First, the game was very entertaining. Both teams played like their lives depended on it. Second, it's not an ideal situation, but that IMG facility is impressive. You worry when you've got to "step down" for how it will look on TV, etc, but it didn't hurt the broadcast in any way.
It's easy to beat up on Farr sometimes (rightfully so), but that first Hartford goal wasn't on him. Ngalina played it in, and two Hartford players (along with two Rowdies) were crashing to the near post. Farr was covering that, but the ball was played just behind the runs (on purpose, on accident?) and went through to Epps closer to the back post. Speed kills, put the ball into a dangerous area 101.
I think I said it at the end of last season, but I do agree that all games should be within division/conference on the last day. I respectfully disagree about the times. Single kickoff times severely limit viewership, which the league badly needs. I will game watch as much as scoreboard watch. So, in the current scenario I see more games and halves of games than I could otherwise.
My feeling on the first goal is Farr over committed to the near post and while the ball did have to get through the traffic, Farr put himself in no position to make the save. That said, the Rowdies as whole were a mess in that sequence because Hartford had plenty of space on the far post to finish.
My feeling on the last day is all efforts must be made to avoid the appearance of shenanigans. Spain may have gotten the balance right a while back when they did have 2 kickoff windows where games of no consequence were at x time and all games of consequence were at y.
The problem with a 3 conference alignment setup is how you situate the playoffs. It would likely be top 5 in conference with a crossover using the players shield ranking to determine 1-16 seeds. This also assumes we don't see any teams drop (granted we haven't heard any rumors of that happening).
Honestly looking forward to the day we get to 32 teams and we can get to 2 conferences/4 divisions. But I also love the ECHL type season format where the majority of games are within division while being a national league.
As a separste conversation, I would also advocate a different conference alignment for the next two seeasons: East, West, Central. Plans call for a total of 27 teans next year, and 30 the year after. Assuming no folding and/or failures to launch.
Using the same mentality that's been in place, home-home conference and one game against each team from the other two conferences would get 34 reg season games, the same as this year.
Mainly, it woild alleviate some of the absurdity that's about to be in play if they keep it at two conferences. Which could end up moving trams like Legion, Indy west, maybe back east, etc.
Love the idea of hte three geographic conferences! Would cut down on travel costs and drive up fan engagement for sure. Regional rivalries are more interesting than transcontinental ones!
First, the game was very entertaining. Both teams played like their lives depended on it. Second, it's not an ideal situation, but that IMG facility is impressive. You worry when you've got to "step down" for how it will look on TV, etc, but it didn't hurt the broadcast in any way.
It's easy to beat up on Farr sometimes (rightfully so), but that first Hartford goal wasn't on him. Ngalina played it in, and two Hartford players (along with two Rowdies) were crashing to the near post. Farr was covering that, but the ball was played just behind the runs (on purpose, on accident?) and went through to Epps closer to the back post. Speed kills, put the ball into a dangerous area 101.
I think I said it at the end of last season, but I do agree that all games should be within division/conference on the last day. I respectfully disagree about the times. Single kickoff times severely limit viewership, which the league badly needs. I will game watch as much as scoreboard watch. So, in the current scenario I see more games and halves of games than I could otherwise.
My feeling on the first goal is Farr over committed to the near post and while the ball did have to get through the traffic, Farr put himself in no position to make the save. That said, the Rowdies as whole were a mess in that sequence because Hartford had plenty of space on the far post to finish.
My feeling on the last day is all efforts must be made to avoid the appearance of shenanigans. Spain may have gotten the balance right a while back when they did have 2 kickoff windows where games of no consequence were at x time and all games of consequence were at y.
The problem with a 3 conference alignment setup is how you situate the playoffs. It would likely be top 5 in conference with a crossover using the players shield ranking to determine 1-16 seeds. This also assumes we don't see any teams drop (granted we haven't heard any rumors of that happening).
Honestly looking forward to the day we get to 32 teams and we can get to 2 conferences/4 divisions. But I also love the ECHL type season format where the majority of games are within division while being a national league.
As a separste conversation, I would also advocate a different conference alignment for the next two seeasons: East, West, Central. Plans call for a total of 27 teans next year, and 30 the year after. Assuming no folding and/or failures to launch.
Using the same mentality that's been in place, home-home conference and one game against each team from the other two conferences would get 34 reg season games, the same as this year.
Mainly, it woild alleviate some of the absurdity that's about to be in play if they keep it at two conferences. Which could end up moving trams like Legion, Indy west, maybe back east, etc.
Love the idea of hte three geographic conferences! Would cut down on travel costs and drive up fan engagement for sure. Regional rivalries are more interesting than transcontinental ones!
"Starling's stark ravings! could by the sub-title of these delightful mid-week musings!
Enough people think I'm a stark raving lunatic. That's one thing I don't want to lean into thanks to confirmation bias.