Liberty League

[OldNed]

Do you think SLU will have one as well?

Absolutely, SLU will have a plan.  My son is the grad assistant for SLU so I know they'll strategize and come up with something.  As an added bit of history, Amherst knocked my son's team out of the tournament his senior year.  I just remember the atrocious condition of the grass field (it rained the day before) and I'm hoping it's not a bog out there on Saturday/Sunday.

[stlawus]

Liberty League honors for 2022

Coaching staff of the year: SLU

Player of the year: Marvin Sibanda, SLU

Defensive POY: Ben Woelfinger, SLU

Rookie of the year: Ryan Campbell, SLU

[PaulNewman]

stlawus and Saint, any filtering I do is not just about you guys.  I actually think we all do it and most of the times that's probably a good thing.  This will surprise some since I tend to get myself in trouble a few times a year.  Like many here you get used to the players (posters) and you develop a feel for them and their trigger spots.  I complain about the karma system but it probably is a good guardrail to at least make us pause from time to time.  Getting old is a mixed bag....I like not caring as much and feeling "more free" but on the other hand getting old means I don't care as much when maybe I should.  Once one gets caught up in an argument or back and forth it can be hard to extricate oneself from it, and as SC is trying to counsel me, some little micro-battles are really not worth the trouble.  I definitely have some regrets from some encounters over the years, most notably that involved the intersection of OWU and Kenyon, which was weird because the ONLY time my foil and I had any issue at all was when our allegiances were most directly in play.  Otherwise, he was always very generous and fair with Kenyon and I believe I did (and continue to do) the same with OWU.  It becomes a visceral-level thing that even if I wanted to do differently if I had it to do all over again I'm guessing I wouldn't be able to.  Even for very bright, accomplished, and relatively stable folks, once you get caught up in a vortex with someone or a few others extricating oneself is not necessarily easy to do.

I am very happy for you guys about SLU doing so well this season.  And I am very interested to carefully watch Sibanda for a full game.  I hope they do get a shot with Amherst.  Saint's point about having played Oneonta and Cortland is a good one.  I am interested in how you all think SLU will approach playing such a physically huge team on what usually is described as a small and/or narrow field where space could be tough to find and the grass will look nothing like gorgeous Sandy.

There are always some phenomenal 2nd round matches (like in addition to others already mentioned North Central vs St Olaf if it happens should be superb), and having at least one pod playing Fri-Sat instead of Sat/Sun is good for viewers being able to catch more games.

One thing I don't like about powerhouse 2nd round matchups happening earlier than they should is that people most remember a team losing in the 2nd round instead of how well they competed or whatever or who they played.  And then chants of overrated or 'choke' sometimes come through. 

[Saint of Old]

stlawus and Saint, any filtering I do is not just about you guys.  I actually think we all do it and most of the times that's probably a good thing.  This will surprise some since I tend to get myself in trouble a few times a year.  Like many here you get used to the players (posters) and you develop a feel for them and their trigger spots.  I complain about the karma system but it probably is a good guardrail to at least make us pause from time to time.  Getting old is a mixed bag....I like not caring as much and feeling "more free" but on the other hand getting old means I don't care as much when maybe I should.  Once one gets caught up in an argument or back and forth it can be hard to extricate oneself from it, and as SC is trying to counsel me, some little micro-battles are really not worth the trouble.  I definitely have some regrets from some encounters over the years, most notably that involved the intersection of OWU and Kenyon, which was weird because the ONLY time my foil and I had any issue at all was when our allegiances were most directly in play.  Otherwise, he was always very generous and fair with Kenyon and I believe I did (and continue to do) the same with OWU.  It becomes a visceral-level thing that even if I wanted to do differently if I had it to do all over again I'm guessing I wouldn't be able to.  Even for very bright, accomplished, and relatively stable folks, once you get caught up in a vortex with someone or a few others extricating oneself is not necessarily easy to do.

I am very happy for you guys about SLU doing so well this season.  And I am very interested to carefully watch Sibanda for a full game.  I hope they do get a shot with Amherst.  Saint's point about having played Oneonta and Cortland is a good one.  I am interested in how you all think SLU will approach playing such a physically huge team on what usually is described as a small and/or narrow field where space could be tough to find and the grass will look nothing like gorgeous Sandy.

There are always some phenomenal 2nd round matches (like in addition to others already mentioned North Central vs St Olaf if it happens should be superb), and having at least one pod playing Fri-Sat instead of Sat/Sun is good for viewers being able to catch more games.

One thing I don't like about powerhouse 2nd round matchups happening earlier than they should is that people most remember a team losing in the 2nd round instead of how well they competed or whatever or who they played.  And then chants of overrated or 'choke' sometimes come through.

