FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[HSCTiger74]

HSC Tiger
Yea I coached and taught there 97-2001 until the war pulled me out. I played there in the 70's during the days of DEFENSE. They got less D and more offense now.

They got a bye this week because the team we were suppsoe to play got into a bench clearing Friday night and they lost the chance to play. Never heard of that since 1971 anyway. So they are automatially in the eastern final!! I know the AD is freaking because they lost a 3rd round gate.

I read about that in today's paper, but it also said that South Brunswick planned to appeal. The executive board was hoping to meet about that this morning, so maybe the AD will get his home game after all.

[new_era]

Bowtie / jnkezek -  another W&L poster here.   Great season by the Generals and a great building block.  However, we wont sneak up on anyone next year so need a huge off-season to add some pounds on the line and keep "that swagger"

NewEra.

[jknezek]

Bowtie / jnkezek -  another W&L poster here.   Great season by the Generals and a great building block.  However, we wont sneak up on anyone next year so need a huge off-season to add some pounds on the line and keep "that swagger"

NewEra.

I'm guessing we'll get both R-M and H-S on the road next year since we were home this year. That makes for a much tougher schedule as well. On the other hand, we were fairly young this year, I think we only started 5 seniors both sides of the ball, so some seasoning should help. But yeah, having seen what happened when we played Wilkes in '04 and listening to the TMC game this year, we aren't going to have a lot of luck in the playoffs unless we can start getting some bigger kids on the lines. Still... nice to have seen the improvement over the late 90s when I was there.

[abnrgr]

Damn South Brunswick. 

[skoaltrain]

Skoal!! How are you?
Anyway UVA is going to be mercy killed. Virginia Poly Tech will smite them....

Say hey to your buddy Jack D. 

Doing quite well abnrgr. Doing well.  And I don't have any buddies named Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, or George Dickel.  They have been more like enimies to me over the years.  Just a "Beer Guy." 

I hope you and yours enjoyed Thanksgiving.  And I agree, Tech will roll over UVA.  My Dad graduated from Tech back in 60' so I'm pulling for them. 

[skoaltrain]

skoaltrain, good to hear from you.  yea, only a month until the stagg.  already planning for what brews to bring.  really looking forward to hanging with you guys again hopefully with no snow this time.

WesleyDad, I'm counting down the days.  I've got a neighbor of mine that's coming in Saturday with his 5th wheel camper and is going to witness D3 Football and Tailgating first hand.  I'll be in Friday we some good down home SkoalTrain BBQ.  Please let us not have another UW-W vs. Mt Union Championship.  Someone please step up.  We need some new blood.  Don't get me wrong.  I love the Fellowship with them but it's time for a change of faces.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun filled Thanksgiving.  I spent it  at home with my 5 year old son who is sick.  The wife and daughter are bringing me back a plate from GrandMa D's who cooked today.  She's 92 and still kickin' it old school.  The men eat first while the ladies wait on the men.  Like I said, Old School.

See you in Salem!!!!

[hasanova]

I'm not trying to pick on W&L, but what does it say about ODAC football that Thomas More lost at Mary Hardin-Baylor, 69-7?  As a league, we have some work to do to ever be a national contender.

[jknezek]

I was thinking about that when I watched the score pile on to TMC this weekend. On the other hand, I wasn't actually thinking that W&L was anywhere near a national contender. You see some of the comments about the size of the kids on MHB (6'3" receivers and an o line averaging close to 290lbs) and then you look at the posts about Wesley having the same size kids and you realize the ODAC just doesn't have those kids right now. At least, W&L doesn't and there wasn't anyone else I saw/heard about with those kind of stats at depth. I can't remember the last time W&L had a kid that I thought would play legitimately at a D2 or better school, and all the real contenders for the D3 crown have at least a handful of those kids. You see some of these schools talking about transfers from 2nd or 3rd string D1 players, that isn't going to happen often at W&L (although I do remember a kid coming from the Air Force Academy in the late 90s. He was the 5th string QB at Air Force and only started 1 game for us...)

As a league, the ODAC has a lot of work to do if it wants to be a national player again. And I wouldn't expect that national player status to come from W&L as much as I love the school. The kinds of kids with the right athletic ability, and academic ability, are probably 3 or 4 deep on Duke, Wake, and Vanderbilt's depth chart... Tennis? Yes. Lacrosse? Maybe. Golf? Occassionally. 50+ player football teams? Probably not...

