FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[dc_has_been]

Congrats to Trine for winning the MIAA.  Don't overlook next week. 
If Trine wins next week & w/ a loss coming from Otterbein & one of the other top three likely to be shipped out Trine will probably host a first round game.  Possibly vs. CWRU or a rematch vs. Franklin.

[formerd3db]

Congratulations to Trine players, coaches and all you fans on clinching the MIAA championship.  Very exciting for you all.  Looking back on "the journey" it has been quite a 4-5 year or more ride, since the undefeated season in the scholarship NAIA days.  While I did not pick a score or actually a winner, I did post that I thought it would be a close game and it appears it turned out that way.  I had a feeling that it would be and that Trine had a very good chance at winning despite it being at Adrian's own turf.  To you Adrian fans/former players here, I'm sorry it didn't turn out for your team - that is always disappointing.  But I guess it is just that as some of you had said since Adrian seems to have difficulty in winning the big one's in recent years and "finishing the task". 

Anyway, nothing against Trine's final opponent, however, I do hope they win out and thus perhaps get a better seed as miaafan mentioned.  It would be nice to see them go beyond the first round and break the "tough luck" that the MIAA has had in the playoffs in recent years.

As to Albion, they pull one out again.  I'm sure that is disappointing for the Kazoo fans, yet, if you look at it overall, Kazoo has made some big strides this season under new coach Zerbo.  A new attitude tramsmitting into improvd effort evidenced by the fact that they came close to winning some key games in recent weeks.  While they did not quite achive that, it suggests, at least for now, good things to come next year in which they just might "go over the edge" and win those types of games.  Such results, however, do take time.

We'll wait and see re: Alma vs. Hope rescheduling.  Again, I will "go out on a limb" and say that I will be very surprised if they actually reschedule the game.  Other than giving the seniors one "last hurrah", there really is no "absolute compelling reason" the game has to be played given the current situation and standings.  Look for the asterisk, although I/we could end up being surprised.

[Diezel1]

Has Trine finally earned the respect they deserve from the rest of the MIAA?

[formerd3db]

Has Trine finally earned the respect they deserve from the rest of the MIAA?

Diezel1:

With all due respect, why not/why wouldn't they have earned it?   Any team who wins the MIAA title should have the respect of its fellow schools/players, as long as they competed with/treated its opponents with the same.  As far as I know of, Trine's players and its staff and fans have done just that and conducted themselves accordingly throughout the season.  No taunting of players (unlike reports that have been coming out of Westerville, OH today regarding Otterbein, which really surprises me).  Do you know something I and/or the others don't?   in that regard.   

Anyway, as has been said here by others, let's wish Trine the best in representing our league (but, of course, they can't overlook their final game - one more next week).  Anyway, all of the above is Just MHO

[Diezel1]

It just seems that it took Trine to win the MIAA for them to get respect. In the preseason poll they were voted 5th out of the seven teams.  It just appeared that the MIAA still looked at Trine as the sub-team they were a few years ago.

[D306]

Congrats to Trine


Huge win, great defense to shut down Adrian at home
Both teams played great on defense to shut each other down in a 9-0 game.

Finish strong Trine

[sac]

I'll put my plug in for Hope v Alma being rescheduled.........they've played each other every year since 1946,..... 1927 if you take out the war years of 43, 44 and 45.  Postponement due to war is one thing...........you can't let a little virus get equal treatment with a war.  Though, I suppose if your one of the unfortunates with the virus, it probably feels like a war.

--------------------------------------------------
Congrats to Trine, a win next week gives them the first perfect season in the MIAA since Albion in 1996 (9-0)

Trine now has as many MIAA Championships as Eastern Michigan, and are just one behind Michigan State.   They've also done something Calvin has never done.

[formerd3db]

It just seems that it took Trine to win the MIAA for them to get respect. In the preseason poll they were voted 5th out of the seven teams.  It just appeared that the MIAA still looked at Trine as the sub-team they were a few years ago.

Well, that is the way it always is with any team.  Historically, when a team is down for many years, for example the way Olivet was for a long time, then obviously a team is not going to get respect naturally until they start winning (or at least becoming competitive) and doing it in the right way.  You have to remember that Trine has not been in the league that long and had to rebuild from the bottom once they came into the league.  I dare say that when Trine had that undefeated year (10-0 as I recall) in the mid-'90's when they would have been very competitive with most of the MIAA teams (although Albion was in its prime with those consecutive championship titles) even though they were in the NAIA, which some people thought was somewhat "renegade programs" at some of those schools and not on par with the upper tier of DIII teams.  I don't recall off hand - perhaps our Trine friends here Uncle Rico, LetItRain, etc., can inform us of the details of this more - I'm not sure if Trine was NAIA scholarship (I thought they were although I could be mistaken) and if so, even though those were "paritial scholarships" in the sense as compared to higher level full rides, nonetheless, they attracted some very good players who were very good (perhaps some, although not all, could have played at higher levels) players who might otherwise have gone to DIII schools.  

Anyway, I see your point about getting the respect.  All I'm saying is that the process is a "natural" and usually the same for all teams.  Those winning teams that don't get respect are those that are arrogant, taunting and disrespectful to their opponents.  Unfortunately, we've had a few of those types in the MIAA on occasion, although I don't think now (at least not so much ).

Hey, good to have you on the board Diezel1.  Keep posting and help us/your board get to that 200th page before the end of this season!

[formerd3db]

sac:
Yeah, that makes sense.  Obviously, the only viabel date will be Nov 22nd.

