Coulson just misses a big dose of crow.

[Tribe4SF]

Can't wait to read his thoughts on the UNH team that didn't belong. Good thing the Panthers didn't have to play Villanova! Maybe now he'll cry foul that the committee gave the top seed such a tough draw.xsmiley_wix

[Cincy App]

On the other hand, Coulson was 7 for 8 in first round predictions!

[Tribe4SF]

Lots of people had 7 of 8 yesterday.

Speaking of bias, I notice the only game with a writeup on Sportsnetwork at this point is ASU/JMU.xeyebrowx

[Saint3333]

Lots of people had 7 of 8 yesterday.

Speaking of bias, I notice the only game with a writeup on Sportsnetwork at this point is ASU/JMU.xeyebrowx

It was the early game...

[ButlerGSU]

It was the early game...

Wasn't DSU/UD game played Friday? xrolleyesx

[slostang]

I have an idea, if Coulson is so bad don't read his column. Problem solved.

[Tribe4SF]

It was the early game...


xlmaox xlmaox xlmaox xlmaox
xlmaox xlmaox xlmaox xlmaox

[ButlerGSU]

I have an idea, if Coulson is so bad don't read his column. Problem solved.

I never do. If want to know something about App State I just visit their official athletics website, cuts down on the commentary xsmiley_wix

[Saint3333]

Wasn't DSU/UD game played Friday? xrolleyesx

Yeah and it was a GREAT story...

[Tribe4SF]

I have an idea, if Coulson is so bad don't read his column. Problem solved.

There are very few news outlets that pay attention to FCS, and Coulson was hired to replace the guy who was the best at covering our division. I have not been reading him during the year, which is a sad commentary by itself, but at playoff time I want to read everything.

His ASU bias is one thing, but his rant on the committee and UNH was inappropriate, and off-base. The division deserves better coverage on the one primary outlet covering us regularly.

[WVAPPmountaineer]

I saw him at The Rock so just maybe that is why there is a report --- And he surely picked a great game to attend - what a game, featuring the last 2 National Champions!!! - And I just don't get this argument about ASU bias - who IS the defending 2-time NC - who beat Michigan in front of 110,000 - who is one step closer to another championship??? - How can that be unwarranted bias??? ---

[Tribe4SF]

I saw him at The Rock so just maybe that is why there is a report --- And he surely picked a great game to attend - what a game, featuring the last 2 National Champions!!! - And I just don't get this argument about ASU bias - who IS the defending 2-time NC - who beat Michigan in front of 110,000 - who is one step closer to another championship??? - How can that be unwarranted bias??? ---

The article is nothing more than a recap that could have been gleaned from the box score. The point is it's the ONLY recap of Saturday's games.

[WVAPPmountaineer]

The article is nothing more than a recap that could have been gleaned from the box score. The point is it's the ONLY recap of Saturday's games.

Again, that was the game he attended - I'm sure there will be reports from the others as well - When you are a one-man team it is hard to be everywhere - And just so you'll know, I had no problem with 5 CAA teams selected - we want the BEST 8 at-large - my problem is with how some of the "7 D-1 wins" are calculated as compared to over-all SOS ---

[SuperJon]

Of course he attended the App game. He'll be there again this week.

[BlueHen86]

I have an idea, if Coulson is so bad don't read his column. Problem solved.
I don't.

[Jerbearasu]

There are very few news outlets that pay attention to FCS, and Coulson was hired to replace the guy who was the best at covering our division. I have not been reading him during the year, which is a sad commentary by itself, but at playoff time I want to read everything.

His ASU bias is one thing, but his rant on the committee and UNH was inappropriate, and off-base. The division deserves better coverage on the one primary outlet covering us regularly.
First of all, I agree that Coulson's bias towards ASU is a little much. It was nice when he was covering us because I looked to him for App info but now that he is the national outlet I don't want him to cover App every weekend because I am getting that news from other sources and now no national coverage.
Secondly, the problem is that I do agree with him on this issue. I don't think the rant was off-base and it should be discussed. I don't see how half the at-large bids can come out of one conference. I personally think GSU should have been in over UNH and we can all say they didn't have 7 D1 wins but is a non-scholly D1 really better than a D2? The committee needs to re-look at their criteria for selecting these teams. IMO, the ideal non-conference schedule should try to have one big FBS game, one good FCS game (either against another power conference or at least a team with good name recognition that has a history of success) and one cupcake game, especially for the power conferences because every school needs their money game and we all agree SUU just went in for plain murder this year. I just really think the committee missed that one team pick very badly...

