2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAD

[firstplaceloser]

Easy.....NOT 80 yet...These 2 new posters are so combative....But hey I'll throw down..I have know I idea why I am being lumped with the Loras poster, in fact I agreed with D3Soccerwatcher comments about not winning a title. I also mentioned Williams because they have actually WON a title and been in the mixer the past 7 years. Also, Kicken post about PK's and outplaying opponents and bad luck I have no sympathy for because I could post about Williams misfortunes all day but that is the game of futbol.

1998---Dominate OWU at OWU in Final 4 but lose on a GK flub in the 12th minute.
1999--Even game with Rowan but lose in Elite 8 2-1 when Williams GK flubs a CK into his own net.
2000--#1 team in country and should be hosting but get sent down to Jersey for Elite 8 and lose to Stockton on another fluke goal.
2001--Outshoot Worcester St   41-4 but lose in PK's in 1st Round in what could be the upset of all upsets ever.
2002--Dominate and I mean dominate an Arcadia team in Sweet 16 that was happy to sit 10 DEEP and get the game to PK"s which they did and won.
2003- Leading MIT 1-0 in RD32 with 10 minutes to go and MIT ties it up on a backpass to GK that gets picked off, they win in OT
2004-Get outplayed but beat SLU in Sweet 16 1-0 at SLU in just a great WIN then the next day flub a 1-0 game to Geneseo St after a linesman waved off a goal in 1st Half. Dominate Geneseo in Elite 8 but they score on a fluky goal late.
2005--Get outplayed by SLU but manage to beat them 3-0 against the run of play in Sweet 16 then score a goal to lead Plattsburgh St 1-0 at Plattsburgh and again the linesman said the ball was out of bounds. Plattsburgh wins Elite 8 match.
2006-Seeded as the #1 team in country and host but ARE FORCED TO HOST Messiah in Swett 16 on a Friday morning at 11am with no crowd and should have scored 2 goals early but missed 2 sitters. Another great chance to score in 2nd Half but Messiah GK  made a WORLD CLASS SAVE..Lost in PK"'s.


ON and On I could go but interestingly Williams luck started to change in 2009 when they did not have as strong teams as they did in the first part of the 2000's..So I have no sympathy with excuses..You take your lumps and move on

just to clear things up, My comments were towards Kickin not you. and I never realized how unlucky Williams was in the tournament. I feel for you my friend. but I do not feel for loras as they have accomplished only final four appearances with no championship game or title. so #2 is pushing it. little too far.

[Saint of Old]

As for St. Lawrence

1998 Heartbreaker at home to Williams (Elite 8) in a PK shootout (Though truth be told that was an even game, I am surprised Williams did not win it all that season).
2000- Upset loss to Hamilton (Sweet 16 at home) 1-0 after totally dominating that game and out possessing outshooting opposition by big margins.
2001 Loss 1-0 ( eventual champ Richard Stockton Elite 8) a game that many would say SLU also dominated.
2002 3-0 loss (Final 4 at home to Messiah) after losing top two players (All-American Stopper/Sweeper)  to injury and red card the day before the game.
Also due to weather, had to play on TURF... TURF... NO home field advantage for the Final Four hosts.

That is just a 5 year stretch, not including 2012-2014 close OT losses or Penalties to Amherst/Williams (NESCAC Arch Rivals).

Let me mimic Mr. Right in saying, when you lose you lose, no excuses, suck it up the best team won and move on.

Now, let me end with a point to Kickin-

Win this thing and everyone here will have to SHUT-UP and salute the new D3 Kings Loras.

A big and overlooked part of this is DESTINY, I think even more important than "team mental strength".

For Claudius to become Roman Emperor, 1 million things had to go right, Tiberius had to be a bit off his rocker to give the throne to Caligula  , and Caligula had to  be totally Nuts and tee off everyone in the Empire, but it was his DESTINY to rule and so it had to be.
I look out there and I see teams on track to win a Championship... I see Haverford (If they keep the trajectory)
And yes, I see every single Final 4 team still standing, including Loras, but you have to WIN to get ultimate respect from everyone here.

Also, you do it for every single team in school history Past and Future.
The Old has been alums will know "We were a part of this and making this happen"
The future Red Dragons/Duhawks/Lord Jeffs will know the eternal truth in life, "Whatever man has done, man can do".
And they will add more stars on your team jersey.

