FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[LGHistorian]

Frank & Wabco-

   I have a funny story related to "The Recruit."  Coach Navarro many times during breaks in practice would talk about his former experiences.  He mentioned that he got to pose for that picture because Norman Rockwell was a neighbor of his.
   I mentioned to my parents about the picture and they and the rest of my family went on for the next 3 years or so to find a print to give to me as a gift. They weren't having much luck so my sister-in-law decided to go to an art store to see if it could be ordered.  My sister-in-law told the store owner that it was "The Recruit" by Norman Rockwell and he set off to his office to look it up.  He had been gone for quite awhile and my sister-in-law was about to give up and leave because she figured he was helping with something else and forgotten about her.
   All of sudden he came back and asked her, "Where in the world did you see that picture?"  She told him that she hadn't seen it only that she had heard about it.  He went on to tell her that if she ever came across a print of "The Recruit" to contact him and he gave her his business card because this is a very rare Norman Rockwell painting.
   In  the meantime my parents gave me a book of Rockwell's work which had "The Recruit" in it.  There was some initial talk of cutting the picture out and framing it but I did not want to ruin the book just to frame the picture on the wall.
   Several more years pass and my parents decided to go to the Parke Co. (IN) Covered Bridge Festival.  Among the various vendors at the Festival was someone who had a box full of copies of Rockwell's various works, just reprints on plain hard stock paper (more than likely they were to be part of a book or in fact removed from a book).  My parents took a chance and sorted through the box and found a copy of "The Recruit" and bought it for just $5 and now I have it hanging in my living room.

[frank uible]

Prints are hard to find. Once in a very long while one pops up for sale on eBay at a price which I so far  have been unwilling to pay. There is one exception to that statement - the Rockwell Museum does or used to offer reproductions on the face of post cards at modest prices, but these are so small that they are not suitable for the type of display I have in mind.

[DadofBashWarrior..]

Lindy's Division III Preseason Top 25
1. Mount Union
2. Wisconsin-Whitewater
3. Bethel (Minn.)
4. Mary Hardin-Baylor
5. Washington & Jefferson (Pa.)
6. Wesley (Del.)
7. Wabash (Ind.)
8. Capital
9. St. John's (Minn.)
10. Case Western Reserve

The Sporting New's Division III Preseason Top 25
1. Mount Union
2. Washington & Jefferson
3. Wesley (Del.)
4. Wisconsin-Whitewater
5. St. John's (Minn.)
6. Mary Hardin-Baylor
7. Muhlenberg
8. Wabash
9. Bethel (Minn.)
10. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
11. Wittenberg
**12. Case Western Reserve

USA Today's Division III Preseason Top 25
1. Mount Union
2. Wesley (Del.)
3. Wisconsin-Whitewater
4. Wabash
5. St. John's (Minn.)
6. St. John Fisher
7. Capital
8. North Central
9. Muhlenberg
10. Bethel (Minn.)
11. Salisbury
12. Mary Hardin-Baylor
13. Cortland State
14. Central
15. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
16. Case Western Reserve

[02 Warhawk]

so how does everyone think Wabash will fair this year? I was just looking for a little scouting report from its fans. I noticed the Little Giants are ranked 4th in the USAToday preseason poll, congrats on that!! will they take the next step and compete with the big boys in the playoffs?

I'll never forget you guys coming to Whitewater in last year's playoff game. I remember pulling into the parking lot and seeing a sea of red and thought, "WTF!!! this is a Whitewater home game right?" got to love your guys spirit.

[Superfoot Wallace]

Really enjoyed that back and forth between you guys: wabco, frank and LGH.

Wish I knew more about Witt's history, but alas much of my knowledge is reduced to pictures of Charlie Green and Don Hunt walked past on the way to the athletics offices.

Do think our Hall of Fame coach, Dave Maurer, is a a Denison alum.  Don't know if he was or wasn't a Piper Wing disciple.  Think Charlie Green was a Bill Edward's quarterback. 

Without being so cliched as to say the run sets up the pass, can at least get by saying verses in multiple forms of the single wing's offtackle plunge is a good starting point toward understanding looks to different fronts for different sprints, rollouts and playactions.  Actually, Might place the rollout in the T series buck lateral but utes guys don't wanna hear all my x's and o's.

Be fun sometime to see some gametape from both the Coach Maurer and Coach Edwards eras. Theres a little clip of the broadcast game with BW on Wittfan's sight, but that does nothing more than whet the appetite.


signed,
Boyd Dowler

[frank uible]

This item is for those rare few who might be interested in the history of "The Recruit". While most of Rockwell's magazine covers appeared on The Saturday Evening Post, "The Recruit" actually appeared on the 9/20/66 issue of Look magazine.

[ADL70]

MacLeod

BW site has video of the 1982 BW-Witt game broadcast by CBS w/Madden and Summerall during the NFL strike.

Also the 1978 Witt-BW Stagg Bowl in 1978, but I can't get the video to show.

And last year's BW-Augie game.  Swan song of Augie's wing T.

http://www.bw.edu/athletics/video/

My first Tigers game featured Ron Lancaster at QB (CFL player and coach) routing Mt. Union.  I attended nearly every home FB and BB game from 60-66.  Ron Murphy was my HS government teacher.  I saw many Chuck Green to Bob Cherry TD passes.

[wabco]

02 Warhawk

Thank you for the fan compliment.  I would like to return it.  Quite properly the Warhawkers were prideful of their team and its accomplishments.  However, they were also very fine hosts and we all ended up spending some quality time (quality time being measured in Miller Time) with them.  Personally, nothing would please me more than having another opportunity to play you guys.  You team and the weather taught us a good deal.  Hope we have better weather and also present a very fine challenge.  I know one thing ... there will be red and white in the stands ... no matter the weather.

