FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Olinemom]

Freebird are you still the student body president at BU?  IF so that is an embarrassment.  Sure has been a pleasant season of posting without you around the MIAC board much.  Stay away we are all better for it.

You know, we did without you all fall.  Go back where you came from.  You embarrass a nice man with your comments.  SJU got caught looking ahead and not taking Bethel serious enough.  Happens to many teams.  Get over it.

[chmarx]

All this trash talking from Bethel fans, and they have ducked us as a nonconference opponent for years.

I haven't seen to much trashing talking.  Bethel has a lot of respect for LAX and their fans.  I'm not sure who you support but I think saying we have been ducking WIAC opponents is an overstatement.  I was there the last time we played a WIAC team and beat eau claire 45-42...the second best game I have ever witnessed

I support La Crosse.  We have only nine games this year.  To get that many (3 home games), we had to play a Division 1AA team and fly out to California.  This with Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa full of D3 teams that won't schedule us.

Congrlatulations on playing Eau Claire.  Come another ninety miles South some time during the regular season.

[LAX LB]

I support La Crosse.  We have only nine games this year.  To get that many (3 home games), we had to play a Division 1AA team and fly out to California.  This with Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa full of D3 teams that won't schedule us.

Congrlatulations on playing Eau Claire.  Come another ninety miles South some time during the regular season.

That's been LaCrosse problem for years, finding teams to play.  The problem just got worse this year by beating a IAA team.  Its not going to be long before one of the WIAC teams will have to jump up to Division II since UND or NDSU, which ever is still in the Division II ranks, moves up to IAA in 2007.  With only 1 scholarship football program in the state there is room for another.

[Bisondad]

I'm surprised the entire WIAC hasn't moved to D-II.  They are definately on par with the NSIC, with the WIAC's bottom half probably being better than the NSIC.  Lots of good football in Wisconsin.  I know winona wouldn't want to see scholarship football in Wisconsin.  I think they've built their program on Wisconsin kids.

[UWPSUPERFAN77]

I do not feel WI Colleges, the Board of Regents, or tax payers want to mess with a good thing. I just wish we we not discriminated against by teams in Iowa, MN, MI, and Il by not playing us, the WIAC.  I say bring back the Border Battle and add another team to the WIAC for Football only, like WI Lutheran playing in the Michigan powerhouse Conference,LOL. Blessings to All!

[Just Bill]

Its not going to be long before one of the WIAC teams will have to jump up to Division II

Actually it will be a very long time, and probably never.  The non-scholarship status of the WIAC schools is written into the UW System's charter and the laws of Wisconsin.  It would take an unprecendented action (not to mention a whole bunch of money) to rewrite the charter.

[LAX LB]

I didn't know it was written into the charter.  What if UW Green Bay or UW Millwuakee tried to bring on a Football program.  Now I'm sure UW Madison wouldn't want to see another scholarship program in the state.  I think half the starting roster for Northern Ill. is from Wisconsin.

[Just Bill]

The charter states that only Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay and Parkside's campuses may offer athletic scholarships.  If one of them wanted to add a scholarship football program they could, provided they can get the approval of the UW System, the State legislature and all the funding they need (which would be very tough).

I don't think it would affect Madison at all if a D-IAA (or "Championship Subdivision" as they call it now) or D-II program popped up in the state.  I think it would REALLY affect a program like Northern Illinois!

[Just Bill]

I've always thought the WIAC and MIAC should have an interlocking schedule agreement the way the NCHA and MIAC does in men's hockey.

You could set a rotating schedule for the next nine years to guarantee one WIAC/MIAC matchup and let the teams agree on whether to play in Week 1, 2 or 3 for maximum flexibility.  The MIAC has one extra team so one MIAC team would have to sit out each year.  This would guarantee the WIAC and MIAC at least one non-conference game each year.

Something like this maybe (remember that it's a nine-year rotation and eventually you will play everybody, so don't sweat the match-ups or the home/road assignments):

2008 - (played Week 1, 2 or 3 at the discretion of the schools involved):
Augsburg at UW-Eau Claire
UW-La Crosse at Bethel
Carleton at UW-Oshkosh
UW-Platteville at Concordia
Gustavus at UW-River Falls
UW-Stevens Point at Hamline
St. John's at UW-Stout
UW-Whitewater at St. Olaf
St. Thomas - OFF

2009 - (played Week 1, 2 or 3 at the discretion of the schools involved):
UW-Eau Claire at St. Thomas
UW-La Crosse at Augsburg
Bethel at UW-Oshkosh
UW-Platteville at Carelton
Concordia at UW-River Falls
UW-Stevens Point at Gustavus
Hamline at UW-Stout
UW-Whitewater at St. John's
St. Olaf - OFF

2010 - (played Week 1, 2 or 3 at the discretion of the schools involved):
St. Olaf at UW-Eau Claire
St. Thomas at UW-La Crosse
UW-Oshkosh at Augsburg
Bethel at UW-Platteville
UW-River Falls at Carelton
Concordia at UW-Stevens Point
UW-Stout at Gustavus
Hamline at UW-Whitewater
St. John's - OFF

etc......

I think you get the idea.  I'm sure all the WIAC schools would jump at the chance to lock in one non-conference game for the next 9 years.  I think the top MIAC teams would do it, but it would be a hard sell for the bottom MIAC teams.

[Bisondad]

I'd love to see it.  Would be good for both conferences.  I suppose it makes too much sense to actually happen............................

[LAX LB]

The charter states that only Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay and Parkside's campuses may offer athletic scholarships.  If one of them wanted to add a scholarship football program they could, provided they can get the approval of the UW System, the State legislature and all the funding they need (which would be very tough).

Its just a bit fustrating that Minn. has close to 5 scholarship programs, Iowa has 3, Ill. around 4, heck even ND and SD have 3 to 4 each.  I would rather enjoy seeing UWGB or even Marquete establishing a IAA or IA program.  From a competive stand point, this state can meet the requirements of putting out a good scholarship team.   As a college football fan it would be great to see this happen.

[Just Bill]

Yes, it would be fun, but remember that the lack of D-IAA or D-II is a significant part of the reason that WIAC teams are so talented and so much fun to watch.

[LAX LB]

Yes, it would be fun, but remember that the lack of D-IAA or D-II is a significant part of the reason that WIAC teams are so talented and so much fun to watch.

Good point...  Still imagine how much fun it would be to head up to UWGB to see the Phenoix play Northern Iowa, NDSU or a Northwestern and watch the Packers play on Sunday.  With all the talent in this state taking scholarships at NIU, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, NDSU, UND, UMD.. the list goes on, we have the players to establish a Division II or IAA team

[Bisondad]

NDSU has some excellent Wisconsin players.  Adam Tadish, Jerrod Wagner are two offensive linemen that are outstanding.  Joe lardinois is an excellent D-end.  I'm sure there's more that I'm not thinking of. 

[Sakman 1111]

Being from Illinois I had some disdain 5 years ago for Wisconsin football.....then my son came to Whitewater. Since then I have learned there is some real quality football being played on the high school level in Wisconsin. One likes to think their state is always the best but for the last 5 years in the WIAC I have watched a lot of talented players who predominantly are from Wisconsin. We have traveled around the country and beat teams from Texas,Oregon,Indiana,Illinois and more with these Wisconsin players so I certainly agree with Bisondad. Here is hoping those Iowa and Illinois young men join forces with Whitewater's talented group of Wisconsin young men to POUND THE ROCK against the Green Nights......