2021 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[Ron Boerger]

I could be off, but comps for Guilford back in the day might have been Coe, Beloit, Hendrix, Millsaps, Ursinus, etc.  Actually, iirc, Guilford has been one of the CTCL (colleges that change lives) schools for years.

Here is a more positive (and in-depth) take on what has been going on at Guilford and outlook for the future.  https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2021/06/25/can-guilford-college-survive.html

That said the enrollment continues to decline dramatically - their data digest shows "total FTE" declined from 1465 to 1365 between Fall 2019 and Fall 2020, with a further decline to 1213 FTE by Spring 2021 which is basically half what it was ten years ago.  The $4.7 million the school received in the latest round of federal COVID relief, only half which must go to student grants, will help deal with the financial impact in the short term.   

[Maine Soccer Fan]

Another interesting game this weekend is Messiah versus Penn State - Harrisburg, $24 in the NSCAA poll. The game was postponed from very early in the season to today, then postponed again to tomorrow due to weather.

Messiah hasn't played a ranked opponent since NYU so this will be a good test as Messiah finishes its regular season.

[oldman]

Been lurking for years.   My first post.  I read the comments daily, looking for new posts.  Our son is the head coach of a top D3 program.  I've really enjoyed the bio's of those who posted them back in mid Oct.  It's taken two weeks for me to be accepted as a poster, so my post is late.  Not sure I'll be able to remember who is who, going forward, but found the bio's of familiar handles very interesting.  Adds a personal touch to the poster's handle, which is inviting. SimpleCoach's observations have been awesome.  Hope you don't get burned out, SC.  I never played soccer.  Learned the game by watching our son play.  And I've learned a lot on this board.  I never thought I would enjoy a sporting event where I had no dog in the hunt, but with soccer, I find myself appreciating the play.

[deiscanton]

The Yeshiva Macs, who had already clinched the #6 seed in the Skyline Conference tournament, had to finish up their regular season Skyline Conference play with a match this afternoon against St. Joe's LI, a team whose season was coming to an end today.  This match was originally going to be played September 13, but weather and the Jewish holidays postponed the match until today.   Yeshiva lost today, 4-1, to St. Joe's LI (in what essentially was a meaningless game to both sides as far as the positions for playoffs went) to finish Skyline Conference play at 5-6. 

(Have a good day of rest, Yeshiva, and give it your best on Sunday vs Farmingdale State.)

[Hopkins92]

Been lurking for years.   My first post.  I read the comments daily, looking for new posts.  Our son is the head coach of a top D3 program.  I've really enjoyed the bio's of those who posted them back in mid Oct.  It's taken two weeks for me to be accepted as a poster, so my post is late.  Not sure I'll be able to remember who is who, going forward, but found the bio's of familiar handles very interesting.  Adds a personal touch to the poster's handle, which is inviting. SimpleCoach's observations have been awesome.  Hope you don't get burned out, SC.  I never played soccer.  Learned the game by watching our son play.  And I've learned a lot on this board.  I never thought I would enjoy a sporting event where I had no dog in the hunt, but with soccer, I find myself appreciating the play.

I'm still a relative newbie compared to some on here, but happy to say "welcome aboard!"

[SimpleCoach]

Been lurking for years.   My first post.  I read the comments daily, looking for new posts.  Our son is the head coach of a top D3 program.  I've really enjoyed the bio's of those who posted them back in mid Oct.  It's taken two weeks for me to be accepted as a poster, so my post is late.  Not sure I'll be able to remember who is who, going forward, but found the bio's of familiar handles very interesting.  Adds a personal touch to the poster's handle, which is inviting. SimpleCoach's observations have been awesome.  Hope you don't get burned out, SC.  I never played soccer.  Learned the game by watching our son play.  And I've learned a lot on this board.  I never thought I would enjoy a sporting event where I had no dog in the hunt, but with soccer, I find myself appreciating the play.

Hey @OldMan!  Thank you for the kind words. Do appreciate. Welcome aboard!

[PaulNewman]

Feel like I must be having a brain freeze.  What is oldman referring to with poster bios?

[Flying Weasel]

Feel like I must be having a brain freeze.  What is oldman referring to with poster bios?

I think he may be referring to pages 16 - 18 of this thread when you and others got off topic for a while taking about days gone by on the message board, and wondering why participation on message boards in general and this one specific has declined, and some sharing a little bit about why they came to this message board and why they have hung around.  There was some introspection and biographical sharing going on for a few pages.  'Til I finally found time to join the reminiscing, the thread had moved on and back on topic. *sigh*

[Hopkins92]

Feel like I must be having a brain freeze.  What is oldman referring to with poster bios?

I think he may be referring to pages 16 - 18 of this thread when you and others got off topic for a while taking about days gone by on the message board, and wondering why participation on message boards in general and this one specific has declined, and some sharing a little bit about why they came to this message board and why they have hung around.  There was some introspection and biographical sharing going on for a few pages.  'Til I finally found time to join the reminiscing, the thread had moved on and back on topic. *sigh*

No no no. That was one of the things I was saying... This board benefits when we go off topic now and then.

Floor is yours FW!

[Flying Weasel]

Feel like I must be having a brain freeze.  What is oldman referring to with poster bios?

