FB: American Rivers Conference

[Fannosaurus Rex]

Time to call in a higher authority


It has only taken me 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 years to figure out how to post pictures.  I'll try not to over-do it.

[Willie University]

30% male UD undergrads play football
(30% = 170 / half of 1,119 M&F students)

Not accurate. There were 1441 full time undergrads at UD last school year. 931 males (more males due to aviation program being very male dominated). Of that 931, approx 12% played football.

Early reports are that the total enrollment will be higher this year so the % of football players will probably be the same even with more of them.

[dutchfan1]

I will agree with what daddy is saying. Wartburg has caught flack for the amount of kids that they brought in before. Heck I might have ridiculed them about it.  I don't believe in the philosophy. Please don't think I am firing up on UD. I am really impressed with what they have done and I see them as scary team with Z running the show. Buy how many of the 170 have any talent?  It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

All 170 could have talent...but only 50-60 will ever see any playing time.  I don't really get it, but I figure Coach Z knows a whole lot more about his team than any of us.  I'm just ready to see it all play out on the field 4 weeks from now. 

It's really not a difficult concept. First, I am sure not all 170 will show up for camp. Guys always fall off before camp starts. Plus, you have to realize, at this level when no scholarships are involved, each team probably loses 20+ guys DURING camp. Part of camp is to weed out the players from the non-players. (Only the strong survive).

So, simple math says lets say 150 show up for camp, you weed out another 20 during camp, have 5-10 injuries and you start the season with aroung 120. 60 roughly on varsity and 60 on JV. You will lose more during the season to injury or lack of commitment/passion and then you end the season around 100.

So, based on that logic, starting camp with around 150-160 is a good number. By the end of the season, you hope you have the best 100 remaining.

This is football, not wimpy other sports. Not everyone is meant to play football at this level. Just because you were the stud of your little high school of 125 students doesn't mean you are going to be the stud when you get to college football. Some kids can't handle that..........only the strong survive 

Willie U

PS- My wimpy other sport comment: Other then wrestling (of which I did also in high school), I categorize every other sport as "wimpy" compared to football. No other sport can be as physical as football. There is a reason we wore pads.

Rugby, ultimate fighting are excluded from this. Speaking solely about typical high school and college sports.

Was anyone else thinking about the Buffalo Theory when they read Big Willie's post?

"Well you see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo and when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive drinking of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

P.S. Anyone who cannot name the TV show this came from needs to turn in thir dude card immediately. 

[doolittledog]

Aren't you too young to have watched Cheers???

And do you know Willie better than the rest of us on here to call him Big Willie

Ok, back to football.  Less than 4 weeks to go for the opening kickoff for UD...woo hoo!!!

I will predict UD will improve on last years 5-5 record.  I also predict, that with more tri-state area recruits on the roster...you will see an improvement in travelling attendance for the Spartan Nation. 

[Willie University]

Aren't you too young to have watched Cheers???

And do you know Willie better than the rest of us on here to call him Big Willie

Ok, back to football.  Less than 4 weeks to go for the opening kickoff for UD...woo hoo!!!

I will predict UD will improve on last years 5-5 record.  I also predict, that with more tri-state area recruits on the roster...you will see an improvement in travelling attendance for the Spartan Nation. 

"Big Willie" started years ago before you joined the board. I can't remember the exact year I began posting but it was probably in the late 90's. I know I had a hiatus for a while and the had to reopen my account so that is why so few posts in that length of time. The only spartan fan I remember on here back then was spurrier (the king of the spartan nation)

Man, I don't want summer to end but boy, am I looking forward to football season!!! Did I mention child number 2 is due on the SUPERBOWL!! HA Must be a sign the cowboys are going to win it all in their home stadium!! 

