MBB: Centennial Conference

[crambam]

DB--were you sitting on the same side as the F&M bench last night, or the other side?

It's hard to say how many F&M fans were there, but it looked like there were more than there were just because that gym was so small.

Basically, here's the story--as is the case at any average basketball game, especially a big one, the fans were supporting their team. 

Dare I say it, the MM fans were yelling when our guys were shooting foul shots!  The HORROR!

And F&M fans were doing the same when MM players were on the foul line.

GASP!

At one point, they were referring to Anthony Brooks as Dennis Rodman.  That was probably the WORST thing done by either side the whole night, and who cares?  That's nothing. 

So at one point, with a F&M player on the foul line, the MM fans did an airball chant.  You never see that.

When the guy hit the foul shot, WE did a mocking airball chant. 

He missed the second shot, and they were all happy, and the F&M fans responding with a teasing "we are winning" chant.  Yes, because words like WINNING are so evil.

Anyway, the game continues, and it becomes evident that they are just fouling and not mounting a serious comeback, and one of our fans stands up and yells, "YOU LOSE!"  He did that I think just 2 times, at the top of his lungs.

The athletic director then goes on her little rant.

She basically whined about how this is not the way to teach kids.  What?

Since when do fans of an opposing team have an obligation to teach kids anything?  More important, we didn't do anything!  The MM fans were far less courteous than the F&M fans, and THEY weren't doing anything wrong either.

Newsflash!  It was a basketball game.  Fans yell!

Another F&M fan politely reminded this lady that if these kids can't take what was going on in this basketball game, how would they do in the real military?  It was so out of line you can only make fun of it, but really, this lady had no business talking to anyone in the F&M section.

No one did anything wrong on either side.  She came off as a moron who was bitter because her team lost.

[r.w. mcnickels]

Here are the site-selection criteria as listed in the Division III men's basketball handbook (page 7):

1. Quality and availability of the facility and other necessary accommodations;
2. Geographical location (which may include such factors as rotation of sites, weather,
accessibility and transportation costs);
3. Seeding; and
4. Attendance history and revenue potential, which shall be considered necessary to
assure fiscal responsibility.

The handbook also says the sectional site must have seating for at least 1,000. The St. Mary's website lists the capacity of its gym at 1,200. Assuming the area has necessary accommodations, it looks like St. Mary's to me.

Randolph-Macon and F&M were both ranked fourth in their regions, so that could be a toss-up if St. Mary's doesn't get it.

[Reserved Seat]

Tough game at Kings Point.
Both teams are very disciplined, but F&M was more athletic.  F&M's athletic ability appeared to cause the Merchant Marines to foul to prevent some easy basketball.  There was a lot of contact and more fouls could have been called, but the officials seemed to try to call it evenly.
There were a lot of no calls. 
The bantering between fans was vocal and most of it was rather common.  From what I heard( I was sitting behind the F&M bench), I think the AD took offense to the chant that sounded like "losers, losers."  I've heard worse.  Robinson seemed very happy with the fan support.  F&M had more fans than the Merchant Marines.  Their AD is probably not use to team with strong fan support.
Foul shooting is still going to hurt F&M.  You can't continue to miss 13 fouls.
From what Robinson said in the paper before the Merchant Marine games, the criteria used this year was strength of schedule, which unfortunately is very arbitrary when you have leagues of different abilities.  It doesn't seem that they used the criteria listed by r.w.

[Reserved Seat]

Unfortunately, St. Marys will host.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Just for the record... SMC's facilities are just fine... better then most of you realize. They can easily seat 1,200 with the ability to bring in more bleachers on one end. They did a great job this past weekend and will do just as good a job this coming weekend. And just because F&M beat SMC once... doesn't mean the rest of the season is ignored.

Also... there are PLENTY of hotels within 10 miles of SMC (La Quinta, Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, TownSuites, etc.)... and a number of restaurants and Solomons Island is worth checking out during the day Saturday.

[docmarc]

It is very simple why F&M should host.  F&M beat St. Mary's this season- I do not care about strength of schedule, etc. 

[Warren Thompson]

As I did not see a response to Lusty, Coleman must be embarassed about being wrong last year.  It also shows how biased he is against F&M.  I remember his broadcasts and predictions from 2004 and 2000.  How often do you see F&M in person Pat? 

You should think about reading more closely, Doc.

1) We didn't do predictions in 2000.
2) In 2004 I predicted F&M to the Final Four.
3) I responded to Lusty. Get it together -- you should be better than that.

I haven't seen F&M in person since I moved away from the east coast in 2008. Other than the Final Four last year, of course.

Poor, poor F&M. They don't get respect from anyone, least of all the D3.com mavens. What's a body to do?

[Pat Coleman]

It is very simple why F&M should host.  F&M beat St. Mary's this season- I do not care about strength of schedule, etc. 

Gotta take care of business all season, I guess.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Warren - they have a lot of respect from a lot of people... but that doesn't mean they just get to host just because. As I say all the time... the game on November 15th means the same as the one on Feb. 28th and all of them inbetween. You can't lose games you should be winning... and you can't put the situation in the hands of others to decide when you can get the job done yourself.

I hope F&M can make it back to the Final Four... but this time - unlike last time - they will have to prove themselves on the road. They do that... there will probably be a lot of respect for this team at the Final Four.

[crambam]

You do have to take care of business all season.  But the difference between the 2 teams is just one loss on that entire season.  F&M beat St. Mary's head to head.  Hopefully they'll do it again. 

[r.w. mcnickels]

And just because F&M beat SMC once... doesn't mean the rest of the season is ignored.

Gotta take care of business all season, I guess.

The Hopkins loss killed F&M's chances of a higher seed. The win over St. Mary's in November would have meant much more if the Dips could have beaten sub-.500 Lebanon Valley, McDaniel and Hopkins. So, the road to the Final Four is just that -- a road. Most F&M fans I talked to this weekend understand this. St. Mary's is clearly the right call for hosting the sectional.

Poor, poor F&M. They don't get respect from anyone, least of all the D3.com mavens. What's a body to do?

The sarcasm is understandable, given the recent postings. Just know that these don't represent most F&M basketball fans.

[Reserved Seat]

r.w. mcnickels,
You are certainly correct; if you can't beat sub .500 teams, you haven't earned a home game.
Hopefully, if F&M can play to their potential, they will gain the chemistry they need to win in Salem.

[Flintstone203]

http://www.co.saint-marys.md.us/directions/

Here are directions to St. Mary's if anyone is interested. The traffic on the Capital Beltway can be pretty daunting at rush hour so I would factor that into travel time for anyone making the trip.

[crambam]

2 of F&M's losses were by a combined 4 points, and a third was in OT.  They avenged 2 of the losses, and beat a third loss in their own gym.  The fourth loss just didn't have a rematch.

Yes, they shouldn't have lost those games, but that should give you an idea of how ridiculous it is to overanalyze those losses.  F&M could be a top 5 in the country team very easily.

And they BEAT St. Mary's head to head.

As for not earning a home game at all, the idea that a 5 loss team like Albright was ranked ahead of them in the region makes even less sense.  Good job getting out of the first round at home guys!

Done is done.  Hopefully, F&M will do what they have to do and move on.

[Warren Thompson]

Poor, poor F&M. They don't get respect from anyone, least of all the D3.com mavens. What's a body to do?

The sarcasm is understandable, given the recent postings. Just know that these don't represent most F&M basketball fans.

Agreed. Most Dip fans don't whine and whinge.