Quote from: Collegeville Magic on November 26, 2006, 06:25:59 PM

Seattle Times about the halftime talk that spurred a strong second half:
"We just had to play better," said Saint John's coach John Gagliardi of the slim 7-3 lead for the Minnesota school. "A couple of the assistant coaches were trying to invent plays and I said, 'Geez, just execute what we've got. Don't draw up something in the sand — you don't need to do that.' "

Wisdom, sheer wisdom. The difference between winning and losing.

Congrats Johnnies for an impressive win today at the Pine.

Your win today was generated in the locker room at halftime. Whatever was said was executed very well by your players.

Looking forward to seeing you next year in the playoffs, as defending champions, except in McMinnville. CATS are on a prowl.

Congrats to the Pirates for their outstanding season. It's something to build on, but be forewarned as every CAT will tell you, you're a marked team. Getting to the top is one thing, staying there is another.

Fastest man at the Pine Bowl today was the STREAKER just before the opening kickoff. It appeared to be a RAT - all he had on was a tatoo.

Back to the game - my assessments. Whitworth had their chances,but...

The Johnnies are a blue-collar, metal lunch bucket type of team. No Elliott- type this year (like 2003), but the Johnnies have a core of receivers that ran hard, blocked very well and caught the ball.

Whoever said Gaglardi is a master of half-time adjustments is very, very correct. I really fell the Bucs lost a lot of emotion during the third quarter. St. Johns really shut down Whitworth on both sides of the ball - took 'em out of the game.

Whitworth gave away the flats again, only this time the Johnnies took advantage of it. The Bucs played the option just like St. John's diagramed it in their playbook - opps, they don't have a playbook. Anyway, it sucked.

Again, Whitworth used great unimagination with their offensive scheme, run right, run left, one counter, no crossing pass patterns, but Clark did throw to Allan 300% more than last week. Netted very few yards though.

For the second week in a row, I told the people around me that if the Rats' defensive linemen applied the swim technique during their pass rush, they would be more successful. Do coaches still teach this technique or has it disappeared along with leisure suit?

Finally, I applaud the Johnnie fans. Four chartered busses full of die-hard fans. The visiting fan area was full. The charted flight must have been full, and of course the trip home had to be enjoyable.

Speedy,

I think it really helps that young people are being influenced by positive people, former athletes could to mind. It doesn't necessarily mean having teaching and coaching positions, a business owner, insurance and/or financial planning rep, physician, anybody with influence can recruit.

Quote from: pennstlbu on November 24, 2006, 09:19:39 PM

Unfortunately, no one in western Montana is going to be paying attention to this game, outside of myself. Even though I'm from western Montana and went to school at a NWC school, not many people out here are aware of DIII football in the northwest, even at Whitworth in Spokane, which is only a 2 and a half hour drive from Missoula.

My point exactly.

One thing I'm disgruntled about, for the sake of D3 football, is the lack of exposure I'm seeing on local TV about the Johnnies, and especially Coach Gagliardi. How many times does a legend come to town? Oh well, Spokane needs more experience in working with D3 sports. Too bad they won't get it. CATS are on the prowl.

Great story - Helmets for Hunger. Thanks for sharing.

I need to clarify a couple of things from the above post: The Coeur d'Alene event is Friday night - tonight . Secondly, there is nothing wrong with Lute athletic alums. There are just not enough of you to adovate your alma mater to the many fine collegiate aged men and women. Improve on that and I bet the number of quality recruitments follow.

Johnnie Fans in Spokane,
I know the big event is tomorrow at the Pine Bowl, but weather permitting, check out Coeur d'Alene (30 miles east of Spokane) and their Christmas parade and fireworks display. As a CAT enjoying life in the great Inland Northwest, I know it's quite impressive. You guys have a million lakes, but Lake Coeur d'Alene, well, it's special.

Chewey,
My thoughts on PLU and its trip to mediocrity. The whole western side of Washington is in the dumps. It must be the water. The "water" was good in my day - Olympia beer. UW no longer is the gem of the NW. PLU nolonger has Frosty on the sidelines. He too was a gem. SW is not totally to blame, game-day coaching or otherwise; he lacks the presence Frosty brought to the table. My point, at least 13 present day Linfield student-athletes hail from the Puget Sound area. Another dozen or so live in the Vancouver area. A significant amount of CATS hail from the I-5 corridor? Setting academics aside, PLU has a real problem, not so much with their facilities, but with athletic alums. Linfield doesn't.

