FB: American Rivers Conference

[badgerwarhawk]

I think the better IIAC programs would be competitive with most of the WIAC but I don't think the lower level IIAC programs would be competitive and from top to bottom the level of talent in the WIAC is better than that of the IIAC. JMO and it wasn't that long ago that I recall seeing a Simpson team beat an undefeated WARHAWKS team in the the post season. 

[DoubleDomer]

Story from Milwaukee Journal Sentinal HERE

A couple lines from the above mentioned article:

Within three years, Stan Zweifel, a former UW-Whitewater assistant and Michael's father, turned the Division III program completely around. The team finished 9-1 last year and won the league.

Of course, a huge part of the success can be attributed to Michael Zweifel's dominance. The IIAC does not have the same caliber of talent that the WIAC does and so Zweifel owned the league.

Ouch! Now, how do the other WIAC teams don't match up with UWW?  I would guess not all that well over the past few years.  Are the rest of the WIAC teams that much better than the IIAC?

Typical apologist rubbish from the Journal Sentinel.  Putting aside the vast academic differences between the top half of the IIAC and the WIAC gulag, I would argue that the first division of the IIAC is actually deeper than the WIAC.  Current state, in my view, Dubuque, Coe, Central, and the Warts all compete as peers, at least, with Oshkosh, and all are better programs than Platteville and Stevens Point.  Whitewater's dominance has admittedly allowed the Warhawks a stranglehold on all the best DIII talent in Wisconsin, and even to poach some DII-level players off the likes of Mankato, Duluth, and St. Cloud (since there's only one DI program over here, and NO DII programs), but has done nothing to raise the overall quality of that league.

As for the bottom end--who cares? River Falls might well beat Loras 7 times out of 10, or dearly departed Cornell by the same ratio, but an IIAC doormat like Luther beats River Falls handily at the same rate. IMHO.

[Pat Coleman]

Cornell would be very unlikely to take three of 10 from UW-RF, in my opinion.

[badgerwarhawk]

Luther isn't going to beat them 7 out 10 either, imo.

[doolittledog]

I think it would be easy to make the argument the WIAC is the top...or among the top few D3 conferences in the nation.  MIAC, CCIW, OAC fans would have good arguments as well. 

That article made it sound like the WIAC was filled with D1 type players while the IIAC was made up of fat kids with coke bottle glasses tripping over their own feet, and that was the reason Zweifel did so well at Dubuque.  That really isn't fair to Zweifel...in an article touting the fact he was invited to camp by the Packers.  Zweifel had 97 receptions as a freshman at River Falls.  If he owned the IIAC because of inferior talent in the IIAC then how did Zweifel put up those numbers in the WIAC?  The article could have just noted he did well at River Falls and then put up some great numbers at Dubuque...a team coached by his dad!!!

Anyways, spring practice ended at Dubuque last saturday...now I am really anxious for the season to start.  August can't come fast enough. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

I think it would be easy to make the argument the WIAC is the top...or among the top few D3 conferences in the nation.  MIAC, CCIW, OAC fans would have good arguments as well. 

That article made it sound like the WIAC was filled with D1 type players while the IIAC was made up of fat kids with coke bottle glasses tripping over their own feet, and that was the reason Zweifel did so well at Dubuque.  That really isn't fair to Zweifel...in an article touting the fact he was invited to camp by the Packers.  Zweifel had 97 receptions as a freshman at River Falls.  If he owned the IIAC because of inferior talent in the IIAC then how did Zweifel put up those numbers in the WIAC?  The article could have just noted he did well at River Falls and then put up some great numbers at Dubuque...a team coached by his dad!!!

Anyways, spring practice ended at Dubuque last saturday...now I am really anxious for the season to start.  August can't come fast enough.

I concur with nearly everything you said, but could those of us allergic to winter please enjoy May, June, and July first!!

[BoBo]

I think it would be easy to make the argument the WIAC is the top...or among the top few D3 conferences in the nation.  MIAC, CCIW, OAC fans would have good arguments as well. 

That article made it sound like the WIAC was filled with D1 type players while the IIAC was made up of fat kids with coke bottle glasses tripping over their own feet, and that was the reason Zweifel did so well at Dubuque.  That really isn't fair to Zweifel...in an article touting the fact he was invited to camp by the Packers.  Zweifel had 97 receptions as a freshman at River Falls.  If he owned the IIAC because of inferior talent in the IIAC then how did Zweifel put up those numbers in the WIAC?  The article could have just noted he did well at River Falls and then put up some great numbers at Dubuque...a team coached by his dad!!!

Anyways, spring practice ended at Dubuque last saturday...now I am really anxious for the season to start.  August can't come fast enough.

The writer is one of the Packer beat writers and knows professional football.  He would probably admit he doesn't know or watch college football, especially D3 football, to any large degree due to the job requirements of following pro football. Overall, the Journal Sentinal coverage of WIAC sports is about what you would expect from a large city newspaper..nearly nonexistant. I wouldn't read much into his opinions, none of us who regularly read the paper think that highly of their coverage of d3 sports.

[doolittledog]

I concur with nearly everything you said, but could those of us allergic to winter please enjoy May, June, and July first!!

Follow the trail already made by many other northeners and move to Arizona...change your name to Mr. Tucson, and then look forward to September

[doolittledog]

The writer is one of the Packer beat writers and knows professional football.  He would probably admit he doesn't know or watch college football, especially D3 football, to any large degree due to the job requirements of following pro football. Overall, the Journal Sentinal coverage of WIAC sports is about what you would expect from a large city newspaper..nearly nonexistant. I wouldn't read much into his opinions, none of us who regularly read the paper think that highly of their coverage of d3 sports.

