FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

Before the season started I was convinced that Trinity and Wes were the 2 best teams in the conference. To me, that certainly looked to be the clear case on paper as I prognosticated on the upcoming season. Midd struggled last year and the NESCAC Harvard and Yale teams were clearly entering a downtrend. There was no doubt it would be the year of Trinity and Wes.

As a NECAC pundit (not) my call was Trin and Wes followed by everyone else. Thought those 2 arsenals were unlikely to lose a game and based on returning players, rosters etc I was convinced there would be a battle of those 2 undefeated teams on the last day of the season in the Nutmeg State.

With the Bates Garnet playing Hamilton in western Siberia it made sense to reroute plans for the Hamilton trip (we could fly to the Rose Bowl for the UCLA game in less time) so we planned to catch the Trin-Wes title game with a post game gallop to Mohegan Sun with some Bobcat friends.

Things don't always turn out as predicted. While 20/20 hindsight is undefeated, it's sad that things did not develop as I thought.
Good thing they don't take betting action on the NESCAC, I would have gotten fleeced. Thought this could be a Cardinal year.

With a pretty good sample size over the past several years Trinity is clearly a program that thrives on mental toughness, year after year. They don't make mistakes. While I think they have advantages, all within the sprit of Nescac rules, that Wes does not have, they are the best program in the conference. Patriot like.

They have done a fantastic job in Middletown in the Wes program but they just can't seem to take a final step that we all know is so difficult.

The difference between the 2 programs comes down to the same factors we see as determining factors at higher levels.

Trinity is perennially more physical than other Nescac teams. They are mentally tougher and better prepared than their peers.

I watched the Wes-Bowdoin tape recently, couldn't believe it. Until I see Trinity in that kind of effort Wes still has a ways to go. I don't know how you upset this Trinity wagon.

Hoping the Garnet can pull off the impossible in Lewiston tomorrow but know it's unlikely. Coach Coyne would kill for a win but at the end of the day, Coach has a plan and a process. The Garnet team, administration, faculty, and Alums are all in.

Lumber, if you are still planning on making it to the Turducken Bowl game in Hartford this Saturday for the "Battle of the Birds", you are more than welcome at the best tailgate in the NESCAC. Bring your appetite. Drumstick, wing or breast? #rollcards

[lumbercat]

NM-
Thanks much for the invitation- appreciate your hospitality- we are not traveling to the Nutmeg state but will be rooting for the Red and Black against the Patriots. This Trinity team is not as big as I anticipated but incredibly tough and physical. The Coyne group, players and coaches, took notes on Saturday. 
Look forward to meeting at some point in the future. Thanks again.

[Nescacman]

NM-
Thanks much for the invitation- appreciate your hospitality- we are not traveling to the Nutmeg state but will be rooting for the Red and Black against the Patriots. This Trinity team is not as big as I anticipated but incredibly tough and physical. The Coyne group, players and coaches, took notes on Saturday. 
Look forward to meeting at some point in the future. Thanks again.

Lumber, you'll be missed. Perhaps a "meet and greet" next year in Lewiston will be in order. We will definitely be there and perhaps spend some quality time with HCOF Matt after he faces his alma matter.

A bit disappointed that HCOF Devanney appeared to run up the score on the Bobkitties. Things like that are not quickly forgotten and HCOF Matt has lots of friends around the league. Not sure when and how it will happen, but one of these day's Jeff will be on the receiving end...

[Bantam4life]

NM-
Thanks much for the invitation- appreciate your hospitality- we are not traveling to the Nutmeg state but will be rooting for the Red and Black against the Patriots. This Trinity team is not as big as I anticipated but incredibly tough and physical. The Coyne group, players and coaches, took notes on Saturday. 
Look forward to meeting at some point in the future. Thanks again.

Lumber, you'll be missed. Perhaps a "meet and greet" next year in Lewiston will be in order. We will definitely be there and perhaps spend some quality time with HCOF Matt after he faces his alma matter.

A bit disappointed that HCOF Devanney appeared to run up the score on the Bobkitties. Things like that are not quickly forgotten and HCOF Matt has lots of friends around the league. Not sure when and how it will happen, but one of these day's Jeff will be on the receiving end...

Sounded like HCOF Devanney took his starters out halfway through the third quarter. Hard to blame the backups for playing hard and trying to score in their limited opportunity getting on the field

[The Ghost of John Wesley]

Not to gloat, but it s#cks being right.

