FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[formerd3db]

ExTartanPlayer:

What a true "high road" thing.  Wow, right here in our backyard and I somehow missed this story.  Thank you for posting it.  +k for you!

[DBQ1965]

As our friend ExTartanPlayer from C-M has mentioned, the MIAA teams certainly have not lacked in putting on some entertaining contests this season in keeping with our "traditional" pattern over the years.  The finish should be exciting...hopefully (no pun intended).

Anyway, what are everyone's predictions for this weekend?  Here are mine, although, as usual, I'm having a hard time deciding :

Alma @ Kalamazoo -  I have to go with Kalamazoo as they have been playing steady and it is a home game for them, even though Alma has come so close in recent weeks to winning their first of the season.

Albion @ Adrian - I'll pick Adrian as they are at home and I'm sure will be really focused on rebounding after two disappointing losses these past two weeks.  Am I correct in saying that if they win and then Hope beats Albion, they get the AQ, right? By virtue of having beat Hope and Albion, if Hope/Adrian/Albion are tri-champs i.e. all with 2 league losses?

Trine @ Olivet - I'm picking Olivet[/color] as they, too, have returned to playing fairly steady after their loss to Hope, despite the loss to Albion.  Besides, it is at their home stadium/field and Trine just looked somewhat lackadaisical last Saturday against Hope.

Hope has their "bye" this weekend, obviously.

Can't argue with your picks.  I'm thinking about driving down to Olivet for their game against the Thunder.  The linebackers coach for Olivet was head coach at U of Dubuque when I was teaching and chaplain there.  Haven't seen Maury since the early 70's (boy, how time flies), so it could be a surprising reunion for both of us.

Then next week ... I expect to be in Holland for what should be an outstanding contest.

[ExTartanPlayer]

ExTartanPlayer:

What a true "high road" thing.  Wow, right here in our backyard and I somehow missed this story.  Thank you for posting it.  +k for you!

These sorts of things always get me.  The kid at the end tearing up, who clearly looks like he's one of the "popular" kids or stars of the team, just...wow, that is great stuff.

[D306]

Ex Tartan Player

OK I just sent a link of this to everyone I could think of.
Great story, nice example of the power of sports and what a  "team" can mean in the lives of families and communities.


+ on the karma for you young man

[MIAA in Exile]

The AQ will be decided when Albion visits Hope and the Albion vs. Adrian game has no impact on that at all.  Hope is 4-1 with only one league game left, thus there cannot be a 3 way tie.  If Albion beats Adrian and loses to Hope, both will share the MIAA title, but Hope will advance to the playoffs.  If Albion loses to Adrian and beats Hope, they will be the only 5-1 team and will get the AQ.

Albion @ Adrian - I'll pick Adrian as they are at home and I'm sure will be really focused on rebounding after two disappointing losses these past two weeks.  Am I correct in saying that if they win and then Hope beats Albion, they get the AQ, right? By virtue of having beat Hope and Albion, if Hope/Adrian/Albion are tri-champs i.e. all with 2 league losses?

[

[DBQ1965]

This article is a bit long, but is well worth reading ... a combination of so many of things we believe in.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9927669/nate-boyer-journey-actor-starting-long-snapper-texas

[formerd3db]

MIAA in Exile:

Thank you for the clarification.  After I posted that last evening, I kind of had a feeling that I miscalculated, however, did not go back to review it.  I guess Adrian kind of blew it.

[AlmaFan27]

MIAA in Exile:

Thank you for the clarification.  After I posted that last evening, I kind of had a feeling that I miscalculated, however, did not go back to review it.  I guess Adrian kind of blew it.

Former...

Thought I would move our quick discussion back over here.  One of my boys graduated last year after playing for four years at Alma.  His last year was caught up in the coaching change.  They seem to have improved as this year has progressed, but not able to get over the hump for a win.  Wish them the best...but not really following them much anymore.

Had another boy playing at BW...but an injury has sidelined him for what looks like his short career there.

Hope that Hope can finish up strong.  I've always felt it's a program that struggles to live up to expectations.

[formerd3db]

MIAA in Exile:

Thank you for the clarification.  After I posted that last evening, I kind of had a feeling that I miscalculated, however, did not go back to review it.  I guess Adrian kind of blew it.

