MBB: NESCAC

amh63 · February 01, 2012, 04:35:19 PM

You are welcome Frank......but your post seems an attempt to divert and confuse others about your presence. Really Frank, most board posters knows that Conn College doesn't have a football team and that in '51 it was a school for proper women. Being a Williams man and a fine football player....I've been told...how can that be?
To the fine poster that stated that I "abuse" something (fancy word)...I put to you a question. Are happy memories reality in the present...anymore than today's reality shows?.

frank uible · February 01, 2012, 06:05:12 PM

amh63: With the passage of the years I have become confused and with your help now stand corrected. It was actually the Springboks for whom I played in '17 against Robeson.

OchoLoko41 · February 01, 2012, 07:58:45 PM

Good game going on with Wesleyan vs Eastern Conn. Real balanced scoring by the Cardinals (6 players with 4 or more) have Wes up 34-29 at the half

OchoLoko41 · February 01, 2012, 09:01:42 PM

Wow... those Cardinals really do love making that last minute hard on its fans...

In another close victory Wesleyan beat Eastern Conn 66-65 in the D3 Battle for Connecticut (sorry Camel and Bantam fans). After leading for most of the game the Cardinals found themselves down one in the final minute of the game before Thomas hit a big 2 free throws to give Wes the edge.

Another big game for Callaghan who has been playing like a man possessed of late - 20 points and 6 boards with a possibly game saving block following Thomas's free throws. While this is probably an oversimplification the key for Callaghan seems to be foul trouble, while earlier in the season he was picking up quick ones that limited him later in the game, over the past few games hes been playing great while keeping the foul count down (cue me knocking on a forrest full of wood to negate that jinx...pause)

In additional good news... both Brown and St Jean played close to their usual allotment of minutes. While Brown didnt do great from the field (3 for 10) he had a nice 7/8 showing at the stripe, while Saint continued to be one of the best intangible guys in the CAC.

Cardinals face Hamilton on Superbowl Sunday

amh63 · February 02, 2012, 09:29:47 AM

Will the Hamilton game always be an "extra" day event? Curious since Amherst will have to travel to Clinton next year. The powers to be needs to make the travel/play situation more even, IMO. The other winter sports made adjustments on travel since the "recession" like back to back hockey games, etc....so BB can also be made more equitable.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 02, 2012, 12:04:07 PM

To those NESCAC fans who watch/listen to Hoopsville, I appreciate it. I thank those who participate, even if you disagree with my point of view. Heck, I am just one person and I think there are times I disagree with myself! :-)

To clarify, I have been nervous about Middlebury being #1 on my Top 25 ballot pretty much since I placed them there. I put them #1 when no other team was stepping up... since then I have had many occasions where I felt I should remove them from that slot due to games I would have expected them to be more dominant in - despite the fact they certainly have a large target on their back.

As for last season, I certainly didn't not indicate Middlebury did not deserve to be in the Final Four... that couldn't be further from the truth. They got through a tough Sectional Weekend and earned their way to the Final Four... and while their game against St. Thomas was certainly close, but St. Thomas had also gone cold in the middle of that second half, allowing Middlebury back in the game. I just felt from watching Middlebury play that they were a bit overwhelmed by the moment during parts of that game... that was all I was trying to say.

As for this season, I have Middlebury in my Top 5 for I think the entire season, if not for a vast majority of it. I do think they are that good to be that highly ranked... I just haven't felt comfortable with them being #1. That all being said, when Sunday night comes and I sit down with my ballot... I have a lot of questions about a lot of teams to determine who is #1... it still could be Middlebury after a tough road loss and a tough place to play... I just don't know.

Also keep in mind, sometimes what I am saying to an interviewee is designed to get them to respond... so sometimes I might be extreme in that tact.

Enjoy the rest of the week... hope you catch Hoospville tonight... and on Monday (date change this week due to that other big game).