[Tribe4SF]

First of all, I agree that Coulson's bias towards ASU is a little much. It was nice when he was covering us because I looked to him for App info but now that he is the national outlet I don't want him to cover App every weekend because I am getting that news from other sources and now no national coverage.
Secondly, the problem is that I do agree with him on this issue. I don't think the rant was off-base and it should be discussed. I don't see how half the at-large bids can come out of one conference. I personally think GSU should have been in over UNH and we can all say they didn't have 7 D1 wins but is a non-scholly D1 really better than a D2? The committee needs to re-look at their criteria for selecting these teams. IMO, the ideal non-conference schedule should try to have one big FBS game, one good FCS game (either against another power conference or at least a team with good name recognition that has a history of success) and one cupcake game, especially for the power conferences because every school needs their money game and we all agree SUU just went in for plain murder this year. I just really think the committee missed that one team pick very badly...

There's nothing wrong with suggesting that the criteria should be reviewed, or that GSU was arguably a better team than UNH this year, but that's not what Coulson did. He all but accused the committee of bias, while suggesting they should have ignored their established criteria (indeed, their primary charge), in order to avoid taking 5 CAA teams. He raked the committee for doing their job as they're supposed to do it because he doesn't like the system, and he doesn't like the CAA. That, to me, is inappropriate, and off-base in light of his role.

[Sam Adams]

I have an idea, if Coulson is so bad don't read his column. Problem solved.

Thats a bad idea. Its fun and amusing to read his column and then discuss what we agree and disagree with him on. If you don't like that type of a discussion then I have an idea for you: don't read this thread. Problem solved.

Coulson is biased and thats okay. I mean he was clearly wrong about bashing the committee for UNH getting in. UNH proved yesterday that it deserved a bid. If Coulson wants to dish it out, he had best be able to eat some crow when he is wrong.

[CSN-info]

The division deserves better coverage on the one primary outlet covering us regularly.What did we do wrong? We recapped every game plus our FCS recap. Same old thing we have been doing for years, producing more and better FCS articles than anyone else. Sports Network can hold a candle while we carry the torch. xthumbsupx

[AlphaSigMD]

The UD-DSU story is up.

[Appdad]

What did we do wrong? We recapped every game plus our FCS recap. Same old thing we have been doing for years, producing more and better FCS articles than anyone else. Sports Network can hold a candle while we carry the torch. xthumbsupx

Quit your BRAGGING!!! :)

Both sites are important!

[CSN-info]

Quit your BRAGGING!!! :)
Both sites are important!We know, CSN has staffed them both! xnodx

[Tribe4SF]

What did we do wrong? We recapped every game plus our FCS recap. Same old thing we have been doing for years, producing more and better FCS articles than anyone else. Sports Network can hold a candle while we carry the torch. xthumbsupx

Agreed!!!xthumbsupx CSN deserves to be recognized, but still doesn't have the stature of Sportsnetwork because it is narrowly focused. The Sportsnetwork home page has all those links on the left, and one of them is FCS Football. Home of the Payton and Buchanon watches. They will never match CSN for FCS coverage, but they reach a broader audience. That's why it irks me that their coverage has gone downhill in terms of quality.

[Tribe4SF]

The UD-DSU story is up.

That article was up Friday. I was referring to the Saturday games.

[CSN-info]

Agreed!!!xthumbsupx CSN deserves to be recognized, but still doesn't have the stature of Sportsnetwork because it is narrowly focused. The Sportsnetwork home page has all those links on the left, and one of them is FCS Football. Home of the Payton and Buchanon watches. They will never match CSN for FCS coverage, but they reach a broader audience. That's why it irks me that their coverage has gone downhill in terms of quality.xthumbsupx BTW, what is there besides FCS? ;)

[Tribe4SF]

By the way, I thought the UD/DSU article was very good.

[BigApp]

The article is nothing more than a recap that could have been gleaned from the box score. The point is it's the ONLY recap of Saturday's games.

yes, a recap of that EIU/Richmond thriller or the Delaware/DSU game would have been much more enticing for America to read.

