FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[labart96]

After years of watching this message board from afar, I have decided to join in the fun. My son is being recruited by several Division III schools including Washington & Lee, Johns Hopkins, Gettysburg and Bowdoin among others. The NESCAC is intriging to us. I understand the thought process of not wanting to participate in the Division III playoffs, but can someone explain why the schools don't at least play EVERY school in the league for a 9 game schedule?. All the other sports in the league seem to play all the teams and I really don't think playing one more game would hurt. If you look at it from players point of view, they are missing out on playing four more games over their career.

TGP looked at several NESCACs - geez, 15+ years ago (applied and admitted to Midd and Hamilton, dissed by Bowdoin).  The 8 game schedule IMO is just the M.O.  TGP would echo Bant551's sentiments - coaches, admissions, adminstrators, etc all dance around the question.  TGP has never heard a good answer to this question either.

Even if you review a fairly typical semester calendar (which TGP believes most, if not all NESCAC schools are on, TGP doesn't recall any of them being on trimester or quarters, but then again, it was a while back then TGP checked all this stuff out), they could handle a 9th game b/c it would occur prior to the Thanksgiving break, and most NESCACs don't have finals until mid Dec (so it's not like football would be interfering there).

Honestly, TGP thinks it's just one of those "that's the way it is" kind of deals.

[labart96]

BTW - one of the schools TGP looked at, but didn't apply to, was Bates College.

TGP harkens back in the early 90s, when TGP was a prospective college student,
the Bearcats hadn't won a game in like 4 years.

Based on the results page here on D3FB.com, they STILL SUCK (only averaging about 2 wins a season since 99)!

Why can't Bates field a competitive team?

Lack of interest in football by the college? 
No support from the administration?
Bad coaching?

What's the deal here? 

[union89]

BTW - one of the schools TGP looked at, but didn't apply to, was Bates College.

TGP harkens back in the early 90s, when TGP was a prospective college student,
the Bearcats hadn't won a game in like 4 years.

Based on the results page here on D3FB.com, they STILL SUCK (only averaging about 2 wins a season since 99)!

Why can't Bates field a competitive team?

Lack of interest in football by the college? 
No support from the administration?
Bad coaching?

What's the deal here? 

TGP, sounds like you can answer that one by looking at your previous post......

"That's the way that it is..."

[union89]

Who is the frontrunner to replace Kehoe as the starting QB for the jeffs next year? Will it be George Read, or do you think they will go with Lucas Loeffler? Also, is Mike Myers definitely the go-to wideout next season?

BTEX- ive talked to some of the coaches about this, but as far as I can tell, it simply comes down to the fact that football is not a high priority for these schools, and from talking to the players, making 2 trips instead of one per season up to maine or out to clinton, NY on a Friday night is not high on the wish list.

Some of my most fond memories are the away trips that you leave on Friday, watch movies on the bus, get to hang out with the team in a hotel, eat breakfast together on Saturday, travel to the game together, and then celebrate on the bus ride home.  Sounds like a copout to me. 

The short bus* rides home from Schenectady after an ass-whuppin' must has been easier to deal with.

* - by 'short bus', I was referring to the duration of the trip from Schenectady to Troy....not the actual mental capacity of the RPI football teams' mode of transportation.

[labart96]

BTEX- ive talked to some of the coaches about this, but as far as I can tell, it simply comes down to the fact that football is not a high priority for these schools, and from talking to the players, making 2 trips instead of one per season up to maine or out to clinton, NY on a Friday night is not high on the wish list.

TGP would doubt, in general, that NESCAC schools don't have the ability to pay for the extra travel costs.  At least half have endowments over half a billion.  Even the ones on the "low end" of the scale have around $400 MM endowments.

['gro]

Who is the frontrunner to replace Kehoe as the starting QB for the jeffs next year? Will it be George Read, or do you think they will go with Lucas Loeffler? Also, is Mike Myers definitely the go-to wideout next season?

BTEX- ive talked to some of the coaches about this, but as far as I can tell, it simply comes down to the fact that football is not a high priority for these schools, and from talking to the players, making 2 trips instead of one per season up to maine or out to clinton, NY on a Friday night is not high on the wish list.

Some of my most fond memories are the away trips that you leave on Friday, watch movies on the bus, get to hang out with the team in a hotel, eat breakfast together on Saturday, travel to the game together, and then celebrate on the bus ride home.  Sounds like a copout to me. 

The short bus* rides home from Schenectady after an ass-whuppin' must has been easier to deal with.

