FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[BoBo]

I realize that all the members of the WIAC are Wisconsin State University schools. Maybe they could look outside that small clan and poach another school. You gotta think outside the box sometimes. Maybe Carthage would be interested in joining, since they are in a conference with mostly Illinois schools. There might be other candidates, but just spitballin' here trying to help out my WIAC compadres.

retagent -- I've read on these pages that Carthage's President has a policy of not scheduling WIAC schools. They will play them in tournaments and post-season, but regular season single game match-ups are not permitted for their athletic teams.  Whitewater's basketball team defeated Carthage last season, but it was at a Carthage tournament. The WIAC has had "outside" members in some sports like wrestling and gymnastics, but could something like that happen in, say, football, basketball, or baseball, I don't know. I wouldn't hold my breath. Carthage, for one, is an extreme longshot IMO.

[Just Bill]

I realize that all the members of the WIAC are Wisconsin State University schools. Maybe they could look outside that small clan and poach another school. You gotta think outside the box sometimes. Maybe Carthage would be interested in joining, since they are in a conference with mostly Illinois schools. There might be other candidates, but just spitballin' here trying to help out my WIAC compadres.

Carthage would rather close the school and dump all possessions into Lake Michigan than join the WIAC.  You may not know (or forgot) that Carthage actually used to be located in Illinois.  They are far more comfortable with the Flatlanders than with the Cheeseheads.

If the WIAC wanted to go that route, St. Norbert would sign on tomorrow, but a 9-school football conference creates it's own headaches.

[BoBo]

I realize that all the members of the WIAC are Wisconsin State University schools. Maybe they could look outside that small clan and poach another school. You gotta think outside the box sometimes. Maybe Carthage would be interested in joining, since they are in a conference with mostly Illinois schools. There might be other candidates, but just spitballin' here trying to help out my WIAC compadres.

Carthage would rather close the school and dump all possessions into Lake Michigan than join the WIAC.  You may not know (or forgot) that Carthage actually used to be located in Illinois.  They are far more comfortable with the Flatlanders than with the Cheeseheads.

If the WIAC wanted to go that route, St. Norbert would sign on tomorrow, but a 9-school football conference creates it's own headaches.

Two non-conference games instead of 3 doesn't seem like a headache...like a dose of Acetaminophen, 500mg maybe!!  

[Just Bill]

How about a conference bye in Week 9 or 10 that you need to try and fill with a non-conference game?  We can't fill weeks 1, 2 and 3.

We really need Superior to get back on the football wagon.

[BoBo]

Seven conferences already have 9 football playing members and seem to do alright in scheduling. No reason the WIAC can't do it, too.

[Just Bill]

Seven conferences already have 9 football playing members and seem to do alright in scheduling. No reason the WIAC can't do it, too.

If that was true (with 8, 9, or 16 members) we wouldn't be having this discussion.  Obviously there IS a reason the WIAC can't do what other conference can do.

My point is we'll still have the same scheduling problems. Yes, 2 games to schedule is better than 3, but in all likelihood we'll still have WIAC playing WIAC out of conference, we'll stay have to play useless NAIA teams and we'll still have member schools stuck with nine game schedules.

[BoBo]

WIAC Cost Reduction Plan Remains in Effect

http://www.wiacsports.com/press/CostReductionPlan090910.html

I did not like that decision last year and I still don't like itl  You should not have to play a Conference team twice in a season.  Reach out and find a conference like CCIW and develop a program with home and aways. 

The long awaited announcement:

La Crosse Tribune story/2011 Match-ups

La Crosse vs. Whitewater
Eau Claire vs. River Falls
Oshkosh vs. Stout
Platteville vs. Stevens Point

Since this is being done in the spirit of cost reduction, you'd think they would really make it cost reduction, such as

Platteville vs Whitewater
Oshkosh vs Stevens Point
Stout vs La Crosse
Eau Claire vs River Falls

[Mr. Ypsi]

Seven conferences already have 9 football playing members and seem to do alright in scheduling. No reason the WIAC can't do it, too.

IMO, 8 is the perfect conference size for both football and basketball.  There is an ideal balance between non-con and conference games (3-7 in fb, 11-14 in bb).  With any odd number, someone is always 'odd man out' (if you value a 'bye', so be it, but try scheduling a game during conference play ).  Six is not enough for an AQ; with ten you have ONE non-con game (or only five in bb).

[BoBo]

Understand what you say, Just Bill. That one less NC game to fill might eliminate the need to play a conference rival twice in the same season. IMO, playing La Crosse in football twice in one season kind of takes the luster off the UWW/La X rivalry. Do you think if the WIAC went back to NAIA, the NAIA schools would stop playing us in NC games, but NCAA D3 teams would start playing us??

[Pat Coleman]

WIAC Cost Reduction Plan Remains in Effect

http://www.wiacsports.com/press/CostReductionPlan090910.html

I did not like that decision last year and I still don't like itl  You should not have to play a Conference team twice in a season.  Reach out and find a conference like CCIW and develop a program with home and aways. 

The long awaited announcement:

La Crosse Tribune story/2011 Match-ups

La Crosse vs. Whitewater
Eau Claire vs. River Falls
Oshkosh vs. Stout
Platteville vs. Stevens Point

Since this is being done in the spirit of cost reduction, you'd think they would really make it cost reduction, such as

Platteville vs Whitewater
Oshkosh vs Stevens Point
Stout vs La Crosse
Eau Claire vs River Falls

Oh, come on, man -- we posted that at 6:30 p.m. Doesn't anyone look at the front page or follow us on Twitter? 

BTW, on NESCAC and Massey -- since the NESCAC does not play any single non-conference team ever, Massey can't possibly rank them accurately. There's simply no data. I think our Kickoff ranking does a much better job on the NESCAC teams.

[BoBo]

Even d3football.com reported what Joel Badzinski of The La Crosse Tribune reported with the match-ups. Just going with the original source!!  

[UDubDub_Boiler]

My predictions:  Steve Guelff will nail four extra points and two field goals today!  Go get em Steve!  Stay healthy my friends! 

[BoBo]

My predictions:  Steve Guelff will nail four extra points and two field goals today!  Go get em Steve!  Stay healthy my friends! 

He may not get a chance, according to THIS article by Bryan Watson on madison.com. It includes this nugget of information:

Leipold said Kindler will handle kicking duties when the top-ranked Warhawks host Dakota State at noon Saturday at Perkins Stadium.

[badgerwarhawk]

Guelff may get a chance to do some kicking depending on the score.  Personally I think we'll get far enough ahead that he'll get a shot.  He really needs a boost in confidence.  The real question could be who will make the traveling squad next week.  Right now you would have to think that it would be Kindler. 

Carthage will only schedule public schools in multi-team events.  They'll never join the WIAC in football even if the CCIW were to disband.  St Scholastica has been mentioned but I don't think that there are any plans to bring another school into the league in any of the major sports.

[retagent]

Seven conferences already have 9 football playing members and seem to do alright in scheduling. No reason the WIAC can't do it, too.

My guess would be that some pointy headed academics want to keep the conference "pure" with only State University schools in the conference. They probably have no concerns regarding the troubles faced in the athletic endeavors of those schools.