FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[hopewatcher]

Seems like a good week to bust out these beauties


Hope will be going for its 16th consecutive win in this rivalry.

Anybody know how old those shoes are?  The depictions of the mascots look, shall we say, out of yesteryear.  Hoping they're not from the 70' or 80's.

Its been a long time since I've seen them in person, but I think these are the same as they were when I was in school, late 80's early 90's.

I saw them on Monday, and am not sure how old the current pair is...I was told that the original pair that was used is in the College Football Hall of fame....If it helps, here's what is currently posted on the Hope Football Facebook page regarding this topic:

"The Hope-Kalamazoo football series is known as the "Wooden Shoes Rivalry". The teams have been football rivals since 1910. The traveling trophy, a pair of hand-carved Dutch wooden shoes, has been part of the rivalry since 1931. For years the wooden shoes were viewed as unique among intercollegiate trophy games because when a tie occurred the head coach of each team could have one of the pair until the next year's game. That happened six times until the NCAA eliminated the tie game ending in 1996. The teams will be playing for the 91st time in 2011."

[adidas28]

What if...

Trine wins out and Adrian stays undefeated, is it at all possible that the MIAA gets two teams in the playoffs?

I think it's a long shot based on the perception of the conference, but my thought is with Trines recent success combined with a 9-1 record and the only loss coming to an undefeated and ranked Adrian team - it is possible.

Any thoughts?

[ForeverFootball]

My thoughts...as an Adrian parent. We are taking this one week at a time. And not looking past this Saturday.

[matblake]

What if...

Trine wins out and Adrian stays undefeated, is it at all possible that the MIAA gets two teams in the playoffs?

I think it's a long shot based on the perception of the conference, but my thought is with Trines recent success combined with a 9-1 record and the only loss coming to an undefeated and ranked Adrian team - it is possible.

Any thoughts?

It's a possibility.  It all depends on how the Pool C candidate teams stack up based off the NCAA criteria.  If the scenario you suggest plays out, you should start wishing conferences to have many teams with multiple losses so that the conference is only awarded a Pool A bid and increasing the MIAA's chances of securing a Pool C berth.  However, with the MIAC, OAC, and CCIW usually having good pool C candidates, it's probably going to be a tough road.  Time will tell.

[ThunderHead]

While there is nothing wrong with playing the "what if" game, I think we need to remember Trine has a long ways to go before anyone can talk about them running the table.

Though the MIAA isn't the MIAC or WIAC, there are still a few teams that I think will give Trine all they can handle. In particular, the last game of the season at Albion looms large for them.

Let's not forget - Trine wasn't even competitive with Adrian, and their body of work against bottom feeding teams from other conference's doesn't give any support to a 9-1 record, as even in the wins, they were far less then spectacular. To date, Trine's played 3 good quarters of offensive football versus 16 quarters of play.

While my fellow Trine posters maybe feel I'm being "Johnny downer" I think it's important to bring a slight bit of reality to the situation.  If Trine wants to be competitive, everyone has to step up to the plate and not lean on past success as a crutch, this includes the coaching staff.

Just my opinion.

[MasterJedi]

Some more of the "What If" game, this time it's called Deere's Bane (for canceling the game against UWW).  (Though the post was before the Adrian/Trine game so the first part already happened!)

Time for a little game of "What if...?" -

What if...?
              Adrian beats Trine (like some on the MIAA board seem to think) this saturday and wins out to get their conference automatic playoff bid, in the old North Region.

What if...?
             Mount Union runs the table (well, not so much a what if?), gets the number 1 seed in the old East Region (again not so much of a what if?).

What if...?
            UWW wins out the season and gets the #1 seed in the old North Region.

(see where this is headed?)
chirp, chirp


What if...?
             The playoff committee matches up Adrian vs UWW in the first round of the 2011 playoffs at the Perk.

What if...?
             Adrian HC Jim Deere gets a headache, decides not to take the bid and keeps his team in Michigan.



(Disclaimer: I'm still thinking 1 game at a time, but as a fan, I am allowed to play games of "What if?")
           

[Uncle Rico]

What if...

Trine wins out and Adrian stays undefeated, is it at all possible that the MIAA gets two teams in the playoffs?

I think it's a long shot based on the perception of the conference, but my thought is with Trines recent success combined with a 9-1 record and the only loss coming to an undefeated and ranked Adrian team - it is possible.

Any thoughts?

Under your scenario, I think it would take a fair amount of luck for Trine to make it, even with only a one loss season.  Although the pollsters probably don't look at Trine as critically as some of their own observers.

