East Region Playoff Discussion

[pg04]

I mean, I can't believe I'm defending the NEFC even a little bit, but there seems to be an excessive amount of whining about it, given that we all know the way the system is set up. What good is there to come on here and brag that yes everything went as expected? Finally, if Bridgewater State hadn't gotten in, then it would have been replaced a team not from the East Region anyway. 

[lewdogg11]

My biggest problem with this whole discussion was the "foregone conclusion" that the NEFC teams were going to lose. Obviously, one of them (as discussed below) made a game of it. But even Bridgewater forced Widener into a situation they probably weren't planning on being tied at the half. Given the discussion on here, it should have been put away before halftime.

Well, there weren't any upsets in that regard.  Paying a little too attention to insignificant details.  Here is the # I saw:

Opponents - 137
NEFC/ECFC - 47

[lewdogg11]

I mean, I can't believe I'm defending the NEFC even a little bit, but there seems to be an excessive amount of whining about it, given that we all know the way the system is set up. What good is there to come on here and brag that yes everything went as expected? Finally, if Bridgewater State hadn't gotten in, then it would have been replaced a team not from the East Region anyway.

You're right.  But it would be a more deserving team.

[pg04]

My biggest problem with this whole discussion was the "foregone conclusion" that the NEFC teams were going to lose. Obviously, one of them (as discussed below) made a game of it. But even Bridgewater forced Widener into a situation they probably weren't planning on being tied at the half. Given the discussion on here, it should have been put away before halftime.

Well, there weren't any upsets in that regard.  Paying a little too attention to insignificant details.  Here is the # I saw:

Opponents - 137
NEFC/ECFC - 47

Well, even though the 30 point loss by BSU still makes it bad, The ECFC number should be taken out. That was a Pool A and they didn't get a Pool C, which is the reasoning for this discussion.

[lewdogg11]

My biggest problem with this whole discussion was the "foregone conclusion" that the NEFC teams were going to lose. Obviously, one of them (as discussed below) made a game of it. But even Bridgewater forced Widener into a situation they probably weren't planning on being tied at the half. Given the discussion on here, it should have been put away before halftime.

Well, there weren't any upsets in that regard.  Paying a little too attention to insignificant details.  Here is the # I saw:

Opponents - 137
NEFC/ECFC - 47

Well, even though the 30 point loss by BSU still makes it bad, The ECFC number should be taken out. That was a Pool A and they didn't get a Pool C, which is the reasoning for this discussion.

Right, but if we continue down this path, an ECFC runner up will be getting in soon too.  Castleton St. was 2 fluffy OOC games away from getting in.

[pg04]

My biggest problem with this whole discussion was the "foregone conclusion" that the NEFC teams were going to lose. Obviously, one of them (as discussed below) made a game of it. But even Bridgewater forced Widener into a situation they probably weren't planning on being tied at the half. Given the discussion on here, it should have been put away before halftime.

Well, there weren't any upsets in that regard.  Paying a little too attention to insignificant details.  Here is the # I saw:

Opponents - 137
NEFC/ECFC - 47

Well, even though the 30 point loss by BSU still makes it bad, The ECFC number should be taken out. That was a Pool A and they didn't get a Pool C, which is the reasoning for this discussion.

Right, but if we continue down this path, an ECFC runner up will be getting in soon too.  Castleton St. was 2 fluffy OOC games away from getting in.

I honestly don't know when or if the ECFC will even get up to NEFC strength, which is saying something. Their game against Fisher was horrendous, and with Mount Ida being completely "homogenized" by Wesley, I'm not sure if they'll ever win an NCAA game because they'll always play one of the best teams in the country.

[Bombers798891]

I don't have problems with forgone conclusions in the playoffs. If they can happen because teams are good (Mount) why can't they occur because teams/conferences are bad? Is the NEFC there? Tough for me to say, considering the second best IC team in the last 15 years lost to one of them, at home no less. But I've got forgone conclusions about the ECFC, so I say, do what you gotta do.

But if PG thinks the NEFC is moving away from that description, hey, good for him for standing his ground. Heck, I think Josh Felicetti was better than Jason Boltus. We've all taken stances against the grain before. Do your thing PG

[ECoastFootball]

After somewhat doubting it yesterday, I will now say that Framingham would probably win by at least 21 over Mt. Ida as one poster stated. The ECFC is just horrendous. I tried to give them a chance, be positive, and the like, but it just ain't happening.

I made that comment having seen both teams play. The NEFC is absolutely a level below the E8 and NJAC, but it is also a solid level above the ECFC.

As for the pool C bid, do I think Bridgewater deserved it, no, but the NCAA had merit. They were 9-1 with their only loss to NEFC champ Framingham, and they beat Springfield at Springfield. (The same Springfield who finished 8-3 with a 31-8 win over Alfred). Also, the reason the NEFC sometimes gets a Pool C bid over the E8 and LL is (I think) because the NCAA looks at as the #2 team out of 16 teams vs the #2 team out of 8.

