Per Sagers suggestion, I will give my take on the non-conference season. As a player I think you want to play the best competition. First, if you are any type of an athlete you want to play meaningful and challenging games. Secondly, it prepares you for the conference season. We did play a few lower level teams, and beating up on Taylor Fort Wayne certainly didn't prepare us for the CCIW. Lastly, these tough games will help your team learn how to win close ball games and deal with the end of the game pressures, a situation you can't emulate in practice.

My two concerns with the non-conference schedule is:
1) I believe most teams make 2 year commitments to play each other. Now, let's say you schedule the '03 Redman, you know the next year they wouldn't be quite as strong after losing McDaniel, Garnes, Fabian, and company. So do you worry about it 1 year at a time?
2) The year I helped coached at Carthage- '03. We lost close games to SXU, and ONU, and to a very good team in Hawaii. I still believe those losses helped us in the conference season, but if we had 3 more regional wins, even if they were against some poor teams, would it have made a difference in us making the tournament. I think all teams have to think about that.

Keep in mind I don't know how the point systems work (QOWI)- Titan Q, Sagers, and the rest of you that can figure it out, you are all much smarter than me.

He made the tournament 3 times since the year 2000. How many other CCIW coaches have done that? 1 right. Okay I say they all resign then. 2002 doesn't seem like a long time ago

Okay- I have read this for years and held back from posting, but the Bosko comments have pushed me over the edge. The man has 5 national championship rings. Someone start researching how many other coaches in Div. 3 are sitting on the sideline with an entire hand in rings.

Next, I won't lie and say this years team is playing up to expectations but they have played one of the tougher schedules around the nation. They have played well in some and last night was the first game they just didn't show up in. This squad wasn't great or deep to begin with and then they lost their starting center to personal reasons, the top scorer academically (which i blame the athlete, not the coach), and their starting point guard before the conference opener. That's a lot to lose in one week. You are all lying to yourself if you predicted Carthage to play IWU to a one point game and lose two close games to both Augie and Elmhurst with all that happening.

Bosko might refer to the Wiertel/Garnes/McDaniel era, but you know what... he should. That is what you want your team to become. Everyone on here still reverts back to Bridge's teams, or past NPU champions. These guys are taking there lumps but one or two "players" from this recruiting class to fill some leadership and shooting voids and this team is going to be tough next year.