FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

scotty · August 24, 2005, 07:27:43 PM

Bashbacker765, i dont think it is our optimism as opposed to our lack of pessimism...players come and go, and even the great ones depart...i will guarantee one thing...Wooster will show up and be competitive...Wabash always fights, Wooster always competes...

lancer98 · August 24, 2005, 07:57:54 PM

To say Sutton is the only reason Wooster won the title is yet another stupid comment by some of the Wabash faithful. Year in and year out every team has a player that significantly impacts the success of the the team yet they definetly don't do it alone.

If Schafer was not the QB for Wooster last year the would not have won the title regardless of Sutton's accomplishments. I would venture to say that if you take away just one of Shaffer, McNally, Kearney and others they would not have been as successful.

Sutton is a great player but I get tired of people of this board claiming he is Wooster football. Granted he is a very big part and his impact will be sorely missed. But many of the Wooster players on that team were the best in the conference at their respective positions, and that includes a large percentage of your Wabash players.

scotty · August 24, 2005, 08:05:42 PM

lancer98, nice comments...being new to D3, i can start to understand why Wabash fans are sort of different...dont go there please...as i said earlier, what a conference, what battles...

BashBacker#16 · August 24, 2005, 10:28:42 PM

Lancer and Scotty,

Tony Sutton was to Wooster '04 as Peyton Manning is to the Colts. Without him, forget it. I believe you guys are using the tactic that you often refer to the Wabash guys as "spin." Spin it however you like, without Sutton last year, you wouldn't have run the table!

Almost identically, Knott (Wabash) was the key guy for the '02 run along with a similar supporting cast - Short, Boulais, Hammer, Morris, etc. We have all made many comparisons to Woo '04 (McNally, Cline, Kearney, Vega, etc.) and Bash '02.

We'll see what Schafer does on October 15...

BashBacker#16 · August 24, 2005, 10:31:53 PM

Point of clarification -

I was not directly comparing McNally with Ryan Short. McNally had a very good/impressive senior year and came to play each week. Short ended his career as the leading receiver in Wabash history (230+ receptions!) and caught more career TDs in the history of Indiana collegiate football - all divisions.

ScotsFan · August 24, 2005, 10:32:26 PM

What I can't understand is that it seems that every year Wabash faithful come into every season with unbridled optimism which is understandable given the recent success of your program. This includes the year after you lost Knott and Short. Those were huge losses and yet I still remember the Wabash faithful predicting that the defense would then lead them to a repeat of the conference championship in '03. When that didn't happen, then it then turned to the senior leadership would bring back the title in '04! So much for that as well.

My point is, the Wabash faithful seem to be never ending in their optimism entering every season and for some reason when supporters from other teams, heaven forbid, decide that they would like to show a bit of optimism towards their respective team, they are ridiculed about it by the ever optimistic 'Lil Giant faithful.

Wooster fans don't need to be reminded of the greatness that was Tony Sutton (Wally). He was a talent that we may never see the likes of again and we, as Wooster supporters, were fortunate enough to enjoy watching his mastery on the field. But he would be the first to deflect the praisie to the efforts of the team that surrounded him and that he might not have been as productive without every part of that championship team!

As for the optimism being shown on the part of the Wooster faithful, I say it is warranted. There is no clearcut runaway conference favorite from what I can see. Do the Scots have a lot of holes to fill? Yes they do, but so do many other conference favorites. Maybe not to the extent of Wooster, but that is what recruiting is for and an undefeated regular season and advancing to the 2nd round of the playoffs can't hurt in the recruiting process! Personally, I think that Wooster will have a bit of a chip on their shoulders to go out and prove that there is life in Wooster football after TS!!!

GO SCOTS!!!

scotty · August 24, 2005, 10:34:36 PM

BashBacker90, me thinks youve the lost the meaning of D3 football...the school will go on, the football team will go on...and, also the world will go on...gosh im glad we went back to Ohio...

Bashbacker765 · August 24, 2005, 11:57:23 PM

WOO PEOPLE,

Even when we agree with you. You go psycho. Spin it how ever you like. You are right. We thought we would build on 2002, and 2003 would be even bigger. We did not realize the loss of Jake Knott until the 2003 season. With everything in place except the QB change we thought we could roll. We had a good year, but not the year that most Wabash people had hope for. You have to be optimistic. If not, why show up at all. I'm sure even Hiram is optimistic.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS!

gobash · August 25, 2005, 01:05:17 AM

Oh thank God...petty pointless bickering! I was beginning to wonder if we were to be doomed to a season of civility on the boards. Well thank heavens THAT'S over!

Let's just suffice to end this argument with Wooster, good luck, we've been there, and it kinda sucked.

Wabash, let's go bust some heads, and show em how it felt after Knott left on the 15th of October.

lancer98 · August 25, 2005, 08:02:44 AM

Bashbackers,

I have no problem about people being optimistic, but realize your team has weaknesses. You seem to have no problem poiting out the weakness of other teams, I am sure you can find some on yours.

When you lose a top caliber running back (Lafitte) and have no one on your current teamb close to his talent level, don't spout off as many of you did that is was no big deal. Quite possibly that is definetly a weakness heading into the season for your team as it is for Wooster.

tiger_alum · August 25, 2005, 09:36:24 AM

In my humble opinion, this happens every year.

Key individuals are lost from a starting position, and the questions begin...What are we going to do? How are we going to replace him?

Then an amazing thing happens! Either an under classman steps up big in the off season, or a stud recruit comes in and BAM! Void filled.

Then all of the optimism (or lack there of, from your foes) begins. "We can do this. We will do this. You won't do that. There is no way you will even come close"...but it is all pointless speculation.

The outcome will be known in November (as someone posted earlier). Then and only then can (and in my opinion should) anything be said.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying one shouldn't get on here and support their team, alam mater, or loyalty, but there is an ongoing verbal battle about something none of us really know anything about. We don't know how things will end. We don't know if any injuries could occur during the season, kids quit, get kicked off, and the list could go on.

Have fun, enjoy yourself, and don't take other comments personal...

That is just my humble opinion...

O.K. -- Now I am ready for my verbal abuse, give it to me.

smedindy · August 25, 2005, 10:04:18 AM

As for Lafitte - It's not a huge deal if the line comes through. It IS a concern. Lafitte was lost most of the year last year and when Wabash tried to get him in the lineup that's when they struggled.

Look up the games he played and the games he didn't play last year - it's telling, really.

I am concerned about the running game, of course. Wabash won't succeed without it.

And geez, haven't we had this exact same discussion about Wabash fans every year for five years? Move on, let go...

lancer98 · August 25, 2005, 10:12:06 AM

tiger_alum,

You make many good points in your posts. You will recive no abuse here.

seinfeld · August 25, 2005, 10:16:34 AM

Comments about Wabash fans will die when they stop being so over the top about their posts.

According to Witt's updated roster, they have lost a starting safety, Hewitt, to a season-ending injury. He was their third-leading tackler last year. Another blow to the Witt defense.

Bashbacker765 · August 25, 2005, 11:16:54 AM

QuoteAnd geez, haven't we had this exact same discussion about Wabash fans every year for five years? Move on, let go...

I couldn't agree more Smeds. We will always be the outsiders. We are not from the great states of Ohio or Pennsylvania. It really bothers the NCAC that Wabash came to compete. Most don't understand the all male campus. Unless you have been involved with Wabash. I can understand all the misconceptions that are displayed by most of the rest of the conference. Sad, but I can understand it.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS![/size]