[Tribe4SF]

yes, a recap of that EIU/Richmond thriller or the Delaware/DSU game would have been much more enticing for America to read.

EIU didn't play Richmond, and there was an article on UD Friday.

My point is if you're just doing a recap, why not mention all the outcomes. Ten minutes at the keyboard, and it's done, but apparently the other games weren't on his mind.

[OL FU]

I was not surprised at UNH giving UNI a close game. I thought of all the teams in the field UNH could the play best at any giving moment. However, we don't call this site AGS for nothing and the game doesn't change the fact that playoffs are a reward for regular season performance and therefore UNH should not have been in the playoffsxrolleyesx

[santosballnewhampshire]

why did daughrety***** have to leave he was by far the best writer coulson has no clue what he's talking about

[catbob]

why did daughrety***** have to leave he was by far the best writer coulson has no clue what he's talking about

Dougherty was great. I haven't read a Coulson article in months.

[BigApp]

Speaking of bias,

yes, speaking of 'bias' I noticed another article posted on here that it TITLED:

"WE Did It! 5 Get In!"

Why aren't you kvetching about bias by the author of that piece? AFAIK, Coulson has NEVER used the term 'WE' when referring to Appalachian.

[Syntax Error]

yes, speaking of 'bias' I noticed another article posted on here that it TITLED:
"WE Did It! 5 Get In!"
Why aren't you kvetching about bias by the author of that piece?That was written by the "CAA Today" columnist, not the "Around the FCS" columnist. xreadx

[Tribe4SF]

yes, speaking of 'bias' I noticed another article posted on here that it TITLED:

"WE Did It! 5 Get In!"

Why aren't you kvetching about bias by the author of that piece? AFAIK, Coulson has NEVER used the term 'WE' when referring to Appalachian.

C'mon, you're smarter than that!:D

"kvetching"...I love it!xnodx

[KJ Eagle]

I saw him at The Rock so just maybe that is why there is a report --- And he surely picked a great game to attend - what a game, featuring the last 2 National Champions!!! - And I just don't get this argument about ASU bias - who IS the defending 2-time NC - who beat Michigan in front of 110,000 - who is one step closer to another championship??? - How can that be unwarranted bias??? ---


Because he's no longer an App beat writer. He's a NATIONAL writer that is SUPPOSED to write about the division as a whole. Not just his favorite team.

[blueballs]

Congratulations to UNH... you parlayed opportunity into a good, but not good enough (570 yds total offense for UNI- ouch!), performance and you should be proud of your kids for going into a hostile environment against an undefeated battle tested team and almost pulling the upset.

However, one good game doesn't erase the fact that your inclusion in the tournament represented an unprecendented break in what had been the protocol of the nCAA and there are several teams who were at least as deserving if not more so and several that were not included had far more quality wins over the course of the 11 game regular season.

Also, that one good showing doesn't change the fact that the process and makeup of the committee is seriously flawed and needs some serious attention; the sooner and more transparent the better.

With the exception of UNH (who should just be happy to even be in it) you really have to like how the draw turned out if you're a CAA fan. The draw gets a little tougher for the CAA this coming weekend, let's see how it turns out... an all Gateway/SoCon semi is not out of the question at all, what would the head of the committee think?????xeekx

As for Montana and McNeese, when you play schedules (not entirely your fault if your entire conference is down or you choose to not play tough opponents on the road because you can make more $$$ at home) where you only play a team or two with winning records and don't play other playoff teams on the road to harden your team and find out where you're really weak, you get exposed.

Correct me if I'm wrong but McNeese only defeated three teams (one a D-2) with winning records and NO playoff teams, right? Montana played only 4 teams with winning records, no 1-A's, no playoff teams on the road- and only one playoff team at all, right? And had 8 out of 12 games at home, right?

What more can be said for the OVC??? Two teams get in and two teams get smoked. When was the last time an OVC representative won a game? Neither of the OVC teams that played yesterday would have finished in the top 5 of either the CAA or SoCon... same goes for the MEAC and their winless- and mostly noncompetitive- streak dating back to when? 1999??? Congratulations to ESPN and the committee for doing what a pair of AD's refused to... Memo to you PC hacks at the nCAA and ESPN: The rest of us don't care about UD and DSU's not playing one another- I'm sure your ratings sucked and you effectively gave UD a bye- nice job.

Whoever wrote it is where you play and not who or how you play had it right...

