FB: American Rivers Conference

[sportsknight]

Week 11 picks 

                              Week          overall    place       conference  place
 
The Show              3-2                40-14    tie first         27-9        3rd

Sportsknight         2-3                  40-14   tie first         26-10       4th

How do you want to settle this thing, Show?

[warthog]

spurrier:

Somewhere in heaven, mother Warthog is smiling.  It has been a long time coming for her Spartans.  The proof in the pudding will be what happens next season.  I hope they don't turn out to be one year wonders like the 2001 Cornell Rams.

Of course I hate seing my Knights lose, but they still end up exactly where a win would have put them: Second place in the IIAC and out of the playoffs,

Coach K and staff have some work cut out for themselves during the off season.  They better find some guys who smell blood and can put opponents away.  Too many teams were able to stick close late in the game this year.  Is conditioning a problem?  Has the fire gone out of the belly? Are there some leaders ready to push teammates on and off the field?

The facts are facts.  This was pretty much a rebuilding year.  

In August would I have been happy with an 8-2 record?  Damn right I would have.  

In November, having an 8-1 record with only Dubuque left on the schedule, does an 8-2 record make me happy?  No way in hell.  

I'm confident things will look diffent next fall.  Jupiter will a-line with Mars.  Stars will shine brightly. A rebuilt Wartburg campus and football team will take over first place in the IIAC.

[DutchHawk]

Great game Dutch!! Way to end the regular season on a shutout..especially break the Simpson streak   Tough loss up in Waverly today...great year none the less..I had a feeling DBQ would be sneaky though.

Central's defense is legit...especially at home...whoever comes to Pella next weekend will have their hands full I think! Should be one heck of a game whether its SJU, Bethel, St. Norbert or whoever the committee decides to throw our way. 10-0 feels great but 11-0 is better. Lets keep it rolling boys. Great season to the rest of the IIAC and lets make some noise this year Dutch!!!

[The Show]

How do you want to settle this thing, Show?

How about the tie breaker is our conference pick 'em record? 

OR we can continue on into the playoffs along with the Dutch if you would like...

[doolittledog]

spurrier:

Somewhere in heaven, mother Warthog is smiling.  It has been a long time coming for her Spartans.  The proof in the pudding will be what happens next season.  I hope they don't turn out to be one year wonders like the 2001 Cornell Rams.

Of course I hate seing my Knights lose, but they still end up exactly where a win would have put them: Second place in the IIAC and out of the playoffs,

Coach K and staff have some work cut out for themselves during the off season.  They better find some guys who smell blood and can put opponents away.  Too many teams were able to stick close late in the game this year.  Is conditioning a problem?  Has the fire gone out of the belly? Are there some leaders ready to push teammates on and off the field?

The facts are facts.  This was pretty much a rebuilding year.  

In August would I have been happy with an 8-2 record?  Damn right I would have.  

In November having an 8-1 record with only Dubuque left on the schedule does an 8-2 record make me happy?  No way in hell.  

I'm confident things will look diffent next fall.  Jupiter will a-line with Mars.  Stars will shine brightly. A rebuilt Wartburg campus and football team will take over first place in the IIAC.

Wartburg was replacing a senior dominated team and a coaching staff.  Young players learning a somewhat new system, new coach learning the ropes himself, and the team ends the year with one more win than last season. 8-2 and the two losses were both in over-time.  I know the Knights have been used to playoff teams but I think with everything going on this year in their program this was an excellent season.  I expect the Knights to be pushing Central next year.  The young Wartburg team you saw on the field this year will grow, those young players will turn into leaders that will push teamates on and off the field to excell. 

And on that note, way to go Central,  I thought maybe they were in for a few down years with that 6-4 record and here they are right back where we are used to seeing them, in the playoffs. 

Coe was a play or two here and there from being in the playoffs as well. 

I think the key for Dubuque this year is they finally have some players sticking around.  Hopefully the days of a 120 player roster with 5 seniors, 5 juniors, 10 sophomores, and 100 freshmen are over for them.  And hopefully they don't repeat the Cornell model and have 1 good year followed by going back down into the dumps.  The campus rebuilding projects they have going on there along with the expanding of the majors back to previous levels will help recruiting. 

