FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[badgerwarhawk]

UW-L' QB Cummings will miss Mary Hardin-Baylor game

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/state-and-regional/x/article_025873e6-aaba-5103-bc42-ecb8d7e97ff7.html

Looks like UWL will be down to two sophomores who will split time at quarterback, Andrew Thompson and John Tackett.

The task was difficult enough as it was.  This is only going to make it that much more so.  I won't pick the Eagles in the pickem but I love to see them pull this one out.  Good luck.

[BDB]

  When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

Some Whitewater guys are awfully touchy about anything non-glowing about your boys from people that live in this house too.

That's fine, don't worry about it. I don't.

"If it isn't made of walnut and bronze or go on your finger, we lose interest." Right?

[Pat Coleman]

If you want to call it policing, go right ahead.  I'll continue to call it as I see it.
It's not about Matt not being able to handle it shallow Pat, it's about the D3 community coming together to support one of its own.  Something you know little of.

Uh, what?

Pat Coleman has done more to promote Division III athletics than, like, anyone in history.

Serious question: do you believe the Earth is flat?

Yes, Pat has an incredible website for D3- I've said that to him both publicly and privately.
Yes, the website promotes D3 like no other medium in the history of the world.

IMO, that's certainly not the same thing as truly supporting an individual person.  I support Matt Blanchard, like I support Kyle Miller, like I support Cecil Shorts and Pierre Garcon and every other D3 player trying to make it.

So do I. I think you're missing the point here, but if you can't see it, it's not worth trying to explain it.

I think where people get confused is that as much as I (and others) support a player, we still have to be realistic about their chances. Otherwise we're not serving the readership at all.

Here's our story on the D-III NFL players that was on the front page of the website a week ago today:
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/09/d3-players-in-nfl-2015

[USee]

When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

See, here's the thing.  Nobody was talking "crap" about Blanchard.  ScreamingEagles already covered this:

"Everyone who objectively looked at the situation for Matt knew that it was going to be an uphill battle to make the squad, particularly after they drafted Hundley.  Nobody said he shouldn't have tried, or that they were rooting against him.  I wish him nothing but the best and hope that he gets a shot in Cleveland to show how good he is in a regular season game, but don't be bitter that others held a differing opinion that wasn't all sunshine and roses."

Yup.

Double Yup!

Thank you Warhawk Dad. Your post proves my point. "Non WIAC posters" really?

[Pat Coleman]

When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

See, here's the thing.  Nobody was talking "crap" about Blanchard.  ScreamingEagles already covered this:

"Everyone who objectively looked at the situation for Matt knew that it was going to be an uphill battle to make the squad, particularly after they drafted Hundley.  Nobody said he shouldn't have tried, or that they were rooting against him.  I wish him nothing but the best and hope that he gets a shot in Cleveland to show how good he is in a regular season game, but don't be bitter that others held a differing opinion that wasn't all sunshine and roses."

Yup.

Double Yup!

Thank you Warhawk Dad. Your post proves my point. "Non WIAC posters" really?

Pretty sure MasterJedi (the OP) is a WIAC poster, based on the Warhawk helmet on his profile.

[ExTartanPlayer]

My preference is that people should feel free to post whatever opinion they want to post on whatever board they wish to post it on- as long as it's a true opinion to them and they have every intention to support it.

Hey guys, look at this gem I found.

[MasterJedi]

When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

See, here's the thing.  Nobody was talking "crap" about Blanchard.  ScreamingEagles already covered this:

"Everyone who objectively looked at the situation for Matt knew that it was going to be an uphill battle to make the squad, particularly after they drafted Hundley.  Nobody said he shouldn't have tried, or that they were rooting against him.  I wish him nothing but the best and hope that he gets a shot in Cleveland to show how good he is in a regular season game, but don't be bitter that others held a differing opinion that wasn't all sunshine and roses."

Yup.

Double Yup!

Thank you Warhawk Dad. Your post proves my point. "Non WIAC posters" really?

