Dennis, the white plastic cup on top of the vehicle seemed quite unusual to me.    Unfamiliar with the religious tradition of Principia , other than many of the perceptions some of which may or may not be accurate, conjured up many situations which truly made me chuckle.......sorry for any disrespect but one in my mind wss......"If you hit the car with the plastic cup on it, use the holy water in side" rather than repair!

Sorry that my mind went strangely awry, please excuse me.

Okay....Okay....I will ask and bne the "straight guy" for this one.

What was the plastic cone used for?  What was its purpose?

Couldn't help but it was one of those questions that is begged to be asked!

Ralph, some of the best SWC Cotton Bowls were with Notre Dame.  I saw two of those myself.  Texas, and the next year the rematch.  One trivia question about the Cotton Bowl I can;t remember who:  Was it Bama, A & M or Penn State that scored a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl off an on-side kick.  No one even put a hand on the guy! 

It is really too bad that the Cotton Bowl has been out of the BCS, not a sight for the National Championship!  Probably the size of the stadium.  I don't know.  I will say this though.  Got to see some great OU-UT games in Dallas.  After it was a sell-out, a good five bucks would get you in, as long as you didn't sit down.  When I was younger, you and your friend wore your red in and walked in next to one of the coaches with an OU hat...it was so crowded you could grab hold of the hand of one of the coaches, and asked him if you could walk in so you didn't get stepped on until you got to your dad....  You held on to the coach with one hand, and your girlfriend with the other......Got to see many a game on the field...  You could do that then as long as you knew where the car was when the game was over.....  When I tell stories like that now, my own kids say...sure......totally in disbelief...different world, different time......

Grant Teaff was a good man.  In my young adult hood, He was Baylor football for me.  A great speaker.

The years are catching up with me......this is not SWC basketball but the UCLA-Houston matchup....I can remember laying in bed on that night, and listening to that play by play.....we may have been poor, but that only added to the experience.  Kids today wouldn't understand that...but radio back then, you could see everything that happened......

Whomever the announcer was had the ability to describe a play, and build it up, and have you screaming, what? what? and then he would stun you and bring you up to date!  You felt like you were right there......

well, I won't bore you or any other young'um with such stories .....  still wish I had a pair of canvas basketball shoes!  Got any laying around?

In the words of Bob Hope and I will bore people no more with such stories but Ralph, "Thanks for the memories!"

Thanx also to you Greg.  As the season winds down I am just about to get to understand more and more about how to communicate on this board.   But,  although D-III is now off-season, I still am in the basketball mode until the NCAA and the NIT are completed.

And before we do get away from basketball, as a reader from a distance, an interloper from time to time on the board, let me say thanx to all the people who have made the CCIW Chat, needlessly to say interesting, and sometimes as competitive as that which is occurring on the floor. 

Pat, as I have looked at many of the NCAA sites this year, I always see D3hoops polls and information popping up here and there.  You and those who have worked for or with you to make this board the respectable "definitive source for NCAA Division III basketball" are deserving of greater recognition than you receive.  I tuly feel that without D3hoops, our niche in  the world of college basketball would almost be insignificant nationally...oh hum! there is a tournament for those who can't make the big leagues kind of a perspective on our teams quality of play and quality of experience.  You have made it far from the later ho-hum stage into a more significant place in the NCAA.

I don't blow anyone any smoke.  I mean that sincerely and with great appreciation.  Whereas I can only seak for myself, somehow and at some point, those of us who do gain from this site that you provide owe you a huge debt of gratitude.  Sincerely, Thank You for allowing all of us to pop a few buttons and strut our stuff when our teams and our young men break out of the pack for their fifteen minutes of fame, and also for allowing us the opportunity, yes the opportunity, to be taken down a peg or two when it is necessary.  You have added to the game, the competition, the fanfare, and the rivalries that make College sports so enjoyable.

A sincere thank you from one who has enjoyed the experience of D3 basketball and especially CCIW hoops!  Thank You Pat for making it happen!

