FB: American Rivers Conference

[doolittledog]

Dubuque Telegraph-Herald with an article on UD...

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=295425

And Loras...

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=295428

The 2nd article gives a Rugby shoutout saying the Gentlemen of Dubuque defeated the Cedar Rapids Headhunters 80-0...is that coocoo's team???

[DutchHawk]

Ok, finally time to get to business in conference play, a little re-cap, the IIAC is 10-8 in Non-Con play.  About where we've always been, by conference we are:

3-0 vs NAIA  (Peru, Olivet, IWC)  vs Coe 2x and BV
2-0 vs NAC (Rockford 2x) vs DBQ and Loras
1-0 vs UMAC (Northwestern) vs Luther
1-0 vs MWC (Monmouth) vs Wartburg
1-2 vs CCIW (Augie, Elmhurst, North C.) vs Central, Loras and Cornell
1-2 vs WIAC (Osh Kosh, Platteville 2x) vs BV and DBQ
1-3 vs MIAC (Gustavus, Bethel, St Olaf 2x) vs Simpson 2x, Luther and Wartburg
0-1 vs independent (Macalaster is in the  MIAC but does not play a MIAC schedule in FB???) vs Cornell

I don't think the conference helped itself in the grand scheme of conference strength and therefore potential Pool C bids.  Luckily we've had our share of Pool C qualifiers, but I don' think we can complain too much, especially since Pool C opportunities have gotten smaller.  You all can create your own opinions about scheduling WIAC or CCIW or MIAC games, personally I'm all for it, especially if you think you're contending for a playoff run.

Less than impressive considering we (IIAC) didn't play any true top competition. We should be doing better than 10-8. I think scheduling WIAC and top MIAC and CCIW teams is only a good thing, even a loss to them pre-conference doesn't really hurt, especially if you keep it competitive. Beating them looks even better!

Good win by the Dutch. Don't like the pass numbers given up with DBQ comen to town, but they better have a dynamite offensive line to keep this Dutch dline out of the backfield. Go Dutch!

[Klompen]

Just got home from the UD-Platteville game an hour ago and will catergorize this game one way: Missed opportunities. I am unhappy with the loss as I am sure every coach, player and fan are but I know there isn't a single person that doesn't believe we should  have won that game. Having said that, I think it is going to make the Spartans hungrier.

Hats off to platteville for fighting back (although I wish someone would post the deflected TD reception on youtube because there is no way his feet were in bounds   ) Regardless, we had other opportunities and didn't capitalize.

One thing is for sure, in my opinion, this is a better overall team then last year.

Go Spartans!!!

Willie U

How about a picture? As John Madden always says, one knee equals two feet. http://www.uwplatt.edu/athletics/football/2010/dubuque2/pages/091110199.html

Looks like a good catch to me.  Probably better than video.

[Klompen]

DutchHawk, glad to bump you up to 100 on the karma scale.  Congratulations!

What I minute I bumped DH up to 100 K this morning too, somebody is dissin' our man here!  The wrath of all our non-creatively Dutch named supporters will be upon you!   

Guess we will have to keep an eye on things and give him some karma when he needs it.   

[DutchFan2004]

Ok, finally time to get to business in conference play, a little re-cap, the IIAC is 10-8 in Non-Con play.  About where we've always been, by conference we are:

3-0 vs NAIA  (Peru, Olivet, IWC)  vs Coe 2x and BV
2-0 vs NAC (Rockford 2x) vs DBQ and Loras
1-0 vs UMAC (Northwestern) vs Luther
1-0 vs MWC (Monmouth) vs Wartburg
1-2 vs CCIW (Augie, Elmhurst, North C.) vs Central, Loras and Cornell
1-2 vs WIAC (Osh Kosh, Platteville 2x) vs BV and DBQ
1-3 vs MIAC (Gustavus, Bethel, St Olaf 2x) vs Simpson 2x, Luther and Wartburg
0-1 vs independent (Macalaster is in the  MIAC but does not play a MIAC schedule in FB???) vs Cornell

I don't think the conference helped itself in the grand scheme of conference strength and therefore potential Pool C bids.  Luckily we've had our share of Pool C qualifiers, but I don' think we can complain too much, especially since Pool C opportunities have gotten smaller.  You all can create your own opinions about scheduling WIAC or CCIW or MIAC games, personally I'm all for it, especially if you think you're contending for a playoff run.

I understand your point about the conference as a whole.  But in fairness the selection commitee won't be looking at the whole conference just the runner up.  That being said lets look at the top or the supposed top 4 teams.  Central, Coe, and Wartburg all 2-0 preseason.  UD is 1-1.  UD is the only one that if they are the runners up would be hurt by the non con loss.  Central you would have to say had the toughest scedule conference to conference as I believe the WIAC and CCIW are both rated higher than the IIAC.  Wartburg would be next, then UD and Coe would have the easiest non con.  So I think that UD and Coe would suffer if they were runners up for Pool C bid when the selection commitee would look at them.  Coe not having any non con wins in D3 will really hurt their chances for a Pool C bid should they be runners up.  This is not saying anything about who will be there at the end of the season we have 8 games to play.  Just commenting on how it will hurt the conference.  I don't think the selection commitee  looks at the conferences non con record when selecting teams.  Across the D3 landscape I agree with your statement.  I don't think other conferences will say we have the strongest conference with that record.  



