Quote from: Greek Tragedy on February 03, 2023, 01:12:08 pm

Quote from: carletonknights on February 02, 2023, 05:52:48 pm

Carleton's coach Kershaw appears on the D3Hoops Marathon. Interesting tidbit in there where Kershaw and the host talk about the conference basketball schedule and Kershaw mentions that the coaches aren't in favor of the current set up. Interview starts around the 43 minute mark:

https://www.d3hoops.com/hoopsville/archives/2022-23/marathon

I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to listen, but is he talking too many conference games? Going to split divisions? Anything else?

His statement on the schedule starts with "we are the only 11-team conference in the country in D3 that plays a true round-robin schedule" and then advocated for playing everybody in the conference three times in two years, similar to the ODAC.

This is the first gripe I've heard about the scheduling--ever. I worked in the SJU athletic department from 2005-2007 and never heard a peep about this schedule structure. It has been this way since 1983-84. I just simply do not see the great issue here. Dave McHugh seems 100% on board with following the ODAC standard and he's a pretty reasonable guy. What am I missing?

The 20 game conference schedule severely limits the number of non-conference games a team can play, which, in turn, can hurt the Pool C chances of those teams in selection.  It's very hard to get a nationally competitive SOS with so few non-conference games.

Dropping down to 15 conference games would put the league more in line with most other conferences (usually 14-18 conference games) and make it easier to schedule more competitively.

I don't think they're as deep as last year and you can't really replace the intangibles of two senior guards, even if production is similar. They're maybe 90% of what they were last year and they're performance seems to match. Emerson's record isn't great, but that's a good team and a bad matchup for WPI. I wouldn't be too worried.

Quote from: stlawus on January 30, 2023, 10:30:36 pm

I think the league dynamics are a reflection of the experience on each of the top 6 teams.  Ithaca starts 4 seniors which include 3 5th years and a 4th as a first option off the bench  Hobart starts 3 seniors which includes a 5th year player in Jackson Meshanic.  A fully healthy Vassar starts 5 seniors, they are currently starting 4 seniors and a junior.  Skidmore starts 4 seniors which includes a 5th year in Skoric.  RPI starts 4 seniors and a junior which includes 5th year Dom Black.  SLU is the youngest of the group, normally starting 2 sophomores, 2 seniors (no 5th years) and a back and forth starting option between a senior and 2 other sophomores.  It's no surprise that all these teams at the top have the records they do with the experience they have. 

I have been wrong many times before, but I think next year there will be a "reset" of sorts across the country.  What I just described applies to most, if not all of the top teams this season.  That's not unique to this season, but with the vast majority of impact covid year players getting cycled out after this season I get the feeling d3 hoops will be a different landscape next year.

+k for analysis. Lots of 5th and even 6th years on teams that will fade next year. Just glad to see the athletes competing since the shutdowns were devastating for so many of them. This season will be a gem as far as pure competition with such parity.

There are still two classes of students who get an extra year of eligibility due to COVID and who've had two years to plan for it.  I don't think we'll see the tailing off of 5th year students just yet.

Sobel was very clearly talented as a freshman, but he lacked minutes, both because he was playing behind older guys and he struggled to keep the fouls under control.

I remember clearly talking to one coach in the old CAC about the rookie of the year award.  He discounted it completely, since often the best freshmen don't get minutes.  He said, "the best freshmen in our league every year is probably stuck at the end of Christopher Newport's bench."

The NESCAC is a much deeper league, so there's never going to be one team monopolizing talent, but it's very true that, often, the number one factor in winning rookie of the year is not talent, but opportunity.

Ryan- who’s having their wet floor reconstructed??

The Cregger Center at Roanoke had a leak; they're currently playing in the old gym.  I think their facility is pretty spectacular.  I've only seen it from the outside (and photos), but the new one at Shenandoah is pretty impressive, too.

Having now seen the video, I'm much more concerned with the overall incident than any individual words that may have been used.  I'm someone who believes a leader should be able to control themselves, even when experiencing extreme emotions.  There's a difference between yelling to motivate your team or wake them up and simply berating them.  This is very close to that line, if not over.

I'm not personally an advocate of yelling as a motivational technique.  If a coach does it too much, the players tune it out.

I would not want my daughter to be in the situation those players were in and I hope I'm raising her with enough confidence to walk out if she ever finds herself there.

All that to say, I don't think what he did in that video is outside the bounds of what could reasonably expected of a basketball coach.  I just personally don't think it should be in bounds for any basketball coach.

I was a student at Eastern Nazarene College when Joe was AD at Gordon, long-time, bitter rivals.  I was, let's say, the most vocal of supporters for our basketball team and very conspicuous during the two or three times per year when ENC and Gordon faced off.  At the time, I had fallen into a tragic belief (like so many young, privileged, white men) that winning a verbal battle at all costs was the quickest way to success in life.  I was generally pretty restrained with the level of vitriol I sent towards opponents, but Gordon was a big rival and Joe definitely took the brunt of my worst inclinations.

Years later, when I began to post on these boards under my real name - either he figured out who I was or under the weight of guilt, I told him, and apologized.  His response was wonderful.  Paraphrasing, he said essentially, "I do remember.  It was hurtful.  But I've spent a lot of time around college students and I certainly do not hold those things against you now that you did back then."

After I started writing for the site, I worked with him again for a story on IIT, when he was there.  I brought up the interaction and apology and he genuinely seemed to have forgotten the whole thing.

Joe was beyond a class act and a tireless advocate for Division III sports.