FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[PolarCat]

NESCAC needs a Gronk of its own.  Preferably wearing garnet.

[gridiron]

Retired and Polarcat--agreed on multiple fronts.  The evolution of the TE to H-back is directly related to the passing-centric nature of football today.  Ironically, according to one HFC (1AA program), some systems are now forced to rely upon the TEs to block more than ever to make up for blocking deficiencies caused by no longer using fullbacks.  In some passing-oriented systems instead of targeting TEs more often, they are actually targeted less frequently than expected--a difficult balance to strike, especially as TEs are often among the most versatile athletes on the team (former hoop players, etc.).

[lumbercat]

There was a Gronk in Garnet a few years ago-
Bates' John Squires class of 2012 -- 6'8" was All NESCAC in Football AND Basketball.

[amh63]

Eagle322...welcome to the board.  guess you maybe a Bates fan.  Informative post of the kind I like.
PolarCat...nice "label"....Gronk!  If I happen to meet up with the Amherst HFC and/or Recruiting. Coordinator and state that Amherst needs a "Gronk" on the team...what kind of reception/ response would I get?
Anyway, plus K to you both

[PolarCat]

amh63,

"Gronk" may sound like a Dr. Seuss character, but he's real: Patriots tight end (and all around good guy) Rob Gronkowski.  Maybe you're a Ravens fan and trying to forget about the playoffs?  http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000086245/Gronk-s-royal-celebration

[amh63]

PolarCat....I picked up on the player that you refer to as Gronk.  Just did not know if the coaches would....HFC at Amherst may hesitate a bit since his kids are young and Dr. Seuss is connected to nearby Springfield, Ma.....statue there?  New Seuss books maybe published soon!.  Seems dead authors keep on writing....Tom Clancy comes to mind.
Heading down South a bit this weekend to share meals with old friends. Richmond, Va. first stop.  Last time there stayed at a downtown hotel where the Washinton Redskins were berthed.  My team...but it was a pain in the neck with the security steps to control the fans.  Shared the elevator with players/coaches several mornings going to breakfeast.  Pro players can be BIG...as I stared into their chests.  Luckily for me they got off a floor up to attend meetings.  If they are there this year, may stop by their camp.....VCU campus area...maybe pick up the latest lingo being batted around .
Seems the Bowdoin game at Amherst with start at 1PM...Football schedule remains TBA.  Hopefully the schedule will be updated soon. 

[PolarCat]

Since we are WAAAAAY off topic....

Speaking of dead authors, I just read the latest Spencer novel.  The guy who took over after Robert Parker died isn't "quite" as good as Parker (then again, who is?), but it was good to see Spencer, Hawk, Susan, et. al. once again.  A nice reunion, and a good summer beach read.  Much better than the one faux Clancy book I tried to read (I made it through all of 2 chapters before tossing it aside).

We just returned from Oahu.  My fifth visit to Hawaii, but my first to Pearl Harbor.  A little rewards trip from my employer.  Our final night was spent at the USS Missouri and the Pacific Air Museum, and our speaker was retired General Stanley McChrystal, former commander of Joint Special Forces Command, and following that, the surge in Iraq.  God, I wish he would run for President - what an amazing man, and an amazing leader.  He would be a breath of fresh air in a campaign that has 500 candidates, but not one who has any leadership abilities.

If you have never been to Pearl Harbor, you need to put it on your bucket list.  I had two relatives in the Pacific theater: an uncle on my mother's side who taught damage control at Mare Island, and an uncle on my father's side who was a B-17 crew chief, and whose unit evacuated Dugout Doug from the Philippines.  As the Greatest Generation dies off, it is incredibly moving to stand on Ford Island or Battleship Row and imagine the battle.  My current summer reading list is all WWII in the Pacific naval books.  Just finished Pacific Crucible (wonderful), now reading Neptune's Inferno - The US Navy at Guadalcanal, and have Fly Boys waiting in the on deck circle.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled preseason prognostication, for the 7 weeks when all nine teams are still undefeated, and potential 'CAC champions.

[NewtoNescac]

I visited the Arizona Memorial about 30 years ago. It was an experience I will always be moved by, and when I explain that visit to my kids from time to time, I still fight back the tears, as I am fighting them back writing this post. As with 9/11, America can never forget that day.

[All NESCAC]

There was a Gronk in Garnet a few years ago-
Bates' John Squires class of 2012 -- 6'8" was All NESCAC in Football AND Basketball.

Good player out of Swampscott, MA via Bishop Fenwick.

[lumbercat]

If Squires played at Trinity or Middlebury he would have been exalted and we may still be reading the press releases. He flew under the radar at Bates. A fine citizen in the Bates community and a very solid student......he possessed the characteristics that I beleive the Bates admissions staff values in the admission process for student athletes at Bates.

[RetiredMule]

Kind of piggybacking off of the Squires discussion, any posters have players from their school (or others) who they think were really over looked in their times either because the team was down, position or just behind the scenes contribution? I feel like their are always guys who get minimal recognition despite being fantastic players.

[nescac1]

Wesleyan's season preview and pre-season roster is posted.  After graduating a ridiculously deep senior class, there are lots of new faces, lots of question marks, but I have no doubt that the pipeline of young talent they've been bringing in over the past three years will be raring to go.  The Cards have a tremendous 1-2-3 punch returning at TB, certainly, to help break the new QB, whoever that may be, in.  Secondary also seems to be a major strength.  Season preview mentions the star recruit at QB. 

http://www.wesleyan.edu/athletics/news/2015/07/fbpreview073015.html

[NewtoNescac]

Thanks, nescac1. I'm starving for ANYTHING NESCAC football related.

[lumbercat]

Wesleyan got a great QB to replace Jesse Warren in Ct All State QB Piccorillo (sp.) but beyond that their incoming class looks very unimpressive and nothing like the prospects that the Whale used to reel in. Original thought here was that something was lost in terms of recruiting in the passing of the Cardinal HFC baton....but this transition to the Whales right hand man has been coreographed since the the Whale hit Middletown so that must not be the case......?

However, I note that the Cards stuck to their precedent and again focused their recruiting efforts on NJ and to a secondary extent NY. While some of these kids may look unimpressive on paper they may be great athletes from big programs so I may be off,....but at this point it looks like a weak recruiting class for the Cards compared to recent classes.

[lumbercat]

Rcruiting grades in the NESCAC for class of 2019-

Tufts- most impressive list with 36 incoming FYs- loaded.
Trinity- a lot like Tufts but not as good.
Amherst- As always they can recruit in their sleep- great recruits choose them.
Colby- Michaeles seems to work hard, continues to battle attrition on staff- landed some good ones.
Bates- staff works hard to present a great family environment with the Bobcats-solid class incoming.
Middlebury- Ritter leaves much recruiting to staff- weaker class this year. Lost key coach.
Bowdoin- JB Wells is a recruiting dynamo but that will not materialize this year though he's got a great QB coming in from Pa.
Wesleyan- Doesn't look like a Wesleyan recruiting class.
Hamilton- based on existing information class look small and weak but much unknown here, Murray could have an arsenal coming in from western NY that we know nothing about.
Williams- May have a great class but very little knowledge on the Purple here so we will pass.