[formerd3db]

Final weekend's games (except for possible Hope/Alma reschedule) is:

Adrian @ Olivet - probable Adrian win as they will be ready to vindicate themselves after yesterday.  However, it is a Olivet's home turf and they are always tuff at home.  The "Big O" wants to go out on a positive note for 2008.

Hope @ Kalamazoo:  Usually an easy win for Hope, this could be a tough challenge to pull this off, espescially with Kazoo at home and playing improved as Kazoo has.

Albion @ Alma:  This could be a shootout; always tough up at Balhke Stadium.  Alma could win this but Albion has a shot at it as well.

Trine @ Kentucky Christian:  Should be a win for Trine, as Ky Christian is a newer program and not that good.  However, it is at KY's turf and an "away" game letdown needs to be avoided by Trine; don't look ahead to the playoffs.

[Diezel1]

d3db: I completely understand you have to earn the "respect" to get it.  With Trine improving from 2-8 two years ago, to 6-4 last season and returning numerous upper classmen, you would think they would have been picked higher in the preseason. And for Trine to be the "underdog" this weekend just seems to show the lack of believing in what the Thunder are doing

[dc_has_been]

d3db: I completely understand you have to earn the "respect" to get it.  With Trine improving from 2-8 two years ago, to 6-4 last season and returning numerous upper classmen, you would think they would have been picked higher in the preseason. And for Trine to be the "underdog" this weekend just seems to show the lack of believing in what the Thunder are doing

I are you really complaining???  If you are a Thunder fan just enjoy it & if you are not then respect what that program has done over the past couple of years. 
I hope their coaching staff gets some bonuses.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Thunder Fans:

I stand corrected in my predicition.  That was an excellent display of defensive football today, on both sides of the ball.  Tri State, sorry Trine did a great job of tying up the Adrian running game which even though they run the spread is a run first offense, great job also of pressuring the QB all game causing havoc in the backfield and really throwing the Adrian offense off balance.  THe pressure and lack of the ability to run really hurt the continuity and ability of the offense of Adrian to produce at the level it had been.  Trines QB left me impressed, never looking amazing, but at the same time making numerous plays when he needed to the most and be very scrappy during the game, very good scrambling abilitiy as well even though he didnt look as if that would be his forte.  Adrians defense played a great game and minus the safety gave up only the 1 TD which was yet again another great showing from their defense.  Congrats to Trine on the win (even though they will always be Tri State to me) and best of luck with the last game and hopefully this is the year that the MIAA gets a win in the playoffs. 

On a more down note I was personally sad to see Adrian miss out on the prize yet again.   As a program we have come a long way since I started there in 2000 and it is nice to see the foundation being built and improving but at the same time frustrating to not see the program be able to get over the hump.  There are some great coaches and kids at that program who deserve to get theirs someday, but unfortunatley this wasnt the day.  Best of luck to Adrian in their last game and to finish on a high note, the last game this season sets the tone for the first game next season and as deflating as this loss could be having had one similar it cant turn into two losses.

[miaafbfan]

It just seems that it took Trine to win the MIAA for them to get respect. In the preseason poll they were voted 5th out of the seven teams.  It just appeared that the MIAA still looked at Trine as the sub-team they were a few years ago.

I think it's a matter of not knowing.  The vast majority of us are looking at these teams from the outside.  We go on what we know, and with Trine being relatively new to the MIAA, we have very little tradition to look back upon.  That 2-8 season was probably a big contributor to many people's lower expectations of Trine.  As you say, respect needs to be earned, and Trine certainly has done that.  I have said it before, but I will say again that the Thunder will represent the MIAA well in the playoffs.

[formerd3db]

diezel1:

Again, I can see your point to a degree.  However, for those of us who have followed the MIAA for a long time, we know that historically the preseason poll means nothing.  It seems to almost always go on "last years" (or the year before) results i.e. that is to say, perhaps a little on "emotion" (although that obviously did not constitute all of the "criteria" used in making those predictions).  By that I mean usually the team that has won the title is almost always picked to be on top (or near there) in the poll.  Obviously, for a long time (in the '90's) those predictions came true when Albion was on its run.  Yet, with that not being true so much any more as evidenced by the recent 7-8 years or so, most of us have come to view the pre-season pole with a "wink" so to speak.

Overall, I think miaafan sums it up well in his view on it about Trine being a newer program.  Again, that approach in the polls/"respect" category is a natural, but not one that I would say is "vindictive" or belittling.  Trine needed to prove their "belonging" in the so-called "upper tier" of the league, which again, they have done wonderfully well (and just as Kazoo needs to do and Olivet has done).  Of course, the "parity" aspects have something to do with that a bit as far as school's recruiting they type of student-athlete football players, but certainly a reflection of having the right coaching staff in place and establishing a solid working relationship together as Trine's staff appears to have done in a short 3-4 years or so. (forgive me for reminiscing, but schools like Hope, Albion and even Adrian have done that over the years and so now has Olivet - as compared to 20-30 years ago).

Anyway, I don't want to "beat this horse" anymore as I think everyone has covered this quite well with each of our own view on this, including your own.  Suffice to say that Trine has earned my respect (and the others I'm sure) as we've said and if I were a "betting man" (which I am not), I will "go out on a limb" and predict that Trine will be at the top (or near it) at next August's 2009 MIAA pre-season pole.

While we all want to see our "own" teams win, it is great to have programs on the rise such as Trine (and even Olivet and Kazoo) to represent our league and hopefully earn some "respect" for the MIAA in the regional and national circles.