FB: American Rivers Conference

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I was kidding about Wartburg looking ahead but not quite as much about whether the Knights might somewhat take the Norse for granted.  It is hard for some people to take a team seriously when you are 10-2 since 2006 and they are 2-10.

Not that I might be sand bagging a little before Saturday.

I am sure both coaching staffs and teams will be motivated.

[doolittledog]

Wartburg will never look past Luther.

You have my permission to look past Dubuque.  Just tell the coaching staff at Wartburg to not even waste a practice preparing for the Dubuque game. 

[Walston Hoover]

That may have been a little part of what happened last year, with all the talks of "would Wartburg make the playoffs with a BIG win?" Tough to get a big win without winning at all.

[DutchHawk]

Wartburg will never look past Luther.

You have my permission to look past Dubuque.  Just tell the coaching staff at Wartburg to not even waste a practice preparing for the Dubuque game. 

I highly doubt that will happen after last year!

[knightlife06]

Wartburg will never look past Luther. They can't. Remember just 2 years ago the Norse were victors in Decorah. Its Beat Luther! week at Wartburg. I even printed off a poster for my office.

Yeah, I remember that

[Purple Heys]

.  I do hope Cornell gets to the point where regular season wins become as meaningless as you make them seem to be for Central...I doubt Central's coaching staff agrees with you .

When you win regularily, regular season wins really do almost become meaningless, as sad as it sounds.
Some wins you remember, but when you win almost every week, it just becomes habit. I feel very fortunate to be able to name every loss at every level that I've ever been a part of as a player or a coach, all the way back to junior high. As much as I'd like to take credit for those, I can't because I've been around some VERY good people, but once that winning becomes habit, its tough to break.
Wartburg's losses in the last 8 years.
PLU, Central, Cornell, Coe, Coe, Linfield, Linfield, Loras, Concordia, Millikin, Luther, Central, Central, Dubuque.
A-P Freshmen losses in '95-Iowa Falls
Sophomore losses in '96-Jesup
Varsity losses in '97-Starmont, Iowa Falls, Denver
'98-Iowa Falls, Dike, Iowa Falls
A-P 7th Grade losses in '93-Dike
'94-Dike

Am I obsessed much?

Obsessed, no.  But it is interesting that you cite High School because you have spared me the need to justify its relevance to my following point...

In light that the current Rams have not yet registered a W in IIAC and the facts of the Rams recent history, there are those who make the generalization that that is all the CURRENT Ram players know from gridiron success...and are somehow doomed to repeat it.

Wrong.  Many kids on that team played on successful High School teams.   The High School we come from, in particular, considers it a failed season to not be playing in the Section Championship game.  Before you can say, "well don't we all..."  This particular Section is a hotbed of HS football talent having produced 4 Heisman Trophy winners since '81 and 2 NFL Top 2 picks in the last 3 years.  I am going to go out on a limb and say that your HS team never played (and beat) a future Heisman winner's team like ours did.

Personally, I hate losing and always will.  I will suffer with every Cornell loss for as long as I am affiliated with the team, because its something I am just not used to.

There are some kids there that know success and are bringing that experience to bear.  Cornell will win in this league this year.  That's my belief until the final results demand that I, painfully, accept otherwise.

[Purple Heys]

I dont think you can say its a given Central will lose any more than its a given that Cornell will win.

SO I guess we may as well notify Mt. Union that Central is laying claim, now, to the D3 championship? 

I wasn't talking about just league, so yes, it's a given that Central, should it even make the D3 playoffs, will lose this year.

Unless Central dispatches Wartburg, DBQ, and Coe it is not a lock that Central makes the playoffs.  Best case if Wartburg beats Central...and I don't see that as a stretch...then Central must run the table to get in.  Even then...we're the 11th or 12th best league...do we get 2 in?

