FB: American Rivers Conference

[Airborne Dutch]

Interesting that D3 has Central matched up against DePauw. Thats Coach McMartin's previous coaching experience.

[doolittledog]

Central could also argue that they went 10-0 against both Cornell and Dubuque this decade.  While Wartburg went 9-1 against both Cornell and Dubuque over that time period.  Advantage Central, there you go DutchHawk 

Though I would still be comfortable call both Central and Wartburg the Teams of the Decade

[doolittledog]

Yesterday I watched the webcast from BVU.  My compliments on their production.  College kids in the booth, on the sideline, I would imagine working the cameras.  They did a great job. 

That was the best I have seen Dubuque play this year.  Hansen, Zweifel, Fleming, Spaulding, and Hookstead looked very good.  The big uglies on the line that don't get recognized did a good job protecting the QB and opening holes.  The UD defense also got better during the year.  While playing man to man the defense was shutting BV down.  Once Dubuque got up 31-7 the D went to a zone and then BV was able to pick them apart.  Dubuque looked like a very good team yesterday.  Sad to see Hansen finish his career, but his backup Hanus had a very similar high school career to Hansen.  Both were 1st team all-state qb's from small 1A schools.  I think UD should be fine at qb for the next 3 years. 

Also sad to see this season end.  Regular season anyway.  Now I am on the Central...and hopefully Coe bandwagons during their playoff runs.  Cheering on the IIAC!!!

[Klompen]

I would be comfortable calling both teams the "Teams of the Decade"

You could also say that Central, Wartburg and Coe were the "class of the conference" over the past decade.  Those three schools were the only ones to win conference titles.  All three schools had won/loss records far better than the rest of the conference. 

I would agree teams of the decade.  Class has nothing to do with winning or losing though, unless you are meaning they could teach a class on successful football.  I think it would be fair to say that all teams were classy in various situations and it seems awfully classy to me to be the least successful team in the conference for W-L numbers, but to keep showing up week in and week out and to not rub it in when the conference W comes, or to be able to write a congratulatory letter when you were on the losing side. 

Congratulations to the Spartans on turning things around and to Cornell for taking that step in the right direction, maybe you will be singing the current Spartan turnaround story at the end of the next decade. 

[Purple Heys]

Direct quote in today's CR Gazette:

In regards to his team's chances of entering the D3 playoffs:
"We've been trying to do the math," said Coe linebacker Calvin Thomas. "No one's really strong at math, that's not our strong point."

Aye yi yi.   Gotta love that quality Coe edumacation.   

[Purple Heys]

Is it 2 p.m. yet?

In Rio de Janeiro it is...   8)

[Klompen]

Dubuque senior class leaves with a 20-20 record over their 4 years.  You go 25 plus years without being able to say that and see how happy you are!!!
[/quote
I think Central teams have probably gone 40+ years without being able to say that quite happily.    But we were pretty upset with last year's 6-4.  Doesn't take much to make us unhappy, think of the pressure on the Central coaches year in and year out.  

I would agree that Central and Wartburg have been pretty even over the last decade.  So I don't know that I would say we were the undisputed Team of the Decade, but I do think Central was more successful over the years of winning the games that they should, though last year I still don't understand.  What I mean by winning the games that we should is that there would be fewer cases of losing games that we should have won.  Sometimes I believe Wartburg won the games that could have gone either way, but then lost to a team that was very unexpected.  With this year for WB and last year for Central just being off years period.  Oh, and yes, Central just eeked out wins in some of those years.

[DutchHawk]

Bracket 4
Pat's projected bracket.  They've always been pretty close so I don't doubt them but some of this movement seems a bit of a stretch.  

1. St. John's
2. Central
3. Linfield
4. Monmouth
5. St. Thomas
6. Cal Lutheran
7. DePauw
8. Lakeland

The games: Lakeland at St. John's; winner faces winner of DePauw and Central. Cal Lutheran at Linfield; winner faces winner of St. Thomas and Monmouth.

Pat correct me if Im wrong but wont the SJU Lakeland winner face the Cal Lut Linfield winner based on seeds as opposed to what you wrote, 1v8 should play 4 v 5 and 2 v 7 should play 3v6, giving way to the 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 match up in the second round.

You're wrong.  The 1. St. John's/8. Lakeland winner would play the 4. Monmouth/5.St. Thomas winner.

