2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[PaulNewman]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

1) No one has suggested the Tufts victory (and whole title run) was a fluke.  Quite the contrary, even from diehard Messiah fans.

2) In all my time on this board I 've never seen anyone rank the NESCAC anywhere but #1 or #2 among all conferences.  In fact, if any comments have been made about not showing well in the tournament relative to the prominence of the conference it has been about the UAA.

3) I personally think you all are diminishing the Tufts title by making it so much of a NESCAC thing.  The trophy is going into the Tufts trophy case.  I can guarantee you that being a NESCAC member played ZERO role in terms of Tufts' motivation to march through the tournament field, and indeed the way they won it (away at Wheaton MA, away at Muhlenberg, basically in Messiah's backyard, and then OWU and Wheaton Ill back to back) may be one of the most impressive runs in D3 soccer history.

4) The amount of NESCAC self-cheering on this board reinforces some of my overall impressions of the conference and its fans.  There is a lot to like.  I would have been happy for my kids to go to one of them.  One of my kids applied to and got in 4 out of 5 NESCACs.  Great, great schools with strong athletic tradition and heavily athlete-oriented studen bodies.  But for my taste there is something a little over the top in terms of attitude and elitism which makes "the NESCAC" (as some monolithic entity) easy to cheer against.

[PaulNewman]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

Yes, people often said Tufts SOS didn't matter and cited mathematical reasons. The failed to recognize the general premise that a strong SOS helps prepare you generally four tougher competition.

False.  No one said SOS didn't matter.  We/they said it isn't a predictor of who is going to win a particular game.  What about the teams that had an even higher SOS, like Brandeis, Rochester, maybe Emory, etc?

[Nutmeg]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

Yes, people often said Tufts SOS didn't matter and cited mathematical reasons. The failed to recognize the general premise that a strong SOS helps prepare you generally four tougher competition.

False.  No one said SOS didn't matter.  We/they said it isn't a predictor of who is going to win a particular game.  What about the teams that had an even higher SOS, like Brandeis, Rochester, maybe Emory, etc?

I can accept that.......

[Jump4Joy]

Ok, NCAC. You're not a fan of the NESCAC. Your allegiance lies with NCAC (hence your name). That's where your kid (and maybe you?) has played. That makes sense to me. But as much as some posters on this board are pro-NESCAC, there are vocal critics--yourself included. We NESCAC fans get defensive--even while most of us do not lay hate on other conferences while praising our own. You and I have different perspectives. That's ok.

Also: Go NESCAC! 

[Nutmeg]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

1) No one has suggested the Tufts victory (and whole title run) was a fluke.  Quite the contrary, even from diehard Messiah fans.

2) In all my time on this board I 've never seen anyone rank the NESCAC anywhere but #1 or #2 among all conferences.  In fact, if any comments have been made about not showing well in the tournament relative to the prominence of the conference it has been about the UAA.

3) I personally think you all are diminishing the Tufts title by making it so much of a NESCAC thing.  The trophy is going into the Tufts trophy case.  I can guarantee you that being a NESCAC member played ZERO role in terms of Tufts' motivation to march through the tournament field, and indeed the way they won it (away at Wheaton MA, away at Muhlenberg, basically in Messiah's backyard, and then OWU and Wheaton Ill back to back) may be one of the most impressive runs in D3 soccer history.

4) The amount of NESCAC self-cheering on this board reinforces some of my overall impressions of the conference and its fans.  There is a lot to like.  I would have been happy for my kids to go to one of them.  One of my kids applied to and got in 4 out of 5 NESCACs.  Great, great schools with strong athletic tradition and heavily athlete-oriented studen bodies.  But for my taste there is something a little over the top in terms of attitude and elitism which makes "the NESCAC" (as some monolithic entity) easy to cheer against.

Dude, what about the players who come from public schools?

[PaulNewman]

J4J, seriously?  I haven't seen a lot of posts from NESCAC critics.  I can count the ones I've written over a period of months that could be viewed as negative on one hand -- one or two early on about Tufts, Bull's GK antics, and a couple recently in response to the NESCAC cheerleading about the NESCAC attitude.  There has been nothing that comes close to the NESCAC on NESCAC crime, regarding Bates and especially Amherst.  Seems that some of you would like to annex Amherst from the NESCAC.

[D3soccerwatcher]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

If "championships are a barometer for strength of league" as so many of the NESCAC faithful proclaim, then I think you should start a new message board where you all can talk about whether you are the second, third or fourth best conference.  Because using your very own criteria, the hard-working, blue collar, largely Pennsylvania-based Middle Atlantic Conference REIGNS SUPREME - no one is even close.  Again using the NESCAC faithful's criteria of "championships are a barometer for strength of league" let's look at the numbers.

National Championships over the past 10 years:
Middle Atlantic Conference -- 7
NESCAC -- 2

National Championships over the past 20 years:
Middle Atlantic Conference -- 10
NESCAC -- 3

This isn't even close.  Again using your very own criteria, the Middle Atlantic Conference is by far THE BEST IN LAND.  I rest my case.  And you should too.

[Flying Weasel]

Ohh boy . . . . gonna grab some popcorn and settle into a comfortable chair, because this could "entertaining".