[KICKIN95]

I don't think it's possible to post something on here without Kickin trying to degrade everything you said. Loras is #3-4 because they haven't made a final match EVER it's not that hard to understand. OWU and Wheaton in the past have both done better. you think you are so knowledgable and no one else's opinion matters. at first I thought you just liked to argue but now I see you just live for these kinds of arguments.

LOL, I live for arguments. So, I am not able to defend a comment about Loras being happy with just getting to the Final 4? I didn't degrade everything he said.  I think that the comment was so ridiculous and asinine I decided to give a little clarity to the situation.  I said they are #2 in the last 10 years not since the inception of the modern tournament, which OWU and Wheaton definitely would be better as well as a host of other teams.

If you notice I haven't degraded other teams abilities as it seems is a popular thing to do on here, instead I am defending my teams ability to make deep runs in the tournament. Just because they haven't won the Championship doesn't mean they aren't a great team.

he never even said they were happy with a final four... he stated loras MIGHT be happy with getting there.  he was making an example not stating a fact or quote. and my comments about you were from what I Have seen from when I joined a week ago until
now. not just this occasion. see here you go AGAIN making stuff up and nitpicking at every single thing someone says. Loras is a great team. always will be. but like I said before they are the Arsenal of D3. finishing 3/4 consistently but always giving a challenging game. and I wonder if you will ever get over the 2013 RUC game. 2 fluke goals my ***. the better team won that night.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm over the RUC loss, just stating my opinion, which apparently is only allowed by the you.
    You're some kind of special, gotta be from Jersey. 
We don't need or want your pity FPL.

[KICKIN95]

As for St. Lawrence

1998 Heartbreaker at home to Williams (Elite 8) in a PK shootout (Though truth be told that was an even game, I am surprised Williams did not win it all that season).
2000- Upset loss to Hamilton (Sweet 16 at home) 1-0 after totally dominating that game and out possessing outshooting opposition by big margins.
2001 Loss 1-0 ( eventual champ Richard Stockton Elite 8) a game that many would say SLU also dominated.
2002 3-0 loss (Final 4 at home to Messiah) after losing top two players (All-American Stopper/Sweeper)  to injury and red card the day before the game.
Also due to weather, had to play on TURF... TURF... NO home field advantage for the Final Four hosts.

That is just a 5 year stretch, not including 2012-2014 close OT losses or Penalties to Amherst/Williams (NESCAC Arch Rivals).

Let me mimic Mr. Right in saying, when you lose you lose, no excuses, suck it up the best team won and move on.

Now, let me end with a point to Kickin-

Win this thing and everyone here will have to SHUT-UP and salute the new D3 Kings Loras.

A big and overlooked part of this is DESTINY, I think even more important than "team mental strength".

For Claudius to become Roman Emperor, 1 million things had to go right, Tiberius had to be a bit off his rocker to give the throne to Caligula  , and Caligula had to  be totally Nuts and tee off everyone in the Empire, but it was his DESTINY to rule and so it had to be.
I look out there and I see teams on track to win a Championship... I see Haverford (If they keep the trajectory)
And yes, I see every single Final 4 team still standing, including Loras, but you have to WIN to get ultimate respect from everyone here.

Also, you do it for every single team in school history Past and Future.
The Old has been alums will know "We were a part of this and making this happen"
The future Red Dragons/Duhawks/Lord Jeffs will know the eternal truth in life, "Whatever man has done, man can do".
And they will add more stars on your team jersey.

I see your point and agree.  I really am not looking for anyone to salute them as d3 kings (everyone agrees that's Messiah), just a the little respect they have clearly earned.

[firstplaceloser]

I don't think it's possible to post something on here without Kickin trying to degrade everything you said. Loras is #3-4 because they haven't made a final match EVER it's not that hard to understand. OWU and Wheaton in the past have both done better. you think you are so knowledgable and no one else's opinion matters. at first I thought you just liked to argue but now I see you just live for these kinds of arguments.

