FB: American Rivers Conference

[Pat Coleman]

whether coaches go back and review/make changes after watching film.

This is no longer permitted by NCAA rule.

[hazzben]

whether coaches go back and review/make changes after watching film.

This is no longer permitted by NCAA rule.

Interesting. Good to know. Makes you wonder about the varying degrees of FB IQ for statisticians and the effect this could have on the more subjective stats like solo/assisted tackles, etc.

[speedybigboy]

Congratulations to Wartburg on their win!

Thank you to the Dutch for a great season! 

The West Region just got a little more interesting. UWW, UST & Wartburg should all finish out unbeaten. Coe, Bethel, Linfield, Cal Lutheran, PLU are all in a dog fight for Pool C. Interesting to see how some of these close games out on the West coast finish up today...

Linfield and Cal Lu would be Pool A, auto qualifiers.  Granted your post was earlier in the day so some things have become clearer but these two were virtually locked up before this weekend.

[doolittledog]

UD vs. Luther similarily thrilling

I was able to turn on the Luther video as Dubuque punted to Luther with about 5 minutes left in the game.  UD then intercepted the Norse at the 23 and then scored a TD with 3 minutes left to go up by 5 points.  I thought UD had finally pulled out a game late this season.  Only to see Luther drive the field on 6 plays in a minute and a half to retake the lead.  Depressing for UD fans...exciting for the home team fans!!!

This seems to be a year of missed opportunities for Dubuque.  Gave away a game late to Platteville.  Out played Coe for 3 quarters only to lose by 2 points.  Lost a tough game to Loras that could have gone either way.  Lost a close game to Luther that the Spartans were leading late in the game.  Lost an All-American WR to injury early in the season.  Lost a QB that was having a great season to illness for the season.  There is a very fine line between a dissapointing season and a very good season. 

It has been fun to see the fan base for UD energized and travelling to games.  Hopefully, next season, the little things that led to defeats this season get turned around and Dubuque turns close losses into close wins in 2011!!!

Congrats to the Norse on their victory yesterday.  They have had a lot on their plate to deal with that could have been distractions but they have rallied together and got a victory yesterday that I don't know if they would have pulled out the past 2 or 3 seasons.  Now, go out and finish your season strong and get a victory over Loras next week.  You have my permission to run up the score on the Duhawks

[DBQ1965]

From the For What Its Worth Department:

Joe Austin, former OC under Coach B at UD now is head coach at Hanover College.  His record this year is 7-2 and 6-1 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.  Can win the conference title if they beat conference leading 7-1 Franklin next Saturday.

[warthog]

For the second week in a row statistics went against the Knights, but they managed to pull out victories on both occasions.  Yesterday the two early short touchdown drives they got against a very tough and determined Central defense were critical in the outcome.  

Mrs. Warthog and I were able to savor the victory this morning as we enjoyed the Dutch letters we purchased at Jaarsma's Bakery.  We didn't get to the bakery before the game, but it was packed afterwards.  It was delightful to run into so many Wartburg fans that I had missed at the game.  Wartburg fans enjoy pregame tailgating, but it appears visiting a good bakery after the game also rates high on our favorite things to do.

I've never known Coach Willis to allow his team to lose focus.  This week will be especially hard.  On paper everything points to a Knight victory over the Storm this coming weekend.  That is when the Knights are likely to be most vulnerable to a Simpson victory.  Lets face it, the Storm have nothing to lose.  They can let it all hangout and salvage a little sweetness for their season by beating the conference co-champion.  At Christmas, many of the Storm players will be going to the same hometowns as some of the Wartburg players.  They would love to remind their old high school teammates that they won the game played over Veterans Day weekend.

The Wartburg players need to remember a conference co-championship would be nice, but joining the likes of the 1999 and 2003 teams as undefeated conference champions is even better.  Hopefully some of the Wartburg assistant coaches, who have experienced both, will be able to drive that point home as they prepare for the Storm this week.

So where is there a good bakery in Indianola?

[warthog]

Congrats to the Knights they seemed to want it more.  Not that the Dutch didn't play hard but the Knights just flat out made the plays.  The fumble returned to the 8 the blocked punt to the 3 and the long drive in the 4th to go ahead were the keys and showed that the Knights wanted the game.  I agree to a point about what Klompen said.  The Dutch won everywhere but where it counted.  I know how that feels to win that way.  A sign of a really good team IMHO is that you win when you aren't winning the stats.  A team that finds a way to win is a sign of a good team and that is what the Knights were today.  If you Knights fan have some room on the bandwagon I am up for a ride on it till you guys win it all or until you lose in the playoffs if you'll have me.  Good luck next week and in the playoffs.  If you get a home game I will venture up to Waverly and cheer you on. 

I always assumed you were on the bandwagon, but just had a little split loyalties.  Come on, we all know you have a few Wartburg shirts in your closet.  They may say "Wartburg Tennis" on the  front, but what the heck they're orange.

[doolittledog]

So where is there a good bakery in Indianola?

