FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[hamfan88]

I echo PC and island time. If you want to get your son some help so that 3-5 record might improve, discouraging recruits ain't gonna help.

[DadintheStands]

I agree 100% with the recent posts.  And, right now, I am where island time was last year and I am doing EXACTLY what he did scouring for information anywhere i can find it so I can help my son make a good decision.  The comments here, especially from the long-timers and regulars, can be enlightening and influential.

[PolarCat]

DadintheStands, have your son look at Bates.  Fabulous school, and the rumors I am hearing out of Lewiston lead me to think there is a turn-around on the horizon (starting with more talent coming in at the assistant coach and coordinator positions).  A unique stadium right smack dab in the heart of campus.  A couple good recruiting classes are in the bag, and there appear to be some 2121's who can really play, assuming Admissions gives them the stamp of approval. 

Unlike a couple of the "Southern" CAC's, kids who are recruited don't get cut.  Smaller roster, so kids get playing time as FY's or sophomores.  Great food.  Good campus vibe.  Cute girls.  Compared to peer institutions, the Bates Administration has done an admirable job keeping the political correctness and general snowflakiness in check.  Heck, the College President is even a huge football fan, and travels to away games when her schedule permits.

My gut tells me the Bobcat program is on the verge of a turn-around, like Tufts in 2014.  It would be fun to be a part of that.

[lumbercat]

I hope we are moving on from the trend of current Colby Football people making comments that discourage potential Colby recruits. I have no idea what the truth is on the Hill but the negativity of Colby people is not helping the Blue and Grey. There will probably be changes at Colby but nobody knows the specifics at this point- it may not play out until after the recruiting season.

The protective, coddling parents of recruits these days are over engineering every step a kid makes. "I read every post on this board so I could best manage my sons future. Are you kidding?

Let the boy make his college visits and come home and tell you where he wants to go. It's that time, its his call, not yours Daddy. Let go.

And when the kid gets to his destination don't continue your controlling, coddling tendencies and devote your time to critiquing the offensive and defensive coaching schemes.......especially if you boy is not playing.

Academics in the NESCAC speaks for itself, that's the toughest challenge for a kid as it should be,  Beyond that let your boy compete and hope for the best but the reaches of your control get severed when he plays college football because the college coach won't hear you.

[IslandTime]

I hope we are moving on from the trend of current Colby Football people making comments that discourage potential Colby recruits. I have no idea what the truth is on the Hill but the negativity of Colby people is not helping the Blue and Grey. There will probably be changes at Colby but nobody knows the specifics at this point- it may not play out until after the recruiting season.

The protective, coddling parents of recruits these days are over engineering every step a kid makes. "I read every post on this board so I could best manage my sons future. Are you kidding?

Let the boy make his college visits and come home and tell you where he wants to go. It's that time, its his call, not yours Daddy. Let go.

And when the kid gets to his destination don't continue your controlling, coddling tendencies and devote your time to critiquing the offensive and defensive coaching schemes.......especially if you boy is not playing.

Academics in the NESCAC speaks for itself, that's the toughest challenge for a kid as it should be,  Beyond that let your boy compete and hope for the best but the reaches of your control get severed when he plays college football because the college coach won't hear you.

Seriously?
Coming from Florida where 99% of people have never heard of a single NESCAC SCHOOL, you are damn right I am going to do some research before I send my son 1000 miles away to go to school and play football. Especially when he had some great opportunities very close to home. We made visits to 4 NESCAC and my son knew what school he wanted to go to before we got back on the airplane. It was his decision. But I can tell you we found out a lot of info about the football programs from this board. Specifically the situation with Kelton at Williams. My son was really impressed with that school and had a fantastic meeting with Kelton and Coach Ware. But being from Florida we had no idea the shape of the program and his tenuous job security at that time without reading this board. My son was lucky enough to get picked up by the school HE wanted to go to. But I am just telling you the truth in that we used this board as a reference about the football programs themselves. Not sure why you felt the need to make it more than it is.

Your tough talk to "coddling parents" is lame.

[PolarCat]

And for the record, I find the "we know more than you" attitude by some of the prominent posters on here insulting.

You may want to suggest Pat start a different board, limited to the parents of prospective players and first year players.  Then  you wouldn't have to deal with those pesky opinions of folks who have played in the programs, followed them for years, or have sons who are upperclassmen, and went what you're going through 2, 3 or more years ago.  All conjecture, no experience.  That would work.

[Jonny Utah]

And for the record, I find the "we know more than you" attitude by some of the prominent posters on here insulting.

