Men's D-III Soccer

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Three local teams in the NSCAA national top 25: Amherst (2), Brandeis (9), Williams (17).

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You can have them. Amherst and Tufts played one of the crappiest soccer games I've ever seen in my life on Saturday. Everything wrong with men's college soccer was on display.

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Three local teams in the NSCAA national top 25: Amherst (2), Brandeis (9), Williams (17).

Saw Williams play recently--very good team and good possession type soccer played--forwards are very fast and very skilled.

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You can have them. Amherst and Tufts played one of the crappiest soccer games I've ever seen in my life on Saturday. Everything wrong with men's college soccer was on display.

What a snob. Or you have no idea what you're looking at. Or both.

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Three local teams in the NSCAA national top 25: Amherst (2), Brandeis (9), Williams (17).

MIT is not far behind: 6-2-1 and lost in OT to Brandeis.

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MIT is not far behind: 6-2-1 and lost in OT to Brandeis.

Le'ts wait and see if MIT handles Salve tonight.

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Le'ts wait and see if MIT handles Salve tonight.

3-0 MIT, so looking good.

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You can have them. Amherst and Tufts played one of the crappiest soccer games I've ever seen in my life on Saturday. Everything wrong with men's college soccer was on display.

Certainly not a pretty game. Field was an absolute mess after two days of rain and an earlier women's game. Both sides had plenty of trouble with footing and the team that made fewer mistakes was going to win on this day. Match should have been played on turf.

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What a snob.

Kind of funny, considering we're talking about two teams loaded with players from the cream of the East Coast's prep schools!

They actually played several games, as far as I could tell. One game was to see which team could go longer without stringing more than two consecutive passes together. Both teams were very good at this. Another game was to see how long they could keep the ball in the air by heading it to the other team - first one to let it fall to the ground loses. This too was a fierce competition.

Still another game was to see who could take the longest shot, and who could kick the ball the highest over the net. Zoltan Mesko would have had trouble winning the latter. Finally, there was the competition for the chippiest play. Amherst won on paper, with 20 fouls and 2 yellow cards, compared with 15 and 2 for Tufts. But I felt Tufts was the winner, because they were nastier.

Actually, the only winners were the refs, who managed to maintain their dignity and keep the game from turning into a brawl while the foul-mouthed Tufts fans howled in the stands. Anyone on this forum who criticizes refs ought to see a game like this. They will come away with new appreciation for the difficulty of their jobs.

At one point, I wished that the Tufts and Bates football players in the next field would call time out and come over and kick the "soccer" players' asses. That would have been a fitting award for such a sorry exhibition.

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Kind of funny, considering we're talking about two teams loaded with players from the cream of the East Coast's prep schools!

They actually played several games, as far as I could tell. One game was to see which team could go longer without stringing more than two consecutive passes together. Both teams were very good at this. Another game was to see how long they could keep the ball in the air by heading it to the other team - first one to let it fall to the ground loses. This too was a fierce competition.

Still another game was to see who could take the longest shot, and who could kick the ball the highest over the net. Zoltan Mesko would have had trouble winning the latter. Finally, there was the competition for the chippiest play. Amherst won on paper, with 20 fouls and 2 yellow cards, compared with 15 and 2 for Tufts. But I felt Tufts was the winner, because they were nastier.

Actually, the only winners were the refs, who managed to maintain their dignity and keep the game from turning into a brawl while the foul-mouthed Tufts fans howled in the stands. Anyone on this forum who criticizes refs ought to see a game like this. They will come away with new appreciation for the difficulty of their jobs.

At one point, I wished that the Tufts and Bates football players in the next field would call time out and come over and kick the "soccer" players' asses. That would have been a fitting award for such a sorry exhibition.

Thanks for the clarification. Snob it is. And you played for.....?????

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Certainly not a pretty game. Field was an absolute mess after two days of rain and an earlier women's game. Both sides had plenty of trouble with footing and the team that made fewer mistakes was going to win on this day. Match should have been played on turf.

This is also an accurate description of the game, by someone who is evidently a lot more forgiving than I am. ;)

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Originally Posted by Unregistered
You can have them. Amherst and Tufts played one of the crappiest soccer games I've ever seen in my life on Saturday. Everything wrong with men's college soccer was on display.
Certainly not a pretty game. Field was an absolute mess after two days of rain and an earlier women's game. Both sides had plenty of trouble with footing and the team that made fewer mistakes was going to win on this day. Match should have been played on turf.

This is also an accurate description of the game, by someone who is evidently a lot more forgiving than I am. ;)

These are great posts. Well, not really. While the soccer may not have been what you think you, or your child, would want to play, I can assure you that the great majority, if not all, of those boys have a great potential to be your boss or the boss of your own child in the future. When they look back on their college soccer career they will see something very different than you do. They will see the time they had on a team, the travel with their teammates, and the plays, shots, saves, and defense that won games. While you might not see players who are going to play professional or international soccer, I see what playing sports is all about.

When we look at youth soccer (college included) there are two perspectives. One is the uptight (you will admit that I am right) perspective that is constantly wondering why the US is not a world-beater and how we can get there. They look at Division III soccer as the bastard child of a failing system. These viewers are the ultimate snobs who may or may not have actually made it during their own youth.

The other is the one probably represents greater than 99% of the rest of the interested population who views youth sports for what it is; great exercise, a social inlet, teamwork, and community (I can't believe I used that word). Sports is an educator of how to get along and build a project. There are so many great benefits of playing a sport that does not necessarily involve whether or not you played like Messi, Pele, or even Mia. For the great majority it does not even matter, ultimately, whether or not you played Division I, II, or III in college since years down the road you will realize that it was only part of what help you develop. For Amherst, Tufts, Williams, or Brandeis these kids see the game in a whole different perspective than the snobs who are posting against them and their play.

Now, with all that said, there is a need for critics and hard commentators in order for youth programs to become better, and for our national teams to improve. The difference between those who posted above and those who will get the job done, is that the latter might attend (or might not) Division III games and keep their mouths shut. If they like something they might grab it and develop it. If they don't then they will simply walk away quietly, and recognize it for what it is. These leaders are different than those who posted above, who will never be able to lead, develop, or create something so great since they still can't get beyond their own inadequacies as evidenced by the need to belittle youth soccer players...............but then again, this is just my opinion.......and I did play Division I college soccer and now recruit.

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Thanks for the clarification. Snob it is. And you played for.....?????

I was drafted professionally out of junior high school at 14.

Thanks
Freddie A.

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These are great posts. Well, not really. While the soccer may not have been what you think you, or your child, would want to play, I can assure you that the great majority, if not all, of those boys have a great potential to be your boss or the boss of your own child in the future.... [blah, blah, blah]

More laughable snobbery from a condescending snob. Let's hope those well-pedigreed boys don't run businesses like they play soccer!

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More laughable snobbery from a condescending snob. Let's hope those well-pedigreed boys don't run businesses like they play soccer!

Based on what do you call that poster a snob? Let's hope you won't someday need a job from what you call well-pedigreed boys.