FB: Liberty League

[BobbyBoucher]

To Quote U' Football.com

10-0

Nuff Said

Luv Ya F. Rossi!!!!

[mattvsmith]

Could one of you guys go through the ramifications of today's results?  I remember Frank had a long post going through the different possibilities a couple weeks ago.

Can we have a re-assessment?

Am I safe in assuming that Union got the pool A and HObart has the Pool C?

[BobbyBoucher]

Rev

You assume too much (with respect to anyone remembering the spewing of one F. Rossi...)

Bobby skims through F. Rossi's playoff scenarios, but never quite absorbs them.  (Sorry Rossi.....)

Bobby has stated again and again.....

Lets just play it out on the gridiron.....  If U win out, U control your own destiny.

[BobbyBoucher]

A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.

Leaders aren't born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.

I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.

Thank you Vince

Congrats to the 2005 Union College Dutchman..........

[Frank Rossi]

Well, I'm going to assist in the discussion for/against Cortland in the NCAAs.

First, in Pool B, if Linfield defeats Willamette tonight, I believe only four teams deserve consideration:

1) Linfield
2) Thiel
3) Wash & Jeff
4) Wesley

All other Pool B teams have three or more losses.

Thus, Pool C will belong completely to Pool A runners up.  Here are the one-loss teams in Pool A's conso bracket:

1) Central
2) North Central
3) Hobart
4) Mary Hardin-Baylor (Assuming Hardin-Simmons wins)
5) Concordia-Morehead
6) Cal Lutheran

Cal Lutheran appears to be the weakest of those six teams.  Its SoS (Quality of Wins) score will be 9.444 by the end of the night.  There appears to be only two worthy two-loss teams remaining in the conso Pool A column:

1) Capital
2) Cortland

Cortland's loss to Buffalo State earlier in the season hurts them badly.  Yet, by the end of the night, they will have nearly an equal SoS score as Capital.  Capital's losses were to Mount Union and mid-level Otterbein.  The quality of the teams that Capital lost to are better than the teams Cortland lost to (Rowan and Buff St.).  I think Capital wins in this battle.

If Hardin-Simmons loses to Texas Lutheran tonight, then Cortland would most likely win the final Pool C slot, as Hardin-Simmons' SoS will fall precipitously.

The last question to ask is, "Would Cortland be able to beat out Cal Lutheran since its SoS is so much higher than Cal Lutheran's?"  I think the answer is no, as Cal Lutheran had one loss in a decent league (Occidental's high ranking helps prop up the entire conference's standing).  So, I think Cortland's ONLY way into the playoffs rely on Linfield and Texas Lutheran winning tonight.

Frank

(Note:  Note sure what to make of UW-Oshkosh in terms of this mix, but I still think Cortland is the team most on the sidelines right now, followed by UW-Oshkosh and SJF).

[Frank Rossi]

The East has a big problem.

Here is what we pretty much know:

1) Delaware Valley
2) Union
3) Rowan
4) Hobart
5) Ithaca
6) ?
7) ?
8) Curry

Wash & Jeff is on the cusp of the 500-mile "as-the-crow-flies" flight standard of the NCAA to Schenectady.  However, they may need to move into the East Region, my guess is as the 6th seed.  I like the idea someone else had related to Capital moving to the 7th seed in this region, but Columbus, OH is 600 miles from Schenectady.  The East Region would be stretching boundaries it has never stretched before.  If Hardin-Simmons loses tonight, then Cortland would fill the 6th or 7th seed.  However, if Cortland remains out, then expect some obscene travel bills in the East Region this season.  Johns Hopkins is only 350 miles from Union, and it provides a better fit geographically.  Here's my projection:

1) Delaware Valley
2) Union
3) Rowan
4) Hobart
5) Ithaca
6) Wash. & Jeff.
7) Johns Hopkins
8) Curry

Frank

[Rolevio]

While Rolevio would like to see John Hopkins, he is wondering how much the fact that Alfred has only one regional loss helps them.

[BobbyBoucher]

Frank,

Is Bobby nuts for wishing a Union W&J playoff game??  Bobby has friends who played for W&J and would love the bragging rights......

[Frank Rossi]

While Rolevio would like to see John Hopkins, he is wondering how much the fact that Alfred has only one regional loss helps them.

