FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Raider 68]

I believe this photo is from today's Hope/Adrian game.......I think you can kind of get an idea why this was 7-6.

.......and no your eyes aren't deceiving you, Hope wore Purple jerseys for their "Purple game for Cancer research"

sac,

How many teams play on this field and how often, this is unbelievable?

[sac]

How many teams play on this field and how often, this is unbelievable?

Hope shares Holland Municipal Stadium with Holland High School, I don't think there was a game there last night though.........it rained all day Friday in most of Michigan  and through most of the early afternoon, so I'm sure the field was saturated.    I don't think the field was a problem for last weeks game.......but then I wasn't there.

[hope1]

yes  holland high  did not lay on it friday  just thuresday  the jv  played for holland no more home games for holland the field was really bad  i thought they were talken to putting  a different kind of turf

[Raider 68]

yes  holland high  did not lay on it friday  just thuresday  the jv  played for holland no more home games for holland the field was really bad  i thought they were talken to putting  a different kind of turf

Hope1, Former3db,

When Mount replaced the grass field with Astro-Play (new style turf),
it cost aprox. $800K and that was at least 6-7 ago. Maybe Hope has
enough Alums to cover the cost to replace it. The Mount Field was/is used
by Alliance High School and now the MUC soccer teams use the field
after the new turf was installed.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Rumor mill has Hope having donors lined up to build a stadium and lay turf.  They just finished building a 3000 seat turf soccer stadium, I know the turf salesman on that one.  Apparently the hang up is having a contract with the city for the municipal stadium.  Just what I hear, but sounds very credible.

[formerd3db]

DAWG:

Sorry you couldn't make it to the game yesterday.  As I mentioned, I was only able to stay for the first half as I had to drive from Holland all the way to Flint to attend my high school's Athletic Hall of Fame annual dinner in which my my brother was being inducted as an individual.  So it was a crazy and long day/evening for me.  Anyway, I thought the game was a pretty good one, despite the field conditions.  I expected Hope might pull it out and was listening to the second half on the radio on the drive back, however, lost the station out of range with about 6 minutes left to go in the game.  Give your Adrian team credit for not giving up.

Unfortunately, it is the same old story for Hope.  They just seem to come up short.  It is another lesson that if you get inside the red zone, you must score a TD rather than settle for FG's.  On both of Hope's first two FG's, they should have scored TD's and missed their opportunities to do so with "1st and goal to go".  The third FG attempt was the "nail" as it was blocked as you know.

Adrian still has a good chance - I see it coming down to them and Trine, although after seeing Trine play, I have to give them the preliminary edge.

Alma killed a very poor Olivet team.  The score was not indicative of how the game went.  I talked with an Alma source at the HOF dinner for my brother and he related with the score up 45-3 I believe, that Alma started playing their reserves and Olivet scored their TD's.  With Olivet having a team mainly of underclassmen (frosh and sophs as it is my understanding), hopefully they be able to build on that.  I was told that their lineman are much smaller than the "behmoths" they've had the luxury of in their recent "win streak years".  I will be able to provide a better assessment of their team next weekend as I'll be at the Hope/Olivet game at "The Big O's" place.  I'm sure OC_SID can provide us with his take on yesterday's game.

It sounds like Kazoo gave an intial tough first half to Trine, but the latter then obviously pulled away.  While anything can happen as we all know with 3 weeks left in the season, Trine is currently in the "driver's seat".

Regarding the discussion on Holland 's stadium; indeed, the field conditions were horrible yesterday, almost to the point of being unsafe.  We have the same problem we had way back in my time there at the old Riverview Park stadium.  That was the underlying reason why Holland stadium was to be built, since the college's football and occasionally the soccer team played games there as did Holland High School for both varsity and J.V. games (Hope's J.V. football games as well).  However, there was a glitch back then which prevented the artificial turf from being part of the original construction (for a variety of reasons which I will not go into here and thus spare all of you!) and the field has had these condition and drainage problems ever since.

As has been mentioned, the City of Holland and Hope College have been in some discussions the past two years regarding the possibility of some type of change in arrangements, either the college buying the stadium with some land swaps, etc. as well as putting in the new synthetic turf.  Yet, there have been some roadblocks with that, some of which I'm told from some sources is rent concerns (i.e. Holland Christian High which rented the wonderful DeVos from Hope for it's home basketball games is going to use the old Holland Civic Center because of the rent issues).

Overall, whoever ends up having the stadium whether Holland retains it or Hope obtains it, they really need to quit the delay and put the new synthetic turf in for many reasons, all of which we all know and have discussed, the safety issue notwithstanding (heck, even Zeeland's newer high school stadium as well as Holland Christian H.S. stadium has it).  In addition, while the stadium itself might need a few minor upgrades, it certainly wouldn't need a major overhaul like some small colleges have to do when they've installed the new turf and that would certainly decrease the cost.  Putting in the turf would be about 1/2 million (it wouldn't necessarily cost the $800, 000).  While Hope certainly could get donars to cover this cost (as well as some fundraising), it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to do that unless Hope owns the stadium.