However, I am not even sure that any team is going to go undefeated in the conference this year. Hope, Kalamazoo, and Albion all have shown some spark and can't be over-looked.  That is not a knock against Adrian, I just think that there are teams capable of pulling the upset.

[adidas28]

I agree with all you - one game at a time, too early, need luck, alot to work on. I'm only using Trine because they are the only team with one loss in conference. This is really an MIAA question, Thunderhead has convinced me to give up on the Thunder all together 

So, Is a once ranked, one loss team to an undefeated conference champion and top 25 team enough to get two teams into the dance?

[Uncle Rico]

Adidas28, I am usually a very positive person, but I think the strength of schedule would come in to play and might hurt the chances.  They would need their non-conference opponents to represent themselves well the rest of the season. Trine won't get too many bonus points for beating MIAA teams if there are other 9-1 teams in tougher perceived conferences.  I think that was one reason Trine had to travel to DePauw last year. 

[BOYA87]

Big test for Trine this weekend handling the adversity of a long road trip and bouncing back from a loss which they havent had to do for a long time!  Prayers for safe travels, and for a safe game.  Also for all players to play to the Best Of Their Ability (hence my name, BOYA Best of Your Ability)

Still waiting for this Trine team to find their identity and I hope they learned a lot about themselves from this last week.

[ThunderHead]

BOYA - Interesting take on your name. I like it. 

I have made my thoughts known on Trine's lack of a preseason schedule  , it stems from the fact that you get your ticket punched for the playoffs based on, most likely, a conference championship, so unlike the BCS you're not dead with a few non-conference loses, so long as your team is being tested for league play.

I don't feel like Trine did that in any way and it hurt them against a quality opponent. Hopefully it's not just the players who learned something from the Adrian loss, because if only they learned something that'd be a true shame. ::cough couch coaching staff cough cough::

Anyway, safe travels to all. I'll be heading to Northwestern for the U of M game. Should be a dandy!

[formerd3db]

ThunderHead:

My son-in-law, who is a huge U of Michigan fan (like me ), is also going to the Northwestern/U of Mich game tomorrow - that lucky guy!  He got tickets from a friend as a gift and is "blasting down" there.  Too bad our Hope night game against Kazoo is early evening as I might have just "blasted down there" with him if I thought could make it back in time for the start of our game, however,...I think that would have been cutting it too close (especially with that horrid Chicago traffic ).  I think Michigan had better be careful as Northwestern could knock them off, although that might be a tougher challenge tomorrow since Northwestern's starting QB has been injured.  It has been reported yesterday that most likely he will be starting tomorrow, yet how effective he can be remains to be seen.  Whatever the situation, Michigan's defensive backfield had better be ready.  Anyway, I hope you have a great time.  Beautiful campus, Northwestern.

[ThunderHead]

FormerD3er,

Good stuff regarding your son-in-law, it's great you love him even though he is a Wolverine fan. LOL JK 

Anyway, check your PM

[sac]

...I think that would have been cutting it too close (especially with that horrid Chicago traffic ). 

Beautiful campus, Northwestern.

Made the trip to Northwestern in 2007, I can confirm both of these statements. 

Although I think most of the traffic issues can be blamed more on the difficulty of getting into and out of Evanston vs placing blame on Chicago itself.  ....A one hour backup on I-90/94 South of downtown, yes that I place all blame squarely on Chicago.

[formerd3db]

Oops!  First, after I posted last evening, I found out that the Northwestern/Michigan game is a night game today - I guess I had forgotten about that.  Which means I would not have been able to go anyway since our Hope/Kazoo game is tonight as well.  Thanks for the nice comment, ThunderHead.  Yes, I'll check my PM.  Safe travels to you also.

As far as the traffic in Chicago, sac, I agree with you about getting in/out of Evanston.  I meant that just getting to the city once you hit the outskirts of the Toll Road and/or the I-90/94 backups are just as bad, especially the Dan Ryan.  Nor does it help if you try to hit Lakeshore Drive as it doesn't save time.  After living 4 years in Chicago, my wife being from there also, I have to say that it is still terrible no matter what time of day you try. I've had to attend several conferences in Chicago and it took me 2 hours just to get from downtown to Hammond, IN both at 6 PM and 2PM in the afternoon, so "rush hour" doesn't make any difference.  Now if you are going "around the horn" on 294, say for example to Wheaton, Elmhurst, or even going to O'Hare and/or Wisconsin, with the Express Pass (if you have one), it is so much easier.  I rate Chicago's traffic mess worse than Detroit, however, better than Atlanta, the latter of which is just a plain nightmare (our daughter lived/taught there for 3 years recently so I had that experience).  Anyway, hope you all enjoy whatever games you are going to.