* - by 'short bus', I was referring to the duration of the trip from Schenectady to Troy....not the actual mental capacity of the RPI football teams' mode of transportation.

It must have been worse for Union players on the sad bus trip back to Schenectady after getting delt with on '86 field.  Not just sad because they lost, but having to go back to schenectady (and this is from a sch'dy native) and hope paulie will still hook them up with a free pitcher or 2 at geppetto's.

[union89]

Who is the frontrunner to replace Kehoe as the starting QB for the jeffs next year? Will it be George Read, or do you think they will go with Lucas Loeffler? Also, is Mike Myers definitely the go-to wideout next season?

BTEX- ive talked to some of the coaches about this, but as far as I can tell, it simply comes down to the fact that football is not a high priority for these schools, and from talking to the players, making 2 trips instead of one per season up to maine or out to clinton, NY on a Friday night is not high on the wish list.

Some of my most fond memories are the away trips that you leave on Friday, watch movies on the bus, get to hang out with the team in a hotel, eat breakfast together on Saturday, travel to the game together, and then celebrate on the bus ride home.  Sounds like a copout to me. 

The short bus* rides home from Schenectady after an ass-whuppin' must has been easier to deal with.

* - by 'short bus', I was referring to the duration of the trip from Schenectady to Troy....not the actual mental capacity of the RPI football teams' mode of transportation.

It must have been worse for Union players on the sad bus trip back to Schenectady after getting delt with on '86 field.  Not just sad because they lost, but having to go back to schenectady (and this is from a sch'dy native) and hope paulie will still hook them up with a free pitcher or 2 at geppetto's.

That just made me more bummed out.....the beer was always warm and flat....the wings and cheddar cheese dressing on salads were scrumpdillyishous though....

[lewdogg11]

I actually enjoyed rides to school in the real short bus much better.  My helmet had drool all over it.

[Trin9-0]

BTW - one of the schools TGP looked at, but didn't apply to, was Bates College.

TGP harkens back in the early 90s, when TGP was a prospective college student,
the Bearcats hadn't won a game in like 4 years.

Based on the results page here on D3FB.com, they STILL SUCK (only averaging about 2 wins a season since 99)!

Why can't Bates field a competitive team?

Lack of interest in football by the college? 
No support from the administration?
Bad coaching?

What's the deal here? 

They're apparantly so bad, that people can't even get their name right... of course as chessdoc will tell you it's the Bates Bobcats.

In regard to the 9th game, I know that Priore was pushing pretty hard for it when he was still at Trinity. However, as many have stated it's simply not important enough to the NESCAC presidents for there to be a change. Also, if there's one thing that the NESCAC prides itself on it's tradition. And though the 8 game schedule is outdated and could possible hurt recruiting there is still something to be said for sharing a very similar experience as even the much older alumni.

[frank uible]

In NESCAC the 8 game season is not about tradition. In my view it (like other controversial football items) is about suppressing football which the powers that be are fearful will get out of academic control due to alumni and other pressures.

[Pat Coleman]

Frank,

I wasn't aware you felt this way. Oh wait, never mind. 

[Jonny Utah]

In NESCAC the 8 game season is not about tradition. In my view it (like other controversial football items) is about suppressing football which the powers that be are fearful will get out academic control due to alumni and other pressures.

I don't know.  I heard Williams is in some money problems and had to lay off two chemistry teachers last year......

[frank uible]

I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

[Trin9-0]

In NESCAC the 8 game season is not about tradition. In my view it (like other controversial football items) is about suppressing football which the powers that be are fearful will get out of academic control due to alumni and other pressures.

I'm not saying that tradition necessarily has anything to do with the 8 game schedule. I agree that there is some paranoia that football will get too big and overshadow the NESCAC schools academic mission. What I meant was that, as an alumnus who happens to work closely with many Trin football players from the '50s and '60s, it's nice to have a shared experience that is probably more similar in many respects than what other D3 football players may have with their fellow alums.

If the leage were to adopt a 9th game, do you think it would be easier to add it to the end of the season thus starting season at the same time and ending a week later OR should they simply make the scrimmage an actual game?

I believe that if the scrimmage was made into an actual game that the players would have to report a week earlier than they currently do. Coaches need time to prepare and install offensive and defensive systems and players need time to get into game shape. However, this would also increase the costs of running a football program.

Any thoughts?

[bant551]

I don't think the extra week would be so costly... just give the players special/early access to their dorm rooms 5-6 days earlier than they currently get 'em.