Hoops Fans, great post I think.  I may have either missed something or read it properly.  If I did read it properly, it was one of the best understated "slams" at the NBA that I have heard for a while.  And that I can take more of anytime.

Of course, I prefer College hoops over watching the NBA.  The players of the NBA are professional and have the abilities to be proclaimed as professionals, but to me their game is sloppy and they get so far away from the rules as they were meant to be that it makes a mockery of the game itself.  Please don't get me wrong.  They are "Professional" athletes and their talent is well above the average good to almost great but I aways come away disappointed.  It has become strictly "hollywood" entertainment rather than basketball the way basketball was meant to be played. 

With the popularity of WWF as great entertainment value, give me a college basketball game that holds to the rules the way it was meant to be played anytime!  There again, as you saw in my previous posts about the SWC, I admit to being a dinasaurus.  And the closer the college game get to the pro's, the more disgusted I get. 

As I say that, I cannot help but think fondly and with the greatest admiration and respect to Coach Meyer's passing, who in my book ranks equal to the Knute Rockne's in football, Naismith, Smith, and others in basketball, and the Brooke Robinson's and Campanella's in baseball.........

Hoops Fan, great slam if it was meant to be that.  Remember I have admitted I am kinda' slow....  In fact I am so slow that I just heard on the news the other day that the United States was going to send a man to the moon and back before the decade was out!

Mr. Ypsi, thanx for the info.  I agree with you.  There are some names well deserving there.......  but.....  as you have said and I have agreed, I regret the credibility factor.

And in conitnuing one thought about the buildup of the A& M - UT game, and turning my thoughts to the over publicized Hollywood production of after game activities,  I wonder how much one of those coins for admission to the BLW in Texas is worth today?

Heard about them, but never saw one....that wasn't a topic that Texas Ladies said much about!  But I have heard stories about ladies who found those coins in their husbands pocket on wash day......  word was that such nice ladies as that looked the other way, never talked about such things in private and never publicly, but poorly was widowed soon thereafter!

Ralph, Warren......  the age of those of us who remember the SWC real days....basketball, what was that?

Some say it was the bladder of a football after an Aggie-UT game!  Cut the Arkansas connection, r u kidding!.......  when Arkansas and Texas played whether it was in Fayetteville or Austin, commerce stopped completely in Arkansas.  Not to date myself but I do recall the 14-13 1963 UT-UA game in Austin at nite  (I think that was before television sports, but the radio did just fine!)  Couple that with the 15-14 UT win at Fayetteville in 1969, and there were some good Arkansas games sprinkled in conference play.  Being Baptist, and with Arkansas kin, it really stung when Baylor would get the best of the Hogs, but rather enjoyable the few times they stole one, (and probably only one) from Texas.  Since the bonfire problems at A & M, and a few swords drawn from the sabres while protecting the field at Aggieland---and the aftermath of those events, I wonder if the buildup for UT=A&M is filled with the intensity that it used to have?   But here I go, in my rocking chair and afghan around my shoulders, thinking of ole' SWC football.......  (and to tell the truth.....baseball in there a little too!)

But I do digress:  THIS IS A BASKETBALL BOARD!  I KNOW...I KNOW!

NCAA D-III All-Americans

Let me congratulate Rick Harrigan on the NABC All-American team.  Without taking anything away from Rick's accomplishment (his CCIW awards are proof enough for this CCIW watcher), I am surprised at some of the names on the list and some of the names which were not on the list!  It appears in part as a cap placed on a conference as to how many All-Americans could be named from a given conference to one, maybe two.  While we some I could response with an absolute Yes...there are many others quite frankly I would have to say, NO WAY! or WHO?  

Knowing the answer, but merely to imply what can be freely implied,  Who picks these teams???

I must express a sincere congatulation to IWU on their season.  That which they were expected to be or do was a task I don't think too many individuals could weather.  They were, as all good champions are, up to the task when the task requires it.  A third place finish in the final four is the best representation anyone could expect, considering their schedule and the schedule of many of the CCIW teams they faced------there were few Miss Mary's on their schedule.  I look forward to the final rankings to see where the conference stands compared to many of the others.  What does it say that the majority, save Wittenberg are what within a 250-275 mile radius of the other  (I'm really not good in mileage!)

