FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[bleedpurple]

for this week, the winner of the head-to-head gets top billing, IMHO.

What evidence or logic is going to be present in later weeks? How do you justify making the change later?

Having watched the first half of the game, I was pretty stunned to find out NCC lost! I wish I had seen for myself how it unfolded. I actually see both sides of this issue, but I tend to lean towards Hazzbeen and 413 on this one.  I would rank Redlands ahead of NCC. Personally, it would be hard for me to switch them back if they both keep winning.  I could see a scenario in which NCC begins winning decisively against quality opponents while Redlands wins unimpressively against marginal foes. But it still comes down to 413's logic, "I don't know what more you could ask of a team than to win".  I don't think I would make the switch back sans a Redlands loss. I may move another team ahead of them, but probably not one who they beat head to head.

[footballfan413]

for this week, the winner of the head-to-head gets top billing, IMHO.

What evidence or logic is going to be present in later weeks? How do you justify making the change later?

I feel  like this is a trick question...........
  How do I justify making a later change?   I take into account wins and loses of both teams as the weeks pass and weigh in their strength of schedule and conference, OWP and OOWP, etc., like every pollster does.  All the criteria that is used when trying to compare apples and oranges. The point is that none of that criteria exist yet so Redlands it is, based on the only real criteria we have this week.  NCC can certainly jump back up in my mind depending on the success they have in the always tough CCIW, even if both continue to win, but especially if Redlands falters.  But the case must be made with quality wins and in the CCIW, NCC has a shot at more of those.  BUT as BP stated, I'll need some serious evidence before I could put a team ahead of an opponent that they lost to. 

[BoBo]

Can someone explain to me how Redlands beat North Central on the field and is still ranked lower than them? One game into 2011, NCC has no quality wins on their resume to counteract this defeat. They've got last years results and the name recognition that came with it. But the fact they were #4 last week should be almost inconsequential given it was just the preseason poll and based totally on conjecture and prognosticating.

I think NCC could end up back in the Top 15 by seasons end, but given they're sitting 0-1 shouldn't they have to earn/prove it? Or at the very least, you've got to put Redlands somewhere in the Top 14 if you're arguing for NCC at 15 right? What am I missing?

It's likely reputation.  NCC has it Redlands doesn't.

I'm sure reputation is a large part of it, but also remember it was a very close game AT Redlands.  If they had won at NCC, things would probably be different.

Great point. Plus if the final outcome would have been like the Harden-Simons vs Coe blowout, then I can see the argument of dropping NCC WAY down in the polls. Plus if Redlands was ranked to begin with, then it would be more feasible to rank them higher than NCC right now.

So because North Central lost at Redlands, we shouldn't actually think Redlands is a better team? They might have won on the field, but because they didn't start out ranked in the preseason polls we can't consider them better (what I presume the rankings imply) than the team they just beat?

Neither of those seem valid to me. I'd grant that a blowout win would make it easier. I grant that NCC has some definite reputation. But neither of those change the actual result on the field on Saturday. Yet numerous voters still considered NCC the better team. That's a head scratcher to me.

Like it or not it's the way it goes. D3football.com's pool (consisting of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members) seem to agree, b/c they also have NCC ranked higher than Redlands this week.

Which poll came out first?  Who copied who?   

[voice]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

[MasterJedi]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

Umm I believe you mean UMHB instead of Hardin-Simmons in Belton, TX. That bus trip will be a bad decision IMO, it's what I believe led to Coe being blown out by Hardin-Simmons last weekend. They might still have lost if they flew, but a bus trip that length is brutal.

[fredfalcon]

I've got a challenge on the MIAC site:  I'm betting on the Falcons over UST if any Tommy fan will give me 3-1 odds. I pay a six pack of Rush River beer if RF loses, but get 3 if RF wins. I stipulate it must be RR beer so it's a win/win:  the Tommy fan becomes a convert, or I get a good supply! The first Tommy fan to take the challenge is the winner or loser. Rush River is really a good craft beer, guys, brewed right here in RF, and available at the Kwik Trip west of the Ramer Field parking lot.

We'll see how confident the Tommy fans are, and how willing to change their beer brand!

