2016 Playoffs

[smedindy]

Math nerds unite! 

[pg04]

We may need to do some numerical analysis to get to the nitty gritty of the matchup.

[emma17]

I think Mount Union got off pretty light considering their bracket.  Too bad the Wisconsin teams were all crowded up in a single bracket, but it comes down to distance.  Would have loved to see a WIAC team go up against MU before UWW.  Interesting placement......mmmmmmmm.

-Ski

Although I don't think there is any conspiracy, I'd have to imagine Mt is feeling pretty good now.  They went from possibly being out of the tourney to being placed in a region whose highest ranked competition is #10, with no historical success in getting beyond the second round. 

Linfield, MHB, HSU, Wheaton and NCC all in one bracket?  Wow, that's a bear. 

[Frank Rossi]

We posted our interview with the NCAA Committee Chairman as a stand-alone podcast for now -- the rest of the show will be posted over the next day, as explained in the show's prologue.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ith/2016/11/14/in-the-huddlle--liberty-league-football-talk-show

[Ralph Turner]

I am glad to see the UMU bracket shape out the way that it has. It will give another picture of the "East" region, which I think is the weakest.  If Mount Union comes out of that bracket on the road, then I will judge the reason the way that I did when John Carroll came thru the region in 2002.

I have an all purple Semi-final on my challenge. (But it would not surprise me if HSU beat UMHB.)

UMHB
UMU
Tommies
UWW

[pg04]

I think Mount Union got off pretty light considering their bracket.  Too bad the Wisconsin teams were all crowded up in a single bracket, but it comes down to distance.  Would have loved to see a WIAC team go up against MU before UWW.  Interesting placement......mmmmmmmm.

-Ski

Although I don't think there is any conspiracy, I'd have to imagine Mt is feeling pretty good now.  They went from possibly being out of the tourney to being placed in a region whose highest ranked competition is #10, with no historical success in getting beyond the second round. 

Linfield, MHB, HSU, Wheaton and NCC all in one bracket?  Wow, that's a bear.

Mount Union seems to be stuck in the region with the most east teams over the last several years (give or take a few). Thus, due to location, they will almost always get the bracket that seems the easiest, since by default the East is considered the weakest. However, I would not overlook Hobart or Alfred (Johns Hopkins technically not in the east). Alfred especially has had a great season and the Empire 8 provided them with better competition, IMO, than the OAC has provided for Mount Union.

[skunks_sidekick]

Yes, Mount is in cahoots with the football gods AND the NCAA & selection committee so that even though they lost, even though they barely made the play-offs, even though they are on the road all play-off games (if they win and nothing crazy happens), they still got the "easiest bracket" because they are Mount.

It's about the most ridiculous, tired, stupid, ignorant, biased, num-nuts argument I have ever read.  Can you really believe what you are even writing?  At least all the conspiracy theorist honks got their wish.  Mount is on the road as long as they can win.  Now of course those same folks wanted them to play all three WIAC teams, and then play UHMB at their place, and then play the Stagg in Mozambique just so Mount would quit getting all that NCAA  ::)bias! 

[hazzben]

Hobart, Johns Hopkins and Alfred may be 'easier' - like Abstract Algebra...

It's not meant to be a slight. There are good teams all over the field. But if I'm Mount and had to pick which part of the bracket I landed in, this would be the one I'd opt for. Every other corner has at least one other traditional power and multiple teams with Stagg or Semifinal appearances.

Mount Union seems to be stuck in the region with the most east teams over the last several years (give or take a few). Thus, due to location, they will almost always get the bracket that seems the easiest, since by default the East is considered the weakest. However, I would not overlook Hobart or Alfred (Johns Hopkins technically not in the east). Alfred especially has had a great season and the Empire 8 provided them with better competition, IMO, than the OAC has provided for Mount Union.

Most years it's made sense to move Mount 'east', since they were building a bracket around them as a 1 seed. This year, they could just as easily have kept Mt in the 'north' and sent JCU 'east.'

Agreed on Alfred and the E8 compared to OAC. If Mount makes another Stagg, it will have been an impressive string of road wins, especially if they have to win at UMHB in the semis.

Bottom line, I love that we prove all this on the field! If last Saturday in FCS taught us anything, its that these games can't be played on paper.

[pg04]

To be clear, I'm not one of the one that thinks there is any conspiracy (if you're yelling at me  ). It shook out the way it did. The committee looked to arrange things in the best possible way and I think they did a good job

[02 Warhawk]

Yes, Mount is in cahoots with the football gods AND the NCAA & selection committee so that even though they lost, even though they barely made the play-offs, even though they are on the road all play-off games (if they win and nothing crazy happens), they still got the "easiest bracket" because they are Mount.