This is all, and always will be a friendly forum man. What is the use if we cannot pull each other's leg from time to time and the passion encourages good debate and great points. Its a game of confrontation, nothing wrong with differing with each other even strongly, so long as we can all shake hands at the end of the game (argument) and appreciate the battles.
The beauty of the forum is not just cheering your team, but favorites you have come torespect a great deal along the way. For me it is Wheaton (Ill), Plattsburgh, Williams.
Who cannot appreciate teams like Kenyon, Amherst, Tufts, Calvin. Even when we critique or talk about these teams its because we deep down appreciate who they are and what they have done.

[Saint_Dad]

Will Amherst switch to their turf field if the grass becomes too wet and chopped up?  I hope so.  Amherst plays in the air.  SLU on the ground.  The better the conditions the better for SLU.  They can control the ball.  I'm sure Amherst can as well, but the worse the conditions, the better the chances for Amherst, not that they need any help.  This will be SLU's opportunity to show D3 soccer what kind of team they have.  Sibanda will show why he deserves to be div 3 soccer player of the year, or at least first team all american.  And if Mogul, Levy, and Pijpers are all healthy, I expect them to demonstrate to all of the schools who decided not to recruit them the opportunities they missed.  I'm waiting for Mogul to completely return to form since his injury.  I believe he showed that he is getting close to 100 percent against Skidmore with a tutorial of a flick, run to the byline and feed to Sibanda.  Now I'd like to see him get the confidence to put the ball in the net.  I would favor SLU against almost anyone at home.  It will be difficult on a chopped up narrow field for them.

[stlawus]

Let's worry about Roger Williams first.  Can't look ahead, that game will present plenty of challenges.

[deutschfan]

Maybe someone on the SLU squad between now and the weekend can develop a flip throw.  Then again, hopefully not as that strategy makes the beautiful game far less beautiful.  SLU's sweep of the awards was well deserved.  Never to hesitate to throw in my two cents, I would have liked to see a joint award with the Vassar coaching staff--a remarkable job for a first year coach replacing a legend.  Also, there hasn't been a unanimous first team selection since 2013, and that includes a player like Jethro Dede who was a first team All-American his senior year.  Unless the LL has forgotten how to use the asterisk key, the notion that Sibanda wasn't unanimous is a travesty, not quite a West Conn travesty, but still pretty bad.  Finally, Hobart who made the playoffs, and was regionally ranked at one point, had no one on the first or second team.  That also is pretty whack. 

[Coach Jeff]

Will Amherst switch to their turf field if the grass becomes too wet and chopped up?  I hope so.  Amherst plays in the air.  SLU on the ground.  The better the conditions the better for SLU.  They can control the ball.  I'm sure Amherst can as well, but the worse the conditions, the better the chances for Amherst, not that they need any help.  This will be SLU's opportunity to show D3 soccer what kind of team they have.  Sibanda will show why he deserves to be div 3 soccer player of the year, or at least first team all american.  And if Mogul, Levy, and Pijpers are all healthy, I expect them to demonstrate to all of the schools who decided not to recruit them the opportunities they missed.  I'm waiting for Mogul to completely return to form since his injury.  I believe he showed that he is getting close to 100 percent against Skidmore with a tutorial of a flick, run to the byline and feed to Sibanda.  Now I'd like to see him get the confidence to put the ball in the net.  I would favor SLU against almost anyone at home.  It will be difficult on a chopped up narrow field for them.

Just looking at numbers in the NCAA Stats Marvin Sibanda is ranked 63rd with 11 goals and tied at number 57 for total points with a total of 28.  When I looked Roger Williams Javi Beltran 11 goals and 7 assist giving him 29 points.  What are you using to say Sibanda will be the best player on the field?  I do not know either of these players so I am inquiring what you used as your criteria to make such a statement.

inquiring minds want to know!  You claim he should be considered for D3 Player of the year?  IMO there are many players ahead of him for the D3 player of the year that play the same position.  First team might even be a stretch for the 57 placed player.

See list below:
                                                                        gp      g   assist  pts
1   Joseph Thongsythavong   Norwich   Sr.   17   21   10   52
2   Victor Naci        St. Joseph's (Brkln)   So.   16   23   3   49
-   Enrique Hernandez      LaGrange   Sr.   17   21   7   49
4      Matt McDonald                Messiah   Sr.   20   21   6   48
5   John Cronnolly         Dominican (IL)   So.   16   22   3   47
6   Ander Castillo               Medaille   So.   17   21   3   45
-   Nathan Donovan    Wis.-Eau Claire   So.   20   19   7   45
-   Marcos Vila                  Luther   Sr.   20   16   13   45
9   Luis Green              Texas Lutheran   Sr.   16   19   6   44

[PaulNewman]

Coach, you seriously don't think you figure out POY or Midfielder of the Year or whatever by scrolling down a scoring list.  You know one player on that list.  You're sure the others should also be 1st team AA?  And what about the three ahead of your guy?   And why the pointed intensity on this?  Guy said he looked forward to more people getting a better idea about their whole team and Sibanda.  Made sense to me.

