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Messages - blooter442

#1
Men's soccer / Re: 2023 NCAA Tournament
November 12, 2023, 01:06:38 PM
Didn't know where Tufts-Rochester was happening. Thankfully, it's not the one that's Paywall U.
#2
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
October 27, 2023, 12:01:07 PM
Quote from: northman on October 26, 2023, 07:27:06 PM
I think many of us felt like we were living in a pleasant bubble here in Maine.  By many measures, Maine is the first or second safest state in the union.  Not today.  If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere.  Give your loved ones an extra hug today.  We all need support and reassurance in these moments.

Well said, northman. While Maine is an incredibly safe place writ large, I think statistically it was a question of when (not if) it would happen. And though I think many fellow Mainers shared a similar expectation to myself, I don't think any of us anticipated that Maine would have the country's worst mass shooting of the year so far (in October) and the 10th deadliest overall since 1949. :-[
#3
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
September 30, 2023, 04:18:53 PM
Okorogheye slips while shooting/crossing from 25 yards out, it loops in the top right over Diffley. 2-0.
#4
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
September 30, 2023, 04:00:38 PM
Quote from: camosfan on September 30, 2023, 03:51:57 PM
Did Williams win? NCAA had the score for Williams for sometime.

Cubbedu just bent home a free kick spotting Diffley, who was anticipating a cross, off his line. Pace on the shot but it was 35+ yards out. 1-0 Mammoths 64'.
#5
Men's soccer / Re: UAA Soccer 2022
September 21, 2023, 04:35:07 PM
Quote from: PaulNewman on September 21, 2023, 01:44:54 PM
The UAA is going to be absolutely fine.  Brandeis being down the last 2-3 years has been a surprise...and I don't love CMU, but otherwise I think they're looking good.  I left out Wash U who I can never get a handle on.

From 2012-17 they were varying levels of Sweet 16 or better. 2018 was a down year (below .500), the next year was a bit of a resurgence but missed out on the tournament (still salty over the fluky loss to UR, who also had five losses, but they earned their bid in the end with better results against big teams). I liked signs of what I saw last year and the year before, even if the final product was lacking. I watched part of the (first attempt at a) Vassar game and the two goals given away stemmed from mishandled passes 10 seconds apart. They are random events but when they're happening multiple times per game that is a problem.

The margins are fine in soccer, even D3, and I think several recruiting coups over the years (Lynch/Savonen/J. Ocel) as well as a cadre of D1 transfers (Soboff/Sam Vinson) might have had more influence in the team success than realized. The DeNight kid came in as a freshman relatively unknown, scored a bunch of goals, and was UAA Rookie of the Year, then left for Columbia post-COVID; Elias Norris was also a solid player that went to GW. D1 giveth and it taketh. Either way, I am also surprised that they haven't been near the top of the region, let alone nationally, in the greater part of a decade.

It's important to remember that Margolis (now HC) was largely influential in the Judges' resurgence, his predecessor would have told you as much, and took his first team to the Final 4, so I still have confidence that they can come good sooner rather than later, but it'll start with getting the right talent.
#6
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
September 10, 2023, 01:54:10 PM
Bowdoin 6 up on Husson. Was a 1-0 game until the 50th minute, but a pair of penalties and questionable defending in general has made it easy for the hosts.
#7
Men's soccer / Re: NESCAC
September 06, 2023, 10:35:00 AM
Quote from: northman on September 06, 2023, 08:15:23 AM
I watched last night's game online.  Turns out it was the first home night game in program history.

I wondered about that — figured those lights had to have been new. In hindsight, I remember the press coverage about the Bowdoin athletic project. I think it's great that they can host night games, even if the layout is still being somewhat ironed out. Also good that the Polar Bears will have a (soccer) turf option for the first time, I still think it's a shame that Whittier field is not passable for soccer but c'est la vie. Might try to get over to the Bates game on Friday, should be a good early-season test for both teams.
#8
Men's soccer / Re: World Cup and European leagues
March 15, 2023, 03:51:24 PM
Kind of out of left field, but the D3 connection made it worth posting.

The NIFL (Northern Ireland's top division) doesn't have the same commercial appeal as the Premier League or La Liga, but provides fans with the universal football emotions. YouTube channel The Peakys (formerly Peaky Bannsiders) was started by Niall Quinn, a supporter of Coleraine FC who wanted to chronicle his match day adventures with his eight year old son. I stumbled upon it a few months ago and it's a lot of fun.