Pretty sure MasterJedi (the OP) is a WIAC poster, based on the Warhawk helmet on his profile.

Yes, I am. Strongly support UWW but realistically as soon as Hundley was drafted I knew Blanchard's shot was to play well and maybe earn a practice squad berth, but even that would be hard with having 3 QBs on the roster. Blanchard played really well and going to Cleveland now is probably a good thing because he has a realistic shot to do something there in time, where at Green Bay he had practically no chance, as soon as Hundley was drafted. Without Hundley that's a different story.

[ScreamingEagles]

*Disclaimer: I was a mildly successful offensive tackle at 5'11" and 235 pounds (admittedly not in the WIAC), so bear in mind that this colors my opinion of the following issue.

I was more thinking of the 2002/2003/2004 WIAC Champ teams that just had big guys across the board.  As recently as 2008/2009 or so we still had big linemen/linebackers who were intimidating.  I still strongly believe that success will come from size and physicality - we've seen it with UWW and Mount Union.

1. UWW, yes, but I don't know that this is really true of Mount Union.  The Mount Union game notes this week list an offensive line with all five starters ranging from 250-275 pounds, and a defensive line where the starters are 260/240 at tackle and 225 at both end/LB positions.  I do not know the exact size of their starters over the last several years but my outsider's perspective was always that speed set them apart much more than their size...really, I never thought their OL/DL was significantly larger than the rest of D3.  Big, sure, but plenty of other teams can run out a comparably sized lineup.  For example, their opponents from Muskingum (per this week's game notes) will start a slightly larger man-for-man OL and a DL with tackles at 300/230.

To be sure, there's a difference between size and physicality.  I played against 300-pound dudes that were as soft as the Michelin Man and 240-pound guys that knocked the facemask loose from my helmet.  I am not suggesting that physicality is unimportant, rather that having bigger bodies does not necessarily lead to a more physically dominant team.  Leading to my second point...

2. I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel by saying this, but "size" is only one factor and (IMO) it falls behind a few others in overall importance.  You can win with big guys or you can with small(ish) guys, but if you have small guys then there's less margin for error in the other areas (speed, technique, coaching/gameplan).  Starting 255-pound offensive tackles and 210-pound defensive ends does not, in any way, preclude success on the Division III level.  However, the 255-pound offensive tackle must have a coaching staff that puts him in a position to succeed and/or have superior technique and speed that helps to offset the size disadvantage.

Long story short, I don't think the answer for UWL is just recruiting bigger bodies.  I think you recognize that, ScreamingEagles, just wanted to make this point.

Yes, I definitely recognize that Ex.  My desire for bigger bodies also comes from the size of teams in our conference.  I know that not all of D3 Football players are that size, but when we have to play our conference foes in addition to Mary Hardin Baylor, St. Thomas etc. every year we need it.  I have watched countless times UWSP (who always seems to have a 6'6" 300+ pound tackle) and other conference foes bulldoze our 210 pound d-ends.  Just gets a little frustrating to watch - sorry for any exaggeration.

[wally_wabash]

Yes, I am. Strongly support UWW but realistically as soon as Hundley was drafted I knew Blanchard's shot was to play well and maybe earn a practice squad berth, but even that would be hard with having 3 QBs on the roster. Blanchard played really well and going to Cleveland now is probably a good thing because he has a realistic shot to do something there in time, where at Green Bay he had practically no chance, as soon as Hundley was drafted. Without Hundley that's a different story.

Maybe the first time in recorded history that the bolded phrase above has ever been written. 

[d-train]

Yes, I am. Strongly support UWW but realistically as soon as Hundley was drafted I knew Blanchard's shot was to play well and maybe earn a practice squad berth, but even that would be hard with having 3 QBs on the roster. Blanchard played really well and going to Cleveland now is probably a good thing because he has a realistic shot to do something there in time, where at Green Bay he had practically no chance, as soon as Hundley was drafted. Without Hundley that's a different story.

Maybe the first time in recorded history that the bolded phrase above has ever been written.

