FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[AmherstStudent05]

Congratulations to Amherst!

Like amh63, I had trouble following the game as closely as I would have liked due to technical problems with the webcast (which I assume were weather related).

A few thoughts.  First, a huge shout out to the Bantam Defense.  They were outstanding.  Particularly in the second half when, frankly, it almost seemed as if their own offense and special teams were working against them.  Amherst repeatedly got the ball with unbelievable field position, yet the Bantams just would not budge.  Finally, we were able to connect for one score on a Lippe TD pass, but that was it.

Sensational effort by both defenses. Neither unit deserved to walk off the field with an "L".  The game really came down to which teams' offense and special teams would be less sloppy.  Fortunately, Amherst won that battle by a whisker.  Of course, the conditions played to the strength of each side's respective defense, but there were just way too many mistakes on offense and special teams throughout the game.  Both teams had a TD set up by a fumble and both teams missed a short FG.  For a second straight year, a missed extra point was the difference.  Not exactly how I wanted my Jeffs to win, but I will certainly take it!

Trinity was also hurt by the absence of their starting QB.  The coaches clearly had no confidence in their passing game (Jardine had as many completions as interceptions), which obviously didn't help matters for the Bantams.

So congratulations again to Amherst, which has now secured at least a second straight year as a partial Conference Champ.  Of course, our ambitions are much greater.  We want the outright championship, we want the undefeated season, and, most of all, we want to beat Williams!  Obviously we will enter the game as massive favorites, but at least Williams will have a lot to play for here in the hopes of salvaging what would otherwise be another dismal season.  It is hard to see how Williams could put up that many points against us, but our offense hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire either in recent weeks and I do think the Eph D is still underrated (notwithstanding their surprisingly poor rush defense).  Can't wait for the game.

Finally, huge shout out to Senior Captain Chris Tamasi.  Last Saturday he had a monstrous game against Tufts with 3 sacks and two forced fumbles.  This past Monday he received the Allstate Good Works Team Trophy in recognition of his exemplary community service. https://www.amherst.edu/athletics/teams/fall/football/articles/2014/10-29-tamasi

Where does he find the time?!

[PolarCat]

Another gritty performance by QB Cannone today in Brunswick to secure the CBB for Bates. And a monster game by Ben Coulibaly.  Can't help but wonder how the Bobcats season would have gone if they'd both stayed healthy all season.

Officiating just goes from bad to worse, as I swear the clown-car-load of zebras at today's game just made up fouls as they went along.  Does NESCAC have an officiating committee that reviews game film?  The players work way too hard all year to have outcomes decided by capricious, arbitrary and imaginary calls.  Unfortunately, those seem to be the rule, not the exception this year.

[P'bearfan]

PolarCat - while I didn't see the entire webcast this is the only game I can remember where the officials waved off flags on two separate plays - i.e. oh there's a penalty, no wait....on second thought jk

[frank uible]

D3 officiating is to D1 officiating as D3 play is to D1 play.

[amh63]

A better comparison would be TV coverage/ web coverage!
Took a break yesterday and watched a little of the MIT game in between a SEC battle.  The MIT game was so distant, I could barely see the players' movements uner the lights.  Yesterday, the CPTV coverage of the game in Hartford did not have stats to follow when video was off.

[banfan]

amh63 I am surprised at your gracious whining about officials and hard hitting football.  There were two times in the game when your QB was going down and threw the ball into the ground and no call was made. Did you see that? No?

You can't give Trin any props? They played with their fourth string QB. Numerous starting O skilled players were not in the line up due top injury. If we had a kicker Amherst would have lost and you know that.

Surprised. Trinity has the best DEFENSE in the conference.

I will perhaps respond to the NESCACMAN ignorance and poor writing skills later. No, on second thought that would be a waste of time.

[AmherstStudent05]

banfan,

In fairness to amh63, that hit on Garay was absolutely brutal.  I assume you were at the game and so I am not sure you have yet had an opportunity to see the "broadcast" copy of the game (for better or worse this was one of the few times the broadcast was actually working), but when you do I think you will have more sympathy for Amherst fans who reacted negatively to that play.  I am actually in the camp that thinks the NFL has made life too difficult on defensive players with all the tackling restrictions (particularly on quarterbacks), but that was a classic, direct helmet-to-helmet hit.

As I said, the broadcast was very unreliable, but I did see at least one Lippe throwaway where he had Trin defenders draped all over him and yet, in Roethlisbergeresque style, stayed on his feet and managed to throw the ball at the feet of an Amherst receiver (believe it was Jackson).  The refs did not throw a flag and quite rightly so.  I don't know if you have another play in mind, but that looked totally legit to me.