LarryBasketball33 · February 02, 2012, 01:25:58 PM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on February 02, 2012, 12:04:07 PM
To those NESCAC fans who watch/listen to Hoopsville, I appreciate it. I thank those who participate, even if you disagree with my point of view. Heck, I am just one person and I think there are times I disagree with myself! :-)

To clarify, I have been nervous about Middlebury being #1 on my Top 25 ballot pretty much since I placed them there. I put them #1 when no other team was stepping up... since then I have had many occasions where I felt I should remove them from that slot due to games I would have expected them to be more dominant in - despite the fact they certainly have a large target on their back.

As for last season, I certainly didn't not indicate Middlebury did not deserve to be in the Final Four... that couldn't be further from the truth. They got through a tough Sectional Weekend and earned their way to the Final Four... and while their game against St. Thomas was certainly close, but St. Thomas had also gone cold in the middle of that second half, allowing Middlebury back in the game. I just felt from watching Middlebury play that they were a bit overwhelmed by the moment during parts of that game... that was all I was trying to say.

As for this season, I have Middlebury in my Top 5 for I think the entire season, if not for a vast majority of it. I do think they are that good to be that highly ranked... I just haven't felt comfortable with them being #1. That all being said, when Sunday night comes and I sit down with my ballot... I have a lot of questions about a lot of teams to determine who is #1... it still could be Middlebury after a tough road loss and a tough place to play... I just don't know.

Also keep in mind, sometimes what I am saying to an interviewee is designed to get them to respond... so sometimes I might be extreme in that tact.

Enjoy the rest of the week... hope you catch Hoospville tonight... and on Monday (date change this week due to that other big game).

Dave, you missed your true calling. Politics. Just kidding, appreciate your thoughts, but I'm sure you understand the passion of the fans of every program who might be thin skinned at times. On that front, I will say I am guilty at times as are most of the posters on this and most every blog. As has been noted here before, Middlebury and every other team has their most critical games in front of them, not behind them. We are fast approaching the games where you win and move on, lose and go home. Thankfully, unlike with football a NESCAC champion will be truly crowned in a game and nets will be cut down, and the same will happen in the NCAAs. That being said, dont even get me started on Middlebury having to go to Rochester last season. I know you stated the NCAA position on this in D3, but that does not make it proper or fair. God knows the NCAA is not always right. On we go with the NESCAC hoops season with some great games to come. Can we expect to see you wearing a Middlebury T-Shirt on the show anytime soon?

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 02, 2012, 01:56:08 PM

Quote from: LarryBasketball33 on February 02, 2012, 01:25:58 PM
Thankfully, unlike with football a NESCAC champion will be truly crowned in a game and nets will be cut down, and the same will happen in the NCAAs. That being said, dont even get me started on Middlebury having to go to Rochester last season. I know you stated the NCAA position on this in D3, but that does not make it proper or fair. God knows the NCAA is not always right. On we go with the NESCAC hoops season with some great games to come. Can we expect to see you wearing a Middlebury T-Shirt on the show anytime soon?

Yes.. it is nice in basketball that the NESCAC crowns a champion... won't get started on football.

As for Middlebury going to Rochester... I get that it isn't in your mind fair or proper, but it is the rules and guidelines we have been under for years. It isn't like Middlebury is the first team to lose out in this type of deal, it happens often (ask Hope or IWU women in the past... there are even a handful of men's teams in recent years). The decision to go to Rochester was "right" by the guidelines the committee and the NCAA work with - whether you agree with them or not, I understand why you wouldn't.

I am expecting a lot of great NESCAC games to come... Williams and Wesleyan may be poised to really cause some chaos.

As for a t-shirt, that is up to the schools that send them. We have a collection from years back (Amherst happen to give us one in Vegas and it was the women's team)... so we have a few to still share... but again, up to a school or team if they so choose.

As for the thin skin... I have that, too... thus why I didn't immediately respond.

Pat Coleman · February 02, 2012, 02:35:44 PM

Just last year, Whitworth -- got screwed probably harder than Middlebury, I think.