[DutchFan2004]

Purple Heys,

I think that is the difference in programs.  Central, Wartburg, and Coe don't measure a sucessful season by the IIAC crowns it is measured in how far we get in the playoffs.  We as a conference have not had a lot of success these last years.  Saying that it is a given that we will have a loss this year is a defeatest attitude  (much like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Move On.org have with our country).  I think that if you ask any of the successful programs MUC, St Johns, UWW they all expect to get to the Stagg Bowl that is their goal.  Maybe a lofty one but a goal none the less.  I know the Central players as many as 65 I was told worked at the off season workouts with just that goal in mind.  I hope that we do not have a loss this year and so far we do not.  There is no quick answers to success but hard work.  I think your Coach Dillon has that mentality.  I hope it pays off for the Rams.  You are right that D3 ranks our conference at 12th I believe.  We have to have some success in the playoffs to change that.  That is how D3.com measures the conference and if we continue to go 0fer in the playoffs maybe they are correct.  I think you are envious of the stature of  Coe, Central, and Wartburg.  We expect to win IIAC crowns.  If that is a crime I plead guilty.  As Charlie and CooCoo from Coe,  any of the Wartburg crowd,  Sportsknight, Walston Hoover, Warthog, or any other of the Dutch we are not happy with less than an IIAC crown. Are we infalible not on your life there was only one and he didn't play football.  But to assume that we will get beat is a bad attitude and IMHO has no place in a winning program.  If you don't think you can win the Stagg Bowl you never will. 

[Pat Coleman]

Is there a need for the random polarizing political comment, 04? That's kind of left field, and it's frowned upon on this board.

[Walston Hoover]

Wrong.  Many kids on that team played on successful High School teams.   The High School we come from, in particular, considers it a failed season to not be playing in the Section Championship game.  Before you can say, "well don't we all..."  This particular Section is a hotbed of HS football talent having produced 4 Heisman Trophy winners since '81 and 2 NFL Top 2 picks in the last 3 years.  I am going to go out on a limb and say that your HS team never played (and beat) a future Heisman winner's team like ours did.

No but I did go to the same 1-A HS in NE Iowa that has produced 4 current NFL players.

[warthog]

Walston Hoover:

In 1997 my old high school beat your old high school.   
I guess since your old high has 4 current NFL players, that makes me almost as cool as Purple Heys.  8)
Damn, I knew I was on top of the world tonight! 

[DutchHawk]

I dont think you can say its a given Central will lose any more than its a given that Cornell will win.

SO I guess we may as well notify Mt. Union that Central is laying claim, now, to the D3 championship? 

I wasn't talking about just league, so yes, it's a given that Central, should it even make the D3 playoffs, will lose this year.

Unless Central dispatches Wartburg, DBQ, and Coe it is not a lock that Central makes the playoffs.  Best case if Wartburg beats Central...and I don't see that as a stretch...then Central must run the table to get in.  Even then...we're the 11th or 12th best league...do we get 2 in?

Ok I dont even know why I bother reading your posts anymore because I dont think I ever was saying the playoffs of MUC for that matter, quit bringing them into an IIAC discussion. There isnt a team in the country that can touch them at the moment IMHO. I was talking IIAC because thats all that matters at the moment, take off your purple blinders for at least a little bit and try to make a bit more sense.

Wartburg and Coe will be tough games for the Dutch, Im not sold on DBQ quite yet but thats mainly based on last seasons performance that I watched in Pella.

[Wartburg Fan]

knightlife06

I remember two years aago at Luther. Down pour and 6 turn overs. I hope this  Sat. will help me forget that game




         GO KNIGHTS BEAT LUTHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[davedevine]

Warthog,

as walston mentinoned already, it wasn't me.  at least i don't remember that being a part of my vocab

Walston, it's not like the A-P alum are  just 4 players on practice squads or 2nd stringers.. 3 are starters, kampman made the pro bowl last year and meester when healthy is probably one of the most under-rated centers in the NFL..  played with him @ UNI.  what a great guy that is a freak of an athlete

how did Iowa miss on him I'll never know?

looking forward to hearing about the WB-Luther game this weekend.  had to turn down trip to Madison, so if i'm not playing golf, will try to catch it on the net..

[Charlie Kohawk]

Is there a need for the random polarizing political comment, 04? That's kind of left field, and it's frowned upon on this board.

Or right field, in this case, but your point is well taken Pat.