You may want to suggest Pat start a different board, limited to the parents of prospective players and first year players.  Then  you wouldn't have to deal with those pesky opinions of folks who have played in the programs, followed them for years, or have sons who are upperclassmen, and went what you're going through 2, 3 or more years ago.  All conjecture, no experience.  That would work.

I think Islandtime is correct though, although you don't need this board to see that Williams football was slipping record wise when Kelton got there, or that Bates and Bowdoin football have had historically poor football programs recordwise. 

Not too much different than other levels though.  You don't need to check Big 10 message boards or visit Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State to determine which program is going to do what, no matter what the coach tells you.

On the other hand, this board has some inside information that other posters don't always get.

[DadintheStands]

This board is good at revealing what the 'climate' might be like for a team/school.  And it should be taken as one data point among many in the process of selecting a school.  Information is king.

And what's with the explosion over parents helping their 18yr olds make the most important decision of their lives thusfar??  I would hate to be the son of a dad that says "You're on your own with that whole college search and football recruiting process thing.  Good luck.  Let mom and me know when you decide."

[amh63]

Back here again....and since it is about the ED1 time, etc......thought I bring up some thoughts on recruiting in general.  Accepted players to date may be at schools, some D1 IVY type players maybe also in the neighborhood.  Winter sports are in full force before the Winter break and there is nothing better for "recruits" in next year's class to get an atmosphere check of a place/school, etc.  Why?
Last night at Amherst there was a MBB battle going on between the No.1 ranked D3 team..Amherst, and the No.2 national ranked team...Babson College.  For a mid week game, and a non Conference game, there was a very good crowd with a lot of students thinking they were "Dukies" in Cameron stadium.  Check out the photos and a video of the game on the MBB site.
Anyway, to me, there was a group of young men sitting in the stands where Old timers normally sit..behind the Amherst bench.  My first thoughts were that they were from a local prep school like Deerfield, etc. to see this featured game live.  In short future recruits...been there when there were prospects, with parents in the stands.  Possible transfers maybe in the stands in all sports, etc.  Amherst has two D1 transfer players on the team and Babson has transfer players from higher levels.
Guess, in short college recruiting as well as college prospects evaluation visits are both a continuous thing.  A reminder, an ED 1  acceptance by a college to a prospect is NOT a sure thing that the prospect will arrive on campus.

[lumbercat]

This board is good at revealing what the 'climate' might be like for a team/school.  And it should be taken as one data point among many in the process of selecting a school.  Information is king.

And what's with the explosion over parents helping their 18yr olds make the most important decision of their lives thusfar??  I would hate to be the son of a dad that says "You're on your own with that whole college search and football recruiting process thing.  Good luck.  Let mom and me know when you decide."

Never said a parent shouldn't be involved. Of course they should.  My point is that some of the parents posting recently on the board exhibit controlling tendencies that extend  into the kids playing career. I use the recruiting approach taken by some as being indicative of this.
Take the Colby thing recently.  I can't identify specific posters but those who have been calling for Michaeles firing or the Offensive Coordinator. Asking WHEN will Michaels firing be announced etc..... Everyone has an opinion and that's what this board is about but I find the immense frustration that kicks in for some when they have no control of coaching or personnel decisions that impact their kids may be an indication that maybe it's time for them to take a step back.

It's a bit over the top. If I was the kid I'd be embarrassed. Just my take.

[PolarCat]

My 2 cents.  IslandTime and lumbercat are both right.  MOST parents help their kids gather information on potential schools, try to get a feel for the "story behind the official story" for each program, make sure the kid looks at multiple schools rather than just committing to the first program they see, act as a sounding board, make sure their son is on time and dressed appropriately for interviews with coaches, etc.  That's all well and good.  A sign of good parenting.

But SOME parents are way-over-the-top.  The most notorious example on here recently was a Colby parent who used to be very vocally abusive to the teammates who were competing with his son for playing time, and the coaching staff that was letting the other boys play.  He's not posting this year, so no sense identifying him to anyone new (his kid is still playing for the Mules).  A couple years back there was a Trinity father who lit into one of his kid's teammates on the board, and lit into Devanney for allowing that kid to still play.  The son is no longer a denizen of the Coop.

Over-the-top parents aren't limited to the internet.  Every program has at least one dad that we all cringe and shy away from in the tailgate.  You don't want to be that guy, and your son DEFINITELY doesn't want you to be that guy.  Although they don't post here, players do read the board, and they are pretty good at figure out who a given poster's son is.  (They're bright kids - they got into a NESCAC school).  And over-the-top parents certainly aren't exclusive to football.  Up in my neck of the woods, hockey dads are 10 times more offensive.

I believe LC's commented at the over-the-top parents, not the good-parents-with-a-healthy-interest-in-their-son's-future.   If you're not sure which category you fall into, your son can probably tell you.

