FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashDad]

Oldguy:

All I'm trying to get you to see is that "blinders" are not  worn just by people who root for Wabash, and, as indicated by my last post, it is not just fans.  The action taken last year by Witt's AD didn't hurt because of the money for tickets--most parents/family who travel to out-of-town games would pay any amount to see their sons perform.   It was the attitude and the major slight by the top athletic official of the university that stuck in my craw that day.  Doesn't do much to foster a healthy relationship between  schools and the fans that follow their teams.  I'm not trying to be picky here--it's just that I feel that if the school itself exudes antimosity, how can either you or I expect that 18-22 year-old young people aren't going to pick-up on it?  

Enough.  Good luck against Dayton on Saturday.  
 

[gobash]

There is only 1 place that I have seen worst sportsmanship than Witt.  That was at Mount Union the same year.

No kidding, those Mount people we sat near were a bunch of pricks, huh?  Man, they were so pissed off that we stood the whole time and cheered.  I suppose we should have just rolled over and bit the pillow like all their other victims, huh...

And all that on top of them claiming that we were in their seats because they were season ticket holders.  I know you people are pampered and expect to be in every playoff game every year, but there are no assigned seats come playoff time.  You join the rest of the rabble.

[SaintsFAN]

Oldguy,

I played for Dean Paul at Thomas More and I know he would NEVER water down a field to gain a competitive advantage.  He always had the players best interests in mind....That year TMC had HS Games on the field for the first time and also had more rain than the field could possibly hold.  At that to the fact the field NEVER drains well....(its never completely dry down there)..

Believe it or not the field got worse as the year went on, and the Saints eventually had to move to a HS Field with Field Turf.

[oldguy]

Well, I don't know the story behind the tickets.  I agree, if it happened that way, its a little shady.  To tell you the truth, a lot of people do not care for Witts AD or how he runs things, including myself. 

Although, when I was a young chap, I seem to remember several NCAC schools not allowing parents into games free.  Thats no excuse, just mentioning that it is probably more widespread, or at least it used to be, than you may know. 

[BashBacker#16]

Witt's press release is out for this week's showdown vs. Dayton.  Pretty good reading, especially the intro piece...  They still list Holmes as out a "few weeks" with (non throwing shoulder) in parenthesis.  The Springfield News said 4-6 weeks.

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/football/gamenotes/daytongamenotes05.html

[wally_wabash]

From the Springfield fishwrap....

Holmes broke his left (non-throwing) collarbone in four places.  He had surgery on Tuesday wherein they needed a five-inch metal plate, nine screws, and a wire to hold all of the broken stuff in his shoulder in place.  The article goes on to say that they don't know for sure if Holmes is done for the year or not, but he's definitely out 4-6 weeks. 

Based on what little I know about medicine and broken bones, this sounds like something that is pretty serious.  If this were his throwing shoulder, he'd certainly be done.  I would guess that 4-6 weeks for this injury is very optimistic.  But, I'm not a doctor...what do I know. 

We can rebuild him....we have the technology....

[formerd3db]

BashDad and fellow 'Bashers!:  Good luck to Wabash on Sat even though it is against one of ours!

[wabashcpa]

"Mitch Fonseca doesn't plan to be the Tigers' leading tackler week in and week out. It just kind of happens."

I think it will just kind of happen all season.  Over/under on Fonseca tackles against Dayton - 20?

[ravishingrabbi]

oldguy: along the lines of the what wooscot said, witt should be embarassed to make any excuses about losing in '97, whether about officiating or the field. i've seen the tape of the game...wooster's starting quarterback, who most consider the best in school history, got hurt on the first play of the game and didnt return. his backup was a freshman. to make it worse, wooster's top two tailbacks were also hurt. coupled with the horrible field conditions, a championship defense should dominate under those circumstances. but the "red swarm" couldnt "tiger up." a championship team doesnt get a punt blocked in its own end zone. witt did. your QB didnt exactly have a stellar day either. maybe those factors explain why wooster won, because they were the better team. the truth hurts.

if you were at the woo-witt game in '02, the field was pretty bad then too. believe it or not, but it isnt exactly sunny and 75 in ohio in november. maybe wooster's AD will look into getting astro turf with pink end zones to make witt feel better.

also, why would wooster have wanted a muddy field in '97? they had the best QB in the conference, as well as the best receivers. wouldnt it seem like they'd want the field conditions to be conducive to throwing? that whole "you watered down the field" excuse is completely ridiculous.