This past weekend, Coleraine played in the NIFL League Cup final, and Wisconsin-Whitewater coach Tony Guinn (a native of NI who was at the match) ran into the channel's creator. Guinn lost his son Shaymus at age 11 to bone cancer, but wanted to thank Quinn for providing some level of joy for him to see another father being able to do what he never got the chance to. The interaction was featured in the Belfast Telegraph this morning. I can't imagine what it is like to be in that position, but also pretty incredible that he has kept going on the sidelines for UWW in the decade since.

https://belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/coleraine-fc-vloggers-emotional-exchange-with-bereaved-dad-who-found-joy-in-father-son-videos/812832084.html
#9
I wasn't particularly active at the time Sitch was hired, but I observed the same general trend of people acknowledged it and moved on without making a big fuss. Even before winning the title, I thought it was evident from her press appearances (both the news and NCAA press conferences) that she has a really good relationship with her players, and that bond will only be strengthened by what they have accomplished.

Quote from: PaulNewman on December 05, 2022, 12:20:09 PM
So imo we should be just as focused on Wyant who actually revived and re-built a NYU program that had become fairly mediocre into a nationally competitive team. At the time and in hindsight it seemed/seems fitting that those two teams tied and indeed that NYU handed Chicago its only blemish.

This! She was the first!
#10
Quote from: blue_jays on December 03, 2022, 08:38:51 PM
All I need to know about the fraudulent soccer coaches awards is that UChicago's lead striker who scored in the NCAA semis and title game did not even get All-Region. Which is fine, Yeti would rather be a national champion anyway.

Yeah, that was ludicrous. They aren't quite Max Lopez numbers but 13G, 1A with 7 game winners and goals in 4 of 6 tournament games was more than enough to be All-Region and I would have had him AA.

On the subject of the empty-netter — which I didn't have any issue with, considering if he missed Diffley was nowhere near getting back to take a goal kick with ~20 seconds on the clock — The Chicago Maroon had a quote from the player:

"Honestly, I felt that before I scored the game was already over. Our defense was exceptional today... I was happy to score, but I was more excited for the team."
#11
Men's soccer / Re: Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!
December 03, 2022, 02:56:06 PM
Thought that it was Williams' game to win the longer it went on 0-0, but once that first one went in I wasn't thinking they'd get back in the game.

PN's point about them playing ahead most of the tournament seemed prescient. The Ephs were competitive but even when a team has destiny written all over it, the math still suggests the favorite more times than not, and Chicago was the stronger team on the day. Whenever the goalkeeper gets a hand to a shot but doesn't save it, questions are asked, but Pino's shot was a rocket. And, the coup de grace with 15 seconds underlined Chicago's dominance of the second half after a pretty even first half.

Congratulations to the Maroons, and great to have a title that can be attributed to the UAA.
#12
Men's soccer / Re: Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!
December 02, 2022, 10:42:32 AM
Quote from: SimpleCoach on December 01, 2022, 07:01:52 PM
2.  After deep analysis of the Williams tactical execution of their game plan ... I can confirm that Williams is where soccer goes to die.

Having equated Siebert's Springfield to Stoke City, I am completely unsurprised that he has morphed Williams into the same style. Somewhat ironic, given their more progressive style for years under Russo.

Still, if Siebert wins tomorrow, he won't care one bit. I am inclined to think Chicago is the favorite, but I have a strong 2007-08 New York Giants vibe about the Ephs.
#13
Men's soccer / Re: WC 2022
November 21, 2022, 04:08:01 PM
Generally annoying game — and not just because Bale was playing.

Still, whoever made that tactical foul when Turner came for a walkabout deserves MotM.
#14
Men's soccer / Re: Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!
November 20, 2022, 03:06:47 PM
Quote from: northman on November 20, 2022, 03:05:51 PM
I believe it's the reverse...1-0 Kenyon.
Seemed that was the Amherst announcer misspeaking.

Logically, would have expected Williams to have met its match this weekend. Still, the Ephs made it through a tough sectional round and knocked out the #1 team. At that point, I figured they'd get knocked out either yesterday or today, but the longer the game(s) went on 0-0, the more I felt they were going to sneak one at the other end.
#15
Men's soccer / Re: Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!
November 20, 2022, 02:54:30 PM
Quote from: blooter442 on November 19, 2022, 01:00:39 PM
7-1-11 Williams is playing for a spot in the Final 4 tomorrow; the incredulity of the situation and football less synonymous with the golden era Ephs should not detract from the fact that they are in the Elite 8. What a time to be alive.

Update: Said Williams team is currently 7 minutes away from the Final 4.