2016 NCAA Tournament

[oldonionbag]

SoccerFollower, I know what you mean about Tufts being overconfident, but I think they realize how lucky they were to get a bid. And, having been knocked out in last year's Sweet 16 in heartbreaking fashion, I would imagine the team understands the dangers of getting cocky. That being said, I think UMB will give them a hell of a game - I'm not expecting UMB to stop playing chippy for a multitude of reason (it's their identity, the NCAA and school have been mum about the Haverford game, etc.). Looking forward to watching this one!

[blooter442]

Would peg Amherst as the favorite tomorrow against Brandeis, but I was disappointed to learn that this indeed happened as Mr.Right said.

During the NESCAC semi against Bowdoin, after a Bowdoin defender scored the own-goal equalizer, Mr.Right alleged that it appeared that an Amherst player hugged the defender - and not like a "sorry this happened to you" sort of hug, but a more mocking sort of hug. I was suspicious of the allegations, but I watched the highlight video multiple times and while the vantage point is far away (behind the bench, so the other side of the field) I came to the same conclusion.

It does happen quite fast, so I took screengrabs to illustrate the progression of the incident:

Pre-hug
Wrapping arms
Hug

Of course, emotions are running high, and we've all perhaps gloated or rubbed it in during games. Moreover, this isn't meant to be an indictment of Amherst as a program - simply one incident. However, to hug another player in mocking fashion goes beyond simple gloating, and is not very classy in my opinion.

[letsGOswans!]

Can you tell which player it is?

[blooter442]

Can you tell which player it is?

Not affirmatively, but my guess is Hlinomaz.

[Jump4Joy]

Emotions do run high during games. Especially the ones that are high stakes.

Question: Should we start listing them all today? If I told you that I could bring the team you (meant universally, not directed at the previous poster) support under this dark cloud, would you still wish to perpetuate this string? I'm sure we all have moments that we remember. Is this what we want to do?

[Jump4Joy]

Also, wrong on the player whose name you just posted. So if we are going to smear, let's at least get it right.

[blooter442]

Also, wrong on the player whose name you just posted. So if we are going to smear, let's at least get it right.

I never said that I had definitive knowledge of who the player was, so I hope you enjoyed telling me I was "wrong," although I never claimed to be "right" with my guess.

Question: Should we start listing them all today? If I told you that I could bring the team you (meant universally, not directed at the previous poster) support under this dark cloud, would you still wish to perpetuate this string? I'm sure we all have moments that we remember. Is this what we want to do?

Go ahead. If someone made allegations against the team I support - and, you're right, there are things that its players have done that I am not proud of - I would say "X player did do that and I condemn his actions" rather than "well yeah but look at what X team did, other teams do this stuff, too." The former is acknowledging the actions and condemning them; the latter is diverting attention. As for Amherst, I do believe that a certain amount of the animosity targeted at the program is rooted in envy of the Jeffs' success, success which is indisputable, but anecdotally speaking I have seen far more accusations of unsportsmanlike behavior against Amherst than any other side with comparable prestige. Given the disproportionately high occurrence of those claims being made against Amherst in comparison to other teams with similarly illustrious CVs, I have a hard time believing that they don't contain (at least some) merit.

Emotions do run high during games. Especially the ones that are high stakes.

J4J, I know you pride yourself on being objective, but the way you continually excuse or dismiss allegations against Amherst by seeking to divert attention elsewhere when such allegations are made is tiring, and makes me doubt the veracity of your claim to being objective. If you admitted or acknowledged these things, or even simply ignored them and didn't try to contest them, I would have no choice but to say "J4J is an Amherst supporter but can at least be unbiased and I respect that." So far, aside from a solitary post in which you acknowledged that Tufts deserved to win on 10/1, I have not seen any of that objectivity. It is understandable that you want to defend your team, but diverting attention - rather than acknowledging or ignoring the statements altogether - would not be what I would choose to do, and I am disappointed that you have chosen the first option. All I was saying is that I was disappointed to learn that this allegation - which I doubted when I first read it - happened to be true. That's it.

[Medicated Pete]

Jacob Bender with the Bender 1-0 Falcons 

[Mr.Right]

WOW...Bender with an absolute rocket for Messiah to give them a 1-0 lead. They have dominated possession so far 10 minutes in and have been pingin it around the field nicely...Still long way to go...

[PaulNewman]

OK, Jacob Bender, that's not fair. Wow!

[Letthekidsplay59]

Jacob Bender with the Bender 1-0 Falcons 

Nominative Determinism.

[blooter442]

Fantastic save by the Calvin 'keeper. The finish was somewhat central, but as the informative announcers said, the fact that he stayed home and didn't get caught in no-mans-land showed excellent decisiveness and awareness.

[Young Frederick]

Greetings, here are my picks for the weekend: https://soundcloud.com/young-frederick-141492098

[Mr.Right]

Messiah misses a chance to go up 2-0 on a "sick"  burst of speed and skill by Messiah's West on the left flank and a beautiful ball across the box should have been finished...Absolute wheels on the flank there for West and great service again I think it should have been finished as he hit it right at the GK. Always want to grab that 2-0 lead if you can, just ask Haverford.

[blooter442]

This is a very good, competitive game with high-quality play all-around. Messiah passing the ball as well as any team I've seen this year and Calvin looks dangerous on the counter.