FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Ralph Lee Wilson]

In 2011, Coach Long failed to appear on a speeding ticket in Montgomery County (prosecuted by Salter, son of ex-pres, hilariously).  Must have been too many bad memories already made in Crawfordsville.  Due to that, he had a suspended license when he got into a little bump n' grind with his car in Greencastle.  He has nothing in Indiana except infractions, so no big story there.  He certainly could have paid all the back tickets and received a valid license by now.  Just some friendly public records searching from a C'ville attorney.

[bashbrother]

Wabash Weekly Sports Release -

http://sports.wabash.edu/documents/2012/9/18/ReleaseSept182012.pdf?id=70

Note:  This Wabash defense that is already making some noise...  only has (3) Seniors in the starting line-up   

Also:  "Chase Belton (SR/QB/Dayton, OH/Northmont) improved to 20-1 as the starting quarterback"

[wally_wabash]

Some good games this week around the league. 

Allegheny @ Wabash - Home opener for the LGs, Gators had an extra week here.  They almost pulled this off last year until Chase went Chase and engineered a clutch drive in the 4th quarter.  I'm not sure where Allegheny finds many points in this one, but they also have a knack for holding Wabash below season averages so you might get something closer than you'd think (or what knuckleheads to put spreads on these games think).  I think it's going to be a big day for Wabash in front of the home crowd for the first time this year. 

Witt @ Wooster - Two of the more exciting players in the league to watch in this one.  It's under the lights, Wooster had an extra week of prep time, the Scots finally get their homecoming game back.  Maybe a bit of an ambush for Witt here.  Or maybe Witt just keeps playing Tecmo Bowl with people. 

Also some good NCAA/UAA crossover...

CWRU @ OWU - There's some shine off of the Spartans and OWU seems to be playing with, dare I say it, confidence.  Under the lights at Selby, the Bishops may well spring a mild surprise here. 

Chicago @ Oberlin - Interesting because I think this one could be a track meet.  Brizzolara and Witjes should be able to operate fairly freely against the defenses.  Lots of offense here. 

DePauw @ CMU - I don't know if this will be a good game or not.  I know a lot of people will have an eye on it.  How do DePauw's players respond to the last seven days?  How well can you prepare for a nontraditional offense with all of the other distractions? 

Good weekend of football around the league...and some crisp fall weather on tap to boot.  Looking forward to it. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

Agreed, wally, that all three of the NCAC-UAA matchups could be good games this weekend.  I'm very intrigued by that CWRU-OWU game from both sides - is OWU really as improved as they look?  Is the Frostburg loss a blip like last year's early-season loss to Rochester, or has CWRU really fallen off from the last five seasons?

[wally_wabash]

Agreed, wally, that all three of the NCAC-UAA matchups could be good games this weekend.  I'm very intrigued by that CWRU-OWU game from both sides - is OWU really as improved as they look?  Is the Frostburg loss a blip like last year's early-season loss to Rochester, or has CWRU really fallen off from the last five seasons?

Quick take on CWRU...they have a pretty good team.  But it isn't a coincidence that the Spartans have not made the playoffs since Dan Whalen exhausted his eligibility.  That dude was a beast and made the difference from CWRU being significantly better than average to above average teams (such as Wooster, Rochester, Allegheny, Frostburg State, Chicago, WUStl, CMU) and being on par with that tier of teams.  CWRU's results against that tier of teams have been very close in the last two seasons.  Rochester got them last year.  Frostburg State got them this year.  WashU and Chicago got them in 2010.  They're a good team for sure, but don't have that one thing that really sets them apart anymore. 

[The_Bishop]

Some good games this week around the league. 

CWRU @ OWU - There's some shine off of the Spartans and OWU seems to be playing with, dare I say it, confidence.  Under the lights at Selby, the Bishops may well spring a mild surprise here. 

I'm obviously very excited about this game and will be watching from home.  I don't participate in the pick 'em contest anymore but am thinking the line is CWRU (-9.5)?  Either way, lots of new students on campus to take in their first night game at Selby and a Bishop team playing with a lot of energy and excitement right now.  Can't wait. (TM rights to Bart Scott).

[ExTartanPlayer]

Quick take on CWRU...they have a pretty good team.  But it isn't a coincidence that the Spartans have not made the playoffs since Dan Whalen exhausted his eligibility.  That dude was a beast and made the difference from CWRU being significantly better than average to above average teams ... They're a good team for sure, but don't have that one thing that really sets them apart anymore.

