FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Just_that_kid]

I never said MC did not making an amazing comeback, and I never came close to saying either team in the Trinity game quit.  In fact, I praised both teams after the performance.  I think both games were amazing games, including all those who participated.  So to the same people, who love to pounce on everything I say, enough already.. I'm not attacking anyone.
I entirely realize that Millsaps is 8-2 ,and the reasons for that, but I am still entitled to my opinion.  I give ALL credit to MC and Trinity, and make no excuse for either loss.  They were both excellent games whose outcome just happened to come down to once in a lifetime situations/play.  Again, hats off to both of the other schools for capitalizing.  I simply believe that Millsaps is far better than most of the country gives them credit for, and its unfortunate a team from the south cannot represent the south.  As a Millsaps fan, I fully understand the W/L column and make zero excuses--Millsaps is no doubt 8-2.  I just think they are a team that is far too talented to be going home, and could definitely be a huge wildcard in the playoffs.
As for what Carl said... well, it's not an insult.  He did nothing but support his team.  The only insult was insinuating that any of men in that game gave up.  Hats off to Trinity, but not to remarks like that.  Both teams gave everything they had, and one team capitalized on a once in a lifetime play.
Regardless, even if Millsaps doesn't get the bid, someone from the real south should. The south can't prove how good it is until they give a few legit teams from the south a chance in the playoffs.
Good luck to whoever goes... truely... I just hope it's a team from the south... and I think Millsaps would be the best representative. Just my thought... I don't expect everyone to agree. 

[Just_that_kid]

And a big congrats to DePauw. What a huge win for them!

[Carl Menist]

And a big congrats to DePauw. What a huge win for them!

Agreed. That was a great win by a fine team that faced tremendous adversity this year playing much of the season with their all evrything running back on the sidelines nursing an nagging injury.

Very proud of Depauw in this big win for the fine folks in Greencastle and the SCAC.

When time permits, go out and check out Depauw's position / rankings in D III. Might surprise you / not me, and I bet no surprise to Wabash.

Only two losses were tough fought games to Trinity and Millsaps. Tough games for both the Tigers and the Majors as well!

Big time game / season Depauw!!!

Way to "never give up"!!!

[golden_dome]

Great year Chris!!! Congratulations to the Choctaws and Coach Joseph!!!

Some pretty good D III Football in the Jackson area. Probably would be hard pressed to find two better turn around stories in such close proximity anywhere around the country. A real credit to Coach Joseph and Coach Dubose, their staffs, the support of the schools and the buy in and execution of the systems put in place at both schools by the young men on the teams.

There are a bunch of teams around the country that I am confident would love be in similar situations as the Chocs and Majors.

Not bad, not bad at all!

Carl,
  Thanks for the post on the ASC board, same goes for you guys. A terrific season for the Majors and their fans, as well as a frustrating one considering circumstances and how close you were to ten wins. It might take a little while, but eventually Major fans will look back and appreciate what the team has accomplished the last two years.

Division III has it right with the playoff format, but it doesn't allow much room for error with so many teams and so few at-large bids. Usually several teams are always left out who are talented enough to win several games in the playoffs, which will certainly be the case again this year.

Still, you never know what the selection committee will do tomorrow. Great season.

[Pat Coleman]

As for what Carl said... well, it's not an insult.  He did nothing but support his team.

Not in his original post, which he edited substantially after I made my post.

[Carl Menist]

As for what Carl said... well, it's not an insult.  He did nothing but support his team.

Not in his original post, which he edited substantially after I made my post.

I actually thought you were talking to Tex???

[frank_ezelle]

It's early morning and I can either work on photos or post on the D3 board.  Obviously I've choosen to put off the photos for just a few minutes:

--There's various SCAC/Millsaps talk spread across several topics because of the playoffs, so in some ways this is a response to several threads.

--Ralph corrrectly pointed out recently how the veterans on the message board realized the significance of the Millsaps loss to MC right away in regards to the at-large chances.  He pointed out that with only 7 at-large berths, there is a very thin margin of error if you want to get an at-large bid.

--Speaking for myself for sure, and I think for school officials, I actually thought the margin of error on an at-large bid was so thin that a 9-1 Millsaps team playing in the SCAC would not be considered for an at large bid.  Some of that thinking goes back to the 2007 baseball season where both Rhodes and Millsaps were hurt by the weakness of some of the SCAC teams, but that's not a discussion for today.