Willie U

[Klopenhiemer]

I will agree with what daddy is saying. Wartburg has caught flack for the amount of kids that they brought in before. Heck I might have ridiculed them about it.  I don't believe in the philosophy. Please don't think I am firing up on UD. I am really impressed with what they have done and I see them as scary team with Z running the show. Buy how many of the 170 have any talent?  It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

All 170 could have talent...but only 50-60 will ever see any playing time.  I don't really get it, but I figure Coach Z knows a whole lot more about his team than any of us.  I'm just ready to see it all play out on the field 4 weeks from now.


Agree

[Klopenhiemer]

Willie I am not going to dispute your math but I am going to dispute the comment about the loses of players. I played at the d2 level and the d3 level. We lost maybe 2 kids during camp. We also maybe only had 1 or 2 not show for camp and that was rare. The two programs that I was apart of frowned on losing kids during camp. It doesn't look good in the admins eyes. If every school is over recruiting and losing 20 kids that's a heck of a lot of tuition going down the drain.
What is z saying to get 170 kids?

New discussion topic:  how does everyone think vince b will fair at Cornell? 

[footballdaddy]

I'm sure Dutchie could have only seen Cheers in reruns. I'm sure it's her only reference to bar life since she's a Central grad!

As far as players leaving camp Klop, I'd bet every IIAC school loses 2-3 in the first 2 days. The classic is the kid's freshman roomate who decided 3 days into his 2nd year he didn't like it and took the midnight train.

[footballdaddy]

I think Brautigan has his work cut out for him. Although he has a great track record it my be too much st Cornell. The academic standards are higher and some students will not like the one class at a time format. He'll have to recruit the right kind of players to fit his system and the camups life.

[doolittledog]

My initial thoughts are Cornell let about 2 wins per year slip away from them recently.  With a bit of a coaching upgrade, and I consider Coach B an upgrade over Dillon, Cornell could go from 2-8 up to 4-6 or 5-5.  Recruiting to Cornell will be a bit harder than it was at UD.  But if Coach B can just get the roster up to 80-90 instead of the 50-60 range that will help out tremendously. 

Without some more support from the administration in Mt. Vernon though I think the Rams are probably a 2-8 to 5-5 team most every year.  From what I keep hearing it looks like Cornell wants back in the Midwest Conference.  If they make a move back there, I think Brautigam could really elevate the Rams to a conference contender.  He was able to win conference championships with Mt. Senario in the UMAC...I think if the Midwest Conference kicks out St. Norbert and Illinois College and brings back Cornell that would set up Cornell rather nicely.  I hope that doesn't happen, but I think it is inevitable. 

As for Willie U having child #2 this coming January...he can raid the UD bookstore to load up on Spartan onesies, bibs, blankets, and all that stuff...maybe the baby cheerleader outfits they have if Mrs University has a girl this time around

[DBQ1965]

From the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald ... I beat "d-dog" to the punch.  Story about Platteville, but the IIAC gets some mention.,

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=291779

GO SPARTANS!

[footballdaddy]

5 days until the start of camp!

[coco]

If you go with Central and Coe as #1 and #2 in the IIAC, since they are in the top 25 nationally, where do you folks see the rest of the teams in the conference?

[doolittledog]

If you go with Central and Coe as #1 and #2 in the IIAC, since they are in the top 25 nationally, where do you folks see the rest of the teams in the conference?

If you go with Central and Coe as #1 and #2...then you would have to go with Wartburg at #3.  Then you could put any combination of BV, Dubuque, and Luther in spots 4-6.  After that you can put any combination of Cornell, Loras, and Simpson in your bottom 3.  At least that would probably be the consensus.  How it finishes we shall see. 

[DBQ1965]

If you go with Central and Coe as #1 and #2 in the IIAC, since they are in the top 25 nationally, where do you folks see the rest of the teams in the conference?

Well ... maybe we should just cancel the season and let Central and Coe see who they will be meeting in the playoffs ... OR ... we can remember Coco's post when Coe picks up loss #2.

I could really go out on a limb and say the Kohawks are lucky to have a bye after their road game against UD so they can re-group before taking on the Knights.

If one is part of the Spartan Nation, then one is ever the optimist!