FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Mr. Ypsi · September 12, 2011, 09:39:29 PM

sflzman, we'll have to be more specific next time! I could swear (though I haven't gone back to check for sure) that you were planning to come over to the IWU tailgate at halftime, so I waited there. Sorry we missed each other.

As to the game - quite frankly I kept waiting for IWU to do unto Alma as they did unto Hope (close at the half, then 28-0 in the second), but it never happened. Don't sleep on Alma, folks; Henderson is for real (in the first half I thought they had slipped in Pierre Garcon as a ringer!) Somehow we shut him down in the second, but he must have had over 150 yards by halftime! And Mason is a beast! He's listed in the program as 235, but that is a fantasy - I talked with a couple of our defensive linemen after the game (about 250-260 each) and they swore he was bigger than them! If he EVER went down on the first hit, I can't recall it. But thank goodness (as a Titan

) for his fumble (or defensive strip; I couldn't tell which) at the end: trailing by 8, Alma had first and goal from the four with under a minute left (and we all just KNEW that if the Scots punched it in, they would also convert the two, and anything can happen in OT).

Well played, Scots! Until proven otherwise, Trine is still the favorite, and Adrian has looked quite impressive (especially on offense). I haven't yet checked the schedules to see where those two play Alma, but IF in Alma I may take a flyer on the Scots in the Pickems!

sflzman · September 12, 2011, 09:44:26 PM

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on September 12, 2011, 09:39:29 PM
sflzman, we'll have to be more specific next time! I could swear (though I haven't gone back to check for sure) that you were planning to come over to the IWU tailgate at halftime, so I waited there. Sorry we missed each other.

As to the game - quite frankly I kept waiting for IWU to do unto Alma as they did unto Hope (close at the half, then 28-0 in the second), but it never happened. Don't sleep on Alma, folks; Henderson is for real (in the first half I thought they had slipped in Pierre Garcon as a ringer!) Somehow we shut him down in the second, but he must have had over 150 yards by halftime! And Mason is a beast! He's listed in the program as 235, but that is a fantasy - I talked with a couple of our defensive linemen after the game (about 250-260 each) and they swore he was bigger than them! If he EVER went down on the first hit, I can't recall it. But thank goodness (as a Titan ) for his fumble (or defensive strip; I couldn't tell which) at the end: trailing by 8, Alma had first and goal from the four with under a minute left (and we all just KNEW that if the Scots punched it in, they would also convert the two, and anything can happen in OT).

Well played, Scots! Until proven otherwise, Trine is still the favorite, and Adrian has looked quite impressive (especially on offense). I haven't yet checked the schedules to see where those two play Alma, but IF in Alma I may take a flyer on the Scots in the Pickems!

Shoot, I went to the IWU bleachers and when I could not find someone matching your description I walked back around to check by the concessions and the bathrooms.

The best place to meet would probably be by the victory bell in the southeast corner of the stadium near the gates.....

Mr. Ypsi · September 12, 2011, 09:56:52 PM

sflzman, Saturday got so unexpectedly hot in the sun (I was worried about rain and instead got quite a sunburn!) that there is no way I was staying in the stands over halftime! I sat in the shade of a parent's RV.

ThunderHead · September 12, 2011, 10:08:13 PM

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on September 12, 2011, 09:56:52 PM
sflzman, Saturday got so unexpectedly hot in the sun (I was worried about rain and instead got quite a sunburn!) that there is no way I was staying in the stands over halftime! I sat in the shade of a parent's RV.

Mr. Ypsi - it was unbelievably hot in EL too. Weatherman have the ultimate job. They can be wrong and still not get fired. Lucky people.

formerd3db · September 12, 2011, 11:00:04 PM

sac:
Well, they won't have a cupcake this Saturday!

Mr. Ypsi:
Had a great time at the campfire cookout on Friday evening. Yes, indeed, it was hot over at Hope as well; moreso than they predicted. I had planned for rain also; yet we were lucky that there was a nice breeze throughout the game, otherwise, it would have been too hot/too humid.

sflzman:
Okay, then when we come up for the Oct 1st game, the Victory Bell can be the rendezvous place.

sflzman · September 13, 2011, 04:02:03 PM

Quote from: formerd3db on September 12, 2011, 11:00:04 PM
sflzman:
Okay, then when we come up for the Oct 1st game, the Victory Bell can be the rendezvous place.

