NESCAC

[PaulNewman]

I think 12SNoon hit the nail on the head, even though I vigorously disagree with his slant on Bull's behavior today.  How good of a guy Bull is in "real life" is not relevant.  And the notion (if that's what it was) that the refs condoned the behavior I think is utterly false.  They were tuned out and lackadaisical right at the wrong time, and this is proven by the ref (finally) after the PK we are most focused on, actually running to beat Bull to the ball so that Bull could not do a repeat of so generously walking the ball up to the kicker.

But where I think 12SNoon is totally on target is that emotions ARE running high, and that is to be expected this time of the year.  It makes total sense that former alums/players, especially recent players who may still have very close ties to their programs, AND parents of players and former players, are going to show their emotions on this site.  Certainly there has been some gamesmanship and "seed planting" on this message board that mirrors what we're talking about.  Even at this D3 level, the competition is fierce and it is hard to make a deep run.  We all look to every angle that might help our team.  We all look for the stats and scenarios that favor our team getting a bid, getting a good draw, getting home field, etc, etc.

[Mr.Right]

Amherst will not be sniffing a Final Four this year. $100 to any of you Amherst fans and i'll give you odds

[dacac]

Whether or not a player is a nice guy off the field is not relevant. Every nescac game is heated, but it is up to the players to conduct themselves acceptably and up to the coaches to ensure this. As a whole, teams do uphold a level of decency while still maintaining the competitive spirit that we love about college athletics. Every now and then a player crosses the line, but positive competitive spirit generally prevails.

The outlier here, as most neutral observers have recognized, is Amherst. There are many reasons for this, but I think most would agree that the problem lies with Serpone and his staff. Serpone encourages a type of thuggery that you rarely see in college soccer, and with the exception of a few creative types, he fields players who have the natural physical abilities to carry out his over-aggressive game plan.

But hey, he gets results. And if results are paramount then the way Serpone coaches is acceptable. However, I imagine the Amherst administration values the image of the school and its student body over the win/loss record of the soccer team. Hopefully we will soon see some changes in Amherst.

[Mr.Right]

NOthing has changed since 2007. I would not bet on it.

[PaulNewman]

Back to soccer.

It was interesting that blooter noted how far Bowdoin has come from being down 2-0 to Tufts at home.  And by the same token, that was a key moment for Tufts going in the opposite direction.  I'm not going to raise the whole COY thing again, but a coach has to realize securing the #1 seed for the conference tournament isn't the only game in town.  We've barely talked about Tufts at all in over a week and they've gone off the radar except for occasional anxious questions about whether or not they are "safe."  We all think Tufts is going to get in, but their draw in the tournament is not likely to be great (or perhaps what it could have been).

[Mr.Right]

or it could be the other way around. Tufts could be sent to Wheaton or maybe even Babson and make either of those teams miserable

[PaulNewman]

Are you confident they will come out and beat either of those teams after 2 weeks of not playing?

[Nutmeg]

Tufts could definitely beat either of those teams.  not saying they will but they certainly can. Would you really be surprised either way? I wouldnt. remember, ?Tufts only have lost twice all year. I know you are down on them by your posts  but they do have the potential...

[Nutmeg]

And, they will be healthy.....

[blooter442]

Are you confident they will come out and beat either of those teams after 2 weeks of not playing?

That's a good question. I would give a slight edge to Wheaton, but I think Tufts is better than Babson and would have their way with them. Then again, Babson beat Wheaton yesterday, as they capitalized on their opportunities and Wheaton didn't, so you never know.

The Trinity game aside, I have liked watching Wheaton this year. Blair is obviously a force up front, and I really rate Finkelstein in the middle. Two great players. I also think that Altneu and Kossoff are great players. No, they're not fantastic on defense, but they keep the ball well, can score, and are able to hold their own against any team.

Despite their record, I haven't been impressed by Babson at all this season. They aren't very dynamic, and, defensively, they are average. When Laurenzo is isolated, their whole game plan goes out the window. He is a top player and drives that team, but when he gets shut down they don't seem to have an answer. Ventura and Carlos are solid as well, but I doubt they'd get into the starting XI of most NESCAC teams. That said, they capitalized on their opportunities yesterday and pulled the shock of the weekend IMHO. They could make a run, but I don't see it.