[faunch]

Dear Fredfalcon: 
I would love to take you up on your bet...problem is I'm a die hard St. John's fan and will not be attending the the UST / RF game.  As much as I hate to admit it I'll be picking the Toms over the Falcons this Saturday.  I do like Rush River...maybe you should have the Tom's throw in 4 pack of Surly or St. Paul's own Summit beer.
Also...don't count on too large of a UST contingent.  The Tommies don't travel as well as SJU and they get kind of sore when people bring up attendance.  They really only come out for the SJU game when their female students have a chance to drink and hook up w/ Johnnies  (That was just a little rivalry humor).
Best of luck and hope you give the Toms a game...maybe you can get lucky and knock them off...expectations are high on Cretin Avenue and sometimes it can be difficult to live up to the hype.

[bleedpurple]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

Umm I believe you mean UMHB instead of Hardin-Simmons in Belton, TX. That bus trip will be a bad decision IMO, it's what I believe led to Coe being blown out by Hardin-Simmons last weekend. They might still have lost if they flew, but a bus trip that length is brutal.

Bad decision? Until they decided to pony up for a bus, they had 15 station wagons lined up to take them down. 

[fredfalcon]

faunch--Tommy fans wont travel 30 miles to back their team?  What kind of fan support is that? The Johnnies brought legions plus the tailgating group--the best atmosphere we've had at a home game for years! Looks like we should have continued the series.

[Pat Coleman]

Coe bused to Hardin-Simmons last weekend. Guess it's the thing these days.

[emma17]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

Umm I believe you mean UMHB instead of Hardin-Simmons in Belton, TX. That bus trip will be a bad decision IMO, it's what I believe led to Coe being blown out by Hardin-Simmons last weekend. They might still have lost if they flew, but a bus trip that length is brutal.

I've never traveled that many hours in a bus and then played a football game, but I did travel 17 hours in a bus for a fishing trip, arrive late at night, wake up real early and slay Walleye all day.  Can it be so different?

[Mr. Ypsi]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

Umm I believe you mean UMHB instead of Hardin-Simmons in Belton, TX. That bus trip will be a bad decision IMO, it's what I believe led to Coe being blown out by Hardin-Simmons last weekend. They might still have lost if they flew, but a bus trip that length is brutal.

I've never traveled that many hours in a bus and then played a football game, but I did travel 17 hours in a bus for a fishing trip, arrive late at night, wake up real early and slay Walleye all day.  Can it be so different?

Depends.  How hard did the walleye tackle?!

[BoBo]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

Umm I believe you mean UMHB instead of Hardin-Simmons in Belton, TX. That bus trip will be a bad decision IMO, it's what I believe led to Coe being blown out by Hardin-Simmons last weekend. They might still have lost if they flew, but a bus trip that length is brutal.

Bad decision? Until they decided to pony up for a bus, they had 15 station wagons lined up to take them down. 

Nice one bp, "...pony up a bus..." to Texas!!



UWL arriving at the Oklahoma/Texas border

I once bussed from La Crosse to Dallas for a convention when I was in graduate school. That was one, long fricken bus trip. But, hey, we were a bunch of poor college students (and we wanted to save our $$$ for the Dallas nightlife!!). The trip down wasn't so bad, but it was the return trip just a few days later that was a killer. That's gotta be a tough way to go to play a ball game - and missing all that school, too. 

[BoBo]

Hmmm 

Hmmm II  Ouch!!

[footballfan413]

When Joel Dettwiller was hired to replace Larry Terry at UWL, and with a new athletic director in place, the talk was turning the UWL football fortunes around.
The Eagles play Hardin-Simmons this Saturday in Abeline, Texas.  I was stunned when I heard today that the school has scheduled its football team to bus down to Abeline.  Just another step in returning UWL back to prominence!

Umm I believe you mean UMHB instead of Hardin-Simmons in Belton, TX. That bus trip will be a bad decision IMO, it's what I believe led to Coe being blown out by Hardin-Simmons last weekend. They might still have lost if they flew, but a bus trip that length is brutal.

I seriously can't believe it or imagine how hard this will be on the players both from an athletic and academic standpoint!  When we traveled down to Belton for our first meeting in 06, it turned into a very long, arduous day of travel with the boys getting on a bus at 5:00 AM, I believe, and because of delays not arriving at the Hotel in Belton until 11:30 that evening.  Then they were up right away the next morning to play a noon game in the 95 degree heat.  And that was the end of October!  That was tough enough but spending what, 20 plus hours, on a bus is going to be brutal!   Lends new meaning to Home Field Advantage, doesn't it!    Damn this economy!