MBB: NESCAC

Old Guy · February 13, 2009, 10:04:33 AM

Could be another great weekend of hoops; I'm sure Trinity has been laying its trap for Midd. Doesn't form go out the window when the Ephs-Jeffs tangle? I'm a little concerned that Wms fans seem so dispirited. Maybe Whittington will come of age tonight. Do you think the CT schools (CC, Wes) will go 0-fer Maine? I don't.

I love the NESCAC rivalries. They're so inevitable and absurd. Williams and Amherst, to the rest of the world, are the same school: same size, same region, same academic repute, same curriculum, same gender history, same families send their kids there, yet Walzy gets a little taste of vomit in his mouth when he hears a mere Eph mention. I didn't like Williams when I was a student at Middlebury, then my best friends in my first job were Williams grads, great guys. I didn't like Amherst because I had a roommate in my 20s who corrected me once and told me the "H" was silent. Not after that it wasn't: "Am-HHHHerst." He cringed every time I said it. Then one of my favorite colleagues went to work at Amherst and loved it there, so I put the Jeffs back in the okay category. I hated Bowdoin growing up at Bates because of the superior way their fans treated the Bobcats, then my sister married a guy who went on to coach football at Bowdoin: he loved his players so I had to root for the Polar Bears: they're family now. Now as the Old Guy, I give everyone a break. This process can really take the fun out of life. I find myself even feeling a little sorry for A-Rod. Yikes.

CCsalive · February 13, 2009, 11:06:54 AM

The Midd crew has me juiced up! Bucket-my Dad's friend was the head coach at Manhattanvile College and I was the young boy seeking autographs from D-III players. To this day I'm a Manhattanville Valiants officianado and a proud Anthony Montigue (their all-time leading scorer) autograph holder!

Old Guy- I don't miss a thing. Thank you for the wink and nod re: an upset brewing on the northbound side of I-95 this afternoon! You were referring to CC and not Wes weren't you?

Also, I hear you with the love/hate NESCAC thing. I've never beaten Williams in anything. Never have I wanted to beat a team more. Yet occasionaly I find myself waking up at 4:30am on Summer Day to drive to Taconic Golf Club and the aforementioned Deli next to the gym...always...everytime...walking up the pathway to peer through the windows at the court.

There's a lot to be said about this type of tradition. I'd love to see Hamilton full-time NESCAC again. I'd also love to see a stronger rivalry btw the three CT schools. I do have an issue with the Little Three...Amherst and Williams do not need Wesleyan just like NC State and Wake have never made Tobacco Road a true 3-way, or 4-way rivalry...at least not a long lasting one. The Maine schools get an extra look at one another, so do the Little Three...Conn gets Mitchell and Coast Guard while Midd gets Champlain College and Casleton St.
I'm getting ahead of myself...again...Go Camels!

booyakasha · February 13, 2009, 11:13:21 AM

Quote from: Old Guy on February 13, 2009, 10:04:33 AM
I find myself even feeling a little sorry for A-Rod. Yikes.

A little off topic, but I don't think you should ever feel sorry for someone who has signed contracts totaling over half a billion dollars to play a game. All the bad pub comes with the territory.

As for the Conn-ME games this weekend, the Maine teams should go on to sweep. Conn has won three games this decade against Colby and Bowdoin, none of them coming in ME. I'd be more concerned with WES simply due to the history they have with Reilly.

Speaking of Reilly, I wonder if he will be more excited than his players over weekend, seeing how he'll be going head to head with his former archrivals.

CC - I hear good things about Taconic... worth the drive from Boston???

BankShotCharlie · February 13, 2009, 12:13:50 PM

Williams be Wary.................13 ...................... The Lords will protect

dman · February 13, 2009, 12:34:12 PM

boo,
taconic is undergoing about 2mil in renovations and should be completed by the end of june. as a regular there, i am very impressed with the changes so far and can't wait to see the finished product. it's making a great course even better and will be worth the drive...

senatorfrost · February 13, 2009, 01:23:44 PM

Someone's sleeping Lord, Kum Ba Yah , sing out everyone.
For a while I thought I was reading the Bedford Falls Bulletin here. Then for a second I thought I might be going to Mount Olympus on Sat. instead of just an Amherst game.
A Rod-personifies everything wrong with big time sports. Clutch-To A Rod clutch means what you use to shift gears in a Ferrari. Steroids made it very clear that Homers pay.
I think Amherst is very slight favorite over Ephs. I doubt Wheeler will be 100% although you never know. Have no idea if he's playing.
I think Middlebury should be a clear favorite over Amherst even if Wheeler is fine.

