FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Trackfan]

The story of the former UWL player is so tragic. Prayers and admiration for him and his family. May he take steps to recovery with the courage and knowledge that he is in our prayers.

[hazzben]

Terrible news about Lt. Church. Definitely be praying for him as he embarks on the road to recovery.

Stories like this always help to keep perspective that the guys playing across the ball are usually the cream of the crop as well.

[voice]

Bears should have definitely kept Blanchard over McCown.
In watching the preseason games so far, I think Blanchard looked better.
And the bottom line--At 33, McCown isn't going anywhere but the scrap heap.
Blanchard was the choice on potential alone.

Hey, it is the Bears. Did you really think they'd make the WISE decision. This news sucks!!

[emma17]

Bears should have definitely kept Blanchard over McCown.
In watching the preseason games so far, I think Blanchard looked better.
And the bottom line--At 33, McCown isn't going anywhere but the scrap heap.
Blanchard was the choice on potential alone.

Hey, it is the Bears. Did you really think they'd make the WISE decision. This news sucks!!

Maybe there is hope:
http://www.examiner.com/article/chicago-bears-waive-nine-players-highlighted-by-qb-matt-blanchard

[Just Bill]

For all their big swagger and macho risk-taking talk, NFL head coaches and general managers will always default to the perceived "safe" decision, even if the slightly riskier option is the better option. How else do you explain NFL teams that punt on 4th and 2 from their opponents 38 yard line? They don't even care so much about being right. They just want to be sure that if they were wrong, then at least the rest of the mainstream opinion had it wrong too.

If the Bears pick McCown and he sucks, everyone says "Well, too bad that didn't work out." but if they pick Blanchard and he fails, then ordinary fan guy says, "Why did we keep this small school nobody! We could've had McCown!" and everybody goes nuts about it.

More than any other sport, NFL staffs make decisions to avoid criticism rather than making the better decision. That's why guys like Bellichek are perceived as genius innovators when they take even a modest amount of risk and it pays off. Often they make decisions that have LESS chance of success, (like taking a veteran who's never been good over a rookie project with potential) only because it jives with "conventional wisdom" and they won't be criticized for being wrong.

[Trackfan]

Who will you be watching..aside from your home team ...for the opener?
   UWL @ North Central
   UWP @ Buena Vista
   UWW @ Washington
   UWEC vs St Thomas
   UWSP @ St Francis
   UWRF vs Simpson
   UWO vs Central

[thrunt01]

Who will you be watching..aside from your home team ...for the opener?
   UWL @ North Central
   UWP @ Buena Vista
   UWW @ Washington
   UWEC vs St Thomas
   UWSP @ St Francis
   UWRF vs Simpson
   UWO vs Central

The UWW game, since it's on Friday. Also congrats to everyone for taking this thing to 2000 pages. Good stuff.

[02 Warhawk]

Who will you be watching..aside from your home team ...for the opener?
   UWL @ North Central
   UWP @ Buena Vista
   UWW @ Washington
   UWEC vs St Thomas
   UWSP @ St Francis
   UWRF vs Simpson
   UWO vs Central

Watching UWW at my parents place in Illinois Friday, then going to the UWL game saturday.

[voice]

For UWW football fans tailgating at Perkins Stadium is second to none in Division III football. This season Warhawkfootball.com will be touring the Perk parking lots prior to the game and will select a Tailgate of the Game at each home game.  A short video of that tailgate will be published on the popular Warhawk football fan Website during the first quarter of that day's game. Game Day at the Perk is much more than just a football game!

For information on Game Day at Perkins Stadium click on the following link:
http://uwwsports.com/news/2012/7/16/FB_0716124223.aspx

[BoBo]

If the Bears pick McCown and he sucks, everyone says "Well, too bad that didn't work out." but if they pick Blanchard and he fails, then ordinary fan guy says, "Why did we keep this small school nobody! We could've had McCown!" and everybody goes nuts about it.

