Pool C -- 2011

[Upstate]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

I think the 32nd team getting in, Endicott, is a joke and they'll be sent home in embarrassing fashion in the first round along with their NEFC Pool A rep...

The first round of the UMU bracket is going to be a massacre for the lower seeds...

[DanPadavona]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

If Endicott gets in (which I predict they will), then I do believe that will lead to a fair amount of outrage. But if you are referring to MUC coming East again, yes I think that will be a point of much outrage since it was "suggested" the last few years that the only reason the East didn't crown its own champion was the lack of an undefeated team. If MUC comes East yet again (as I believe they will), it will be clear that the NCAA committee is saying eastern football is not worthy.

[Pat Coleman]

The D3 tournament does crown the champion. But it also about inclusion. Those aren't mutually exclusive. If it was about exclusion, then it'd be back to the old days where deserving conference champs were on the outside looking in. That did happen back in the 70's and 80's.

And '90s.

[smedindy]

Who makes society better? The teacher or the hedge fund manager? And does higher pay = best for society?

Back on point:

How would the playoffs be any better if Illinois College (the probably team 33) made it instead of Norwich?

How?

How would the playoffs be any better if Wheaton is in the playoffs instead of Benedictine?

Why not go back to an 8-team playoff bracket with arbitrary and capricious selections, instead of having a legitimate and well-thought out process?

So if Mt. Ida goes 10-0 next year, they should be excluded for an 8-2 team in the OAC that lost to Mt. Union (expected) and then to another team (like Otterbien?)

I find that elitist and exclusionary and not in the spirit of the NCAA. It's a false equivalence to compare admissions standards at institutions to the NCAA playoff structure which benefits ALL member institutions. 

[smedindy]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

I think the 32nd team getting in, Endicott, is a joke and they'll be sent home in embarrassing fashion in the first round along with their NEFC Pool A rep...

The first round of the UMU bracket is going to be a massacre for the lower seeds...

A. The first round against any of the Purple won't be pretty
B. How is 49-35 a joke? Yes it was 42-14 at one point but Endicott fought back.
C. How is Maine Maritime losing to Montclair 38-22 a joke, when the next week Montclair lost 62-14? What's the bigger joke?

[smedindy]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

If Endicott gets in (which I predict they will), then I do believe that will lead to a fair amount of outrage. But if you are referring to MUC coming East again, yes I think that will be a point of much outrage since it was "suggested" the last few years that the only reason the East didn't crown its own champion was the lack of an undefeated team. If MUC comes East yet again (as I believe they will), it will be clear that the NCAA committee is saying eastern football is not worthy.

Each region complains, dude. They complain about seedings, travel and the top-heavy nature of the brackets. Just win, that's all you need to do.

[retagent]

I feel everyone's pain.

HOWEVER, as nice as it is to see "deserving " teams make the playoffs. The  reason for playing is to "win the game." In this case - to win the Championship game. We can pee and moan about which team is 33rd, and get's left out, but in reality there are only a few teams that have a realistic chance of going to the Stagg. This year, it may be as open as it has been in a decade, and still, IMHO, there are only about 6 or maybe 7 teams that can get there. Usually, that number may be only 4 or 5. No matter who feels they were deserving of making it into the field of 32, just know that if you are 30, 31, or 32, your chances are slim and none of winning it all, and slim just left the building.

[smedindy]

But, that's no reason to arbitrarily exclude conference champs, even if there's not much of a chance they can win the whole thing.

[Upstate]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

I think the 32nd team getting in, Endicott, is a joke and they'll be sent home in embarrassing fashion in the first round along with their NEFC Pool A rep...

The first round of the UMU bracket is going to be a massacre for the lower seeds...

A. The first round against any of the Purple won't be pretty
B. How is 49-35 a joke? Yes it was 42-14 at one point but Endicott fought back.
C. How is Maine Maritime losing to Montclair 38-22 a joke, when the next week Montclair lost 62-14? What's the bigger joke?

A. I didn't single out UMU, the entire UMU brackets lower seeds are going to get demolished in the first rounds if the D3.com bracket holds.

B. Endicott didn't belong on the field, they got two defensive TDs w/ under 8:30 to play & then they tacked on a TD w/ 30 seconds left to make the score somewhat close.  Cortland wiped them off the field and that was the NEFC rep.

C. What on gods green earth does Maine Maritime & Montclair have to do with anything I said?

[DanPadavona]

So what we have learned is the best way to ensure a bid to the NCAA tournament is to dodge all strong competitors by any means necessary. Create a schedule of cupcakes who do not belong on the same field as you, and run the table year after year.