Oh, I agree completely about Whalen being a difference maker.  We overlapped for two years and I know he was a huge part of them ascending in the first place; I have noted that they haven't gone undefeated since he graduated.  However, I did think that - while he was the catalyst - the program as a whole was stronger when he left than it was before (i.e. the Whalen-led playoff teams resulted in bigger recruiting classes).  Their decent seasons the last two years, although they clearly weren't quite the same, lent some credence to my thinking that perhaps they'd jumped a level - so this season is important for CWRU, in my opinion, if they want to avoid sliding back to the doldrums (which I don't think will happen).

[wally_wabash]

Some good games this week around the league. 

CWRU @ OWU - There's some shine off of the Spartans and OWU seems to be playing with, dare I say it, confidence.  Under the lights at Selby, the Bishops may well spring a mild surprise here. 

I'm obviously very excited about this game and will be watching from home.  I don't participate in the pick 'em contest anymore but am thinking the line is CWRU (-9.5)?  Either way, lots of new students on campus to take in their first night game at Selby and a Bishop team playing with a lot of energy and excitement right now.  Can't wait. (TM rights to Bart Scott).

I have it at CWRU -2.5 in the NCAC pick 'em. Obviously I've been swayed more than others by the trajectories of these two teams. I haven't checked, but I'm also probably not getting as much split action on that game as others.

[The_Bishop]

^^I was doing my best to be as objective as I could with the 9.5 spread, Wally, but if we say that's an honest spread on a neutral field and Selby under the lights for the home opener is worth a TD, then you're spread is spot on.

It goes without saying I'll be rooting my heart out for the Red Black this Saturday night and would love to see another W.  Just recognizing CWRU's talent and the task ahead.

[BashBacker#16]

None of the car rental places are going to check if your license is suspended - you just have to show it when you pick up the car - it's obviously not going to show it's suspended.

I wish we could find out more on why he drove to away games!  That is whacked man on all fronts.

[smedindy]

Reasons Robby Long didn't ride with the team to away games:

1. He could blast Katy Perry and Lady Gaga as loud as he wanted to.
2. Have you smelled 18-22 year old football players? Yick.
3. Wanted time to slow jam the game plan.
4. Someone paid him $500 to deliver some Coors beer across the border.
5. Kept trying to tell the bus driver a faster route and was told to zip it, so he'll drive on his own to show him.
6. Had to prove that he was a man, he's 30.
7. There was this Pad Thai place he wanted to go to but was outvoted. You haven't lived until you've had good Pad Thai.
8. Sad the bus didn't stop in Reelsville. He knew someone there and wanted to say hi.
9. Kept oversleeping and missing the bus.
10. If he rode on the bus, he'd have to fulfill those pesky administrative duties.

[wally_wabash]

4. Someone paid him $500 to deliver some Coors beer across the border.

Did he utilize the "rocking chair" to avoid the sheriff?

[formerd3db]

Reasons Robby Long didn't ride with the team to away games:

1. He could blast Katy Perry and Lady Gaga as loud as he wanted to.
2. Have you smelled 18-22 year old football players? Yick.
3. Wanted time to slow jam the game plan.
4. Someone paid him $500 to deliver some Coors beer across the border.
5. Kept trying to tell the bus driver a faster route and was told to zip it, so he'll drive on his own to show him.
6. Had to prove that he was a man, he's 30.
7. There was this Pad Thai place he wanted to go to but was outvoted. You haven't lived until you've had good Pad Thai.
8. Sad the bus didn't stop in Reelsville. He knew someone there and wanted to say hi.
9. Kept oversleeping and missing the bus.
10. If he rode on the bus, he'd have to fulfill those pesky administrative duties.

4. Someone paid him $500 to deliver some Coors beer across the border.

Did he utilize the "rocking chair" to avoid the sheriff?

smeds and wally:
Hilarious!  Although I certainly don't wish any ill will towards Coach Long, in light of all the unfortunate "seriousness" and secrecy and "just strange circumstances" surrounding this and previous DePauw incidents, there is certainly nothing wrong with a little levity.

[Li'l Giant]

there is certainly nothing wrong with a little levity.

If you can't laugh with (or, more accurately: at) your arch-rival, who can you laugh with (or, more accurately: at)?

[bashbrother]

4. Someone paid him $500 to deliver some Coors beer across the border.

Did he utilize the "rocking chair" to avoid the sheriff?

This may be a reach... but the Trans-am in "Smokey and the Bandit"... was in Depauw's colors.