Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!

[Saint of Old]

Saint, I don't think that's fair.  I try to be as honest as I can, which I'm sure you've seen me do with my own team.  If you go with optimism while I lean towards pessimism, well, I wish I was more like you.  Getting beyond the eating and mystics, how do you see a possible Amherst-SLU matchup?  When you saw it were you pleased?

Also, mostly tongue and cheek banter
Your analysis is very fair and informed, would never seriously think anything less reading your posts.

[Kuiper]

A couple of thoughts on the Mary Hardin-Baylor pod in Texas:

St. Thomas is more talented than Chapman and this will feel closer to a home game for them since it's still in Texas. They are also faster and more skilled than Chapman and I expect they will exploit whatever matchup on the right or left side of the defense where they have the advantage in getting to the end line.  St. Thomas has a target forward who is a load and Chapman is not blessed with a bunch of size or, more importantly, heft, in central defense or GK to really handle him.  Nevertheless, St. Thomas isn't quite as strong away from their Houston Sports Park home and they lost at Mary Hardin-Baylor pretty badly last year when they played there.  Chapman is very hungry and they won the SCIAC in spectacular fashion with a bicycle kick with 43 seconds remaining in the second OT.  I just don't think Chapman, a very up and down team, will be able to get ahold of their emotions and use their grit to counteract St. Thomas' superior skill and athletic ability.  Best chance for Chapman is their keeper plays out of his mind on breakaways, but I suspect he's more likely to play TOO much out of his mind and St. Thomas will do things like chip him when he is on a kamikaze mission off his line.

Pac Lutheran had two bad losses - both to Whitman, which is very much a counterattacking team that feasts on teams like Pac Lutheran that like to come out and play.  I think Mary Hardin Baylor is more similar to Pac Lutheran than to Whitman, which means this could be a great up and down game.  In that situation, there should be an advantage to the home team.

If it plays out like that and St. Thomas advances to play Mary Hardin-Baylor, it will be a rematch of a game where St. Thomas beat Mary Hardin-Baylor 4-1 in Houston back on Sept. 3.  Lots has happened since then, but I wouldn't be surprised if the game gets chippy.  St. Thomas is the type of team that embellishes fouls (rolling on the ground, etc), lobbies and crowds the ref, pushes the ball up on fouls when the ref isn't looking, and basically seeks to get an advantage by any means necessary.  I imagine Mary Hardin-Baylor will be more ready for that than in the first game and this will be one where the coaching might make the difference.

[PaulNewman]

Saint, no worries.  I was inelegant with the 'no disrespect' wording, which is weird because I actually thought about how you and stlawus might react.  I just think there is a thing where there are better draws than others, and I thought your team, my team, and at least a couple of others certainly did not get a dream draw.  But you've got to beat all of them at some point, and earlier is just as good as later.

And @Kuiper, that is just excellent color on the West Coast and Texas teams.  Impressive that you know that level of detail.

[stlawus]

Saint and I might be homers but I like to think we're still objective, no need to filter posts based on how you think we react! 

[Saint of Old]

Top 5 Dance floor take aways:

1. Last years Prom King not invited.
It takes alot to win a championship and even harder to repeat, but gotta feel bad these seniors didnt get a chance to dance again.

2. 20-0-2 No bid. Wow.

3. No U of R feels wierd.

4. No Montclair St. feels wrong

5. Williams plays 17 games and loses just once and gets a bid (well deserved)
5. Williams plays 17 games and wins 6 gets a bid (what tha...).

[Saint of Old]

Saint and I might be homers but I like to think we're still objective, no need to filter posts based on how you think we react!

Co-Signatured.

[stlawus]

PN you mentioned Cortland, and now looking at things you gotta feel pretty confident if you're a Red Dragon.  They had a disappointing SUNYAC tournament so they'll be out for blood, and they did get a pretty good draw (on paper).  Medaille has a great striker but I don't see Cortland having much issue in that first round.  F&M didn't finish the regular season very strong and look vulnerable.  They have the home field advantage and are still a great team, but their first round game is no gimme and I think Cortland matches up very well.

[Coach Jeff]

Top 5 Dance floor take aways:

1. Last years Prom King not invited.
It takes alot to win a championship and even harder to repeat, but gotta feel bad these seniors didnt get a chance to dance again.

2. 20-0-2 No bid. Wow.

3. No U of R feels wierd.

4. No Montclair St. feels wrong

5. Williams plays 17 games and loses just once and gets a bid (well deserved)
5. Williams plays 17 games and wins 6 gets a bid (what tha...).

1.) Prom King did not deserve it or Williams.

2.) U of PAYWALL can buy their own trophy with all the money they made on their LIVE stream off of other fans.

3.) Montclair St and Western Connecticut deserve a bid, but when you have 43 Automatic bids someone gets left out.  I think it is a shame because they both will probably be ranked in the top 25 for this weeks polls.

[blooter442]

2.) U of PAYWALL can buy their own trophy with all the money they made on their LIVE stream off of other fans.

LOL +k

[Hopkins92]

Just wanna say the vibe on this site right now is pretty cool.

[EnmoreCat]

I rate Amherst highly.
I was the first poster on this board to congratulate them on their NCAA win.

I dont think its a matter of optimism or pessimism.
Both these teams (if they meet) have 13-1-5 records and have played decent competition.
NESCAC is the champions league granted, but Oneonta/Cortland and the LL boys are no push overs either.

Which is why I say, when it comes to deep in the dance, or when certain teams play each other that have stars on their chest, its about the hungrier team. Who wants it more.
Trust me, I would love nothing more than Amherst and the entire country overlooking SLU for just a couple more weeks.

Rest assured Saint of Old that St Lawrence will not be underestimated by the Mammoths, but first they will be very busy making sure they don't underestimate Husson.  Whilst Amherst has shown some good patches in games, I think the Ammirers are yet to see a complete 90 minute display from them and in all of these games from now on, one bad minute can now bring a season to an end and I reckon any team that has made it to the Big Dance will be capable of doing that.   

[Saint of Old]

Just wanna say the vibe on this site right now is pretty cool.

Posters raising their games man.
This is Playoffs boys, gotta come a bit stronger with the banter and the play on the field!!!

[camosfan]

I think the committee in a way is telling teams that they can't hide their way to the tournament by rewarding teams with tougher schedules.

[Ejay]

I think the committee in a way is telling teams that they can't hide their way to the tournament by rewarding teams with tougher schedules.

What more did Montclair need to do?
15-2-4 in a traditionally strong conference
Out of conference games vs. RPI, Catholic, Oswego, Redlands, Vassar, and Alvernia
They don't shy away from scheduling anyone, but I suspect not a lot of teams want to put them on their schedule.

[camosfan]

I think the committee in a way is telling teams that they can't hide their way to the tournament by rewarding teams with tougher schedules.

What more did Montclair need to do?
15-2-4 in a traditionally strong conference
Out of conference games vs. RPI, Catholic, Oswego, Redlands, Vassar, and Alvernia
They don't shy away from scheduling anyone, but I suspect not a lot of teams want to put them on their schedule.

Thought they would have been invited but I will say this again, Redlands trip was a waste, better teams are a bus ride away. There is a thinking that the late schedule adjustment where they add a CUNYAC team was done to avoid players with accumulated yellows from missing the semis may have hurt them.