FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[wesleydad]

I figured this would be the eventual outcome. It is indeed sad to see. I was hoping for a Spring game at CNU in March. That's probably not going to happen either.
I remember going to some blowouts against CNU. And I also remember the close games and the CNU victories. When you beat Wesley, that's a good year!

But mostly I am thankful. For the memories and the friendships. Most notably WelseyDad. I've been to the Stagg Bowl with WD to watch one the seemingly endless string of Mt Union v UW-Whitewater games. I've been to his hometown and hung out at his favorite watering holes. That's pretty cool.

Cheers mate!

CNU, we will stay in touch.  I have no issue traveling to CNU to catch a game each season.

[crufootball]

While it's been a few years I will always look back at the battles with our "southern" opponent and remember them as some of the best games UMHB has ever played. Good luck to everyone connected to the Wesley program.

[CNU85]

I figured this would be the eventual outcome. It is indeed sad to see. I was hoping for a Spring game at CNU in March. That's probably not going to happen either.
I remember going to some blowouts against CNU. And I also remember the close games and the CNU victories. When you beat Wesley, that's a good year!

But mostly I am thankful. For the memories and the friendships. Most notably WelseyDad. I've been to the Stagg Bowl with WD to watch one the seemingly endless string of Mt Union v UW-Whitewater games. I've been to his hometown and hung out at his favorite watering holes. That's pretty cool.

Cheers mate!

CNU, we will stay in touch.  I have no issue traveling to CNU to catch a game each season.

You have an open invitation!

[jmcozenlaw]

Eric, Waterboy, Wesleydad and all of the other Wesley fans - I feel your pain and this is certainly a blow to those in Dover and beyond. This outcome was inevitable and through Bank of America (Wilmington, DE) sources.................this outcome was a 99.8% certainty around mid-December. THAT is the thing that upsets me (as a non-Wesley guy) the most. I'm not going to say that the student athletes were strung along per se, but they should have been made aware of the most likely outcome at the end of the first semester.

Wesleydad (and any of the other Wesley fans), you are welcome to join us up at bucolic Doylestown on Saturday's..............hopefully in the Fall of 2021.

I'm afraid that this is just the beginning. The pandemic just sped up the process of inevitability.

It's the start of Lent, so my focus is elsewhere for the most part but best of luck to the Wesley family and the players who are now looking for a home.

God Bless.

[CNU85]

Looks like CNU will be host to Wesley's final game! Come on Down Wesleydad (if fans allowed. Right now Campus is closed to visitors)


https://www.cnusports.com/news/2021/2/18/captains-to-play-football-in-march-following-schedule-release-from-new-jersey-athletic-conference.aspx

[jmcozenlaw]

Same here.

Wesley was the closest this region has had to a "purple power" for years. Beating them -- and sometimes just playing them close -- always felt like a special achievement. That's how I felt as a DelVal guy.

Gordon, with the news just breaking about March football and the NJAC, are you at liberty to discuss if anything of the sort will be occurring with the MAC..................given your relationship with a certain institution?

[CNU85]

Eric, Waterboy, Wesleydad and all of the other Wesley fans - I feel your pain and this is certainly a blow to those in Dover and beyond. This outcome was inevitable and through Bank of America (Wilmington, DE) sources.................this outcome was a 99.8% certainty around mid-December. THAT is the thing that upsets me (as a non-Wesley guy) the most. I'm not going to say that the student athletes were strung along per se, but they should have been made aware of the most likely outcome at the end of the first semester.

Wesleydad (and any of the other Wesley fans), you are welcome to join us up at bucolic Doylestown on Saturday's..............hopefully in the Fall of 2021.

I'm afraid that this is just the beginning. The pandemic just sped up the process of inevitability.

It's the start of Lent, so my focus is elsewhere for the most part but best of luck to the Wesley family and the players who are now looking for a home.

God Bless.

Wesley might want to remove this page from their website...

http://athletics.wesley.edu/information/recruit_questionnaire/index

[CNU85]

I'm glad Wesley is able to have a Senior Day and it's against Salisbury. Very appropriate! Very nice!

[gordonmann]

JM:

Football? It snows here every day! You know that!

Seriously, I don't have any insight. I would think all the MAC institutions (DelVal included) would prioritize spring sports so those folks don't lose another seasons but I haven't heard anything about football.

[jmcozenlaw]

JM:

Football? It snows here every day! You know that!

Seriously, I don't have any insight. I would think all the MAC institutions (DelVal included) would prioritize spring sports so those folks don't lose another seasons but I haven't heard anything about football.

Spring is the absolute priority given what those student athletes lost a year ago. I was surprised that the NJAC is going ahead with March football and thought a couple of the MAC schools might follow suit. If not, I can imagine a few MAC coaches spending their time at a couple of.........eh hemm.........NJAC games.

[Teamski]

A spring schedule would be a great way to say goodbye.

-Ski

[Teamski]

Looking forward to the scrimmage this weekend and three games to close out Wesley's football history.  I wouldn't miss it for the world. 

-Ski

[D O.C.]

. . . and the beat goes on.
I am also saddened by the demise of Wesley football.
It seems just like yesterday they went to Whitewater without the proper shoes;  (it seems like yesterday LINFIELD went to Dover with a big lead at the half, only to have their lunch handed to them in the 2nd half. My head's still spinning.

Health and luck to the athletes and staffs.

[Teamski]

Well it was a really solid scrimmage for Wesley yesterday with Montclair State.  I was really impressed with the talent on the team in spite of the situation.  A new QB for Wesley started and he was really good; both scrambling and accuracy.  Bradley Walters reminds me once again how well Wesley can find talent.  The Wesley defense shut down Montclair through 4 quarters.  Except for a really late interception from Wesley's third string QB, it was a lockout.  An extremely good start to the short season ahead. That said.......

Now, walking the 5 blocks to the field was pretty emotional.  Through the years, the walk to Scott D. Miller stadium provided that warm up to the game; the build up of anticipation.  I walk right by the Wesley Campus on through the Victorian neighborhood and reach the corner of the cemetery where music and the lined up buses can be observed another block down.  This time was different of course.  The Montclair State players were outside the locker rooms with their gear laid out and seeing their football helmets on the grass as I have seen so many other opponents brought a real tear or two to my eyes as I walked along the chain link fence to the gate.  That caught me off guard, but it was a reckoning that the end is near.  Standing behind the camera on the upper deck of the press box brought back the cold wind-tunnel I have felt quite a few times, noting to my partner on the tablet that this is pretty historic:  "When was the last time you have ever seen a preseason scrimmage in the chill of early Spring instead of sweating it out in August."  The small things are lost on us sometimes. 

So, onto what is most likely going to be Wesley's last home game ever, against the best opponent to share that moment, Salisbury.

-Ski

[ITH radio]

https://themontclarion.org/sports/montclair-state-football-season-preview/