FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[jknezek]

Hasa

Not sorry about the result but I'm sorry the game got out of hand. I was really looking forward to a hard fought, close game but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Good luck the remainder of the season. The way this one is going there is absolutely no way to know how this plays out.

My Tigers close the season against W&L and RMC. You've seen all three teams. How do you see HSc vs. W&L and HSC vs. RMC knowing the ODAC is a league where anything can happen ?   

W&L has not won at HSC since 2005. I think Shenandoah caught HSC in a trap game. It is possible W&L will get just as lucky as the Tigers look forward to "The Game", which they have lost the last two. However I don't think so. The Generals will have to play their best game, but it is the ODAC. I think W&L will need to get out in front and HSC's passing game is going to have to sputter. if HSC scores 30 points, they should win.

[tigerfanalso]

Jk

Once again I think we agree. I believe HSC has given up 30 or more only once this year and they lost that game.
HSC run defense is much better this year BUT they have yet to play against the option so it will be interesting to see how HSC defends against it. We'll see how the ball bounces on Saturday; has the makings to be another crazy week in the ODAC.

[hasanova]

Hasa

Not sorry about the result but I'm sorry the game got out of hand. I was really looking forward to a hard fought, close game but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Good luck the remainder of the season. The way this one is going there is absolutely no way to know how this plays out.

My Tigers close the season against W&L and RMC. You've seen all three teams. How do you see HSc vs. W&L and HSC vs. RMC knowing the ODAC is a league where anything can happen ?   

It did get out of hand ... surprised everyone on the GC side.  Clearly, on this one day, HSC was the best team we've played all year.  With that said, GC isn't as bad as we looked ... but boy, did we look bad. I think HSC will take W&L at home, but I give RMC a chance to beat the Tigers in Ashland.  From my perspective, that would be the best scenario for GC also.

[tigerfanalso]

Hasa

The last two weeks are going to be difficult; RMC is HSC's biggest rival and W&L is number two on that list. HSC will definitely get the best those teams have to offer. Remains to be seen if HSC can stay focused and excute like they did in Greensboro. 

[jknezek]

RMC is HSC's biggest rival and W&L is number two on that list.

One of these days I'm going to figure out how to give W&L a rivalry game. Centre and Sewanee are the best we've got, but since the 70s those have been OOC games so there isn't much on the line. It also doesn't help that Centre seems to rule W&L and W&L seems to rule Sewanee. Keeps the interest from really sparking.

Counting out RMC and HSC (who have each other), the other 6 ODAC teams need to figure this out. Get some cheesy trophies or something. Catholic and Guilford should compete in the Non-Dominion game, or Shenandoah and Catholic in the NODAC and E&H and Guilford in the SODAC (North or South ODAC championship respectively). W&L and Bridgewater can play the I-81 challenge, or the Rock County Showdown (Rockbridge vs Rockingham?). Help me out here...

[tigerfanalso]

Jk

I'll serve up a rival for you as soon as VMI joins the ODAC and I don't think that is going to be too far away. HSC is your best rival in the ODAC, at least that is what I get from listening to kids from both schools. When I played (100 years ago) W&L was so bad it was just another game; that is no longer the case. Evidently these kids look forward to playing each other.

[jknezek]

Jk

I'll serve up a rival for you as soon as VMI joins the ODAC and I don't think that is going to be too far away. HSC is your best rival in the ODAC, at least that is what I get from listening to kids from both schools. When I played (100 years ago) W&L was so bad it was just another game; that is no longer the case. Evidently these kids look forward to playing each other.

VMI moving to DIII would be interesting, but I think they make too much money being basketball and football cannon fodder to entertain the idea. Just a complete guess however, as I have no idea. They'd have some seriously oversized facilities for a D3 school. Also, W&L and VMI almost NEVER played in football, despite playing the first inter-collegiate football game in the South (Who tracks that stupid fact?). For example, W&L last played VMI in 1902 and only played them 17 times total. For comparison purposes, they played Va Tech 48 times, last in '53, Virginia 35 times, last in '53, West Va 36 times, last in '53, and Richmond 21 times, last in '53. So VMI and W&L do not have a football history other than one random and unusual fact that no one cares about.

As for in the ODAC, I'd agree right now. HSC and W&L have been at each other's throats for a few years because it's been late in the season and it has mattered. Rivalries also have to be important when that isn't the case, however, so we'll see if these schools still feel the same way when the cycle turns.

W&L spent a long, long time "looking up" at the ODAC leaders. So for a while there was real distaste for E&H, then Bridgewater. I don't get the same feel of distaste for the HSC game, probably because in the last 4 or 5 years it has been more a meeting of equals. I guess there is a chance for that to develop, but it will never surpass The Game, so I just can't really put it down as HSC's rivalry.

