FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[lumbercat]

How many times can you call it insane.....? It's not insane.

NESAC schools are now eligible for post season play. What is "insane" about about bringing NESCAC roster limits closer to the limits we see at other high level academic institutions like Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon and many others.

Increasing Football rosters from 75 to 90 or 100 is not such a radical thought despite all these Purple whines about it. Maybe the Purples should take their ball and go home.....is it getting too hard for them?

I believe the Purple schools want to restrict roster sizes because they believe they have an advantage at lower roster levels given their country wide academic reputation. The Purples fared the best in the old overly restrictive athletic environment in the early NESCAC days where they experienced great success amid all the overt restrictions imposed by the early NESCAC. They love the confined, regulated athletic environment  Those restrictions work best for the "Elite Purple". Increases in roster sizes and removal of old restrictive limits benefit the likes of Trinity and other NESCAC programs that choose to take expansive steps, within the spirit of the rules, to improve their athletic and football programs.

The Elite Purples had a high level of control on NESCAC Footall in the earlier years but they are struggling to deal with the aspirations of other football programs like Trinity, Wesleyan and Middlebury that have been coming after them.

Sometimes, when threatened, the reaction is to impose more regulation on your rivals.

[JEFFFAN]

Yeah ... not really.  These schools have been trying to limit roster sizes forever.  Not a new phenomena based on a more challenging competitive environment, although certainly it is more challenging then before.

[lumbercat]

"Yeah, not really".......

"These schools have been trying to limit roster sizes forever......based on a more challenging competitive environment"......

Anything else to add Jefffan?
 

[Nescacman]

Looking forward to this game and my first time seeing this rivalry in person!

Pat, we assume you are talking about the only game that means anything in the NESCAC next weekend (OK, CBB fans...relax...we know some of you care about the game in Waterville), the NESCAC Championship Game in Middletown (not the Little 3 consolation game in Blanketville). If you indeed will be in Middletown, we look forward to hosting you at the best tailgate in D3.

NM

[Nescacman]

What's hurt the Ephs consistently, and is still hurting them this year, is (1) the general lack of depth to fill in for key injuries, which has been especially glaring this season with so many stars going down
   

The Ephs have no one to blame but themselves for lack of depth. Not only has Williams (we're not talking about Coach Raymond here, just to be clear) consistently voted against larger rosters, they have been the leading voice for a lower roster limit in the NESCAC. Serves Williams right...karma is a bitch.

NM

Injuries are some sort of karmic punishment for a pov on roster limits?  Seems a bit much, and verging on wishing or at least being happy about kids getting hurt.

Ridiculous comment, of course, coming out of an Eph"man". Wahwahwah...we understand why you are in a bad mood today. We would be too.

NOBODY on this board is more supportive of the student-athletes in the NESCAC than we are. That's a fact. Just read our posts or listen to our podcast.

Wishing injuries...hardly. Our comment was merely a reaction to one of your fellow Ephs comment on roster depth. In fact, roster limits deprive incremental student-athletes from experiencing the joys of being part of a NESCAC football program and more importantly, getting a stellar, world-class education. 

Williams handling of the roster limit issue goes way beyond a "POV". Williams (and their purple off-spring to the south), have been openly lobbying the other NESCAC Presidents to limit football roster sizes for years. 

Trust us, we would have much rather been playing against McHugh/Johansen yesterday than we would have been playing against your 4th string QB. Not sure it would have changed the result since none of them play defensive back (more on that later).

NM

[Pat Coleman]

Looking forward to this game and my first time seeing this rivalry in person!

Pat, we assume you are talking about the only game that means anything in the NESCAC next weekend (OK, CBB fans...relax...we know some of you care about the game in Waterville), the NESCAC Championship Game in Middletown (not the Little 3 consolation game in Blanketville). If you indeed will be in Middletown, we look forward to hosting you at the best tailgate in D3.

NM

No, sorry -- going to the oldest rivalry in D-III because of the big rivalry games in D-III, it's one I have not yet seen. I know I could go to Middletown, or see parts of two games in Maine, but this was my decision.