Damnit TC I quoted the bracket Old Dutch put when I meant to hit reply, when you look at what i said as far as the seedings playing I was right, which wasnt to hard for Pat to figure out but when you are gonna be a pissy kid about it you overlooked what I was really trying to get across.

I said in there, which is different than what you wrote, referring to Pats playoff projections.

[Kohawk Krazy]

Direct quote in today's CR Gazette:

In regards to his team's chances of entering the D3 playoffs:
"We've been trying to do the math," said Coe linebacker Calvin Thomas. "No one's really strong at math, that's not our strong point."

Aye yi yi.   Gotta love that quality Coe edumacation.   

I suppose having to worry about whether you made the playoffs or not is a good thing to have to try to calculate.

[lastyearpop]

After attending 40+ (Counting JV) Spartan games the last four years I would just like to thank and congratulate the seniors for standing tough after going through 2 very good years, a lousy year, and then a good turnaround year under Coach Z.

After watching the IIAC during this time, the line "Defense wins championships!"certainly stands out!!!!!

I must also say those five guys in the trenches have made a huge difference in who  has finished at the top and who was next to the top these last years. It was sometimes frustrating to watch the other teams QB be able to check down receivers and then check down again while our QB would be running for his life on pass plays!!!! So while you folks at the top are celebrating your skill positions, (Don't get me wrong, they are very talented!!) don't forget to buy the steaks and pass the kudos to those guys up front!! They were more than just a little responsible for Central and Coe headed for the playoffs. (But, boy, that sure was a lot of passes in a row without an interception!!!!)

Good luck to Central and Coe in the playoffs!!!

Thorns for the four years:
!. Being "upset" by Central the last three years. (We had you guys by the short hairs three times in a row!!!!)
2. The overtime loss to Wartburg last year. (This was the game that unfortunately showed the weakness of the Brautigam years. The celebration penalty at the game just typified the lack of discipline on the team. I truly believe that loss and then the meltdown the following week against Coe along with a plethora of dropped passes at key times during the season spelled the end of Coach Brautigam's years with UD.)
3. Sometimes the officiating was, Like, WOW, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM!!!!! But, thankfully those calls were on the bad guys just as much as the good guys.

Roses for these years:
1. Meeting great players and young men that put their bodies through hell in order to participate in a truly amateur program so they may play the game they all love. NCAA D-3 football deserves a huge amount of respect for the programs produced in a very competitive field in spite of the restrictions placed upon it.
2. The growth of the University of Dubuque in this short time is just short of phenomenal. Thanks to the Chalapaty's and all other donors for their investment and huge interest in making UD top notch.
3. Thanks to you folks in these message boards. I know I haven't been active, but i probably would have had a hard time maintaining objectivity. You people have kept the competitive juices flowing while keeping the barroom brawls where they belong in the barroom!! (Purple Heys glad to see you got to throw away the razor blades and  Drano!!!And against the right team!!!!) Thanks to you all for always respecting the players and when some disrespect was shown, quickly jumping on posters for dumb impolite statements.
4. The growing SPARTAN juggernaut will not be so kind to the Duhawks ever!!!

I would like to close this long soliloquy (Hey, I've been quiet for four years!) with a thanks to our sons, you have made us all proud and allowed us to live our lives through you, glory or pain.

THANK YOU WE LOVE YOU AND GO SPARTANS!!!!!!!!!

[d-train]

Ouch, tough draw for the Dutch...

[bleedpurple]

What a great day in Pella in Saturday! You folks are in for a GREAT college football game!

[DutchHawk]

Well we have our work cut out for us! I dont know how this years UMHB team stacks up to the past but we will have to beat 3 teams that have been in the Stagg Bowl since 2003 just to get to the semis! Get to work this week boys!

Any UMHB fans have any insight? Travel safe this week!

[warthog]

lastyearpop:  After lurking around for the past four years, I hope you now join in on a regular basis.  You will find it becomes easier to be objective when the kids are no longer on the field.  Most of us have a tendency to maintain a low profile when someone from our gene pool is on an IIAC team.  Afterwards your loyalty may remain, but you feel a little less intimidated about writing.  Keep following the Spartans and let us know what is on your mind.

[warthog]

Thought for the day:

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.

- Martin Luther