FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[tigerFanAlso2]

TigerFan

Not really sure where you are coming from and you are certainly welcomed to your opinion and if you feel I'm a little tough on the Tigers, we'll just to agree to disagree. Trust me, UWP will be the best team to play in Death Valley in a long, long time. WIAC is a different animal and rarely does the ODAC have a team that could finish in the top four in that conference. I'm hoping to see a good game but I'm also being realistic. Travel and heat might get to UWP, but I expect to see a power house team in UWP, one that will compete with UWW and UWO for the WIAC championship. I'm glad we are playing them, thinking the experience will make HSC a better team as they prepare for ODAC play and I'll have a cold beer waiting for you any time that day !!!!

[HansenRatings]

And what crystal ball was needed to know Plateville would be a dominant team?  As I understand it this game was scheduled AFTER last season.  Why would the 3rd best team from any league scare any team planning (as most teams should be in September) to win their conference?

Because teams 1 and 2 in that conference made deep playoff runs, one was the national runner-up, and UWP lost to them both by less than 10 points? UW-P also made the tournament and lost by 1 in the first round. H-SC on the other hand lost by 3+ touchdowns to the ODAC champion, who lost in the first round by 3 touchdowns. I don't think we can just flat out ignore the difference in quality between the WIAC, where teams 1 and 2 made the quarters and finals respectively of the DIII tournament, and the ODAC, where team 1 lost, badly again, in the first round.

Scared? I don't know. I doubt teams are really scared when taking the field. But putting our head in the sand about the relative difference between the WIAC and ODAC is a little silly.

I don't know if "scared" is the right word, but pretty much nobody wants to play any team from the WIAC. Look at UW-LaCrosse's non-conference schedule while Dettwiler was the coach ('12-'15). They were a below-average team from the WIAC who was playing St. Thomas, UMHB, North Central, and a few D2 schools. Do you think the wanted to play those schools non-conference, or is it more likely that it's really hard to find anybody outside of the top tier of DIII willing to schedule a WIAC team? Same goes for Eau Claire's schedule the last 7 years or so: St. Thomas, St. John's, Wheaton, Concordia-Moorhead, and PLU. And UWEC has arguably been the worst WIAC team in that span. Seems like these games against teams like HSC only happen when the non-WIAC team has completely run out of other options.

[HSCTiger fan]

And what crystal ball was needed to know Plateville would be a dominant team?  As I understand it this game was scheduled AFTER last season.  Why would the 3rd best team from any league scare any team planning (as most teams should be in September) to win their conference?

Because teams 1 and 2 in that conference made deep playoff runs, one was the national runner-up, and UWP lost to them both by less than 10 points? UW-P also made the tournament and lost by 1 in the first round. H-SC on the other hand lost by 3+ touchdowns to the ODAC champion, who lost in the first round by 3 touchdowns. I don't think we can just flat out ignore the difference in quality between the WIAC, where teams 1 and 2 made the quarters and finals respectively of the DIII tournament, and the ODAC, where team 1 lost, badly again, in the first round.

Scared? I don't know. I doubt teams are really scared when taking the field. But putting our head in the sand about the relative difference between the WIAC and ODAC is a little silly.

I don't know if "scared" is the right word, but pretty much nobody wants to play any team from the WIAC. Look at UW-LaCrosse's non-conference schedule while Dettwiler was the coach ('12-'15). They were a below-average team from the WIAC who was playing St. Thomas, UMHB, North Central, and a few D2 schools. Do you think the wanted to play those schools non-conference, or is it more likely that it's really hard to find anybody outside of the top tier of DIII willing to schedule a WIAC team? Same goes for Eau Claire's schedule the last 7 years or so: St. Thomas, St. John's, Wheaton, Concordia-Moorhead, and PLU. And UWEC has arguably been the worst WIAC team in that span. Seems like these games against teams like HSC only happen when the non-WIAC team has completely run out of other options.

HSC wants to play them or it would not have been scheduled.

[tigerFanAlso2]

top tier teams want to play them, others play them to fill out their schedule. given a choice, I'm fairly certain another team would be on the 2017 schedule but other options were not available, only other choice was to play a 9 game schedule and I think the correct decision was made to bring UWP to HSC. Playing up can be a good thing; lets hope that is the result of this brutal ooc game.

[HSCTiger fan]

I get it they are supposed to be good. They have to replace their QB, 4 WRs and 3 OL men. So until they come to Farmville and whip HSC's tail I'd just rather assume HSC will win. They're ranked 18th not 8th.

