FB: American Rivers Conference

[lorbec47]

Dsquared--

Let me retract my statement as well. I know what you're saying, I just got ticked for some reason.

The whole game Loras/BV game hinged on a few plays. 3 big passes over the top for BIG scores kicked the Duhawks. Am I saying that Loras is better? What the heck difference does it make, the game's won/decided already.

Loras is winning the game 7-6, Loras fumbles the first play of a series after a BV score. BV recovers. Next play Loras intercepts and returns to the BV 30, however when the Loras defended is tackled he fumbles, giving the ball back to BV. The next play after that, BV scores on a 68-yard pass.

1st series of the second half for BV is 2 plays. 1 rush for no gain, and a touchdown pass of 70+ yards.

Breakdowns and coverage will kill you, it doesn't matter who the team. However, I think that the Duhawks will rebound. I'm sure you Wartburg guys wouldn't mind seeing Loras win...

[DutchFan2004]

K-Mack,


I really enjoyed your column.  Gave a little insight into what you guys do go through to cover this sport we all love.  As far as the weather I agree that you couldn't see any team at what they can in good weather.  As you stated though with fall coming on fast and I don't think that there are any indoor stadiums in D-3 land the rain is something that teams will have to play with.  The weather has a way of evening out teams anyway.  Rain can negate overall team speed, strong throwing arms of quarterbacks, sticky fingers of receivers, and even sure handed running backs.  I loved your quote about this being weather that was fun to play in but the pits to watch in.  I agree totally with that.  Never played college ball but in high school it was fun to play in.  I can speak from the stripes point of view though it is horrible to ref in.  Keep the ball clean, dry and ready for play, that is tuff.  Thanks for coming to see us, even if you didn't really get to see any of us at our best.

[dutchfan1]

Great column, K-Mack -- sorry I missed you boys at the game. Hopefully you'll have an opportunity to experience Dutch hospitality in the near future. (I'm obviously pulling for Central to run the table and host a playoff game or two....)

[coocooforcoekohawk]

Great column K-Mack, thanks for coming out to Iowa.

[Turf Guy]

Cornell
Central
UD
Wartburg

[K-Mack]

K-Mack, after the game, make sure you stop over to the tailgate area for some excellent food.  Hot chili and cold beers ...

D'oh. Don't know how I missed this, but Coe treated me pretty well regardless (and Cornell was fine too), so I take that as a positive on everyone out there.

Glad to know I'm welcome back to the state after that column. I really was writing it, at least parts of it, as I went along, so by the time Wednesday hit, I barely remembered what I was thinking on Saturday. Reading it for mistakes, some of it was news to me too

I would like to come back on a dry day. I have determined that I have yet to see teams from five conferences, so I have to knock those out if I take any crazy trips next year, but I'll keep it in mind.

As far as visiting the worst facilities, I did read the accounts of everyone's facitilies back in the preseason, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect and that I was missing some of the good ones. The goal was to hit four good teams ... I also had contemplated taking up one conference coach on his open-door offer and doing a weekend-in-the-life or game-weekend-behind-the-scenes type of thing, but I chose to try the two games in three hours.

In the future, I'll try to stick to staggered starts.

As for this week, let's go:

at Dubuque 28, Simpson 17. Spartans at home, make a few flukey big plays.

at Central 31, Loras 21: The Dutch 'hosses' up front plow for big yards.

Wartburg 24,  at Buena Vista 7: Apparently I'm the only one that thinks the Knights have a good shot at a Pool C bid.

  Cornell 21, at Luther 20: From afar, seems like the Norse have packed it in. No. 5 offense in the country and 1-6/1-7? Is it red zone trouble, turnovers or what? (I haven't looked, but I have wondered)

Hope I'm still hanging around in the picks. I have a bad habit of skimming, then posting, then actually reading all the posts I responded to. 

[K-Mack]

Ouch. 1-3 last week really dropped me back in the pack.

Weeks picks

First let me say Knightlife06 I looked and looked for your picks.  I didn't find them.  If you have them please point them out to me. 

