FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[quicksilver]

I didn't start watching the Middlebury-Williams game until there was about 11 minutes left in the game. Thing were fine at first and then I lost the connection toward the end (it was at about the time that Middlebury scored the winning touchdown to take a 21-14 lead. My guess was that it was a NSN problem . . .

[rainchild908]

Long-time reader, first-time poster. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a recent Wes alum and am as ecstatic as anyone to see the team's resurgence. However, I also don't want the elder statesmen of this board to think that the overzealous bandwagon types that have been popping up on the board this fall are representative of Wes fans as a whole. While I obviously can't speak for everyone, many of us recognize the facts: since the advent of NESCAC-only play in 1992...

• Wes has a grand total of three wins against Amherst (2002--on a blocked kick--1993, and 1992).
• Wes also has a total of three wins against Trinity (2000, 1998, and 1997). 1997 marked Wes' first win against Trinity since 1986.
• Wes has beaten Williams just twice, both times at home (1999 and 1997). Prior to 1997, Wes last defeated Williams in 1985.

And then there's the small matter of the Cards' most recent Little Three title coming in 1970.

Do I (and others) think this Wes squad has the potential to be the best in years? Absolutely. Do I think they can make some noise against the "big three" this season? Yes, and I would even say that has become the expectation in year three of the Whalen era. I would love to see the Cards sitting pretty at 8-0 on the evening of November 9. But it's been over a decade since Wes has beaten one of the kingpins, and until the Redbirds show they can beat the big boys, instead of hanging with them but falling short at the end, it would be premature and unfair to move the Cards ahead of them in the league pecking order (no pun intended).

Is it Saturday yet?

[madzillagd]

Question to other viewers on line of the Midd. Vs Williams game.  Did you have trouble picking up the NSN broadcast?  I did on my wife's IPad.

It has been hit & miss on NSN for me so far this year.  Didn't haven't problem with the football game this week but this AM I was having trouble getting the Williams/Bowdoin soccer match to come up.  After repeated attempts I finally clicked on the field hockey game to see if that was down too.  That worked immediately so I tried the soccer link again and then it finally worked. 

[middhoops]

Vandy74 and I watched the entirety of the Midd-Eph game.  Beautiful day all around.  Two old guys on Parents' Weekend.  Love those moms.
Not speaking for the cuz, but here are a few observations:
Williams played exceptionally well for a winless team.  They have scary receivers.
Foote and the Midd offense was flat for the most part.  Rea played well and Zelkowitz was electric.
Having attended the Amherst and Williams games the past two weeks, it appears that teams have adjusted to Mac Foote's game.  The stacked zones leave little to no vertical throwing creases except the sidelines.  Teams know that Foote doesn't run and leave significant real estate open in the middle of the field, betting that he'll stay in the pocket.  And, he did.
The Ephs aren't going to have a winning record, but they probably will upset someone.  They put a lot of talented football players on the field.
Middlebury has to adjust offensively to the "shift" that teams employ to flood the receiving lanes with bodies.  Don't be surprised to see Foote running ten yards and sliding, often.

[amh63]

Quicksilver...thanks for the input.  It was about the time that your feed failed that I tried and failed.went to stats..very unsatisfying when time is critical...in a drive, etc.
Midhoops...stay away from Moms . Trinity8-0 pointed out that Williams does have talent. I expect a battle in Willy town this year...as usual.  Whatever Williams' record, their season is made with a win over Amherst..and vice versa.  Vandy74 knows well.
To the earlier Wes poster, rainchild...welcome aboard!  The Wes's wins in '93, '92 were grim years for Amherst football.  One season was 0-8.  A new coaching staff was brought in.  The head coach is now on the Cardinal staff and one of his former assistants is Coach Mills.  I watched the loss to Wes in 2002 in Middletown. Amherst was coasting along in the first half.  In the second half, Coach Mills made a bad call/ decision...he admitted it...that costed Amherst the game, IMO.  He went for a first down instead of an easy field goal.  As the Cardinals surged back, Amherst was forced to try a 50 plus yard field goal for the win.  As posted, it was blocked as Amherst's fine kicker sent off a low kick to reach the yardage.  As evident, I remember the critical details of a Little Three loss over a decade ago!  Wonder how I will behave this coming Saturday?