Also, Johnnie fans
When Coach Gagliardi retires, your program will continue as successfully as it is now. Linfield had no problem, Rutchman followed Durham, Langsdorf followed Rutschman, Locey followed Lansdorf, Smith follwed Locey. The commonality: each grew the Linfield experience, as a player or coach.

I wish both the Pirates and the Johnnies good luck tomorrow. I good game promotes D3 football. With the exception of last weekend, championship D3 football has not been played in Spokane. There are many present day high school athletes in eastern Washington, north Idaho, western Montana who need to be exposed to our brand of football.

57Johnnie,

I remember that game well. Sometimes CATS get hairballs and must spit 'em up. Leaves a bad taste, red and white. Had it not been, oh well fortunate for you.

Whitworth's head coach called yesterday's victory "magic" He is right. Oxy must have had feelings much like Linfield after our loss to UW-W last year. As has been said by most NWC posters, Whitworth will go as far in the playoffs as their defense will carry them. 509 and pinecone, after further assessment, in crunch time, Whitworth's D caused Collins fits because they made Oxy's o-line give it up. In my mind that's what is going to give the Johnnies big trouble too. Will they be able to withstand the Rats front 7 during crunch time?

This Whitworth team has withstood some adversity this year. First, UW Stout when they still had aspirations. Linfield and Oxy. In every case they found what it took to win. St. Johns is next.

I'm sure Spokane will welcome you with open arms. Bring your money, there are some great restaurants. Whitworth will remind you of Linfield, a beautiful campus with lots of trees. No Catdome, but the Pine Bowl can be rowdy in a Whitworth kind-of-way. The best part about your trip to the great Inland Northwest is your're going to have to explain to everybody what the heck are Johnnies, but most importantly the Rats believe and you're going to have to bring your "A" game if you expect to prevail.

Lady Tiger,

As a CAT watching the Pirates-Tigers playoff game in Spokane, I was impessed with both programs. You should be proud of your team. It's a shame someone had to lose today. However, I disagree with your assessment of the wet turf and the officiating. The Pine Bowl has one of the finest football fields in D3`football. The turf was not at all wet and really had no bearing on the outcome of the game. Insofar as the officating, the crew from Minnesota did an outstanding job. I felt they let the game be decided by the players; missed calls were at a minimum. Remember had the one long pass play at the end been intercepted or incomplete, Occidental probably would have won the game.

Foss,

You're probably right on the comparision I used with Collins having an arm like Elliott. Collins threw impressively today with zip and velocity on the ball when throwing his quick screens, much like I remember Elliott. It seems Collins didn't show us much throwing long, except for the last play of the game.

I don't know if you Bucs fans noticed on one play in the 2nd Q when Clark started under right guard, then realized his mistake and went to center. That would confuse the guard more than anybody else, don't you think?

Well boys, a CAT went to the RAT game today, and I'll give a purely unbias opinion. To 509, I very happy for you. Enjoy the victory, reap the reward, but both teams were evenly matched, one was no better. Remember, Whitworth was playing on a short field much of the first half. Had it not been for one play (you know which one), Oxy would have won.

I was very empressed with Collins; he took the flats on either side with quick screens all day. I thought he mixed it up quite well - to the point Whitworth's D had no idea what was happening. He should have stretched the field. His arm reminded me of BE. Clark, on the other hand, played as a wounded warrior. His last minute desperation pass to Koller was a "throw it as far as you can while on the run" type play. Oxy applied very good pressure. Clark was lucky to get it off.

Whitworth, in my mind, has a very simple, unimaginive offensive scheme. Follow their "quick guard." He'll take you to the point of attack. Zone block left, zone block right. It resembles a moving wedge. On a pass play, quess what the guard does..hats up. When the Rats used crossing patterns, and backs out of the backfield in conjunction with deep crossing routes, they had touchdowns.