                                  Week 8                  Season                   Conference

Dutchfan2004               3-1                         28-13                         16-8

The Show                     4-0                          31-10                         18-6

Kmack                           1-3                         29-12                          16-8

Sportsknight                 2-2                          32-9                            18-6

Norsefan                      1-3                           22-19                          11-13

Charlie Kohawk            1-3                                                             16-8

Turf Guy                        0-4                                                              12-12

Dutchfan1                     1-3                                                              19-5

Youcantseeme              1-3                                                              12-12

dbljay21                       1-3                                                               11-13

Crimson&Bold               1-3                                                              15-9

Speedkills84                2-2                                                                13-11 

Walston Hoover          3-1                                                                 19-5

CooCoo                       2-2                                                                 13-11

Lorbec47                    2-2                                                                  18-6

Wartknight                 2-2                                                                 17-7

Ramfan27                   1-3                                                                 13-11

dsquared                   2-2 

Kohawk Krazy            2-2

Oak Tree                    3-1

Kohawk01                  1-3

[Oakrugnuck Tree]

K-Mack-
I couldn't help but think while reading your column that you visited the 2 worst facilities (stadium wise) in the conference and I hearby officially invite you back to Iowa for a game anywhere but Dubuque.
As for gameday atmosphere
Cornell has been dead last in the conf in attendance the last 2 years and Coe is 4th this year and was 7th last year.
I never really thought much of either place.
As for Central or Loras, as well as my beloved Waverly, those would be good places to visit.

Don't forget ol' J. Leslie Rollins by the lake-IIAC is full of great stadiums and atmospheres.

[K-Mack]

Before anyone goes crowning Central as conference champs, consider this possible scenario:

Central loses to Loras and at Coe and beats Simpson to finish 6-2.
Wartburg loses at BV and wins vs. Cornell and Dubuque to finish 6-2.
Coe wins out against Central and Cornell to finish 6-2.
BV wins out vs Wartburg and at Dubuque to finish 6-2.
Loras wins out at Cental and Simpson and vs Luther to finish 6-2.

Long shot for all of that to fall into place, but if it did, that would mean that BV would get the automatic bid to the playoffs.  The "Rose Bowl Rule" would eliminate teams until there is a tie that can be broken by head-to-head results.  Given that Coe won the AQ last year, they would be the first to go.  From there Central and Wartburg would each be taken out of the equation, given their making the playoffs in '05 and '04, respectively.  BV won their head-to-head meeting with Loras, so the Beavers would get the automatic berth.  In that scenario, I would find it very hard to believe that the conference would get at second team in.

A long shot indeed, but now consider this:
Say Loras beats Central but loses to either Simpson or Luther. They're 5-3.
Say BV beats Wartburg but loses to Dubuque. They're 5-3.
Say Wartburg loses two of three to BV, Cornell and Dubuque. They're 5-3.

If Coe beats Central in two weeks and Cornell the week after, and Central loses to either Loras or Simpson, both would be 6-2. Coe would get the AQ by virtue of its win over Central.

It's not over.

Charlie,
I know you're hoping buddy, but I would really like to avoid any more five-way ties. I can't tell you how many phone calls I have to make this time of year to decipher all of the different tiebreaker rules.

Not a huge fan of the "Rose Bowl Rule" either ... re: sportsknights' post.

[K-Mack]

Congrats to the Knights for hopping up to #23 on the d3football poll this week!  Someone needs to get ahold of Don Hansen and let him know that the Knights aren't 5-2!

I know that the IIAC has no right to complain for poll position after their track record in the playoffs, but I wouldn't think that a single OT loss to Central would merit the Knights to be out of the Top 25 for so long, whereas the Kohawks had a loss to a SLIPPING Duhawk team and still clung to the #24 or #25 slot for weeks.  Not saying they didn't deserve it, as was seen in CR on Saturday... but just asking where's the love for the Evil Empire? 

If it makes you feel better, I had moved Wartburg ahead of Coe after the Loras loss and into my top 25 last week, so when they won, it didn't mess my ballot up ... as much as Bridgewater and Del Val and all those guys did.

As I said on the Daily Dose, I think a 9-1 Wartburg with an OT loss to Central is the textbook Pool C case. I'd throw out the QOWs and all that crap on that one. If it shakes out that way, that's practically a co-champion.

A lot of strong-looking Pool Cs right now though, as many as a dozen with airtight resumes, so pull for some losses.

