FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Warhawk 96]

I'm done beating the dead horse. It happened, we've vented, and now it's time to focus on Franklin. It would be pretty cool if that story made PTI however. Is there any way you could pull that off Pat?

[warhawkguard]

I thrilled to see the Warhawks in the dance again. Its a great day! It was always just out of reach when I played. Danged LaCrosse liked to ruin our year every year it seemed....

The bracket was a surprise indeed. As I stated a few weeks back, it doesn't matter. If the Hawks are truly all that, they will deal with whomever is lined up across from them and take care of business. A Stagg Bowl victory will be all that more sweeter in my opinion. If they fall, then they were just another great team that made the field.

Naturally, I bet Wesley can't wait to have the Hawks in Dover to try to get some payback. Man, I'd sure like to see that game if it ever happens! Hold on boys, this could be a bumpy ride and everybody wants a piece of the Champs.

So, what do we know about the boys out of Franklin?

[MasterJedi]

Madison.com was able to get a quote from AA regarding the #2 seed

aka "we're pissed and out for blood"

[Pat Coleman]

Pat, isn't it true that the selection committee has varied from their listed critera to slot schools and seedings in the past?  So what is different about this year?  

Yes.

I don't know.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Madison.com was able to get a quote from AA regarding the #2 seed

aka "we're pissed and out for blood"

They are pissing out blood?  Better see a Dr. about that problem...

[Warhawk 96]

Madison.com was able to get a quote from AA regarding the #2 seed

aka "we're pissed and out for blood"

They are pissing out blood?  Better see a Dr. about that problem...

  Nice one!

[badgerwarhawk]

Pat, isn't it true that the selection committee has varied from their listed critera to slot schools and seedings in the past?  So what is different about this year? 

Yes.

I don't know.

Thanks for the response, Pat.  I guess there are some mysteries to which we will never really know the answer.  So be it.  I'm not the least bit worried about having to travel but I was wondering if we should win our bracket and UMHB wins there bracket would we travel to Benton or would they come to us? 

[Stagg Again!!]

And, as for your comments S or B - Mr. Coleman called them dubious - totally agree, highly suspect!!

Bust - the next time NCC, Trine, or any of your other friendly institutions has to schedule one of their conference foes or travel to the west coast, Dakota's, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Alabama, or Florida (just to name some of the states WIAC schools have traveled recently) to play a game vs a DIII school, but most likely an NAIA school, let me know - until then you don't know what it's like to have scheduling difficulties. BTW, never said it was only UWW having the trouble - it's the whole WIAC, ASC and those on the west coast.

I think you need to reach out to your local AD's and administrators before making such assertions BoBo.  NCC was dropped (principally as a result of the NP score) by its long-time, cross-town rival IBC, Olivet, and one WIAC school over the winter.  NCC then scrammbled to hook up with Cornell and UW-EC, and Olivet agreed to play out the string.  I think that the school will get its future schedule in order now that they have had some time to plan.  

I have no misconceptions about how difficult it must be for UWW and MU to find DIII partners who are willing to start off their seasons with a highly probable loss.  I think this issue persists until there is more clarity surrounding the selection process.  I think it has been said numerous times that the application of the criteria seems to have changed year to year.  Some years regional ranking has taken priority, others SOS, and even others wins and losses.  NCC feels like it got burned a bit last year by playing the SOS game, and most likely scheduled accordingly while they scrammbled over the winter.  

As for the seeding issue, I have not minced words.  I have said all along that it is clear that UWW should be the #1 overall seed.  Heck, as recently as two days ago I had a friendly debate on the issue with Pat Coleman when his first playoff projection was released.

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4077.21510

I am a firm believer that the CCIW is stronger than the MIAC and argued that UST and NCC should be placed into the same bracket to "iron it out on the field".  I think that was reflected in Pat's final playoff projection.

I am looking forward to seeing NCC play against UWW in Naperville, just as I would have looked forward to seeing the Cardinals play the Warhawks in Whitewater.  I enjoy the games and the opportunity to go on the road to see other campuses, etc.  Unfortunately, I won't have that opportunity, but my commute will be shorter!  I hope that both teams live up to their seeds and we all have a chance to see them square off against each other again.  Good luck on Saturday.  

