FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[firstdown]

The Bell Game always matters.  This year it will have much to say about whether the LG's or the Tigers get to the playoffs.  As we have seen in the last two years, heading into the playoffs via the AQ with a loss in the Bell Game really damaged the LG's in the playoffs.  Besides who doesn't enjoy seeing the Dannies get beat?

[smedindy]

I remember when Wabash beat DPU in the 80's to deny them playoff spots, then DPU did that to us in return (85-86-87 Bell Games).

Now Wabash vs. DePauw - Bell AND Pool C on the line? Wake the neighbors, call the children, get the beverages on ice and fire up the grill. That will be incredible!

[bigwheels77]

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but I have heard talk in the past about Depauw looking to switch conferences and I haven't read it on the board since Earlham dropped out of the NCAC... Has there been any rumblings about depauw getting back in the right region and cutting on travel by joinging the NCAC?
Not to mention the way they have destroyed Wabash on occasion, the AQ that would be available... It has got to look enticing... Right?
Again, sorry if this has already been discussed

[littlegiant66]

Interesting article from thepaper24-7.com.......wabash is 4th in the conference power ranking according to the conference office.

http://www.thepaper24-7.com/main.asp?SectionID=24&SubSectionID=23&ArticleID=22853

[BashBacker#16]

Smeds - don't forget about the loss to DPU in '88 at our place, we were up at half too and lost.  If we had won, we would have hosted Augustana the next week in the 1st round of the playoffs.  That was Voris' senior year as the Dannie QB.

Wheels77 - What is this???  "Not to mention the way they have destroyed Wabash on occasion"  Do you mean 1 game, last year?  You imply they roll us every season.  Let's not forget the year before it was a long field goal at the buzzer.  Just clarifying a bit...

[wabco]

I look at this week as a week to get well, get right in the mind (after the mental roller coaster of loss of QB and then the attack of other injuries and flu ... Witt and Woo ... everyone goes a little to sleep on Obi), and FOCUS and get ready for Depauw.  I really do not care the score concerning the Puppies ... just win, do not get hurt, get your "swing" back, work on the timing, get the O line and D line back in focus and "on line" as to what they need to do, prepare for the war which will be just as intense with DePauw as it was with Witt.

I think against Obi ... we played down to their level, we were mentally exhausted from playing through the extroadinary challenges thrown at us the prior two weeks, and due for a let down.  So ... now ... lets get back to business.  Cut the penalties, we are better prepared than that. Get the pride going and the focus on the tasks.  WE ARE WABASH.  DePauw will be doing no less. 

I hope we are back to even with our injuries and illness and ready to get after it.  A good thing last weekend coming out of the Obi game ... Matt was manhandled a little bit.  I think that was good.  Take a hit and know it is OK.  I suspect DePauw will be more than a little interested in hitting him in the ribs early.  O line ... do not let that happen.  Matt ... you are OK ... make them pay.  D ... play like Witt.

If we do all this, we should win.  DePauw will come ready.  One lingering Q as we get into the next two weeks:  "Where in the world is Waldo-err-Walker?"

['gro]

I have abandoned my home region, looking for a new spot. This place seems nice.

So, you guys like... stuff?

[wally_wabash]

Interesting article from thepaper24-7.com.......wabash is 4th in the conference power ranking according to the conference office.

http://www.thepaper24-7.com/main.asp?SectionID=24&SubSectionID=23&ArticleID=22853

When I read this I laughed out loud.  Then I looked into it, and if the conference is using two-year aggregates to determine these power rankings (which is my understanding), then Wabash is 4th...if you look at 2003-2004.  Over those two years, Allegheny and Wooster both had conference records of 11-3, Witt was 9-4, and Wabash was 8-5.  So there you have it.  Our league thinks that it's ok to break today's ties using records that are six years old.  It makes perfect sense. 

The league needs to do better...if the power ranking is going to be a tiebreak, then the power ranking used for the tiebreak needs to be the most current power ranking and NOT the power ranking used to determine the schedule that is apparently 6 years old.  We're smart people...there's no reason why we can't keep a rolling two year power ranking going. 

Nice shoes, Groseph. 

[smedindy]

Smart people? They didn't have contingency schedules ready when Earlham dropped out, which you know they know. So know we have the clusterfark that is 2010.

['gro]

So is this Allegheny team for real this year, or will they get dropped by Witt? Seems like they have some consistantly mediocre records over the years... which makes me believe they lack that "been there before" mentality.

Re: Shoes. Yeah they are great, too bad they are in the wrong trophy case this year.

[wally_wabash]

Allegheny's 37-3 result against Wabash would suggest that they're a notch or two below the top teams in the league.  Wittenberg and Wabash have really separated themselves from the rest of the NCAC this year.  Despite being a 1-loss team, Allegheny is a huge underdog on Saturday.  Stranger things have happened...in the past, Witt has managed to blow a game they shouldn't ever lose.  I wouldn't expect it this year though...the 2009 Tigers are pretty focused on the prize. 

[bigwheels77]

#16- I was just alluding to the fact that Depauw has been known to compete, and even beat Wabash... Who, might I add, has had a stranglehold on the NCAC in recent history. I was in a rush last night and couldn't edit my thoughts.

But back on the subject, Depauw competes in virtually all its sports. Women's basketball won national titles and men's football is a solid Tier 2.1 team.

Does anyone else feel like adding them to the conference would be a huge positive?

Is the conference academically esteemed enough for the "Harvard of the Midwest" to even consider joining?

I thought this would be interesting discussion, because talking over one another about tie-breakers that won't happen (WITT won't lose) is pretty futile at this point.

Wheels

[Pat Coleman]

Smart people? They didn't have contingency schedules ready when Earlham dropped out, which you know they know. So know we have the clusterfark that is 2010.

I feel compelled to point out that the conference office has had a little upheaval and is basically playing a person short right now.

But I also wonder what might have happened if the late commissioner hadn't spent so much time pushing the D-IV agenda that less than one-quarter of Division III actually wanted.

[wally_wabash]

Does anyone else feel like adding them to the conference would be a huge positive?

Yes.

Is the conference academically esteemed enough for the "Harvard of the Midwest" to even consider joining?

I'm going to pretend that you didn't even just ask this question. 

[old wabash]

speaking of the ncac, has anyone figured out the logic of playing conf teams in non-conf games?
i do not see the benefit to anyone, conf, schools, players, fans?