Your comment about scheduling the MIAC, CCIW, and WIAC are good, I agree with that.  It lets you know where you stand when the real season begins.  

[coocooforcoekohawk]

The only good thing about that is that he may get a redshirt as it is the second game.  If it was next week that would be a real shame.  He would be done. 

Can his parents afford another year of school?

I bet if he dropped out tomorrow he could get a refund on the fall semester.

[Pat Coleman]

I understand your point about the conference as a whole.  But in fairness the selection commitee won't be looking at the whole conference just the runner up.  

This is only partially true. Yes, only a couple of teams will be considered for the postseason, and only one at-large team at most. However, every in-region win every IIAC team gets out of conference helps everyone's strength of schedule. Your opponents' winning percentage looks better if you play a 6-4 Dubuque rather than a 5-5 or a 4-6. Since there are only 10 games in a season, the impact of one or two games can be significant.

[DutchFan2004]

I understand your point about the conference as a whole.  But in fairness the selection commitee won't be looking at the whole conference just the runner up.  

This is only partially true. Yes, only a couple of teams will be considered for the postseason, and only one at-large team at most. However, every in-region win every IIAC team gets out of conference helps everyone's strength of schedule. Your opponents' winning percentage looks better if you play a 6-4 Dubuque rather than a 5-5 or a 4-6. Since there are only 10 games in a season, the impact of one or two games can be significant.

I accept your point and it is valid and correct.  I did not think of SOS.  In Coe's case they are in trouble then more than I thought are they not?  With no in region non con games their strength of schedule will suffer greatly compared to ST Thomas'.  If those teams should be runner's up in their conferences Coe would be in big trouble would they not?

[Pat Coleman]

Maybe -- their SOS basically ignores those two games. They will end up closer to .500 because they play only eight games that count, all against teams that play each other.

Coe would be in trouble with one loss because there's less of a way to compare them to other Pool C contenders outside of the IIAC.

St. Thomas' SOS will probably look better because St. Norbert should end still up 7-3, and while UWRF's record might not be good, UWRF's opponents' winning percentage will be, which will add to St. Thomas' opponents' opponents' winning percentage. OWP and OOWP are the two components of SOS, for those who are new or need a refresher.

[DutchHawk]

DF2004...agreed and what you said was basically the point I was trying to get out. That the conferences schedule as a whole goes a long way into our national perception. We will be perceived by who we beat, other than each other. If our 4th place team beats teams from other highly regarded conferences then it says something to the strength of the conference.

The more high quality conferences we can beat up on the better we look nationally.

Coe is going to be in a world of hurt should they be the 9-1 runner up, especially if they are not competitive in their IIAC loss. Central and Wartburg on the other hand have a better shot at a Pool C bid should they go 9-1.

I just want the IIAC to be a nationally stronger conference.

[warthog]

(1) What does the average Univ. of Dubuque player get on his ACTs?

  ........Drool.


(2) What do you get when you put 12 Coe cheerleaders in one room?

  ........A full set of teeth.


(3) How do you get a Buena Vista cheerleader into your dorm room?

  ........Grease her hips and push.


(4) How do you get a Central graduate off your porch?

  .........Pay him for the pizza.


(5) How do you know if a Simpson football player has a girlfriend?

  ......There is tobacco spit on both sides of his pickup.


(6) Why is the Loras football team like a possum?

  ....Because they play dead at home and get killed on the road.


(7) What are the longest three years of a Luther football player's  life?

  ........8th grade.


(8) How do you keep a Cornell football player out of your front yard?

     .............Erect a goal post!


AND FINALLY


(9) Why did Wartburg choose orange as their team color?

  ........You can wear it to the game on Saturday, hunting on Sunday,  and picking up trash along the highways the rest of the week.

[SpeedKills84]

warthog...that's cold as ice, but i love it.  my personal favorites were 2 and 3.

[DutchFan2004]

+k Warthog that was very funny. 

[DutchFan2004]

Maybe -- their SOS basically ignores those two games. They will end up closer to .500 because they play only eight games that count, all against teams that play each other.

Coe would be in trouble with one loss because there's less of a way to compare them to other Pool C contenders outside of the IIAC.

St. Thomas' SOS will probably look better because St. Norbert should end still up 7-3, and while UWRF's record might not be good, UWRF's opponents' winning percentage will be, which will add to St. Thomas' opponents' opponents' winning percentage. OWP and OOWP are the two components of SOS, for those who are new or need a refresher.

So by ignoring two wins it does hurt them so to speak.  Losses if they had them would help the cause so to speak.  If the opponents were 9-1 each they beat it hurts their cause.

[Pat Coleman]

I suppose -- there aren't many ways losses help, though, because we saw last year that an 8-2 team isn't going to have much of a chance no matter what the schedule is.