[HScoach]

Still Can't believe UW-Whitewtater is a #2!!! I really can't get over it...#1 team in the country, longest winning streak in college fball, have absolutely dominated every team they played this year, Top 5 Offensive and Defensively (statistic wise) in most major catagories in the country, and have EARNED the right to play at home throughout the play-offs!!  That being said; it doesn't matter where we play.  Anybody remember '05?? Went up to Linnfield the #1 team in the country (who's starting Qb at the time previously started over Alex Smith former #1 draft pick in the NFL for Utah) and WON! Anybody remember '07?? Played arguably the best D3 football team of all in the Stagg Bowl (Not in the friendly confines of the Perk) and dominated and WON!! Anybody remember 08'?? Traveled all over in the play-offs, most noteably went down to Texas and dominated a very good UMHB at their place in the Semi's and WON!! Doesn't matter where we play....UWW's product is flat out BETTER than everyone else's home or away!! Last time we even lost a game...Lebron was in Cleveland, Tebow was the starting QB for the Gators, Favre was retired or was he?, Coppage was a Freshman, Rusch only a Sophmore, and the Ipad invention wasn't even heard of!!  So NCAA go ahead an try and knock us down but the bottom line is we play the school of the blind rds 1 and 2.  Rd three we will play a team who thinks they are good in NCC; in reality they are slow, small, cocky (for what??), and the result will be exactly the same as the last time they tried to pretend they were on our level. Rd 4 we will play a decent UMHB or Wesley team which will just get us back on track with some decent competition before we will face a very good mt union team and beat them as well! Our streak will reach 30 games and UWW will have won 3 out of the last 4 national titles and be the unprecidented best program in D3!!

In regards to the two highlighted parts of your message:

1.  I have a feeling you're still be playing the regional final at home.  Don't be surprised if Ohio Northern does UWW a favor by knocking North Central out in Round 2.  And though it's a bigger long shot, I wouldn't be completely surprised if #5 Montclair State wins the South.  Neither Wesley nor MHB are as good as they've been previously. 

2.  Might want to temper your enthusiasm just a bit.  If UWW wins this year they're clearly the best RIGHT NOW, but it's not "unprecedented".  Augie won 4 straight back in the 80's and Mount has had two 3-peats that were separated by only an overtime loss to Rowan in the '99 semi-finals.   Whitewater has clearly climbed the mountain to join Mount as a truly dominant program, but you'll need to keep it going for another decade to match Mount's overall history. 

[retagent]

No one, as yet, has answered my query about the status of the WIAC. There are those who try to denegrate other conferences, but don't cite their evidence. I know that history tells us quite a bit, but let's let it play out before jumping to conclusions regarding the present.

Speaking of which, what causes some on here to downplay St Thomas, and Bethel, and for that matter, the MIAC. Onl a few have seen either of these teams this year. I would put those two along with St John's against the top three in any conference. The second tier of St Olaf, Concordia and Carleton is probably about the same as other conferences. We won't talk about Augsburg, Hamline and Gustavus, but I'm sure that the cellar dwellers of any conference are pretty much equal also.

I also just remembered that SJU made a run to the Stagg in 2000 playing Stout, Pacific Lutheran, Central and Hardin-Simmons, ALL on the road. If memory also serves, when the Lutes won, they played all their playoff games on the road.

[Mr. Ypsi]

With all the brouhaha over UWW being seeded ONLY #2 (and I agree they should have been #1), no one seems to have noticed that they will (IMO) have the easier second round game because of it!  The inexplicable seeding of DePauw at #3 means NCC will have to face either ONU (probable) or Witt, either of whom is probably stronger than Trine or DePauw.

And as HScoach noted, you may not have to travel to Naperville after all; I think it is at least a 40% chance that ONU will be traveling to Whitewater.  So, cheer up!  You get a pissed off team AND an easier draw!

[Warhawk 96]

No one, as yet, has answered my query about the status of the WIAC. There are those who try to denegrate other conferences, but don't cite their evidence. I know that history tells us quite a bit, but let's let it play out before jumping to conclusions regarding the present.

Speaking of which, what causes some on here to downplay St Thomas, and Bethel, and for that matter, the MIAC. Onl a few have seen either of these teams this year. I would put those two along with St John's against the top three in any conference. The second tier of St Olaf, Concordia and Carleton is probably about the same as other conferences. We won't talk about Augsburg, Hamline and Gustavus, but I'm sure that the cellar dwellers of any conference are pretty much equal also.

