FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[HSCTiger fan]

The NCAA missed a great team in Guilford.  It's a shame that the circumstances of the W&L game defined a season and, essentially, the career of these great seniors.

Good luck to W&L.

With a huge amount of respect WL did go 10-0. The story is not - GC not getting in but rather WL having to play on the road. You diminish the accomplisemts of both GC and WL when you keep talking about their "careers" coming down to one game.  You make it sound factual that they would have won.  None of us know what would have happen. It's just speculation. Like I said before had your coach gone for 2 last year at HSC, GC might have already had an ODAC title.  But he didn't. Had your QB not gotten hurt. But he did. I'm confident this is not the first time a team lost when one of their best players got injured. 

Congrats to WL on the finest season in ODAC history.  Playing at TM is going to be tough. But you guys can do it.

[hasanova]

The NCAA missed a great team in Guilford.  It's a shame that the circumstances of the W&L game defined a season and, essentially, the career of these great seniors.

Good luck to W&L.

With a huge amount of respect WL did go 10-0. The story is not - GC not getting in but rather WL having to play on the road. You diminish the accomplisemts of both GC and WL when you keep talking about their "careers" coming down to one game.  You make it sound factual that they would have won.  None of us know what would have happen. It's just speculation. Like I said before had your coach gone for 2 last year at HSC, GC might have already had an ODAC title.  But he didn't. Had your QB not gotten hurt. But he did. I'm confident this is not the first time a team lost when one of their best players got injured. 

Congrats to WL on the finest season in ODAC history.  Playing at TM is going to be tough. But you guys can do it.

With all due respect, what is it with you? You misread and misinterpret almost everything I write.  Yes, I wish we had gone for two last year, but why did you bring that up ... it has nothing to do with anything this season.

I have congratulated W&L often ... 10-0 is a great season!  They are the champs.  Yes, I think Guilford was perhaps a better team, but we lost ... I accept that.  I hope W&L goes far in the playoffs.  I think Guilford deserved to get in ... always will.  Peace to you ... 

[Scots13]

Congrats to the ODAC for whipping the USAC again this year. Special congrats to your Generals, jk. And also a special congrats to hasa's Quakers. 10-0 and 9-1 are tough to do. I was hoping Maryville could have turned in a 9-1 season, but I can't really complain with an 8-2 season given history. Always fun seeing records set.

Here's to Huntingdon and W&L making strong runs in the playoffs and representing all of as well.

[SaintsFAN]

d3football.com says Whitworth and Guilford had nearly identical resumes and I agree, but Whitworth lost to Linfield 52-10 and Guilford lost their only game 20-17 in the rain and on the road when our star QB was knocked out with a possible concussion early in the second quarter and the W&L Generals hit a school-record 51-yard FG.  I understand LC is RR #2 and W&L is RR #5, but this is a classic case of a team that got robbed.

I'd say it's pretty clear Linfield is better than Whitworth.  I don't think that's so obvious in Guilford's case with W&L.  I also don't understand how at-large teams such as ONU got in with 2 losses and SJF got in with three!  They say life isn't fair and here's your proof.  Boo NCAA ... you blew it!  Linfield and Whitworth are paired again because of the NCAA's inane travel rules. No offense meant to Whitworth, but I'd like to see Linfield lay another beatdown on the Pirates just to prove a team that gets trounced by 42 is probably not going to fare very well in a rematch.

C'est la vie.   On to hoops for me.

The only way SJF is playing next week is if they are in an ECAC Bowl Game. 

Re:  circumstances in the Guilford/W&L game

I don't believe the National Committee looks at the details of a loss for a team on the playoff bubble.  They see 9-1, the Ranked Regional Wins and Losses, and Strength of Schedule.  It was probably a combination of those criteria and the travel deal which got Whitworth in over Guilford. 

Definitely feel your pain.  Thomas More missed the playoffs at 9-1 in 2013 because of their low SOS.  So they beefed it up in 2014, adding a road opener at Wesley (a 15 point loss-wesley's closest d3 regular season game on the year) and missed at 8-2 with a better SOS.  It's very tough to make the tournament if you don't win your conference, unless you are in one of the top conferences. 

Congrats to Guilford on a great year. 

[HSCTiger fan]

I think I've read everything you've written very clearly. You think GC got the shaft. If the same thing had happen to HSC I'll admit I'd feel the same way. But you have brought up over and over again how you're QB was hurt, how it was a school record FG, how it was raining, and so on and so on.  You talk about the careers of the seniors as if it was a let down.  Holy cow they won 9 games!  They improved their record EVERY year.  They aren't as you suggest defined by one game.  Let's say it had gone you're way and they had beaten WL.  WL would be 9-1 and out of the playoffs.  Would you be talking about the shame of it all when WL didn't go?  I doubt it.

I get it you think they should have been in.  I agree if that helps.  But I don't agree with your "what if" scenarios regarding the WL game. The score was 20 to 20 in the HSC game when we lost 2 of our best defensive players. If only they had not got hurt...Botton line is they did. HSC lost. It sucks to me on the other hand you're elated.  I respect your opinion. I don't think I trash everything you say. But quite frankly yours is a tired argument.  They aren't sending any thank you notes to 15 for getting injured and there will not be an asterisk on the trophy. 

[Wabash Hokie]

I'm not talking to you, Bub.  I could care less if I meet someone with such an attitude.  I'm hoping to meet jknezek, finally.

SaintsFan I would have gone to a home game but I'm not going to TMC. Too much time to miss with the family especially right before Thanksgiving since we're heading out of town most of that week. TMC is actually closer to me, but I just don't have the desire. Was really hoping for the team's first home game. My Dad and I were planning on meeting up. Oh well. Maybe another year...

jknezek & Saintsfan:


If Wabash makes it past Albion, you are cordially invited to our tailgate the following weekend.  Wabash has never played Thomas More and we last played W&L in 1956 and 1957, winning both games.  I hope we have the opportunity to knock heads with one of you in two weeks.  Would be a long trip for W&L - been there, done that in September at Hampden-Sydney College.  Good luck to both teams.

