D3, Season 66 Topic

As requested by westcoast, here you go :)

I'm getting overwhelmed by life, so as y'all noticed I pretty much checked out of everything but gameplanning midway through last season. I'm still loving the game, just needing to devote time to things like family and a possible major career change on the horizon.

Western New England returns 10 off a 13-16 PIT qualifier, which was a bit impressive since we were 1/2 freshmen last year. Hopefully we can climb back to the positive side of .500 this year as I continue to struggle to gain a foothold in the GNE. I don't know what it is about this league/school location that's causing me so many headaches trying to establish a consistent program. I've tweaked my formulas for recruiting, so we'll see if that produces any changes (I've used it already in Iba and Naismith, but only for one season each...I'm either dooming all my teams with my changes or I'm making a positive improvement on all of them :)
5/7/2013 3:16 PM
Woohooo!  Hope all is well in your life rednu!!

Are your preseason/F4 predictions going to make a return appearance this year? 
5/7/2013 3:54 PM
I could be starting a new career as a university sports information direction soon...part of the reason I didn't have time to do anything with the national tournament in season 65 was because I was doing prep work for the second and third rounds of interviews and stuff. It's a field that I've been wanting to get into for about a decade, but it's just so hard to crack into as a transitional career. I did the final interview last week and should know by the end of this week if I'm getting an offer from them. Obviously if I do, there will probably be a move involved which will really make this season interesting for me...I might have to test out the internet at the campus library.... 

I should be able to do the preseason stuff, because there's a 48 hour window where the conference predictions can be run and then the Way-too-early Final 4 (I don't even know how I did on last season's picks there...) is good as soon as redshirts are declared. The game of the night stuff that I've tried on again and off again to do probably won't happen from me. National tournament analysis will depend on my schedule at season's end. I'll be as active as I can, but there might be times where I have to pull back and be "just" a coach in HD. Hopefully we can have lots of discussion in the thread though. 
5/8/2013 12:59 AM
I'm impressed that you've been as active as you have been considering what else you've got going on. Good luck with the job!
5/8/2013 9:07 AM
Sad thing is if I get it, they're NAIA affiliated so I won't be able to dash out and pick up my own university here on HD :(
5/8/2013 1:14 PM

Great to hear about your career opportunity rednu!  Nothing better than hearing about someone getting close to following their dream job. 

 

Hey, off topic and I’m sorry if this has already been discussed, but is anyone else having a hard time reading the first line in each person’s post?  Both on my phone and computer, I seem to be encountering a formatting glitch with the forum page.  It’s very frustrating to read.

 

5/9/2013 7:17 AM
No problems on this computer, but on my older operating system Macbook the section where the stars thumbs up/thumbs down thing is and the "report/link/quote" button section would drop down below the blue bar header and obscure the top line of anything posted. I had to copy and paste into a document template in order to see what folks were saying...
5/9/2013 10:42 AM

That's what I'm encountering.  Maybe a sign to upgrade the home computer.

5/9/2013 9:45 PM
I suppose technically it could have been a browser issue too (older version of FIrefox), caused by my inability to run a more-recent version of the operating system. 

5/10/2013 12:46 AM
Here we go...hot off the presses the conference picks for this season!!

ASC — Hardin-Simmons (sublightd) missed out on a conference banner last season, but managed to extend his streak of Round 2 or better NT appearances to 10 straight years. I’ll call them by a nose ahead of Texas Lutheran, who also looks good preseason. 

Capital — Catholic (shineenihs) has won 20 or more games in each of the coach’s first three seasons at the helm but has just one conference title to show for it. This should be shine’s second, but St. Mary’s could have a thing or two to say about that. 

Centennial — Ursinus (barjaz) nade a first-round exit in this year’s national tournament. This year, he’s back with a vengeance and loaded with a roster that could contend for a national title. Beware Carl Oliveira as Ursinus goes for a fifth straight undefeated run in league play. 

CUNY — Brooklyn (SimAI) hasn’t won anything since Season 51 and hasn’t played in the postseason since then either. At least the former will change this year, although CCNY, also simmed, might play upstart. 

