The Panther Express is steaming into the match-up with Skidmore at seven-and-oh. Now up to an all-time high of #3 in the D-3 polls, there are those - all serious followers of Midd's long run in this 'new normal' era - whose concerns about strength of schedule and challenges merit comment. Most of the commentary back and forth has gone on off this page. Those concerns are rooted in the fact that 'TheBoys' are too parochial in playing a variety of Vermont-baked cupcakes (i.e, Johnson St., Green Mountain, etc.)While there is clamor from the outside, and regardless of outcome it would give the Pepin faithful something further to cheer about, for Midd to schedule 'up' to a St. Mike's (d2 and they don't want to play us in the regular season) or get a game with an Ivy Leaguer (ditto's), my take is that from their side of the ball, there's nothing to be gained. When we were trying to get this program out of the New England cellar, my freshman squad met up with J. State. Ecstatic, after putting up a '39' (in the pre-trey days) by my name in the box score, 'The Vendor', my coach, told me, we're not playing them again, they stink- so they got replaced with Northeastern. Not so great an idea -since they shortly thereafter became a D1. So we struggled through three long seasons, at 3and57. Maybe I'm calloused by the 3-57, and just like to see the W's, knowing that in each season, even as they succeed, there are more than enough challenges to keep 'TheBoys' interested.
It was a lot easier to schedule 'up' back then because there was only D1 and D2. It's also easier to schedule up when you haven't gotten five ncaa bids in a row. Coaches everywhere are concerned about getting enough 'W's to keep their j-o-b-s, and if an annual meeting with The Panthers was detrimental to that prospect, then they are no longer on our dance card. Among those who have decided otherwise are many longtime rivals. Union and St. Lawrence recently said enough. Norwich and Clarkson had also gone that route, and Colby-Sawyer (who beat us in '09-10) bowed out. The rise of the 'conferences' has contributed to this because there is the reality that if you don't win your conference and get an automatic ncaa bid, then there are only 19 other 'at large' bids handed out. And very few of them- maybe no more than six- are locked in come tournament time. Coaches recognize that unless you have 19 or 20 wins your chances of getting in are slim, even with an enhanced strength of schedule, so don't go 18 and 6 or 7. For that matter even with 20 'W's, there are teams every year that get left out in the cold. Recently Keene State and Wesleyan fell short. For those not familiar with D3, there are 403 teams versus less in D1 (236, and less conferences) so there's only about a dozen 'at large' bids nationally. So we play who we play. The nescac, its tournament and pressure, and the ncaa's are the only measuring sticks that the top programs really go by. And come tourney time you don't want to be left out in the cold.
Skids at Pepin tomorrow. First trip to Midd for their young trio of Merill, Brooks, and Medunjanin (a soph and two frosh). One of the two frosh G's will have Nolan T. in his grill. Medunjanin, bigger at 6'4 seems the more likely to require Nolan's handcuffs. Don't know whether Merrill is strictly a down low guy or whether he roams. Down low, he'll get either Peter or Longjack. If he is a roamer, then he'll have to contend with Jensen. If Brooks is the PG, he gets the unenviable task of trying to beat Joey. Good luck on that front. Although they won the Liberty last year, and Merrill is very capable, think our experience and pressure, particularly at guard, is key here. Also don't see Merrill pounding Peter and/or Longjack. Know our depth is better going eight deep for sure, particularly with Merryman's instant offense such a factor every night (he has been the 'find' of the new season). All in all, my take is that Skids finds out what real thoroughbreds look like, and that TheBoys go to the break at 8-0. Notable that Williams fell out of the top 25 last week (didn't think they belonged). Today they have the flags in Amherst at half mast because the LordJeffNation went down to Babson at Lefrak, loss number two. This not only seriously jeopardizes their #10 ranking, maybe it exposed their overall lack of real depth (Hixson only went with seven guys), which certainly bodes positive for the Panthers.
Remember: "down The Alibi stairs, past Ma Kelley's front door, and off DickTheHealer's whirlpool, nothin' but net!" Clubbo.
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