[mvemjsunpx]

I have an idea, if Coulson is so bad don't read his column. Problem solved.

You can't just ignore it, the Sports Network FCS columnist is the national voice of FCS football, like it or not.

Though I had heard many complaints from both Montana & Montana State fans about Dave Coulson in the pre-season, I was ready to give the guy a chance. I just figured the fans were just bitching because he didn't like their teams. However, after seeing how he's handled the job this year, I am now firmly on the side of the "haters".

Coulson's Appalachian State homerism & hatred of the Montana teams has been well documented on this board (& others), so I won't really go into them. There are other problems with his columns as well. He doesn't write very well, for one. Does every sentence need to be a new paragraph? There was also a horribly unedited & grammatically terrible article from early in the season that he wrote. However, I can't find it on the Sports Network (it doesn't seem to be in the Around the FCS archives & the Sports Network apparently doesn't have news archives) so I'll give that a pass for now. Coulson is also lazy. He only wrote 2 preseason conference previews (he stopped alphabetically after the Big South) & most of his weekly Around the FCS preview articles came out on Friday, after some of the week's games had already been played. The only thing he does well is pick game winners, at least if the game doesn't involve the Griz.

Dave Coulson is obviously better than nothing, but Matt Dougherty & Tony Moss were considerably better columnists. I hope the Sports Network can find someone like them in the near future to cover FCS.

[Tim James]

No one thinks really thinks Albany, Norfolk St.,Dayton, Alabama A&M would have been competitive vs UNI.

[DetroitFlyer]

No one thinks really thinks Albany, Norfolk St.,Dayton, Alabama A&M would have been competitive vs UNI.

Think again! Dayton would have been very competitive! UNI defeated the 5th place team in the PFL 45-7 or something like that. I FIRMLY believe that the first place team in the PFL would have fared better, possibly much better! It is criminal that two OVC teams get in, both get blown out, and no PFL team gets in again. Oh yeah, how the MEAC Champion do in the first round?

The "process" is seriously flawed! To me, it is just FBS light! I could care less who wins the CAA playoffs this year!!!!!xmadx

[AppIAA]

So I guess everyone should be mad at almost half (if not more) of the FBS commentators since every year they are saying they need a new playoff system -- not the bowl system?

Speaking an opinion is part of being a columnist.

Get over it!! If the CAA was good enough to have 5 teams, they should have 5. The problem is the only people who think they are good enough is the CAA themselves. I have read many posts, from many people, from many conferences that agree GSU should have made it ahead of UNH -- not just SoCon fans.

[mlbowl]

As for Montana and McNeese, when you play schedules (not entirely your fault if your entire conference is down or you choose to not play tough opponents on the road because you can make more $$$ at home) where you only play a team or two with winning records and don't play other playoff teams on the road to harden your team and find out where you're really weak, you get exposed.






Please explain how Montana got "exposed"xconfusedx

[bench]

Montana didn't get "exposed." It was "revealed" that they weren't the best team in the FCS, maybe, but "exposed" is too strong, like they secretly sucked or something, shrouded by the obscurity of their schedule and the American West. The Big Sky's top team played the SoCon's top team to a dead heat. The BSC may be weak overall, but Montana and EDub aren't.

[mcveyrl]

The article is nothing more than a recap that could have been gleaned from the box score. The point is it's the ONLY recap of Saturday's games.

That's kind of what I noticed in the article. I've got nothing against Coulson, I usually only read his coverage on JMU, though and will generally skip anything ASU related. I think he's doing his best, but as an example:


JMU went ahead 27-19 courtesy of a Dave Stannard seven-yard TD run and a Jamal Sullivan two-yard scoring run.


BTW, Dave Stannard is our kicker and he scored on a fake FG that made SportsCenter's Top 10. You would think that would get a mention in an objective recap.

[putter]

Congratulations to UNH... you parlayed opportunity into a good, but not good enough (570 yds total offense for UNI- ouch!), performance and you should be proud of your kids for going into a hostile environment against an undefeated battle tested team and almost pulling the upset.

However, one good game doesn't erase the fact that your inclusion in the tournament represented an unprecendented break in what had been the protocol of the nCAA and there are several teams who were at least as deserving if not more so and several that were not included had far more quality wins over the course of the 11 game regular season.

