In assessing the relative value of contributions to winning football, coaching is analogous to Eddie Arcaro and player personnel to Whirlaway. This year the general quality of Williams' player personnel was way too close to that of Old Dobbin, where even coaching of an Arcaro quality could not have prevented the team at the finish from being far down the track as it actually turned out to be.

And the Williams admissions office is analogous to the Race Secretary. 

This does beg the question: Did Arcaro choose to mount Old Dobbin instead of Whirlaway?
Or did the Race Secretary deny Whirlaway access to the track?

Not a comment ... a question to those that undoubtedly know more than myself on the subject.

[frank uible]

Maybe both Farley and also Whalen knew that the Williams Admission Office was planning to put on Whirlaway weight equivalent to the Peck Grandstand, and thus they chose to let another jock assume the ride.

[FightingCards]

The Williams Issue in Football:

The departure of Tom Parker really hurt.  Dick Farley and Mike Whalen are simply 2 of the more superior coaches the league has seen.  Coach "K" not to be compared with Duke supremacy is not in the same class.  Besides the QB issue at Williams, they have good players.

[frank uible]

Laying Williams' player personnel deficiencies of the past season completely (or even mostly) at the feet of the QBs is, as they used to say, like blaming the Johnstown Flood on a leaky toilet in Altoona.

[lumbercat]

One of your best posts Frank-  the many who are speculating and pontificating from left field on the state of the Williams Football program from remote locations throughout the NESCAC have no idea what is or is not happening in Williamstown...In terms of calling for the firing of a NESCAC coach I can think of few examples in the last 20 years. The most profound example in recent years however was the Wesleyan firing of Frank Houser which was the first of a number of significant steps in "restructuring the Wesleyan Football Program" ....not sure we will see anything like that at Williams...believe the Ephs are spot on in their position that  they can compete sucessfully in the Little 3 without the implementation on Wesleyan like measures.

[frank uible]

The Williams football problem, if it is considered to be a problem, can be resolved (ceteris paribus) simply, gradually and relatively unobtrusively but not without a modest annual price - otherwise it is probable that Williams' yearly football records will habitually be stuck in the 2-6 to 5-3 range. There ain't no free lunch.

[Gr8ful1]

Frank...I'm not one to assume so ask for some clarification, please.  Who do you see as paying for the lunch?  Coaches or admissions (a la AD)? Also what, in your esteemed opinion (no sarcasm) is the simple, unobtrusive resolution and just how gradual would that process be?

[frank uible]

A remedial plan might be for the Admission Office to annually exempt from its standards to the extent of sacrificing no more than the rough academic equivalent of 300 SAT points in the aggregate in order to admit two "superstar" football players selected by the HFC for each entering class, who would not have been admitted under current conditions - within four years Williams' football record should return to the 6-2 to 8-0 range.

[lumbercat]

Frank- I was of the assumption that Williams followed that admission protocol now and for more than 2 players. Guess I am mistaken.

[frank uible]

The current arrangement with the Admission Office is not producing enough superior players - namely this year's squad lacked, first and foremost, sufficient team speed.

[FightingCards]

Frank-

The "Williams Football Issue" has more to do with the departure of Tom Parker 5-6 years ago.  If anyone wants clarification on who he is, I'm happy to share a somewhat revealing story. It also has to do with Coach K (again please don't confuse him with Dukeness).  When you are ahead of cream of the crop NESCAC teams in the 4th quarter and lose multiple times, coaching is a factor. 

Though I am new on the board, you all know where I stand.  I hope Williams never wins another game.  Somewhat unrealistic, but that is what crosses my mind when I hit my knees before bedtime each night.  Just not my cup of tee. During the worst defeat in NESCAC history-November of '82, I was on the field when it all went down-in Williamstown.  This was the worse Nescac ever defeat (including the Bowdoin/Colby) 2013 finale which I rate as #2).  In addition, and one of my early posts mentions this.....In Coach K's inaugural and undefeated season, he called time out on homecoming against the FC's ahead 45-7 to kick a field goal near the end of the game......and this was with a 100 percent  Mike Whalen Whalen recruited, coached, and nurtured team....embarrassing and disgusting....wish you were there Al Davis.....the "WM" remembers it....all too well.......

Recruiting Tips:  Go West for QB's and to NJ if you want ball players who can play and will go to NESCAC. 

[lumbercat]

No love lost between the Cards and the Ephs....makes for a great rivalry.
What happened in 82, did the Ephs run it up?

[FightingCards]

November 1982-

We always contract for the game, not the score.  There was certainly no run it up.  After 3, Williams was ahead 21-0. It began to snow in the purple kingdom (which despite my dislike for Williams football), we all must admit there is no more beautiful place in the fall......We charged back like all "FC's" do and we took the lead with 24 seconds left in the game.  Wesleyan 24-21.  We kicked off and they fell to a knee on their 16. 1st down, the purple cows fumbled the snap and recovered.  Dick Farley, the defensive coordinator left the game in disgust and went to the hockey rink.   Williams threw 2 long passes and won...and after the game Coach Farley was mad because his boys were jubilant and he thought they lost.   On the way home, the FC's s stopped for dinner and a section of the "WM" went to a bar for tequila shots....that's about it..with several more details during the last 3 plays that were shocking and would take too long to describe.  Bottom line:  I have great respect for Williams Football. Other than the Coach K run it up 4 years ago, I have no issues with their performance during games.  They have always been great....but " The times they are a changing". It's important that Coach K remains there...this will help the other purple, the FC's and the entire NESCAC.  Right now, it's perfect...hope he stays forever and Williams learns to love mediocracy.

[amh63]

Why am I back here again?....I know...its because of FC!
Tom Parker....who is a graduate of Williams and long time Admission Dean at Williams...is now the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Amherst.  I believe it has been more than 6 years ago.  Beside the money and location at Amherst, Dean Parker may have made the move for personal reasons....his wife was the Admission Dean at Hampshire College in Amherst at the time, I believe and there were kids in the home.  It should be noted that there is also a senior associate dean of admission at Amherst who I am quite acquainted with....Md. native....who not only is a Williams graduate but also a former Capt. of the Williams Football team.  Prior to Tom Parker's arrival, there was a AD that left to go to Yale Law school in the Admission Office.
Tom Parker is fond of sports and a number of students from his secondary school in NYC have found spots on "CAC" teams.  He seems to be enjoying his time at Amherst....traveling the World looking for applicants to Amherst.

[frank uible]

FC: It is believed that you meant mediocrity - mediocracy, it is guessed, would be the type of government that the U.S. is experiencing these days.