MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

Heres how the conference will unfold

1. Tommies
2. Johnnies
3. Carleton
4. Gustavus
5. Hamline
6. Cards baby...WILL make playoffs
7. Bethel
8. Mac
9. Cobs
10. Olaf
11. Augsburg

ET – if you don't mind, when you have a minute, you'll have to share with us the significance if any of your name - Extreme Potato, snowboarder?? 

Also, while I appreciate your early pre-season speculation (which could spark additional conversation on the board), I think you might be a tad optimistic about the Birds.  Tell us about their roster... any changes, did they pick up any playmakers, add any size to their front court other than Terrence Smith?

While the Birds are talented, with the exception of Brensley Haywood, IMO they're undersized & or slow at the guard spot – Fiore, Mikie Sweeney; & obviously undersized in the post – the talented (but 6-1) Mr. Smith.  Seriously, I think the guy's an excellent talent – it's too bad he's not a couple of inches taller.  I would think playing against him would be the equivalent of wrestling an athletic, wet seal.  If not the hardest working post player in the league, he's the heaviest sweating player in the league. 

Haywood & Batterman/Rohr are good, yet streaky players & they need to bring it on a consistent basis all season long for the Birds to have any chance of making the playoffs.

So with that being said, I think Bethel nudges or maybe knocks your Redbirds out.

I'll write up my pre-season outlook of the league & teams later, but I do think the Gusties are gonna have to scratch, claw & fight just to make the playoffs this season.  They've lost too much offensive firepower the last couple of years & as far as I know, haven't brought in or developed any star maker type players to pick up the slack.  Trevor??  However, because of the type of defensive system & the remaining players that Coach Hanson does have, it should be enough for them to secure a place at the playoff table.  4th - 6th?

[miacwatchmen]

Extreme don't sleep on the cobbs. They were injury ridden last year and I think they will sneak up on a few teams. I compare the drive to Moorhead to the drive down to Winona. Maybe some riding fatigue factored in there. Plus Luke Linz is a fantastic player, he will win games for the Cobbs this year.

[Chica yea false identification]

Their roster hasn't changed much.  Like i said earlier they return every one of their players as well as coaches.  They have worked very hard in the off-season waking up early in the mornings about 6 days a week to lift/condition.  This is a team that doesn't really have a player that sticks out, but they are a team that knows each other very well and they work as a team.  A lot of things that have hurt them in the past are turnovers and rebounding, but i think the turnovers will be cut down this year.  Although, rebounding still might be a problem.  They have a player that will probably see action this year in Alex Washington.  A JV player last year that was hurt and missed the whole year.  He is a very strong and athletic kid.  Dan Cormier is improving his offensive game, and will have another great year on the boards as well as being one of the top shot blockers in the league.  The cards are undersized, but i believe they have the most intense off season work ethic in the league. 

As far as the cobbs, I'm def. not sleeping on them, I can see them sneaking up there and perhaps finishing anywhere from 7-11.  However, i can't see them as a playoff team yet this year even though Linz will have a great year.

[funbballer]

Extreme don't sleep on the cobbs. They were injury ridden last year and I think they will sneak up on a few teams. I compare the drive to Moorhead to the drive down to Winona. Maybe some riding fatigue factored in there. Plus Luke Linz is a fantastic player, he will win games for the Cobbs this year.

I'm with you....the Cobbers will finish at least 6, if not higher. And, I think BU has a "chance to be right in the thick of things IF the new coaching staff understands how to actually use their big men. That is a big "IF" though....we'll see.

I also think GAC ends up at 5 or 6.....at best.

[miacwatchmen]

Extreme don't sleep on the cobbs. They were injury ridden last year and I think they will sneak up on a few teams. I compare the drive to Moorhead to the drive down to Winona. Maybe some riding fatigue factored in there. Plus Luke Linz is a fantastic player, he will win games for the Cobbs this year.

I'm with you....the Cobbers will finish at least 6, if not higher. And, I think BU has a "chance to be right in the thick of things IF the new coaching staff understands how to actually use their big men. That is a big "IF" though....we'll see.

Bold statement FB, Willy will not behappy with your prediction of GAC! Willy how are the troops looking this year?

I also think GAC ends up at 5 or 6.....at best.

[localcoach]

Well I see that extremetuber has started our predictions segment, so I will chime in with my two cents. 