What a wonderful message to send, let alone defend.

[smedindy]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

I think the 32nd team getting in, Endicott, is a joke and they'll be sent home in embarrassing fashion in the first round along with their NEFC Pool A rep...

The first round of the UMU bracket is going to be a massacre for the lower seeds...

A. The first round against any of the Purple won't be pretty
B. How is 49-35 a joke? Yes it was 42-14 at one point but Endicott fought back.
C. How is Maine Maritime losing to Montclair 38-22 a joke, when the next week Montclair lost 62-14? What's the bigger joke?

A. I didn't single out UMU, the entire UMU brackets lower seeds are going to get demolished in the first rounds if the D3.com bracket holds.

B. Endicott didn't belong on the field, they got two defensive TDs w/ under 8:30 to play & then they tacked on a TD w/ 30 seconds left to make the score somewhat close.  Cortland wiped them off the field and that was the NEFC rep.

C. What on gods green earth does Maine Maritime & Montclair have to do with anything I said?

Maine Maritime was the NEFC rep in 2009 and they played Montclair.
The NEFC rep in 2008 WON a playoff game.

[Frank Rossi]

Re: Pool C, mark these words (or don't): This is going to be a year when all the outrage is about the seeds and matchups, not the 32 teams that get in.

I think the 32nd team getting in, Endicott, is a joke and they'll be sent home in embarrassing fashion in the first round along with their NEFC Pool A rep...

The first round of the UMU bracket is going to be a massacre for the lower seeds...

A. The first round against any of the Purple won't be pretty
B. How is 49-35 a joke? Yes it was 42-14 at one point but Endicott fought back.
C. How is Maine Maritime losing to Montclair 38-22 a joke, when the next week Montclair lost 62-14? What's the bigger joke?

A. I didn't single out UMU, the entire UMU brackets lower seeds are going to get demolished in the first rounds if the D3.com bracket holds.

B. Endicott didn't belong on the field, they got two defensive TDs w/ under 8:30 to play & then they tacked on a TD w/ 30 seconds left to make the score somewhat close.  Cortland wiped them off the field and that was the NEFC rep.

C. What on gods green earth does Maine Maritime & Montclair have to do with anything I said?

Maine Maritime was the NEFC rep in 2009 and they played Montclair.
The NEFC rep in 2008 WON a playoff game.

No, the NEFC Pool C rep in 2008 won.  The Pool A rep did not.  (Curry beat Ithaca; Cortland beat Plymouth St.)

[DanPadavona]

No, the NEFC Pool C rep in 2008 won.  The Pool A rep did not.  (Curry beat Ithaca; Cortland beat Plymouth St.)

Correct. The NEFC is 2-13 all time in NCAA play, and most of the games have an embarrassing margin of victory by the opponent. But the ECFC makes the NEFC look like the SEC.

[smedindy]

So what we have learned is the best way to ensure a bid to the NCAA tournament is to dodge all strong competitors by any means necessary. Create a schedule of cupcakes who do not belong on the same field as you, and run the table year after year.

What a wonderful message to send, let alone defend.

I still find it hilarious that you think Norwich jumped to the ECFC solely to make the playoffs. Yep that sure worked in 2010. Oh, yeah, they didn't win the ECFC last year.

And BOY did they crush their opponents this year. That 10-7 win over Gaulladet was a lambasting. Their game against SUNY - Maritime was a 16-9 laugher.

That's the false assumption you're starting with.

Conferences are formed not just for football and if a conference (the GNAC and the NAC) does not support football those members that support football should find a conference or wade into independent land, where games are very hard to find. It's only right and logical that they form a conference for football.

It's only logical. I'm Norwich, and I play football. The GNAC doesn't have enough football playing schools to support it. The NAC is in my neck of the woods and they have some teams that are starting or play football. Instead of trying to compete in a league that's not a good fit for us athletically, we can play some schools that are a better fit, football-wise, since we're at somewhat of a disadvantage because of the type of school we are. ("Hey, Mr. Football Player, come play at a military school in the middle of nowhere, Vermont...)

The fact that they now qualify for the playoffs, I think, is and always will be secondary to the reasons of the formation of the ECFC.

[smedindy]

No, the NEFC Pool C rep in 2008 won.  The Pool A rep did not.  (Curry beat Ithaca; Cortland beat Plymouth St.)

Correct. The NEFC is 2-13 all time in NCAA play, and most of the games have an embarrassing margin of victory by the opponent. But the ECFC makes the NEFC look like the SEC.

So. What.

Why aren't you complaining about the OTHER conferences? The ones that serve up the first round fodder for Mt. Union and Whitewater?