FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

When you catch yourself thinking that, it might be worth remember that before last year, the WIAC hadn't exactly lit the world on fire in the playoffs. And the solution to that would be to put more WIAC teams in? Probably not.

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2005/12/02/Whitewater+carries+weight+of+Wisconsin

[BoBo]

ww is the MOST penalized team in the wiac

PENALTIES                G   No  Yds Avg/G
------------------------------------------
1. UW-La Crosse........  7   30  230  32.9
2. UW-Stout............  8   34  271  33.9
3. UW-River Falls......  8   37  280  35.0
4. UW-Eau Claire.......  8   46  333  41.6
5. UW-Platteville......  8   40  345  43.1
6. UW-Oshkosh..........  8   36  355  44.4
7. UW-Stevens Point....  8   38  418  52.2
8. UW-Whitewater.......  8   51  473  59.1
OPPONENT PENALTIES       G   No  Yds Avg/G
------------------------------------------
1. UW-Whitewater.......  8   67  525  65.6
2. UW-La Crosse........  7   43  422  60.3
3. UW-Platteville......  8   51  414  51.8
4. UW-Eau Claire.......  8   42  352  44.0
5. UW-Stevens Point....  8   41  343  42.9
6. UW-Stout............  8   43  313  39.1
7. UW-Oshkosh..........  8   35  297  37.1
8. UW-River Falls......  8   26  256  32.0

Good work digging up those stats.  What I was driving at was it didn't seem possible considering the large number of penalties WW seems to get each week.  My verbage should have said "incorrect stat" rather than "interesting stat!!" 

[John Gleich]

Work on your logic. Try using the actual NCAA criteria.

... As quoted by Gregory Sager over on the hoops side of things...

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!"

--Homer J Simpson



We all at least somewhat agree with you UWPSuperfan.  We know how tough the WIAC is, but, you can't get past the criteria... that, as objectively as possible, choses the playoff teams, based on what's been set as the qualifying marks.  The WIAC has a tougher time standing up to this, because it DOESN'T have a couple great teams and a bunch of also-rans...  Each team is capable of winning every time they step out on the field, and that's what makes a championship so tough.  I would also argue that a conference championship in this leage carries more weight than it does in most leagues, but at the same time, the past doesn't lie... up until last season, as pointed out by Pat, the WIAC hasn't had the most stellar of records.

Even in basketball, where the WIAC DOES have the best winning percentage in the country, there have been just two seasons in the last six has the WIAC qualified more than one team for the NCAA playoffs.  The criteria DO work, but in a league as balanced as ours, we sometimes do fall on the wrong side of the line.

That being said, when a team DOES pull away like Whitewater has done, and the second place team takes care of business against everyone else but that first place team, like La Crosse appears to be doing, then they put themselves in a good spot for a bid.  At best, assuming that La Crosse would get one of the first bids (not necessarily a done deal), then Platteville would be battling other conference #2's for the spot who probably have better records.

[BoBo]

I think LaCrosse is the only other WIAC team with a shot at a playoff bid, provided they win out.  Ever since the WW game, the Eagles have been hanging around, staying under the radar.  But I think everyone knows what a strong, athletic team they are.  They were just a couple early breaks away from making it a game with WW.  In the first round, they may prove to be the toughest match-up to any higher ranked adversary.

[CaptainKurt]

RE Stout VS Whitewater: Stout can win this game if WW gets distracted with the Coach B Day.Also, you will have to play great defense and believe that they can win. You have the talent, but the odds are against you.Refer to my tribute to coach B several pages back. HE deserves his day. God Bless YOU!

For a person who doesn't like all of the attention that Whitewater has been getting this year and is tired of this "UWW chatroom", you certainly have a lot of opinions on Whitewater that you aren't afraid to share with us.

[CaptainKurt]

There is a little bit of doubt from the collective d-3 feelings that we show on this board, which is the Warhawks will have an extremely difficult time over coming the loss of Beaver and Reuland in the backfiield.  True, I would agree that anytime a team has any injuries to a starter that it can be a major obstacle to overcome.  The loss of Beaver and Reuland, however, will not be this team's downfall, by any means. 

