FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[jknezek]

Sorry for the confusion JK.  I said I was hoping to bat .500 on my picks and I think that game is likely a toss up but my conference homerism is showing

Traditionally the USAC has not fared well vs the ODAC, but I do think this slate favors them. I was surprised Guilford won in Montgomery 2 years ago. Sad the game was rained out last year. I wish I was able to get to the game this weekend in Montgomery again, but life is in the way. I suspect Huntingdon will win this one. As hot as it's going to be, Huntingdon's garbage visiting locker room is useless unless it's been redone in the last 2 years and having halftime on the buses just isn't very good for visiting teams. A very cheap advantage for early season games and bad weather.

Averett on paper is looking better than H-SC but Farmville is a tough place to play. I believe E&H will handle NCWC at home pretty easily. We will see. But I think it's likely the USAC goes 2-1 against the ODAC this weekend.

[HSCTiger74]

Well I do a NFL pickum pool at work and usually get about a little more than half of the games right.  I hope to fare about the same with these.  Here are my thoughts for the USAC games this weekend:

Greensboro travels to Newport News and survives the rain to come back to NC 1-0
Averett makes the short trip from Danville to bring home a win against Hampden-Sydney on their hall-of-fame weekend (weather will likely play a role here as well)
NCWC beats the Wasps of Emory & Henry but I expect it to be a close game since Emory will be playing hard for their former OC who stepped down just prior to the season due to health concerns
Berry will spoil Maryville's home opener (I hope for the opposite result though)
Guilford will lose a lopsided game to Huntingdon which will leave a long 8+ hour bus ride back to Greensboro
Birmingham-Southern will come to LaGrange and outscore the Panthers with both teams lacking a little on D
Methodist will get an extra bye again this year

All told 4-2 on the weekend with the USAC going 3-0 against the ODAC.  The bonus game of the week happens tonight when Johns Hopkins is away at Randolph Macon.  I would expect to see a very physical game with the Blue Jays leaving victorious.

I will be absolutely shocked if Greensboro, one of the worst DIII programs, wins at CNU. That would imply CNU's program has absolutely crapped the bed.

  I suspect he was referring to what we used to call Newport News Apprentice.

Ha. My edit beat your correction by less than a minute! But I'll give you the +K anyway...

    Right back at ya.

[Scots13]

Well I do a NFL pickum pool at work and usually get about a little more than half of the games right.  I hope to fare about the same with these.  Here are my thoughts for the USAC games this weekend:

Greensboro travels to Newport News and survives the rain to come back to NC 1-0
Averett makes the short trip from Danville to bring home a win against Hampden-Sydney on their hall-of-fame weekend (weather will likely play a role here as well)
NCWC beats the Wasps of Emory & Henry but I expect it to be a close game since Emory will be playing hard for their former OC who stepped down just prior to the season due to health concerns
Berry will spoil Maryville's home opener (I hope for the opposite result though)
Guilford will lose a lopsided game to Huntingdon which will leave a long 8+ hour bus ride back to Greensboro
Birmingham-Southern will come to LaGrange and outscore the Panthers with both teams lacking a little on D
Methodist will get an extra bye again this year

All told 4-2 on the weekend with the USAC going 3-0 against the ODAC.  The bonus game of the week happens tonight when Johns Hopkins is away at Randolph Macon.  I would expect to see a very physical game with the Blue Jays leaving victorious.

Here's my thoughts on Week 1.

NNA over Greensboro. For as good as the JHU/Macon game was last night, expect the opposite in this game.

Averett over HSC (but rooting for the Tigers). Going to this one with a buddy of mine. Let see if the hype on Averett is well-founded.

NCWC over E&H. I heard E&H pulled the Maryville series again because they were tired of having a losing streak against my boys. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. Either way, I find it hard to root for E&H in any situation.

Huntingdon over Guilford. Long bus ride after a 100 degree game. Not too pleasant. Been there, done that. Both with the heat and Huntingdon whipping us.

BSC over LaGrange. The annual MC/BSC scrimmage was cancelled this year so I don't know what to think of BSC, but I'd assume they'd be better than LC early in the year.

Dorian over Methodist. I feel bad for the eastern Carolina kids (MU, NCWC, etc.) over the last few years and missing games. You'd think they'd have contingency plans in place for early season games.


and finally, Berry vs. Maryville. 2:00 pm Honaker Field at Lloyd L. Thornton Stadium.
You can call me many things, but an irrational homer is not one of them.

Berry wins. Again.

[Hawks88]

Now they're including the chance of isolated t-storms.  At least it's only going to be 99 instead of 100. 

[jknezek]

Now they're including the chance of isolated t-storms.  At least it's only going to be 99 instead of 100. 

Has Huntingdon spent a thousand dollars and put some ventless AC in the visiting locker rooms yet or are they still cheaping out for a sad advantage? Knowing what I know of that facility, I would refuse to schedule an OOC at Huntingdon in the first 2 months of the season...

[Scots13]

We played at Huntingdon Week 1 of my senior year and they put partitions up in the weight room to serve as the locker room. I've been in far worse facilities. At least we didn't have a MRSA scare after the game...

