FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[CHUBBS PETERSON]

There was never any coach in the tent. Didn't happen.

Sorry, but I'm going to stand on what my lying eyes clearly saw on the broadcast and what was unanimously attested to by those in attendance. As I've said before, I'm not implying malfeasance. Simply pointing to the obvious that it did nothing but undermine the legitimacy of what transpired. It's over and done with, and what's more important now is that nobody else get jammed in the same or similar fashion. Had the TD stood, NCC would've been right to feel like they got hosed. But using review to overturn an error of snap judgement on a bizarre play constituted a breach of established procedure, which is exponentially worse.

Coach Mac hit the nail on the head in the post-game presser, loosely quoting that if the division is going to do this review stuff then it has to figure out how to do it right. If that's not feasible (and I'd assert that it isn't feasible or necessary), then trash it. 4 different protocols in 4 weeks, a officiating crew that clearly had zero clue what they could and could not use review for, and a review tent figuratively being held together with duct tape and bailer twine by an AD and assistant coach doesn't pass that test.

All that being said, Go Royals and Go Cards.

[CHUBBS PETERSON]

What a disaster. I would think/hope this referee (crew?) would be banned from any more playoff games. Judgement calls are one thing, but when the rules aren't followed.... yikes. NCAA will probably assign them to the Stagg in a few weeks. 

Not sure what conference they came from (WIAC, perhaps?), but BU had the same crew against Coe and while they didn't affect that outcome that day they did demonstrate that the occasion was too big for them.

[USee]

I was told that guy was not a coach by someone who would know.

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO. Rather than a fluke, unearned TD on a fumble to an OL, Bethel got a first down and was unable to score. They also got the 2nd half kickoff and went three and out. NCC ran the ball for 312 yards because they could and that's who they are, a run first team. Had nothing to do with the score.

Bethel ran the ball more effectively than anyone did (WashU was the only other team to get over 100 yds I believe) and the ground game was impressive. I went into the game saying Bethel needed to score more than 21 and keep NCC under 30. Bethel's D was the best shot at limiting the NCC ground assault this playoffs and they couldn't do it. I don't think there is anyone left who can slow them down, not even UWRF. John Carrol has a stout defense for sure but I don't think they have the firepower to score enough. UWRF will have to outscore NCC to win.

[MIAC23]

I was told that guy was not a coach by someone who would know.

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO. Rather than a fluke, unearned TD on a fumble to an OL, Bethel got a first down and was unable to score. They also got the 2nd half kickoff and went three and out. NCC ran the ball for 312 yards because they could and that's who they are, a run first team. Had nothing to do with the score.

 

You are probably right on the first point. The momentum part is massively false. Going into the half tied after just getting a crazy TD vs down a score getting stuffed on the goal line. Would it have made a difference? Probably not, but we will never know....

[CHUBBS PETERSON]

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO.

That's a laughably indefensible position to take, but it's your luxury to do so.

The better team won. How we got there wasn't great and should not be allowed to happen again. Both things can be true, and they are.

[USee]

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO.

That's a laughably indefensible position to take, but it's your luxury to do so.

The better team won. How we got there wasn't great and should not be allowed to happen again. Both things can be true, and they are.

It's indefensible to suggest that play had anything to do with giving up 312 yds on the ground and 35 pts. You want to argue that a fluke TD by an OLineman somehow stopped Bethel's momentum? Sure looked like the NCC defense is what did that. After Tentgate, Bethel still had a first down despite the referees mistake and couldn't score and then went 3 and out on the next possession of the game (to start the 2nd half). What part of that is the referees fault?  Seems to me NCC had a convincing win and some of you guys just don't want to accept it. Believe me, I was not rooting for NCC either!

[hazzben]

What a disaster. I would think/hope this referee (crew?) would be banned from any more playoff games. Judgement calls are one thing, but when the rules aren't followed.... yikes. NCAA will probably assign them to the Stagg in a few weeks. 

Not sure what conference they came from (WIAC, perhaps?), but BU had the same crew against Coe and while they didn't affect that outcome that day they did demonstrate that the occasion was too big for them.