As for OKLAHOMA CITY in the late seventies or maybe the early eighties made a very strategic decision to move from the NCAA Division I to NAIA Division I. (That was when NAIA was strong and vibrant.)   They were an instant powerhouse as compared to being the doormat for OU, OSU, Tulsa, Arkansas, and other Division I teams.  They also did not have the athletic endowment to compete with the big boys and the enhancement of those programs in the years that followed.  Quite frankly, Oklahoma money was going to Norman (so close to OKC ), money sources challenged by Oklahoma State who made a decision to compete more agressively in D-I, and the significant increase in ORU programs and Tulsa's desire to maintain their mid-major (not speaking in terms of this year's NCAA tourney!) university status.  They have been a perrenial NAIA National Representative ever since! 

What was surprising to OKU was that about the same time they changed, the NAIA D-I schools soon found that joining NCAA either in D-II or D-III, brought dollars which the NCAA affiliation attracted, even trickling down enough to support their programs as opposed to the NAIA which truly had limited attraction to the money brokers.  Many of the schools straddled the fence for a while, but found the benefits of the NCAA much more beneficial.

The schools in the Southwest (Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana)...small, generally church-related had fewer and fewer opponents, farther and farther away while associated with the NAIA.  The one league that was D-III was in Texas (a while a four team football league) Trinity, Austin College, and a couple of others who played each other twice a year in football to cut down on travel costs. 

The Planner of the ASC concept for NCAA Division III needs to be praised for saving a significant number of school athletic programs in Texas and Oklahoma.

After all that.....on the NCAA D-III front, Congrats IWU!

The rivalry between IWU and Elmhurst has been heating up for some time there is no doubt about that.  It is a good rivalry and how good was displayed at halftime between Augustana and IWU....all the Parents and players fro\m Elmhurst noticed it.

Whereas it always appeared that as soon as Trost could break from the traditional handshake after the end of the game, he would...that is if he went fully through the line or not, stopping only for the obligatory handshake between coaches, head quickly for the locker room.  

At the CCIW tourney, Elmhurst and IWU shared the same locker room, and as the IWU players came out of the dressing room for the second half, Scott Trost walked over to Chris Martin, who in the past 4 or 5 years has not been Trost's most favorite player to say the least, extended his hand and gave Chris some compliments of his competitiveness and play in the CCIW , and most likely against IWU.  (That is an assumption because I was not close enough to hear.)  That was followed by Dauksas who followed with a hand and some comments, obviously out of respect.

All the Parents were amazed at the two rivals coming together at the end of the season.  No Parents were close enough to hear the coversation, but obviously saw the gesture of respect between coach and player, and two of our finer players in this league.

It says a lot about these individuals, about IWU, and about our conference in that when all is said and done, we have some class acts in our region, both coaches and players.  We can fight and fuss like hell, moan and gritch about the play of one payer on another, but in the end we are still a part of something bigger in the CCIW.   And although our slip (meaning our pride) shows quite a lot, and there is no worse an enemy than someone from another conference team, it is, in its own way, family.....and after kissing the blarney stone.....a good family it is!

Best wishes to the Titans on St. Patricks Day...the day of the Green.  Those of us back in the CCIW will wear the Green in honor of our standard bearer, this time for something other than to prevent the pain of a pinch!  Go Titans!

I haven't been on line for a while, but want to congratulate IWU and Augie on an outstanding start to the NCAA tourney.  They are holding the banner high that the competition in the CCIW is as we have said all year strong and worthy!  It is a real shame that should the two could win their next game, and I am not prejudging either game, and that the way the brackets are set we could not have been challenged in brackets that don't meet before Salem.  But, We take what we are given and do the best with what is on our plate.

I would suspect that the rest of the league feels the same as many of the Elmhurst crowd does..........Go Augie,   and has hard as the rivalry is.....Go IWU. 