[AlDavis]

.....Decided not to go  home and stay up here and separate a man from his money all this week long.......the wise guys were all over the Tigers and Under tonight.......LOL I get to root for the Red Sox which is very rare occurrence .......Wow what a great week this is going to be.......just spent the night at the Golden Banana Strip Club up here in Peabody MA and all the girls are very excited about this Wesleyan Big Bang Thaaang and now more fans are on this Epic Bandwagon that is Epic in my World which I am sure is insignificant to a an Aaaahmerst Maaaan......Disclaimer one last time is that don't rate the fine people of  Wesleyan on my actions and bold statements , but I will root this Ring in very , very , very hard , and you will see me Saturday Amh63 and whoevaaah , whatevaaah  and you will be afraid , very afraid and My slightly distorted self will eat some of your tailgating food and drink and you will like it.......and that will be that for 2013.....that's the way it will go , I look forward to visiting Brunswick in 2 weeks and meet 4moreyears who seems to be a nice fellow and glad to see the Polar Bears hanging tough........ then in 3 weeks put Williams on my Zulu Stick like a Third  World Country Barbarian and then off to that Walled Off Ghetto Slum to put that 50 game Winning Streak to rest .....very , very exciting stuff to me , but not to others and too bad about ya........and that's it , I am just rooting it in with passion and intensity that this deserves and requires.....no Little 3 since 1970 and you want me to act normal , no undefeated season since 1969 and you want me to behave like I am normal , which I am far from not.........I am not an educated man , but am the smartest guy in any room I'm in and that goes for you Stank Ass Amherst as this Little 3 is no more for you to have because I will root it in hard , that's the Swagg I have , maybe I am just Lucky........but I do like to win and actually all I do is win in life  lately and being new on the NESCAC scene have learned very quickly that Amherst is my inherited enemy and will treat it as such......the hilarious thing is I obviously would not state this nonsense from my distorted self if these Wins were not coming.....but they are coming and they are coming for years to come......Have a great Monday everyone , I am sleeping in.

[NCF]

Quicksilver...thanks for the input.  It was about the time that your feed failed that I tried and failed.went to stats..very unsatisfying when time is critical...in a drive, etc.
Midhoops...stay away from Moms . Trinity8-0 pointed out that Williams does have talent. I expect a battle in Willy town this year...as usual.  Whatever Williams' record, their season is made with a win over Amherst..and vice versa.  Vandy74 knows well.
To the earlier Wes poster, rainchild...welcome aboard!  The Wes's wins in '93, '92 were grim years for Amherst football.  One season was 0-8.  A new coaching staff was brought in.  The head coach is now on the Cardinal staff and one of his former assistants is Coach Mills.  I watched the loss to Wes in 2002 in Middletown. Amherst was coasting along in the first half.  In the second half, Coach Mills made a bad call/ decision...he admitted it...that costed Amherst the game, IMO.  He went for a first down instead of an easy field goal.  As the Cardinals surged back, Amherst was forced to try a 50 plus yard field goal for the win.  As posted, it was blocked as Amherst's fine kicker sent off a low kick to reach the yardage.  As evident, I remember the critical details of a Little Three loss over a decade ago!  Wonder how I will behave this coming Saturday?

Wait...What? You didn't really mean that did you?

[FourMoreYears]

..... I look forward to visiting Brunswick in 2 weeks and meet 4moreyears who seems to be a nice fellow and glad to see the Polar Bears hanging tough....

All d3board posters are always welcomed at the FourMoreYears tailgater.
We are an equal-opportunity tailgater, found at every Bowdoin game.