LOL, I live for arguments. So, I am not able to defend a comment about Loras being happy with just getting to the Final 4? I didn't degrade everything he said.  I think that the comment was so ridiculous and asinine I decided to give a little clarity to the situation.  I said they are #2 in the last 10 years not since the inception of the modern tournament, which OWU and Wheaton definitely would be better as well as a host of other teams.

If you notice I haven't degraded other teams abilities as it seems is a popular thing to do on here, instead I am defending my teams ability to make deep runs in the tournament. Just because they haven't won the Championship doesn't mean they aren't a great team.

he never even said they were happy with a final four... he stated loras MIGHT be happy with getting there.  he was making an example not stating a fact or quote. and my comments about you were from what I Have seen from when I joined a week ago until
now. not just this occasion. see here you go AGAIN making stuff up and nitpicking at every single thing someone says. Loras is a great team. always will be. but like I said before they are the Arsenal of D3. finishing 3/4 consistently but always giving a challenging game. and I wonder if you will ever get over the 2013 RUC game. 2 fluke goals my ***. the better team won that night.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm over the RUC loss, just stating my opinion, which apparently is only allowed by the you.
    You're some kind of special, gotta be from Jersey. 
We don't need or want your pity FPL.

I don't think it's possible to post something on here without Kickin trying to degrade everything you said. Loras is #3-4 because they haven't made a final match EVER it's not that hard to understand. OWU and Wheaton in the past have both done better. you think you are so knowledgable and no one else's opinion matters. at first I thought you just liked to argue but now I see you just live for these kinds of arguments.

LOL, I live for arguments. So, I am not able to defend a comment about Loras being happy with just getting to the Final 4? I didn't degrade everything he said.  I think that the comment was so ridiculous and asinine I decided to give a little clarity to the situation.  I said they are #2 in the last 10 years not since the inception of the modern tournament, which OWU and Wheaton definitely would be better as well as a host of other teams.

If you notice I haven't degraded other teams abilities as it seems is a popular thing to do on here, instead I am defending my teams ability to make deep runs in the tournament. Just because they haven't won the Championship doesn't mean they aren't a great team.

he never even said they were happy with a final four... he stated loras MIGHT be happy with getting there.  he was making an example not stating a fact or quote. and my comments about you were from what I Have seen from when I joined a week ago until
now. not just this occasion. see here you go AGAIN making stuff up and nitpicking at every single thing someone says. Loras is a great team. always will be. but like I said before they are the Arsenal of D3. finishing 3/4 consistently but always giving a challenging game. and I wonder if you will ever get over the 2013 RUC game. 2 fluke goals my ***. the better team won that night.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm over the RUC loss, just stating my opinion, which apparently is only allowed by the you.
    You're some kind of special, gotta be from Jersey. 
We don't need or want your pity FPL.

oh wow another jersey joke. you're on fire right now. let's ignore everything else I said and blame it on me being from jersey haha you're a joke Kickin. and what Pity do you speak of? you're the one full of excuses for your all mighty duhawks. also what is a duhawk exactly?

[Saint of Old]

EASY.......
NOW GOING AFTER MASCOTS IS WHERE I DRAW THE LINE

[KICKIN95]

I don't think it's possible to post something on here without Kickin trying to degrade everything you said. Loras is #3-4 because they haven't made a final match EVER it's not that hard to understand. OWU and Wheaton in the past have both done better. you think you are so knowledgable and no one else's opinion matters. at first I thought you just liked to argue but now I see you just live for these kinds of arguments.

LOL, I live for arguments. So, I am not able to defend a comment about Loras being happy with just getting to the Final 4? I didn't degrade everything he said.  I think that the comment was so ridiculous and asinine I decided to give a little clarity to the situation.  I said they are #2 in the last 10 years not since the inception of the modern tournament, which OWU and Wheaton definitely would be better as well as a host of other teams.

If you notice I haven't degraded other teams abilities as it seems is a popular thing to do on here, instead I am defending my teams ability to make deep runs in the tournament. Just because they haven't won the Championship doesn't mean they aren't a great team.

he never even said they were happy with a final four... he stated loras MIGHT be happy with getting there.  he was making an example not stating a fact or quote. and my comments about you were from what I Have seen from when I joined a week ago until
now. not just this occasion. see here you go AGAIN making stuff up and nitpicking at every single thing someone says. Loras is a great team. always will be. but like I said before they are the Arsenal of D3. finishing 3/4 consistently but always giving a challenging game. and I wonder if you will ever get over the 2013 RUC game. 2 fluke goals my ***. the better team won that night.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm over the RUC loss, just stating my opinion, which apparently is only allowed by the you.
    You're some kind of special, gotta be from Jersey. 
We don't need or want your pity FPL.