Also, that one good showing doesn't change the fact that the process and makeup of the committee is seriously flawed and needs some serious attention; the sooner and more transparent the better.

With the exception of UNH (who should just be happy to even be in it) you really have to like how the draw turned out if you're a CAA fan. The draw gets a little tougher for the CAA this coming weekend, let's see how it turns out... an all Gateway/SoCon semi is not out of the question at all, what would the head of the committee think?????xeekx

As for Montana and McNeese, when you play schedules (not entirely your fault if your entire conference is down or you choose to not play tough opponents on the road because you can make more $$$ at home) where you only play a team or two with winning records and don't play other playoff teams on the road to harden your team and find out where you're really weak, you get exposed.
Correct me if I'm wrong but McNeese only defeated three teams (one a D-2) with winning records and NO playoff teams, right? Montana played only 4 teams with winning records, no 1-A's, no playoff teams on the road- and only one playoff team at all, right? And had 8 out of 12 games at home, right?

What more can be said for the OVC??? Two teams get in and two teams get smoked. When was the last time an OVC representative won a game? Neither of the OVC teams that played yesterday would have finished in the top 5 of either the CAA or SoCon... same goes for the MEAC and their winless- and mostly noncompetitive- streak dating back to when? 1999??? Congratulations to ESPN and the committee for doing what a pair of AD's refused to... Memo to you PC hacks at the nCAA and ESPN: The rest of us don't care about UD and DSU's not playing one another- I'm sure your ratings sucked and you effectively gave UD a bye- nice job.

Whoever wrote it is where you play and not who or how you play had it right...

Problem I have here, and I can't speak for McNeese, is that Montana SOS had nothing to do with them losing to Wofford. It had everything to do with:

1) Not having experience with option teams
2) No experience playing against this option team. Very hard to defend.
3) Lack of creativity on offense. The Griz OC need to wake up....

[Tribe4SF]

So I guess everyone should be mad at almost half (if not more) of the FBS commentators since every year they are saying they need a new playoff system -- not the bowl system?

Speaking an opinion is part of being a columnist.

Get over it!! If the CAA was good enough to have 5 teams, they should have 5. The problem is the only people who think they are good enough is the CAA themselves. I have read many posts, from many people, from many conferences that agree GSU should have made it ahead of UNH -- not just SoCon fans.

Now you're being silly. Coulson didn't do an article on how the system should be changed. He did an article slamming the committe for doing its job as it's currently defined, telling them they should have changed their principles and guidelines, and ignored their primary charge.

And it isn't just CAA folks thinking 5 were deserved. Apparently all those committee members from other leagues thought so too. They're the ones who voted it into being. You guys should be busting on your SoCon rep!

[WVAPPmountaineer]

Now you're being silly. Coulson didn't do an article on how the system should be changed. He did an article slamming the committe for doing its job as it's currently defined, telling them they should have changed their principles and guidelines, and ignored their primary charge.

And it isn't just CAA folks thinking 5 were deserved. Apparently all those committee members from other leagues thought so too. They're the ones who voted it into being. You guys should be busting on your SoCon rep!

Again, my problem isn't with 5 CAA teams and I disagree with you that the committee did their job - AGAIN, it says less than 7 D-1 wins MAY - it doesn't say less than 7 D-1 wins AUTOMATICALLY ELIMINATES YOU ---
I'm not a GSU fan but they did beat both the SoCon Champions and the Great West Champion - they should have been looked at even though they had less than 7 wins - all they had to do was schedule an Iona (is that what we really want with our beloved division?) to get in - And by the way there was NO SoCon rep on the committee

[BigApp]

Problem I have here, and I can't speak for McNeese, is that Montana SOS had nothing to do with them losing to Wofford. It had everything to do with:

1) Not having experience with option teams
2) No experience playing against this option team. Very hard to defend.
3) Lack of creativity on offense. The Griz OC need to wake up....

so, the problem is with Montana, not the idea that Wofford was the better team? xeyebrowx

[blueballs]

Please explain how Montana got "exposed"xconfusedx

Exposed is a rather harsh term... Perhaps a better way of saying it they weren't as good as their record would seem to indicate they were. If they had played a SoCon or CAA schedule they most likely would not have gone undefeated. Same goes for McNeese...

...but at the same time had those teams played those demanding schedules they may have had to travel across several time zones and may have been beaten worse, you never know. The same thing could be said for GSU's 2004 team.