Why would it suck being right in this context? Did you want the Cards to lose? 

I am thrilled Wes triumphed and was able to nab another Little Three. They clearly came to play and overcame issues that have caused them to underperform at times this year. This is a bizarre year where both Williams and Amherst are at the bottom of the league, but the Wes players should cherish this Little Three title. As someone who knows intimately how long the drought was between Wes winning one, I can say it's still exciting and novel to see the Cards crowned Little Three champs.

My circumstances do not allow for frequent trips back to Middletown or to other NESCAC venues to watch football games in person, but when I do I will be sure to seek you out for that drink. I might be wrong, but I'm going to guess that "you" (plural, of course  ) will be easy to pick out of the tailgating crowd.

[Charlie]

NM-
Thanks much for the invitation- appreciate your hospitality- we are not traveling to the Nutmeg state but will be rooting for the Red and Black against the Patriots. This Trinity team is not as big as I anticipated but incredibly tough and physical. The Coyne group, players and coaches, took notes on Saturday. 
Look forward to meeting at some point in the future. Thanks again.

Lumber, you'll be missed. Perhaps a "meet and greet" next year in Lewiston will be in order. We will definitely be there and perhaps spend some quality time with HCOF Matt after he faces his alma matter.

A bit disappointed that HCOF Devanney appeared to run up the score on the Bobkitties. Things like that are not quickly forgotten and HCOF Matt has lots of friends around the league. Not sure when and how it will happen, but one of these day's Jeff will be on the receiving end...

Sounded like HCOF Devanney took his starters out halfway through the third quarter. Hard to blame the backups for playing hard and trying to score in their limited opportunity getting on the field

This is problem in NESCAC with such few games being played , No JV Teams all these kids that are second and third stringers are playing as hard as they can in their limited time and for their future positions. It says something that the second and third stringers can beat up on Bates first units.

[JEFFFAN]

Congrats to Wesleyan on its Little Three title!   A very good run for the Cards, especially with the good run by the Ephs of late.  Hoping that the Jeffs can get back into the mix before too long.

[NescacFam]

Trinity HCOF Devanney ran up the score against Bowdoin as well. He kept his starters in up 31-3 well into the 4th quarter.  With about 9:00 minutes to go in the game, Spencer Fetter threw a touchdown pass to Sean Clapp.

#rollcards

[lumbercat]

Let me set the record straight about the Trinity-Bates game.

Devanney pulled his starters early in the 4th quarter.
Although many might have pulled the first team sooner I can't fault the Trinity program on Saturday.

If anything, Coach Coyne was the one who first started to pull starters in the second half.

Nothing like the 2017 game in Lewiston when Trinity threw a 19 yard TD pass with a 44-0 lead as time expired in the game.

While Lord Jeffrey justifiably has a history of running it up he can't be faulted for his management of the game on Saturday.

[lumbercat]

Before the season started I was convinced that Trinity and Wes were the 2 best teams in the conference. To me, that certainly looked to be the clear case on paper as I prognosticated on the upcoming season. Midd struggled last year and the NESCAC Harvard and Yale teams were clearly entering a downtrend. There was no doubt it would be the year of Trinity and Wes.

As a NECAC pundit (not) my call was Trin and Wes followed by everyone else. Thought those 2 arsenals were unlikely to lose a game and based on returning players, rosters etc I was convinced there would be a battle of those 2 undefeated teams on the last day of the season in the Nutmeg State.

With the Bates Garnet playing Hamilton in western Siberia it made sense to reroute plans for the Hamilton trip (we could fly to the Rose Bowl for the UCLA game in less time) so we planned to catch the Trin-Wes title game with a post game gallop to Mohegan Sun with some Bobcat friends.

Things don't always turn out as predicted. While 20/20 hindsight is undefeated, it's sad that things did not develop as I thought.
Good thing they don't take betting action on the NESCAC, I would have gotten fleeced. Thought this could be a Cardinal year.

With a pretty good sample size over the past several years Trinity is clearly a program that thrives on mental toughness, year after year. They don't make mistakes. While I think they have advantages, all within the sprit of Nescac rules, that Wes does not have, they are the best program in the conference. Patriot like.

They have done a fantastic job in Middletown in the Wes program but they just can't seem to take a final step that we all know is so difficult.

The difference between the 2 programs comes down to the same factors we see as determining factors at higher levels.

Trinity is perennially more physical than other Nescac teams. They are mentally tougher and better prepared than their peers.

