FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Olinemom]

Thanks for the limerick. Hasa.  I put it in my "H's limericks file"  Friday evening/Saturday morning was just plain miserable.  I was too nervous to sleep or grade or do anything worthwhile.  And I didn't have enough time for the Ambien I always take since I got hit with the school backhoe in order to be able to sleep to begin with.  I figured I'd be really RIGHT (in all the wrong meanings of the word) by game time.  But I got a second wind and was fine all day.  Religion Major and I met Coach Tom Manning's family, Ace and lots of the family before the game.  I gave them some brownies for their tailgate and tasted my first brat.  Managed to spill mustard all over my Stone Station hoodie.  I am such a klutz!!  They were all so very nice!!  I love the tailgating scene, everybody's so mellow and friendly.  One set of tailgaters gave RM a nd me ham sandwiches--divine!!  We got to meet Casper and Wasp64 (might have the number wrong)  It was an amazing day at the TG area!!  Now we didn't have the spread that the SI guy, Andrew Reed, talked about in his blog as we were on the road.  But we had the lowcountry boil with shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn, chicken salad with artichokes,tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese and pasta (me--I can do other things than bake.  I can buy at Costco!!), macaroni salad, Bruschetta (Costco!!) and pita chips(yep, the big C) all kinds of chips, pineapple jello shots, brownies--a new kind that disappeared faster than any I have made before.  Oh and I brought croissant (Costco encore une fois!!!) for breakfast or brunch.  We had a smaller Communion circle.  Religion Major wants to add, "Family traditions" as a song to sing just before we have communion.  What do you think?  I can't quite see Dofflemyer, Skoal or Huggie singing at that moment, but it would sure liven up the moment!!  It was so great to see you and your fine lady!!  Hope to see you at the Stagg Bowl.  Good luck to you this week with CAtholic, right?  What is the word on Josh's shoulder?  I feel really bad about that.  I had so wanted to meet him, but that would have been unthinkable that day and unkind.  So maybe next year at Guilford cause you know I'll be there!!  Gotta go and try to do something constructive!!  Try, being the operative word here.
Oh yea, there was a game too, wasn't there.  I thought my hair was going to turn grey before the game was over.  We should have had 14 points in the first half.  But shouda, woulda coulda doesn't get it done.  In the second half, both teams were moving the ball.  We had another horrible mistake on the 3 yd. line.  I couldn't watch the next 4 plays.  I'm too short anyway when everybody stands up, so I wouldn't have been able to see.  And the winning field goal?  Couldn't watch that either. Way too nervous.  It was the kind of game that had kept me up the night before.  And the young man from E&H is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.  The officiating was horrible on both sides.  The number of times they had to get together and discuss obvious things and miss obvious things that both sides had seen and screamed about--this year has been bad, the past years have been very bad, but this year, these guys would look bad in a peewee league. They just aren't ready for their responsibilities.  + karma for him from me and to the HS fellow who talked about it as well.  Too long but oh well l l l  That's what 12 hours of sleep will do for someone who talks for a living!!!

[y_jack_lok]

The Online Poll seems to suggest that R-MC's game against GC is a home game for R-MC. The R-MC scheudle shows the game as being played at GC.

[casper]

It was a pleasure finally getting to meet some of the BC tailgating contingent.  I don't know that I have ever eaten that much shrimp in such a short time.

Tough breaks on both sides of the ball.  I saw it as a serious slobber knocker and I too wondered where the intensity was on the O side of the ball.

Games and "mo" change all the time and things tightening up are what make games like that special.

Hope everyone made it home safely....

[TheEHC52]

Honestly Kid, it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction.  Granted, I finally said something because of the game, but it is something that has been building up for the last few years as a player and now as a fan.  I respect that you thought Saturday was fairly called, but I saw a lot of things that I mentioned in my post.  I also stated that my reaction wasn't due to BW winning.  Emory could've (and should've) won the game several times, but Bridgewater was able to make the plays they needed to in order to win.  I disagree with those that say the O came out flat, Bridgewater (like Emory) has a stout defense that's tough to score on.  My contention wasn't with the players or bias by the refs towards either team.  Rather, I was upset that the refs in the ODAC are horrible.  They're getting paid to do a job and they should put a little more pride into their work.  There were too many missed calls that were blatant penalties.

On another note, sorry I wasn't one of the folks that stopped by Stone Station.  I caught up before the game talking with all my friends about their recently received LSAT scores and what I thought they should do about law school for next year.