[narch]

But when you are going to be a clod of dirt under a steam roller's wheels, it's hard to get excited about it. Conference title? Love it. Great achievement for W&L this year if they can get a share. Playoff bid? Eh. Not really interested in watching it happen this year.

i get that you don't think w&l is very good or very deserving this year, and that you think they'll get beat badly in the first round if they do, but it still amazes me to read the words above from a fan...i haven't experienced ncaa football playoffs for my favorite team, but i think if mu makes it 3 times in the next 7 years and gets beat by an average score of 40 to 11, i'll still be fired up if mu goes again...i'm kind of a glass half full, guy, though...here's hoping i find out

[Scots13]

But when you are going to be a clod of dirt under a steam roller's wheels, it's hard to get excited about it. Conference title? Love it. Great achievement for W&L this year if they can get a share. Playoff bid? Eh. Not really interested in watching it happen this year.

i get that you don't think w&l is very good or very deserving this year, and that you think they'll get beat badly in the first round if they do, but it still amazes me to read the words above from a fan...i haven't experienced ncaa football playoffs for my favorite team, but i think if mu makes it 3 times in the next 7 years and gets beat by an average score of 40 to 11, i'll still be fired up if mu goes again...i'm kind of a glass half full, guy, though...here's hoping i find out

If your team has to play the likes of Mount Union or UMHB, at least you get to see where your team stands. I agree with narch here, but I hope Maryville has a run of playoff years 

[jknezek]

But when you are going to be a clod of dirt under a steam roller's wheels, it's hard to get excited about it. Conference title? Love it. Great achievement for W&L this year if they can get a share. Playoff bid? Eh. Not really interested in watching it happen this year.

i get that you don't think w&l is very good or very deserving this year, and that you think they'll get beat badly in the first round if they do, but it still amazes me to read the words above from a fan...i haven't experienced ncaa football playoffs for my favorite team, but i think if mu makes it 3 times in the next 7 years and gets beat by an average score of 40 to 11, i'll still be fired up if mu goes again...i'm kind of a glass half full, guy, though...here's hoping i find out

I hope you do. It's a rare experience for a lot of teams (including W&L!) and a good bit of fun. I'd rather celebrate the conference title than the whooping one of the powers is going to put on a 7-3 team with some holes. It's not that I think they are not that good, the Generals are an above average team in an above average conference, if they win the title they deserve it, but if you share the title 3 or more ways, as is possible but unlikely in the ODAC this year, you are saying half your conference is pretty good, but not real good. The playoffs, mostly, should be for teams that are "real good". Not for the team that won a coin flip, or benefitted from a Rose Bowl Rule in an above average conference. Last year the Generals were real good, got a bit unlucky in the seed, and left the dance with a 1/2 of a competitive game. This year they would struggle to do so well.

I'm not disparaging the team or its efforts, I just think a shared conference title without the playoffs this year isn't a bad result for them. A shared conference title and a whooping in the playoffs? Well, ok, if you insist, but that last game doesn't get me salivating to watch.

[abnrgr]

Guys
Get to the show. That is what we tried to do every year. A a$$ whipping is better than sitting at home watching Kate Upton undulating half naked on the...... Was I thinking out loud again?

But I rather be in the show no matter what unless we did not get the conference ring.

[hasanova]

Hasa

The last two weeks are going to be difficult; RMC is HSC's biggest rival and W&L is number two on that list. HSC will definitely get the best those teams have to offer. Remains to be seen if HSC can stay focused and excute like they did in Greensboro.

tfa, HSC was certainly focused in Greensboro - I could accept the possibility of losing a close game to the Tigers, but did not expect what I saw.  I really think it's partly a mind game.  lol  HSC is very good, but obviously vulnerable (SU game).  Guilford is good (SU, RMC, BC and W&L), but sure didn't show it Saturday.  It's a hard game to figure.  I sure hope GC has their game face on at CUA and against E&H.  The Quakers can still win this thing, but will need some help from the Generals and the Yellow Jackets!

[tigerfanalso]

Hasa

Know what you mean as I still can't believe what I saw when HSC played SU. Hard to explain which makes it very hard to project the ODAC winner. With 2 games remaining GC,RMC,W&L and HSC are in the hunt. I believe HSC is the only team that controlls it's own destiny, but I could be wrong on that point. The final two weeks are going to be fun to watch and I'm not about to predict the winner, I'll leave that up to Jk as he follows this stuff alot closer than I do. 

[jknezek]

Hasa

Know what you mean as I still can't believe what I saw when HSC played SU. Hard to explain which makes it very hard to project the ODAC winner. With 2 games remaining GC,RMC,W&L and HSC are in the hunt. I believe HSC is the only team that controlls it's own destiny, but I could be wrong on that point. The final two weeks are going to be fun to watch and I'm not about to predict the winner, I'll leave that up to Jk as he follows this stuff alot closer than I do.

You are correct. HSC controls its own destiny. Everyone else needs help. W&L needs the most help, GC and RMC need less.

[tigerfanalso]

JK

I've got to ask, what is your take on the W&L vs. HSC game, the RMC vs BC game and the GC vs. CAU game ?