FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BayernFan]

You mean over thirty years ago??  vbg

Like I said, in the last 30 years... just ONE year under .500.  ONE.  And that was 17 years ago.  The last one before that, and you'd have to go all the way back to 1975.

Only TWO .500 teams in the last 30 years.  TWO.

Isn't Wabash something like the 6th winningest Div 3 program?

Nothing is without precedent, but to suggest that a new coach will result in a .500 season, let alone sub .500, is simply ridiculous.

Wabash has been through four coaches in the past 30 years.  And each one of them has done a fine job at the helm.   

Of course, despite the W/L %, I would suppose the GC years may seem dim compared to the CC era, but......  c'mon.  vbg

The 60s are done and over, my friend.  vbg

Let's get another good one, and silence the D3 critics. 

Again.

Who do you hear?

WAF

[Pat Coleman]

The last two years of the Carlson era.
The last three years of the Creighton era.

Still a fair comparison. Sorry we bothered to try to spotlight Wabash a little more in a time of the year where the national champ merits a stranglehold on the lead story.

Like I said, no pleasing some people.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

For people doubting whether a coaching change can derail a tradition-rich program, check Pacific Lutheran, Linfield, Rowan ... could be argued that any one of those has struggled under its current coach after making the Stagg Bowl under the previous coach. PLU and Rowan have been below .500 under their current coach. Linfield has been 6-3 for two years in a row after having three losses TOTAL in the final four years under Jay Locey.

Just off the top of my head -- there are probably more. I know you think it can't happen but again, it has happened and it can happen here. It's less likely because the NCAC will prop up the Wabash W/L record, but again ... we did our research.

[Li'l Giant]

You mean over thirty years ago??  vbg

Like I said, in the last 30 years... just ONE year under .500.  ONE.  And that was 17 years ago.  The last one before that, and you'd have to go all the way back to 1975.

Only TWO .500 teams in the last 30 years.  TWO.

Isn't Wabash something like the 6th winningest Div 3 program?

Nothing is without precedent, but to suggest that a new coach will result in a .500 season, let alone sub .500, is simply ridiculous.

Wabash has been through four coaches in the past 30 years.  And each one of them has done a fine job at the helm.   

Of course, despite the W/L %, I would suppose the GC years may seem dim compared to the CC era, but......  c'mon.  vbg

The 60s are done and over, my friend.  vbg

Let's get another good one, and silence the D3 critics. 

Again.

Who do you hear?

WAF

I don't hear critics. But I hear you. Let it go. Nobody else from Wabash is getting wound up over this for a reason.

[wabco]

Wabash will land a "Wabash" football coach.  We have good people on the search ... the same ones who landed CC.  I suspect ... given the timing of Christmas holidays, it will cause a little delay while a good search and due dilligence are accomplished.   I should be an exciting next couple of weeks for the search committee.  Probably a good excercise ... in thinking again what we are about and what we want.  And then get it.

And ... I believe Pat and his researchers have missed the point ... I say again: the .500/below .500 is baloney.  Just highlights a bias.

[Li'l Giant]

Just highlights a bias.

How many times this season did the site have a Wabash photo on the front page? Did you miss the articles about Hudson and Adi during the playoffs? Did you miss the final Top 25 poll? If you seriously believe there is a bias what explains all that? This "world vs. Wabash" stuff is just plain ridiculous. You conspiracy theorists sound like Aggies.

[bashbrother]

Ok...the kinder/gentler Bashbro will speak, so we can all move on to bigger and better.

It was not a biased poll.  Like everything, it was open to interpretation.  Coaching changes can make or break a program that is all I believe it was meant to communicate.  Even with the wrong hire, I don't think you can break this Wabash program in a few years, it would take at least a recruiting cycle or more.  Plus, The soft bottom of the NCAC will usually yield a .500+ record.

Lets find the right coach and look forward.   

Merry Christmas to all from the N.Carolina Mtns.

[wally_wabash]

Please check the comments on CC's last blog entry...that's about as far from anti-Wabash bias as you can get. 

[big_bash]

Can't win with some Wabash fans.

This is the truth. This site gives Wabash plenty of coverage. If anything you might even argue that they give us more coverage than our share. Things we have to keep in mind...
A) How many teams are there in D3?
B) What story is the bigger story from a national perspective?
C) What playoff game have we won that puts us on the top tier? In the hunt w/ the best of the rest? Maybe... Expected to be MUC Redux? Hardly... Yet... ;-)

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention some of my thoughts about CC. Rarely have I ever had the pleasure of meeting someone who could instantly impact your life. What he did with the football program is second in my mind to what he did with the men that went through his program. However, He did do amazing things with the football program and raised the bar for what we expected each season. I wish him and Neal the best and they will be missed. SOME LITTLE GIANTS!

[Ryan Tipps]

Just highlights a bias.

How many times this season did the site have a Wabash photo on the front page? Did you miss the articles about Hudson and Adi during the playoffs? Did you miss the final Top 25 poll? If you seriously believe there is a bias what explains all that? This "world vs. Wabash" stuff is just plain ridiculous. You conspiracy theorists sound like Aggies.