I think he may be referring to pages 16 - 18 of this thread when you and others got off topic for a while taking about days gone by on the message board, and wondering why participation on message boards in general and this one specific has declined, and some sharing a little bit about why they came to this message board and why they have hung around.  There was some introspection and biographical sharing going on for a few pages.  'Til I finally found time to join the reminiscing, the thread had moved on and back on topic. *sigh*

No no no. That was one of the things I was saying... This board benefits when we go off topic now and then.

Floor is yours FW!

Okay, for what it's worth . . . some reminiscing, personal biography, and touching on some topics/posts up-thread . . .

● For me, the good ol' days were the 2000's on the soccer-specific message board associated with the long since departed D3soccer.NET website. I stumbled across that website and message board shortly after it was launched way back in 2001—twenty years ago!  It's probably my bias and sentimentality that makes me think that the soccer forum on this D3sports.com message board never reached the levels that old board did. Personally, I never came close to posting even half as much on this board as I did on that other one. And probably less than a third of the regulars on that message board ever posted on this one, and even fewer became regulars here, and of those I'm not sure if there's hardly any one left.

● Whether the decline in participation on this message board is down to issues specific to this board or more just a part of overall trends, I have no idea. I do feel that there was a period of time in which the board unfortunately probably was not all that welcoming to newcomers if you weren't either "hard core" or tough-skinned.

● I found it rather amusing when PaulNewman almost seemed to bemoan the lack of Messiah fans posting here these days given it wasn't just too long ago that the second most popular topic on here after the NESCAC thread was complaining about having too much Messiah-talk and criticizing Messiah fans being too biased in favor of their team.

● As to my lack of posting . . . I just turned 50, but, due to marrying late and then a delayed start to a family, I have four kids ages 4 thru 10.  All four play soccer (I do some coaching), and the two girls do ballet, oldest boy sometimes does baseball, etc...  So you do the math on how much free time I have and how much energy I have left over for whatever free time I do get!

● I'm still on here regularly, but I mostly just lurk these days. I simply don't have time/opportunity to post much anymore. And since I don't get out to games much (been reduced to Messiah's Saturday evening home games) nor have time to closely follow/study other results, even if I would have a few moments to post here, I don't really have much to contribute.

● As I lurk, when I notice people getting obstinate, or two people continue an argument long after its clear there's nothing to be gained, or someone feels the unnecessary need to set someone straight, etc..., I initially get judgmental (in my head) before humbly realizing that was probably me back in the day.

Well, other responsibilities are calling.  Carry on.

[PaulNewman]

Feel like I must be having a brain freeze.  What is oldman referring to with poster bios?

I think he may be referring to pages 16 - 18 of this thread when you and others got off topic for a while taking about days gone by on the message board, and wondering why participation on message boards in general and this one specific has declined, and some sharing a little bit about why they came to this message board and why they have hung around.  There was some introspection and biographical sharing going on for a few pages.  'Til I finally found time to join the reminiscing, the thread had moved on and back on topic. *sigh*

No no no. That was one of the things I was saying... This board benefits when we go off topic now and then.

Floor is yours FW!

● I found it rather amusing when PaulNewman almost seemed to bemoan the lack of Messiah fans posting here these days given it wasn't just too long ago that the second most popular topic on here after the NESCAC thread was complaining about having too much Messiah-talk and criticizing Messiah fans being too biased in favor of their team.

Well, other responsibilities are calling.  Carry on.

I'm glad you posted this since you clearly were thinking it, but from my pov that's a distorted and unfair presentation.  I've been very kind, often glowing, about Messiah in general, and I've welcomed a big focus on Messiah as well as Messiah posters.  Have I also from my pov pointed something out that I saw as a gratuitous mention of Messiah in a brand protection kind of way, and similar to what I've done many, many times with Kenyon or D4 has done with Tufts, or, some others who also take great pride in and can become defensive about their schools?  Absolutely.  Guilty as charged.  I've been very mindful, and respectful, of Messiah's place in this sphere, and I've always viewed continued excellence as desirable for D3 soccer.  Do I want Messiah to win the national title every year?  No.  But I do want Messiah to remain nationally prominent and a contender year after year. Yes.

[Flying Weasel]

Well, I don't want this to turn into a big deal, so I will just quickly say that my comment was not meant as a dig at Paul Newman (or anyone else for that matter). I'm sorry it has seemingly been taken that way. I just genuinely found it ironic and amusing in a general way, and intended my observation to come off as light-hearted and half-joking.  So sorry that it didn't.  My apologies.

[PaulNewman]

Anybody know why the UAA thread got locked?  I don't recall anything controversial or potentially out of line in that one.

[deiscanton]

It's probably because I shouted in reaction to a winning goal last night. (did one sentence in all caps.)  I may have violated Term of Service #3 by accident as a result, and I did not realize it.  I apologize for the shouting.

Moderators, please PM me if that is the case so that I can modify the posting, and I will not shout again.  With that, I would like to further discuss the UAA.

I verify that I have re-read the Terms of Service this morning.

[Another Mom]

Oh good lord. Someone mentioned upthread, in the discussion of why posting is down, that this site could be perceived to be unwelcoming unless you were hard-core or super knowledgeable.  I think the past few posts illustrate the issue I have as a newbie. I feel I have to walk on eggshells, or run the risk of inadvertently offending someone, or now I see, violating the terms of service.

Not saying anything has to change, just making an observation.