I had heard that Coach A was looking for ways to utilize the big guy more and take advantage of his unique (for this team) gifts.  Maybe this is the first evidence of that approach.  I hope so.  Having a big guy take some of the heat off of Grotberg and Little A will help the team, and if that gives them more dangerous shifts all the better.

Did anyone see the Wartburg tourney?  Also, did anyone see the Stevens-Point v. Carroll game? 

Actually, maybe Ripon did    It's all a little hazy for me, and looking at the website it looks like it would have been a crazy tie-breaker.

I think that we beat two teams three times to win the title, though.

Beloit made the tourney that year, as it was Grinnell's thrid victory over them in one season, as well as the second one point victory (if I remember correctly).

But back in '01 Kohl avg 16/5.5

to Henry Grants 16/11

and Grant won.  I think it goes either way.

Quote from: Jacketlawyer on February 27, 2007, 08:53:39 AM

Quote from: tigerphil on February 26, 2007, 10:49:48 PM
Rebel

The new name will be Randolph College, and it will be a few years before they can have an actual program, and I honestly don't think it will be a legitimate program any time in the near future if their present sports program is any indication of what the men's programs will be like.

Accurate statement.  I've heard they plan to offer mens' basketball, soccer, tennis and cross-country.  I'm sure the usual obstacles in establishing these sports will manifest.

Jacket

Hood is a differenct animal.  They were a women's college in Frederick, MD that got within a hair of bankruptcy before going co-ed 4 years ago.  They convinced a well-respected local high school coach (Tom Dickman), who has several state championships and an NBA player on his resume, to take over the program.  That they have acheived this much in such a short time is amazing.

Randolph College is the new, co-ed version of Randolph Macon Women's College in Lynchburg, VA.  They start sports next year and will be ODAC members.

(I only know the above because I lived in Frederick for 20 years and lost to a lot of Dickman coached teams, and now I live in Lynchburg.  Handy  )

All true, and I agree that the ODAC deserved every single bid it got.  I do think that WIAC and CCIW teams have a legitimate gripe with a process that skews towards areas of the country with a lot of weak teams for the top teams to inflate their regional rankings with.

This is NOT a shot at the ODAC.  There are a lot of good teams around here, but I was reading on one board about the unique situation of the UAA (which got 4, count'em 4, teams in) and the fact that some of the UAA teams are in an area of the country where there are very few quality opponents and their regional record is grossly inflated.  Along with the UAA is the NESCAC (which got three) and their unique single round robin format.  This leaves them a lot of space to fill up on patsies before the tournament.  I have seen the NESCAC play, and they are deserving of their strong reputation, but their system allows them to work the selection system a little better than others.

thanks for the response, go Guilford (I am an unabashed converted Ben Strong fan)

In response to GrinnellFan68:

Jeffp said the players "seemed to be unprepared".  That's different from saying they were.  As someone who coaches and who played, there are plenty of instances where I either was prepared/did prepare my players but the performance did not reflect it.  I don't see any of those comments as shots at Coach A.  Coach Conger is deservedly a COY candidate.  He took a young team to within one win of the conference title against good competition.  To discount his candidacy is to insult him and his team, and they deserve better than that.

As to Grotberg being sick:  That is something that fans wouldn't necessarily know, and should be pointed out, but fan opinions are based on what they see in the game.  They aren't meant to be insulting to players.  At no point did anybody say that players or coaches were bad, just that they had a bad game.  That is a fair comment (especially looking at the box score), and should be taken in the context of a long-time fan being dissappointed in the performance of the team, as I'm sure the team was as well.

Jeffp:  I hope to hear from you again.  I always enjoy hearing about my beloved Grinnell, and your voice is one of the best.

Here's to a great season for a young Grinnell squad, let's look to next year and the hope that this argument won't exist as we all congratulate each other on how great the team did.

I'm with the Guru on this.  You can't compare from year to year, and as much as it pains me to jock the CCIW, I've seen them play.  I've seen the teams that don't make the tourney took, and top to bottom they are usually rediculous.  The ODAC is a really good, competetive league, from what I've seen, and they are moving up the conference depth charts, but one NC and one year with three teams is a little early to start trash-talking the two mighty widwesterns.

