FB: American Rivers Conference

[TrainsEqualCrowdNoise]

I'll bring the cheesy potatoes 

[corkballrules]

The good news is Cornell brings back their entire defense.
The bad news is they give up 36 points a game.

Reality  and truth bites much harder than "What might be?"

The proof is in the pudding?

[IowaConferenceFan]

Interesting how Dordt chose to play a season of junior varsity ball before tackling their first season of varsity while Grandview decided to jump into the pool feet first!!!

Also interesting that the NAIA is losing teams and are down to about 90 nationwide now but there have been 4 new football programs go NAIA in Iowa.  William Penn left D3 and then Briar Cliff, Dordt and now Grandview have started new programs.  Seems a bit odd that many schools are jumping off the NAIA boat while you have some Iowa schools joining up. 

NAIA might be an attractive option because of recruiting - it is getting more and more difficult to recruit to Iowa Conference schools at $30,000+ a head with only academic scholarhips.

[Klompen]

Football roster is up for Central and it lists 132 players.  If Coach Mac was saying he liked 120-130, he is pretty close to right on target.  Some great transfers are included.  I guess it helped to put a new roof on the house last fall after I heard what happened for Wartburg.   

[Thunderbolt]

Happy FRIDAY EVERYBODY!!

From Cornell media day:
TV package from KGAN
http://www.kgan.com/newsroom/sports/local/index.shtml

CR Gazette story
http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/SPORTS/27671327/1056

I have never been a fan of Purple or purple and black but those are some UGLY socks.

Did you notice the lick the Luther DB put on his teammate that was going to make the tackle? Rendered him unconscious. Missed the next game too.

I got that one on tape too...the poor kid bent over in half backwards.  I was glad to see that he wasn't more seriously hurt.

As long as you have that game on tape, you would be the one to ask. What happened on your sons TD reception? I had an obstructed view. It looked like he caught it lying on the ground after it bounced off of someone else. All I could really see was a mass of humanity and Heys Jr. getting up with the ball.

[MNbeev]

Im sorry Heys but brother ShowMe has ruined it for me.  I was really hoping that Cornell would pull out of the cellar this year and win some ball games.  I figured that it would make the conference stronger and show kudos to the Cornell players/coaching staff for making things happen. 

Facts are facts and Rudy is already an award winning movie.  We have had enough tear jerker football movies about hope and determination.  The funny thing is if Cornell goes 0-4 ShowMe will still be blabbering his mouth but what about 0-6 and then 0-10.  What are you going to say then? 

We have pride!

Now what will you say if the shoe was on the other foot? I can see you are spoiled, out of touch with lossing.

You know, ShowMe, not a single poster would dislike you like we do had you not introduced yourself to the board with the "You all are going to eat crow at the end of the season. Cornell wins, you all suck" attitude. You said that crap to elicit a response, and we responded. Then you try to call foul because we aren't letting you support your team in the way you want to. You can support any way you want, and we will defend in the same way we have been. At the end of the day, though, you are the only one here that takes this as a personal afront.

In case you hadn't noticed, we're all pretty good friends in here -- even Klop and I get along. We all have buddies on here from other schools, and most of us are good people (even though some of these guys didn't have the good sense to go to Central....I can only hold that against them for so long, right?) 

My point is....don't upset the apple cart. We grant respect where respect is earned. Want proof? Read back a ways. I was one of the first people to give UD props...I hinged a lot of my Pick Ems on them last year. When we see positive things going on, there is bound to be a comment.

If you insist on typing every post with your dukes up, ready to fight, people are going to stop responding. Even worse for you, you are going to lose the little credibility that you have left. My free advice to you....chill out, and think (don't drink) before you post. 

In the spirit of the day, I'll even throw in a Go Cornell!

[The preceding PSA brought to you by the NRA, now back to your regularly scheduled programming.]

Sorry -- this post comes a bit late....all is now calm in here....

I love it.

[Airborne Dutch]

DF1, I think you hit the nail on the head. Its not that people disrespect Cornell, it is just that a lot of people on here are realists and want to see some proof before we start believing the hype. I remember a similar discussion like this last year when Purple Heys first joined the board. Now, PH is great poster and has some of the great quotes on here.  Biggest thing is that Cornell hasn't won a conference game since 2005. They have some talented players, but until they A) win a conference game and B) knock off a conference power, people will bristle at the "this is the year" talk.

One thing that I think hasn't gotten a lot of discussion is the reality that the conference is somewhat wide open. Look at Central, Coe, Wartburg, and Dubuque and to some extent, Luther. Lots of offensive firepower graduated. Looking at the all-conference players from last year and there aren't too many skill position players returning throughout the league. Thats the beauty of a year like this and college football in general. You have a core group of players that you've counted for a few years and now its one of those years where everybody is reloading at key positions. It will be fun to see who steps up.

[Walston Hoover]

This year will be very similar to 2003 for Wartburg. Everyone knows they will be good so there's not going to be any sneaking up. The defense will be top 5 in D3 and the offense has to just not suck and they will be fine. The difference between '03 and this year-A returning starter at QB this year that has some pretty good stats on his sheet.

