2009 Big South Thread: Chase for the Non-Auto-Bid Trophy

[ChetSteadman]

Gut feeling. Of course, it could have been the tacos I had at lunch.

[ToTheLeft]

Fair enough. It's possible, I guess, but Stony Brook is the more likely upset, IMO. The last time we went to G-W on a roll in the Big South (two years ago), we kicked their teeth in.... they tend to crumble a bit as the year goes on. They have Mets Syndrome. Or Elon Syndrome, if you prefer.

[ToTheLeft]

Liberty heads to Boiling Springs next week in what is honestly nothing more than another must-win game for the Flames. It has no implications on their Big South standings, as everything comes down to next weekend against Stony Brook. However, a loss against the Bulldogs puts the Flames' playoff chances on ice until 2010. The last time LU went to G-W, they left with their first Big South championship, a convincing shutout victory, and the begining of a run of Big South dominance that has continued 'til now. Will the Dawgs put an end to the LU reign? Or will LU and SBU continue on a collision course?

Also, LU beat freakin' Lafayette. Who is a better ranked and more impressive win than 1/4 - 1/2 of the teams "on the bubble". Just because you don't think the PL is good doesn't mean the rankings and computers agree with you. The committee sees LU's win and if you don't see it, you're just fooling yourself. A win against Holy Cross this weekend for Lafayette makes them PL champs, and a top 20 team. Who has App beaten? Who has UNI beaten? Who has anyone else other than CAA teams and McNeese beaten?

Sorry, had to vent about that.

[bench]

Liberty heads to Boiling Springs next week in what is honestly nothing more than another must-win game for the Flames. It has no implications on their Big South standings, as everything comes down to next weekend against Stony Brook. However, a loss against the Bulldogs puts the Flames' playoff chances on ice until 2010. The last time LU went to G-W, they left with their first Big South championship, a convincing shutout victory, and the begining of a run of Big South dominance that has continued 'til now. Will the Dawgs put an end to the LU reign? Or will LU and SBU continue on a collision course?

Also, LU beat freakin' Lafayette. Who is a better ranked and more impressive win than 1/4 - 1/2 of the teams "on the bubble". Just because you don't think the PL is good doesn't mean the rankings and computers agree with you. The committee sees LU's win and if you don't see it, you're just fooling yourself. A win against Holy Cross this weekend for Lafayette makes them PL champs, and a top 20 team. Who has App beaten? Who has UNI beaten? Who has anyone else other than CAA teams and McNeese beaten?

Sorry, had to vent about that.

Aaaand the winner...of the 2009 DetroitFlyer Memorial Pinning-Your-Playoff-Hopes-To-A-Win-Over-A-Patriot-League-Team Award is...

[ToTheLeft]

It's not like we beat G'Town and expect a ribbon. We beat a top 25 team. When did App do that? Oh, wait...

[bench]

It's not like we beat G'Town and expect a ribbon. We beat a top 25 team. When did App do that? Oh, wait...

My apologies, sir. I don't mean to interrupt you while you're furiously masturbating over Liberty's playoff chances and your victory against the mighty Patriot League. Carry on, then. PROTIP: When it gets raw, STOP.

You know, you might get a little more sympathy as the scrappy underdog if you weren't trying — and failing — to pull down more deserving teams that have actually proven something to make your case. You're not exactly winning folks over on either site. To tell the truth, you've been annoying as fock about it. I'd really like to be able to pull for you guys, but I can't.

I would advise you to act like you've been there before, but, well...you know.

[ToTheLeft]

Ridiculous. So basically, all of the playoff talk on this and the other site is prefaced by "If your team has more history, you can say and do whatever you want, and your team gets a pass on everything." If you have someone a blind taste test of all the teams this year, they wouldn't see Liberty as that far behind App. (proof below)

I am the "scrappy underdog" because I know that I'm right, and it pisses me off that just because Liberty has never "made it" before, doesn't mean that I can't have a factually based opinion on FCS football.

Team 1:
FBS Loss
Loss to # 18 GPI

Wins over: 24 GPI, 49 GPI, 60 GPI, 63 GPI, 73 GPI, 98 GPI, 118 GPI, 119 GPI, DII

Team 2:
FBS Loss
Loss to #17 GPI
Loss to #6 GPI

Wins over: 47 GPI, 48 GPI, 51 GPI, 53 GPI, 54 GPI, 57 GPI, 94 GPI, 118 GPI

If the season plays out the way it probably will, this is what the resumes will look like. You're telling me that's not a virtual dead heat, if not an advantage for team 1? Of course, if team 2 beats "#6 GPI", then they'll be ahead. But then that #6 GPI team will be in the same situation with the same resume.

We might not have been there before, but we're there now.

[ToTheLeft]

Another team for comparison...

Losses:
FBS Loss
Loss to #2 FCS
Loss to #9 FCS

Wins: #31, #35, #39, #42, #55, #81, #102, #115

I just don't see how these teams are IN and LU isn't even in the discussion...

[mountain_man]

Because the teams you are talking about are better than LU.

It has nothing to do with having been there before. It has everything to do with reality, which you get a little further away from with every post.

[ToTheLeft]

Because the teams you are talking about are better than LU.

It has nothing to do with having been there before. It has everything to do with reality, which you get a little further away from with every post.

Better how? Seriously, better how? More talented? Sure. But that's not what we're dealing with. We're dealing with resumes and qualifications. But I figured App fans would be butthurt about not having beat anyone, and actually being called out on it.

I proved that they aren't better based on an objective look at numbers and resumes. And I think you'd be surprised how close the teams are talent-wise. However, we know App is never going to give LU a home-and-home, so I guess we'll never know unless we get a playoff matchup.

[mountain_man]

Sorry dude, but we are not close talent wise.

With that post, you have officially left the reservation.

[BlueHen86]

It's not like we beat G'Town and expect a ribbon. We beat a top 25 team. When did App do that? Oh, wait...

My apologies, sir. I don't mean to interrupt you while you're furiously masturbating over Liberty's playoff chances and your victory against the mighty Patriot League. Carry on, then. PROTIP: When it gets raw, STOP.

You know, you might get a little more sympathy as the scrappy underdog if you weren't trying — and failing — to pull down more deserving teams that have actually proven something to make your case. You're not exactly winning folks over on either site. To tell the truth, you've been annoying as fock about it. I'd really like to be able to pull for you guys, but I can't.

I would advise you to act like you've been there before, but, well...you know.

Well said.

[ToTheLeft]

Well, we already know one of the teams that will be crowned champions this year, and that's the Liberty University Flames. The Big South doesn't do tiebreakers to determine conference champions in the regular season, so even if the Flames lose to SBU, they will be co-champs. However, the Flames will be playing to win.

Big win today over a G-W team that was better than I expected.

[Ibanez]

Well, we already know one of the teams that will be crowned champions this year, and that's the Liberty University Flames. The Big South doesn't do tiebreakers to determine conference champions in the regular season, so even if the Flames lose to SBU, they will be co-champs. However, the Flames will be playing to win.

Big win today over a G-W team that was better than I expected.

Co-Champions. You can never get some teams to admit to that.

[ToTheLeft]

It's a technicality. If we lose against SBU it will all mean absolutely nothing. The co-championship will be nothing but a lame reminder of what could have been.