--Regardless of how the playoff selection goes today, I'm not going to go back and second guess anyone on the MC game.  While I said then that it wasn't the route I would have taken, my point was that the coaches apparently felt the need to play as many people as they could in the first two games because they faced 8 SCAC games that might not allow much playing opportunity for anyone other than the top 52 (only 52 can travel and the home schedule was Rhodes, Centre and Trinity, before ending up with BSC).

--I'm guessing here, but I don't think that there was any certainty at Millsaps on August 30th, the date of the MC game, that there would be any JV games.  This was the first time Millsaps has ever played a JV schedule (one game with MC and two with Belhaven).  My gut feeling is that a JV schedule in place on August 30th might have changed the outcome of the MC game because the coaches would have taken a different approach, but that's water under the bridge.  In the couple of weeks prior to the MC game the Millsaps coaches were swamped in dealing with about 60 new players and a thousand things to do to get prepared for the varsity season, and I just don't think they had time to know for sure that they could put together a JV schedule.

--And finally, the reality is that Millsaps is 8-2 and I'll understand if the teams doesn't get into the playoffs.  I know that the two losses came because Millsaps chose to play the eventual JV team against a very talented MC team and because a very talented Trinity team came up with a play that is called by some "the greatest play in college football history".  Those are oddity losses and the smallest margin of victory in the wins was the 18 point victory at DePauw--obviously Millsaps is a decision and a miracle away from 10-0 and probably a top 15 ranking, but that still leaves them at 8-2 and with so few at-large bids, that puts them in a very difficult spot.

--And finally, for real this time, let me just congratulate the Millsaps seniors for the last two seasons.  Some were at Millsaps during a couple of low seasons and some came in and were just a part of the revival, but it is a talented group of guys who have laid a great foundation for the Millsaps program.  They leave a lot of very big shoes to fill in regards to both talent and leadership and I wish them all well in life, and hopefully in the NCAA playoffs.

[AF4]

Carl - Frank... all yall... between franks voice of reason and carls challenge to a grappling match in jackson... this has been a most amazing morning... and i am sure this post will cost me  a bunch of karma points... (i thinK  there is a law against karma in alabama )

carl offered to pay Tex's way to jackson to tell the 120 kids who gave up.... i personally am unsure if anybody gave up (i assume u mean aginst Trinity)... but yalls coach ..........YALLS COACH.... said he saw kids quitting on the play (is quitting like giving up ?)..

so instead of getting all over tex... CARL... look at yalls coach

it is interesting... and only bring it up since u went crazy on tex ...... i remember ... that in 1997... AU vs AL... bama had won if they sat on the ball... no doubt... then for some reason... bama threw a swing pass out in the flats to poor old ed scissom... who got it stripped... auburn came up with it...and kicked a field goal... beating bama as the game ended.....
accepting no responsibility for a stupid call and play,  the bama head coach blasted the player for "not hanging on to the ball" just after the game, then promptly fired 4 coaches ............... what was his name ?...any takers... i could say more but won't

carl............ before u go ape crap all over tex... for his observations.... well ask yalls coach who quit.... he is the one who said some body did... again (as frank said in the heat of the moment ) after the game

i have enjoyed yalls cyber company.... i still hope yall get a bid   yall really do deserve it .... but in yalls frustration of the season and rationalization of yall predicament... ain't no point in challenging some one who just paraphrased yalls coach

keep the faith.... if u can

[HunterT]

Frank,  very well said. If I could give you points for it, I would. It's been interesting reading all this, and since I have no real position on it since my team is sitting at home, I'll refrain from making comments.

I just want to agree withs Pats profile, "Discuss football in a positive way." not immature banter that in the long run does nothing but make yourself look bad.

[Tex]

I will just say that I called it like I saw it.  On the last play of that TU/M game, several of the Milsaps players seemed to just stop trying.  FOR WHATEVER REASON.  Their own coach callled them out.  Basically you should be cracking on me for parroting Coach DuBose (who I think is a miracle worker and have stated such on more than one occassion). 

I've played, I've coached.  I do have a clue.  The two mistakes that Milsaps made this year lie squarely on Coach DuBose.  Hindsight is 20/20, but two bad coaching decisions cost this team dearly.  Combine that with the players that quit playing on that last play and here you have it. 

Again, I just call it like I see it.  You can certainly take exception to my opinion.  It is your right to object as strongly as you wish.  This is America.   Time to focus on next year.

I'd be angry if I was living in Jackson right now as well.  Wow, the SCAC is such that if you stub your toe more than once, you're out of the playoffs.  That's a lot of pressure on everyone. 

I'm not trying to tick anyone off.  Just offering my opinion. 