Also, I for one will not concede that the kicking game was the difference between your winning and losing.  I don't see how you get beyond a final score of 10-10 assuming that each team's kickers made the kicks they absolutely should have made.  Furthermore, it's not as though Trinity was dominating the game by any means.  Indeed, Amherst totally owned the second half.  We were basically camped out in the Trinity side of the field the entire second half (through absolutely no fault of your defense).

Finally, you rightly seek "props" for your Bantams. How about some for Amherst?  Our defense is pretty good, I think.  We do lead the conference in ppg allowed and turnovers forced.  Two key defensive statistics, I would argue.  Our defense set up our offense with tons of chances yesterday.  Along with the kicking game, that was the difference. 

[frank uible]

What was it that Parcells had to say about reality and the scoreboard?

[PolarCat]

I for one am in favor of seeing the horrible officiating / cheap shot discussion continue.

Re: the refs.  These kids worked hard (on and off the field) to get to NESCAC.  They work hard all off season.  Their SMALL colleges (okay, small except for Tufts with their jumbo enrollment) devote a lot of resources to an 8 game season.  There Is no post season, so every game is precious.  It's a shame to have outcomes and seasons decided by fat, blind morons who have no business reffing a mighty might game gratis, let alone being paid by NESCAC for their incompetence.

RE: cheap shots / late hits / dirty play.  This isn't Ozark Mountain State, where a bunch of kids who will be lucky to be 7-11 clerks in 5 years are getting a free ride, taking basket weaving and gender studies classes, and will have nothing in life after football unless they make the NFL.  Our programs are filled with kids who got admitted because they could handle the academics (with the exception of a couple programs - and we all know who they are).  Except for the occasional Steve Hauschka, they will all finish their football careers in NESCAC, and many will move on to law school, medical school, Wall Street, or be commissioned into our Armed Forces.

NESCAC should have zero tolerance for cheap shots.  The risks are too high, and the anti-jock elements at our schools are too strident.  One serious concussion or spinal cord injury could have a devastating impact on the sport we love.

And NESCACMAN can quote me on that.

[Go Continentals!]

Congrats to the Hamilton Seniors.  Go for the victory at Bates!!!

[banfan]

Amherst Student05
Three years ago at the Trin Amherst game I watched a kickoff that resulted in a hit on a Trin player that clearly knocked the kid unconscious. As he stumbled to his feet he made his way to the sidelines in a very unsteady way. The side line that he went to was the Amherst side. I was never more disgusted than to see that damaged young man and the huge laughter and cheering that came from the Amherst side of the field, players, students and families.

Please do not talk to me about sympathy for Amherst fans.

[Nescacparent]

Ban Fan- Was the hit you refer to a head to head hit? If so immediate ejection/suspension of the player who committed the hit. If not a head to head hit, then it gets a bit harder to make a hard and fast rule, like late hit, head to head hit. Also, in the last three years an incredible amount of peer reviewed research on head hits has been published in respected medical journals and published in the lay man's media. We are now much wiser as a population than even just three years ago.

[banfan]

I did not refer to a hit. I referred to to the response of the Amherst bench, students and parents who acted like Romans. I was asked to have sympathy for Amherst fans and their reaction to a hit in the game yesterday. I made no mention of wether the player should have been thrown out. That was not the point.

Your suggestion that we are more knowledgeable now than we were three years ago means nothing. I was not commenting on a hit or the officials or head injuries, etc, etc.

I simply gave a very specific reason why I do not have sympathy for Amherst fans.

I have never given excuses for a loss. AND I have always said that the officiating is equally bad for both teams.

I try and write carefully, reading carefully would be appreciated.

[PolarCat]

Banfan, if your son read your posts, how would he react?  I am pretty sure I can read just fine, and AmerstSuudent began his initial post with some very gracious comments about Trinity.  Not sure how or why you took offense.

And in my opinion, publicly calling out your son's teammate ("If we had a kicker, Amherst would have lost") isn't going to win your son any friends in the locker room, or win you many friends at the tailgate.

I know you are a passionate fan, and I'm sure the other poster's comments about Hartford State stung, but neither AmherstStudent05 nor amh63 made those disparaging remarks.  I think you crossed over the line here.  Don't be such a sore loser.

[banfan]

God, what would I do if I didn't have you polar cat to straighten me out. And where would amh63 or AM ST05 be if they did not have you to stand up for them.

Really, are you transparent? I am. By the way, we lost at Amherst last year because the same kicker missed an extra point. Do you think anyone in Hartford is unaware of that? I simply made clear and straightforward observations. That kid feels like crap, but I did not throw him under the bus and you sure as hell don't have any standing in my house or in the Trinity locker room.