FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Some fun notes:

Let's build a stage:  Carnegie-Mellon has a phenomonal engineering school and started the first university program in drama.

Andrew who?  Andrew Carnegie insisted that his name be pronounced Car-NAY-ghee rather than CAR-nih-ghee.

Tastes like Sugar:  Perhaps CMU's most notable football highlight was winning the Eastern football championship in 1938 and then losing to Davey O'Brien and the National Champion TCU Horned Frogs in the Sugar Bowl.  Back then, CMU was known as Car-NAY-ghee Tech, and TCU was actually eligible to win a football national championship.  There was no threat of snubbing by a BCS oligarchy.  

They'll outwit their opponents:  As each of the member universities places a stronger emphasis on academics than athletics, this conference is sometimes referred to as the "Nerdy Nine" (even though there are now only eight members, four of which play football).

Brandeis University
(Judges)

Carnegie Mellon University   (Football)
(Tartans)

Case Western Reserve University (Football)
(Spartans)

Emory University
(Eagles)

New York University
(Violets)

University of Chicago  (Football)
(Maroons)

University of Rochester
(Yellowjackets)

Washington University in St. Louis  (Football)
(Bears)

Johns Hopkins was the "nerdy ninth"!

And Rochester plays football as an affiliate in the Liberty League.

[Pat Coleman]

Some fun notes:

Let's build a stage:  Carnegie-Mellon has a phenomonal engineering school and started the first university program in drama.

That must explain why there's a stage in their gymnasium.

[BDTartan]

"Any truth to this?

Primanti Bros. Sandwiches -- the most famous meal in Western PA so I hear.  Primanti Bros. is open 24 hours and (I think) 7 days a week.  An entire order of french fries is served INSIDE the sandwich.  Darn good eats....I think the Majors should all eat a meal there.  Cheap, too...right?"

Yes, in fact you are missing one key ingredient to their sandwiches....a heaping pile of coleslaw(the good kind, drier than most) along with the order of fries.  Yes, its relatively cheap.  You can get one of their many sandwiches and a drink for about 6-8 bucks.  Last time I went there was two weeks ago with my brother and I got the Primanti Steak and Cheese.  Excellent sandwich.  Mind you, there isn't a whole lot of seating room as most folks around there take their food to go, but it does have a bi-level seating area.  Only bad thing - you have to remember what you ordered and tell the cashier when you're done eating.

Had to edit this in because I forgot to mention it, Primanti Bros. is actually located about 8 blocks up from Gesling, so I guess if you were quick enough you could actually go grab yourself a sandwich at halftime.  they are located on Forbes Ave. right before you enter Pitt campus.

[hugenerd]

Some fun notes:

Let's build a stage:  Carnegie-Mellon has a phenomonal engineering school and started the first university program in drama.

That must explain why there's a stage in their gymnasium.

I wish they would have demolished that gym and built something on the par of a good high school gym already.  You really cant seat more than a few hundred people in the gym because they never pull out the bleachers behind the benches (actually it is impossible to pull them out because whoever designed the gym and bleachers didnt account for the team benches and scorers table; so if you pulled out both sides, the teams and scorers would have to sit on the first row of the bleachers).   Unfortunately, Skibo is a landmark so they cant really touch it, unless the build an entire new facility (not likely).

Gesling Stadium is nice though, especially if you lived in West Wing for three years and could just turnover in bed and have a great view of the games on saturday afternoons (what was not so great was the band practicing every saturday morning at 10:00 am).

Anyway, in conclusion to my extremely random message, I hope CMU can pull out the win this weekend- it would be a big one for the program.  Keep representing BD, I will try to hit up the boards during basketball season.

[HunterT]

Having played at CMU before, it's a great stadium. And if they got field turf installed there instead of the concrete that they called a field, Millsaps should feel at home.

Well except for the temperature. The field is windy, and the visitors bench is covered by shadow for most of the game. If any Majors players are reading, make sure to take enough clothes to stay warm. Especially those 2nd or 3rd string guys that only get in for a few plays. This is the playoffs and you can't have a bad play because you aren't warmed up properly. Also don't want those starters getting hurt.

That's my one (fairly inadequate) input into this game.

Hopefully the Majors offense can keep rolling and put some points on the board. It'd be great to see a SCAC team make some noise in the playoffs. TU's run a few years back was great, but since the SCAC hasn't gotten the respect it deserves because we fail in the playoffs. Go Majors. Run it up and make the season last another week.

[BDTartan]

Haha, run it up huh?  We'll see what happens.  When you played there, the crowd probably was non-existant.  Not the case this year.  I expect a huge turnout this weekend giving the Tartans a 12th man.  Not to mention how rowdy the band gets.  They can heckle the crap out of teams sometimes.

Although it would be great for the SCAC to win a playoff game, it would be even better for CMU to win one for the UAA.

[Ron Boerger]

SCAC fans (and especially Major Maniacs) will want to check out this week's South Region ATR.    Good job, Chris!

[exmajor]

yes, a very nice piece Chris, Millsaps even made the front page, nice photo Frank!

[Pat Coleman]

Second time Millsaps has been on the front page in the past eight days. Anyone see the previous one?

[exmajor]

Second time Millsaps has been on the front page in the past eight days. Anyone see the previous one?

I don't remember a picture Pat, I do know they were in the text of the front page, the exposure is nice!

On another note . . . What is everyone else thinking about the game in Pittsburgh this weekend?  I am curious to here from the other usual posters to the SCAC board . . . Bedtime, Ralph, History, Josh, etc., what do you think about the spread vs. the wing t game?

[Pat Coleman]

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2006/11/06/Statistical+spotlight

[frank_ezelle]

Thanks for the compliment exmajor and thanks Pat for using the photo of Chris Jackson and the earlier photo of Ronnie Wheat (http://www.d3football.com/notables.php Go to the bottom of the page).  One of the points of the photos is to help bring some attention to Millsaps sports and Millsaps athletes so I'm glad they are getting used.

One of the intangibles about the Millsaps team this year is that they haven't played a super tough team on the road (no offense meant to Rhodes but to be honest, Rhodes has no offense).  Millsaps will have to play as well at CMU as they have played at home against Centre, DePauw, and Trinity.  I think they will rise up to that level and we'll see if that is enough against an undefeated home standing team.  It would help if Tyson is available and if Eric McCarty is closer to mid-season form, but you play with who you've got.

[roocru]

From Chris Allman's ATR column:

SCAC Surprise of the Year: Austin College 4-6 overall, 2-4 SCAC (first year) 

Yeah, Baby !!

[Bill McCabe]

roocru, you are on a roll.  You must be living right!

[BDTartan]

I expect a great game in the Burgh' this weekend.  Having seen all but one of CMU's games this year and listening to you guys here on the SCAC board I believe that this game may come down to special teams and turnovers.  If CMU keeps a wrap on Jackson in the return game and continues to win the turnover battle like they have all year then I think they win a close one.  On the other hand, if Jackson gets loose and Millsaps creates their share of turnovers then advantage Millsaps.  I think this game is too close to call straight up.  I am almost willing to bet that the team that makes the least amount of mistakes and limits big plays will come out on top.