FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[frank uible]

Never complain, never explain.

[banfan]

One has to count one's blessings when they come around.  I agree that watching some of the Polar Bear webcasts in basketball last year, I found it better to turn off the sound....to avoid the announcers that were not engaged or knowledgeable about the game.  Even the broadcast of some Amherst games varied in quality depending on the students and or technical issues.  It is always best to watch live but  I cannot convince my wife....yet....of buying a place in New England.  She cannot understand why I want to go North in the cold months rather then South (she was raised in CT!).
Only planning on attending the two "Little Three" games this year live.
Met_fan....thanks for the info.  It is interesting that the article stated that Hamilton had 71 players....the largest squad in awhile.
Found on Twitter that it was "headshots" yesterday.....indicating that news should be showing up on the Fall teams soon, after picture taking!

I won't tell everyone this but Global Climate change is a pretty good reason to move North.  We are moving to Portland, ME but not for climate reasons.  Mostly to get away from M***holes.  You can share this with your wife if you think it will help.  I will be watching the Wyoming-Texas game on Saturday.  Go POKES!

[lumbercat]

On one hand Banfan I understand your motivations but let me go off topic on the board and warn you that Portland is an up and coming city with some nice features but it will get old in a hurry ....believe me. No depth....travel 5 miles outside the city and it will feel like you are in Arkansas.
I've spent a lot of time in the greater Boston area and some in southern and central Maine and while the Pine Tree state has some great attraction I suggest you start with  a seasonal residence there.....Mass can be frustrating but the quality of life on the North Shore is tops in New England unless you desire a reclusive mode............Besides, your boy is in Hartford and you are adding an hour to your trek in your Subaru to see the bantams play in Hartford. Stick with Andover.

[banfan]

On one hand Banfan I understand your motivations but let me go off topic on the board and warn you that Portland is an up and coming city with some nice features but it will get old in a hurry ....believe me. No depth....travel 5 miles outside the city and it will feel like you are in Arkansas.
I've spent a lot of time in the greater Boston area and some in southern and central Maine and while the Pine Tree state has some great attraction I suggest you start with  a seasonal residence there.....Mass can be frustrating but the quality of life on the North Shore is tops in New England unless you desire a reclusive mode............Besides, your boy is in Hartford and you are adding an hour to your trek in your Subaru to see the bantams play in Hartford. Stick with Andover.
[/quote

I am a graduate of Hebron Academy.  I lived in Scarborough and worked in Portland for 8 years.  Both of my kids were born in Portland.  I was born in Beverly and grew up in Wenham.  Your opinion hopefully matters to the folks who currently live in Eastern Mass, but needless to say (I hope), it does not matter to me.  What do you drive? an Escalade?

[frank uible]

banfan: Please do not sing the virtues of living in the sticks to city lovers - for that action just might induce them to appear (if only momentarily) in our neighborhoods.

[amh63]

Do not worry Frank.....as lovely as Williamstown is in the Summer,  I would look around Stockbridge, Ma. first.  Actually, Portland Me. has come into discussions with my "best man" and friend who lives in East LYme, Ct.  He lives in the Flanders part and we used to go sailing off Niantic, Ct.  He has been talking about looking for property in Maine and Portland impresses him.  I have heard/read good things about the area, art galleries and eating establishments...things that I find attractive.  It is up and coming and so I fear so will the housing market.
Actually, I have been thinking about a small place near Amherst or in Cambridge where I can stay and follow D3 sports in the "CAC" during the Fall and Winter seasons.  My wife wants to go South during the cold months.  Visiting...yes, living...no.
I have been known to put my foot into my mouth in my posts...and in football discussions with family friends.  I actually have an authentic Texas "Longhorn" hat....from a Texas grad who felt insulted when I stated I liked the "Sooners".  The lady threatened to give me a Williams' hat!.  She now has an Amherst hat....and I have a Texas hat.
See that Williams has started to post Fall team reviews on their website.  No football posts.  I expect Amherst to start posting football news near the end of next week.....as they did last year along with videos of team practices.  The head shot pictures were taken yesterday.
With all the talk about the upcoming football games in the media....Div. 1 talk..., it appears that there are two types of stories that I can relate to the top tier teams in the "CAC".  First, the need to have/rebuild the defensive side of the team in order to be win the conferences.  Second, the top teams have experienced offensive lines and will win with a strong run oriented offense.
I will predict that Amherst will, like Trinity and Wes., feature the running game this season.  The passing game has to be adequate but not great for the team to win.....of course, minimize turnovers....one thing that Amherst did last season and should continue to do.