This situation needs to be resolved IMO, if not for the safety issues alone regarding the field conditions.  While for many people (i.e. the purists and some of "oldsters"), it is great to have the football game being played on natural turf as it was from the "beginning", in reality the times have changed.  It is nice in the first part of the season when the weather is wonderful, but at this time of the year, it becomes a quagmire and nightmare; also not to forget to mention the tremendous improvement in the synthetic turf itself in recent years.    Not sure how the situation in Holland will go; obviously, time will tell, but something should be done.

P.S.  Yes, the purple jerseys worn by Hope yesterday was a strange sight (orange and purple not my favorite combo ), however, it was for a very good cause as has been mentioned i.e. cancer research with all the profits from the $ being raised for those jerseys going to the VanAdal Cancer Research Center.  A class act yesteday by Coach Kreps and his staff/team and the college and all those who helped in doing that event.  

[OC_SID]

I wasn't at the game yesterday ... Had a home women's soccer game, so I had to be around for that game.

[formerd3db]

I wasn't at the game yesterday ... Had a home women's soccer game, so I had to be around for that game.

Okay!  Then I'll get the "run down" from you this Saturday when I we visit at your Olivet for the Hope/Olivet game!

[formerd3db]

yes  holland high  did not lay on it friday  just thuresday  the jv  played for holland no more home games for holland the field was really bad  i thought they were talken to putting  a different kind of turf

Hope1, Former3db,

When Mount replaced the grass field with Astro-Play (new style turf),
it cost aprox. $800K and that was at least 6-7 ago. Maybe Hope has
enough Alums to cover the cost to replace it. The Mount Field was/is used
by Alliance High School and now the MUC soccer teams use the field
after the new turf was installed.

Raider68:

Thanks for the info re: MUC's turf.  While that would have solved a lot of the problems at Hope, obviously, that won't happen now since soccer has it's own stadium.  Certainly for them, it works out nice since both the college men's and women's soccer teams will play there, which happens at the same time the home football games are taking place.  In once sense, that is an advantage.

Also, the lacrosse teams will play there in the spring.

[formerd3db]

Alright, you Trine people.  We haven't heard from you yet re: yesterday's game.  Also, the Alma posters have been rather quiet on our board this year.  We also haven't heard much from any Kazoo and Olivet (other than OC_SID) posters.  Where are you stinger, rome, miaafan, etc., - what goes you guys?    We need to post like ...mad...to get the page # up!  I think we've had more activity here on our board this year than in past years, although we've also had some help from friends like Mr. Ypsi, Raider68, etc. (Ypsi being a regular here essentially, even though he is one of those CCIW alumns but has Michigan/EMU roots ).

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ypsi being a regular here essentially, even though he is one of those CCIW alumns but has Michigan/EMU roots .

What is this libel about my EMU roots?!

After losing to 0-7 BSU, I think they've gone about as low as they can go.  I'm still hopeful that Ron English is the man to turn it around, but if he can't do it in 3-4 years, I have no clue what to do.  A handful of their programs are legitimate MAC/D1 programs, but not many.  I'd suggest D2 GLIAC, but right now even with their D1 recruits I suspect Grand Valley would blow them out - once they only had D2 recruits they might rapidly fall to the basement.  I suspect the MIAA would not be very welcoming.

I really lean towards cutting their losses, putting the money into other programs, and just dropping football.  Being so TOTALLY overshadowed by the 'Big House' (just 7 miles away), they are NEVER going to be (consistently) even decent.

[formerd3db]

Ypsi being a regular here essentially, even though he is one of those CCIW alumns but has Michigan/EMU roots .

What is this libel about my EMU roots?!

After losing to 0-7 BSU, I think they've gone about as low as they can go.  I'm still hopeful that Ron English is the man to turn it around, but if he can't do it in 3-4 years, I have no clue what to do.  A handful of their programs are legitimate MAC/D1 programs, but not many.  I'd suggest D2 GLIAC, but right now even with their D1 recruits I suspect Grand Valley would blow them out - once they only had D2 recruits they might rapidly fall to the basement.  I suspect the MIAA would not be very welcoming.

I really lean towards cutting their losses, putting the money into other programs, and just dropping football.  Being so TOTALLY overshadowed by the 'Big House' (just 7 miles away), they are NEVER going to be (consistently) even decent.

Mr. Ypsi:

Oops!  My apologies and please allow me to clarify that i.e. ..."your EMU former connections"!!