CCIW — Northland (raucous) gets my nod ahead of Martin Luther and Illinois Wesleyan. The 31 team defense rating concerns me a bit, but Northland is looking for its fourth straight NT trip, so I trust raucous to know what he’s doing here. 

Coast — It’s the Coast, so we have to talk about Wentworth (chewchad) here. With a walk-on showing, Wentworth is ranked No. 7 preseason and has gone unbeaten in this league 3 of the last 4 years. If anyone’s going to jeopardize that becoming 4 out of 5, it’s Colby-Sawyer. 

Commonwealth — Defending national champion Penn St. Altoona resides here and is ranked No. 16 preseason. My apologies, but I’m calling the race to Susquehanna (zeuspole) which is No. 20 preseason and looking for its fifth straight trip to at least the Sweet 16. 

Empire — Vassar (theriddler) ran the table last year and could well do so again, although Utica needs to be studied closely. Vassar’s looking for a third straight league win and a second consecutive 16-0 campaign. 

Freedom — The whole league starts with sub-500 team ratings this year, so it could be a rough go. Carnegie Mellon (SimAI) is the best of the lot on paper to me. They’re looking to build on a 5-22 campaign and haven’t done anything since Season 59. 

GNE — They’re writing the obituary for the Evil Empire over in the University Conference. Johnson & Wales (spasticity) would beg to differ. After switching up offensive schemes last season in response to a horrifying 20-9 campaign that saw the school go home after only the second round of hte national tournament, the JW juggernaut looks primed. That No. 18 preseason ranking is weak sauce. This is top 10 material all the way. 

Heartland — Defiance (nm1brownsfan) is permanently etched in this position on my previews until someone decides to beat them in league play. Incidentally, that hasn’t happened in six seasons. Will it be a Magnificent Seven? It’s hard to see why not. 

Iowa — Discussion in the Iowa this season begins and ends with Buena Vista (westcoast22), which is more loaded than Lindsey Lohan after 5 p.m. on a weekend. About the only thing missing from westcoast’s resume at the school is a national championship game appearance. This may well be teh year for that. 

Little East — Fans at UMass, Dartmouth are anxious to return to the back-to-back 31-win seasons of not that long ago, and they’ve brought in pureh21, who owns a .693 win percentage across 27 HD seasons to do it. East Connecticut St, another program looking for a return to the glory days of not very long ago, should provide the toughest challenge. 

Michigan — It’s hard to pick against Calvin in this spot, but Eureka (usjgt) has the tools to take the league this season. This is traditionally a solid club, but fans haven’t seen an NT win in a decade and the school has been one-and-done in the postseason the last four years. The natives are getting restless in Eureka...

Midwest — Rose Hulman Tech (strang) has won 12+ league games every year since tagging in four seasons ago for the legendary nachopuzzle, but only has one conference banner to show for it and no postseason appearances. I’ll give him the nod to change that this time around as he comes off a 19-10 season a year ago. 

Minnesota — Hamline (foofighter13) is 50-34 in three seasons under the coach, but has no national tournament appearance to show for it. That should change this season as Hamline is the only school in the league that believes in defense. With seven of 12 schools rated 26 or below for team defense, bet the over in the Minnesota all season long. 

NESCAC — Tufts (zmark513) posted a 16-0 mark last season in league play, but could have its work cut out for it trying for the back-to-back. Even if they don’t get that, there’s plenty to gun for as zmark tries for 10 consecutive league titles this season. 

New Jersey — Montclair St. (bigpapamatt) went 23-5 last season, but had nothing to show for it as there was no league banner and no postseason invitation to show for it. This is a program that’s grown by leaps and bounds since a 2-25 welcoming campaign for the coach. Will this be the payoff year? 

North Atlantic — I’m not sure Johnson St. (yomomma8588) is the best team in this conference, but since my frontrunner Castleton St. is simmed, I’ll say the human element tips the balance of power to Johnson St. and the North Atlantic can once again resume its mantle as Johnson St. and the Nobodies this season. 