[K-Mack]

dsquared,

I think it has been tuff for the D-3 voters to give any conference 3 teams in the top 25.  If you look D-3 ranks the WIAC as the tuffest conference in the nation.  Yet they only have 2 schools in the top 25. Others received votes but only 2 teams in the top 25.  With all the good teams out there I don't think it was a lack of love for the evil empire just they are staying to there predictions.  Coe was the favorite to win the IIAC and they got the benefit of the doubt till saturday when Wartburg pulled off the win.  I don't want to put words in the D-3 voters mouths but I would guess that they would call the Wartburg win an upset (at least in their minds).  I can not believe that Coe still received 4 votes for the top 25.  Not that they aren't a good team.  They are still alive mathematically.  But Wartburg has a clear two game lead on them for the AQ.  I don't see the Wartburg D getting beat by two of the remaining three teams on their schedule.  Nothing is settled for the Dutch.  They still have two very good teams to play and a pesky Simpson team that always play the Dutch well.  The Dutch don't have anything sewed up.  Time will tell.  I hope the wins and losses fall into place so that two IIAC teams qualify.  

I agree that the Dutch don't have anything wrapped up.

I agree that you can't be voting for Coe after this week unless you are also voting for Central and Wartburg.

I agree that three teams from one league is a lot when you can only rank 25 of 234 teams.

But even when a league, like the WIAC, is strong and deep, there need to be three teams playing really really well for three to be ranked ... otherwise they just beat up on each other and fewer teams are ranked.

FWIW.

[sportsknight]

K-Mack,
Count me among those that thoroughly enjoyed the column this week.  Good to hear you had an enjoyable trip to the Hawkeye State, although you probably would have seen better football if the weather wasn't so crappy.
On to the picks for this week (I better make a move now or DF1 and Walston will have me beat in the IIAC standings for good)...

Cornell @ Luther:  Is there anyone out there that doesn't feel for Luther right now.  Nothing seems to go right for these guys.  I think they correct the ship so to speak this weekend in their final home contest against the Rams.  Luther 31, Cornell 17

Loras @ Central:  Sorry to offend the Simpson fans out there, but if the Dutch are going to drop 2 of their final 3 and open the door for Wartburg to sneak into the IIAC title, Loras has to come through here.  And don't be surprised to see it happen.  Dewey has played well on the road this year, their defense may be stout enough to slow Central down, and Heaven knows they're going to be itching to get the taste out of their mouths after that home loss the BV last week.  I'm going to go out on a limb and take the Duhawks here, although I'm not sure how much faith I have in that limb supporting my body weight.  Loras 21, Central 17

Simpson @ Dubuque:  Would it be fair to say these programs are going in opposite directions?  When these Storm seniors were freshmen, they made it to the playoffs.  When the Dubuque guys that have stuck around were freshmen, they didn't win a game all season.  Now the two teams are battling for the 6th spot in the conference.  The upward and downward trends continue in this one.  Dubuque 27, Simpson 14

Wartburg @ BV:  I know there are a few among the Beaver faithful that think their guys still have a chance to sneak in the backdoor of a share of the conference title, but after this week those same fans will likely turn their attention to the upcoming BV basketball season (How do you like that...Got the words "beaver" and "backdoor" into the same sentence.  Those 5 years in college are really paying off).  BV fans should be out in force for this one, but Wartburg has shown that they can play well on the road a couple times already this season.  Look for the Knights to sidestep the landmine here.  Wartburg 24, BV 12

[K-Mack]

  Cornell 21, at Luther 20: From afar, seems like the Norse have packed it in. No. 5 offense in the country and 1-6/1-7? Is it red zone trouble, turnovers or what? (I haven't looked, but I have wondered)

I see this has been answered in-depth prior to me asking. Um, good work?

[K-Mack]

Mike Donnenworth was player of the week 4 times by himself. 

Lonnie and Ryan,
THAT was the guy whose name I couldn't remember in the car.

Should be etched into my memory too. Simpson sent more e-mail about him and Dusty Kain ... not that it's a bad thing

[K-Mack]

Simpson over UD- I jumped on the UD bandwagon and they killed me. Simpson 24-14

My butt is still sore from my ride on the Luther bandwagon. I have been wrong on eight conference picks ... probably five are Luther games.

So now that I am following the trend, Luther will win this week.