FB: American Rivers Conference

[AZDutchman]

You're awesome Klompen!

[doolittledog]

All this time I kept quiet about you, and then you go and out yourself

[bluenote]

It looks like it's going to be a Battle Royal this year between Coe, Wartburg and Central. I wouldn't bet against any of them because I think each team has it's strengths. The only thing I would say is that I'm pulling for Central because Dutchfan1 is awesome!

[5 Words or Less]

Ball carriers runintohim a lot

Look at that, 5 words or less actually stated something in five words or less, with some helpful combined words that is.   

Fixed it 

[dutchfan1]

It looks like it's going to be a Battle Royal this year between Coe, Wartburg and Central. I wouldn't bet against any of them because I think each team has it's strengths. The only thing I would say is that I'm pulling for Central because Dutchfan1 is awesome!

I can't think of a better reason to cheer for the Dutch...

Thanks, Blue! Go 'Cats!

[Storm Chaser]

This is Glo's 3rd year.  He now has recruits that are juniors.  I agree he did a better job with Niemans kids that 1st year than Nieman had done.  But since then, it has looked like it is going all down hill. 

I like the idea that Simpson is going after big school kids.  That is an area that has been largely untapped by the IIAC schools.  BUT, a kid still has to have talent.  Just because he went to a big school, doesn't necessarily make him a great football player.  It's all about finding talent, wherever that talent may be. 

Agreed - not saying there aren't good  Eight man and up players, there are, Scott Frost during Nebraska Glory Days came from Wood River, Nebraska.  I just recalled during the  7 -3 campaign the bulk of the impact players that year seemed to come from 4A schools.   Sometimes I wonder if it is really tough to evaluate a good player at a smaller class,  is he really that good or just light years ahead of the competition.  An 11.2 hundred looks pretty fast against a slow field but is Way, way back from the high school kid we've got running the ball this year and turned a 10.3 at state meet last year - unfortunately pretty sure no one in the IIAC will be in the running to recruit him either.    Just saying   

[footballdaddy]

The problem with getting 4A players into D3 is that they seem to think any non-scholarship program is "beneath" them. The attitude seems to be that if you don't get recruited by Iowa you can go slumming at Iowa State or UNI if you're desparate. Also for those 4A players that do go IIAC, many feel that they are better and should be playing right away. They don't want to accept that there are 100 players just as good as they are and don't want to accept a reduced role. Maybe since more 4A players are getting into the conference and report back about the quality of football, there will be an even bigger presence. I still think that the backbone of D3 is the small school player. 

[Airborne Dutch]

When I was at Central, we always had a pretty healthy contingent of 3A and 4A players on the team but I don't remember a lot of them coming in with the attitude that they needed to be immediate starters. Brett Doud and Cody Huisman were two guys who started off at Iowa State and Iowa, respectively, but made their way into the program after a year or so. They both possessed talent to play at those schools but I think the allure of being at a smaller program with a more closeknit atmosphere was tough to deny.

Ultimately, I think it just comes down to the kids perspective. I've seen small school talent show up and not be able to handle being a small fish in a big sea and I've seen 4A players show up and be able to blend right in and vice versa. If you have a good coaching staff that can keep everybody grounded, thats the foundation and backbone right there.

[footballdaddy]

You make some good points. I'm also sure that any IIAC coach recruiting at larger schools can tell stories of players losing interest immediately after hearing that there are no athletic scholarships. But I guess that that is not always limited to big high schools since i know of a couiple of athletes who went to NAIA schools just so they can say they got a scholarship, no matter that it was probably ony $500.

[Klompen]

You're awesome Klompen!

Why thank you.  You and your family are also.  Your wife was very kind and supportive of me and my current situation.  Over the years I have met parents that are all over the map, you and your wife rate right up there with the Thompsons and the Hansons.  While you may not know who they are, DF1 can vouch for them.

Speaking of Thompson's, DF1, did you get back for HC?  Jill was there.

[Klompen]

All this time I kept quiet about you, and then you go and out yourself

Yes, well, I did need to explain that post a bit.  But thanks for keeping quiet all this time.   

[Fannosaurus Rex]

Awkward, huh?  Well, guess it is time to let the cat out of the bag.  I don't think AZD found it so awkward since the opinion is coming from a woman.  It is just a well deserved compliment on having a beautiful wife.  But I could see where it would be awkward if I were a man.   

Geez, now I know what "coming out" must feel like.   

From now on you will only get 85% of the karma that a man would get and All Region will be your "glass ceiling."

[DBQ1965]

Article from the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald with mention of UD's inability to score in the red zone.  You have to read through the soccer stuff to get to it. 

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=298632

[AZDutchman]

The problem with getting 4A players into D3 is that they seem to think any non-scholarship program is "beneath" them. The attitude seems to be that if you don't get recruited by Iowa you can go slumming at Iowa State or UNI if you're desparate. Also for those 4A players that do go IIAC, many feel that they are better and should be playing right away. They don't want to accept that there are 100 players just as good as they are and don't want to accept a reduced role. Maybe since more 4A players are getting into the conference and report back about the quality of football, there will be an even bigger presence. I still think that the backbone of D3 is the small school player. 

I was going to quote all the posts that had to do with this topic, because I think one big thing is being missed here. It's not the players wanting to play at certain schools for certain reasons, it's the parents.
I don't know of one kid that went up to his parents and said, I made the decision to go to blank school. I also don't know of one set of parents that aren't fully involved with the recruiting process of their kid/player. I think one problem that happens is that the parents don't consider which school is going to be the best fit for their son.
During this past summer I had a young man that I know express to me that he didn't like the school that he was attending. I told him that he needed to speak to his parents and explain to them exactly what he expressed to me. I felt that it wouldn't be proper for me to speak to his parents. Plus I knew the type of dad that he is. The long and short of this story is that the young man is still at the same school.
Parents, especially dads, want to stand proud and share with their friends and family how well that their kids are doing. Of course, every parent would want their kid to have a full ride scholarship. Also they would want to have their son sitting in a starting position, but I think that it goes beyond that.
The rose color glasses start to be worn. There's the excitement of the recruiting process. They start to forget that they're not the one being recruited, their son is. The 'glory days' start coming back...etc.
I think the most important thing is which school is going to be the best fit for their son. Which school will he benefit the most from to become a better person? (and) Don't look at football to be the main purpose of your decision of where he goes, but the educational atmosphere. 

[Willie University]

All this time I kept quiet about you, and then you go and out yourself

That is awesome! Never would have expected it!!