[RelegationZone]

Was at the game today. Great game by Bowdoin -- they did a really good job staying compact and making it difficult for Amherst to get good looks. That tactical decision, combined with a bit of luck (Nico P-L hitting the post, Cam B. sending a shot just wide, etc.) got them a well-deserved victory.

Re: PK shootout. Great shots by both teams and Bull very unlucky on the first shot -- that goal was ultimately the difference. The ball hit the post, ricocheted off his back, and then trickled in by only a few inches. A few inches can win a championship!

I also wanted to opine on what some posters here are saying about Thomas Bull. He is not a dirty player, or any of the other adjectives some posters used to describe him, at all. He's a fierce competitor and emotions were running high today. It's very easy to look at things from 500 feet away and see them one way, but between the lines things aren't always so black and white. I was privileged to call him a teammate for one year and he's one of the nicest young guys you'll ever meet. As for his back and fourth/gamesmanship, it was INTENSE. It's part of the reason why I love college sports! There was also 3 referees standing within 10 yards of him that didn't think it was a big deal.

(I briefly thought about posting YouTube links here showing the top goalies in the world doing the exact same things before penalty shootouts, but you can all look them up yourselves!)

...can't wait for the NCAA's, and Amherst's first Final Four since 2008!

Bull's actions during the PK shootout constituted unsporting behavior, a cautionable offense under the Laws of the Game, and he should have seen yellow.

The Bowdoin player who converted the 4th kick and then glared and exchanged pleasantries with Bull was Ward (#21), arguably the top freshman in the league.

Switching the point of attack/discussion - does anyone know the playing status of the Tufts center-back who committed the violent foul at the end of the Bowdoin game and subsequently sat out the opening round  loss to Conn in the NESCAC tournament?

[PaulNewman]

Tufts could definitely beat either of those teams.  not saying they will but they certainly can. Would you really be surprised either way? I wouldnt. remember, ?Tufts only have lost twice all year. I know you are down on them by your posts  but they do have the potential...

I totally understand your take on my posts regarding Tufts but I'm not so much down on them but instead feel they have much to prove as a team that has had A/A- talent for certainly the past 2 and maybe the last 3 years and we/you are still talking about potential.  And I personally feel the events of the past 2 weeks have made things even harder for them.  Yes, I definitely think they are capable of beating Wheaton and definitely Babson (although it seems everyone here has been doubting Babson all year and yet here they are), but I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose to either also.  Maybe having their backs against the wall and the adversity of the past 2 weeks will inspire the Jumbos.  We'll see.  I do like a few of their players a lot, and I like the style they play.  They also have a tremendous shot-stopping GK.

[Off Pitch]

I would rather play Wheaton right now than Babson.  Wheaton has loads of talent, but there is something missing.  Finkelstein should be the glue for them but this team is not playing as well in November as they did in September.  Anderson must be a heck of a coach for Babson, because for a team whose best players couldn't start for most NESCAC teams they were still able to beat Williams and Bowdoin (and Wheaton).  They are playing their best soccer of the season right now after an early season injury bug.  That being said, I don't think any team in New England relishes the thought of drawing Tufts, Amherst or Bowdoin right now. 

With the parity we have seen in NE this season, the absence of a dominant team (other than perhaps Brandeis) and so many surprises and upsets, I doubt the NCAAs will be any different.

[MENESCACFAN]

A happy day for this fan that the NESCAC championship is heading to Maine for a year.

Even as a Bowdoin fan today, the reaction to Bull I find totally overblown.  He is approximately the 1,000th soccer goalkeeper to attempt mind games in a shootout.

Here is an amusing psyche out attempt and response from scorer in D1 that went viral this year;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAudm4_1lBY

Bruce 'Spaghetti legs' Grobelaar is also revered for this famous shootout in Europe;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2GyLdD1iwE

While it may fit an agenda, this is a common tactic and not Amherst arrogance.  If it backfires then you look silly and take it on the chin, which I am sure Bull will.

Go UBears!  Now let's hope for three teams in the tourney tomorrow.

[All NESCAC]

Amherst will not be sniffing a Final Four this year. $100 to any of you Amherst fans and i'll give you odds

Mr. Right you are spot on with Vegas on this.