[Willie University]

Check out some great photos of the Spartans win yesterday in waverly
http://www.dbq.edu/news/news1.cfm?ID=301

Willie U

[Dsquared]

Son of a gun... yesterday was probably the most depressing football day on record for me.  First, I'm sitting in the south endzone, and I watch Chandler drop an EASY first down pass... then I watch Drew Tate take the team's last timeout instead of using the injury timeout (by the way, Tate's leadership has never reached the level it could have... take your team's last TO so you don't miss a snap?), then I watch Domanick (sp?) Douglas drop another first down.  The Hawks will be MUCH better next year without the services of Tate, Chandler and AY.  I'm looking forward to Damian Sims being the primary in that offense! 

Then I get the report from Wave-town that the Knights take it on the nose (big time congrats to UDUB!  Silence the critics!!)  Finally, the 1-9 Buffaloes hang 33 on the Clones.  Sortof what I expected after the week the Clones have had, but I would've thought they were going to sell out a little more to send Mac out on a good note!  And to make matters just that much worse, UNI gets HAMMERED!!!

Anyway, sorry if I ruffled any feathers on the board, I was only stating what I thought was obvious.  I hope that UDUB proves me wrong and comes out strong next year.  If they end in the top 4 again next year, I'll be eating my words!

I've gotta give it up for Koehler and a YOUNG Knights team this year!  We could've used the "we're too young with a new coach" excuse, but you came out and were 2 OTs away from the playoffs!  What better character building experience can a young team and young coach have the competing in the close games that the Knights had all year?  I see some big wins in Coach K's future with these Knights!

[Willie University]

Congrats on a HUGE win!! and great season!! 3rd place finish in the IIAC isn't too shabby.

I hate to rain on your parade, Willie U, but Dubuque finished in fourth place. Coe takes third by virtue of its head-to-head victory. Still, a nice turnaround for the Spartans. We'll see if they can keep it going minus Belleus.

Sorry Charlie, the standings will show 3rd place and Coe and Dubuque tied. Coe beat UD but UD beat wartburg which coe could not. Coe is listed ahead of UD because of their 1 more non conference win. IF UD were to have 1 more non conference win then coe, then UD would be listed ahead of coe regardless of whether coe beat UD or not. It's the same as if both wartburg and central both had 1 loss, they would SHARE the IIAC title no matter how you slice it. So, deal with it, UD finished in 3rd place in the IIAC tied with Coe.

Willie U

[Willie University]

I think the key for Dubuque this year is they finally have some players sticking around.  Hopefully the days of a 120 player roster with 5 seniors, 5 juniors, 10 sophomores, and 100 freshmen are over for them.  And hopefully they don't repeat the Cornell model and have 1 good year followed by going back down into the dumps.  The campus rebuilding projects they have going on there along with the expanding of the majors back to previous levels will help recruiting. 

Doolittle, what year did you graduate? Play football at UD? I think you are partially right, last year the spartans graduated the largest group of seniors in a long, long time I believe with around 15-20 (?) if I remember correctly. This year they graduate 10 of which I think about 5 were starters (Prince Bussie, Walner Belleus, Rodney Baker, Brandon Stevens, and Jason Wilke) So, although these 5 were defintely impact players, they do return a great group of starters next year. Everyone seems to think and actually probably hopes that Walner is the only reason the spartans climbed the conference ladder this year but as I said before, they have many athletes on that team and I sincerely believe they will be back and just as competitive in years to come. The JV squad is also full of talent.

The addition of the new Football stadium and rec & wellness center along with all the other campus improvements will certainly help. As for your majors comment, I not sure what you meant by that other then maybe not understanding why it was done in the first place. UD reduced it's majors back in the late 90's because NO ONE was majoring in those particular programs! They reinvested in the programs that were in high demand for students coming out of high school and that were in high demand for jobs when they graduated. The only program they have added since then is nursing and will only add programs that follow that same theme---high demand. If there is one thing about UD that should NEVER be questioned, it is the leadership and administration. UD has been among the fastest growing and best fundraisers in the state and nation in the past 5 years!

Congrats to all the seniors and this years spartan team for having the best record since 1987!!! They will have something to always remember and will certainly go down in the history books as some of the players that helped to bring the Spartans back to respectability again! Thanks for believing and sticking through the tough times.....living through adversity is what creates great people and great leaders!!!

