ECACs

[Frank Rossi]

Castleton must have withdrawn as they weren't on final list. Its possible WNE could have been a late drop as well. I know ECAC comm tries to give members of different conferences a shot, and this field has every conf covered. FSU prob made it such that WooState was edged out given MASCAC already had a rep?

I'm not seeing Castleton as being on any list.  James, you're probably right about WNEU sending in a late withdrawal that never made it onto the ECAC's list.

[Jonny Utah]

I'm sure this gets rehashed almost every year, but a few words in defense of the existence of ECAC games (since most of what currently resides on this thread is a downer).

Bombers laid out what can happen with a program like Fisher. Let's extend that to describe the

1. A program that's just had their best season in several years (Bethany) or ever (Stevenson)

2. A program whose season might have been slightly disappointing, but closed on a winning streak (Albright) or playing especially well (Waynesburg)

3. A program that thinks they should have made the playoffs and wants to call it quits for the season

Teams 1 and 2 are going to be excited about the ECAC game. The only team(s) out of the whole group that I see who probably feel "meh" about this are SJF and, who, Salisbury? Even those dudes are probably happy to get one more game.

As for whether the ECACs have "run their course" for Fisher: y'all have been to the playoffs twice in the last seven seasons. Maybe you, the fans, are tired of ECAC games because they represent another season that fell short of your expectations, but come on.  The only programs who ought to feel above the ECAC are teams that actually make the playoffs more often than they miss them.

I get that fans don't HAVE to share the feelings of the team, but if you root for these guys all season and THEY want to enjoy one more game, it seems sporting to support them in that desire.  Don't be that d-bag who puts on his Jets jersey and claims he's a huge Jets fan, then boos at halftime and leaves in the third quarter.

I've relayed this anecdote previously: I was a senior on a 6-4 team that played in the ECACs after making the playoffs the season before.  Coming down the stretch I wasn't really sure how I (or any of the seniors) would react at the prospect of an ECAC game - would some guys just want the season over with?  Once we got word we had a game...unanimous excitement amongst the upperclassmen. We got a one week reprieve from being done with football for good. We got one more chance to suit up and play with our buddies. It was the most fun week of the season, really.  Maybe one or two of the teams in this year's field share the Fisher apathy, but for Albright, Stevenson, Bethany, Waynesburg, Buffalo State, etc...I bet all those dudes are pretty excited to have one more game.

You might need 3a and 3b

I was on an Ithaca team in 1996 that started out 7-1 (1 loss to a great D2 AIC team) and I think we were ranked top 10 nationally (before legit d3football.com polls, but we were #1 in the east).  Anyway, we lost our last two games to Cortland and Buffalo St in horrendous fashion, and guys were kind of ambivalent about playing an ECAC game against Worcester State.  It was just a disappointing way to end the season, and winning one more game didn't really seem to matter to anyone.  And it's wasn't really the starters that didn't want to play, but all the 2nd string guys that were ready to move on didn't take the week too seriously.  In the end, we won against a great defensive team, and guys were happy when it was over, but the win still didn't feel like the wins we were used to.  I had another year to play, and I had started that year so I had something to look forward to, but I don't remember a lot of guys savoring "one last game together" stuff.  I think playing on the road had something to do with it too, but all in all it was a blah experience for our team.

But back to 3a and 3b

3a-  teams that start out 7-1 and ranked in the top  ten and then crap the bed and miss the playoffs or

3b-  teams that start out 0-3 or something and then rattle off a bunch of wins, knowing they won't get the AQ but still hope to "keep the party going" as they say

[ExTartanPlayer]

You might need 3a and 3b

I was on an Ithaca team in 1996 that started out 7-1 (1 loss to a great D2 AIC team) and I think we were ranked top 10 nationally (before legit d3football.com polls, but we were #1 in the east).  Anyway, we lost our last two games to Cortland and Buffalo St in horrendous fashion, and guys were kind of ambivalent about playing an ECAC game against Worcester State.  It was just a disappointing way to end the season, and winning one more game didn't really seem to matter to anyone.  And it's wasn't really the starters that didn't want to play, but all the 2nd string guys that were ready to move on didn't take the week too seriously.  In the end, we won against a great defensive team, and guys were happy when it was over, but the win still didn't feel like the wins we were used to.  I had another year to play, and I had started that year so I had something to look forward to, but I don't remember a lot of guys savoring "one last game together" stuff.  I think playing on the road had something to do with it too, but all in all it was a blah experience for our team.