[hasanova]

The Online Poll seems to suggest that R-MC's game against GC is a home game for R-MC. The R-MC scheudle shows the game as being played at GC.

That was mentioned earlier, y_jack_lok.  Perhaps the poll can't be modified.  It is, in fact, homecoming at Guilford.

[hasanova]

You're welcome, Olinemom.  I'm flattered you've archived some of them.

[y_jack_lok]

Thanks, hasanova. Sorry I didn't look back. You guys posts so much so fast that my head spins when I try to play catch-up.

[TXMike]

Rather, I was upset that the refs in the ODAC are horrible.  They're getting paid to do a job and they should put a little more pride into their work.  There were too many missed calls that were blatant penalties.

It probably is not possible that what you THOUGHT were fouls were really not fouls? Also, there is tremendous pressure on officials at all NCAA levels to reduce the number of flags thrown.  The conferences want what are referred to as "Big Calls".  Borderline ones will not be flagged. 

[Jacketlawyer]

I caught up before the game talking with all my friends about their recently received LSAT scores and what I thought they should do about law school for next year.

[allsky7]

Rather, I was upset that the refs in the ODAC are horrible.  They're getting paid to do a job and they should put a little more pride into their work.  There were too many missed calls that were blatant penalties.

It probably is not possible that what you THOUGHT were fouls were really not fouls? Also, there is tremendous pressure on officials at all NCAA levels to reduce the number of flags thrown.  The conferences want what are referred to as "Big Calls".  Borderline ones will not be flagged. 

     Officiating is a tough job. Not sure why anyone would want to put up with the BS that officials put up with.  I have seen two ODAC games this year and thought they were pretty well officiated. As long as human beings are doing the officiating, mistakes are going to be made. As a former coach, I think if officials make the "big calls" and are consistent, then you can live with it.  8)

[TheEHC52]

TXMike, if you go back and read what religion_major and Olinemom said (abnrgr piped in about ODAC officiating in general), I wasn't the only one who thought the officiating left something to be desired.  I also realize that pg04, Kid, and E and H Todd thought the officiating was okay.  Point is, that while we're all divided on the officials, I wasn't the only one that thought the officiating left something to be desired.

[TXMike]

...and my reply was not directed just for you but for the rest of them as well.  I just decided to quote one of you. 

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

New poll posted.

Previous Question: What will R-MC's ODAC record, now 3-0, end up being? (remaining games: vs. GC, at BC, vs. H-SC)

6-0 - 5 (10%)
5-1 - 11 (22%)
4-2 - 26 (52%)
3-3 - 8 (16%)
   
Total Voters: 50

[HSC85]

TXMIKE<



Thanks for the explanation on what officials may be thinking.  It makes alot of sense when we in the stands see holding by the wide recievers on plays on the outside that is not called for two or three plays and then it is finally called when the coaches are complaining enough.  It seems that the complaining coach got his way.  But I guess it was finally a "big call".  I have seen at least 10 live college games this season.  My only complaint with the officials is they are not consistent.  The same contact on a pass play is let go for 2-5 times before pass interference is called, or a holding situation is let go all during the 1st half and is called in the second half.  I too am a former college player and high school coach.  All that I have ever asked is that the officiating be consistent and for the official to call what they see.  It is really disturbing to hear that the conferences are putting pressure on the officails to let things go.  It is not fair to the players.  If there are fouls occuring then penalties should be called.  All you are doing when you go to a "big call" scenario is bringing in more subjective decision making into the process.  Now they have to decide in a split second did I see a foul and is it "big" enough to make a call.  That kind of thinking makes the officials job harder in my opinion.

[TXMike]

I don't mean to sound condescending here but the reality is that it is near impossible to have the same exact contact between players on successive plays.  Officials are trained to look at specific things happening during contact.  And if those things are not happening, then there is no foul.  It may appear that the contact and situation are the same but most times they are not. 

I am not saying some calls are not missed.  Some fouls are missed (and we  see that at all levels of football, not just D-III and for sure not just in the ODAC).

Officials also strive for consistency.  And their struggle goes beyond just being consistent themself, they want to be consistent with one another, especially within the same conference.   

As for "thinking" about whether or not you have a foul, the general rule of thumb for officials is "If you think you saw a foul. you did not." What that means is that when you are not sure if it was a foul or not, it is not.  Only when you immediately know you saw a foul, do you have one.