NCAC — Ohio Wesleyan (otownaron) is in his eighth season at OWU. Missing in that tenure is a league title and national tournament appearance, despite a pair of 20-win campaigns. At No. 19 preseason, this is by far his best crew assembled to date. He also catches the typical NCAC contenders in a bit of a recycle season, so let’s say breaktrhough in Delaware, Ohio, this time around. 

Northwest — Willamette (bullman17) is coming off a 25-5 campaign and now gets a preseason top 10 ranking to show for bullman’s impressive tenure. I’m really trying to figure out how Chapman, under new skipper coachuk (.770 in 26 seasons of HD) isn’t ranked at all, much less outside of the top 15-20 where I think they belong. 

Ohio — John Carroll (whit6r) is no stranger to league titles and this year begins his quest for a fifth straight. Capital could say something about that quest though. 

ODAC — Emory and Henry (meme4574) has four straight 20-win seasons, but only two produced league titles. This is meme’s 10th season at the helm in Emory, he’s come a long way from a 4-23 start. Traditional power Lynchburg will have the most to say about EH’s success. 

Penn — Another league that will not be setting benchmarks for defense this season. I’ll call Cabrini (SimAI) by a whisker over a simmed Marywood. Depending on how much second-year coach hgq2112 at Babson learned his first year, they could compete as well.

Skyline — Old Westbury (tubby13) gets my nod ahead of traditional power US Merchant Marines. If he proves me right, it’ll be Old Westbury’s first title since Season 55. 

So. Cal. — Whittier (windixies) is ranked only No. 4, but I’m not sure there’s three teams better as this crew looks stacked. This is hardly a program that’s a stranger to success, but believe it or not, a league title would be the school’s first in three years. 

St. Louis — Another team I can just ink in permanentlly until proven wrong, Webster (mschulte24) probably isn’t strong enough to make major waves nationally this season, but the team is as close to a lock as a person can get for a fourth straight league banner and, probably, a third consecutive 16-0. 

SUNY — SUNY Potsdam (SimAI) is the only school starting over 500 in team rating. They’re coming off back-to-back 6-22 seasons, but who cares. In a league where 10 of 12 schools have defensive ratings in tne 20s, this is enough of a team to score the banner. 

University — Millsaps (brianxavier) was not happy with its national championship game performance last season, but a preseason No. 1 ranking for, I believe, the second straight year returns the bullseye to Ja-Ja-Jackson, Mississippi (a river runnin’...bonus points for anyone who gets the reference). Millsaps has back-to-back Final Four appearances and could be on their way back again. 

Upstate — Case Western (SimAI) gets my nod in a downish league this season. Considering the team hasn’t hung a regular season baner since Season 37, they’re certainly overdue here. 

USA South — Greensboro (tilldog28) is only a year removed from a national title and is going for his ninth straight league banner. Don’t be surprised if he’s got both at year’s end. 

Wisconsin — Superior (cbryant31) won it last season in this league and gets my tag to win it again this season after going 23-7 overall and 14-2 in conference play. Entering year three at the helm of the program, he’s preseason top 10 material according to the polls. We’ll see if that’s too high come season’s end. 

5/13/2013 9:32 PM
Here are my predictions for this year's tournament:

Link to ratings for all teams skydrive.live.com/redir

CONFERENCE TEAM RATING SEED RANK WIS RANK
Iowa IAC Buena Vista 62.26 1 1 2
University Millsaps 62.12 1 2 1
S. Cal. Whittier 60.51 1 3 4
USA South Greensboro 59.93 1 4 3
CC Penn St. Altoona 59.47 2 5 16
Northwest Willamette 59.11 2 6 9
Wisconsin Wisconsin, Superior 58.90 2 7 8
Great NE Johnson and Wales 58.82 2 8 18
S. Cal. Colorado 58.73 3 9 21
ASC Hardin-Simmons 58.65 3 10 12
Great NE Rivier 58.58 3 11 22
CC Susquehanna 58.41 3 12 20
Ohio John Carroll 58.31 4 13 17
University Trinity (TX) 58.29 4 14 30
Centennial Ursinus 58.27 4 15 6
University Emory 57.97 4 16 27
University Louisiana 56.75 5 17 26
Northwest Chapman 56.41 5 18 29
University Southwestern 56.40 5 19  
ASC Howard Payne 56.35 5 20 14
Coast Wentworth Tech. 56.29 6 21 7
Great NE Emerson 56.18 6 22  
Skyline Old Westbury 56.16 6 23 10
ASC Texas Lutheran 56.11 6 24 5
USA South Christopher Newport 55.85 7 25  
University Ozarks 55.78 7 26  
University Sewanee 55.61 7 27  
Great NE Emmanuel 55.60 7 28  
ASC Austin 55.35 8 29 15
Michigan Eureka 55.13 8 30 13
CC Elizabethtown 55.12 8 31  
N. Coast Wooster 55.11 8 33  
University Centre 55.11 9 32 25
Empire 8 Vassar 54.98 9 34 11
USA South Palm Beach Atlantic 54.95 9 35  
Centennial Dickinson 54.92 9 36  
Wisconsin Wisconsin, Oshkosh 54.89 10 37  
NESCAC Tufts 54.79 10 38  
N.Atlantic Johnson St. 54.78 10 39  
St. Louis Webster 54.78 10 40  
ODAC Lynchburg 54.76 11 41 35
S. Cal. CSU, Eastbay 54.40 11 42 36
Great NE Newbury 54.38 11 43  
USA South Shenandoah 54.03 11 44  
USA South N. Carolina Wesleyan 53.99 12 45  
Michigan Calvin 53.85 12 46 28
Coast Colby-Sawyer 53.72 12 47  
Great NE S. Vermont 53.61 12 48  
Skyline U.S. Merchant Marines 53.42 13 49 40
Great NE St. Joseph's (ME) 53.33 13 50  
N. Coast Ohio Wesleyan 53.19 13 52 19
Ohio Capital 53.19 13 51 32
Capital Catholic 52.72 14 56  
Midwest Rose-Hulman Tech. 52.66 14 58  
Heartland Defiance 52.29 14 64  
Upstate Case Western Reserve 52.27 14 66  
Penn. Marywood 51.62 15 74  
CCIW Northland 50.92 15 80  
SUNYAC SUNY Potsdam 50.80 15 82  
Minn. IAC Hamline 50.79 15 83  
Little E. E. Connecticut St. 50.76 16 85  
New Jersey Montclair St. 50.65 16 89  
CUNY Brooklyn 50.48 16 95  
Freedom Scranton 50.09 16 105  

5/13/2013 10:20 PM
The 31 team defense concerns me a lot as well.  Joshua Robinson will be sorely missed.
5/13/2013 10:22 PM
I hope I live up to to these expectations because my track record is one of poor game planning as of late. 
5/13/2013 10:37 PM
Thanks red and bullman!

I sure hope I can make a deep run this season.  I tried to load up my non conference schedule to see just how good they will be.  Its nice to have Sabia who could play on a D1 team outside of the Big 6.  Good luck to all!
5/14/2013 3:13 AM
Not sure if I can live up to the standards set by rednu, but I'll give it a shot and try to pick up the Game of the Night duties this season.  Feel free to complain and tell me that I'm dumb and I picked the wrong game.  You'll probably be wrong, but you still have the right to complain.

GoTN
#16 Penn St. Altoona (frankgrimes1) at #2 Buena Vista (westcoast22)
frank begins a national title defense with a visit to the second ranked team in the country.  Should be a very tough task since westcoast has Buena Vista near the top of the early rankings and at the very top of bullman's tourney projections.  westcoast also owns the victory in the only previous match up between these two coaches.

Also considered: #3 Greensboro at #13 Eureka, #4 Whitter at #19 Ohio Wesleyan, and #1 Millsaps at Dickinson.

Blowout watch: Sim controlled Polytechnic is getting 58 points at #15 Austin while #5 Texas Lutheran is favored by 52 at York (PA).

5/14/2013 10:54 PM
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D3, Season 66 Topic

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