What Could Have Been (with a side of sour grapes)

Although the Statesmen's season wrapped up a couple of weeks ago, I have been keeping an eye on the DIII football playoffs and marvelling at the advancement of the Saint John Fisher Cardinals (10-2).  The Cardinals, who potentially were the "last team into the tournament" as an 8-2 at-large selection and Empire 8 conference runner up, have defeated two conference champions in successive weeks (Johns Hopkins and Delaware Valley) after receiving a ranking / seed that was supposedly "lower" than Hobart's (given the Statesmen's convicing head-to-head victory over SJF on 9/24).

Perhaps this is just a case of a team peaking at the right time but it does make me wonder "what if" the Statesmen ended up in Fisher's bracket vs. being placed (as some would argue as the seventh seed) in a more difficult (containing several top 10 teams) and geographically far-fetched bracket with #7 ranked Wesley (who by the way, rallied down 27-7 in the first half to win 49-34 over Northwest Conference champion Linfield last Saturday in Dover)?

Fisher fans will argue the 36 point loss to Hobart back in September was an aberration and as it stands now, the Cardinals clearly have benefited and have taken advantage of their placement in the tournament (playing two conference champs with really no serious out of conference games) and will likely end the season with a better ranking than the Statesmen (who I am guessing will be "rewarded" with a 20-25 ranking by D3football.com due to playing Wesley close in Round 1) once the season ends in a couple of weeks.

Given the new playoff format, it remains to be seen whether or not Hobart will encounter more odd / bad seedings in the future.  That said it seems clear that for now, the Statesmen and the LL won't be getting any preferential treatment anytime soon.  At least Hobart is bolstered by a 10 game schedule in 2012 and the addition of new LL member Springfield.  It's a long way until September so I can't help but wonder how 2011 could have been different had a few plays / decisions went in a slightly different direction......?