Around the Mid-Atlantic board

[Ryan Tipps]

Welcome to the new Post Patterns home for Around the Mid-Atlantic discussion.

My intent with starting a thread dedicated solely to the mid-Atlantic column is to broaden coverage in a variety of ways.
I plan to use this thread to:

• post polls throughout the year (such as the region's weekly standout players, biggest upsets, etc.).
  
• have a place for all the unquantified tidbits I come across that don't fit comfortably into a column format.
  
• open the door for more story suggestions (this is a biggie!!).
  
• encourage more general feedback.

Of course, as in the past, I will happily address any questions or concerns via email (ryan.tipps@d3football.com) -- but you'll just have to be prepared for my usual long and windbaggish response

The only rule I'm going to throw at you is to keep this thread topical to teams in the Atlantic Central, Centennial, Old Dominion and USA South conferences.

Let's see if this works!

[HSC85]

Ryan,

I think this is a good idea.  It will let posters discuss regional topics as well as get feedback from other posters outside a specific conference.  One story idea may be Corey Sedlar at Hampden Sydney College.  He is working on a hall of fame career and he did not even start at quarterback in high school. 

[hasanova]

Ryan, what early plans (if any) do you have for Mid-Atlantic games to attend this fall?  It was great, for example, to see you at Guilford last fall for the "Souper" Bowl versus Greensboro.

[Ryan Tipps]

I'm definitely already kicking around some travel ideas. Some of the early games I'm interested in:

Sept. 5: F&H and W&L (If it happens. It's not on the sked yet, but I hope this matchup is extended beyond the past two seasons. It lets me see teams from two conferences, too.)

Sept. 26: Muhlenberg at Gettysburg (I'm disappointed to be missing the Mules in their prime, but I'd like to see the up-and-coming Bullets.)

Oct. 10: H-SC at E&H (I want to see the new field down in Emory, and I think both teams could compete well this season.)

Oct. 31: CNU at Ferrum (I haven't seen CNU in person since I moved to the Roanoke area, and it's worth getting a look at Tunde Ogun.)

Nov. 14: I'll be in Indiana for my own alma mater's rivalry matchup.

This is all tentative, of course, but it's what I've had cooking in the back of my mind for a few weeks now.

[Ralph Turner]

I'm definitely already kicking around some travel ideas. Some of the early games I'm interested in:

Sept. 5: F&H and W&L (If it happens. It's not on the sked yet, but I hope this matchup is extended beyond the past two seasons. It lets me see teams from two conferences, too.)

Sept. 26: Muhlenberg at Gettysburg (I'm disappointed to be missing the Mules in their prime, but I'd like to see the up-and-coming Bullets.)

Oct. 10: H-SC at E&H (I want to see the new field down in Emory, and I think both teams could compete well this season.)

Oct. 31: CNU at Ferrum (I haven't seen CNU in person since I moved to the Roanoke area, and it's worth getting a look at Tunde Ogun.)

Nov. 14: I'll be in Indiana for my own alma mater's rivalry matchup.

This is all tentative, of course, but it's what I've had cooking in the back of my mind for a few weeks now.

The sereis is tied again, isn't it. 

[Ryan Tipps]

The sereis is tied again, isn't it.

Ralph, why must you hurt me so.

Yeah, the series is at 53-53-9.

[BTEXPRESS]

I'm definitely already kicking around some travel ideas. Some of the early games I'm interested in:

Sept. 5: F&H and W&L (If it happens. It's not on the sked yet, but I hope this matchup is extended beyond the past two seasons. It lets me see teams from two conferences, too.)

Sept. 26: Muhlenberg at Gettysburg (I'm disappointed to be missing the Mules in their prime, but I'd like to see the up-and-coming Bullets.)

Oct. 10: H-SC at E&H (I want to see the new field down in Emory, and I think both teams could compete well this season.)

Oct. 31: CNU at Ferrum (I haven't seen CNU in person since I moved to the Roanoke area, and it's worth getting a look at Tunde Ogun.)

Nov. 14: I'll be in Indiana for my own alma mater's rivalry matchup.

This is all tentative, of course, but it's what I've had cooking in the back of my mind for a few weeks now.

Ryan I think you meant F & M on September 5th. I kept looking for a team called F & H and couldn't find one.

[Ryan Tipps]

Ryan I think you meant F & M on September 5th. I kept looking for a team called F & H and couldn't find one.

Indeed, F&M is what I meant!   Thanks for the correx.

[hasanova]

I'm definitely already kicking around some travel ideas. Some of the early games I'm interested in:

Sept. 5: F&H and W&L (If it happens. It's not on the sked yet, but I hope this matchup is extended beyond the past two seasons. It lets me see teams from two conferences, too.)

Sept. 26: Muhlenberg at Gettysburg (I'm disappointed to be missing the Mules in their prime, but I'd like to see the up-and-coming Bullets.)

