Mid-Atlantic Region

[PaulNewman]

I don't necessarily disagree here, but McHugh isn't really a partisan Gettysburg broadcaster, he's mainly a Centennial Conference roving announcer due to him living near most of the schools. 

I feel like I'm losing my mind, especially with some of the folks chiming in would seemingly know better.

Isn't Dave "Mac" McHugh part of the duo that calls the Final Four? I know he alludes to that, but... Right?

How are folks calling him Gettysburg's announcer? He's just doing his usual Centennial Conference journeyman stuff. I think that's probably why he seems so offended by the "homer" accusations from the Dips fans.

That said, and Dave, no offense... That tweet is a bit odd. At once very specific and vague in nature.

Yes, it was the tweet.

This incident no doubt has been blown way out of proportion (and we'd probably not know a thing about it if not for the tweet), and I've contributed to blowing it out of proportion.  That said, Hop92 is a smart, straight shooter participant whose posts carry weight, and so a few clarifications (from my pov).

Details are still lacking and other details have been murky.  We still know almost nothing about what DM said that triggered texting and the "outloud read." Did the F&M culprits at the heart of the tweet overreact?  Did DM really say anything that most of us would consider objectionable or biased?  Did the F&M supporters walk over and play out the reading of the text specifically to instigate and specifically for DM (or Gettysburg fans) to hear?  Doesn't sound like it if you go by the tweet which suggests DM wanted to surprise them by letting them know he was the guy and was listening to what will become known as the infamous "reading of the text."  Did folks here (like me) not know that DM has called broadcasts of the F4 for years and has some longstanding role with the league that makes him a frequent substitute broadcaster for Gettysburg, McDaniel, etc?  I am very aware of his history with the F4 and let me say that overall imo he and his partner do a very nice job.  I don't know his exact deal with the Centennial and how many schools he serves as a substitute broadcaster for.  I don't know if he ever has been the announcer on behalf of F&M.  And whether folks on this board knew or didn't know, what does that have to do with whether the F&M supporters at the heart of the story knew or should have known?  All of the above imo is just a distraction, including whether he is ever a "homer" or always the furthest thing from that.

For ease of argument, let's presume the F&M supporters were dead wrong...and that DM called the match right down the middle.  They had no reason to know anything about DM or his broader role with the conference.  They took offense to some of the commentary and made some noise.  They presumed after going on the Gettysburg website to access video of the game that DM is the Gettysburg guy.  There is no indication in the tweet that DM tried to clarify his role.  In fact, he wrote the tweet as though he fairly (at least for that evening) could be viewed as "the voice of the Bullets," as he even refers in the tweet to how demonstrably fair he was to the opponent.  His complaint in the tweet has nothing to do with whether he is or is not a Gettysburg guy.  And if opponent fans wrongfully treated him like a "homer" announcer, how could he be surprised by that?  He instead doubled down and tried to tie in the bad behavior the supporters showed with unclarified events during the match where his allusion indicated F&M had engaged in bad behavior on the field.  For a neutral guy he certainly had no qualms about acting like the Gettysburg guy, including the bit about going after F&M for never making a F4.  That kind of lashing out doesn't impress as particularly neutral.  Further, his comment about "you're probably not familiar with my work at the F4 since you've never been there" was not presented as evidence of a lack of bias, but rather smacks of "you have no idea who I am and of course you don't know because your program isn't good enough to know."

[Freddyfud]

Wow, a full blown XGate now.  With the game I wanted to watch desiring my credit card and this controversy brewing I elected to watch the replay of this full game yesterday. 

There were maybe 2 calls or no calls that he said should have gone in favor of the Bullets, nothing egregious though.  15 minutes into the second half a foul was called on F&M and he said "F&M doesn't like it.  It's funny they want to play aggressive but when they get called for it they don't like they are getting called for it.  I would just say listen if you play aggressive you know you are going to get called for it at some point.  Don't complain about it.  Take what you get and just deal with your lumps when they get called.  I think you might get more calls your way or more non whistles."  It could have been directed at the young man walking away with his arms out in protest, the F&M bench, the parents, or the entire program.  It could have been a dig or just an objective suggestion for the future.  Only he knows, but perception is still a thing.

Beyond the fouls and absent his background I would have assumed the announcer was associated with the program for reasons other than foul call commentary.  At one point he reminded the audience of fund raisers for the stadium lights as well as other facilities at GBurg. He was a bit animated at some of the Gburg threats--not over the top but enough to make one think.  Again nothing egregious though.

I could see how some or even many assumed he was a homer.  The conflict seems to be in his mind he feels he was anything but.  In any case the tweet did not resolve anything.

