2007 Playoff Field

[smedindy]

Anybody ready to take a flier on the NEFC winning its first playoff game this weekend?  Given Hartwick's extreme inconsistency, including a loss to WNEC, I have to believe a Curry victory is a very real possibility Saturday.

Taking a look at the independent computer ratings services:

* Massey has Curry ranked 15 spots higher than Hartwick
* Laz Index rates Hartwick as a 7 point favorite on a neutral field
* My computer power ratings put Curry as a 5 point favorite on a neutral field

In the REAL Massey ratings (using MOV) Curry is 87, Hartwick is 84. Curry's SOS is 199. I just don't think they've played the teams needed to prepare for the playoffs.

[runyr]

Well, most of the WIAC would be playoff teams if they took the best 32 teams period. But that's not fair or right or just or true. You have conferences - and the conference champs should be included. Otherwise, why have a tournament AND conferences? The Pool B thing is a wrinkle but it's also fair to include all teams that would be passed over. Face it, you take care of business and you're in. Even in the OAC, you take care of everyone but Mt. Union, you're in. Yes, Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll are better than several teams, but you know what? They had a chance to win a playoff bid, and they didn't take care of business. So be it.

Amen.

[Knightstalker]

I like the fact the NCAA put what they considered the four best teams as the number one seeds but they should have gone one step further and seeded the regions using some common sense. 

I suspect it is a bit of a fluke that it worked out that way this year.  If there were a 10-0 team from the E8,  LL, NJAC or MAC, they would have been the #1 seed and Mt. Union would not have been moved to the East.  Heck, as smedindy suggested, a 9-1 SJF would probably have been the #1 seed if they were in as a Pool A team instead of a Pool C.

I disagree, I feel that MUC would have been put in the East anyway, the committee took advantage of being able to seed what are arguably the four best teams as number ones.

You also did not seem to get the point of my post.  Ithaca is definitely a better team than Curry (personally I think William Paterson and Kean are probably better teams than Curry but that is beside the point).  I am 99% sure that Ithaca is a much better team than Hartwick.  Although I wouldn't want to play Hartwick at Hartwick, they are very good at home.  Ithaca should not have to travel to MUC in the first round, it should be Hartwick or Curry.  Outside of MUC, Hartwick and Curry the other five teams are a push in the East.

[Spence]

"If Whalen can't play."  Read before posting.

Then you agree that the bottom half of the bracket is about even.

I  agree that CWRU would probably finish fifth in the OAC, but there are several playoff teams that would be second division OAC teams.

My quarrell: "'I'd take whoever plays Case."

Well, perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration. But I hate the fact that teams like them and Curry get high seeds, and it happens regardless of sport in D-III it seems.

Case got a very favorable draw, but I still wouldn't be surprised to see them lose to Widener, even though Widener is no great shakes either.

People on the baseball board know well that I believe the best teams should be in the field regardless of what conference they're from or if they happened to win theirs. Case isn't one of the 32 best teams in D-III, they're just not.

Well, most of the WIAC would be playoff teams if they took the best 32 teams period. But that's not fair or right or just or true. You have conferences - and the conference champs should be included. Otherwise, why have a tournament AND conferences? The Pool B thing is a wrinkle but it's also fair to include all teams that would be passed over. Face it, you take care of business and you're in. Even in the OAC, you take care of everyone but Mt. Union, you're in. Yes, Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll are better than several teams, but you know what? They had a chance to win a playoff bid, and they didn't take care of business. So be it.

If most of the WIAC is in the 32 best teams, I have no problem with them being in the playoffs. If half of it ends up being WIAC and OAC, then so be it.

America's not about handouts to the undeserving...oh wait, LBJ. Yeah, forgot. Well when America was at its best it wasn't.

If "taking care of business" is the standard, then we should just include only undefeated teams.

It's just ridiculous to include some team that wins a horrible conference and exclude a legitimate contender to win a bracket.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yeah, no way that Curry, winner of (according to Kickoff) THE WORST conference in d3, deserved to get a bid.

Oh, wait ... they won big today.  Nevermind.

[downtown48]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

[AUKaz00]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

The E8 at-large bids went 1-1 with a 24-7 win over Hobart and scoring more TDs on Mt. Union than the OAC did all season.  Now, the E8 champ didn't do the conference any favors by getting monkey stomped by Curry, but the at-larges did rather well.

[Ralph Turner]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

My thoughts exactly!

I am sorry that Whitworth was not selected as a Pool C!

[theoriginalupstate]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

My thoughts exactly!

I am sorry that Whitworth was not selected as a Pool C!

Your kidding right? If anything you should be complaining about the E8 champ that got knocked around not their 2 at large bids that went 1-1 (Losing to MUC by 24 isnt that bad of a showing)....

[smedindy]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

My thoughts exactly!

I am sorry that Whitworth was not selected as a Pool C!

Your kidding right? If anything you should be complaining about the E8 champ that got knocked around not their 2 at large bids that went 1-1 (Losing to MUC by 24 isnt that bad of a showing)....

Fact is, Whitworth was still more worthy than a few at large teams, and one result isn't going to change that perception.

[Ron Boerger]

Yeah, no way that Curry, winner of (according to Kickoff) THE WORST conference in d3, deserved to get a bid.

Oh, wait ... they won big today.  Nevermind.

Let's see what happens when they play someone a little better than a #7 seed.  That's the beauty of the playoffs.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yeah, no way that Curry, winner of (according to Kickoff) THE WORST conference in d3, deserved to get a bid.

Oh, wait ... they won big today.  Nevermind.

Let's see what happens when they play someone a little better than a #7 seed.  That's the beauty of the playoffs.

I'm a CCIW (IWU) fan; I was just taking exception to Spence trashing the whole concept of AQs.  I'm certainly not saying Curry is a threat to MUC (or even necessarily one of the top 32 teams in the country), but a conference champ deserves a shot, and they took advantage of theirs, even if their conference is as bad as it gets.  They may not (OK, will not) make it to Salem, but the NEFC is no longer 0 for forever.

[Jonny Utah]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

My thoughts exactly!

I am sorry that Whitworth was not selected as a Pool C!

Your kidding right? If anything you should be complaining about the E8 champ that got knocked around not their 2 at large bids that went 1-1 (Losing to MUC by 24 isnt that bad of a showing)....

Fact is, Whitworth was still more worthy than a few at large teams, and one result isn't going to change that perception.

So Capital shouldnt have been in then right?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

My thoughts exactly!

I am sorry that Whitworth was not selected as a Pool C!

Your kidding right? If anything you should be complaining about the E8 champ that got knocked around not their 2 at large bids that went 1-1 (Losing to MUC by 24 isnt that bad of a showing)....

Fact is, Whitworth was still more worthy than a few at large teams, and one result isn't going to change that perception.

So Capital shouldnt have been in then right?

That depends.  Got any evidence that Whitworth would have lost to UWW by less than 20?

[Jonny Utah]

Good thing those two Empire 8 at-large's got in!! 

My thoughts exactly!

I am sorry that Whitworth was not selected as a Pool C!

Your kidding right? If anything you should be complaining about the E8 champ that got knocked around not their 2 at large bids that went 1-1 (Losing to MUC by 24 isnt that bad of a showing)....

Fact is, Whitworth was still more worthy than a few at large teams, and one result isn't going to change that perception.

So Capital shouldnt have been in then right?

That depends.  Got any evidence that Whitworth would have lost to UWW by less than 20?

No.  But we have evidence that Capital wasnt 3 touchdowns away from MUC.