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Post by rgs318 on Feb 10, 2022 7:49:13 GMT -5
Massey makes Bucknell (rank #332) a 4 point favorite at home against the Crusaders (74-70) and gives them a 64% chance for the win. Bucknell won at HC 68-65 back on January 22. Massey has HC ranked at #340. HC the underdog...what else is new?
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Post by Ray on Feb 10, 2022 10:22:32 GMT -5
Without hyperbole, this is the biggest weekend of Nelson's tenure. Two very winnable games this weekend (incl Monday) to get over .500 in the PL.
It's been years since I've done this, because it's been too depressing... but given the confusion/clustering in the standings created by the pending makeup games in the schedule, and the bunching in the middle of the league standings, I thought it would be interesting to run the PL's "3rd-order" standings. Basically, in this notation, home wins and road losses are expected and count as a zero score. A team gets +1 for a road win, -1 for a home loss.
Current standings in that format:
Gate +4 Navy +2 BU +1 Army +1 Lehigh +1 Loyola 0 HC 0 Laf -2 Bucknell -3 American -4
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Post by sader1970 on Feb 10, 2022 12:01:28 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. But with covid restrictions of varying degrees, is a home court advantage a very big thing right now? The real advantage, IMHO, is that the other team has to travel oftentimes many hours. It isn't so much a packed arena of screaming fans. (Cue the PL "haters" who say that almost never happens anyway during the best of times).
Still, Ray, it is an interesting take on things in the PL. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by DiMarz on Feb 10, 2022 12:24:19 GMT -5
If I remember the first Bucknell game, Gates had a great game, the D had a solid effort, but we shot about 30% from the floor in a close game.
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Post by bison137 on Feb 10, 2022 13:03:51 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. But with covid restrictions of varying degrees, is a home court advantage a very big thing right now? The real advantage, IMHO, is that the other team has to travel oftentimes many hours. It isn't so much a packed arena of screaming fans. (Cue the PL "haters" who say that almost never happens anyway during the best of times). Still, Ray, it is an interesting take on things in the PL. Thanks for sharing. Pomeroy has shown that there is a significant home court advantage even in the patriot league. I found the same thing years ago when I analyzed a couple of years of data. As you say, it is not the crowd, but rather a few other factors. The travel is a big issue, as is the familiarity with the court and the shooting background.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Feb 10, 2022 13:07:11 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. But with covid restrictions of varying degrees, is a home court advantage a very big thing right now? The real advantage, IMHO, is that the other team has to travel oftentimes many hours. It isn't so much a packed arena of screaming fans. (Cue the PL "haters" who say that almost never happens anyway during the best of times). Still, Ray, it is an interesting take on things in the PL. Thanks for sharing. Patriot League Home Team Winning Pctg (PL Games)
16-17= .522 17-18= .556 18-19= .611 19-20= .633 20-21= .470 21-22= .607
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Post by WorcesterGray on Feb 10, 2022 13:16:02 GMT -5
Does Birdsong do play-by-play on ESPN for Bison home games?
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Post by bison137 on Feb 10, 2022 13:46:52 GMT -5
Does Birdsong do play-by-play on ESPN for Bison home games? Yes. The broadcasts are significantly better since they have added Terry Conrad as his color analyst. Terry was a long-time Flannery assistant and a very successful D3 coach at Lycoming, before an ill-fated stint at Bloomsburg where he was sabotaged by his assistant. Terry knows basketball very well and adds a lot to the broadcast. It limits how much Birdsong talks and keeps him somewhat under control.
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Post by sader1970 on Feb 10, 2022 13:52:47 GMT -5
So, I'd rather be a visiting team in '20-'21? '16-'17 not great shakes either. I would have expected "under normal circumstances" (whatever that will be going forward), that '19-'20 would be more like it. The travel, except between HC-BU and between the PA schools and Loyola/American, have to be killers. Would be interesting to see a more detailed drill-down on the home/away record by distance traveled. No, I'm not going to do it.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Feb 10, 2022 13:53:14 GMT -5
The HC defense must be stout against the Bucknell three point shots. I will be watching with the sound muted as I can’t stand hearing Bingo one more time.
Next year for the Bucknell home game, the students should appear with a pictures of a bingo card, with a Purple X across the image.
Anyone remember the Flannery picture from year’s past.