[Syntax Error]

I disagree with you that the committee did their job

they should have been looked at even though they had less than 7 wins

there was NO SoCon rep on the committeeDid GSU have seven D-I wins? No.
Did the committee say they had no reason after reviewing the teams to select a team with less than seven D-I wins? Yes.
Did every school in D-I know of the guidelines beforehand? Yes.
Is anyone who is not a complete homer shocked? No.

BTW, Baker and Cobb were regional advisors to the committee. Ask them and I'm sure they were not shocked either.

[Syntax Error]

Same goes for McNeese...In the Cowboy's defense, the team that played EWU was not the Cowboy's team that helped them finish the regular season undefeated. Injuries are part of the game but oh my gawd the Cowboys were decimated.

[mlbowl]

Exposed is a rather harsh term... Perhaps a better way of saying it they weren't as good as their record would seem to indicate they were. If they had played a SoCon or CAA schedule they most likely would not have gone undefeated. Same goes for McNeese...

...but at the same time had those teams played those demanding schedules they may have had to travel across several time zones and may have been beaten worse, you never know. The same thing could be said for GSU's 2004 team.

I'm just sayin'...we were within a missed field goal of sending Woffy packin'...and I think we can all agree Wofford is a great team! I think my Griz had a very good team and I don't think, regardless of our schedule, we could have been more prepared or played a better game. BTW, bb, judging by Saturday's game, I agree...we most likely wouldn't have gone undefeated in the SoCon or the CAA...xpeacex

[mlbowl]

so, the problem is with Montana, not the idea that Wofford was the better team? xeyebrowx


I think we've all given Wofford their credit...Do you not agree we might've had a little more success defending the option if we actually faced option teams?

[SuperEagle]

Again, my problem isn't with 5 CAA teams and I disagree with you that the committee did their job - AGAIN, it says less than 7 D-1 wins MAY - it doesn't say less than 7 D-1 wins AUTOMATICALLY ELIMINATES YOU ---
I'm not a GSU fan but they did beat both the SoCon Champions and the Great West Champion - they should have been looked at even though they had less than 7 wins - all they had to do was schedule an Iona (is that what we really want with our beloved division?) to get in - And by the way there was NO SoCon rep on the committee
**
Agree. 7 D1 wins should not have automatically eliminated GSU, Elon or even the Citadel. Yes it's the committee's suggestion. But we've seen them go against their suggestions in the past. I've said this before and now I'll say it again. In 05, we finished 8-3 and got sent to Texas State. The committee told us they didn't want 3 teams from the same conference hosting 1st round games. Is that a rule? No. Just one of their suggestions. We weren't very happy about it but we went with it.
Well, their suggestion was bypassed this year as we did see 3 teams from the same conference hosting 1st round games. What was not supposed to happen just 2 seasons ago, now took place. That didn't seem right.
So while they changed protocol in that regard, why couldn't they change their protocol with the 7 D1 wins? When you look at who oversees the committtee, and you see what conference got rewarded this year, it does make you have to wonder if there was a bias.
I commend Coulson for calling them out.

[Syntax Error]

7 D1 wins should not have automatically eliminated GSU, Elon or even the Citadel. Yes it's the committee's suggestion. But we've seen them go against their suggestions in the past.When?
The committee told us they didn't want 3 teams from the same conference hosting 1st round games. Is that a rule? No. Just one of their suggestions.Where?

It's not like this stuff is secret. They never had a written guideline about three teams hosting from the same conference.

[SuperEagle]

When? Where?

It's not like this stuff is secret. They never had a written guideline about three teams hosting from the same conference.
**
sorry, I don't have a link. but just 2 years ago the committee told us that was why we weren't getting to host a game. I'm sure many of this board remember this. Our AD Sam Baker announced this to the fans and the media. The committee told us they didn't want 3 teams from the same conference hosting 1st round games. They even went as far as to say it looks bad when that happens. So we got sent on the road.

[Tribe4SF]

**
sorry, I don't have a link. but just 2 years ago the committee told us that was why we weren't getting to host a game. I'm sure many of this board remember this. Our AD Sam Baker announced this to the fans and the media. The committee told us they didn't want 3 teams from the same conference hosting 1st round games. They even went as far as to say it looks bad when that happens. So we got sent on the road.

