FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Li'l Giant]

Gotta feel bad for the seniors to end their career with two bad losses at home.

Good luck to Wheaton next week. Whoever survives between Franklin/NCC will have their hands full with the Thunder.

Congrats to the seniors for great careers. Let's hope everyone else has good offseasons and comes back next summer ready for another run.

WAF!

[aueagle]

And talking about that Sr class....4 NCAC crowns and multiple play-off runs.
CC called them "Impact Men"...... and this group lived -up to that billing.
Thanks LG's for carrying the NCAC banner (again) & representing the conference with class.

[Mugsy]

Congrats to Wabash on an outstanding season.  As always a class program.  Hopefully Wheaton and Wabash will continue their pre-season scrimmages to prepare for the season and eventual hook ups in the post season.

I was hoping my talk about how Wheaton's pass defense being better than 199th in the country wouldn't backfire on me.  But I truely believe, and I think today it showed, that their pass defense efficiency is a much truer gauge of their ability.  That said, the front seven of the defense definitely helped out the secondary today.

[Duster72]

That said, the front seven of the defense definitely helped out the secondary today.

You got it, man.  Wheaton controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and took us out of our game.  Your o-line was very impressive.  Very impressive.

Congrats on a great game and good luck next week.

[Mugsy]

That said, the front seven of the defense definitely helped out the secondary today.

Congrats on a great game and good luck next week.

Thanks.  Sounds like what the Franklin QB (Rupp) has been doing, especially the last 2 weekends, Wheaton is going to need all the help it can get.

[bashbrother]

Great year for these Seniors and this Little Giant team.

DK, Gangloff, Lange and co. it has been a nice ride.

[wally_wabash]

Back from the woodshed....

Whale of a game by Wheaton today.  Those kids absolutely brought it and dominated all phases of the game.  Tip o' the hat to the Thunder and best of luck next week at Franklin. 

I could spend some time here postulating as to what happened or what went wrong, but it's pretty pointless when you get smashed by 31.  It's hard to win when you can't run, can't stop the run, can't stop the pass, can't get your defense off the field on third down, can't can't can't can't.....you get the idea.  Sometimes it isn't your day, and today was that day for the LGs. 

Congratulations to the seniors...four conference championships, three tournament appearances...outstanding careers for those young men.  I hope to write the same thing, albeit a few weeks later, about next year's senior class.   

Time to turn my attention to the Civil War.  Roses await...let's go Beavers! 

[Joe Wally]

Congratulations to the Thunder.  Their players weren't bigger than ours, or faster than ours, they simply out executed us, in every aspect.  Should be a tremendous game against the Grizzlies.

Tremendous run for the seniors.  They did an extraordinary job representing the Scarlet Flag for four years.  They will be missed.

Looking forward to seeing Raeburn with a full year in control of the program.  He should do fine.

91 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.

[DagarmanSpartan]

Wabash Gang,

I was rooting for you guys.  Great season!

[wab64]

Wabash Gang,

I was rooting for you guys.  Great season!

Thanks, Major. As Wally said, there would be no need for self-flagellation after that. Wait until next year, as the man said. Keep plugging at Leavenworth-we gotta figure out how to win a war once in a while

[bashbrother]

Congratulations to the Thunder.  Their players weren't bigger than ours, or faster than ours, they simply out

I was going to wait until midnight to post this, and I know I am little early.   The fact was they were not bigger, faster, stronger....they were just better.  After the Depauw game I felt the same way, and now I know that the Depauw game was not a fluke.

Frustrated Fan Controversial Commentary: Meant to generate reflection and critical thought about expectation setting.

Better in many ways and just one of which is that week in and week out, they faced a tougher schedule then Wabash does.  Like everyone, I realize, we have to play who we play.  (No disrespect meant to anyone in the NCAC or UAA) Sure it is controversial and some people believe it should not be out here on the board.  But it is fact..... Wabash, and any of the top teams in the NCAC or UAA, play a soft schedule (Nationally speaking), which does nothing to prepare them for the playoffs.   For two years, Franklin gave Wabash a real good look at a non-conference opponent that could actually beat us. (save Depauw)  As Witt had Capital & Dayton and Woo had John Carrol or Waynesburg etc.

Now, in the whole scheme of things, maybe the Stagg is a unrealistic goal or even competing with the Top Conferences in the nation is as well.  I would hope this is not the case.   With winning and rankings and press etc. comes expectations....

In 2005, we were very close. 

Wabash was a good team this year and probably is one of the best 30 or so teams in Division III.   But we had no business at #3 or #10 or #15 etc.   If anything, that may have hurt us.

If I have rubbed anyone the wrong way, I do apologize, I am a frustrated fan, that is all.   None of this is meant to disrespect the accomplishments of the fine young student athletes that have done so much for Wabash Football or any of the other fine athletes from any of Wabash's opponents.

Just keeping it real. Maybe expectations need to be adjusted. You can't have it both ways.

(Commentary brought to you by Crown Royal  )



 

[Li'l Giant]

But it is fact..... Wabash plays a soft schedule, which does nothing to prepare them for the playoffs.

QFT.

And it won't change until we can schedule our own non conference games again.

[Joe Wally]

Was looking at the NCAC site relative to this point.  Our non-conference opponents each of the next three years are Chicago and Washington (St.Louis).  It appears that there is an open date in early September each of those years to add an 11th game. 

Don't know how feasible that is, in terms of time, resources, etc.

[Li'l Giant]

add an 11th game. 

Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full. We get 10 games. Period.

[ScotLass]

Now, in the whole scheme of things, maybe the Stagg is a unrealistic goal or even competing with the Top Conferences in the nation is as well.  I would hope this is not the case.   With winning and rankings and press etc. comes expectations....

In 2005, we were very close. 

Wabash was a good team this year and probably is one of the best 30 or so teams in Division III.   But we had no business at #3 or #10 or #15 etc.   If anything, that may have hurt us.

If I have rubbed anyone the wrong way, I do apologize, I am a frustrated fan, that is all.   None of this is meant to disrespect the accomplishments of the fine young student athletes that have done so much for Wabash Football or any of the other fine athletes from any of Wabash's opponents.

Just keeping it real. Maybe expectations need to be adjusted. You can't have it both ways.

(Commentary brought to you by Crown Royal  )

Whoa nelly........I know you guys are disappointed in the Bash loss today, but let's not go overboard here!

1)Last year you had a pretty similar schedule and went one step further into the playoffs, losing to the eventual National Champions. I fail to see how one nonconference opponent at the beginning of the season made a big difference in getting that one step further.

2)Of the 8 teams left, in the final Top 25 rankings, these 8 teams were ranked #1, 4, 16, 18, 19, 25, and in Wartburg's case...no ranking at all.....so as of today, I guess the #2, #3, and #'s 5-15 should all be bemoaning that their schedules didn't prepare them for the playoffs?

3)Do you think that if Mount flipped schedules with Wabash next year and the year after, Mount wouldn't be prepared for the playoffs and a reasonable shot at a Championship?

I understand disappointment, but this just doesn't fit the motto......WAF!!! That's the expectation and I expect to see them rise to it yet again next year. And I expect Woo to rise to the challenge and maybe give Bash a little more prep for the playoffs......or possibly we could do it the other way around