[Coach Jeff]

Coach, you seriously don't think you figure out POY or Midfielder of the Year or whatever by scrolling down a scoring list.  You know one player on that list.  You're sure the others should also be 1st team AA?  And what about the three ahead of your guy?   And why the pointed intensity on this?  Guy said he looked forward to more people getting a better idea about their whole team and Sibanda.  Made sense to me.

PN I was just asking for what he saw to make the statement.  I do not know them.  I do disagree with you my player of the year is not on the list.  Sorry for your misinformation.  I never stated my POY. 

[Coach Jeff]

Coach, you seriously don't think you figure out POY or Midfielder of the Year or whatever by scrolling down a scoring list.  You know one player on that list.  You're sure the others should also be 1st team AA?  And what about the three ahead of your guy?   And why the pointed intensity on this?  Guy said he looked forward to more people getting a better idea about their whole team and Sibanda.  Made sense to me.

PN I was just asking for what he saw to make the statement.  I do not know them.  I do disagree with you my player of the year is not on the list.  Sorry for your misinformation.  I never stated my POY.

The player I think will make a good run at the POY is on SC's list but he was not listed on my copied list... 

[PaulNewman]

Coach, you seriously don't think you figure out POY or Midfielder of the Year or whatever by scrolling down a scoring list.  You know one player on that list.  You're sure the others should also be 1st team AA?  And what about the three ahead of your guy?   And why the pointed intensity on this?  Guy said he looked forward to more people getting a better idea about their whole team and Sibanda.  Made sense to me.

PN I was just asking for what he saw to make the statement.  I do not know them.  I do disagree with you my player of the year is not on the list.  Sorry for your misinformation.  I never stated my POY.

So then what was the point of posting the list?  The way it read sounded an awful like you were using the list to discredit Sibanda...and that impression only grew when you next made reference to 57 and whether he should even be first team. Is it relevant or is it not? 

[deutschfan]

Realistically the chances of Sibanda being POY are almost nil.  Typically the POY comes from a top 10 team that makes a deep run into the NCAA playoffs.  There was never any talk about Jethro Dede, who is similar in many ways to Sibanda, being POY during his senior season even though his finals heroics gave SLU the LL Championship and he ultimately made 1st team AA.  SLU's early exit from the dance quashed any discussion if any had even arisen.  If Sibanda has a hattie or brace against Amherst his stock will go majorly up but that still won't make him a favorite with all the crazy stats generated by Messiah offensive players, and Chicago's easy draw to the semis with a bunch of players contributing to their Terminator like composure.  If Sibanda gets shut down, which happened against a number of LL foes of far less caliber than Amherst, or the teams SLU might play thereafter, and SLU takes the concomitant loss, that will be the end of the discussion.  That is assuming of course that SLU beats RW, which I assume will happen but on Amherst's small pitch marking someone like Sibanda is a lot easier than when he has room to run.

[Coach Jeff]

Realistically the chances of Sibanda being POY are almost nil.  Typically the POY comes from a top 10 team that makes a deep run into the NCAA playoffs.  There was never any talk about Jethro Dede, who is similar in many ways to Sibanda, being POY during his senior season even though his finals heroics gave SLU the LL Championship and he ultimately made 1st team AA.  SLU's early exit from the dance quashed any discussion if any had even arisen.  If Sibanda has a hattie or brace against Amherst his stock will go majorly up but that still won't make him a favorite with all the crazy stats generated by Messiah offensive players, and Chicago's easy draw to the semis with a bunch of players contributing to their Terminator like composure.  If Sibanda gets shut down, which happened against a number of LL foes of far less caliber than Amherst, or the teams SLU might play thereafter, and SLU takes the concomitant loss, that will be the end of the discussion.  That is assuming of course that SLU beats RW, which I assume will happen but on Amherst's small pitch marking someone like Sibanda is a lot easier than when he has room to run.

Thanks for your insight.  I am fairly unfamiliar with LL and Marvin Sibanda. 

[Saint_Dad]

Hopefully Marvin and SLU will make a run and then everyone will know about Marvin Sibanda, and some of the other players on this exciting team.  I agree that Marvin needs a lot to happen to even be considered, but I'm hoping that SLU gets by RW so they will see what they can do against one of the best teams in the country on their field.  Hopefully it will be moved to turf so it can be a real soccer game if the grass turns to crap.