FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wabco]

Wes

I have witnessed a goodly number of Wabash / DePauw games and I think you underestimate the power / effect of the underdog in this game.  While I do not have the stats in front of me for ready reference, vivid memory is that often, too often, the favored team has gone home the loser ... and home field does not seem to have the "edge" it has in other contests.  

I believe in those "upsets" the dominant team played not to lose while the other played almost anything goes, a la Trinity laterals.  The underdog with no place to go (in the earlier period of the playoffs when it was simply 8 teams chosen) knocked off the tourney bound team by not punting, trick plays, gimmicks and the like.  It enriches the rilvary ... and causes shudders to the supposedly dominant team.  The one thing that gives me comfort in this scenario (memory again) is that the year following the dominant team coughing up blood when it was not supposed to happen ... the "blood cougher" has a reality check and provides a "revenge beating".

So, I see it as the probability is that the underdog can / will play wild ... as it is not supposed to win in any event ... and the dice may just come up for it. Your old - now retired coach - was classic (when an underdog) at stuff like an on side kick at the start of the game, or end around as the first play, or changing jerseys at half ... or using all 4 downs essentially without regard to place on the field.  

If it doesn't work and you are not supposed to win in any event, so what.  If you are playing to win (i.e. not to lose) and not ready for the knife fight it will be (which on occassion both teams have found themselves)  ... bam ... you just lost.  And that, boys and girls, is why 12,000 fans will show up for "the _________ rivalry west of the 'ghenies"

[Superfoot Wallace]

[wally_wabash]

So....is Witt playing the role of Twiddles on Saturday?

[Geezer Citizen]

The really sad thing about ccomparing Wabash and DePauw schedules is the fact that His Bottomship put DPU in a conference that probably tripled travel expenses and deprived the two schools of common opponents to determine relative strengths before the Bell game. I really could never figure that move to the SCAC out. It just doesn't seem to make good sense.

[Superfoot Wallace]

Not to sound myopic here, wally, but Trinity/Millsaps versus Depauw?

Was Allegheny the 800 pound gorilla in the NCAC? 

Yes, indubitably.

Undoubtedly, even.

(note: reference 300 pound gorilla and cleaved pictographs from earlier posts)

Boohoo, we can't beat Trinity.  Trinity can't be beat.

Witt (Bash and Depauw for that matter) needs to ask themselves if, in this poster's esteem, the greatest Witt linebacker ever got to play a playoff game?  Did this same linebacker ever win a share of the OAC title?  And this is from NCAC era, gentlemen.

And, no offense to the Checkmates, Goldsbury the recent present or present...  the greatest.  Haven't been able to watch a game since his family member hurt his elbow or wrist early in the season.

Now, once you get over that indomitable impasse, that insurmountable goal...  can your team ask itself,  "Been here before?"

Answer better be, "Hell No!"

This ain't reprobate.  Sam Rado would break his foot off in DK's ass.  So, go out, prove Macleod wrong, beat Depauw, beat Trinity for that matter...

This is the last game in the Swamp for the Tigers.  Too bad it was sunny and dry when Macleod visited, because while the sun always shines on a tiger the Swamp ain't no joke. (^TMomitted respectfully)


signed,
Jim Mora

[Black n Gold]

Woo fans want #13 on the list benched?

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2008&rpt=III_playertotoff&site=org

Congrats to #23 and 24 as well!

[ScotLass]

Woo fans want #13 on the list benched?

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2008&rpt=III_playertotoff&site=org

Congrats to #23 and 24 as well!

A single Woo poster suggested benching.
However, this does prove my point about Woo having a lot of meaningless yards......yards don't decide competitions, points do.

Holter ranked #13 with avg 295.8 yds......Woo has scored 188 points
Hudson ranked #24 with avg 279.9 yds.....Wabash has scored 348 points
Whalen ranked #33 with 257.7 yds......Case has scored 344 points

That's not nitpicking....that's a glaring problem.....the name of the game is scoring and not turning the ball over to give your opponent a chance to score

[2004sghost]

Black and gold...I don't think Wooster fans want Holter benched.. But is it asking to much for him to take better care of the ball? Perhaps even do some read progression instead of thowing to the primary receiver regardless if he is wide open or tripled teamed? Now that I see that Holter is 13 in total offense in all comes clear none of the fumbles or interceptions are his fault at all, he like John Daly are victims of bad luck or numerology..

[ScotLass]

The positive spin on all this is that if Woo works on a single item....PROTECT the BALL....Holter, receivers, and those carrying the ball........woweeeee....major progress! It's not like Woo has to change a bunch.

GO SCOTS!!!!!

[Duster72]

Sounds like ALL Wabash fans between 1996 and 2001. 

Fixed for you.

[wally_wabash]

Unless Witt or Allegheny are planning on leaving the conference, I'm pretty sure that this won't be the last game in the Swamp for the Tigers.  They'll be back in 2010. 

And while all of this Witt/Gheny nostalgia is nice, Allegheny has fallen far, far, far from the powerhouse that they were in the 90s.  At the time of this posting, Allegheny is 9th in scoring offense, 8th in pass offense, 9th in rush offense, and 10th in total offense.  For a team with Allegheny's history to be ranked in the bottom three of the conference in every major offensive statistical category is wretched.  The Tigers should have little trouble getting in and out of Meadville with a win. 

[wally_wabash]

Wabash picked up just enough points to slide ahead of Muhlenberg in the AFCA poll this morning.  Wabash is now ranked #2 behind Mount Union, a single point ahead of #3 Muhlenberg. 

[Joe Wally]

Number two!

Wow, heady days for the boys from the 'ville.

Let's not stub our toe on the Hiram Terriers.

Beat Them Dogs!

[Superfoot Wallace]

Wally, It was my understanding 'Gheny was getting Nexturf or Fieldturf or whatever brandname synthetic surface, meaning drainage and a consistent surface game in and game out.

OR

'Gheny already has the new surface installed.

The Swamp is something other than a monicker but an actual playing condition.

Now am second guessing my own post.  However, now that I think about it other notorious fields have been slated for more manageable conditions.

Or we should say manipulable...

signed,
Allan Moore

[wally_wabash]

Yeah, Allegheny installed their synthetic turf in time for use last year I believe. 

I know what you're saying about the playing condition.  Wabash has played games in Meadville in several inches of snow and then again in several inches of standing rainwater.  Not always the best track to play on before the synthetic surface came along. 

And on the subject of synthetic surfaces...with the announcements this year by Wabash and Wooster that artificial surfaces will be installed, I believe that the only NCAC schools left with grass will be Earlham, Hiram, and Oberlin.