Petey made the comment he was going to talk to the national chair, BW AD, about getting the same crew from the Coe game again. Even if they're a great crew (these guys weren't), you shouldn't be doing a second game for a team in the playoffs. Each team should be getting a fresh crew from outside their own conference.

[CardsFan1988]

Just watched the Bethel postgame press conference. Really impressed with how the coach and players handled things. Really easy program to root for after watching that. Looking forward to matchups in the future and watching that program continue to grow from afar! Definitely a top 3 team in the country this year!

[CHUBBS PETERSON]

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO.

That's a laughably indefensible position to take, but it's your luxury to do so.

The better team won. How we got there wasn't great and should not be allowed to happen again. Both things can be true, and they are.

Seems to me NCC had a convincing win and some of you guys just don't want to accept it. Believe me, I was not rooting for NCC either!

You're arguing with your own straw man; carry on, by all means.

[USee]

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO.

That's a laughably indefensible position to take, but it's your luxury to do so.

The better team won. How we got there wasn't great and should not be allowed to happen again. Both things can be true, and they are.

Seems to me NCC had a convincing win and some of you guys just don't want to accept it. Believe me, I was not rooting for NCC either!

You're arguing with your own straw man; carry on, by all means.

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story......

[OzJohnnie]

The play did not affect the outcome nor the momentum IMO.

That's a laughably indefensible position to take, but it's your luxury to do so.

The better team won. How we got there wasn't great and should not be allowed to happen again. Both things can be true, and they are.

Seems to me NCC had a convincing win and some of you guys just don't want to accept it. Believe me, I was not rooting for NCC either!

You're arguing with your own straw man; carry on, by all means.

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story......

You unreasonably want them to both accept that the tent issue doesn't exist AND that BU got their butts kicked.  No BU supporter has suggested BU would win absent that event, but it's clear that the tent event and subsequent call were wrong.

They, entirely reasonably, wish they could have seen a second half that started tied rather than quickly going down 21-7.  What's unclear to me is why you insist on not letting them, despite their acceptance of the loss, want to see a second half on clean terms.  You may not be supporting NCC, but you are certainly supporting yourself as the arbiter of what supporters are reasonably allowed to say in support of their team.  Who appointed you president of the supporter behaviour committee?

[USee]

Oz-Thanks for chiming in. I don't mind at all. And I don't think I've ever suggested people shouldn't post whatever they want. This board is the leader of d3boards.com in that regard. Most Bethel supporters I know (and being a Wheaton Alum, my ties are many) accept the loss as you suggest. And I also don't think there has been a single poster, me included, that doesn't think Tentgate was a total debacle and a failure on many fronts. We are all in agreement.

My only pushback, and perhaps this should die here and now, was on the idea that the game would have been different if that play stood. I saw a Bethel team that had 2 more plays before the half and couldn't score followed by 3 consecutive possessions to start the third quarter that yielded nothing, during which time their opponent extended the lead and effectively ended the game.

I understand the emotion, particularly after the ending of last year's season so I have no complaints. I wish my Bethel friends nothing but the best and I fully expect them to be back in the playoffs next year with the team they had.

Separately, I also watched Conant in a few games this year and he was a huge difference maker and it was hard to see him not be able to go at full strength. He will be back next year with a vengeance

[USee]

BTW I don't remember seeing it mentioned but the officiating crew Saturday in Naperville was a WIAC crew. 

[RoyalsFan]

Yes, NPI is now the only criterion used to select Pool C teams. As soon as the final game was played on Saturday of week 11 the NPI scores, Pool C teams, and positions of the top 4 seeds within the bracket were locked in.  The drama came in projecting the remainder of the bracket. I'm sure Pat discussed this in a podcast, but I don't know which one. You can see the final NPI ratings and the 13 Pool C teams determined thereby at D3 Datacast.

Thanks, I wasn't aware of how that works now.

Yes, discussed in a number of podcasts in the last two seasons.

Sorry, I don't listen to podcasts.

[RoyalsFan]

UWRF will have to outscore NCC to win.

Gee - Captain Obvious.