FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[gridiron]

Retiredmule, While your pain regarding the slow Colby start is understandable, it is nothing new.  In the first four games over the past five seasons Colby has gone a combined 1 and 19 (with the sole win coming against Williams, which, unfortunately for the Mules, is not on the schedule each season).  In contrast, the team has gone a very respectable combined 11 and 5 during the second half of the season during the same period.

Bottom line is Colby's unfortunate lot in life has been to face the "Fantastic Four" to begin each season--teams, against which, Colby has not been very successful. However, against the rest of the NESCAC the team typically holds its own, which may again be the case this season--we'll know soon enough. Every year at this point in the season the comment is, "Look how Colby is struggling," and at the end of the season the comment is, "Look how they turned things around to finish strong."  It has more to do with the schedule than anything else.

Clearly, today's NESCAC football has two tiers.  This fact, combined with the fact all teams play their schedule in the same order each season, cause most of us to jump to early conclusions by putting too much emphasis on team records during the season without regard for who teams have actually played at that point. Add to the mix the peculiar rotating schedule whereby teams don't all play each other each year, and team records can be difficult to compare to one another--even at the end of the season. And let's not forget we only have an eight game sample size with which to work.

While a nine game schedule would help, but the best solution will be for all teams to figure out a way to be more competitive against all opponents.  If there are two tiers, let's hope teams can rotate in and out year to year.

[NewtoNescac]

Schedules are rarely ideal. My feeling has always been, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. It doesn't matter where they are on the schedule. All complaining does is foster a defeatest attitude, and become a self fulfilling prophecy.

As for playing the toughest team opening day, that's when I want to play them. First, that's when you're likely to be at your healthiest. More importantly, you have a full off season to prepare and game plan for them, rather than 1 week. If you can't prepare to play a team tough with an entire off season to prepare, I say take up tennis.

[gridiron]

All teams able to compete with the best would be ideal.  However, it all comes back to recruiting and requires increased support from admissions at certain schools. Other variables matter, but without admissions assistance, breaking into the top tier simply cannot be sustained.

[NewtoNescac]

Gridiron - You are absolutely right. I was commenting on it in general terms. Without questio, some programs will be more successful because of support from admissions etc.

[AUPepBand]

"BOR-ING,
       BOR-ING,
               BOR-ING......"

The founder and chair of the journalism program at Morrisville State (48 years ago), used to walk into one of his new hire's classrooms and disrupt the young prof's class and declare, "Boring, Boring, Boring!"

[Vandy74]

"BOR-ING,
       BOR-ING,
               BOR-ING......"

The founder and chair of the journalism program at Morrisville State (48 years ago), used to walk into one of his new hire's classrooms and disrupt the young prof's class and declare, "Boring, Boring, Boring!"

To use my favorite quote from Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe,"  "Dog of a Saxon."

[PolarCat]

There's boring and then there's boring.  At least we're not stuck discussing the Dewey Decimal System again.

[polbear73]

+K, PC

[AUPepBand]

There's boring and then there's boring.  At least we're not stuck discussing the Dewey Decimal System again.

Touché! Haha! +K

[gridiron]

"BOR-ING,
       BOR-ING,
               BOR-ING......"

The founder and chair of the journalism program at Morrisville State (48 years ago), used to walk into one of his new hire's classrooms and disrupt the young prof's class and declare, "Boring, Boring, Boring!"

Could start by sticking to topics relating to NESCAC on this board...just a thought...

[PolarCat]

The real problem is this board needs more members / contributors.  We've got 2 or 3 active Bobcats, 3 or 4 active Polar Bears, 2 Jeffs, a couple of Jumbos, Conts, and Mules, and no regular contributors from Williams (save for the occasional Frank drive-by), Trinity (amazing given how vocal they were in the past), Wes or Midd. 

Just the same cast of usual characters, hanging out at the diner, shooting the breeze.  When you run out of NESCAC football topics to talk about, the conversation drifts.

At least we haven't devolved to discussing Hillary and the Bern yet.  Though that's probably only a matter of time.

[RetiredMule]

To be honest, this board does become a bit like an episode of Cheers, like PC said.

Gridiron, I know it is no new story to say "Colby starts slow against 4 good teams....Look how they turned it around."  But it does just irk me, year-after-year.  This comes back to my earlier post about the coaching situation (I know this tired topic).  But it represents a systematic flaw that those are the facts.  If you can't break the top tier, you've got to try something new.

[JEFFFAN]

Interestingly, the NESCAC basketball board is incredibly active during the season - it has become a don't miss during hoops season.  I wish that I could say the same for football season, but with the exception of Saturday and Sunday, there isn't much to read.

[PolarCat]

I think we need to do some Guerrilla Marketing, and recruit the folks next to us at the tailgates and in the stands.  We need some fresh blood, before we get all interbred like the Amish and start sprouting beards, suspenders and buggy whips.

Pat, if you are reading this, it wouldn't hurt for you to get the word out somehow.  (I assume you have a financial interest in increasing membership and views).  Maybe too late for this season, but next year, maybe some ads in programs or handouts with schedules, info on away tailgating, etc.?  Hire Adam and Joe to write some editorial content for you to promote the site.

[polbear73]

While I have great respect for Bates and Colby as institutions and athletic rivals for my alma mater, Bowdoin, I have always thought that there is too much emphasis on the CBB football title.  Let's face it, aside from Bates' recent surge to relevance in the league and Colby's sporadic past successes, the CBB schools have been league cellar dwellers more often than not.  I cringe when one of the schools celebrates its championship while going 3-5, 4-4 or 5-3 at best. I have never heard it stated, but I have always thought that winning the CBB to many constitutes a very successful season, even though that "champion" more often than not, finishes at the league's midpoint or lower. Heading into this weekend, CBB schools are a combined 1-11.

I don't ascribe to the Bowdoin Orient's harsh characterization of a few years ago of the CBB champ being akin to the "world's tallest midget", but I do feel strongly that it is bad for each of the three Maine schools and the League in general to be consistently holding up the bottom of the standings, making the CBB championship to be nothing more than a bad joke.  Hopefully the administrations hold out higher goals than winning the CBB, correct any systemic flaws that exist and consistently contend for NESCAC titles.  It is only then will the CBB be actually worth something.