Former...

Thought I would move our quick discussion back over here.  One of my boys graduated last year after playing for four years at Alma.  His last year was caught up in the coaching change.  They seem to have improved as this year has progressed, but not able to get over the hump for a win.  Wish them the best...but not really following them much anymore.

Had another boy playing at BW...but an injury has sidelined him for what looks like his short career there.

Hope that Hope can finish up strong.  I've always felt it's a program that struggles to live up to expectations.

AlmaFan:

Glad you did i.e. move the discussion back over here! Didn't want our OAC friends to give us the "jeer" for discussing MIAA topics over there!

Anyway, first, sorry to hear about your other son's injury.  That is always a tough situation for a young man to experience.  However, if he is not able to get back to finishing out his playing career, I would just encourage him to try and make a positive out of it - facing adversity, which will hopefully help him life's future situations.  If he is interested in a coaching/education career, obviously you and I have seen where players have successfully gone on to those when their playing careers have been cut short by an injury.  I wish him the best in the future regardless of whatever happens.

Second, I do recall from your past posts that you had a son playing at Alma (of course, also from your posting nickname ).  Being caught in the middle of a coaching change like that is also a tough situation of a different kind.  But, hopefully he had an good experience at Alma both athletically and academically (as my brother is a former player in baseball and football there and my former association there, I have a great affinity for the College and the people there, both current and former coaches/administrators).  Also, I agree on your take of this year's team.  When we played them, I also thought they looked improved, yet as you say, they have just had a tough time "getting over that hump" for a first win.  In that sense, I guess they can be compared to how Olivet was last season and this season. 

As far as Hope, for sure, the program has had a challenge in trying to keep up with expectations.  We have had the two titles in the past decade and each of those teams were good in their own "right", although as we all know, overall, the MIAA unfortunately is not the conference it was back some 20-30 years ago - much has changed on the DIII scene since then and particularly in our own Michigan and Great Lakes region.  There are a lot of varied theories/reasons for that which many of us have discussed several times on these boards, and that is just the reality of the situation.  The Hope, Albion (and sometimes Adrian and Alma) teams of the past back then certainly did have much more respect and could hold their own against many other DIII conference teams, of course, the magical 1994 Stagg Bowl National Championship year for Albion.

At the same time, however, and again with regard to Hope, Coach Kreps and his staff(s) have always done things the right way and he has always been able to get the best out of his players with the talent that presents each year, even during those recent tough 3-7 years (ouch , although that obviously doesn't compare in one sense to a winless season like Olivet had last year and that Alma is potentially facing this year).  Anyway, I obviously agree with you in hoping that we can finish up strong this year!  It should be an exciting championship game next week, unless it turns into a blow-out by either team, which will then only be exciting to the winning team!              

[formerd3db]

Saturday Evening Review Nov 9th:

First, to Mr. Ypsi (and our other MIAA posters, too):
Well, Ron English got the axe yesterday, not surprisingly other than for the main reason it happened.  It is a very unfortunate incident, however, I suspect that it was just the "straw" since I believe he probably would have been fired at the end of the season based on the record and the direction of the program.  At least that is what the AD Ms. Lyke implied in her released statement today.  Well-known Stan Parrish (former Head Coach at Wabash, Marshall, Kansas State, Ball State and stints as QB Coach at Michigan, Rutgers, Purdue and the NFL Tampa Bay Bucs and NAIA Siena Heights University in Adrian, MI last year), takes over as Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season.  Of course, they went out today and won at home, beating Western Michigan in an emotional and close game, although only 2,100 in attendance.  Heck, our MIAA teams get more than that most of the time (except for today, in which the attendances were 612, 1905 and 1455 - chalk that up to the weather! ).   Anyway, it will be interesting to see who Eastern Michigan chooses next.  Do you think Parrish will have a chance or even want it?  Former star U of Michigan RB Mike Hart and a former Adrian player are assistant coaches there also, although I suspect they'll be gone unless Parrish is chosen.  Your thoughts?