[PolarCat]

I'd love to know who died and left you the authority on all things embarrassing.

The ultimate authority should be your kid and his teammates.  I've always thought the best litmus test would be asking your son (not singling out any particular poster, just a generic "your son") to show the stuff you (that's a generic "you") post to his teammates, and ask for their honest impression. 

After all, this whole college football thing should be about "your son".  If you're (again a generic "you're") posting things he's not comfortable with, maybe this board thing is too much about you?  Generically speaking, of course.

[Mr. Ypsi]

My 2 cents.  IslandTime and lumbercat are both right.  MOST parents help their kids gather information on potential schools, try to get a feel for the "story behind the official story" for each program, make sure the kid looks at multiple schools rather than just committing to the first program they see, act as a sounding board, make sure their son is on time and dressed appropriately for interviews with coaches, etc.  That's all well and good.  A sign of good parenting.

But SOME parents are way-over-the-top.  The most notorious example on here recently was a Colby parent who used to be very vocally abusive to the teammates who were competing with his son for playing time, and the coaching staff that was letting the other boys play.  He's not posting this year, so no sense identifying him to anyone new (his kid is still playing for the Mules).  A couple years back there was a Trinity father who lit into one of his kid's teammates on the board, and lit into Devanney for allowing that kid to still play.  The son is no longer a denizen of the Coop.

Over-the-top parents aren't limited to the internet.  Every program has at least one dad that we all cringe and shy away from in the tailgate.  You don't want to be that guy, and your son DEFINITELY doesn't want you to be that guy.  Although they don't post here, players do read the board, and they are pretty good at figure out who a given poster's son is.  (They're bright kids - they got into a NESCAC school).  And over-the-top parents certainly aren't exclusive to football.  Up in my neck of the woods, hockey dads are 10 times more offensive.

I believe LC's commented at the over-the-top parents, not the good-parents-with-a-healthy-interest-in-their-son's-future.   If you're not sure which category you fall into, your son can probably tell you.

But might be afraid to tell you, especially if there are still several years of tuition to come.  Or because they don't want to crush your feelings.  If you are seriously concerned which category you are in, you are probably in the wrong category.

If you are NOT worried about which category you are in, you are hopefully in the good parent category; or else you are probably hopelessly into the over-the-top category; in which case, may your son someday forgive you.

[lumbercat]

I'd love to know who died and left you the authority on all things embarrassing.
[/quote]



Well, I guess you got it right- I'm presenting myself as the authority on all things embarrassing. You gotta be kidding.
The Colby coaching staff has their hands full with you.

[RetiredMule]

Welcome back to me-

Sadly, I have a career that needs to be attended to at times, so I have been here less than I would like. Thus is life. I have caught myself up recently and would like to add some comments.

1) Colby's coaching situation is unchanged as of this moment. Michaeles remains the head coach. He is still being active in his position on campus and with alumni. While I have been vocal about rumors and my personal opinions about the coaching situation. This is coming from almost an extended period of experience since my time as a recruit, player and alumni of the program and the current staff. The fact of the matter is that it does nothing but harm to spit venom on an online board rather than report facts of the situation.

2) Regarding some ire from and towards Colby posters in recent days, I would like to offer this council. Parents, stay out of it. Your son will make a decision for their own sake or they will become a miserable SOB and consider the Cornell method (that's a suicide joke). Your jobs as posters and parents are to offer opinions and facts consummate with your position. You are privileged to sit in a position where you interact with parents and coaches and peers while hearing from your sons. Do not assume otherwise. And yes, some of the other posters come towards the other Colby posters with a sense of "I know better". They do. They have been here longer and have a greater depth of experience with the NESCAC and being a parent in the league. Just because your sons finished one season does not an expert make. In the words of an old coach, "know your position and act it."

3) We will see where the coaching staff shakes out during the coming months or years, but spitting vitriol online makes you seem the inferior to your sons' maturity. And moving offline, the least fun person at a tailgate (a great tradition at Colby) is the one who constantly thinks they are the AD and especially in the negative light. We have seen many parents/posters of this ilk over the years. They stop coming around because they are constantly rebuked. There is a difference between offering an opinion and being the constant doomsayer. While you may view me as hypocritical, consider my much longer term exposure to this program since before Michaeles was HC and that so few of my posts deal with directly with the coaching and more with the performance of the team. When I do concern with the coaching situation, it is either directly related to news or stats.

Again, I will always try to be more active, but something about avoiding homelessness tugs my priorities. As always, happy to discuss these points. If you take personal offense to these points (as some of my more famous board friends have), feel free to personally message me. The board is not a place for personal tiffs but discussions of the best conference in college football.