I don't think it's possible to post something on here without Kickin trying to degrade everything you said. Loras is #3-4 because they haven't made a final match EVER it's not that hard to understand. OWU and Wheaton in the past have both done better. you think you are so knowledgable and no one else's opinion matters. at first I thought you just liked to argue but now I see you just live for these kinds of arguments.

LOL, I live for arguments. So, I am not able to defend a comment about Loras being happy with just getting to the Final 4? I didn't degrade everything he said.  I think that the comment was so ridiculous and asinine I decided to give a little clarity to the situation.  I said they are #2 in the last 10 years not since the inception of the modern tournament, which OWU and Wheaton definitely would be better as well as a host of other teams.

If you notice I haven't degraded other teams abilities as it seems is a popular thing to do on here, instead I am defending my teams ability to make deep runs in the tournament. Just because they haven't won the Championship doesn't mean they aren't a great team.

he never even said they were happy with a final four... he stated loras MIGHT be happy with getting there.  he was making an example not stating a fact or quote. and my comments about you were from what I Have seen from when I joined a week ago until
now. not just this occasion. see here you go AGAIN making stuff up and nitpicking at every single thing someone says. Loras is a great team. always will be. but like I said before they are the Arsenal of D3. finishing 3/4 consistently but always giving a challenging game. and I wonder if you will ever get over the 2013 RUC game. 2 fluke goals my ***. the better team won that night.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm over the RUC loss, just stating my opinion, which apparently is only allowed by the you.
    You're some kind of special, gotta be from Jersey. 
We don't need or want your pity FPL.

oh wow another jersey joke. you're on fire right now. let's ignore everything else I said and blame it on me being from jersey haha you're a joke Kickin. and what Pity do you speak of? you're the one full of excuses for your all mighty duhawks. also what is a duhawk exactly?

HA!  I didn't even know you were from Jersey and wasn't making any joke, just a hunch by your tough guy attitude.  The pity I speak of was your comment of not feeling sorry for Loras after the Williams post.
I don't recall making excuses. An excuse would be if I said "they would have won if it wasn't for..."  I stated what happened, not what should have happened.   Oh, A Duhawk is a Dubuque Hawk, I would't expect a Jersey boy to be able to think of a contracted name.
Let's move on to something else, I getting bored of arguing about this.
Now jersey boy, take your spray tan, hair gel, and Mr. T starter kit and beat feet.  ( that's a Jersey Joke).

[lastguyoffthebench]

I think what you are describing is New Yorkers that migrate to the Jersey Shore for the summer. 

Reminds me of the Family Guy episode... "Leafers"

[firstplaceloser]

Kickin you 100% already knew I was from jersey because I admitted that a week ago so good try once again. im not going to stoop down to your level and make fun of where you are from. and honestly I really didn't know what a duhawk was and have been wondering for some time. good luck in the final four we all know your team will need it because 0-5 is gut wrenching. and thanks for thinking I have a tough guy attitude and btw I  absolutely LOVE the show Jersey Shore.

[NJrexSoccer03]

I think what you are describing is New Yorkers that migrate to the Jersey Shore for the summer. 

Reminds me of the Family Guy episode... "Leafers"

Thumbs Up!

[KICKIN95]

Kickin you 100% already knew I was from jersey because I admitted that a week ago so good try once again. im not going to stoop down to your level and make fun of where you are from. and honestly I really didn't know what a duhawk was and have been wondering for some time. good luck in the final four we all know your team will need it because 0-5 is gut wrenching. and thanks for thinking I have a tough guy attitude and btw I  absolutely LOVE the show Jersey Shore.

I really didn't know you were from Jersey.  Was I making fun of you? Sorry, but you were the one who took the first step down when you had your little conversational dialog post. I just assumed you were sticking it to me about the Duhawk, many people have asked that question.  Actually remember playing UW-Whitewater back in the mid 90's and they actually huddled up after the match and their team chant at the break was "What the hell is a Duhawk",you can't make that stuff up.  You mean you don't all look like Snooky and the Situation, you know we all wear overalls and ride cows to work here in the midwest!

