FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[LetItRain]

Mr. Ypsi - are you running the MIAA Pick 'Ems site again this year?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Mr. Ypsi - are you running the MIAA Pick 'Ems site again this year?

I forgot about it - but OK.  It's now such short notice, I guess we'll start with week two (though, as sac is the defending champ, I should take advantage of his loyalty this Saturday!).

[4852lkrick]

Kickoff tonight @ 7:00!!  Good luck Trine! 

[Uncle Rico]

I am so pumped up for today.  I don't think I could have waited much longer for the season to start!

[Mr. Ypsi]

The rest of the evening belongs to Trine, but first a baseball note - the Tigers completed their sweep of the Tribe.

They now lead the Twins by five, with each having 29 games to go.  The Sox are in deep doo-doo, down 7 and only 27 games to go.  I ain't counting my chickens just yet, but I'm starting to get a taste for post-season play!

(If Porcello wins the clincher, you suppose the cops would look the other way if the 20-year-old swigs some champagne? )

[D306]

Ypsi

I am trying to be calm about the Tigers but I think they are pulling away and starting to hit.
Great coaching job this year, pitching is tough and hitting, young players are starting to excel, all the while OLD Gravel voice is making the right call on who plays that day.

Let's start the MIAA ff on a Good note and see a Trine win tonight.
Pretty easy win last year and Trine returns a lot of key players to this years team.

I will be interested and attending the Albion VS Butler game.
Should be a good test to see were Albion is this year.
I expect a good game and possibly even a close upset win by the Brits.
Defense will carry the day while the Offense continues to jell.
The new defensive system suits this teams athletes well and will challenge other teams to make a play.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Final:  Trine 16, Manchester 14.

I know nothing but the score from scoreboard, but a bit closer than I would have expected from a team hoping to crack the top 25.  Just a blip, or a giver of hope to the rest of the conference?  (Or is Manchester not as bad as I assumed?)

Any first person reports?

[sac]

For the most part the Tigers have a favorable schedule for themselves ahead them after this weekends series with Tampa Bay, they have 10 games with KC (6) and Toronto (4) both below .500,........ how difficult the final 3 weeks of the season will be determined there imo.

However, they finish the year with 13 of the final 16 vs chasers Minnesota and Chicago, with a series at Cleveland mixed in.  The final week of the season includes 7 games with Minnesota (3) and Chicago (4) at Comerica.

However the Twins have it even easier with series with KC, and Toronto and Cleveland.  They have a midweek series vs Oakland in a couple weeks along with another series with Chicago.  Pretty much the only winning team on their schedule is the Tigers if the Sox don't shape up.


The White Sox have the tougher run in by far but only because of their next week, Boston for 4 this weekend, then 2 with Oakland and 3 games at the Angels and 3 more at Seattle.  In comparison to what the Twins and Tigers face, thats a brutal stretch.  Their finals games are all vs the Tigers and Twins with a couple series against the Indians and Royals.  If they're still around, 6 of their last 9 are against the Tigers.   They have to survive the next 12 games without losing more than a game in the standings.......it might be better to say they need to make up a game or two.


From the looks of it though, it would seem the Tigers and Twins will be battling right to the final week, with the White Sox being a factor, if not a contender.

[miaafbfan]

The Trine/Manchester score was a lot closer than I, and probably many others, expected.  By the numbers, it looks like Trine struggled.  Hard to tell if it's just a bump in the road, or reason for hope on the part of the other MIAA teams.  Good luck to the others in tomorrow's games.  I'm glad to read the pick 'em contest will be up and running for next week. 

[70_dc_alum]

i asked what happened on the HCAC board too, but we tend to not get many posts from Manchester there.  from the game recap it sounds like Trine came out very flat gave up a couple of big plays and was down 14-0 before they knew they were in  ball game.  Trine caught a huge break right before the half with a bad put snap that gets trine the ball deep in Manchester territory to setup a score on the last play of the half.  would be interesting to see froma Trine fan who attended what they thought.  is Manchester that much improved, was Trine just that slopy, is there an overconfidence hangover? 

Manchester got a lot better throughout the year last year and ended up as one of there better teams in a long time (yes they have been real bad for the last couple decades).  Being an HCAC guy i am curious if they are a team that might make some waves or they just caught a good Trine team on a bad night.

[BOYA87]

It was definitely a slow and shaky start for the Thunder.  The offense struggled finding any rythm at all in the first half and the defense had a hard time getting to the quarterback.  I was very impressed with Machesters QB #13.  He did a phenominal job getting rid of the ball quick and hitting his outlet recievers.  This kept Trines D-Line and blitzing linebackers at bay almost the whole game.  Manchester looked very quick and played hard.  I will be interested in seeing how they continue their progress in the season.

But in the end the Thunder pulled out a win and now they go straight into a bye week.  Im sure they will find plenty of things from last nights film to work on for the next two weeks to get ready for Defiance.  Good Luck to the rest of the MIAA this weekend.

FOOTBALL IS FINALLY HERE!!!!

[Pat Coleman]

Welcome to the board, BOYA87.

[Uncle Rico]

The Trine defense did a good job.  I understand that the offense was not at full strength.  There are some kids with nagging injuries that the upcoming break should help.  Also heard from some of the players that Manchester was much improved from last year, with a great deal of senior starters.  Glad Trine was able to take one on the road, but they will need to play much better.  It was certainly a nail bitter, and the players responded to a 14-0 deficit in the 1st quarter.  They did not panic, unlike me.     Much too close for comfort.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I decided pickems was way too short notice for this week (especially now that Trine has already played! ), but the slate of games for next week is now up on pickems.

Let's get LOTS of pickers this year.

[I somehow doubt anyone will pick before tomorrow's results, but this let's you know which games to focus on! ]

[Mr. Ypsi]

Tigers win, Twins lose!

6 up, 28 to go.  I'm startin' to feel those post-season vibes.