I also just remembered that SJU made a run to the Stagg in 2000 playing Stout, Pacific Lutheran, Central and Hardin-Simmons, ALL on the road. If memory also serves, when the Lutes won, they played all their playoff games on the road.

Because even our teams with poor records are better than some very good teams in other leagues. From top to bottom our schools can compete with higher level competition from other conferences. Even the non-conference games that are lost are against top teams in the country and they're rarely ever blowouts. BTW, I'm not the one downplaying the MIAC, you guys have plenty of respect from us.

[footballfan413]

Still Can't believe UW-Whitewtater is a #2!!! I really can't get over it...#1 team in the country, longest winning streak in college fball, have absolutely dominated every team they played this year, Top 5 Offensive and Defensively (statistic wise) in most major catagories in the country, and have EARNED the right to play at home throughout the play-offs!!  That being said; it doesn't matter where we play.  Anybody remember '05?? Went up to Linnfield the #1 team in the country (who's starting Qb at the time previously started over Alex Smith former #1 draft pick in the NFL for Utah) and WON! Anybody remember '07?? Played arguably the best D3 football team of all in the Stagg Bowl (Not in the friendly confines of the Perk) and dominated and WON!! Anybody remember 08'?? Traveled all over in the play-offs, most noteably went down to Texas and dominated a very good UMHB at their place in the Semi's and WON!! Doesn't matter where we play....UWW's product is flat out BETTER than everyone else's home or away!! Last time we even lost a game...Lebron was in Cleveland, Tebow was the starting QB for the Gators, Favre was retired or was he?, Coppage was a Freshman, Rusch only a Sophmore, and the Ipad invention wasn't even heard of!!  So NCAA go ahead an try and knock us down but the bottom line is we play the school of the blind rds 1 and 2.  Rd three we will play a team who thinks they are good in NCC; in reality they are slow, small, cocky (for what??), and the result will be exactly the same as the last time they tried to pretend they were on our level. Rd 4 we will play a decent UMHB or Wesley team which will just get us back on track with some decent competition before we will face a very good mt union team and beat them as well! Our streak will reach 30 games and UWW will have won 3 out of the last 4 national titles and be the unprecidented best program in D3!!

In regards to the two highlighted parts of your message:

1.  I have a feeling you're still be playing the regional final at home.  Don't be surprised if Ohio Northern does UWW a favor by knocking North Central out in Round 2.  And though it's a bigger long shot, I wouldn't be completely surprised if #5 Montclair State wins the South.  Neither Wesley nor MHB are as good as they've been previously.  

2.  Might want to temper your enthusiasm just a bit.  If UWW wins this year they're clearly the best RIGHT NOW, but it's not "unprecedented".  Augie won 4 straight back in the 80's and Mount has had two 3-peats that were separated by only an overtime loss to Rowan in the '99 semi-finals.   Whitewater has clearly climbed the mountain to join Mount as a truly dominant program, but you'll need to keep it going for another decade to match Mount's overall history.  

Very good, even tempered response, HS coach, as usual.  Hard to take the fight out of the warrior but Champ 07, while a little over exuberant at times, is one of the good guys and one of my very favorites!   Your take on the possibilities are intriguing and a great reminder to all of us that there is a lot of football left to be played.  

Thanks for the response, Pat.  I guess there are some mysteries to which we will never really know the answer.  So be it.  I'm not the least bit worried about having to travel but I was wondering if we should win our bracket and UMHB wins there bracket would we travel to Benton or would they come to us?  

BW, unfortunately, the answer to your question is that the Hawks, (IF they win the north,) will travel to either Delaware, if Wesley wins or to Texas if UMHB wins the South.  As I pointed out before, the worst oversight of all, may not be who is seeded #1 or #2 in the North Region but the fact that the selection committee, in their infinite wisdom, seeded the brackets, #1 South, #2 West, #3 East and #4 North.  Being the #2 in the 4th seeded bracket means that every other #1 AND #2 ranks above us and therefore, gets to host.  The only way we don't travel for the Semi Final IF we win the north is if the South Region champ is a #3 seed or lower.
 Imagine,  the bracket with the #1 defending national champs and the #5 ranked team, (national polls,) is considered by the committee to be the weakest region of the 4!!!!    

[UDubDub_Boiler]

Franklin @ UW-W....is this a noon game???

[02 Warhawk]

Franklin @ UW-W....is this a noon game???

yes