It's about the most ridiculous, tired, stupid, ignorant, biased, num-nuts argument I have ever read.  Can you really believe what you are even writing?  At least all the conspiracy theorist honks got their wish.  Mount is on the road as long as they can win.  Now of course those same folks wanted them to play all three WIAC teams, and then play UHMB at their place, and then play the Stagg in Mozambique just so Mount would quit getting all that NCAA  ::)bias!

Who said any of this?

[SaintsFAN]

Yes, Mount is in cahoots with the football gods AND the NCAA & selection committee so that even though they lost, even though they barely made the play-offs, even though they are on the road all play-off games (if they win and nothing crazy happens), they still got the "easiest bracket" because they are Mount.

It's about the most ridiculous, tired, stupid, ignorant, biased, num-nuts argument I have ever read.  Can you really believe what you are even writing?  At least all the conspiracy theorist honks got their wish.  Mount is on the road as long as they can win.  Now of course those same folks wanted them to play all three WIAC teams, and then play UHMB at their place, and then play the Stagg in Mozambique just so Mount would quit getting all that NCAA  ::)bias!

Who said any of this?

He's talking about the Linfield guys who can't believe they didn't get a home game this year while also thinking Mount Union should've been in the West Region. 

And TeamSki

[MonroviaCat]

I am glad to see the UMU bracket shape out the way that it has. It will give another picture of the "East" region, which I think is the weakest.  If Mount Union comes out of that bracket on the road, then I will judge the reason the way that I did when John Carroll came thru the region in 2002.

I have an all purple Semi-final on my challenge. (But it would not surprise me if HSU beat UMHB.)

UMHB
UMU
Tommies
UWW

Of course HSU has some purple, too--right?

[MonroviaCat]

Yes, Mount is in cahoots with the football gods AND the NCAA & selection committee so that even though they lost, even though they barely made the play-offs, even though they are on the road all play-off games (if they win and nothing crazy happens), they still got the "easiest bracket" because they are Mount.

It's about the most ridiculous, tired, stupid, ignorant, biased, num-nuts argument I have ever read.  Can you really believe what you are even writing?  At least all the conspiracy theorist honks got their wish.  Mount is on the road as long as they can win.  Now of course those same folks wanted them to play all three WIAC teams, and then play UHMB at their place, and then play the Stagg in Mozambique just so Mount would quit getting all that NCAA  ::)bias!

Who said any of this?

He's talking about the Linfield guys who can't believe they didn't get a home game this year while also thinking Mount Union should've been in the West Region. 

And TeamSki

Just to clarify--I am not one of "those Linfield guys"    (but I know who you're talking about)

[SaintsFAN]

Yes, Mount is in cahoots with the football gods AND the NCAA & selection committee so that even though they lost, even though they barely made the play-offs, even though they are on the road all play-off games (if they win and nothing crazy happens), they still got the "easiest bracket" because they are Mount.

It's about the most ridiculous, tired, stupid, ignorant, biased, num-nuts argument I have ever read.  Can you really believe what you are even writing?  At least all the conspiracy theorist honks got their wish.  Mount is on the road as long as they can win.  Now of course those same folks wanted them to play all three WIAC teams, and then play UHMB at their place, and then play the Stagg in Mozambique just so Mount would quit getting all that NCAA  ::)bias!

Who said any of this?

He's talking about the Linfield guys who can't believe they didn't get a home game this year while also thinking Mount Union should've been in the West Region. 

And TeamSki

Just to clarify--I am not one of "those Linfield guys"    (but I know who you're talking about)

I should have said "some".  Apologies. 

A couple of your fellow fans were at it following the first set of Regional Rankings being released.

[MonroviaCat]

Yes, Mount is in cahoots with the football gods AND the NCAA & selection committee so that even though they lost, even though they barely made the play-offs, even though they are on the road all play-off games (if they win and nothing crazy happens), they still got the "easiest bracket" because they are Mount.

It's about the most ridiculous, tired, stupid, ignorant, biased, num-nuts argument I have ever read.  Can you really believe what you are even writing?  At least all the conspiracy theorist honks got their wish.  Mount is on the road as long as they can win.  Now of course those same folks wanted them to play all three WIAC teams, and then play UHMB at their place, and then play the Stagg in Mozambique just so Mount would quit getting all that NCAA  ::)bias!

Who said any of this?

He's talking about the Linfield guys who can't believe they didn't get a home game this year while also thinking Mount Union should've been in the West Region. 

And TeamSki

Just to clarify--I am not one of "those Linfield guys"    (but I know who you're talking about)

I should have said "some".  Apologies. 

A couple of your fellow fans were at it following the first set of Regional Rankings being released.

Oh--no offense taken---but since I had been posting on this thread, I didn't want to be confused with the guys you are talking about.  That being said, I do feel that Linfield going to Texas in round 1 was a bit of a rip-off but unlike "those guys" I understand exactly why it was done---  $$$