[ScotsFan]

ScotsFan, if you're going to be at Wooster on Oct. 15 I'd gladly trade that olive branch for something a little more malted.  The offer is on the table.

Wally, while I would love to join you for one of those malted treats, I'm afraid I will be in Ann Arbor that day watching the Wolverines take it to JoPa and PSU!  Maybe another time!

maybe wooster's AD will look into getting astro turf with pink end zones to make witt feel better.

rr, actually, it's already planned for Wooster to get the field turf.  There is a major renovation project planned for all of Wooster's athletic facilites including Timken and the Papp to be completed by 2010.  I doubt that the pink end zones will be included though, unfortunately.    

[Li'l Giant]

I'm going to be pulling the same day SA-Midland-SA turnaround tomorrow so I'll not be able to post before kickoff on Saturday. Good luck to all this week, even Witt. Let's see if the NCAC can make a good non-conference showing.

and of course, Wabash Always Fights!!

[Superfoot Wallace]

I always like it when the 97 Wooster Witt game is brought up.  All the talk about field conditions and all the talk about the mystery touchdown.

I personally believe, whether the field was intentionally dismembered or not, that the field conditions played into Wooster's hands.  The bulk of the damage was between the hash marks.  The early reply to the damage was the practice of the band between the hashes all week.  Witts Dline was predicated on quickness and not size as were the outside linebackers.  While Witts Oline was good at mudball, I felt that the size of both the Wooster lines was better for mucking. 

I wasnt sure how Gheny got the nod for the playoff bid that year.  Maybe its just better to lose early than to lose late, but I felt late season personell issues had the best representative for the NCAC in the playoffs that year.  Witt beat Allegheny in the antithesis of the Meadville swamp that year but found a bog or a fen in Wooster.

I think the hostility between Wabash and Witt is hilarious.  I went to the 41-14 debacle in Crawfordsville a few years ago and was subjected to profanities being spewn by Waldos as they trekked around the field on homecoming.  That was class. 

As for the ringing of the Victory Bell, I think the Wabash guy ringing it only adds to the lore as it is fairly new innovation.  Thirty years from now it will always be that a Wabash guy once rang the bell.  What is it about you guys and bells?  Must be the absence of bell shaped figures on campus.

As for the bog and the fen i think they are distinguished by the presence of wolverines versus badgers, and since I cant really get into much of the conference conversation right now (other than I still feel OWU and Gheny are still the teams to beat) this shout outs for you guys thinking the bog in Ann Arbor has JoePas number.  Roar Nittany Lions Roar!!!  JoePa is God. (or at least as old)

[gobash]

As for the ringing of the Victory Bell, I think the Wabash guy ringing it only adds to the lore as it is fairly new innovation.  Thirty years from now it will always be that a Wabash guy once rang the bell.  What is it about you guys and bells?  Must be the absence of bell shaped figures on campus.

We prefer Witt's bell with the clapper inside to all their bell-shaped figures around campus with the clap inside.    I kid!  I kid!

[smedindy]

Ah! 1997! So relevant to today!

Homecoming is usually subjected to one side of the stadium, and the chants can be a bit...rude...but all in good fun and subjected to just halftime. Pledges, can't live with 'em, can't haze 'em....

[aueagle]

I like the "Take No Prisoners" attitude on the board  this season. Was it wally that said 'No more broad strokes." Trying to do UD/Witt & Bucks/Texas in the same day...will let you guys know how it turns out. GO BISHOPS