Monthly Archives: November 2013

What the committee chair said

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When a former WIAC head coach became the chair of the Division III football committee, it’s understandable why strength of schedule was more important this year.
Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com

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With the selection show cut down to less than eight minutes of actual content, there’s no analysis, no breakdown, just a reading of teams and a few nuggets of info. So it’s up to the rest of us to try to generate that, get the committee chair on the phone, try to get some questions answered, etc. Duey Naatz, the athletic director and former head football coach at UW-Stout, gave more than a half-hour of his time to our friends at In the HuddLLe, the weekly show covering the Liberty League and East Region football. Frank Rossi and James Baker are the interviewers on the clip below.

Definitely worth a listen, as there are several insights to be had regarding the emphasis on strength of schedule, how deep you might go within a region for at-large bids and much more. This conversation is also available as part of the Around the Nation podcast, Continue reading →

In the HuddLLe's interview with Duey Naatz [ 36:28 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Around the Nation podcast: The playoff field

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Johns Hopkins either got a fine matchup or the shaft, depending on whom you ask.
Johns Hopkins athletics photo

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When you don’t have to quibble about the 32 teams that made the field, that eliminates a lot of the Selection Sunday hand-wringing. Of course, just because we didn’t think Wabash, or UW-Oshkosh, or St. Thomas or others deserved to make the field doesn’t mean they didn’t have a case to be made. Pat and Keith discuss their cases. Did Johns Hopkins get screwed by having to face Wesley in the first round or is it a fair matchup? Where should Maryville have gone instead of Hampden-Sydney? What chance does Gallaudet have at Hobart? Which is the strongest bracket, and why?

There are so many questions at this time of year, Continue reading →

Around the Nation podcast [ 1:21:24 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Triple Take: Rivalry week 2013

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The Hampden-Sydney/Randolph-Macon game always draws a crowd. This year it’s also a winner-take-all game for the ODAC title.
Hampden-Sydney athletics photo

If you’ve never been affiliated with a school that has an intense, no-love-lost rivalry, you’re missing out on one of the sweeter things in life. Because when game time comes, there’s something absolutely all-consuming about how you feel about your team and what you’d like to do to those on the “other team.”

Many teams will be feeling that this weekend, capping the season against their archrival. And if the playoffs are not on the horizon, Week 11 can spell one last chance to make the season memorable by taking home the Bridge Bowl Trophy or Monon Bell or Cortaca Jug or Regents Cup or any of the many other prizes out there.

This week highlights the rivalries, but there’s more to this week than that. With Selection Sunday coming up, there’s so much to play for.

Here’s what Pat, Keith and Ryan have to say about that:

Continue reading →