[lumbercat]

tongue in cheek Banfan just kidding with you a bit, many bay staters I know have made that northward transition to Portland which has evolved into a real nice city without a lot of the hustle bustle- I have also lived in both states and have enjoyed the advantages of each. Enjoy the Portland restaurants and when Trinity plays at Bates, Bowdoin or Colby you'll have an easy trip.

[banfan]

Well, Lumbercat, if you are being a knucklehead wave a RED FLAG or something. 

For Frank, Portland really sucks and I am being banished there due to bad karma.  I do not wish rural/urban New England on anyone.  I have a standing request to all friends and relatives to stay away and never come up to go fishing, skiing, boating, eating or farting, for all our sakes.

I have lived/worked/schooled in every state in New England and IMHO Portland __ ____ __ ____.  Fill it in you Wheel Of Fortune fans.

[frank uible]

banfan: Good boy.

[amh63]

Hope all those that are still working are having a fine day of rest!
As I have been looking at the photos of the Fall teams in practice on the Amherst website....the football photos came out Sunday, some thing struck me about the "size" of the men's sports teams.  When I was at Amherst, the enrollment was just 1000-1100, all men.  The football team was around 50 (help me here Frank U.).  There was a freshmen team and of course, players played both ways.  Still, the ratio of varsity football players was around 1 to 25 or 1 to 20.  When the Amherst football squad was over 90 and the school was Coed, there were negative comments that there was almost 1 in 10 male students that played football.  Today, Amherst is just under 1800 students, with more ladies than men.  The number of male students trying out for football is still around 1 in 10.  Giving the size of the soccer team, lacrosse team and basketball team, as well as the tennis team, about 1 in 4 male students at Amherst seems to go out for varsity sports...of course there are a number of multi-sport students. an all-male and a smaller Amherst.  Times have changed.
I will add that in the 60's, we had male cheer leaders.  Today, we have no formal "cheer squads"....not complaining...just pointing out a fact.   
The squad size for football was reduced to 75 and Amherst support for that number (I'm guessing here) maybe the result of concern over the size of the football teams when the enrollment was about 1500 and the male enrollment was under 800.

[river]

What reasons are given by the conferences that have rules limiting the size of their football teams?  Ratio?  Cost? 

[frank uible]

NESCAC as a conference and each of its separate members choose to avoid publicly expressing the reasons for their conspiratorial action to limit the extent of intercollegiate football practiced individually by its members.

[amh63]

Gosh Frank, did not want to ruin your day by mentioning that "Topic"!  Costed me a karma point I see.  Oh well, that is how it goes.
Just saw on the Amherst Sports twitter......Fall Sports team review posts will be posted later in the day......from the SID!   
For those that maybe interested.  Some tease comment about some videos too.  Did see from the football photos that there were 4 red shirted QB candidates around....expecting 5 with the fifth being a FY candidate.  Numbers indicate one new candidate and 3 returning candidates......interesting.

[82slice]

Amh63 I can say with knowledge that there are 4 returning QBs plus a freshman in camp for the Jeff's. So far through Sunday, the freshman has been repping only with the 3s. The returning QBs have been ripping with the 1s and 2s.

[amh63]

As the SID promised.......the Amherst football season preview is posted on the Amherst football website!  There are photos and a video  attached.
82slice......you are right!  The preview and the video also states that there are 5 QBs' competing for spots.