[dlippiel]

Dlip agrees with many of the things said here. Dlip knows this is stupid to say and it means nothing but now having two little ones under three simultaneously going postal dlip will join them. If Springfield and BS played again today, the Pride would run all over them. Springfield is a completely different team today than in September, completely different. Of course this is not BS's fault and they won when they had too, but dlip is just sayin...

[pg04]

I don't have problems with forgone conclusions in the playoffs. If they can happen because teams are good (Mount) why can't they occur because teams/conferences are bad? Is the NEFC there? Tough for me to say, considering the second best IC team in the last 15 years lost to one of them, at home no less. But I've got forgone conclusions about the ECFC, so I say, do what you gotta do.

But if PG thinks the NEFC is moving away from that description, hey, good for him for standing his ground. Heck, I think Josh Felicetti was better than Jason Boltus. We've all taken stances against the grain before. Do your thing PG

Oh, thank you wise one for letting me disagree  . At least one person didn't like my viewpoints

[bman]

To add some color here from the WU Bridgwater game...

Bridgewater wasn't horrible, but were clearly overmatched...WU stopped themselves 3 times in the first half with turnover and untimely penalties (which they have been doing all year...)   Bridgewater also blocked a FG (a weakpoint for WU)..

The 2nd half was all WU...as Bridgewater showed little...

My observations from the game...
1st...I know it's a long, long drive,  but I think there were only about 100 fans there fom BW...given the gift that they were given, I would have thought they would have come to support their team a bit better...
2nd...I saw the 2 best catches I have seen this year an about a 3 minute span...1 by WU, and a 2nd by a BW receiver...both on tipped balls...great concentration by both receivers...The BW receiver laid out and pulled the tipped pass in, but it was called back by a penalty...the WU catch was a first down on a 3rd and 20 something...
3rd...without complaining too much...WU killed themselves with untimely penalties...some of them discipline related....
4th BW was very one dimensional...stop the run, and you seriously cripple their offense
5th   The free safety from BW was a stud, and almost singlehandedly kept them in the game...he seemed to be everywhere...great player..
Lastly...odd circumstance at the end of the game, which I'll seek the board's opinion on...
Late in the game, WU held the ball, and was running the clock out.   They ran the ball and scored.   BW got the ball back down 38-14 and tried to drive...
QB rolls out of the pocket, and gets sacked at around the BU 40 with 6.9 seconds left...
BW calls a timeout (is that a violation given the game is essentially over, or is that ok?).  Anyway on the last play, BW heaves it down to the 2 yd line, where it is picked off, and ran 98 yds for a TD...(How do you tell a kid to neel on a pick...)?
Anyway...like to see some thoughts on the right thing to do in both cases...

[lewdogg11]

The right thing was for Bridgewater to swallow their 'pride' and run the clock out.  But, if they choose to call a timeout and heave it down the field for a 47 point TD attempt, there should be no issue with Widener returning it, especially in fear of that 47 point TD.  It's the playoffs, I don't have any issues with Widener returning the pick. 

[Yanks 99]

The right thing was for Bridgewater to swallow their 'pride' and run the clock out.  But, if they choose to call a timeout and heave it down the field for a 47 point TD attempt, there should be no issue with Widener returning it, especially in fear of that 47 point TD.  It's the playoffs, I don't have any issues with Widener returning the pick.

Agreed...this is what I was talking about earlier...when all of a sudden a garbage TD makes the score closer than the game actually was.

Let's say Bridgewater does score on the last second Hail Mary...37-21 makes it sound somewhat like a game...when the reality is 44-14 is probably a better indication.

[fisheralum91]

I guess I want to chime in on the whole "weak conference" chat.
Much of my opinion has been said by my fellow posters, but one thing rang in my head after Saturday.
Gene and Peter were saying that Castleton was a young program (4 years) and should be commended for making the playoffs in such a short time...They continued and said that it took longer for Fisher to achieve the same feat and this was an accomplishment (for CS)that they could put in their cap....I think that they were playing nice nice because they were rebroadcasted to Vermont, because look....The talent level of the E8 and the ECFC is just apples and oranges.  The wins for the ECFC are inflated.  The proof is in the pudding folks....ECFC and NEFC are inferior conferences and produce lesser quality champions.
It just sickens me that they not only stole a pool c, but have an AQ.
We cant be the only people that see this right?

[Yanks 99]

I guess I want to chime in on the whole "weak conference" chat.
Much of my opinion has been said by my fellow posters, but one thing rang in my head after Saturday.
Gene and Peter were saying that Castleton was a young program (4 years) and should be commended for making the playoffs in such a short time...They continued and said that it took longer for Fisher to achieve the same feat and this was an accomplishment (for CS)that they could put in their cap....I think that they were playing nice nice because they were rebroadcasted to Vermont, because look....The talent level of the E8 and the ECFC is just apples and oranges.  The wins for the ECFC are inflated.  The proof is in the pudding folks....ECFC and NEFC are inferior conferences and produce lesser quality champions.
It just sickens me that they not only stole a pool c, but have an AQ.
We cant be the only people that see this right?

Take a look at what LD just wrote in the NEFC board...dude is 100% accurate...and it sickens me as well...