[Olinemom]

Looking forward to seeing everybody at the Stagg Bowl.  Has anybody noticed that the time is set for 3:30 this year, praised be!!!  More tailgating time!!!  I think the game between UMHB and Wesley is going to be helpful in deciding who shows up in Salem, besides us of course.  I will be arriving on Tuesday as per usual.  I like to get in all the usual banquets and hobnobbing I can!!!  See you soon.  I'll be at the regular place cause I can't afford to have me a trailer with all the luxuries like all you other people.

[wesleydad]

olinemom, we will be there.  already have the room, staying at the howard johnson this year, a little closer in case we get another record snowfall.   we will be arriving friday afternoon.  i think there is a good chance we will be wearing our wesley colors and having a team to cheer for other than uwww.

[Olinemom]

You might be right.  This week's game looks like a mighty big one to me!!!  I'll be at the Quality Inn as always.  That damn snow had better not come 2 years in a row!!!

[wasper68]

jknezek,

I don't think this is confined to W&L.  There are so many more teams playing ball now then there used to be.  It is so much harder to get the kids who fall through the cracks from DII or 1AA with the larger pool of schools to pick from.  When I was at Emory we had several kids a year that transferred in from a higher school.  Some made a huge impact while others were contributors.

My personal opinion is that CNU and North Carolina Wesleyan have had the biggest impact as far as taking kids away from ODAC schools as they are both in talent rich areas that were owned by the ODAC for D3 talent.

Any other opinions?

[jknezek]

Wasper -- that's a great point. I completely agree. You see a lot of these guys complaining about how far they have to travel to get games, but that cuts both ways since it means there are a lot more kids to pick from in between. Still, you see teams like Wesley which is certainly in as difficult a recruiting area doing just fine. As for it not just being W&L I agree with that as well. I was using W&L simply because it's my alma mater as well as this year's ODAC champion. I'm a firm believer that there really aren't that many D3 schools that are serious contenders every years. Maybe 4-6 or so. I'd just like to see the ODAC schools get to the point where we are losing ONLY to those contenders instead of getting knocked out in the first round. Then again, from a W&L alum who has seen precious little in the way of championship seasons, I'm downright ecstatic when we are competitive in the ODAC. The rest of D3... that's a whole different ball of wax.

[roocru]

This Saturday's game between Wesley and UMHB should be a corker!!!  I've been to Delaware at this time of year and it isn't pretty.  The weather nor the team.  I think it will be a hard-fought game and whoever wins will really have deserved to win.  What I hope (because I can be oh so selfish) is that both Roocru and his family and Wesleydad and his family will both be with us at the Stagg.  But neither of you all bring that *&^$#^(__snow, please!! I had enough of that last year to last a lifetime!!!  Love, Oline Mom. :)To try and be non-partial, I went with BC colors 

Olinemom,

The Stagg Bowl is probably not in the cards for us to attend this year.  My son and his wife are expecting their first child (and my first grandson) and the due date is December 14.  You know that only something of this magnitude would keep us away.   I think my only chance is if my grandson decides to come early.    I will keep all of you ODAC friends in the loop about the upcoming event!

[wasper68]

Wasper -- that's a great point. I completely agree. You see a lot of these guys complaining about how far they have to travel to get games, but that cuts both ways since it means there are a lot more kids to pick from in between. Still, you see teams like Wesley which is certainly in as difficult a recruiting area doing just fine. As for it not just being W&L I agree with that as well. I was using W&L simply because it's my alma mater as well as this year's ODAC champion. I'm a firm believer that there really aren't that many D3 schools that are serious contenders every years. Maybe 4-6 or so. I'd just like to see the ODAC schools get to the point where we are losing ONLY to those contenders instead of getting knocked out in the first round. Then again, from a W&L alum who has seen precious little in the way of championship seasons, I'm downright ecstatic when we are competitive in the ODAC. The rest of D3... that's a whole different ball of wax.

Yeah I also want to see the ODAC be more competitive in the playoffs.  There is so much parity in our league that it makes it difficult for 1 team to have all the studs.  The contenders year in and year out are loaded with guys who have DII or 1AA talent.