[doolittledog]

I will say this.  Posters on here are now willing to accept that there can be Cornell fans on here.  This year it seems like people are willing to let Cornell fans give them reasons why they think Cornell might do well.  Last year it almost seemed like people on here were telling PH he really had no right to even post on here until Cornell won some conference games.  

[ShowMe]

You know, ShowMe, not a single poster would dislike you like we do had you not introduced yourself to the board with the "You all are going to eat crow at the end of the season. Cornell wins, you all suck" attitude. You said that crap to elicit a response, and we responded.

For the record, I did not introduce myself as you have explained. Secondly, i have never said "you all suck". The crow response came in rsponse to all the negative talk I received when I suggested my team would be better. I know we have our challenges but it it not without pride.

Please find the quote where I said "you all suck" and I will appologize, otherwise, please do not miss quote me. It is my intent to have a respectful conversation but i will enforce the my teams pride. Thanks

[IowaConferenceFan]

The US News and World Report came out with their new annual rankings today for liberal arts colleges....

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/  

Cornell College—88th Acceptance Rate: 45%
Luther College—88th Acceptance Rate: 83%
Coe College—98th Acceptance Rate: 64%
Central College—122nd Acceptance Rate: 79%
Wartburg College—Tier 3 Acceptance Rate: 84%
Simpson College - Tier 3 Acceptance Rate 88%
BV, Loras, and Dubuque were in a different ranking of schools that primariliy grant bachelor's degrees but fewer than half are in liberal arts disciplines.

[MNbeev]

DF1, I think you hit the nail on the head. Its not that people disrespect Cornell, it is just that a lot of people on here are realists and want to see some proof before we start believing the hype. I remember a similar discussion like this last year when Purple Heys first joined the board. Now, PH is great poster and has some of the great quotes on here.  Biggest thing is that Cornell hasn't won a conference game since 2005. They have some talented players, but until they A) win a conference game and B) knock off a conference power, people will bristle at the "this is the year" talk.

One thing that I think hasn't gotten a lot of discussion is the reality that the conference is somewhat wide open. Look at Central, Coe, Wartburg, and Dubuque and to some extent, Luther. Lots of offensive firepower graduated. Looking at the all-conference players from last year and there aren't too many skill position players returning throughout the league. Thats the beauty of a year like this and college football in general. You have a core group of players that you've counted for a few years and now its one of those years where everybody is reloading at key positions. It will be fun to see who steps up.

Very nice also.  Work gets more enjoyable as the day goes on.  This is what I love about the IIAC, any team could possibly beat any team on a given saturday.  AND just like every other team in the IIAC, Cornell does have that shot to take down a top team.  Now have they showed it, yes in short bursts, but 4 quarters of short bursts is not going to win you a football game.  4 quarters of no mistake
football wins games.  Cornell has the players, has the skills, but the D lacks the ability to stop big plays.  

I agree with Airborne, we hear it every year, but we need some solid proof and then it will be time to believe Cornell has the ability to be a top team.  I do recall last year that BV was going to be Cornell's first conference win...well we probably all know how that ended up so I won't bring it up.  

I do however enjoy the support for the Rams, you guys are great posters but please, and I may have no room to talk, but if you dish it, please eat some yourself.  

[Airborne Dutch]

I will say this.  Posters on here are now willing to accept that there can be Cornell fans on here.  This year it seems like people are willing to let Cornell fans give them reasons why they think Cornell might do well.  Last year it almost seemed like people on here were telling PH he really had no right to even post on here until Cornell won some conference games.  

Exactly. Part of the blame for the animosity could be on the part of the longtime posters. The size of this board has exploded in the past year and with that will come posters with ideas and thoughts outside of what the traditional posters are used to. Change will always cause some friction. So, in the words of Rodney King, why can't we all get along?

[KCDutch]

This year will be very similar to 2003 for Wartburg. Everyone knows they will be good so there's not going to be any sneaking up. The defense will be top 5 in D3 and the offense has to just not suck and they will be fine. The difference between '03 and this year-A returning starter at QB this year that has some pretty good stats on his sheet.

Wow, '03 was a heck of a team...not good for the other teams in the IIAC.  I may be remembering a different year, but didn't the '03 have some pretty good running backs?  I only ask b/c it seems one of the question marks on this year's Wart team is at RB.

[KCDutch]

The US News and World Report came out with their new annual rankings today for liberal arts colleges....

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/  

Cornell College—88th Acceptance Rate: 45%
Luther College—88th Acceptance Rate: 83%
Coe College—98th Acceptance Rate: 64%
Central College—122nd Acceptance Rate: 79%
Wartburg College—Tier 3 Acceptance Rate: 84%
Simpson College - Tier 3 Acceptance Rate 88%
BV, Loras, and Dubuque were in a different ranking of schools that primariliy grant bachelor's degrees but fewer than half are in liberal arts disciplines.

I saw these rankings earlier today (usually Doolittle posts this info), I was surprised by the <50% acceptance rate at Cornell.  Is it really difficult to get accepted?  What would the lower-end of the ACT/SAT scores and/or GPA/class rank of those accepted?