MIAC Conference Predicitions

1. St. John's - Too much senior depth and Coach Smith is close to retirement and wants another title really bad. Only loss is Henrichs and they still have more then enough depth in the frontcourt.
2. St. Thomas - PG and depth will be an issue.  Having said that the Big 3 of Rosefelt, Keating, and Schnettler is the best in the MIAC.
3. Hamline - 7 of their top 9 return including DeRock and Thrasher. If Coach Wohler can keep a consistent line-up I like the Pipers chances. 
4. Carleton - I think the loss of Forkrud hurts more then people think. Jake Phillips will be counted on to provide a lot of leadership and the big question is can Zach Johnson repeat his fabulous freshmen season?  Still there's a lot of talent and discipline in this program.
5. Gustavus - Their defense is too good for them to be any lower.  Sowden and Wittwer have a nice supporting cast around them but they will have to carry the load.  Plus losing Coach Flom is huge.
6. Bethel - Lost a lot but Moberg will give Rosefelt a run for POY honors in the MIAC. Plus the Royals still have Strom and Meadowcroft.
7. St. Olaf - The "Killer B's" (Banick, Butala, and Bain) are all still here, but the Oles just haven't proven they can win consistently.  Maybe this is the year?
8. St. Mary's - Too many questions, plus they will have to win on the road.
9. Augsburg - Like Hamline was last year, I think the Auggies will be much improved. They have solid recruits with experience in Femi Solaja and David Olson, and watch out for Cassens and Krumwiede to have solid freshmen campaigns.
10. Macalester - Conboy will be a one man show. Hollander and Lars Johnson need to have huge seasons for the Scots to move up in the standings.
11. Concordia - Depleted roster with only Linz and Citterman really left.

Having said all of that, I'm not sure that SJU will win the league easily.  I think that each of my top four teams has a chance, some more than others.  Bethel will count on Moberg to take them to the post-season and St. Olaf and St. Mary's should have a good chance to make the playoffs considering they lost nobody.

O.k. Drake, Willy, etc......what do you think 

[miacwatchmen]

Wow !! Local goes with the J's to win the league.  I agree the J's have alot of senior leadership (5 senior starters) and Coach Smith is hungry but the real kicker is Pat Mckenzie. From what I hear he has jump started this program and they will hit the ground running this year.

[Drake Palmer]

Well I see that extremetuber has started our predictions segment, so I will chime in with my two cents. 

MIAC Conference Predicitions

O.k. Drake, Willy, etc......what do you think 

What I did over my lunch hour...


Overall, I would say you did a fine job Local, although there are a few quibbles - minor though.   

UST - Here's my major caveat – IF, note I say IF  Keating has rounded into the shape we hoped he would be in last year, the Tommies repeat as conference champs.  Obviously the loss of Sean Sweeney is going to be huge, but if Keating has regained his mobility he gives the Tommies an extra ball handler.  They can run that GAC motion offense where more of the wings handle the ball without as much reliance on a primary ball handler.  The continued development of Dwyer, Viau, Sames & find a competent frontcourt player (Al McCoy?) will be absolutely critical for the Tommies to repeat.

SJU - I have nothing substantive to base this on - just a hunch, but their embarrassment of riches (talent) might be a source of their downfall this season.  I watched the Johnnies play 3-4 times last year & I never got a sense that the sum of the parts was greater than the individual players.  Mebbe it was simply a case of taking a longer time for the major transfers – Lieser & Westman to fit in with the rest of the team.  And then Westman was injured during a portion of the season which also hampered their team development.  Who knows, after another year of seasoning & going through preseason training this is the year they breakout.  Until further notice I still give the nod to the Tommies.

Hamline – See first sentence under SJU.  Definitely a fun team to watch & will scare the mess out of the rest of the league.  But do they have the mental toughness? DeRock is already one of my favorite players in the league, his inside out crossover dribble is nasty!!

Carleton – you're on target with your Forkrud statements Local.  He will be greatly missed for not just stuffing the stat sheet, but his leadership abilities as well.  I'll let others dish the dirt if any, but I've heard a rumble or two of discontent - is it the Knight Startrain or the Teamtrain?  Can Zach Johnson reprise what he did last season without Fork's steadying influence?  Will Tommy Drake regain the form he showed when he was a freshman; can Jake Phillips continue his development into one of the premier PGs in the league & will one or more of the FY step up?