[jknezek]

We played at Huntingdon Week 1 of my senior year and they put partitions up in the weight room to serve as the locker room. I've been in far worse facilities. At least we didn't have a MRSA scare after the game...

Well... there is always that. I just remember Wesley finding the sole shady tree on the visitor sideline to do their halftime because it was so hot in the locker room and Guilford just giving up and doing it on the buses, offense on one, defense on the other, because the locker room was so hot. It just seems bush league to me.

[Wild Horse Rider]

From my experience there were very few teams in the area with even adequate locker room situations when it came to halftime.
Methodist- Visitors dressed in the basketball locker rooms in the gym above the stadium.  The walk wasn't too bad but not a great space for meeting
Averett- Visitors dressed in the locker rooms in the gym which was a good walk across the parking lot from the stadium (this may have changes since I know there were upgrades recently)
Huntingdon- JK already hit the high notes
Maryville- Visitors had a few classrooms for meetings and usually 2 locker rooms in the gym which was a short walk from the stadium.  The only drawback was you had to walk through their fans who could be brutal (that never bothered me personally but as it happens there were a few bad eggs that said inappropriate things to players)
LaGrange- Locker room was under the home bleachers
Greensboro- Grimsley High School has the locker room right next to the field which is a little small for a college team but convenient
Guilford- I have dressed in the old pool, the old gym, and lastly what I believe was the old locker room for the football team.  Again it is a little ways from the field
NCWC- High School stadium.  Last few times we had the gym and a few locker rooms near there.  It was a short walk from the field
Ferrum- This was at one time the longest walk ever.  It was past the baseball field, football field house, a parking lot, across the road, and down near the weight room in the bottom of the gym.  I am also unsure how the new facilities have changed this situation
E&H- Dressed in the pool area before and also a few locker rooms in what I believe is the gym behind the visitors side of the field.  Both options were relatively close to the field
Shenandoah- Their locker room is directly behind one of the end zones.  Before it was built the visitors locker room was down the road a good clip but they did set up an event tent for half time beside the visitors stands
CNU- Top notch locker rooms a short walk from the stadium

All told there were not very many good locations for halftime.  I remember setting up shop under many a shade tree as far away from the fans as we could get but not typically making it back to the locker rooms for halftime.  One of the things I always thought was an issue was the fact that the officials started the halftime clock prior to the teams leaving the field.  Those away games where we had a walk we have to make the decision if it was worth walking for 5 minutes to sit for 8 before gathering up for the 5 minute walk back to the field.  One away trip I will never forget was Chowan.  I know that the facilities have to have upgraded since the early 2000's but back then the away locker room was one to remember.  The restroom had two toilets that sat in the middle of the room for some reason with no partitions, a few urinals, and sinks along one wall .  That was always a "team building" away trip due to the conditions. 

[Scots13]

Best tailgate location in the USAC?
I'm biased, but MC is probably at the top of the list. Right there at the gate. 15 yards from the fence to the goal post. Straight forward view to the scoreboard (that needs to be replaced). Not the biggest, but the best.

[Wild Horse Rider]

Scots I would say the only 2 that have a respectable tailgate are you guys and Huntingdon.  I have seen Averett and Methodist be ok at times.  I cannot say about Brevard as I have never been there or LaGrange since I was only there once.  Greensboro and NCWC have tried but it is tough when you are using the local high schools facilities.

[jknezek]

As much as I gave Huntingdon crap for their visiting locker room situation, I'll give them credit for their tailgating. I've been to a few good ones there. Sad to be missing this weekend when Guilford visits. I thought they sold some of the land they had used for tailgating, or maybe for parking, so I wonder if it's the same as I remember. But those folks were dedicated, put up some good food, and welcomed all comers. The spot had some good shade, actually able to tailgate where you parked, and it was close enough to the field to wander back at halftime and pig out some more.

[Scots13]

Haven't been to Brevard yet either, but they play at the local high school. Wouldn't get my hopes up.

[Scots13]

But while on the subject of tailgating, 2 things:

1. People literally show up on Wednesday afternoons during practice to stake tents in the ground and claim their area. That's dedication.

2. I don't know why the athletics department does it, but every year at Homecoming there is a volleyball game and soccer game on campus AT THE SAME TIME AS THE FOOTBALL GAME. The campus is already packed. Why spread fans out? Have them come to the tailgate and into the stadium and fill it to the brim. It's always irked me, especially this year for the bicentennial. 

[Wild Horse Rider]

The local fan support for Maryville was always impressive.  It was never just the student body.  I believe the same can be said for Huntingdon.  Fayetteville is a 2 college town but I don't believe that Fayetteville State has an unbelievable tailgate either.  The issue I always believed partly was due to the transient nature of a military town.  Averett  and LaGrange could be a big draws since I am not sure what other options you would have in Danville or LaGrange for a live sporting event on a Saturday.  Both schools are well established in their communities but the football teams are newer (I believe Averett is closing in on 20 seasons soon).

[Wild Horse Rider]

Sorry I have not figured out how to edit yet.  This is Averett's 20th season