Speaking of Middlebury maybe someone should write Kelloggs and suggest that people like Ben Rudin should be on the cover of a cereal. No steroids no huge salary just books and basketball. The general populace would catch on to the idea after a while.

eclinchy · February 13, 2009, 01:31:04 PM

Clutch hitting is not a skill. It's a myth.

On an unrelated note, read this. 1,700-word epic about Amherst/Midd written by a friend of mine. Quotes from both coaches, Rudin/Smith, Baskauskas, etc. Good stuff.

http://tuftsdaily.com/inside_the_nescac_middlebury%252C_amherst_fight_for_supremacy-1.1375204

senatorfrost · February 13, 2009, 02:19:35 PM

I read an article about no such thing as clutch. There is some merit to it as I remember but there are always those players who continually make good contact in key situations against good pitchers in the post season and those with similar pre post season stats who don't.
Yes the writers and the stat boys are always digging things up-often it conflicts with what the former players/managers say. You're a writer it seems so it's hardly a surprise that you believe as you do.

Thank you for the information on Wheeler. I will now be very surprised if they can beat Midd. I still think they are very slight favorites v Williams.

booyakasha · February 13, 2009, 02:29:03 PM

Quote from: eclinchy on February 13, 2009, 01:31:04 PM
Clutch hitting is not a skill. It's a myth.

http://tuftsdaily.com/inside_the_nescac_middlebury%252C_amherst_fight_for_supremacy-1.1375204

Try telling that to any sox fan watching Papi come through in the clutch '04 and see if they agree

eclinchy · February 13, 2009, 06:10:02 PM

Quote from: booyakasha on February 13, 2009, 02:29:03 PMTry telling that to any sox fan watching Papi come through in the clutch '04 and see if they agree

FWIW, I'm as big a Sox fan as any... watched every game of the '04 playoffs, was there for the walk-off against Carmona in '06, have seen countless games he's won in the ninth inning... still not buying it.

Papi, AVG/OBP/SLG, career, overall: .287/.382/.554
Papi, AVG/OBP/SLG, career, close and late: .279/.382/.564

Close call, but overall I'd say he's a *little* worse in the clutch, not better. Point being that they're basically the same, meaning that over the course of your career it evens out. Because being clutch isn't a skill that you "have" and sustain over the long run -- it's just something that happens, randomly, from time to time.

Anyway, this is getting ridiculously off-topic. Not even the right sport anymore. Anyone wanna talk about Middlebury?

nescac1 · February 13, 2009, 08:13:48 PM

Ephs up five at half but Amherst has to be happy with that as it should be at least 10. Baskauskas, Meehan, Waller, Holsey all sat a good portion of half with two fouls each. Once those guys went out Ephs could score at will running the offense but they took a lot of crazy off-balance three's early in the shot clock. Only 3-14 from 3, while Amherst is 5-12. Almost every Eph score was a layup or a foul on penetration. In most aspects Ephs are in charge but again it was mainly against the second unit. Ephs controlling the glass surprisingly. Sort of the opposite of the first half of the first game between these teams when the Ephs' hot shooting kept them in it. Bradley looked strong for Amherst. Dodson has a ridiculous put back one handed dunk rim out ... too bad. Whittington looked good for Williams with 4 points and 6 boards.

Hugenerd · February 13, 2009, 08:44:30 PM

Williams now up 13 with about 10 minutes to go in the game. Snyder has 24 (although he has taken 20 shots). Amherst really not looking good tonight. They shooting horribly at home.

Update, Williams now up 15 + shooting FTs, 9 minutes left.

Hugenerd · February 13, 2009, 08:48:36 PM

Amherst is starting to look desperate and taking really bad, forced shots. They are now down 19 with under 8 to play.

nescac hoops · February 13, 2009, 08:50:52 PM

Williams point guard, James Wang, needs to be on the ballot for ROY. He has torn the Amherst defense to shreds in the second half. He is going to be very good.

Hugenerd · February 13, 2009, 08:51:52 PM

Quote from: nescac hoops on February 13, 2009, 08:50:52 PM
Williams point guard, James Wang, needs to be on the ballot for ROY. He has torn the Amherst defense to shreds in the second half. He is going to be very good.

I agree, he has played very well. Waller just fouled out for Amherst.