First of all, just watching McCown play briefly during the last three P-S games, Joe-fan knows McCown will not help any team win, certainly not the bears if something should happen to Cutler. The fans are not going to say "Well, too bad that didn't work out" when they keep him and he finally crashes and burns for the last time. They're going to say "what were we doing wasting our time with him in the first place?" The ordinary guy in me wants a guy like Blanchard to make it just because the cards are totally stacked against him. Think of the Invincible guy with the Eagles or the bartender-turned-kicker with the Falcons - those guys were fan favorites because nobody could imagine them making it. They were underdogs of all underdogs. Those are the guys we like to root for. Blanchard, coming from a small school, is a guy we like to root for. Only his mother can root for her 10 year journeyman QB son - no ordinary fan does!!

Anyway, while watching the Giant/bear game, I convinced myself that the bears were playing McCown and not Blanchard so the entire world could see why they were going to cut him - he looked awful against the guys the G-men are probably going to or have already cut today. But, the fact they released Blanchard, I can say I'm not surprised. voice said it about right - though I could use a few harsher words.  Obviously, being part of the first group to be released, is not a good sign. Hopefully, this is just a minor set back - and the bears will learn to regret it another day.

[02 Warhawk]

Aren't they forgetting about a program here???

Mount Union is the only school other than UMHB to have at least one NCAA Division III playoff win in each of the last seven seasons (UMHB has eight, while Mount Union's streak is much longer).

I wonder if they meant to say: one NCAA Division III playoff win in each of the last eight seasons

[emma17]

Regarding Blanchard I think it's possible- and I believe more than likely, that the Bears have good intentions that haven't come clear yet. I believe Lovey Smith is a good guy and I give him the benefit of the doubt.
I don't know the rules and protocol of the CBA and pre-season, but I can envision possible "good intention" reasons for the early cut.
-Cutting Blanchard now, after he has performed pretty well (and perhaps before he has done anything to diminish his value)- possibly gives him a better chance of being picked up by a team in need/want of a QB.
-Or- If Blanchard stayed on the Bears and had a good/great showing in the final preseason game- the Bears would be in a tough spot w their roster. It's quite possible they only want to carry 2 qb's on 53 man roster- and it's possible they want Blanchard on practice squad. But they can't get him on PS if another nfl team picks him up (it's my understanding every PS player must clear waivers). The less the Bears show of Blanchard- the more likely he clears waivers for PS.

Imo this story has to have more to it.

[emma17]

Who will you be watching..aside from your home team ...for the opener?
   UWL @ North Central
   UWP @ Buena Vista
   UWW @ Washington
   UWEC vs St Thomas
   UWSP @ St Francis
   UWRF vs Simpson
   UWO vs Central

UWL v NCC- I'm just as curious to see if NCC is championship caliber as I am to see if UWL is nearly back.
UW EC v ST T- Does St Thomas have the program depth to overcome loss of special senior class and how good is UW EC?
UWO v Central- Are the Titans a one hit wonder?

[badgerwarhawk]

Regarding Blanchard I think it's possible- and I believe more than likely, that the Bears have good intentions that haven't come clear yet. I believe Lovey Smith is a good guy and I give him the benefit of the doubt.
I don't know the rules and protocol of the CBA and pre-season, but I can envision possible "good intention" reasons for the early cut.
-Cutting Blanchard now, after he has performed pretty well (and perhaps before he has done anything to diminish his value)- possibly gives him a better chance of being picked up by a team in need/want of a QB.
-Or- If Blanchard stayed on the Bears and had a good/great showing in the final preseason game- the Bears would be in a tough spot w their roster. It's quite possible they only want to carry 2 qb's on 53 man roster- and it's possible they want Blanchard on practice squad. But they can't get him on PS if another nfl team picks him up (it's my understanding every PS player must clear waivers). The less the Bears show of Blanchard- the more likely he clears waivers for PS.

Imo this story has to have more to it.

Yes, it has more to it.  The more to it is that afterall they are the Bears. 

[02 Warhawk]

Just posted some information on the new coaches around the WIAC this year:

www.wiacfootball.blogspot.com

On a side note, I think I'm going to do something new this season. Before each week's games I'll post what I'm going to call the WIAC Survival Guide. Here I'll list every link available to watch, listen, and/or follow the game on Live Stats for every WIAC team. It'll be your one-stop shop to follow all WIAC games each weekend. So you'll no longer have to search for the link. I remember bobo doing something like that once last season, and I liked the idea.

WIAC Survival Guide: Week One will be available Wednesday or Thursday.

Thanks