This is not the first time this has happened to Thomas More. Before being a member of PAC, TMC went 9-1 in 2000 and did not make the playoffs. It gets worse when you consider that in both 1991 and 1995, they went 10-0 and once again did not make the postseason.

This is not the first time this has happened to Thomas More. Before being a member of PAC, TMC went 9-1 in 2000 and did not make the playoffs. It gets worse when you consider that in both 1991 and 1995, they went 10-0 and once again did not make the postseason.

 

That is a terribly flawed system, if that's the case.

We went 9-1 my Freshman year, losing only on an intercepted pass at the goal line in the 4th quarter of our last game. We didn't make it. Wouldn't have mattered either. If you have automatic qualifiers from 26 conferences, and 6 "At Large" teams, the PAC isn't getting one of those slots. It just isn't a good enough conference. We played in the HCAC which is not very strong either when you compare it to conferences like the OAC (Mount Union, John Carrol, and Ohio Northern among others).

 

That being said, TMC did beat Capital from the OAC. That was their best out of conference win. With 8 conference games, they needed to get a bigger win. Without that and the one HUGE loss to W&J, the voters didn't see a team that was better than the other 6 teams who got in.

 

In the end, while it is cool to play that extra week or two, DIII is a 4 pony race. It is like having Trinity and Bellevue in the same brackets. The talent level discrepancy is that bad across the country.

Does this omission result in a financial loss for TMC? Does the NCAA give kick backs to schools that qualify?

Bummer for the school if so and congrats to the boys on a great season.

In the end, while it is cool to play that extra week or two, DIII is a 4 pony race. It is like having Trinity and Bellevue in the same brackets. The talent level discrepancy is that bad across the country.

 

Actually, it's more like having a triple crown winner, a good thoroughbred, and two ponies. If Mt. Union isn't in the finals, it's a shock. UW-Whitewater has had a good run lately as well. But, after that....

 

As to your playing career...I'm guessing you were there a year or two after Hanover lost to John Carroll (and London Fletcher) in the first round?

TMC is loaded with talent on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. It might be a 4 pony race, but it's very possible TMC could have been one of them ponys. I understand where you're coming from, but they're loaded with talent. Not to take anything away from the seniors, but they're going to be even more loaded next year. Hopefully next year brings a different result. Just shows that you HAVE to win out within your conference. 12 penalties and a quarter and half a quarter did them in.

We went 9-1 my Freshman year, losing only on an intercepted pass at the goal line in the 4th quarter of our last game. We didn't make it. Wouldn't have mattered either. If you have automatic qualifiers from 26 conferences, and 6 "At Large" teams, the PAC isn't getting one of those slots. It just isn't a good enough conference. We played in the HCAC which is not very strong either when you compare it to conferences like the OAC (Mount Union, John Carrol, and Ohio Northern among others).

 

That being said, TMC did beat Capital from the OAC. That was their best out of conference win. With 8 conference games, they needed to get a bigger win. Without that and the one HUGE loss to W&J, the voters didn't see a team that was better than the other 6 teams who got in.

 

In the end, while it is cool to play that extra week or two, DIII is a 4 pony race. It is like having Trinity and Bellevue in the same brackets. The talent level discrepancy is that bad across the country.

TMC is loaded with talent on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. It might be a 4 pony race, but it's very possible TMC could have been one of them ponys. I understand where you're coming from, but they're loaded with talent. Not to take anything away from the seniors, but they're going to be even more loaded next year. Hopefully next year brings a different result. Just shows that you HAVE to win out within your conference. 12 penalties and a quarter and half a quarter did them in.

 

I will take nothing away from TMC or any other team. But, I saw first-hand what I thought was a pretty good and talented team (Hanover '95) with a rock star of a quarterback, get humbled by Mt. Union in the playoffs.

 

Obviously its still a game that you have to go out and play, and anything can happen. It's just unreal the differences there are between them at the top and everybody else.

Stinks for the TMC kids, parents and fans. Hard to argue that they didn't deserve a bid. Now if we could only get them out of that conference and into the league with MSJ........

my error

Stinks for the TMC kids, parents and fans. Hard to argue that they didn't deserve a bid. Now if we could only get them out of that conference and into the league with MSJ........

 

The HCAC? Outside of Franklin, that lead has regressed terribly, and it never was very strong.

You don't lose to Washington and Jeff by 21 and compete w/ Mt. Union, Wisconsin Whitewater, or St. John's. They may be loaded w/ talent for around here, but the local DIII schools w/ the exception of Franklin, are not all that good.

 

Let me give you an example of the difference. In '99, we (Hanover) were #5 in the country at the end of the regular season. We were seeded 2nd in the North (Mount Union's) bracket. The OAC got an "At Large" bid that went to Ohio Northern. We had defeated Washington & Jeff earlier in the season when they were in the top 10, and did it pretty easily. We were 10-0 and had a 31 game home winning streak. Ohio Northern beat us by a million. The next week they did the same thing at Wittenberg, who was #4 in the country. The next week they went to Mount Union, playing them for the second time, and Mount Union beat them by 40.

I love Thomas Moore. I have a friend playing at Thomas Moore. The problem is that their schedule was 139 of 239 teams. They will have to go undefeated or upgrade the schedule to get in the playoffs.

The conference they are in is the 13th toughest conference in the land.

I remember Centre going 9-1 around 1990 and defeating unbeaten Rhoads to tie for the Conference Crown. No invite for the Colonels.

The conference they are in is the 13th toughest conference in the land.

 

That is a problem when there are only 8 at large spots available. There are 12 second place teams in better conferences ahead of you and you have to leap over about half those teams to get in.