But back to 3a and 3b

3a-  teams that start out 7-1 and ranked in the top  ten and then crap the bed and miss the playoffs or

3b-  teams that start out 0-3 or something and then rattle off a bunch of wins, knowing they won't get the AQ but still hope to "keep the party going" as they say

You know, I kind of thought of this afterwards, didn't bother to add it but I agree 100% - teams that could/should have made the playoffs can fall in either of these two categories.  Good clarification.

My senior-year experience was a 3b (started 2-0, lost four straight, won four straight to reach 6-4, got the ECAC game and won to finish 7-4 and on a high note).  But I can certainly see the flip side.

And that's the thing.  As long as the ECAC games exist, you'll have a smattering of 6-4 and 7-3 teams available to play, and most of those teams will be those like Bethany, Stevenson, Albright, Buffalo State, Utica, Waynesburg...all programs that are probably excited about their extra post-season game.  SJF (and maybe Salisbury) look like the only teams on this year's list that harbored real serious playoff expectations and would feel like they're above an ECAC game.  Heck, you could even argue that Framingham State will be cheesed off about being in the ECAC instead of the playoffs and might mail it in (after all, they were in the playoffs in 2012 and 2013).

[lewdogg11]

You might need 3a and 3b

I was on an Ithaca team in 1996 that started out 7-1 (1 loss to a great D2 AIC team) and I think we were ranked top 10 nationally (before legit d3football.com polls, but we were #1 in the east).  Anyway, we lost our last two games to Cortland and Buffalo St in horrendous fashion, and guys were kind of ambivalent about playing an ECAC game against Worcester State.  It was just a disappointing way to end the season, and winning one more game didn't really seem to matter to anyone.  And it's wasn't really the starters that didn't want to play, but all the 2nd string guys that were ready to move on didn't take the week too seriously.  In the end, we won against a great defensive team, and guys were happy when it was over, but the win still didn't feel like the wins we were used to.  I had another year to play, and I had started that year so I had something to look forward to, but I don't remember a lot of guys savoring "one last game together" stuff.  I think playing on the road had something to do with it too, but all in all it was a blah experience for our team.

But back to 3a and 3b

3a-  teams that start out 7-1 and ranked in the top  ten and then crap the bed and miss the playoffs or

3b-  teams that start out 0-3 or something and then rattle off a bunch of wins, knowing they won't get the AQ but still hope to "keep the party going" as they say

You know, I kind of thought of this afterwards, didn't bother to add it but I agree 100% - teams that could/should have made the playoffs can fall in either of these two categories.  Good clarification.

My senior-year experience was a 3b (started 2-0, lost four straight, won four straight to reach 6-4, got the ECAC game and won to finish 7-4 and on a high note).  But I can certainly see the flip side.

And that's the thing.  As long as the ECAC games exist, you'll have a smattering of 6-4 and 7-3 teams available to play, and most of those teams will be those like Bethany, Stevenson, Albright, Buffalo State, Utica, Waynesburg...all programs that are probably excited about their extra post-season game.  SJF (and maybe Salisbury) look like the only teams on this year's list that harbored real serious playoff expectations and would feel like they're above an ECAC game.  Heck, you could even argue that Framingham State will be cheesed off about being in the ECAC instead of the playoffs and might mail it in (after all, they were in the playoffs in 2012 and 2013).

Ok, i'll make this short and sweet.  If any program thinks they are 'above' the ECAC games or just aren't interested, maybe the players should have some buy in and they should be pulled from consideration.  I'm guessing most of the people bitching are on message boards and not in the locker room.

[jackson5]

Castleton must have withdrawn as they weren't on final list. Its possible WNE could have been a late drop as well. I know ECAC comm tries to give members of different conferences a shot, and this field has every conf covered. FSU prob made it such that WooState was edged out given MASCAC already had a rep?

