Charney is officially a Bruin

FANatic wrote:
Good point, eProf. But they have gotten home field advantage for the most part for having had a great regular season record.

the reason we went on the road wasn't always having the worse record, Have you forgotten the travel rules? We traveled in 2005 with the best record in the country.

They had their shots. They got favored with home dates as much by geography as by merit. They blew it every year.

Right on, Uncle John.

(Sometimes when I think of Christine, I think of Bill Walton, circa 1977...)

FAN,

I remember those dicussions last year (concerning UCLA getting home field advantage) and I remember the argument against UP - UCLA had a much better "strength of schedule".

This year that argument will be much harder to make considering who the girls are playing in non-conferance play (Oklahoma St, Texas A&M, Penn St, Stanford, and so on and so forth).

Now all the girls have to do is beat those teams -> which they will.

No worries.

- UJ -

Geezaldinho wrote:

the reason we went on the road wasn't always having the worse record, Have you forgotten the travel rules? We traveled in 2005 with the best record in the country.

They had their shots. They got favored with home dates as much by geography as by merit. They blew it every year.

No, I haven't forgotten the travel rule.

One might say that the Pilots' geography has cost them. One might also say, that in the last four year's quarterfinals, "They had their shots...They blew it every year."

I now defer to the Geez!!!
He knows more about college soccer in his little finger, than I know in my big mouth. One thing is for certain, I believe in the Pilots year in and year out. And if the stars all line up...I think the 2010 version has as good a shot at the title, as anyone else. And I hope this team can make it to the final four College Cup, whether their games are played at home or on the moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uncle John wrote:

FAN,

I remember those dicussions last year (concerning UCLA getting home field advantage) and I remember the argument against UP - UCLA had a much better "strength of schedule".

This year that argument will be much harder to make considering who the girls are playing in non-conferance play (Oklahoma St, Texas A&M, Penn St, Stanford, and so on and so forth).

Now all the girls have to do is beat those teams -> which they will.

No worries.

- UJ -

I totally agree, - UJ - .

Our schedule this year could be called a real "Murderer's Row!" .

I do hope your faith that we will win them all, will come to fruition. We are currently 4-0, and I have been pretty nervous for all 90 minutes of every match. Oh, for a rout I would give almost anything! (Except the Pliny I stole from Geez. Shhhh! I don't think he has realized it yet. If he finds out.........)

FAN

FAN,

I had a vision last night.

And in that vision I saw a rout in UP's very near future (and that rout wasn't AGAINST UP).

But I have a question for you and the Geez.

Is there someplace up in Seattle that serves Pliny?

If so, have one (or two) for me.

-UJ-

eProf wrote:

FANatic wrote: I'm sick of the ROAD excuse. Great teams win on the road in all team sports.

That may be one of the Bruins' problems. If my memory serves me, the Bruins have been to the final four every year from 2004 on, and during that time have had exactly one road game during the playoffs. They've been able to win comfortably on their own field and in front of their own fans (to the extent that they have fans). One could argue that they could be helped by the "battle-hardening" that would come from having some road playoff games leading up to the College Cup.

I'm not sure the lack of road games explains UCLA's difficulties. Look how well North Carolina has done, and apart from the pre-scheduled College Cup (i.e., semi-final and final) games at "neutral" sites, the records as far back as are available over the internet (and via the NCAA's College Cup programs) do not show North Carolina having played any away games.

As a point of interest, early this year I did a study of how home teams have done in the quarterfinals. My study covered 2000 through 2009, a period of 10 years. In that period, of 40 quarterfinal games, the home team won 34. In other words, the home team in the quarters won 85% of the time. Yes, a team has to be prepared to win a quarterfinal game on the road. But, truth be told, home field in the quarters is a huge advantage.

85% of the time.......now that IS some disturbing data.

However, it's moot..... because this year the girls WILL have home field advantage.

They just have to WILL it to happen.

(And win their games of course).

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:

As a point of interest, early this year I did a study of how home teams have done in the quarterfinals. My study covered 2000 through 2009, a period of 10 years. In that period, of 40 quarterfinal games, the home team won 34. In other words, the home team in the quarters won 85% of the time. Yes, a team has to be prepared to win a quarterfinal game on the road. But, truth be told, home field in the quarters is a huge advantage.

UPSF -

I can't argue with cold, hard numbers like 85%. Yes, by all means, "home field in the quarters is a huge advantage." Quite sobering, actually.

UNC having apparently never having to play road games, according to your research, might go a long way in explaining their apparent "invincibility", and near complete dominance in titles won.

But - we've lost four straight quarters on the road. Does that mean then that unless we have home field advantage in the quarters, the Pilots are doomed to repeat history until perhaps they reach that 85% loss point?

FAN

FANatic wrote:

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:

As a point of interest, early this year I did a study of how home teams have done in the quarterfinals. My study covered 2000 through 2009, a period of 10 years. In that period, of 40 quarterfinal games, the home team won 34. In other words, the home team in the quarters won 85% of the time. Yes, a team has to be prepared to win a quarterfinal game on the road. But, truth be told, home field in the quarters is a huge advantage.

UPSF .... But - we've lost four straight quarters on the road. Does that mean then that unless we have home field advantage in the quarters, the Pilots are doomed to repeat history until perhaps they reach that 85% loss point?

FAN

Nah. One of those six quarter-final road wins came in 2002 at the expense of Stanford, courtesy of the Pilots, if my memory serves me correctly. With the four recent quarters road losses, that means we're now due for a win, even if on the road.

GO PILOTS!

Uncle John wrote:

FAN,

I had a vision last night.

And in that vision I saw a rout in UP's very near future (and that rout wasn't AGAINST UP).

But I have a question for you and the Geez.

Is there someplace up in Seattle that serves Pliny?

If so, have one (or two) for me.

-UJ-

-UJ-

First off, I hope the "rout" you had a vision about comes to fruition this week-end against either Wisconsin or Syracuse. Hey, how about routing both clubs???

As far as Pliny in Seattle: I'll be in Portland watching my GameTracker screw up. I'll be quite drunk on the Pliny I stole from Geezer.

Geez is the one who will be in Seattle this week-end. Hopefully, he will respond to your post. For his sake, I hope there is Pliny up there.

See you on the ChatBox this week-end?

FAN

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:

Nah. One of those six quarter-final road wins came in 2002 at the expense of Stanford, courtesy of the Pilots, if my memory serves me correctly. With the four recent quarters road losses, that means we're now due for a win, even if on the road.

WOO HOO!!!

We gonna make the College Cup...bring on UNC in the title game for the "Match of the Decade"!!!

And last year not only were we on the road in the QF but we were playing without Enyeart and Colohan!

Oops, I have to correct my numbers about home field advantage in the quarterfinals. From 2000 through 2009, out of 40 quarterfinal games, the home team won 30 (not 34). The home team lost 8 outright and lost 2 by penalty kicks. The details:

2000: UCLA won at Clemson and Portland won at Penn State (in overtime)
2001: Florida won at UCLA
2002: Penn State won at Connecticut and Portland won at Stanford on pks
2003: Florida State won at Florida
2004:
2005: Florida State won at North Carolina on pks
2006:
2007: USC won at West Virginia
2008:
2009: Notre Dame won at Florida State

So, the home team has won only 75% of quarterfinal games over the last 10 years.

You might expect something like 75%, considering that the home team is the higher seeded team.

I also notice Portland in not on the list as having LOST a home semi game. But, then again, have we played any? We usually get screwed out of it.