[Hopkins92]

Thanks for that Freddy, nice reporting.

I mean, as for his comment about F&M... What we've been saying for years. It's not just the fouling, which is usually above the average #, it's that the bench (and to some extent the fans) act like the ref is being unfair on so many of the calls. Which is pretty silly given the program's history.

They aren't dirty, I want be clear.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

MAF Power Rankings (10/28)
1. Dickinson
2. Hopkins
3. F&M
4. Messiah
5. Montclair St
6. Rowan
7. Muhles
8. York
9. Washington MD
10. PSU-Harrisburg

RV: Stevens, Catholic, LVC

[Freddyfud]

MAF Power Rankings (10/28)
1. Dickinson
2. Hopkins
3. F&M
4. Messiah
5. Montclair St
6. Rowan
7. Muhles
8. York
9. Washington MD
10. PSU-Harrisburg

RV: Stevens, Catholic, LVC

Was surprised to see PSU Harrisburg in last week but let it go.  Why them at 10 and not others?

[SierraFD3soccer]

"F&M doesn't like it.  It's funny they want to play aggressive but when they get called for it they don't like they are getting called for it.  I would just say listen if you play aggressive you know you are going to get called for it at some point.  Don't complain about it.  Take what you get and just deal with your lumps when they get called.  I think you might get more calls your way or more non whistles."  It could have been directed at the young man walking away with his arms out in protest, the F&M bench, the parents, or the entire program.  It could have been a dig or just an objective suggestion for the future.  Only he knows, but perception is still a thing.

Heard that as well. I rewatched on 1.5 speed which is fun and makes things go so much faster. Haha. So, a kid, who the referee deemed committed a foul, is not supposed to react? That could be any kid in any sport in any country. I used to ref for many years and many times players, coaches and fans did not agree which is fine. Never took into account reactions as to whether I was or was not going to call a foul at some juncture. Maybe just me, but I am guessing most refs are the same. F&M does foul, but are pretty clean in most cases - 5th place in the league as to yellows and is one of 7 teams with a red card. F&M will always be aggressive with solid defense.

One other thing, DM seemed to fixate on 3 players who have 4 yellow cards for F&M. Obviously, a 5th would make it an automatic game suspension. He also did mention the 3 by name. Some may take this as a parent very negatively. Kid has 4 cards, but announcer does not know the circumstances, if he did then maybe. Could be 4 great reasons for the yellows or could have  being unlucky or a combination of both.  I know he mentioned this at least twice, and, maybe other times. Good point, but not as big as he makes it out which imo  got annoying.

FYI, F&M is in the middle of the Cent. Conf. with 1.75 yellows per game and Ursinus/Muhls 2.07 and 2.6 respectively leading. F&M does have the most fouls per game with 14.81 p/g and Ursinus at 13.93. Hop is in 7th with 10.94. Not a crazy difference per game.

As DM and Gettysburg, he definitely calls all the home mens/womens soccer as well as Gburg mens/womens basketball games. He may call other sports. I know he has done at least the last 4 years at Gburg for mens soccer. As to this Sunday night, he was finishing up game two (Gburg women played before the mens). So he was there for 5-6 hours when he overheard the comment.

I'm sure the calling the vaulted Final 4 D3 Championship games, but Gburg definitely pays some of his bills and has for awhile. Further, outside of friends and families very, very few people actually watch D3 Final 4 games. He may do other Cent. Conf. teams but I haven't heard him recently doing any.

I am also not saying that he is a homer at all. He brings up a lot of good info on both teams in his games like his discussion of who will make the CC playoffs was great. F&M's announcer does this as well - getting excited when nothing was going to happen which can be off-putting. IMO sometimes less can be more in soccer which most CC announcer seemed to not do. 

[Hopkins92]

Yeah, agreed, when announcers get animated over a shot from distance that is clearly going wide or 20 yards over the bar I get annoyed.

But, honestly, I get annoyed at announcers all the way up the chain for doing this. The dude at Fox is really bad. You can tell the people that are not true soccer background folks at that level. It's a professional delivery and they have done enough homework to know the rules and the players. They just don't have a feel for the game.

[College Soccer Observer]

Sounds like some drama occurred in the F&M-Gettysburg game. https://x.com/davemchugh/status/1850388997157073087      McHugh is most assuredly a neutral and unbiased commentator, so something was definitely said.