Willie U

[doolittledog]

Willie U, I graduated in '92...although if I had been on track I would have finished in '90...I let fun get in the way for a few years.  Taking over paying for college is what got me on the right track.  I never played football, was just a fan of the team and the school.  I was an aviation mgmnt major and now am a real estate appraiser.  I knew they brought back nursing and I thought they also brought back some teaching majors, but I havn't followed the turn around all that closely.  My roomate from freshman year was on the committee that made the call to scale down what was offered over closing the school and was part of the process of bringing the school back from the brink.  He told me some interesting stories when he was up for our wedding back in 2000. 

Even if Dubuque doesn't have an upper division finish next year in football or if the basketball teams don't finish in the upper half, at least they are making investments in the programs and the school as a whole.  That is what I am proud to see. 

[IowaConferenceFan]

I wouldn't mind seeing that 201 games without being shutout streak come to an end Saturday Then maybe the SID release can read...201 plus games without being shut out to any school not named Central!

Congratulations to the Kohawks for continuing their dominance of Cornell and getting Eric Raeburn his 50th win as head coach. Coe loses a fantastic group of seniors who have represented the program so well. Congratulations especially to Ashton Northern, who punished the Rams for 231 yards for his first 1,000 yard season.

Charlie - I would also give congrats to Ashton Northern for being an incredible running back - however, I'd like to point out that he didn't score yesterday. And, in looking at the stats, what's up with Raeburn using him as a workhorse (1196 net yards) and never letting him score (4 TD's) while Suckow has 445 yards and 11 touchdowns. Too bad for Northern that he did all the work and gets little of the credit.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

I did not anticipate victor(y) by Dubuque... Who did?

Coe
UD
Simpson
Luther

I didn't get much right in the pick'ems, but I got that one right.

[Charlie Kohawk]

Charlie - I would also give congrats to Ashton Northern for being an incredible running back - however, I'd like to point out that he didn't score yesterday. And, in looking at the stats, what's up with Raeburn using him as a workhorse (1196 net yards) and never letting him score (4 TD's) while Suckow has 445 yards and 11 touchdowns. Too bad for Northern that he did all the work and gets little of the credit.

It's a credit to Northern's versatility that the coaches value his blocking skills in goal-line situations. He also frequently catches passes out of the backfield. He's the complete package.

[Willie University]

Willie U, I graduated in '92...although if I had been on track I would have finished in '90...I let fun get in the way for a few years.  Taking over paying for college is what got me on the right track.  I never played football, was just a fan of the team and the school.  I was an aviation mgmnt major and now am a real estate appraiser.  I knew they brought back nursing and I thought they also brought back some teaching majors, but I havn't followed the turn around all that closely.  My roomate from freshman year was on the committee that made the call to scale down what was offered over closing the school and was part of the process of bringing the school back from the brink.  He told me some interesting stories when he was up for our wedding back in 2000. 

Even if Dubuque doesn't have an upper division finish next year in football or if the basketball teams don't finish in the upper half, at least they are making investments in the programs and the school as a whole.  That is what I am proud to see. 

Doolittledog, we may have had a little fun together during one of your years  You bring up a great point and something that lance, WH, dutchfan1, warthog and some of the "older" posters will remember I made a few years ago when I stated that investment in the university as a WHOLE has a direct impact on athletic success. It's a building process and the Spartans are starting to see some of the fringe benefits of that investment now and into the future..... I think in the other sports we will begin to see small improvements as well. It's nice to see progress as a whole.

Willie U

[davedevine]

 yeah WB lost 2 OT games this year and are "young" but at the end of the day/season
as coach Koehler said yesterday after the game on the radio "8-2 isn't our goal here"   

I would agree with WH that had they won and were sitting at 9-1, they probably  wouldn't have made the playoffs.  It wouldn't be the 1st or 2nd time that would have happened to WB in the recent past though

WH or anyone else, can someone shed some light on the passing game? is it shaky because of ability?  in-experience? confidence?  no big play WR's? it certainly has nothing to do with running the ball

It sounds like the 0-line was solid again for protection purposes..
I didn't see any games this year, so I have 0 insight..

Listening to Goetz yesterday on the radio,  there were probably 3? or so potential big plays that were there but didn't happen..  those are the plays you need to make to get 9 guys out of the box and not have to  be so one dimensional