I watched the Wes-Bowdoin tape recently, couldn't believe it. Until I see Trinity in that kind of effort Wes still has a ways to go. I don't know how you upset this Trinity wagon.

Hoping the Garnet can pull off the impossible in Lewiston tomorrow but know it's unlikely. Coach Coyne would kill for a win but at the end of the day, Coach has a plan and a process. The Garnet team, administration, faculty, and Alums are all in.

Lumber, if you are still planning on making it to the Turducken Bowl game in Hartford this Saturday for the "Battle of the Birds", you are more than welcome at the best tailgate in the NESCAC. Bring your appetite. Drumstick, wing or breast? #rollcards

NM-

Thanks again for the invite!.... but we decided to stay local. Will catch The Garnet on the internet. As much as I shudder at the possibility, we may actually venture into enemy territory for the Colby- Bowdoin night game.

[Nescacman]

Before the season started I was convinced that Trinity and Wes were the 2 best teams in the conference. To me, that certainly looked to be the clear case on paper as I prognosticated on the upcoming season. Midd struggled last year and the NESCAC Harvard and Yale teams were clearly entering a downtrend. There was no doubt it would be the year of Trinity and Wes.

As a NECAC pundit (not) my call was Trin and Wes followed by everyone else. Thought those 2 arsenals were unlikely to lose a game and based on returning players, rosters etc I was convinced there would be a battle of those 2 undefeated teams on the last day of the season in the Nutmeg State.

With the Bates Garnet playing Hamilton in western Siberia it made sense to reroute plans for the Hamilton trip (we could fly to the Rose Bowl for the UCLA game in less time) so we planned to catch the Trin-Wes title game with a post game gallop to Mohegan Sun with some Bobcat friends.

Things don't always turn out as predicted. While 20/20 hindsight is undefeated, it's sad that things did not develop as I thought.
Good thing they don't take betting action on the NESCAC, I would have gotten fleeced. Thought this could be a Cardinal year.

With a pretty good sample size over the past several years Trinity is clearly a program that thrives on mental toughness, year after year. They don't make mistakes. While I think they have advantages, all within the sprit of Nescac rules, that Wes does not have, they are the best program in the conference. Patriot like.

They have done a fantastic job in Middletown in the Wes program but they just can't seem to take a final step that we all know is so difficult.

The difference between the 2 programs comes down to the same factors we see as determining factors at higher levels.

Trinity is perennially more physical than other Nescac teams. They are mentally tougher and better prepared than their peers.

I watched the Wes-Bowdoin tape recently, couldn't believe it. Until I see Trinity in that kind of effort Wes still has a ways to go. I don't know how you upset this Trinity wagon.

Hoping the Garnet can pull off the impossible in Lewiston tomorrow but know it's unlikely. Coach Coyne would kill for a win but at the end of the day, Coach has a plan and a process. The Garnet team, administration, faculty, and Alums are all in.

Lumber, if you are still planning on making it to the Turducken Bowl game in Hartford this Saturday for the "Battle of the Birds", you are more than welcome at the best tailgate in the NESCAC. Bring your appetite. Drumstick, wing or breast? #rollcards

NM-

Thanks again for the invite!.... but we decided to stay local. Will catch The Garnet on the internet. As much as I shudder at the possibility, we may actually venture into enemy territory for the Colby- Bowdoin night game.

Saturday night's game should be a real....."barn burner"?!?   

[BigKat]

Not to rev Charlie up but I wonder how the Bants would do vs say Carnegie Mellon or Endicott. Any of our experts have a feel for that? Close games? blowouts for the playoff eligible squads, etc?

[Pat Coleman]

I think the Top 10 wins those games handily but beyond that, I think there's absolutely no reason an unbeaten NESCAC team wouldn't be competitive in a game against the rest.

[lumbercat]

Not to rev Charlie up but I wonder how the Bants would do vs say Carnegie Mellon or Endicott. Any of our experts have a feel for that? Close games? blowouts for the playoff eligible squads, etc?

I can't comment on Carnegie Mellon but have some knowledge of Endicott and their personnel. I would make Trinity a touchdown favorite in a game against Endicott.

[Charlie]

Not to rev Charlie up but I wonder how the Bants would do vs say Carnegie Mellon or Endicott. Any of our experts have a feel for that? Close games? blowouts for the playoff eligible squads, etc?

You are not getting me going just confirming my sentiment about NESCAC in playoffs ?