LarryBasketball33 · February 02, 2012, 03:39:32 PM

Regarding your response below: I hate to belabor the point, but in the first place just because "It isn't like Middlebury is the first team to lose out in this type of deal" does not justify what I see as flawed policy. Two, three or more wrongs in the past and who knows how many in the future do not make a right.
Further your statement, "The decision to go to Rochester was "right" by the guidelines the committee and the NCAA work with" once again illustrates the criticism of you from last year in that you state what everyone knows, namely that this was correct under the NCAA policy while not addressing whether you feel these "guidelines" or policy are flawed or proper. I understand what the guidelines and policies are. My question is what you think of them rather than having you telling me they were followed. I am interested in your opinion on the rules/guidelines rather than a statement that they were followed.

As for Middlebury going to Rochester... I get that it isn't in your mind fair or proper, but it is the rules and guidelines we have been under for years. It isn't like Middlebury is the first team to lose out in this type of deal, it happens often (ask Hope or IWU women in the past... there are even a handful of men's teams in recent years). The decision to go to Rochester was "right" by the guidelines the committee and the NCAA work with - whether you agree with them or not, I understand why you wouldn't.

Pat Coleman · February 02, 2012, 03:55:31 PM

I think that most of us here have been dealing with the rules and policies for more than a decade and it's hard for us to get too up in arms about them.

I get they are new to Middlebury fans, but they are not new to us or teams who have been in the postseason regularly in recent years. They are the ground rules everyone has played under for a long time and there isn't much chance of them changing because there isn't money to do so. Division III isn't going to get more than its prescribed 3.18% of the NCAA's overall budget and the money has to be spent wisely.

Yes, hosting privileges should be earned on the floor, but to be honest, hosting a sectional hasn't been an automatic ticket to the Final Four either. You guys proved it and so did St. Thomas last year. So this year, depending on the way the bracket shakes out, it could happen again, but now you will have even less of a reason to be surprised.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 02, 2012, 05:39:54 PM

Larry - didn't realize you wanted my opinion... I would love to see the top "seeds" (which technically there are none stated) get the home court games when they deserve them... but I am also very realistic to the fact that there are many other factors in place (i.e. gym size, school location, ease of transportation, other teams' travel factors, women or men in tournament, etc.) that doesn't always allow that.

So my opinion is... while it isn't perfect, the NCAA rules are clear... and last year the right decision was made. I knew from knowing those rules and such that Middlebury wasn't going to be hosting while I drove home from the regional I covered that Saturday night.

Bucket · February 02, 2012, 06:59:54 PM

Dave--As one who was critical of the Hoopsville comments, I just want to jump in and say thanks for weighing in and offering further thoughts.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · February 02, 2012, 07:48:10 PM

No problem, Bucket...

Old Guy · February 02, 2012, 09:58:27 PM

Dave, etc.

Middlebury poster. It's D3. Practical compromises are expected. I didn't find traveling to Rochester unfair - the policy was clear, it was just too bad. Rochester wasn't in session. The gym for the final was half full. At Midd, there would have been a full house, great atmosphere. I do think that Rochester gym is borderline dangerous with so little room between the baseline and the back walls.

Still, it was a great time and a wonderful sectional for Midd fans, so happy I went. I hope we can repeat. One and done, the tourney is such a crap shoot. Love this Panther team. Very versatile, high character group.

Big game tomorrow night with Bowdoin (14-5, winners of five of their last six, after a bad loss at Bates). Hanley is having another fine year, can carry a team. We did pretty well on him last year (9-26) by putting the big guy (6'10" Andrew Locke) on him. He doesn't shoot from the outside (0-0 from three) and loves to go to the hoop, finishing with the left hand. Good player: plays hard, all-business, fun to watch. He and Sharry will be a fun match-up, though I suspect they won't guard each other, to stay out of foul trouble. I'll miss the game. Young Guy has a h.s. game: family first.