[NCF]

.....Decided not to go  home and stay up here and separate a man from his money all this week long.......the wise guys were all over the Tigers and Under tonight.......LOL I get to root for the Red Sox which is very rare occurrence .......Wow what a great week this is going to be.......just spent the night at the Golden Banana Strip Club up here in Peabody MA and all the girls are very excited about this Wesleyan Big Bang Thaaang and now more fans are on this Epic Bandwagon that is Epic in my World which I am sure is insignificant to a an Aaaahmerst Maaaan......Disclaimer one last time is that don't rate the fine people of  Wesleyan on my actions and bold statements , but I will root this Ring in very , very , very hard , and you will see me Saturday Amh63 and whoevaaah , whatevaaah  and you will be afraid , very afraid and My slightly distorted self will eat some of your tailgating food and drink and you will like it.......and that will be that for 2013.....that's the way it will go , I look forward to visiting Brunswick in 2 weeks and meet 4moreyears who seems to be a nice fellow and glad to see the Polar Bears hanging tough........ then in 3 weeks put Williams on my Zulu Stick like a Third  World Country Barbarian and then off to that Walled Off Ghetto Slum to put that 50 game Winning Streak to rest .....very , very exciting stuff to me , but not to others and too bad about ya........and that's it , I am just rooting it in with passion and intensity that this deserves and requires.....no Little 3 since 1970 and you want me to act normal , no undefeated season since 1969 and you want me to behave like I am normal , which I am far from not.........I am not an educated man , but am the smartest guy in any room I'm in and that goes for you Stank Ass Amherst as this Little 3 is no more for you to have because I will root it in hard , that's the Swagg I have , maybe I am just Lucky........but I do like to win and actually all I do is win in life  lately and being new on the NESCAC scene have learned very quickly that Amherst is my inherited enemy and will treat it as such......the hilarious thing is I obviously would not state this nonsense from my distorted self if these Wins were not coming.....but they are coming and they are coming for years to come......Have a great Monday everyone , I am sleeping in.

I'll give you this, you are one of the more entertaining posters on the boards-what will happen if Wesleyan loses?

[maineman]

2013 NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III FOOTBALL POLL


Week #5 - 10/14/13
Rank    Team    Record    (First-Place Votes)    Points    Last Week's Rank
1    Trinity
   4-0    (13)    181    1
2
   Framingham St.
   5-1    (4)    168    2
3    Amherst
   4-0    
   139    3
4
   (tie) Salve Regina
   4-1    (2)
   128    4

   Wesleyan
   4-0    
   128    5
6
   Middlebury
   3-1    
   84    7
7    Endicott
   4-2         80    ARV
8
   Westfield St.
   3-2         42    10
9    Western Connecticut
   3-2         37    6
10    Springfield
   3-3         29    8
Also Receiving Votes (to be listed a team must receive at least one percent of the available points and appear on at least two ballots):  Mass. Maritime (12).

[Trin9-0]

All d3board posters are always welcomed at the FourMoreYears tailgater.
We are an equal-opportunity tailgater, found at every Bowdoin game.

That's a generous offer FourMore! Sadly, I'll be unable to take you up on it as it's homecoming weekend at the USCGA.

In addition to your hospitality, I'll also be missing out on the return of Trinity football legend and current Polar Bear wide receivers coach, Joltin' Joe Clark, the 10th anniversay celebration of the 2003 undefeated Bantams (a team near and dear to my heart) and of course what I hope to be, the 50th consecutive Bantam victory in The Coop.

Speaking of tailgating, I'm curious as to whether or not the new renovations at Amherst have altered the tailgating scene? As far as I'm concerned it was always the NESCAC's best because you could watch the entire game without ever have to leave the tailgate. If the parking situation has changed then I may have to give the nod to either Trinity, Wesleyan or Bowdoin. Although, all three of those are subject to their own parking limitations as well.

[FourMoreYears]

All d3board posters are always welcomed at the FourMoreYears tailgater.
We are an equal-opportunity tailgater, found at every Bowdoin game.

That's a generous offer FourMore! Sadly, I'll be unable to take you up on it as it's homecoming weekend at the USCGA.

In addition to your hospitality, I'll also be missing out on the return of Trinity football legend and current Polar Bear wide receivers coach, Joltin' Joe Clark, the 10th anniversay celebration of the 2003 undefeated Bantams (a team near and dear to my heart) and of course what I hope to be, the 50th consecutive Bantam victory in The Coop.