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Post by longsuffering on Feb 10, 2022 13:55:43 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. But with covid restrictions of varying degrees, is a home court advantage a very big thing right now? The real advantage, IMHO, is that the other team has to travel oftentimes many hours. It isn't so much a packed arena of screaming fans. (Cue the PL "haters" who say that almost never happens anyway during the best of times). Still, Ray, it is an interesting take on things in the PL. Thanks for sharing. Patriot League Home Team Winning Pctg (PL Games)
16-17= .522 17-18= .556 18-19= .611 19-20= .633 20-21= .470 21-22= .607I will throw out this wild guess about 2020-21. The stress of the on campus restrictions were so great that a team being on the road was actually more relaxed. As well as cutouts being vocally neutral for both home team and visitor.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Feb 10, 2022 15:44:02 GMT -5
The HC defense must be stout against the Bucknell three point shots. I will be watching with the sound muted as I can’t stand hearing Bingo one more time.
Next year for the Bucknell home game, the students should appear with a pictures of a bingo card, with a Purple X across the image. Anyone remember the Flannery picture from year’s past. I watched a recent Bucknell home game in anticipation of this game. I've become pretty adept at hitting the mute button just as a shot goes up in the air. Just have to make sure I have a spare set of batteries on hand. It's really too bad - he's not half bad at all aside from that nonsense. And I agree with bison137 that Conrad is a nice partner.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Feb 10, 2022 15:46:34 GMT -5
The HC defense must be stout against the Bucknell three point shots. I will be watching with the sound muted as I can’t stand hearing Bingo one more time.
Next year for the Bucknell home game, the students should appear with a pictures of a bingo card, with a Purple X across the image. Anyone remember the Flannery picture from year’s past. I watched a recent Bucknell home game in anticipation of this game. I've become pretty adept at hitting the mute button just as a shot goes up in the air. Just have to make sure I have a spare set of batteries on hand. It's really too bad - he's not half bad at all aside from that nonsense. And I agree with bison137 that Conrad is a nice partner. And don't forget to have the mute ready on anything close to the basket, lest you be subjected to F-O-U-L-E-D!!!
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Post by res on Feb 10, 2022 17:28:43 GMT -5
As Bucknell fans go, I've always been a huge critic of Doug's pbp. I despise all over the top homer announcers. I often muted him while watching games. So, I've been more than pleased with his work this year. Frankly, I've been shocked.
I think it's partly that he's grown a bit, Conrad has been a steadying influence, and frankly, the team's performance has constrained his tendency to go over the top. His work has been solid this year (though poor performance has never seemed to be an issue for that La Salle guy).
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Post by classof83 on Feb 10, 2022 20:50:38 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. But with covid restrictions of varying degrees, is a home court advantage a very big thing right now? The real advantage, IMHO, is that the other team has to travel oftentimes many hours. It isn't so much a packed arena of screaming fans. (Cue the PL "haters" who say that almost never happens anyway during the best of times). Still, Ray, it is an interesting take on things in the PL. Thanks for sharing. i don't know if anyone noticed last night but there was a small but pretty vocal group of students under the basket near the Loyola bench. - nothing obnoxious but were doing what you would expect students to do at a home basketball game. Must have been friends of the players on the team because after the game all the HC players went over to the section and exchanged a lot of high-fives with the students. Not saying it made a difference in the outcome - but maybe just a little bit of home court advantage.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Feb 11, 2022 0:10:16 GMT -5
As Bucknell fans go, I've always been a huge critic of Doug's pbp. I despise all over the top homer announcers. I often muted him while watching games. So, I've been more than pleased with his work this year. Frankly, I've been shocked. I think it's partly that he's grown a bit, Conrad has been a steadying influence, and frankly, the team's performance has constrained his tendency to go over the top. His work has been solid this year (though poor performance has never seemed to be an issue for that La Salle guy). Over the years after a HC-Bucknell game, in Worcester, I had multiple conversations with Doug B. He was very friendly and was pleasant away from the microphone. While a definitely a homer, it is understood with a broadcaster whose identity is intwined with a team over a number of years. Regarding the LaSalle play by play broadcaster, Kale Beers, an intervention is needed. His “Pow”, is beyond the pale. Check out the picture in the article below. Mr. E would have never dress like that for a game, even during his disco days. www.inquirer.com/college-sports/la-salle/la-salle-radio-kale-beers-richard-prendergast-20210114.html
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Feb 11, 2022 12:13:00 GMT -5
While certainly looking for a different outcome in this next game with the Bison, I'm also hoping there can be a little balance on the offensive side of things this time around. Hoping some sort of combination of Bo/Dorsey can slow Funk down a little bit as well.
Speaking of Bo, I feel like he is on the cusp of becoming an upperclassman type of player; just a little more consistency.
Won't be easy - I still think Bucknell is a bit better than their record.