[KICKIN95]

I think what you are describing is New Yorkers that migrate to the Jersey Shore for the summer. 

Reminds me of the Family Guy episode... "Leafers"

Thumps Up!

That was a great episode, going back to the early years.

[D3soccerwatcher]

The number of championship stars on your crest matters...a lot!  Precisely because it is so very hard to do.  I contend that there isn't one player on any of these final 4 teams that agrees that it's great to just make a deep run.  They all want to win the championship...period. 

Loras might look at their season if they don't win it all or even if they make it to their first ever championship final and say "Wow!  We had a successful season!"  But if they do say that, that's why they probably won't win it the next time around.  A true champion program just wouldn't say that.  If they don't win it all, it's not success.  Just ask the players and alumni from the greatest program(s)...they will tell you.

Also kinda hard for me to wrap my mind around the notion that Loras is the absolute definitive #2 program in the past decade.  Yes they made five Final 4's and lost every one of those games...never making it to the top 2 (Championship Final) in the 40 year history of the NCAA D3 national tournament.  If winning a Final 4 game were as "random" as some have suggested...the odds of losing five Final 4 games in a row is 3.1%.  And statisticians understand that at odds that low it likely isn't random anymore (at p=.05), and its possible there is something else at play that starts to take the "randomness" out of the equation (maybe easy sectional play, psychological, better competition, system of play that can't win at the higher levels, it could be any number of things).  Or maybe it is random chance.  But with every Final 4 loss in a row, it is more and more statistically likely that there is something other then "randomness" at play.

If given the choice, I think Loras would trade all of those Final 4's for one Championship...and likely do it unblinkingly. 

Maybe this will be the year they finally get to the Final and ultimately hoist the Championship trophy...maybe.

As a point of comparison, there's a D3 Field Hockey program who has been to the NCAA Championship Final 7 times...and lost 7 times.  As absolutely brutal as it seems (and it is brutal and unfair), no one really cares. 

Championships matter.

I agree with most of what you are saying here but to say not winning a championship means it was a failure is a stretch. If Messiah would have made the tournament this season and say lost in the Sweet 16 I don't think that would have been regarded as a "failure." Even last year's loss to Tufts wasn't a"failure." It sucks and they might have felt that way at first, but looking back they will see how much they accomplished for the program. I think winning a championship does matter big time which Loras has not been able to achieve yet, but it doesn't make them a bad team or not worthy of recognition.

Look at college basketball for example:

Coach K has been at Duke since 1980(I think) and has 5 NCAA championships in 35 years. That means he wins 1 championship every 7 years. He has been to 12 Final 4's which means he lost more in the Final 4 than he won...does that make him a failure? Does it make him a failure for not winning a championship in his first 10 years at Duke? Or for the drought they had after the 1992 team until 2001? Of course not. Winning is HARD. Messiah is a special breed that we most likely won't see again. I don't think Coach K would consider their teams that lost in the Final 4 as failures. And we shouldn't do the same to Loras either...but they need to get over the hump to be taken seriously in the long run.

Another good example is Tom Izzo. He has been at MSU for 20 years and has 1 championship and 7 Final 4's. No one would consider Tom Izzo a bad coach or his teams failures despite only being 1/20 or 1/7 depending on how you look at it. But the 9 Elite 8's and 13 Sweet 16's and making the tournament 18/20 years is why he and his program is so respected and recognized. So what Loras has accomplished in the last 10 years is wonderful but as I said above they need a championship to be recognized as a "top, top dog" in college soccer.

You keep quoting me as using the word "failure", when that word does not exist in my post.  You are so emotionally charged over this that you aren't reading properly and are misquoting me.  Love the passion you have for your team (honestly I do), but please don't put words in my mouth that simply are not true.  I will try to address your post in more detail later.  Thank you!

[KICKIN95]

Time to send my employees home early, see I am a nice guy!  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! 

[lastguyoffthebench]

After watching South Park this season I might have to drop the name lastguyoffthebench and go with PC Benchwarmer