Speaking of tailgating, I'm curious as to whether or not the new renovations at Amherst have altered the tailgating scene? As far as I'm concerned it was always the NESCAC's best because you could watch the entire game without ever have to leave the tailgate. If the parking situation has changed then I may have to give the nod to either Trinity, Wesleyan or Bowdoin. Although, all three of those are subject to their own parking limitations as well.

Yes, the Amherst tailgating is altered and not for the better, (in my opinion) for the visiting teams at least.  Two years ago we parked in the end zone area. (ala Bowdoin) This year, they had us behind the ice rink next to the baseball field, a good long walk from the field, with no opportunity to return the area during halftime.  It did look like they upgraded the home accommodations on the other end with a football field house etc.  Perhaps Amh63 can provide more info on that. 

Hopefully Joe Clark can help pull off the greatest upset in Bowdoin football history and end the streak.  If that should happen despite the long odds, it would certainly ruin AlDavis' commentary leading up to the Wesleyan-Trinity game. ;-)

[AlDavis]

Hey 4More don't worry about me , if you can put that Streak to an End and in your pocket then go for it , but I won't lie and in this case probably speak for the Nice People of Wesleyan that Wesleyan would like that streak intact for more Epicness .......I'm gald I am busy today and  tomorrow to pass this time .....there will be AlDavis sightings today in the land of No NESCAC which is Terd Burglaring New Hampshire trying separate some Punk Ass Greeks from their money....if it helps out your economy----> Verlander is Free Money today and Detroit in Five.

[TheHerst2and4]

Speaking of tailgating, I'm curious as to whether or not the new renovations at Amherst have altered the tailgating scene? .

I had the opportunity to check out the new facilities at the Bowdoin game this season.
First off the school did a first rate job in design and execution of a beautiful new facility. To say that I'm jealous would be an understatement.
Secondly I spoke with the coaching staff and some administrators about the tailgaiting situation. As it stands the visitor tailgait is essentially in front of the athletic facilities on route 16. The home team tailgaits down on the previous football practice field. It creates a cool enclosed environment with rows of cars and open lanes for tailgaiting- but of course takes away from the experience of watching the game while tailgaiting.
What I was told is that this will be a temporary fix. The administration is not allowing vehicles up alongside the field because the new grass has not fully settled. Apparently there will be a return to the prior set up as well as some parking space behind the new visitor-side stands.
There's also a new addition of a small brick wall enclosing the endzones and small hill down to the field. It provides additionally seating and a better view for those Williams games where there are rows of spectators in the endzones.
While we're on the topic of food the concession stand is now run by the Black Sheep, a local eatery in Amherst. The pulled pork sandwich is a favorite- but unfortunately runs out pretty quickly- try to snag it before half time.

[amh63]

I hear you posters on the subject of Tailgating.
To begin, I think it is a " work in progress " due to finishing up the facilities and working out the best arrangements.
In years before, I remember tailgating areas being at either end with car access from both gates.  Then Alumni spots were reduced and the College provided tents for the older richer classes on the Hitchcock rd gate....campaign treats.
In the renovation of Pratt Field, there is tailgating only in the field house end.  Car access is only from the Rt. 9 entrance. Pratt field was shifted and the Hitchcock Rd gate closed to cars...though parking is available along the road.  According to literature, the overall total tailgate area has increased.
Having said that, the alumni were informed early that at Homecoming there will be NO parking in the tailgate area.  Tents will be provided on the West End and parking will be available on the old practice field for cars coming in from Rt.9.
I believe the restrictions are to allow the grass to establish itself.  Before the Bowdoin game, the final touches to the field house was still going on.  The teams  moved in mid week before the game.  The football team  may have been using the old practice field even.
By the Trinity Game...family weekend..I think the arrangements will be finalized.
Trinity 8-0 ..you will even have a sitting wall to watch the game in the tailgate area.  In any case, in my opinion, it will still be better than the Wesleyan area for game observations.