That said, anybody who is complaining about the selections this year should take a seat.  If there are upsets in AQ leagues the bubble shrinks.  It's just like if GTeck were to have a great ACC run and take the AQ.  That doesn't mean that all the schools that were projected don't go, it just means that one less bubble team is going to get in.  That's what happened this year.  The ODAC was probably a two-team league this year (if we're all honest) and HS put together run that got them the AQ.  It would be unfair to keep out Guilford (they have a great record and some big wins).  That means that the midwesterns had to have fewer, and frankly, despite the d3hoops rankings, they didn't have the greatest Pool C resumes. 

Could a couple of teams from either of those conferences have been successful?  Of course.  But that's true every year.  Come back strong next year and get those spots back.

Damn.  Long post. Sorry.

Good luck to all the ODAC teams, and congrats on a great conference season.

I have to admit that I didn't and don't see anything offensive about what Jeffp said.  I hope that if there were issues, that some of it wsa just frustration over a tough loss.

Another tough draw for the MWC in the tourney.  Does anyone know anything about Augustana?  How will Carroll match up?

I'm down here in VA, so if the MWC makes it, you can see me in Salem. 

Were they just not shooting well, or did LFC throw something crazy at them?

Tough to have such a good run end in a bad manner.  When it goes bad in the system it goes real bad, I know, but That'll learn'em for next year.

 

Quote

Oddly, I like the CC is the best team comment. Please underestimate Grinnell. If winning 13 in row - including all other nine teams in the conference - coming into the game doesn't impress you, nothing will. Won't even try.

 

Come on, no one from Ripon or Monmouth is ever going to say that Grinnell is the best team in the tournament.  We could be 25-0 and defending National Champs and we would still here 'mice in a box' comments and the like.  The System apparently deeply offends some, and the fact that we are outright champs shouldn't be valid evidence of initial superiority.  Right?? 

"broadcasted"?




I wouldn't be surprised to see anyone win it, but I think that the RC/CC game is going to be a slugfest, and I don't see those teams having the legs to take on the system in game two (should Grinnell win).  I remember '01 when IC and LFC (I think) played an incredibly hard fought game and in the end IC just didn't have the legs to finish.  It was evident from my vantage point, that they weren't prepared to have the system the next afternoon from a hard game.  It'll be interesting all the same.

In response to the '02-'03 argument:  that was a different team.  They were already moving towards a more deliberate (it's laughable, I know) style of system and there was a lot more 'slow down' then on the '01 team.  Skarning and Anderson and Carlson all pushed the ball well.  I feel that they were more demanding pace-wise.  Others may disagree, but that was always my take.  Also, Hochman forced the other team's big man to do a lot more defensively then any of our shooters since.

I agree with Jeffdc.  I think that despite the gaudy scoring numbers, the national recognition of an unbiased award panel would have more weight and put Davey into the mix.  I don't think it overcomes the accomplishments of the seniors, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him ahead of Grotberg.

Quote

It's nice to know I got them all right!

Yeah!  Me too.  It seem labyrinthine when you read them, but when you slow down it makes sense.  I'm in ODAC country these days, and they have this crazy points system based on beating good teams and losing to bad ones that is super complicated, since your point values are constantly changing as the standings shift.  They play good basketball, though.

If anyone gets a chance to get to Salem, VA (ODAC and DIII championships) you should go.  It's a cool venue, and the quality of hoops is really good.  The Strong kid from Guilford should be getting POY looks nationally in my opinion.  He may be; I haven't checked.

Good luck to GC, and good luck to the Bucs.  They could use a win (I'm not a Ripon hater.  Well, anymore), and I really like coach Youngblood.  Still the only coach in the conference that could give Coach A a good fight.  I would buy tickets to that rumble.

Quote from: jeffdc on February 15, 2007, 02:44:39 PM
JeffP, systemfan86, and other GC folks: assuming GC wins on Sat (and I realize, Jeffp, that's a big assumption for you!), which team would you prefer to face? LFC? LU? 

Based on recent form I would want LFC.  I would be interested to get a player's perspective on that.  They seem to have handled them in the most recent game.