As to our outlook, we have a solid core of line on both sides of the ball back.  We had a number of injuries there and that permitted others to gain experience.  So we have both the experience plus the injuries back.  (This, of course, assumes Mr. injury does not again visit like he did last year.)

We lost a pretty strong (read: a LB corps we were pretty proud both in ability but also their individual character) LB corps.  However, the backup ... again Mr. Injury intervened a little here, should fill in nicely.  Our QB is back and he performed very well as a passer and has the size to run.  A Q mark at RB but the J Back is a stud.  (Wish we had a RB like the Warhawk one I watched on that snowy day.)  However, I have heard our RBs have worked their bottoms off in the off season.  Our receiver corp graduated, but Wabash is traditionally deep at that spot and this coming year is no different.  Should be fine.  DB  defending on outside was a little tough last year (something you guys exploited very well as I recall).  I look for an entirely new defense look and set up which should cover any weakness exposed in the past in this area. 

It is my understanding we will show a new offense and defense ... one of the benefits of a new coaching staff.  Early on (before scouting can really impact) we should pose an interesting "what is going on" type challenge to our opponents' D and O coordinators. 

I like our coaches.  Was really bummed to lose CC ... but if we had to, I am pleased by who "showed up".  Wabash, as we like to say:  "is not for everyone".  You need to understand the inner heartbeat and drive.  I think our present coaches fit that bill very well (in their ability, drive for excellence, intensity, leadership of our men, and their understanding of what makes Wabash Wabash) and simply bring a different look on O and D.  I look for our D to be more adverturesome than was exhibited last year.  I look for the Coaches to "enable" that RB and also to push us in the direction of the run being a very viable weapon.  Look for the QB to be willing to run more.  Perhaps, you will see a team concept of QBs.  I know we have done pretty well recruiting some option/run-pass QBs.  Our incoming Frosh class will be a little smaller in size (given the interregnum in settling on new coaches during the heart of the recruiting season).  However, quality wise, I think we kept up the beat.  It is a credit to CC and his assitants that they let the recruits they were focusing upon know to "stay the course" and "stay Wabash".  My information is that most did PLUS the new coaches added a momentum of their own.

So, long story short ... the path goes through good Witt and Gheny teams and the like and then Case should be back (and for another opportunity at us).  If we mind the store, we just may get to see your guys again.  That would be nice.  Great team, great facility, great hospital fans.

[wabco]

Thats: "hospitable fans" as opposed to "hospital fans".

[wally_wabash]

I would expect CWRU to return to the playoffs as well, but the Spartans will have pretty much zero margin for error.  It's tough for teams from the UAA to make the tournament field with any blemishes on their record.  I would expect the Fish Stringer game to be a doozy this year and CWRU ends the season at Wash U. who tend to play most teams pretty tough.  And you never know what you might get from OWU.  There isn't a lot of beef in the CWRU schedule, but there are a few games that will be difficult.  Going 10-0 is tough to do which is what I think it will take for CWRU to get back in to the playoffs.  I hope they make it though...I just hope I don't have to drive to Cleveland to see them play again.   

[wab64]

Thats: "hospitable fans" as opposed to "hospital fans".

Are you thinking back to your case of frostbite, Wabco? I wish I would have joined you, since I live 350 miles north of Whitewater. Had plans but the weather forecast on Thursday was for 12-18 inches in Northern Wisconsin. Pretty tough sledding to drive 350 miles in 18 inches of snow.
     Hope you didn't end up in the "hospital"- just a lot of anti-freeze should have done the trick. Wab64

[ADL70]

Thanx for the boost Wally.

CWRU's schedule is the same as last year, with the exception of one of the start-ups being replaced by Hiram (maybe a bit tougher) and the other by Rochester (ECAC playoff team).

[gobash]

I'll never forget you guys coming to Whitewater in last year's playoff game. I remember pulling into the parking lot and seeing a sea of red and thought, "WTF!!! this is a Whitewater home game right?" got to love your guys spirit.

I'll never forget that game either.  We had a great time, well, especially before the game, but we enjoyed cheering on our team despite quite a pasting.  The drive back to Indiana was significantly less fun, as I'm sure Wally can attest, since he had to drive with me, and my nerves were a bit frayed with the weather.

I look forward to a rematch next year, preferrably in slightly more tropical (or at least non-antarctic) climes.

[Superfoot Wallace]

Coming back from the Oberlin-Witt game last year, was passed by a light blue Land Rover bearing Bash plates.  Assuming the group in tow was returning from Bash-Wooster, and considering the inclimate driving conditions retruning from Whitewater would also assume that was a rig of choice for that game as well.

On safari, the Land Rover is usually the only other sled ranked up there with the Toyota Landcruiser.  While the Mariner's McClaren got the axe a few weeks ago, the Brit's McClaren is still hanging around.

Anyway, is that Land Rover seen on I-70 one of the board posters?  Was a real tortoise and hare match as I was leaving Springfield roughly about the same time the Wooster game finished and was passed just after Dayton.  Sweet ride, but I just putt along.

There's some hullaballoo associated with the Australian IRL race this October.  Keep your ears posted Indycar fans.


signed,
fIRST oN rACEdAY

[smedindy]

I've heard rumblings about Australia in both IRL and F-1, so I'll stay tuned.

I don't know if Bash is a top-10 team. Top 20, for sure, but the losses are big and the replacements, while talented, need to prove it on the field.