Knoxville could be considered "on the way" to Indianola from Muscatine

http://www.peacetreebrewing.com/

Breweries, like bakeries, use yeast to make delicious products...so it's kind of the same thing

[warthog]

So where is there a good bakery in Indianola?

Knoxville could be considered "on the way" to Indianola from Muscatine

http://www.peacetreebrewing.com/

Breweries, like bakeries, use yeast to make delicious products...so it's kind of the same thing

For some reason this makes perfectly good sense.  Beer could be better for me.  Unlike pastries, beer isn't coated in sugar.  Thanks doolittledog, I'm glad we think alike in these important matters.

[warthog]

I just asked the following question on the MWC board.  I'm interested in seeing what the answers will be from loyalist of both leagues.

After this coming weekend's probable loss to Coe, Cornell will own a sparkling 1-39 record in IIAC Football over the past five seasons.  If they are successful in rejoining the MWC, what do you predict Cornell's record will be in the first five years back as a MWC member? (I assume this would be starting with the 2012 football season)

[Klompen]

I have to disagree. Many fans turn into turn coats when it comes to going on fourth down. Fans are over anxious to scream out, Go for it! Then when the coach does go for it and doesn't make it, it turns into..Why did he go for it?

I respect your right to disagree, and there are fans like that, but I am not one of them.  I have had many games where I thought we should have gone for it when we did or did not do so.  Sometimes it was the right decision, sometimes it wasn't, but I never change my mind on what I would have done which also means I don't wait until the play is over then second guess the decision.  IMHO, which is worth about 2 cents, I would go for it on 4th down in a big game when you have well under a yard to go and are at midfield.  I am not trying to be a sore loser, just defending that my finding that TD hard to take because I would have gone for it as not being a decision I made after the fact.  

Then again, if you want to call me a sore loser, it might be fitting.  This comes from the Central write-up of the game.

But Central dug another hole early in the second quarter, as a punt was blocked by Wartburg's Garrett McGrane and returned by David Brooks to the Central 3-yard line. Thompson ran it from there but fumbled near the goal line. The fumble was recovered in the end zone by Central but officals ruled the ball had crossed the plane of the goal line.

I was feeling like a sore loser after seeing the slow motion replay of that same TD on KCCI last night.  It won't change the results, it won't give Central a share of the conference title or the team a shot at the playoffs, BUT, in slow motion, my rose colored glasses saw that ball loose before it crossed the goal line and Central should have gotten the ball at the 20 with no TD for WB.  Ironic that a similar play was the turning point in the game against Coe.  There was no questions that fumble happened before the goal line at Coe, but to lose on a similar play stings a bit.  

I'm not getting on the bandwagon, per se, but I do wish Wartburg and Coe best of luck in the playoffs.  

[Klompen]

FWIW - again, not much, the game is over, but it might make the Dutch fans feel better, maybe worse?  

http://www.kcci.com/video/25660301/detail.html is the link for the KCCI story.  

[doolittledog]

I just asked the following question on the MWC board.  I'm interested in seeing what the answers will be from loyalist of both leagues.

After this coming weekend's probable loss to Coe, Cornell will own a sparkling 1-39 record in IIAC Football over the past five seasons.  If they are successful in rejoining the MWC, what do you predict Cornell's record will be in the first five years back as a MWC member? (I assume this would be starting with the 2012 football season)

I think Cornell goes 1-34 against
St Norbert
Carrol
Ripon
Monmouth
Grinnell
Beloit
Illinois College

I think Cornell goes 14-1 against
Lake Forest
Lawrence
Knox

Cornell could go 15-35 in football over the next 5 years in the MWC and I still think it would be better for them to be in the IIAC...even if that meant they went 1-39 again in the IIAC.

The IIAC means less travel and time away from class for their student athletes.  Cornell already has ties to most of the MWC through the ACM, why do they need to be linked through athletics as well?   Cornell says being in the MWC would be good for their alumni base in Wisconsin and Illinois.  Well then, start scheduling their non-con games against schools in those states instead of scheduling non-con games against schools in Iowa and Minnesota!!!  Cornell has not been competitive in football while in the IIAC, the Rams other teams have done all right.  In stead of taking your ball and running away...try investing a little time, money and effort into improving your football team.  It doesn't mean you have to dumb down your entrance requirements.  It's not like the rest of the IIAC are a bunch of junior colleges that admit neanderthals.  We all have great institutions. 

[doolittledog]

Dubuque Telegraph-Herald with a story on Luthers Kyle McGivney...the tackling machine

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=301472

[Klompen]

Yikes!  In all my comments about yesterday's game, I forgot the most important thing! 

Congratulations on an excellent football career at Central College for the 28 graduating seniors!  It has been a joy to watch you play over the years and the fact that 28 of you hung on through 4 years when some of you may have rarely seen the playing field for varsity action is a testament to your character and leadership on and off the field.  Each and every one of you has shown you have what it takes to be successful in life and I wish all of you the very best.  You will be greatly missed.  We are going to have some big holes to fill next year, but each of you has set the bar high for those that will follow you.  Best of luck!