FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[speedy]

That's a big assumption -- that football will make it to the title game.

Does it bother them when teams make the playoffs in other sports?

The NESCAC is not going to sanction participation in the NCAA play-offs based on the assumption that no NESCAC team will ever make the finals. That would be absurd. NESCAC blocked particpation in all NCAA championships until the mid-1990s. Once the floodgates were opened, it was obvious how good partipation was for the NESCAC schools - the NESCAC conference is probably the premier D3 conference in ice hockey, for example, where Middlebury reigns supreme. Since that change, NESCAC schools have won something like 55 championships in the past 10 years or so.

Unfortunately the football play-offs extend over a full month unlike most other play-offs where the games are compressed into  a much tighter time frame and typically don't overlap too much with the next season (there's overlap between hockey and lacrosse, for example, but it's manageable). There are two-sport athletes in the NESCAC and there is a desire to preserve that tradition. There was an outstanding running bback at Trinity  few years ago, for example (Pierandri), who was also an excellent hockey player.

My guess is that it is the month required for the football play-offs and the possible 60% increase in the number of games represent imposible barriers.

[Pat Coleman]

Oddly enough, there are two-sport athletes at other Division III schools, too. That is not a NESCAC phenomenon.

[frank uible]

NESCAC's posture on football is solely about alumni management by the administrations of the colleges. The refusal of the administrations to discuss publicly the posture is also part of that management.

[Trin9-0]

I must say I agree with Frank on that issue.

Any chance we can move off of the "NESCAC football in the NCAA" topic and talk about something that will actually happen? It's Friday! And there are some great match-ups tomorrow. Any predictions?

[formerbant10]

Frank....good point on the Ivy out of league games.  My buddy is the QB at Penn, you'd figure I'd remember that since they just played Villanova... I also heard that the Presidents struck a deal again this last spring to keep the football season to 8 games.  I don't think its fair at all for the players.  They work hard all spring and summer for only 8 games.  If the Presidents were worried about playing through exams, I'm sure they would take away the Baseball teams chances of post season play....the Trinity players were not even around for graduation due to NCAA games.  I guess they just don't want to mess with tradition.

[dirtybirds8-0]

My prediction......I arive at Trinity around 10:30....immediatley begin the traditional festivities.....and then watch two of the top teams in the league battle it out on the field.....I really can not imagine a better way to kick off October (besides winning the lottery)....I think NESCAC football has such a tremendous fan base (at least at Trinity), and an equally tremendous tradition.....it is a league that produces talented atheletes and some of the most elite business professionals in the country...you really cant argue against that combination.  

BANTAMS 120
Ephs         - 5 (not possible, but I will stick with it)

[formerbant10]

I'm headin up to Trin tonight to participate in the pre-pre-game celebration in High Rise.  The only thing that could save the Ephs would be if Ditka was coaching.

[frank uible]

dirty and former: Your loyalty is admirable!

[formerbant10]

Frank, I can't get rid of the sports itch....so I might as well scratch it.

Dirty, I'll see you there....prolly find me in the Hansen lot.

Trin8-0, call me when you get there.

Lets Go Bants!!!!

[dirtybirds8-0]

Seriously....is there anything better than football?  Former, make sure you do some pre-pre-game celebrating for Trin8-0 and myself....Dirty Birds take flight tomorrow in biggest game in school history.

[Trin9-0]

Diryt & Former: After all this trash-talking, our boys from Trinity had better show up and play. Williams is a good team (though they may not have shown it on the scoreboard last week). If the Bants don't take care of business we'll all have some pretty red faces, and all those Williams posters will come out of the wood-works.

See you in the Coop fellas.

[dirtybirds8-0]

I agree Trin8-0, lets see what tomorrow brings?

[saul]

wait, wait guys don't be all mad about me talking down d4 football ( 1,1A, 2, and oops 3 makes 4) and nescac d4 football, at that.  i was hoping we could all be friends....maybe drive to some scrimmages in guitar-pickin'-squeal-like- a-pig waterville-- now that'd be some fun, wouldn't it, boyz.  wait, wait, i want hang in the coop, too and get all worked up about how we'd shock the d4 world if only the  ( morally)  bents  could line- up against the likes of Linfield every year. we'd represent. i mean priore's not going to fly the coop for another sucker school any time soon, right? 

trin doesn't cheat w/ admissions....no, that's not cheating. ok, well, it's an unfair advantage, but its not tantamount to cheating....ok, maybe it is... a little.... let's not argue semantics, we got a win streak going....give me another beer....and tara reid's boobs are real, dude. it's true, my roommate  had her last night...he, like, said so.

[Trin9-0]

"Saul": Are you drunk when you make these posts or are you just that much of a horses-ass who spends his lonely Friday nights writing incoherent babble? The D4 joke was sincerely funny the first time we all heard it... at least a week ago. We're not above poking fun at ourselves, but but please come up with something original.

[gordonmann]

The D4 joke isn't even original.

BedtimeforBonzo used in the Top 25 room last week.