Sounds like plan for haltime

Raider 68 · September 14, 2011, 11:39:51 AM

How will Trine do against UW-RF. The Pickem's are mixed thus far? $:-\$

RFMichigan · September 14, 2011, 12:12:37 PM

Can someone give me some specifics about Adrian? They look pretty strong so far (a real MIAA contender what what it looks like), but I'd like to have some detail about their first few games besides the scores.

sflzman · September 14, 2011, 08:41:51 PM

Anthony Sabatella named to the d3football.com Team of the Week for Week 2.

http://www.alma.edu/athletics/football/archives/2011/09/14/sabatellaTOW2

Raider 68 · September 15, 2011, 09:39:13 AM

This week's MIAA results could really be a great indicator of how the conference race may shape up! We'll
see!

sflzman · September 15, 2011, 10:25:18 AM

Raider, I agree. If UWRF defeats Trine like I think they will, then it will really show that Adrian, Albion, and Alma will have a chance to win the conference.

For those 4 Teams here are, IMO, the must-win games:

Adrian/Trine: Oct. 1, Adrian @ Trine. Trine needs to make a statement and defeat Adrian at home to start league play. Adrian must prove they can win a tough game on the road, because to win the conference, you're going to have to.

Albion: Oct. 8, Alma @ Albion. Albion needs to win at home against rival Alma. They will have to take care of buisness at home to win the league.

Alma: Oct. 1, Hope @ Alma. The Scots must win at home against a Hope team that should battle Kzoo for the 5 spot. You cannot afford to start league play with a loss at home to a team you should beat.

BoBo · September 15, 2011, 11:12:07 AM

Quote from: sflzman on September 15, 2011, 10:25:18 AM
Raider, I agree. If UWRF defeats Trine like I think they will, then it will really show that Adrian, Albion, and Alma will have a chance to win the conference.

Has Trine really declined in one season to a point that you feel the preseason predicted last place team in the WIAC will defeat them? And on the road with a new coach, for that matter? That would be a massive drop in a very short period of time; not the kind of result a supposed team on the rise finds themselves going through. Just curious, are your feelings based solely on Trine stumbling so far this year or do you think River Falls is that much improved from the team Trine beat rather handily last year, or a combination of the two? Does it all come down to Trine not being able to replace their outstanding QB? My apologies if you've posted about this previously.

BOYA87 · September 15, 2011, 02:39:44 PM

Welcome BoBo,

I think everyone is a little suprised at the step back they have seen Trine take this year. I dont think it is a huge step back but simply the perceptions that everyone had going into this season are not being met.

Last week Trine showed vast improvements on many levels and in the game of football you must be getting better from week to week. I think River Falls will be a better test than they have seen yet this year but if Trine continues to improve week to week I think they will preform well this weekend and really begin hitting their stride going into conference play!

Side note, Matt Land has not lost a home game starting with his final 2 home games in his first year! He understands the importance of protecting the home turf and I expect the players to be reflecting that.

matblake · September 15, 2011, 04:01:13 PM

I expect Trine to win. Although not living up to the expectations of the fans so far, I don't think there has been as big a drop off as imagined. If the game was against OshKosh or LaCrosse I would be far more concerned if I were a Trine fan.

ThunderHead · September 15, 2011, 04:07:22 PM

I struggled with the Pickem's. Especially Trine.

My thoughts are Trine isn't very good right now. I've stated why and done my best to back it up with factual data. Trine will improve, but I'm impressed with how Wis. RF has handled St Thomas. Trine has really played no one.

As far as Coach Land, I don't think I've ever seen or heard a coach say "hey home field isn't important" so - I'm not really sure where you're going there Boya. I think every team wants to win at home, as does every coach.

Side note: It's Thursday already: Roll Call

Might make the first bit of Trine then it's off to South Bend for MSU vs ND.