My greatest disappointment was watching a "NFL type" TE being a decoy all day. Clearly, he was multi-teamed, but he stood head and shoulders above everybody. The one time Clark threw the ball to him on a flanker screen, he alluded his first tackler and then dragged two others for about 8 yards and a first down. I thought Whitworth really could have used him a lot better. Had Linfield ever used Casey Allen as I decoy? Of course not. Allan has talent and skills - showcase them, especially with a gimpy QB.

Obviously, the difference of the game was Whitworth's last minute drive. But what set it up was the play of the Rats driving 90+ yards in the 3rd quarter to retake the lead. Oxy took a pounding during the drive. Whitworth was very methodical, but Oxy's defensive scheme gave up at least 3-4 yards off tackle-end because they played 5 linebackers most of the time under 2 safeties and by the time the LB's reacted, the RATs achieved positive yardage.

I had fun sitting with the Whitworth fans. They are really enjoying their team. I'm happy for them to be able to experience a win at home. With the Johnnies next week, I think Whitworth will do just fine. Their quickness on defense will defend the Johnnie run quite well. 509, to make sure we see the same game next week, meet me under the press box.

One game at a time RATS.

First, hats off to the Cats for an exciting season.

Second, congrats to the Rats for putting away UPS so soundly. It took you a 100 years to go undefeated. Let's hope it doeesn't take you that long for another undefeated season.

As a thought, perhaps you will measure success this year not by what you have done, but by what you have overcome. Defeating Willamette (finally), going undefeated, beating Linfield for the first time in 30 years, at the Cadome nevertheless.

Your post season is full of challenges. The better prepared you are, the more luck you will have. Believe it or not you are going to need a bit a luck in traversing the West Regional. Good luck!

Pine Cone at 509 Rat, I expect you guys to carry the load for this board keeping us abreast of everything that's happening with the Bucs.

Oh yea, Speedy,

ACFKACOI is the alma mater of the late, great R.C. Owens. The College of Idaho from Caldwell; the Taters played good football, but they just couldn't win consistently.

Thanks Red for reminding me to honor those brave souls who gave it up for the rest of us. To all, you are not forgotten, especially Mike Barrow.

Bringing up Pacific for an additional opponent is great. Playing under the lights at Forest Grove is even better, beings they had one of the smelliest fields known to mankind. Too bad they plowed the field and tore down - or did it fall down - their version of Qwest Field. BTW, we might as well bring back Whitman and ACFKACOI. Both were capable adversarys in their day, and each has the money and resources to do so, it's just that we beat them too badly too often. And, if we really want a league of our own, maybe the old Seattle Ramblers can muster up a few ex-Huskies.

As others have said and what I believe, it ain't over til the fat lay sings. It's not all that bad having your destiny in the hands of another once in a while.

I, like all the Cats on this board, am very frustrated over the outcome of yesterday's game against Whitworth. I don't know any of the Cat players, but I do know some of the coaches. To a man, I suspect, did not wake up Saturday morning and think about going out and losing a football game. 

However, this loss will be remembered in Cat history for uniqueness. Never in the course of human events has a team limited a Top Ten caliber team to 85 yards total offense, made them punt 8 times, yet manage to lose the game. Linfield played great defense, Clark, Allan, and the rest of the Rats were ineffective. Future Rat opponents this year will love to get their hands on the video for Linfield put on a clinic on how to stop the Whitworth O.

The Cat offense is being judged for occasionally having lack of focus, lack of discipline, lack of concentration because these maladies are the root of the problem. To my knowledge, twice, while inside the 10, our players lost the ball while running. Another lost the ball allowing it to be stripped from his grasp while being gang tackled. Coaches must not overlook the importance of fundamentals in the late season, but a lot of them do. Tucking the football is often overlooked, especially in late season and Linfield paid the price.

As spectators, there is nothing we can do in preparation and outcome of a football game.  We wear our emotions proudly and sometimes painfully. Linfield is still the high-class, dominating football program that it has been for 51 years. This team has honorably carried the torch of greatness established in 1956 and who knows, as Dandy Don said, "it ain't over til it's over.

Whitworth, we can't forget you. A sign of a great team is having flexibility, being able to bend but not break. While having the ball stuffed down your throats must of the time, you managed to tighten up when you had no other choice.  In order to succeed in the playoffs, you better burn all copies of this game video.