2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[PaulNewman]

We were having a good conversation and you trolled in and told everyone how dumb and wrong they are.  You came in and insulted everyone and now you're bored.  That's rich.

So, back to the discussion, are you maintaining that Tufts comes into the OWU game with more experience than OWU?

[Mr.Right]

I never said you or they were dumb or wrong just stating my OPINION which is my RIGHT.

[Mr.Right]

That did not seem like a great conversation in fact it is very hard to have great conversations on here because most users besides a few of us stop in here every day

[Mr.Right]

Honestly the game between OWU and Tufts is just that a game. Their past history means absolutely nothing. What matters is which team is more motivated on the day, which team breaks down the others weaknesses better and which team has the better luck.  A game in 2011 means 0 for this upcoming game.

[Mr.Right]

A person asked a few posts back about a team's schedule during this time....It would most likely look like this:


Monday and Tuesday practice as normal

Wednesday thru Friday OFF

Saturday thru Tuesday practice as normal

Wednesday morning leave for KC

[PaulNewman]

I never said you or they were dumb or wrong just stating my OPINION which is my RIGHT.

I don't think there are any burning civil rights issues here.  Have I ever asked you not to post?  As you may recall, I was one of your supporters.  And you did traipse in and start rolling our the insults, begging Midwest not to post any lists without doing his "homework," suggesting I have no knowledge of games I'm watching, etc....and then it all bores you but you somehow are interested enough to go ahead and jump right in.

Enjoy the rest of the tournament, Mr.Right.

[Mr.Right]

I will

[PaulNewman]

Honestly the game between OWU and Tufts is just that a game. Their past history means absolutely nothing. What matters is which team is more motivated on the day, which team breaks down the others weaknesses better and which team has the better luck.  A game in 2011 means 0 for this upcoming game.

Nobody said it did.  A poster raised whether Tufts' SOS was an important factor to their advantage.  Another poster suggested OWU would benefit against Tufts from having played Kenyon.  I suggested that Tufts would benefit from having played Messiah.  Separate from all that a poster offered a list of top programs over the past 5 years.  You appeared to jumble all those together and then suggested OWU hadn't played any big games and maybe even didn't belong on the list especially if you take out 2011 (which is silly because you say the thing for several other teams if you deleted one of their best years).  But getting this all straight will likely be too tedious for you.

[lastguyoffthebench]

In the last 5 years...

1.) Messiah: No argument here. Very clear cut.

2.) OWU: 2 Final 4's, a Championship, an Elite 8 run.

3.) Loras: 2 Final 4's and numerous Sweet 16 appearances.

4.) Trinity: 3 or 4 Elite 8 losses for these guys. They play a great brand, just need to get back to the Final 4!

5.) Oneonta St: "New Kids on the block" featuring in their 2nd Final 4 in 4 years. Have proven over the last 4 years they can play with anyone and nobody has beaten them yet this year.

6.) Amherst: Consistent Elite 8 and Sweet 16 appearances.

7.) SLU: Every year their name is in the hat to make a serious run at it. They've been tripped up by Amherst the last couple years but that shouldn't take away from the fact that they are a very good program who play a great brand.

8.) Wheaton/Williams: Williams does have 3 Final 4's to their name so they should probably be higher but I'm more of a fan of the other teams ahead of them. Wheaton hasn't gotten to the Final 4 since 2006 but they're Wheaton and usually in the thick of things. Made an Elite 8 run in 2012.

9.) Calvin

You have Amherst ahead of SLU and SLU ahead of Williams. You claim to have based this on style? You would never pick Amherst ahead of these schools for style. If it is substance Williams has beaten Amherst the last 2 years to get into their 3rd Final 4 in 5 years. SLU has not beaten a Nescac since 2002 and Williams just beat them in 2012. Oneonta has been to 2 Final 4's in 5 years and will get quickly bounced this year. So Trinity's brand gets them a #4 ranking? They have not been to one Final 4 since 2007.....How many times do you watch D3 soccer out of your confort zone of the Midwest? Without that NCAA win OWU is not even on this list Please do your homework before trying a list like this without getting your facts or parameters set

I would also put MSU in the 8th slot along with Wheaton/Williams   They have made deep runs in the NCAAs, but have only won the conference once in the last 5 years... 
 

[Midwest Soccer]

I step away for a few hours and wow! Mr. Right, I stated my OPINION as well, "which is my RIGHT!"

I base those rankings off who I think the best teams are. SLU is better than Amherst in my opinion. Did Amherst just tie them and advance in PK's? Yes they did, but I still think SLU is better...that's my OPINION, which is my RIGHT! I also look past simply how they do in the tournament. Messiah lost to Neumann in the 2nd round in 2011, yet they beat the national champions at their place 2-1. They had a great year, and a 2nd round loss doesn't change that. Just because Trinity hasn't been to a final 4 since 2007 doesn't mean they don't belong, but that's my OPINION, which is my RIGHT!

It's comical that you say if you take away a national championship season that OWU wouldn't be on that list. They also went to the Elite 8 the year before that so not like it was an out of the blue run. Sweet 16 in 08, 2nd round 09, Elite 8 '10, Champions '11...Not a bad 4 year stretch. Add a 1st round exit in 2012 and you take them off the list completely? Seems a bit harsh. But that's just my OPINION, which is my RIGHT!

[PaulNewman]

Midwest, standing up to the little bully will earn you a karma point every time.  And you probably didn't go to Williams either, so who the heck are you?

[NEPitch62]

I just want to jump into the national discussion now that the Jumbos made it to the final four.  I'm not much of an xx and oo's guy but I do know when I see a team that has all the parts necessary to put together a run to the end.  The Jumbos were undefeated in conference play had the unfortunate first round loss to Conn College but came together in the tournament. 

Messiah was, in my first hand opinion, probably the most technically sound team I have ever seen and the Jumbos neutralized their strengths.  Lucky early goal or not, the Jumbos won that game on athleticism and heart.

[Nutmeg]

I just want to jump into the national discussion now that the Jumbos made it to the final four.  I'm not much of an xx and oo's guy but I do know when I see a team that has all the parts necessary to put together a run to the end.  The Jumbos were undefeated in conference play had the unfortunate first round loss to Conn College but came together in the tournament. 

Messiah was, in my first hand opinion, probably the most technically sound team I have ever seen and the Jumbos neutralized their strengths.  Lucky early goal or not, the Jumbos won that game on athleticism and heart.

That was not a lucky goal....it was early... a blast from 25 yards out into the upper 90!  A thing of beauty.....I assume your reference to luck is because of how early it happened...I agree with your take on the game...

[Mr.Right]

Agreed Nutmeg not a lucky goal...

[Mr.Right]

Here is a more reasonable list- not one where "I like teams better than others so I will rank them higher" or "I have never seen these teams play so I will rank them anyway" or "This team does not win in November but I enjoy the way I have heard they play"

2009-present
1. Messiah
2. Loras
3. OWU
4. Williams
5. RUC
6. Oneonta
7. Amherst
8. Trinity TX