Second, interesting day in the MIAA.  Of course, the showdown is even more set for next week, now that Albion defeated Adrian today. Adrian sure imploded the last 3 weeks of the season, although again, they only beat Hope by 3 (yet, Hope did not deserve to win that game anyway with the particular day's performance). Nonetheless, I'm hoping for a huge crowd as is historically present for most MIAA championship games, good weather and, of course, a Hope victory.  Kazoo had a nice win at home again over winless Alma, however, again only 612 listed for attendance.  Trine wins a close one at Olivet, but again, the latter sure has had a very decent season compared to last year.  They'll be 6-4 at the least, but could be 7-3 if they win next week.

Another shake up I saw on the front page here is that Bluffton upset Franklin.  Kind of puts a "kink" into the HCAC's race a bit perhaps.   

[Mr. Ypsi]

I was a bit surprised they fired English during the season, since his contract was up at the end of the season anyway.  Seems a lot less messy to just not re-hire him in December.  I would certainly assume they would try to hire Stan Parrish, but have no clue whether he would want the job at the 'Graveyard of Coaches'.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just read the M-live article: didn't realize Parrish was 67, and only took the job at EMU as a favor to Ron English to try to save his job.  I'd say there is no way EMU can hire him as the next coach.

And who in his right mind would take the job??!!  I'm amazed that EMU is even still D1, since they haven't met the attendance requirement (without creative bookkeeping) in probably 20+ years.

[formerd3db]

I was a bit surprised they fired English during the season, since his contract was up at the end of the season anyway.  Seems a lot less messy to just not re-hire him in December.  I would certainly assume they would try to hire Stan Parrish, but have no clue whether he would want the job at the 'Graveyard of Coaches'.

Just read the M-live article: didn't realize Parrish was 67, and only took the job at EMU as a favor to Ron English to try to save his job.  I'd say there is no way EMU can hire him as the next coach.

And who in his right mind would take the job??!!  I'm amazed that EMU is even still D1, since they haven't met the attendance requirement (without creative bookkeeping) in probably 20+ years.

Yes, I think it would have been better and more classier if they had just relieved him at the end of the season as you mentioned, and especially since his contract was up for renewal then (I wasn't aware of the latter until you mentioned it).  However, as I opined, once the video came to the "surface", it appears they had no chance.  In regards to that in general and as far as the rest of the NCAA is concerned, it sure makes one wonder how many other football coaches in DI and/or all the NCAA divisions would be fired if what some of them say in practice, in the locker rooms/team rooms after practice became public.   I believe there would be a lot of firings.

As far as Parrish, I tend to agree with you that possibly because of his age, they might not offer the position to him and as you also mentioned, perhaps he might not even want it.  I could see considerations either way i.e. they might figure that by having him do it for, say...a 3-year deal to try and "get the ship righted slightly" yet on the other hand, conventional wisdom (and the usual precedent anywhere) says they would want to start from scratch (again ) and give someone a 5-year deal to try their hand at it.  I think most of us agree that any coach anywhere really should be given i.e. needs at least 5 years to try and turn a program around - it simply takes that long at the very least.

Also, if Parrish was interested and they did consider offering it to him, I would think that he would want it simply because he realizes this being his "last hurrah" for a head coaching stint (again if he wanted that responsibility) and that would be an easy way to go out as opposed to putting all that energy into some other big-time program.  My though there being that the "outside" expectations (i.e. not those of the Eastern Michigan administrators, but rather the general public) are not as high as they would be at some other program simply because of Eastern's history/track record.  Yet, Parrish more likely would prefer to finish his career as an assistant as he has the last couple of years.  All that said, I think that most likely, the Eastern Michigan administrators will prefer to pick a new outside young coach.  But as you said, who really would want to go there other than some really really young coach who wants an early shot at the "big time", although EMU probably wouldn't hire someone like that.

And finally, you are right about the status in regards to the attendance at football games there (of course, you/I and others have discussed that here many times).  Their home attendance and particularly this year is simply sad.  As I mentioned, a great number of our MIAA games outdraw Eastern's.  Their players really only get a taste of the "big time" when they play at Michigan, Penn State, Army, etc., etc.  Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens.   

[sac]

Always fun when Albion/Hope means something, its been quite awhile since the last game meant this much between these two.  I think.

[formerd3db]

Always fun when Albion/Hope means something, its been quite awhile since the last game meant this much between these two.  I think.

So you'll be there, right sac? (I hope you will be if Michigan is playing away. )