FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Adam Sayer]

An additional note to a previous post. They don't only have to pound Lovell. They have a back up running back named Kevin Cocanougher who is more than capable of doing it as well. JacketsFan and/or his boy would remember 2004 when we were up big on Defiance, 34-10. We have our JV's in the game and hand the ball off to Kevin (aka Tink) to run out the clock. Tink breaks about 5 tackles and rumbles 15+ yards for a TD making it a 41-10 MSJ win. Defiances coaches were not pleased. Currently Lovell has 372 yards and 4 TD's and Tink has 282 yards and 3 TD's. It's a system much like 2004 when we had Lovell and Ricky Story.

A 4th quarter MSJ lead will usually end with a MSJ W. Much like the Steelers back in the day using Jerome Bettis.

[SaintsFAN]

MSJ guys,

what happened to the RB from Anderson??  The young kid..

[altor]

What can I say?  I call them as I see them.  Actually, I am probably overstating it a little.  But what fun are predictions if you don't go out on a limb occasionally?

Manchester is a much improved team over the last couple years.  They still have a long way to go.  Then again, so does most of the conference.  The Rose/Manchester game should be a good one when it comes around in November.

[Adam Sayer]

He might be banged up. I don't remember if he played last weekend.

[HCFan1481]

I've been reading this page for sometime, and after seeing a couple of posts wondering where the Hanover fans are, I thought I would respond.  I know many of the guys I played with at HC have long been perplexed as to what is going on at the school.  It has been a remarkable fall from grace for the program that has left many of us stunned.  I was on campus for the Butler game, and it was sad to see what our once prideful program has become.  It is a shame to think that when I graduated we were consistently picked to as one of the top teams every year in the conference to now being a bottom feeder many of you have picked to lose by 3 touchdowns to Manchester this week.  I don't doubt Coach Perry's ability as a coach, but I feel he is leaving the program in order to get some new blood in the head spot that can hopefully draw on and restore the tradition of Hanover football.  Hopefully, the new president will work hand in hand with the new coach to not only rebuild the program but the facilities as well.  I would love to hear anyone's opinions as to why the program plummeted the way it did.

[SaintsFAN]

hcfan,

welcome aboard.  My Uncle was an all-conference Defensive End for the Panthers back in the 60s..met his wife in school there (he was a man among boys from what I hear-- went to Hanover after a tour in the military).  My sophomore year in high school, I went to the Hanover passing camp and met the man who recruited Uncle Jack to the school there....great guy.  I think he's gone now though and his name escapes me.  Anyways, myself going to Thomas More.....Hanover was always a BIG, BIG game for us....and I admit its inconceivable what has gone on at Hanover in the past few years (I refuse to think they'll lose to Manchester United)....eventhough my Aunt and Uncle have been gone for 7 years now (died exactly two weeks apart), I still remember the phone calls I'd get after Hanover had beaten us.  I also work with a couple guys that played at Hanover...so I understand how stunned everyone is.  I hope you are right and they get back to being competitive..there's alot of tradition to build on at the school..and if the administration truly gets behind the program again, then look out. 

Anyways, as I said, welcome aboard.

Sayer,

I might have my ex from work with me on Saturday....give me a call or something when you get to where you are going to be on Saturday....

[Adam Sayer]

I'm not at all involved with Hanover so this is just speculation:

Standards are one reason why Hanover has started to struggle. Another reason (I believe), that no one has really talked about, is MSJ's presence as a good team. Now that MSJ has a good football team, I think they are stealing some Cincinnati/NKY recruits who would have formerly gone to Hanover. This will change, but it is also one of the factors why TMC hasn't been dominant since 2001. Hanover, Wilmington, TMC, MSJ are all within about an hour (give or take 10 minutes) from Cincinnati.  That doesn't include the borderline recruits who go to UC or Miami, or decide not to play football at all. There is such a saturation of college football within a 100 mile radius of Cincinnati it should almost be expected that schools around here will naturally pendulate. Wasn't too long ago Wilmington was really good. In 1999 or 2000, wern't they 7-3 playing the OAC schedule? TMC throughout the 90's were good, and Hanover has always been good. I guarentee it won't be too long until MSJ has a 7-3/6-4 season. That's just the way it works. Some programs may have a longer pendulum (ie FSU who spent 14 consecutive years ranked in the top 5 or 10 but isn't very good anymore) (ie PSU, Miami (FL)). Then there are schools who go from bad to good to bad to good in a series of years. Just the nature of college football at all levels.

[SaintsFAN]

I believe its admission standards and the facility situation at Hanover that are the biggest contributors...think about it... 

If you have high academic standards, you have limited access to those kids in the Cincy area..and then once you get a kid to visit...you see the facilities (LS Ayres needs updated badly).

Then you also have a certain president of a certain school in Delhi taking verbal jabs at other schools also... 

[70_dc_alum]

Just got back from vegas last night...i think i am going to be hungover for a week.  Nothing cooler than sitting in the sports book at the Mandalay and the place is going nutz watching Stanford drive.  in the end it really pissed me off because i ended up having to root for Florida which is brutal considering it is Florida and i had $50 bucks on LSU.   Freaking LSU comes back to win by 4 vs the 7pt spread.  they stay #1, I still loose $50, and i have to root for florida.

no offense but i think the Lions finally get knocked from top of the hill

[victorybell_57]

i agree with dc alum

[70_dc_alum]

Vbell - shocking you would be in agreement

[cave2bens]

i agree with dc alum

Sometimes, ya go with the odds; sometimes with one's gut.  On this one, given the toss up possibilities, actually listening "to Ma."  Nothing like taking an assessment from four, little old ladies (and roomies) who went to their Sixtieth at Homecoming last week and professed this Franklin team being grittier than last year's edition.  

[SaintsFAN]

thats it...if the DC guys are behind Franklin that must mean the Grizzlies are going to commit MASS penalties and have trouble executing.  Then there will be questions about playcalling.

I'm going with MSJ here....besides, I want them undefeated for the Bridge Bowl..  Especially since Franklin (much like Defiance) won't play Thomas More anymore.

[altor]

I guarentee it won't be too long until MSJ has a 7-3/6-4 season. That's just the way it works. <snip> Then there are schools who go from bad to good to bad to good in a series of years. Just the nature of college football at all levels.

Honestly, this is why I love the HCAC.  Going into every year, you have a good idea of the teams that are probably going to be vying for that championship.  But, that doesn't preclude a 2005 Defiance squad from taking 2nd place after a 1-9 season in '04.  MSJ took about 3 seasons to go from 0-10 in 2001 to 10-0 in 2004, but even that is something you don't see very often in most conferences.

This year, Manchester is the "surprise" so far.  They have a definite chance to go from 1-9 in '06 to 5-5 or 6-4.  MSJ and Franklin better look out.  These guys are looking to make a statement.

The downside to this pendulum is that it is interpreted as "weak" because of the lack of consistent quality performances among its membership.

[victorybell_57]

i agree with most of your smack, i just like to disagree with for my own sanity.

i say FC wins this weekend by a score of

38-24. Loads of hitting, just like the previous games with the lions. oh sayer, it's our time now.