GAC – Ditto what Local said.  Willy would probably be quick to point out that the return of former assistant coach Aaron Kahl to the men's side of the program shouldn't be that much of an adjustment for the team.  The bigger question in my mind is where are they going to get points?  Because of their style of play they'll get their stops, but how are they going to score?  Until now I've had the sense that Wittwer is more of an ensemble type player (although quite good at what he does) & Phil Sowden is an All-Conf. performer, but a smallish 6-5 back to the basket type of post player.  Andrew Olson & Mike DesLauriers are good guards but are on the smallish side too at 5-11 & 6-0 respectively.  Will this season be the emergence of jr. post player ManChild – 6-6 Andrew Doble?   

BETHEL – Another team to keep an eye on.  Will the Fun n Run Bunch settle down enough to actually honor the post?  If they do they will be extremely dangerous & they could be battling it out with Hamline the next couple of years for one of the top spots.  Moberg is that good, but I doubt he'll give Ike a run for the POY of the award this year.  But I've been wrong before.

Best of the rest – SMU & STO

Much as it pains me to say this, but if any of the teams ahead of them slips, I'd pick the Oles to slide into the 6th & final spot - more talent.  It's not that I have anything against the Oles, but SMU has the look & feel of a classic underdog team.  Who else has got a 6-1 post player? Gotta love em!

Looking to bust out of the Cellar – AUGS, COBBs & MAC

Speaking of love, I like the love that's being extended to the Cobbs, but FunBB or Watch, I'd like for you to explain how you think they might crack into one of the playoff spots the year without Eckhoff?  ..."the Cobbers will finish at least 6, if not higher."?  Virtually everyone one of the teams I picked to finish ahead of them have a minimum of 3 solid players to build a team around.  As far as I know, the Cobbs only have two - Citterman & Linz.  They've got some solid talent up there but during the injury plagued season they had last year, I don't believe they really had a chance to develop any team chemistry or talent.

The Dawgs should be feeling optimistic about their chances but I also felt they would have a better football season too (0-8).  Good luck Mac.

[finsleft]

Wow !! Local goes with the J's to win the league.  I agree the J's have alot of senior leadership (5 senior starters) and Coach Smith is hungry but the real kicker is Pat Mckenzie. From what I hear he has jump started this program and they will hit the ground running this year.

The bandwagon is back from the shop with a fresh lube, oil, filter job, washed, waxed, and ready to go with a full tank of gas.
Get on now while you can. Looks like seating will be limited pretty soon.
TOOOOOT TOOOT!

[Willy Wonka]

According to Papa Wonka, who's on the Wall of Fame at Concordia, the bus drive up north has a very specific name: bus mortis. The knees get locked up after the trip and often take a long time to get loosened up, which plays into the Cobbs hands.

Obviously, the Cobbs battle the same thing on every road game.

Cobbs and Gusties both make the playoffs. Heard it here first.

[Gray Fox]

Last night I went to a dinner where the speaker was the play-by-play man for the Dallas Mavericks.  He was going over the new players on the team and mentioning the schools they attended.   He referred to Devean George as going to "a Division 3 school."

So much for publicity.

[miacwatchmen]

Last night I went to a dinner where the speaker was the play-by-play man for the Dallas Mavericks.  He was going over the new players on the team and mentioning the schools they attended.   He referred to Devean George as going to "a Division 3 school."

So much for publicity.

Its not about the pub Gray Fox, here its about the love of the game.

[Gray Fox]

Last night I went to a dinner where the speaker was the play-by-play man for the Dallas Mavericks.  He was going over the new players on the team and mentioning the schools they attended.   He referred to Devean George as going to "a Division 3 school."

So much for publicity.

Its not about the pub Gray Fox, here its about the love of the game.

I was hoping a little publicity would let people know about they can play for the love of the game and at a high level of play.

[miacwatchmen]

Last night I went to a dinner where the speaker was the play-by-play man for the Dallas Mavericks.  He was going over the new players on the team and mentioning the schools they attended.   He referred to Devean George as going to "a Division 3 school."

So much for publicity.

Its not about the pub Gray Fox, here its about the love of the game.

I was hoping a little publicity would let people know about they can play for the love of the game and at a high level of play.

Everyone on this board knows these guys can play at a high level and so do they. Although a little publicity would be nice you're right.

[Drake Palmer]

Alright, first Funbballer & now you Willy.  What in the name of Duane Syverson & Cobber basketball is prompting the two of you to pick the Cobbs to make the playoffs this season?!?  You been mixing a little bit of that Red River water with some of your favorite drinks, or did Sofa clue you in on a monster new recruit?  I like the Cobbs as much, if not more than most posters on this board & I certainly don't have very high hopes for this upcoming season.

Anybody have info on upcoming scrimmages that might be taking place this weekend?