Speaking of things being said by F&M, if you check the box score of the F&M v Swat game on 9/28, F&M has a player receive a red card at 90 minutes.  Watching the stream I couldn't see any fights or scuffles after the full time whistle blew.  Pure speculation but something might have been said.  The player missed 2 games.  This went unnoticed at the time

That ejection on 9/28 was for spitting, which is by rule a Violent Behavior II offense that carries a two game suspension.

[PaulNewman]

Sounds like some drama occurred in the F&M-Gettysburg game. https://x.com/davemchugh/status/1850388997157073087      McHugh is most assuredly a neutral and unbiased commentator, so something was definitely said.

Speaking of things being said by F&M, if you check the box score of the F&M v Swat game on 9/28, F&M has a player receive a red card at 90 minutes.  Watching the stream I couldn't see any fights or scuffles after the full time whistle blew.  Pure speculation but something might have been said.  The player missed 2 games.  This went unnoticed at the time

That ejection on 9/28 was for spitting, which is by rule a Violent Behavior II offense that carries a two game suspension.

Thanks.  I'd be fine with a mandatory 5 games or a coach saying "you're done," especially if the action was intended and/or succeeded in landing.  Absolutely imo should be a zero tolerance policy.  Spitting legally is considered assault and can be charged.  Folks routinely get charged for spitting (A&B) at a family member or domestic partner or at a police officer, ambulance personnel, or nurses and/or security staff in emergency rooms.  It's not a stretch to argue that some of the genital grabbing incidents should have resulted in significant suspensions or even a charge of "lewd and lascivious."

[Kuiper]

Region V - Poll 8 - October 29, 2024

Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    Dickinson College    1    13-1-3
2    Johns Hopkins University    2    10-3-3
3    Franklin & Marshall College    3    8-1-7
4    York College (Pa.)    4    11-1-5
5    Washington College (Md.)    5    8-3-5
6    Muhlenberg College    7    9-3-5
7    Messiah University    8    10-5-1
8    Juniata College    NR    9-2-5

Region IV - Poll 8 - October 29, 2024
Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    Rowan University    1    9-4-5
2    Stevens Institute of Technology    4    8-3-3
3    Montclair State University    2    12-4-1
4    Lebanon Valley College    3    9-5-2
5    Penn State University-Harrisburg    5    13-4-2
6    Stockton University    NR    7-5-5
7    St. Mary's College of Maryland    NR    9-6-2
8    Arcadia University    NR    12-4-2

[Hopkins92]

Whoa. Juniata emerges!

Gotta go look at that schedule.

*pause*

Huh, yeah, I can see it. They have clinched the regular season Landmark title and have a few impressive draws out of conference.

I have to be honest, I hadn't been paying attention to the Landmark games (paywall, but also limited time this fall)... But even in years past, Juniata has pretty much never been on my radar. I'm pretty sure this has to be their best season in a very long time.

*goes and looks*

Yep, you have to go back to 2013 when they posted a 13-6-3, losing in the finals of the conf. tournament to Susquehanna. This team was 8-9-1 last year and 1-5-1 in the Landmark. I wonder if there's a new head coach?

*hold muzak clicks on*

Interesting. Started in 2019 after having served as an assistant (I think?) at Swarthmore. Let's see if he can sustain the success.

[d3tactico]

Is there a consesus best player in the Centennial this year?

[paclassic89]

From a purely stats pov, probably either Saul Iwowo or Ethan Jarden from Dickinson

[Falconer]

From a purely stats pov, probably either Saul Iwowo or Ethan Jarden from Dickinson

As I said after watching Dickinson defeat Messiah, 2-1, for the first time ever in more than 40 contests: this is the best Dickinson team I've ever seen. Nothing since then gives me pause.

And, since I've been watching such games since the 1980s, usually in Grantham but sometimes in Carlisle, I've probably seen more Dickinson teams than anyone else here. Obviously, that doesn't "prove" my opinion, but I probably have as much right to it as anyone else, including longtime Dickinson fans unless their visual experience goes back equally far.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Is there a consesus best player in the Centennial this year?

Yes, very good both of them.  I would throw in Francis Meyer, JHU, and Koa Kaliebe, F&M, in there as well, especially since I would guess most coaches look to gameplan on how to deal with them.

Also I think 2021 or 2022 was the last year they had one POY and now have two  offensive and defensive players of the year now. Last year it was Horwitz and Chris Comber at WC https://centennial.org/news/2023/11/2/all-cc-mens-soccer.asp They also used to have coach of the year and now its Coaching Staff of the Year.

As to Def. POY, I think Tate Roth, gk McDaniel, is the front runner based conf and non conf. stats. Though McD is in 5th place now, it could jump to 3rd place depending on how it goes this weekend. As to a possible back, that will be tough as there are several who played well this year.