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Post by sader1970 on Feb 11, 2022 14:24:23 GMT -5
Perhaps, NAD, but aren't we a LOT better than our record?
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Post by hchoops on Feb 11, 2022 14:34:34 GMT -5
You have set the bait 4,3,2
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Post by Tom on Feb 11, 2022 14:59:10 GMT -5
Right now, somewhat better than half way through the season and American and Bucknell look like the bottom of the league. They are a combined 5-19 in conference this season. They split with each other and both beat HC to account for four of those wins. As HC hopes to rebound from this horrible start and reach the middle of the league this year, they can't get swept by the bottom tier. Gotta win these games. Only one game behind the 4th place log jam means HC has a realistic shot of avoiding the dreaded play in game
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Post by bison137 on Feb 11, 2022 16:27:42 GMT -5
As Bucknell fans go, I've always been a huge critic of Doug's pbp. I despise all over the top homer announcers. I often muted him while watching games. So, I've been more than pleased with his work this year. Frankly, I've been shocked. I think it's partly that he's grown a bit, Conrad has been a steadying influence, and frankly, the team's performance has constrained his tendency to go over the top. His work has been solid this year (though poor performance has never seemed to be an issue for that La Salle guy). Over the years after a HC-Bucknell game, in Worcester, I had multiple conversations with Doug B. He was very friendly and was pleasant away from the microphone. While a definitely a homer, it is understood with a broadcaster whose identity is intwined with a team over a number of years. I agree 100% about Doug B. While I'm not a big fan of his PBP style, he is a really good guy and goes out of his way to be helpful. If a fan emails him any sort of question related to Bison basketball or other sports, he responds quickly and in depth. Then he apologizes for not having responded sooner - even if it only took him 20 minutes. Doug has been at Bucknell for 22 years, serving as a marketing specialist as well as an announcer and coordinator of radio/TV/
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Post by purplehaze on Feb 11, 2022 17:43:11 GMT -5
Well, bucknell has something that HC does not - a radio outlet and a pbp guy who travels with the team Does anyone know which PL schools have dropped radio and those who still have it ?
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Post by longsuffering on Feb 12, 2022 2:11:42 GMT -5
It's not outside the realm of possibility of radio returning for HC football if the team continues to increase local interest. If Coach Chesney felt local radio was an important part of a championship program, I assume Kit would assign Nick Smith to beat the bushes to find a station for him.
I thought the WooSox had a viable radio production and thought it would be doable to add eleven more games in the fall for HC football using a percentage of the WooSox sponsors, which is all you need.
Perhaps with ESPN+ and two or three games on the local Spectrum Station, Coach and college didn't think it was necessary, which it isn't. But if the station buys in, it keeps HC sports more in play with the local community when they have a radio outlet.
ESPN+ is a no-brainer for us, but not for everyone in Central Mass. who has some level of potential interest in HC sports.
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Post by HC92 on Feb 12, 2022 8:26:56 GMT -5
Hmm, interesting. But with covid restrictions of varying degrees, is a home court advantage a very big thing right now? The real advantage, IMHO, is that the other team has to travel oftentimes many hours. It isn't so much a packed arena of screaming fans. (Cue the PL "haters" who say that almost never happens anyway during the best of times). Still, Ray, it is an interesting take on things in the PL. Thanks for sharing. i don't know if anyone noticed last night but there was a small but pretty vocal group of students under the basket near the Loyola bench. - nothing obnoxious but were doing what you would expect students to do at a home basketball game. Must have been friends of the players on the team because after the game all the HC players went over to the section and exchanged a lot of high-fives with the students. Not saying it made a difference in the outcome - but maybe just a little bit of home court advantage. Mostly football players, I think.
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Post by Tom on Feb 12, 2022 8:59:23 GMT -5
It's not outside the realm of possibility of radio returning for HC football if the team continues to increase local interest. If Coach Chesney felt local radio was an important part of a championship program, I assume Kit would assign Nick Smith to beat the bushes to find a station for him. I thought the WooSox had a viable radio production and thought it would be doable to add eleven more games in the fall for HC football using a percentage of the WooSox sponsors, which is all you need. Perhaps with ESPN+ and two or three games on the local Spectrum Station, Coach and college didn't think it was necessary, which it isn't. But if the station buys in, it keeps HC sports more in play with the local community when they have a radio outlet. ESPN+ is a no-brainer for us, but not for everyone in Central Mass. who has some level of potential interest in HC sports. I think the last few years on WVEI 1440 radio were an infomercial. HC paid for the radio time. Any radio station would be happy to broadcast HC sporting events if it was profitable.
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