[bleedpurple]

  When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

Some Whitewater guys are awfully touchy about anything non-glowing about your boys from people that live in this house too.

That's fine, don't worry about it. I don't.

"If it isn't made of walnut and bronze or go on your finger, we lose interest." Right?

When it comes to awards, which is the context of the quote. It was also a tongue in cheek response to a good natured jab by Retagent. It is how we banter with him and he seems to get along quite nicely in here for the most part.

But why not pull a quote out of context and act as if it were part of a serious discussion if it serves your purposes. Right?

[BDB]

If an award isn't made of walnut and bronze or fit on your finger, we lose interest. 

I think the attitude is clear.

[bleedpurple]

If an award isn't made of walnut and bronze or fit on your finger, we lose interest. 

I think the attitude is clear.

So is the envy. 

[UWO Titan 78]

*Disclaimer: I was a mildly successful offensive tackle at 5'11" and 235 pounds (admittedly not in the WIAC), so bear in mind that this colors my opinion of the following issue.

I was more thinking of the 2002/2003/2004 WIAC Champ teams that just had big guys across the board.  As recently as 2008/2009 or so we still had big linemen/linebackers who were intimidating.  I still strongly believe that success will come from size and physicality - we've seen it with UWW and Mount Union.

1. UWW, yes, but I don't know that this is really true of Mount Union.  The Mount Union game notes this week list an offensive line with all five starters ranging from 250-275 pounds, and a defensive line where the starters are 260/240 at tackle and 225 at both end/LB positions.  I do not know the exact size of their starters over the last several years but my outsider's perspective was always that speed set them apart much more than their size...really, I never thought their OL/DL was significantly larger than the rest of D3.  Big, sure, but plenty of other teams can run out a comparably sized lineup.  For example, their opponents from Muskingum (per this week's game notes) will start a slightly larger man-for-man OL and a DL with tackles at 300/230.

To be sure, there's a difference between size and physicality.  I played against 300-pound dudes that were as soft as the Michelin Man and 240-pound guys that knocked the facemask loose from my helmet.  I am not suggesting that physicality is unimportant, rather that having bigger bodies does not necessarily lead to a more physically dominant team.  Leading to my second point...

2. I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel by saying this, but "size" is only one factor and (IMO) it falls behind a few others in overall importance.  You can win with big guys or you can with small(ish) guys, but if you have small guys then there's less margin for error in the other areas (speed, technique, coaching/gameplan).  Starting 255-pound offensive tackles and 210-pound defensive ends does not, in any way, preclude success on the Division III level.  However, the 255-pound offensive tackle must have a coaching staff that puts him in a position to succeed and/or have superior technique and speed that helps to offset the size disadvantage.

Long story short, I don't think the answer for UWL is just recruiting bigger bodies.  I think you recognize that, ScreamingEagles, just wanted to make this point.

Yes, I definitely recognize that Ex.  My desire for bigger bodies also comes from the size of teams in our conference.  I know that not all of D3 Football players are that size, but when we have to play our conference foes in addition to Mary Hardin Baylor, St. Thomas etc. every year we need it.  I have watched countless times UWSP (who always seems to have a 6'6" 300+ pound tackle) and other conference foes bulldoze our 210 pound d-ends.  Just gets a little frustrating to watch - sorry for any exaggeration.

It is my opinion that football is won in trenches. I played at UWO in the early 1990s. UWL, UWW, and UWSP won the battle in the trenches then. Wisconsin and Illinois continue to produce a lot of great linemen. Just look at the Badgers year in and year out. UWL bullied teams to two national titles when I was at Oshkosh. Whitewater has added great skill players to their tremendous line talent in their recent run. UWL doesn't necessarily need bigger linemen, but they need to be better to compete in the WIAC.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Whitewater has added great skill players to their tremendous line talent in their recent run. UWL doesn't necessarily need bigger linemen, but they need to be better to compete in the WIAC.

More succintly than I said it, but exactly what I was driving at. 

They don't need bigger dudes; they need better dudes.

(And yes, it's possible that those "better" dudes will also be bigger dudes)