[dacac]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

If "championships are a barometer for strength of league" as so many of the NESCAC faithful proclaim, then I think you should start a new message board where you all can talk about whether you are the second, third or fourth best conference.  Because using your very own criteria, the hard-working, blue collar, largely Pennsylvania-based Middle Atlantic Conference REIGNS SUPREME - no one is even close.  Again using the NESCAC faithful's criteria of "championships are a barometer for strength of league" let's look at the numbers.

National Championships over the past 10 years:
Middle Atlantic Conference -- 7
NESCAC -- 2

National Championships over the past 20 years:
Middle Atlantic Conference -- 10
NESCAC -- 3

This isn't even close.  Again using your very own criteria, the Middle Atlantic Conference is by far THE BEST IN LAND.  I rest my case.  And you should too.

Jump4Joy said A barometer, not the only barometer. See the difference? But i'm guessing you know that and are just trying to get under the skin of us NESCAC fans, as not even the staunchest Messiah fan would argue that the Middle Atlantic Conference is the top conference in D3.

[D3soccerwatcher]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

If "championships are a barometer for strength of league" as so many of the NESCAC faithful proclaim, then I think you should start a new message board where you all can talk about whether you are the second, third or fourth best conference.  Because using your very own criteria, the hard-working, blue collar, largely Pennsylvania-based Middle Atlantic Conference REIGNS SUPREME - no one is even close.  Again using the NESCAC faithful's criteria of "championships are a barometer for strength of league" let's look at the numbers.

National Championships over the past 10 years:
Middle Atlantic Conference -- 7
NESCAC -- 2

National Championships over the past 20 years:
Middle Atlantic Conference -- 10
NESCAC -- 3

This isn't even close.  Again using your very own criteria, the Middle Atlantic Conference is by far THE BEST IN LAND.  I rest my case.  And you should too.

Jump4Joy said A barometer, not the only barometer. See the difference? But i'm guessing you know that and are just trying to get under the skin of us NESCAC fans, as not even the staunchest Messiah fan would argue that the Middle Atlantic Conference is the top conference in D3.

I commented on the only piece of "evidence" that was presented as a measuring stick...number of championships.  So OK, I'll bite.  What are the other barometers of strength of league/conference?

[Jump4Joy]

D3W: one of the barometers. For ONE of the strongest conferences. Never claimed to be THE best. Deep breaths.

I guess I would suggest that deep runs by more than one team from the conference on a regular basis would be ONE other barometer.

[SoccerFollower]

The giant-slayer goal finally emerges! Not great quality (Don't know where it came from... I was looking for their tournament highlights) but what a strike by Mr. Kayne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GHHmKLtJ70

[Ryan Harmanis]

Unfortunately finals come at a really bad time so I haven't had a chance to go back through the games or analyze anything.  Brief thoughts from Tufts-OWU:

Tufts was (obviously) good value for the win.  Knew the wingers were good, and the backs were strong, but was very impressed with the way their midfield both pressured and kept the ball.  OWU didn't really force them to play a spectacular game, but they were tidy in possession and really good without it.  Also showed some flexibility because that was a very different approach than Tufts used against Messiah.  At the game, after the first five minutes it never felt like OWU was going to break through.  The alums were hoping halftime would turn things, to play poorly and only be down 1-0, but no dice.

Very disappointing game from OWU.  A huge, huge part of that was Tufts, but whether it was the early goal, the stage, or who knows what else, OWU was panicky.  First touch nonexistent, just launching the ball, couldn't string passes together.  They also sat off Tufts after that opening goal, which is very unlike OWU.  Early in the season when OWU struggled there was no pressure defensively, but they started playing better once they went back to getting up into teams.  They didn't do that, and the few times individual players applied pressure Tufts was really, really good playing out of it.

Anyone who thinks OWU was the weakest Final Four team in ages hasn't paid much attention.  Blowouts happened at this stage in 2013 (Williams lost 4-0), 2012 (ONU lost 5-1), and 2011 (Montclair State lost 4-0).  In 2006 Wheaton made the final with a 16-8-4 record (and lost 3-0).  OWU made it by going through PSU-Behrend (RV in Top 25), Calvin (#6), Kenyon (#4), and Newport (#16), all away from home, and all in games where they were the better team.  I won't argue luck played a role, PKs or otherwise, but OWU earned a spot there and were good enough for it.  They just laid an egg against a very, very good team and were punished severely.

Anyway, congratulations to Tufts.  Also, glad the interviews were well received.  All of the coaches, regardless of how the transcripts came across, were extremely classy and candid in answering all of the questions.  I'd expect all four programs to remain in the upper echelon of D3 so long as they keep those guys - or Wheaton someone similar - in the top spot.

[D3soccerwatcher]

The giant-slayer goal finally emerges! Not great quality (Don't know where it came from... I was looking for their tournament highlights) but what a strike by Mr. Kayne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GHHmKLtJ70

Thank you for posting this!  I'd read about, but not actually seen it.  Great job...thanks for sharing.

[PaulNewman]

Doesn't it seem like ages ago that we were talking about Luther and Ohio Northern being snubbed?  When was the last Coast Guard reference?

BTW NESCAC fans, I realize nothing short of pure devotion will do (unless I join you in piling on Amherst, who, btw, still has one of the best 4-5 year records in D3 history)), but I did pay Tufts the highest compliment I've seen on this site....that they might well get another result against Messiah if they played again.