Yes, that is what they said. Under the circumstances that year, that was their decision, but this is a different year, with different circumstances. There's a difference between having 3 CAA teams host this year, and having ALL three selections from a conference host in 2005.

I hope the members of the committee make some public statements soon to counter some of this whining, and cherry picking of past circumstances that have no bearing on the situation this year. My guess is they may do so after the NC game.

[gophoenix]

**
sorry, I don't have a link. but just 2 years ago the committee told us that was why we weren't getting to host a game. I'm sure many of this board remember this. Our AD Sam Baker announced this to the fans and the media. The committee told us they didn't want 3 teams from the same conference hosting 1st round games. They even went as far as to say it looks bad when that happens. So we got sent on the road.

Yes, go to archive.org, read the SN columns from around selection time and you'll see it. Right there in plain english with quotes.

[GannonFan]

Yes, go to archive.org, read the SN columns from around selection time and you'll see it. Right there in plain english with quotes.

I think you're missing the point - I remember them saying it too, but that was really referencing the idea that all 3 entrants from the SoCon that year could've had home games. The CAA this year had 3 home games and 2 road games in the first round. Getting 3 out of 5 games at home is different than getting 3 out of 3 games at home. And considering that none of the 5 CAA teams were a seed (rightfully so) and 1 of the 3 SoCon teams that year was a seed, it's hardly too much favoritism. Heck, no CAA team has a home game in the quarters, and the only way that the CAA gets a home game in the semis is to have UD play UMass (assuming they both pull off the upsets this week). Hardly the committee bending over backwards to accomodate the CAA.

[UDChE89]

I think you're missing the point - I remember them saying it too, but that was really referencing the idea that all 3 entrants from the SoCon that year could've had home games. The CAA this year had 3 home games and 2 road games in the first round. Getting 3 out of 5 games at home is different than getting 3 out of 3 games at home. And considering that none of the 5 CAA teams were a seed (rightfully so) and 1 of the 3 SoCon teams that year was a seed, it's hardly too much favoritism. Heck, no CAA team has a home game in the quarters, and the only way that the CAA gets a home game in the semis is to have UD play UMass (assuming they both pull off the upsets this week). Hardly the committee bending over backwards to accomodate the CAA.

You're using logic... that will never go over well on a message board..

[Walkon79]

You can't just ignore it, the Sports Network FCS columnist is the national voice of FCS football, like it or not.

Though I had heard many complaints from both Montana & Montana State fans about Dave Coulson in the pre-season, I was ready to give the guy a chance. I just figured the fans were just bitching because he didn't like their teams. However, after seeing how he's handled the job this year, I am now firmly on the side of the "haters".

Coulson's Appalachian State homerism & hatred of the Montana teams has been well documented on this board (& others), so I won't really go into them. There are other problems with his columns as well. He doesn't write very well, for one. Does every sentence need to be a new paragraph? There was also a horribly unedited & grammatically terrible article from early in the season that he wrote. However, I can't find it on the Sports Network (it doesn't seem to be in the Around the FCS archives & the Sports Network apparently doesn't have news archives) so I'll give that a pass for now. Coulson is also lazy. He only wrote 2 preseason conference previews (he stopped alphabetically after the Big South) & most of his weekly Around the FCS preview articles came out on Friday, after some of the week's games had already been played. The only thing he does well is pick game winners, at least if the game doesn't involve the Griz.

Dave Coulson is obviously better than nothing, but Matt Dougherty & Tony Moss were considerably better columnists. I hope the Sports Network can find someone like them in the near future to cover FCS.

Thanks for the vindication. He did a complete homer after the App State / MSU quarterfinal last fall. I know the game in App was full of trash and bad behavior, but it went both ways, and he destroyed the MSU players and fans in attendance on this board and in other forums.

[mvemjsunpx]

Thanks for the vindication. He did a complete homer after the App State / MSU quarterfinal last fall. I know the game in App was full of trash and bad behavior, but it went both ways, and he destroyed the MSU players and fans in attendance on this board and in other forums.

Well, if there's anything Griz & Cat fans can come together on, it's their disdain for Dave Coulson. xthumbsupx

[Syntax Error]

I listened again to past WAVES shows .........

"hosting, that conference stuff just doesn't enter into the conversation huh?"

Committee chair John Hardt said "It hasn't worked itself into the equation in recent years, no."