[pg04]

In what universe did St. John Fisher get in the field  ? Then Platteville would really have a gripe!

[hasanova]

In what universe did St. John Fisher get in the field  ? Then Platteville would really have a gripe!

Sorry, my mistake.  SJF is not in.

[hasanova]

I think I've read everything you've written very clearly. You think GC got the shaft. If the same thing had happen to HSC I'll admit I'd feel the same way. But you have brought up over and over again how you're QB was hurt, how it was a school record FG, how it was raining, and so on and so on.  You talk about the careers of the seniors as if it was a let down.  Holy cow they won 9 games!  They improved their record EVERY year.  They aren't as you suggest defined by one game.  Let's say it had gone you're way and they had beaten WL.  WL would be 9-1 and out of the playoffs.  Would you be talking about the shame of it all when WL didn't go?  I doubt it.

I get it you think they should have been in.  I agree if that helps.  But I don't agree with your "what if" scenarios regarding the WL game. The score was 20 to 20 in the HSC game when we lost 2 of our best defensive players. If only they had not got hurt...Botton line is they did. HSC lost. It sucks to me on the other hand you're elated.  I respect your opinion. I don't think I trash everything you say. But quite frankly yours is a tired argument.  They aren't sending any thank you notes to 15 for getting injured and there will not be an asterisk on the trophy.

You make some valid points, but let's agree to disagree.  Peace to you.  I have nothing further to say except two things:  sincere good luck to the Generals and I am never elated when players from either team are injured (I am somewhat dismayed that you imply that I am).

[HSCTiger fan]

I didn't mean to imply you're happy with anyone getting injured. I was talking about the outcome of the game.  I can see how you may have interrupted it that way.  I'm sorry I got you all fired up. I like what you have to say 99% of the time and seldom point out the small percentage I do not. GC got to end their season on a 6 game win streak.  Only 1 team in the playoffs will get to claim that.  They have a lot to be proud of. 

[HSCTiger74]

I didn't mean to imply you're happy with anyone getting injured. I was talking about the outcome of the game.  I can see how you may have interrupted it that way.  I'm sorry I got you all fired up. I like what you have to say 99% of the time and seldom point out the small percentage I do not. GC got to end their season on a 6 game win streak.  Only 1 team in the playoffs will get to claim that. They have a lot to be proud of.

   I know I'm being picky, (and not to denigrate Guilford's record; they should be proud) but there are 10 teams in the playoffs with 10-0 records. I may have been pretty crappy at math, but that suggests to me that they all ended their seasons on a "six game winning streak".

[HSCTiger fan]

Their seasons aren't over. All but at least 1 is going to lose.

[HSCTiger74]

Their seasons aren't over. All but at least 1 is going to lose.

  I didn't read it that way the first time through, but I get your point now. Thanks for clarifying.

[Pat Coleman]

d3football.com says Whitworth and Guilford had nearly identical resumes and I agree, but Whitworth lost to Linfield 52-10 and Guilford lost their only game 20-17 in the rain and on the road when our star QB was knocked out with a possible concussion early in the second quarter and the W&L Generals hit a school-record 51-yard FG.  I understand LC is RR #2 and W&L is RR #5, but this is a classic case of a team that got robbed.

I'd say it's pretty clear Linfield is better than Whitworth.  I don't think that's so obvious in Guilford's case with W&L.  I also don't understand how at-large teams such as ONU got in with 2 losses and SJF got in with three!  They say life isn't fair and here's your proof.  Boo NCAA ... you blew it!  Linfield and Whitworth are paired again because of the NCAA's inane travel rules. No offense meant to Whitworth, but I'd like to see Linfield lay another beatdown on the Pirates just to prove a team that gets trounced by 42 is probably not going to fare very well in a rematch.

C'est la vie.   On to hoops for me.

Yeah, but man, Guilford didn't play anyone nearly on the level of Linfield. Congrats on not losing by 42 but good teams lose to Linfield and St. Thomas and Mount Union and UW-Firstplaceteamnamehere by 42 points. That's what the rest of D-III is like -- if you just play in the ODAC/USAC pond, you might get away with some things that you don't when playing a top seed type.

[SaintsFAN]

I'm not talking to you, Bub.  I could care less if I meet someone with such an attitude.  I'm hoping to meet jknezek, finally.

SaintsFan I would have gone to a home game but I'm not going to TMC. Too much time to miss with the family especially right before Thanksgiving since we're heading out of town most of that week. TMC is actually closer to me, but I just don't have the desire. Was really hoping for the team's first home game. My Dad and I were planning on meeting up. Oh well. Maybe another year...

jknezek & Saintsfan:


If Wabash makes it past Albion, you are cordially invited to our tailgate the following weekend.  Wabash has never played Thomas More and we last played W&L in 1956 and 1957, winning both games.  I hope we have the opportunity to knock heads with one of you in two weeks.  Would be a long trip for W&L - been there, done that in September at Hampden-Sydney College.  Good luck to both teams.

Thanks for the invite (IF Thomas More wins ) but as I told Wally, I'll be here in Boston since that weekend is Thanksgiving and my family is coming up for it (I commute here during the week from Cincy).  I looked into changing their flight to come back on Black Friday but that's way too expensive to change already and it's not even a guarantee that my squad will be playing in Crawfordsville. 

As I told Wally, I'll be up in C-Ville for a game next year.  Hopefully, my pal David Denham is still on staff and can get me a sideline pass or something to make the game experience even better for me.