Cortland would go before Alfred...Cortland beat Ithaca.  Alfred did not.  I think we can stop evaluation at that point normally.

[Frank Rossi]

Frank,

Is Bobby nuts for wishing a Union W&J playoff game??  Bobby has friends who played for W&J and would love the bragging rights......

W&J I have been saying is for real this season.  I'm glad that with only one loss, they will get their chance. 

I think my pairings for the first round are all beneficial travelwise, as Rowan is just a trek across PA from W&J.  D Valley and Curry are within reach.  Hobart and Ithaca are obviously nearby.  Union and JHU are within the travel restrictions.  Shuffling these would make travel tough on somebody.  However, it's not an easy setup, by any means.

Frank

[mandfense]

The East has a big problem.

Here is what we pretty much know:

1) Delaware Valley
2) Union
3) Rowan
4) Hobart
5) Ithaca
6) ?
7) ?
8) Curry

Wash & Jeff is on the cusp of the 500-mile "as-the-crow-flies" flight standard of the NCAA to Schenectady.  However, they may need to move into the East Region, my guess is as the 6th seed.  I like the idea someone else had related to Capital moving to the 7th seed in this region, but Columbus, OH is 600 miles from Schenectady.  The East Region would be stretching boundaries it has never stretched before.  If Hardin-Simmons loses tonight, then Cortland would fill the 6th or 7th seed.  However, if Cortland remains out, then expect some obscene travel bills in the East Region this season.  Johns Hopkins is only 350 miles from Union, and it provides a better fit geographically.  Here's my projection:

1) Delaware Valley
2) Union
3) Rowan
4) Hobart
5) Ithaca
6) Wash. & Jeff.
7) Johns Hopkins
8) Curry

Frank

So then who is the #8 seed in the South to replace Johns Hopkins???  That would make a weak #7 and #8 in the East, but a ridiculously strong #7 and #8 in the South in comparison.

[sollified]

Pat is was good meeting you today.  Glad you could finally experience the oldest college rivalry in New York State... the 103rd meeting was certainly memorable.

Good game Union.  RPI left EVERYTHING on the field... Turnovers will kill you everytime.  now they will get to play in the "Kiss your sister" ECAC championship game.  Either way they get to end there season with a win.

Who is going to the ECAC's?

[Frank Rossi]

So then who is the #8 seed in the South to replace Johns Hopkins???  That would make a weak #7 and #8 in the East, but a ridiculously strong #7 and #8 in the South in comparison.

How about this for the South (in no seeding order):

1) Wesley
2) Hardin-Simmons
3) Mary Hardin-Baylor
4) Trinity
5) Thiel
6) Bridgewater (Va.)
7) Ferrum
8) ?

Is there another team in the geographical play?  I don't think any "North" teams fit into the East's geography (Mt. Union - Ohio, Wabash - Indiana, Lakeland - Wisconsin, Augustana - Illinois, North Central - Illinois, Capital - Ohio, Mt. St. Joseph - Ohio, Albion - Michigan). 

[BobbyBoucher]

Sollified,

Bobby hopes U were able to get Pat to do a Car bomb with the rest of your clan!!!

As you stated, "the 103rd meeting was certainly memorable"!!!

Bobby knows it means little coming from a U alum, but RPI should hold their head high.  This RPI team has come a long way since last year and will be a force to recon with over the next couple years as long as your freshman QB stays healthy.

[Frank Rossi]

After looking it over, I guess there is another overall problem in terms of regions and teams available from each region:

West - 9
North - 8
East - 6
South - 9

With the West and South looking bloated (assuming Linfield and Hardin-Simmons win and assuming Cal Lutheran is in the mix), it seems that one team would need to rotate out of the South and one team rotate out of the North into the East to give them 8 teams.  In doing so, the West would have to "loan" a team to the North (likely Central).  But who would rotate from the North?  I still think JHU goes to the East because of its weak play lately and its proximity compared to W&J.  Essentially, I think the East is going to be forced to accept a team that will have to possibly fly in the second round.  How about this:

1) D Valley
2) Union
3) Rowan
4) Hobart
5) Capital
6) Ithaca
7) JHU
8) Curry

Some intriguing matchups there - but it almost feels like the NCAA needs another East team to really balance the brackets more easily.  Cortland should smile at that thought, but I doubt it's a powerful enough argument to get them in.