I do hope that both the IWU crowd and the Augie crowd cough up the dollars to see both games this weekend.  After all, we are at this time of year---family.  And what's the price of another ticket when we are talking family.  (If I could get there, I would buy two tickets myself!)

When we fight amongst ourselves we are each others worst enemy.  When someone comes a beating on our door, we are the best of brothers and sisters and support each other.  Such is the case here.

So, although I am not a spokesperson for all of Elmhurst, good luck to the CCIW's best:  Agustana and Illinois Wesleyan.....I shall wear Green, and the Blue and gold this weekend as I listen to what should be two fantastic games, God willing!

Good luck, gents!

Don't get me wrong.  Coach G has done a good job, and now faced with going into the NCAA after losing 4 of his last 5, his COY will undoubtably be earned!

I do think that Augustana surprised the nation with their game-in and game-out stability until winning the conference.  But give a nod also to Raridon, in his second year making NCC a conference champ...tournament winner but nonetheless a champion........if NCC maintains itself as a strong program year in and year out, when is his coaching efforts acknowledged publicly by the conference?

As for the POY, we need some real definition on that one.  Harrigan lead that team that surprised the nation.  Simmons played strong and was a significant difference in a lot of contest.  Where would IWU be without Dauksas, or Elmhurst without Martin?  and I guess we could go on and on.......  There is something to say that the team leader of the championship team should have some advantage, but ho-hum.......  I want to make sure that what we honor and how we honor are worth the honor.......  AND COMMUNICATE IT!   Otherwise I get the  feeling  like I did when watching the mid-summer All-Star game, and Bud Selig calling the game a tie and told us, nothing but "Its Over!  This is the way it is!"

Where I come from when you give an award it is so valued that it is coveted for some inherit value! Let's honor those deserving honor.  And that includes the All-Conference Teams!

Let's add a little excitement to it.......hey, what about the CCIW All-Conference team playing the All-Conference team from the WIAC.  I would reccomend the Michigan conference, but having to play their eight first teamers to begin with, doesn't seem that it would be a level playing field!  If we did, I am sure that playing it at Hope with their fan-base would even up things!

In the words of Emily Latella...its "unanimous" pick, not anonymous ....so  "Nevermind!"

Actually there are only 18 players according to the CCIW program listing players as All-conference all four years in CCIW ball.

Those honored four years with only 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team recognition:  Chris Martin, Drew Carsten, Jason Wiertel, Corey Coons........Grant, Lira, Sikma (Jack), Yess, Pierce, Warden, Thomas (Mike), Johnson and Schaffer.

Those who were honored four years (with at least one year honorable mention): Shaw, Horst, Lotchin, Greer, and Post.

As for those on the first team this year.....this is Martin's fourth year as an All-Conference selection, Third for Amelianovich, Dauksas, and two years of recognition for Harrigan and Simmons.

If I may add a personal comment:  

1.         If there was any injustice in the line-up, Dauksas not being an anonymous  pick is beyond unbelievable.

2.         I remain opposed to the coach of the year and the MOP going to the conference champions, just because they are conference champions.  Its as if everyone wants everything to be on "automatic".  If a good discussion occurred as to whom would receive these awards, great-----I am satisfied.  If not, I remain disillusioned by the lack of respect to the honorees that such lack of consideration would imply.  (I am not saying that I am disappointed with the selection.  There are good causes for these selections, but I would hope that the decision were arrived at by discerning discussions.)  This comment is not intended to detract from the selections.  To them a special congratulations on the deserved recognition.

Congratulations.

*If I have left out anyone on the listing, I send my regrets.

If you think "game shoes" are paid for by all D-III schools for their athletes, its best to re-do that survey.  The game shoes are the same shoes the athlete wears in practice and going through a couple of pair of them a year is expensive.  And not all schools pick up the tab!  Either that or the athletes as a majority have got together, made an agreement to hoodwinks their parents and pulled one over us all in a grand plan to walk away a hundred dollar plus richer!

Have to check that one out myself!