Wow, I am shocked that they lost to BSU and have to agree with you - that is bad, not good, etc.  I also agree you that they need to give Ron English a legit chance to turn it around.  You pose some interesting and difficult thoughts about what their future vision should be.  I am not in favor of them dropping football - they've too much a history of having the program.  While putting the $ into their other sports is a legit option as you mention, on the other hand, those programs are not always consistent and have difficulty competing in their respective leagues/annual schedules.  For sure, the MIAA would never be an option for EMU - they would never return to those roots nor would the MIAA accept them IMO - I think that's obvious.  Yet, I don't see the GLIAC as being the option either.  Grand Valley's best teams would probably have beaten EMU and/or given them a good tough game, however, even as bad as EMU is this year, GVSU is not that great either in comparing the latter to their recent championship teams and thus I think EMU would still beat them.  Dropping to DII would be a huge embarrassment for EMU and especially in comparison with their state counterparts CMU and WMU.  The latter team is not that great and overall, while some of the MAC teams as you say compete with and beat some of the higher tier DI teams on occasion (CMU having "beefed" up their non-conf schedule the past decade and, of course, beating MSU this year), in reality, even those better MAC teams will never be at the level of most of the DI teams.  They are more on par with Army and the top FCS teams (formerly DIAA).  So, IMO, I see EMU's only option is to "stay the course" i.e. at least the FCS option in the "worst case" scenario (i.e. barring dropping of the program).  Hey, Michigan Tech wanted to delete their program about 5 years ago and proved they can be competitive as did Northwestern in the Big Ten and Olivet in our league.  For sure none of those teams will ever be powers but they will be competitive enough to compete and I think EMU in the long run will be able to do that.  I know you probably don't think so and, of course, have very legit and knowledgable reasons as to why not, but...again, IMO, dropping the program is not the answer nor best.  I hope they do not go to the "Swarthemore and more recently Colorado College" debacles.  Shameful.

[Raider 68]

yes  holland high  did not lay on it friday  just thuresday  the jv  played for holland no more home games for holland the field was really bad  i thought they were talken to putting  a different kind of turf

Hope1, Former3db,

When Mount replaced the grass field with Astro-Play (new style turf),
it cost aprox. $800K and that was at least 6-7 ago. Maybe Hope has
enough Alums to cover the cost to replace it. The Mount Field was/is used
by Alliance High School and now the MUC soccer teams use the field
after the new turf was installed.

Raider68:

Thanks for the info re: MUC's turf.  While that would have solved a lot of the problems at Hope, obviously, that won't happen now since soccer has it's own stadium.  Certainly for them, it works out nice since both the college men's and women's soccer teams will play there, which happens at the same time the home football games are taking place.  In once sense, that is an advantage.

Also, the lacrosse teams will play there in the spring.

Former3db,

So is Hope and the city of Holland working jointly on a new stadium, if so
who will control it, fund it and design it?

Also, as a new poster, how does the karma thing work? What causes it to
move up and down?

[altor]

Also, as a new poster, how does the karma thing work? What causes it to move up and down?

Karma is given and taken away by other posters.  I think you have to have 200 posts before you can do this, though.

When you say something insightful or witty, people tend to give you karma points.  When you say something un-insightful or appear to be trolling, people tend to take karma points from you.  It's totally up to the other members what is worth +/- karma and you have no way of knowing who gave or took karma points (unless they tell you). 

Think of it as a guide to tell you who is worth listening to and who you can ignore.   

[BoredatWork56]

formerd3db,

You asked for it.  Here is my take on Saturday's Trine v Kzoo game:  Trine outplayed Kzoo on O, D, and special teams.

Trine's O held a good lead in TOP, which in my opinion, was the biggest key to the game.  They racked up over 300 yards on the ground and had two backs with over 100 yards.  They only attempted 21 passes, so it was obvious what the game plan was against Kzoo's D.  Overall they looked solid with almost 500 total yards. They also set a couple of school records, with their third straight game of 40+ points and two backs with 100+ yards. One last note about the offense- the top two backs are both underclassmen, so watch out in the next couple years for more records to fall.

Trine's D had a bend but dont break mentality, giving up over 400 yards.  But they tightened down in inside the 40 only allowing 20 points to this  high powered offense.  They have been going with a smaller, more athletic, set of linebackers the last couple games and it looks like it has been working well for them.  They continue to get pressure from the D Line, and that allows the secondary to make plays.  They havent got many sacks, but have caused a lot of rushed throws.

The special teams finally had the game they were looking for.  Kick coverage looked better than it has all season.  It has been a glaring problem the last few games and it is good to see that fixed.  Other than that, the kicking game was solid as usual.

Luczak didnt start the game, and didnt come in until the second quarter.  does anyone know why?  was he injured, or suspended?