[HSCTiger74]

I get it they are supposed to be good. They have to replace their QB, 4 WRs and 3 OL men. So until they come to Farmville and whip HSC's tail I'd just rather assume HSC will win. They're ranked 18th not 8th.

   I understand that everyone is optimistic at this point in the year, and I absolutely hope that you end up being right. But for now ... put down the cup and back away from the Kool Aid.

[tigerFanAlso2]

TigerFan

With out a doubt UWP is one of the best teams in the country; at year end their record might not reflect that because of the conference schedule.
Just come to the game and enjoy watching a really good team play; if HSC can stick with them, it would be fair to have lots of optimism for the pending odac schedule. Good news, HSC gets to play against a really good team on it's home field, better than the Wabash team we had the pleasure of watching, and Wabash was really good that year. Again, heat, humidity and travel could be our friend.

[jknezek]

TigerFan

With out a doubt UWP is one of the best teams in the country; at year end their record might not reflect that because of the conference schedule.
Just come to the game and enjoy watching a really good team play; if HSC can stick with them, it would be fair to have lots of optimism for the pending odac schedule. Good news, HSC gets to play against a really good team on it's home field, better than the Wabash team we had the pleasure of watching, and Wabash was really good that year. Again, heat, humidity and travel could be our friend.

I'm not sure I would say that. The Wabash team in 2014 was darn good. Lost to their rivals away and the National Champions and the 2015 team lost only to the National runner ups. Both those teams were really, really good. UWP will probably be of similar quality, but I'm not sure they will be better. Might be. Hard to compare back over seasons like that of course.

[HSCTiger fan]

I'll drink all the kool-aid for you '74.  I was in the big house in '07 watching Appalachian State beat Michigan. This game would not be as big an upset.  It is hard for an offense to replace 8 players and be effective early in season.  They travel to HSC. The average high temperature in August in Plateville is just 80 degrees.  This is not last year's UWP team.  I'll have my mindset you guys can have yours.  I really don't need anymore people tell to tell me how good they are. I really don't care and it want change the way I feel.

[jknezek]

Eyes closed, hopes open. The definition of fandom. We all go that route sometimes.

[HSCTiger fan]

Eyes closed, hopes open. The definition of fandom. We all go that route sometimes.

That's just it. As a fan why not blindly have confidence in your team until they show you otherwise?  This is a new year.  I think WL can beat JHU too. Call me crazy. Tell me a all the reasons they cannot win. I'll just keep having that blind faith.

[jknezek]

Eyes closed, hopes open. The definition of fandom. We all go that route sometimes.

That's just it. As a fan why not blindly have confidence in your team until they show you otherwise?  This is a new year.  I think WL can beat JHU too. Call me crazy. Tell me a all the reasons they cannot win. I'll just keep having that blind faith.

I think it's fine to have faith. On these boards, however, I'm generally more interested in logical discussions than simple fan faith. I get that we all pull for our teams and hope for the best and cheer hard every game. But it doesn't make for very fun conversations if we all just say here about each of our teams, of course they are the best, of course they are going to win, every game regardless of the data that we can actually point to and discuss.

[Bombers798891]

I think it's fine to have faith. On these boards, however, I'm generally more interested in logical discussions than simple fan faith. I get that we all pull for our teams and hope for the best and cheer hard every game. But it doesn't make for very fun conversations if we all just say here about each of our teams, of course they are the best, of course they are going to win, every game regardless of the data that we can actually point to and discuss.

I'm going to echo jknezek here. Ithaca's got a new HC, new system, new conference this year. It is beyond exciting, and I've been fully on board since Day 1 of his hire. But, when a friend and I made a steak dinner bet on the number of wins they'd get this year, I took 6, because there are still various football-related issues that do not care how excited I am. (And truthfully, six may have even been an overbid)

[tigerFanAlso2]

and by the way, a HSC victory over UWP would be as big as App over UM.

not going to debate, but it would be upset of decade (several decades) in D3 and you know I'm hoping it happens.

Cheers

[tigerFanAlso2]

jk

Not sure how you debate UPW 2017 vs. Wabash 2015, Wabash was very good, I just don't think many teams compete well vs. top 3 in WIAC, outside of the obvious elite programs. HSC was not run off the field by Wabash in 2014, 2015 was ugly but wish that matchup could become an annual event. Expenses prohibit unfortunately.