WNE chose to end their season after an off-campus incident Saturday night.

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=11896392&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%22%7D

[D3MAFAN]

Castleton must have withdrawn as they weren't on final list. Its possible WNE could have been a late drop as well. I know ECAC comm tries to give members of different conferences a shot, and this field has every conf covered. FSU prob made it such that WooState was edged out given MASCAC already had a rep?

WNE chose to end their season after an off-campus incident Saturday night.

I figured! Such a shame for the rest of the team.

[ITH radio]

That doesn't sound good. And just put together this is the same thing as what's on the General Boards under ESPN coverage .....

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11896392/john-perry-western-new-england-university-pleads-not-guilty-fracturing-girlfriend-skull

[lewdogg11]

Maybe WNEC should clean up their program.

[D3MAFAN]

Here are my predicted winners for the ECAC games.

2014 ECAC Division III Bowl Championships

North Atlantic
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (6-4)
at Framingham State University (9-1) 12:00 p.m.

North Central
Utica College (7-3)
at Morrisville State College (8-2) 1:00 p.m.

Northeast
Salve Regina University (6-4)
at Norwich University (7-3) 12:00 p.m.

Northwest
Western Connecticut State University (7-3)
at St. John Fisher College (8-2) 12:00 p.m.

Southwest
Buffalo State College (7-3)
at Waynesburg University (8-2) 1:00 p.m.

Southeast
Bethany College (6-4)
at Stevenson University (7-3) 2:00 p.m.

South Atlantic
Albright College (6-4)
at Salisbury University (6-4) 12:00 p.m.

[ECoastFootball]

Here are my predicted winners for the ECAC games.

2014 ECAC Division III Bowl Championships

North Atlantic
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (6-4)
at Framingham State University (9-1) 12:00 p.m.

North Central
Utica College (7-3)
at Morrisville State College (8-2) 1:00 p.m.

Northeast
Salve Regina University (6-4)
at Norwich University (7-3) 12:00 p.m.

Northwest
Western Connecticut State University (7-3)
at St. John Fisher College (8-2) 12:00 p.m.

Southwest
Buffalo State College (7-3)
at Waynesburg University (8-2) 1:00 p.m.

Southeast
Bethany College (6-4)
at Stevenson University (7-3) 2:00 p.m.

South Atlantic
Albright College (6-4)
at Salisbury University (6-4) 12:00 p.m.

Don't know anything about the south teams, but for the North I'll agree with you on 3 but take Salve over Norwich.

[Upstate]

West Conn looks to have a good pass rush with their DL. Will be interesting to see if they can get after Fisher's QB...

Speaking of...

If Fenti plays, Fisher by 27...

If Fenti and Nigolian play, Fisher by 35...

If Catan gets the start, Fisher by 17...

If Catan starts and Nigolian plays, Fisher by 24...

[ECoastFootball]

I know Fisher is like an hour and 20 from Buffalo, but have they been (or will they be) hit by this snow? Any chance the WConn game gets cancelled or moved, or that the Cards have been having to cancel practice?

[AUPepBand]

I know Fisher is like an hour and 20 from Buffalo, but have they been (or will they be) hit by this snow? Any chance the WConn game gets cancelled or moved, or that the Cards have been having to cancel practice?

Pep is 90 miles southeast of Buffalo and we have nothing more than a dusting of an inch or so of snow. The weird thing about the snowfall in Buffalo is that it is clearly a lake-effect storm. The "official" snowfall for Buffalo is taken at the airport, which measured 7 inches of snow, whereas they had up to 70 inches in certain areas of the city, which will never make the "official" snowfall history books.

Pep is thinking there's nothing going to cancel the West Conn-Fisher game but then Pep is 75 miles south..... Pack your bags!

[boobyhasgameyo]

Yeah, Rochester is fine...which isn't usually the case when discussing snow.  Probably 3-5 inches.  Let the games begin. 

[jmcozenlaw]

It's only 75 in Key West and the sun is hiding behind the clouds.........

Miserable weather