WBB: Landmark Conference

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Hoagie at subway? Cringe!! It's ain't wawa lol. It's SUB way

Where do you buy grinders?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Question for Pat or d-mac...

What exactly was Stevens thinking when they decided against joining the Landmark for the Empire-8?

I mean from a campus overlooking NYC & instead of playing against Drew, Catholic, Moravian & Scranton they somehow feel road trips to Rochester, Elmira & suburban Buffalo in the winter is where they belong?

The process of landing on that square and somehow saying, yep, this is the league for us just intrigues me.

Stevens is a great school but rivals with Houghton, Sage or Nazareth....really??

I honestly don't know. I have asked over the years and never gotten an answer. Something happened at the last minute, because Stevens was set to be part of the announcement, then bowed out saying they had a change of heart and 24 hours later announced they were headed to the Empire 8. I can't say who because I don't remember, but I have heard talk that Stevens may have regretted the decision, but you will never hear that from anyone on record, for sure. I am not sure if they regret it or not, but the bridge is burned and they are basically stuck in the E8 for now.

USMMA was the last minute addition to the Landmark, though I think we all agree Stevens would have been the better option.

kate - per rivalries, I think all rivalries in this region have taken a back seat. I don't see the Gettysburg-McDaniel rivalry in basketball being nearly as heated anymore. While we can hold on to great rivalries of the past, I don't think assuming staying in a conference would have kept the heat on rivalries to this time period. I just don't see it even for storied rivalries in this area that haven't been affected by anything.

[mailsy]

Regarding rivalries. They've changed over time. I know that when I was in college. The big rivalries I remember were with Eastern, Philly Pharmacy(now D2), Allentown College(DeSales). Then it changed to Alvernia, Eastern, then it changed again now it's Gwynedd and Neumann. Today's players don't remember the old rivalries. They have their own. As teams move in and current teams improve, that's when rivalries happen. The Eastern game is great but the players don't see it as much a rivalry as conference games. Us old guys remember the old days. But as we get older new rivalries will continue. It's just the way of things.

[Pat Coleman]

Stevens was part of the announcement. In fact, I think the Stevens president released the news early and that's how it broke, if I remember my 2005 correctly.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Stevens was part of the announcement. In fact, I think the Stevens president released the news early and that's how it broke, if I remember my 2005 correctly.

Hmm.. that does sound familiar now... that Stevens was in the announcement, then backed out almost immediately, and then announced with the E8 like two days later. It was crazy.

[ronk]

Question for Pat or d-mac...

What exactly was Stevens thinking when they decided against joining the Landmark for the Empire-8?

I mean from a campus overlooking NYC & instead of playing against Drew, Catholic, Moravian & Scranton they somehow feel road trips to Rochester, Elmira & suburban Buffalo in the winter is where they belong?

The process of landing on that square and somehow saying, yep, this is the league for us just intrigues me.

Stevens is a great school but rivals with Houghton, Sage or Nazareth....really??

I honestly don't know. I have asked over the years and never gotten an answer. Something happened at the last minute, because Stevens was set to be part of the announcement, then bowed out saying they had a change of heart and 24 hours later announced they were headed to the Empire 8. I can't say who because I don't remember, but I have heard talk that Stevens may have regretted the decision, but you will never hear that from anyone on record, for sure. I am not sure if they regret it or not, but the bridge is burned and they are basically stuck in the E8 for now.

USMMA was the last minute addition to the Landmark, though I think we all agree Stevens would have been the better option.

kate - per rivalries, I think all rivalries in this region have taken a back seat. I don't see the Gettysburg-McDaniel rivalry in basketball being nearly as heated anymore. While we can hold on to great rivalries of the past, I don't think assuming staying in a conference would have kept the heat on rivalries to this time period. I just don't see it even for storied rivalries in this area that haven't been affected by anything.

USMMA was in from the onset; Scranton was chosen over E-town to replace Stevens.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I have to check that. I don't remember USMMA being an original member. Scranton was in from the beginning and may have been chosen over Etown certainly... but they needed a school to compliment Drew (i.e. Stevens) and thus USMMA.

But again, need to check on that.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I do see Wikipedia has the information the way you have it, Ronk... but I swear USMMA was the solution. Man, I have that weird in my head. Need to find the press releases and stories to get my head back on track with that one.

---UPDATE---

Just read the history on Landmark's page... sheesh, I had that backwards. That is odd. Oh well. Might have just had that screwed up due to Drew/Stevens being so obvious as travel partners that I thought USMMA came in as an obvious solution.

Should get the brain checked in for a tune up. SMH

Thanks for clearing that up!

[ronk]

After another week of conference action:

Scranton  7-1
Juniata  6-2
E-town  5-3
Catholic,Drew  4-4
Moravian,Susque  3-5
Goucher  0-8

Only 5 road wins involving top 5 teams: Scr  and Juniata over Catholic, Scr & Catholic over Drew, Scr over E-town

Wed: Scranton-Moravian; Drew-E-town
Sat: Scranton-Juniata, Catholic-Drew

the projected conference finish would be:

Scranton  12-2
Juniata  10-4
E-town  9-5
Moravian, Catholic  8-6
Drew  5-9
Susque  4-10
Goucher  0-14

[Caz Bombers]

In defense of Stevens, the E8 they joined (with RIT and Ithaca) was considerably stronger in all sports than it is now that Sage and Houghton have replaced those two schools. If they had football, which they probably never will, the LL would have snapped up Stevens in a heartbeat when they needed the members.

Now they have long travel to play teams that are mostly beneath their level (speaking on all-sports basis), but on the other hand there's that much less competition to win the conference and get those Pool A bids. So I guess it all evens out.

[saratoga]

Caz,

I guess you're right...the E-8 Stevens originally joined looks nothing like that today.

Has to be a certain degree of buyers remorse these days on behalf of the administration.

[Rofrog]

First and for most Congratulation Lady Royals on another great win on the road against another great team in Moravian.Somethimg caught my eye is massey a reliable source?

[ronk]

After another week of conference action:

Scranton clinches a conference playoff spot

Scranton  9-1
Juniata  7-3
E-town,Catholic  6-4
Drew,Moravian,Susque  4-6
Goucher  0-10

Big games this week:

Wed: E-town-Juniata
Sat:  Catholic-Scranton

the projected conference finish would be:

Scranton  13-1
Juniata  10-4
E-town  9-5
Moravian  8-6
Catholic  7-7
Drew  5-9
Susque  4-10
Goucher  0-14

[Rofrog]

Great win Lady Royals!

[saratoga]

Rofrog:

Great win by the Lady Royals indeed.

If their primary option isn't there, they don't panic, they just reset the offense and move to option 2 or 3.

They share the ball, play excellent D and pretty much stay within themselves.

For as young as they are, not sure you can expect anything more.

Talent plus coaching is what separates so many teams.

Still two weeks to play and regardless of how far this group of kids can go, they have been a pleasure to watch mature and develop as the season has progressed.

Ronk:

I have a hunch the last game of the season (Moravian at Catholic) may very well have serious playoff implications.