Just to build off of this, Pat even has a Wabash person on his D3football.com staff. Someone really thinks he has a bias against the Little Giants?? If so, I haven't seen it.

[smedindy]

The 60's and the 70's can definitely be a guide - it wouldn't take that long for the program to slip into a malaise. We also have some big shoes to fill on defense.

The schedule may be soft, but there's potential for peril in many games and the soft underbelly won't help much.

@ DENISON - WIN
CHICAGO - They're down, so it should be a WIN
@ KENYON - WIN
ALLEGHENY - I can never say 'Gheny is a lock. Could be a LOSS.
@WASH U. - They're building a good program. Could be a LOSS.
@WITT - Definitely could be a LOSS.
WOOSTER - A program that should be on the rise. Could be a LOSS. Has happened before.
OBERLIN - WIN
@HIRAM - WIN
DEPAUW - As much as it pains me, DPU is a threat for a LOSS.

That's 5-5. It's possible. Likely? No. But possible.

[WallyFS4]

First I would like to congratulate Chris and Neal.  The best of luck to the both of you, and your families.  You will be missed.

I got the right hire.

Wally Wabash - Head Coach
BB16 - D Coordinator
Go Bash - O Coordinator
Bash Bro, Lil Giant, Smeds, Big Bash, Wabco to round out the staff.  (seriously, I wish some of these guys had something to do with the interviewing process)

Wanted to throw a little(very little) humor at an intense situation.

I've heard all kinds of names.  I hope we take the time to hire the right person.  I know we need to get someone in place asap, but we must take the time to get the right person.  As always.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS!!!!

[wabndy]

Still a fair comparison. Sorry we bothered to try to spotlight Wabash a little more in a time of the year where the national champ merits a stranglehold on the lead story.

Dear Pat,
Thanks for everything you do.  Great site.  Do I think you are biased against certain programs (say a tiny D3 all male college in the midwest)?  No.  I think you have far better things to do with your time than pick random programs to slam.

Do I think that you enjoy - from time to time - throwing little wrinkles out there to get some D3 fans riled up?  Uuh - you bet.

I remember a story that Pres. Andy Ford told once about a reporter who visited campus.  On his way in he ran into a student and asked what the student thought about Wabash being ranked #2 in some iteration of a list U.S. News puts out every so often to remind people there is a third national news magazine.  The student got mad and said something to the effect of "why weren't we ranked number 1.  We should have been first.  That is ridiculous."

Thanks for the coverage (more than we deserve).  Just wish we gave you more to write about on D3hoops.com.  If you do get a chance to interview Mac Petty before he retires - you won't regret it.

[short]

Do you guys think that Wabash will look at any of the Coaches in the NCAC when hiring their new Head Coach? I posted Ramsey's (Oberlin) name as a Great Fit! I for one would like to see Seth Duerr (Wooster) get a Chance to be a Head Coach in this League.  He (like CC) was a POY in the NCAC, so he knows the league well.  He is a Great Leader, very well spoken, and appears to have the IT factor about him that makes people like him!  I know he is Young but but so was CC, so is Walker (Depauw), Fincham (Wittenburg) was only 29 or 30 when he got his chance, look at what they just did at Hanover and what they are doing at The Pitt Steelers.   

[wally_wabash]

Do you guys think that Wabash will look at any of the Coaches in the NCAC when hiring their new Head Coach? I posted Ramsey's (Oberlin) name as a Great Fit! I for one would like to see Seth Duerr (Wooster) get a Chance to be a Head Coach in this League.  He (like CC) was a POY in the NCAC, so he knows the league well.  He is a Great Leader, very well spoken, and appears to have the IT factor about him that makes people like him!  I know he is Young but but so was CC, so is Walker (Depauw), Fincham (Wittenburg) was only 29 or 30 when he got his chance, look at what they just did at Hanover and what they are doing at The Pitt Steelers.   

A national search is underway, so Wabash will be looking literally everywhere for the 32nd head coach in program history. 

Frankly, I'd be surprised if Wabash is looking to give somebody "a chance" to be a head coach.  The position of the program right now would seem to require that whoever takes over has a track record of success as a head coach at the collegiate level.  Seven years ago when Wabash hired CC, the program was looking to completely shift gears...that situation warranted taking a chance on a younger coach.  This isn't to say that younger coach with little HC experience couldn't succeed at Wabash, but I think there's too much to lose right now by taking a chance on an unknown. 

[smedindy]

To be honest, though, CC was not an 'unknown' in that he had a great track record at Ottawa. He was unknown to D-3, since Ottawa was NAIA, but he took Ottawa to the NAIA playoffs twice. He inherited a 1-8 team in 1996 and went 32-9 from 1997 to 2000.

Ottawa has had three coaches since CC left, and they have amassed a record of 33-38. Their latest coach has gone 13-27 in his four years, including 1-9 in 2006.