Oct. 10: H-SC at E&H (I want to see the new field down in Emory, and I think both teams could compete well this season.)

Oct. 31: CNU at Ferrum (I haven't seen CNU in person since I moved to the Roanoke area, and it's worth getting a look at Tunde Ogun.)

Nov. 14: I'll be in Indiana for my own alma mater's rivalry matchup.

This is all tentative, of course, but it's what I've had cooking in the back of my mind for a few weeks now.

Thanks ... sounds like a good mix.  Guilford and Methodist always put on a pretty good show as well ... I think it's in Fayetteville this fall on Sept. 12. 

[Ryan Tipps]

Since you mentioned Methodist, I think they're the only USA South school that I haven't seen in person in the past 3-4 years. But Fayetteville is a long hike for me, so I've been looking for a good opportunity to see them play closer to home

But that segues into a list worth mentioning. I do try to spread out the teams I see, though geography doesn't make that goal very easy. Yet in recent years, I've seen in person:

ACFC: Salisbury, Wesley
CC: Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins, Ursinus
ODAC: Bridgewater, Emory & Henry, Guilford, Hampden-Sydney, Washington & Lee
USAC: Averett, Christopher Newport, Ferrum, Greensboro, Maryville, N.C. Wesleyan, Shenandoah

There's a good mix, but looking at the my post on my potential travel destinations for '09, there's only two new teams on there. 

[hasanova]

Since you mentioned Methodist, I think they're the only USA South school that I haven't seen in person in the past 3-4 years. But Fayetteville is a long hike for me, so I've been looking for a good opportunity to see them play closer to home

But that segues into a list worth mentioning. I do try to spread out the teams I see, though geography doesn't make that goal very easy. Yet in recent years, I've seen in person:

ACFC: Salisbury, Wesley
CC: Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins, Ursinus
ODAC: Bridgewater, Emory & Henry, Guilford, Hampden-Sydney, Washington & Lee
USAC: Averett, Christopher Newport, Ferrum, Greensboro, Maryville, N.C. Wesleyan, Shenandoah

There's a good mix, but looking at the my post on my potential travel destinations for '09, there's only two new teams on there. 

Fayetteville is a long trip for you and, as you say, there are ample opportunities to see the Monarchs play in VA.  I'd argue, however, that it's almost as important to see all the venues as it is all the teams.  When you see a school's campus and the home stadium, it helps you understand their fan base and potential for recruiting, retention and winning.   Safe travels in '09!

[K-Mack]

Since you mentioned Methodist, I think they're the only USA South school that I haven't seen in person in the past 3-4 years. But Fayetteville is a long hike for me, so I've been looking for a good opportunity to see them play closer to home

But that segues into a list worth mentioning. I do try to spread out the teams I see, though geography doesn't make that goal very easy. Yet in recent years, I've seen in person:

ACFC: Salisbury, Wesley
CC: Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins, Ursinus
ODAC: Bridgewater, Emory & Henry, Guilford, Hampden-Sydney, Washington & Lee
USAC: Averett, Christopher Newport, Ferrum, Greensboro, Maryville, N.C. Wesleyan, Shenandoah

There's a good mix, but looking at the my post on my potential travel destinations for '09, there's only two new teams on there.  

Fayetteville is a long trip for you and, as you say, there are ample opportunities to see the Monarchs play in VA.  I'd argue, however, that it's almost as important to see all the venues as it is all the teams.  When you see a school's campus and the home stadium, it helps you understand their fan base and potential for recruiting, retention and winning.   Safe travels in '09!

I agree with that.

I could not convince the wife to stop at Methodist and NCWC while we drove 15 hours from No. Va. to West Palm Beach a few years ago, even if they were both right off I-95!

(By the way, schools off I-95 rule)

[HSC85]

Unless there is a train track next to the school and they are in Ashland.      Just kidding K-Mack. 

[Ryan Tipps]

One story idea may be Corey Sedlar at Hampden Sydney College.  He is working on a hall of fame career and he did not even start at quarterback in high school. 

I was waffling over what to do with this idea, because in each of the past two seasons, I've done a story on Hampden-Sydney. I make a pretty conscious effort to try to spread out my feature reporting, so something really big was going to have to happen this year for me to feature them when there are so many other teams out there I haven't had the opportunity to cover even once.

So, all that said, I found a place for this idea.....and I hope you'll spend just a couple bucks on Kickoff 2009 to see how it turned out!

[Ryan Tipps]

The year's first Around the Mid-Atlantic column is published, running down the list of games that have potential to impress this year. So many to choose from!

I see a lot of top-to-bottom competitiveness, especially in the Centennial and the Old Dominion this year.

Good luck to all players, families and fans this season -- most importantly to stay healthy, as well as to remember the sportsmanship of Division III.