[evacuee]

I was actually tuning in to post about the shame of Millsaps being shut out of the playoffs, but I find the comments by the Majors faithful far more compelling.  Not in the way that Frank's are, who gives everyone his due and is intelligent about everything.  No, I think everyone knows the posters of whom I write.

Asterisk loss?  Hmm.  That followed up by double talk about how he gives credit to all parties involved and a supreme attempt at covering his rear and saving his karma points.  Sounds like a politician.

Asterisk.  Hmm.

A round trip at your expense to address the Millsaps players and coaches about not quitting?  My guess is that part of you is serious.  My other guess is that Dubose would tell you that he doesn't need anyone to come in and address that.  They have the film and they've probably covered it.  Just by making a ridiculous offer like that, you discredit yourself, which is a shame because your writing style is quite polished.  You're acting like a crazy SEC booster.  Don't bring that kind of nonsense here.  Many of us are here because we don't have to deal with that. 

Sorry guys.  I call it like I saw it too. 

[Carl Menist]

AF 4 -

If you view my post as a challenge to come over "for a grappling match" you read more into than you should have.

My strong emphasis that included an invitation for Tex to Jackson was my emphatic way of saying that his comment was totally without basis and offensive to me. It is common for broad or blanket comments to be made about people or circumstances when you are not facing the people you are commenting on.

When communication is face-to-face, particularly critical communication, the comments are typically more thought through and defensible and as a result,with basis. The exaggeration of having this gentlemen from Texas come over and speak to the team regarding their "quitting" was to point out the lack of thought and substance of his statements. Nothing more, nothing less.

Frank evidently put his response to Tex's allegation much more eloquently than I did, reference to "BS" and all. Certainly, very concise and to the point on Frank's part.

It is one thing to bad mouth me or something off point regarding an opinion I have or the way I happen to say something, but it is another thing to insult and put down the kids out there on the field laying it on the line, be it my son and his team or any other team.

Now --- congratulations to Millsaps, Coach Dubose and his staff for a great season and very special run over the last two years. 2007 SCAC Co-Champions and 2006 SCAC Champions. Looking forward to the future and what it will bring for Millsaps, the SCAC and Division III football in the South. It is a great game and a blessing to be a part of.

In addition, congratulations to or cross town friends over at Mississippi College on a fine season as well and to all the teams that are in the 2007 NCAA playoffs.

Good luck to Trinity as the represent Millsaps and the rest of the SCAC in the playoffs. Play well.
!

[evacuee]

Without basis and offensive to you.  Was your son among those who allegedly quit on the play?  The lengths to which you go to explain your case makes it seem as though you have quite a bit of emotion wrapped up in what was caught on camera.  Everyone has seen it, and apparently conclusions have been drawn according to allegiance.  It sounds like the x factor in your position is your son, and it continuously blows my mind how much effect a man's son's football status can alter his perspective. 

[Tex]

Here, let me let someone else say it, perhaps more eloquently than myself...

"The worst part about it is we had five or six guys just quit on the play," Millsaps coach Mike DuBose, the former Alabama coach, told The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger. "That type of thing just shouldn't happen. Sure, we were tired. But so was Trinity. You have to finish the play. We stopped."

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/10/29/trinity_wins_15_laterals_on_last_play/

I suggest all you "homers" give ole Coach DuB a call and perhaps suggest to him that he's full of BS.  I really respect the job this guy has done and even more importantly, I respect his "calling it as he sees it."

So all of you that want to take me to task... start with your own coach.  Once you publically admonish him for his statement, then come talk to me.  I've had nothing but respect for what MC has done these past years.  Go back and read my posts.  But kids quit playing on that last play.  They stopped before the whistle blew.  They have to live with that.  I realize that a lot of MC fans are bitter.  Heck, I'd be bitter as well.  Mad as heck with my coach for not having the punter just play keep away for a few seconds and end the game.  Mad as heck for my coach being stubborn and not putting his starters back in to seal a win.

Mad as heck at some guy from Texas pointing out stuff I don't want to deal with. 

[frank_ezelle]

May I suggest a cease fire on much of what has gone on for the last two pages--everyone has had their say and there isn't much more for anyone to say about what I would consider water under the bridge.

I will address one thing that I think falls into the new subject category.  I was up at Millsaps for a basketball scrimmage this afternoon and I spoke to a few of the football players.  Certainly they are disappointed and I'm sure they have thought about plenty of "what ifs", but it is not a campus in mourning.  Life goes on--they still own two straight SCAC championships, the future looks bright, its a great coaching staff, the players are a great bunch of guys, and there's always next year.  Maybe there are some people who are bitter or are mad as heck, but I would consider that the exception and far from the norm from what I've observed.