If my memory serves me correctly, wasn't there a true freshman running back that started the year as a 3rd-stringer for the eventual national champs (Mount Union) who went on to gain over 1,000 yards in the post-season alone??  Indeed, Nate Kmic did it all even though he started the year deep on the MU depth charts.  Same story, same colors, different team.  I have ultimate confidence that Mr. Underwood and Mr. Gorecki can "Pound the Rock" for the Warhawks.  History doesn't require us to look too far back to see that a National Championship can be won on the legs of true freshman running backs. 

[Kelly Boggs]

Excellent insight and superb point, Capt.

Best of luck to the Warhawks in the weeks to come.

[UWPSUPERFAN77]

Bloggers: I agree with a lot of what The Point Special says. At least last year we got 3 teams in the Playoffs in BB!   Captain: thank you for your civil E mail. Did you check out my tribute to coach B? I think you will win Saturday, but Stout has a chance, if they do as i said. I will talk on this website so it does not become the UWW Bandwagon Chatline. I love to hear from you UWW bloggers. In fact, wait until BB season, I am very versatile .You made some good points about the team picking up the pieces, to overcome your injuries. IT is one of the best you have written recently.   Mr. Coleman, you made some good points.Thanks for answering my questions. Also, thank you for publishing several articles on the Best 5-3 team in D3Football, my beloved Pioneers. Thank you for the Love. God Bless you ALL! PS keep up the blogging this week, it is highly entertaining.

[badgerwarhawk]

WHITEWATER will not be distracted by Coach B's ceremonies, Super.  We'll be motivated by them.  Nobody is looking any further down the line than 11/4.  

Who can ever forget the Stout radio announcer's infamous "take that WHITEWATER" comment after their touchdown made the score 10-0 in their favor.  Regrettfully from Stout's standpoint the game is 60 minutes long and not 11 minutes.  

Yes, I know it wasn't you, Stoutguy.

Govenor Doyle has declared November 4th Bob Berezowitz Day.  I hope it doesn't distract him from his campaign.    

[UWPSUPERFAN77]

BOB no, Doyle yes. Just my opinion! Blessings!

[Mr. Downtown]

I'll be broadcasting the game for WRST at Eau Claire this weekend. Any Eau Claire fans around to give me some insight of what to expect from the Blugolds???

[WIACfootball]

UWEC has a pretty good QB - one who isn't affraid to run for quality yards if his receivers are not open.  They also have two tall, fast receivers and more recently, they started a freshman halfback.  UWEC runs a fairly balanced attack and uses screens to catch their sleeping opponents.

PS UWPSuperfan, I'm sorry but I have to agree with everyone else - if anyone deserves a playoff bid it would be UWL, unless (of course) your "beloved" Pioneers can win out and UWL is upended in both of their remaining games!!  Highly unlikely...

[LAX LB]

Has UWW lost both its running backs for the year?

[bulk19]

Mr. Downtown -
One of the few Blugold backers here, so here's my assessment for you.

Thought the team would go 6-4 this year, but as it stands, at 2-6, are in jeopardy of finishing 2-8. Factors in that record may include some growing pains with an entirely new backfield and head coach, and that this is the WIAC, where predicting the results isn't always that easy each week... Lost two OT games, which really stings...

This certainly isn't a West Coast fantasy football-like team that would score your team a lot of points, but... That being said, I'm impressed with the sophomore QB, Kyle Paulson, who will run, and has an efficient, ball-control passing game, as described by WIACfootball earlier.

I like the running back, Scotty Osborn, and they may have found themselves a back for next year in Cory Sartorelli. But they just haven't been able to put points on the board. Therefore, the offensive MVP might just be the kicker, freshman Craig Kolb, who is one FG away from breaking the school record for a season - 11. Had the 'Golds been able to convert a few of those FGs to TDs, they might be sitting with a better record... If, if, if. Ha.

The defense has played well all year. Even in the 34-0 blowout to Whitewater. They have been tough in the red zone... I like the linebacking corps. You'll be hearing their names a lot on the PA system when a big defensive play happens. Check out the UWEC website for the SI department's preview writeup. They have some good nuggets for you to scour... Then, go to UWO's, to get the opposite of everything I just said! 

[BoBo]

Also, thank you for publishing several articles on the Best 5-3 team in D3Football, my beloved Pioneers. Thank you for the Love. 

Mr. Downtown -
One of the few Blugold backers here, so here's my assessment for you.

The defense has played well all year. Even in the 34-0 blowout to Whitewater.