I'm not reading too much into it.  I realize the writer has next to no knowledge of D3 sports.  I wouldn't expect him to, that's not part of his job.  He could have spent about 2 minutes or so of research though, to see Zweifel had similar numbers at River Falls as he did at Dubuque.  That isn't an IIAC vs WIAC argument, it's an argument that the focus of the story 'Michael Zweifel' was deserving of a camp invite to the Packers. 

[retagent]

Unfortunately, I just read the article today in my local paper. I was going to stir up some "stuff" but I'm, as usual, late to the party.

That being said, I wonder if the writer is a WIAC grad, since he seems to have the dismissive attitude that many over there exude. Someone with the inclination and time might be able to actually go back and research the WIAC/IIAC matchups of the past few years. I don't argue that the WIAC isn't probably a stronger league, but I would put the IIAC and the MIAC just a half step below - and not the inferior leagues that make superstars out of average players - as the WIACers would have us believe.

[emma17]

Unfortunately, I just read the article today in my local paper. I was going to stir up some "stuff" but I'm, as usual, late to the party.

That being said, I wonder if the writer is a WIAC grad, since he seems to have the dismissive attitude that many over there exude. Someone with the inclination and time might be able to actually go back and research the WIAC/IIAC matchups of the past few years. I don't argue that the WIAC isn't probably a stronger league, but I would put the IIAC and the MIAC just a half step below - and not the inferior leagues that make superstars out of average players - as the WIACers would have us believe.

Glad to see the off season hasn't slowed you down Retagent.

For the record, this WIAC guy (nor any WIACer i know) doesn't believe Zweifel's success came from playing lesser competition. However I do believe a large part of his success (in terms of # of catches) had to do w the offensive scheme. There are many very talented college receivers that could put up monster #'s of catches if an offensive plan allowed for it.
That's not to take anything away from the kid, but no doubt scouts feel the same way.

[NewKnightDad]

Unfortunately, I just read the article today in my local paper. I was going to stir up some "stuff" but I'm, as usual, late to the party.

That being said, I wonder if the writer is a WIAC grad, since he seems to have the dismissive attitude that many over there exude. Someone with the inclination and time might be able to actually go back and research the WIAC/IIAC matchups of the past few years. I don't argue that the WIAC isn't probably a stronger league, but I would put the IIAC and the MIAC just a half step below - and not the inferior leagues that make superstars out of average players - as the WIACers would have us believe.

Glad to see the off season hasn't slowed you down Retagent.

For the record, this WIAC guy (nor any WIACer i know) doesn't believe Zweifel's success came from playing lesser competition. However I do believe a large part of his success (in terms of # of catches) had to do w the offensive scheme. There are many very talented college receivers that could put up monster #'s of catches if an offensive plan allowed for it.
That's not to take anything away from the kid, but no doubt scouts feel the same way.

FBD is that you?? 

[doolittledog]

Unfortunately, I just read the article today in my local paper. I was going to stir up some "stuff" but I'm, as usual, late to the party.

That being said, I wonder if the writer is a WIAC grad, since he seems to have the dismissive attitude that many over there exude. Someone with the inclination and time might be able to actually go back and research the WIAC/IIAC matchups of the past few years. I don't argue that the WIAC isn't probably a stronger league, but I would put the IIAC and the MIAC just a half step below - and not the inferior leagues that make superstars out of average players - as the WIACers would have us believe.

Glad to see the off season hasn't slowed you down Retagent.

For the record, this WIAC guy (nor any WIACer i know) doesn't believe Zweifel's success came from playing lesser competition. However I do believe a large part of his success (in terms of # of catches) had to do w the offensive scheme. There are many very talented college receivers that could put up monster #'s of catches if an offensive plan allowed for it.
That's not to take anything away from the kid, but no doubt scouts feel the same way.

FBD is that you?? 

It really sucks that all Dubuque did was throw the ball to Zweifel.

Signed,

Justin Spaulding   216-1,340 yds 13TD 1st team IIAC RB leading rusher in the IIAC
Demacus Fleming 63-995 yds 8TD  1st team IIAC WR 2nd leading reciever in the IIAC
Miles Hookstead   33-349 yds 6TD  2nd team IIAC TE...there was no 1st team IIAC TE

[emma17]

Unfortunately, I just read the article today in my local paper. I was going to stir up some "stuff" but I'm, as usual, late to the party.

That being said, I wonder if the writer is a WIAC grad, since he seems to have the dismissive attitude that many over there exude. Someone with the inclination and time might be able to actually go back and research the WIAC/IIAC matchups of the past few years. I don't argue that the WIAC isn't probably a stronger league, but I would put the IIAC and the MIAC just a half step below - and not the inferior leagues that make superstars out of average players - as the WIACers would have us believe.

Glad to see the off season hasn't slowed you down Retagent.

For the record, this WIAC guy (nor any WIACer i know) doesn't believe Zweifel's success came from playing lesser competition. However I do believe a large part of his success (in terms of # of catches) had to do w the offensive scheme. There are many very talented college receivers that could put up monster #'s of catches if an offensive plan allowed for it.
That's not to take anything away from the kid, but no doubt scouts feel the same way.

FBD is that you?? 

It really sucks that all Dubuque did was throw the ball to Zweifel.

Signed,

Justin Spaulding   216-1,340 yds 13TD 1st team IIAC RB leading rusher in the IIAC
Demacus Fleming 63-995 yds 8TD  1st team IIAC WR 2nd leading reciever in the IIAC
Miles Hookstead   33-349 yds 6TD  2nd team IIAC TE...there was no 1st team IIAC TE

Come on now, I'm not ripping on Zweifel, I love how he plays and I think he has great talent and I sure hope he makes it big in the NFL.  The point remains, a lot of passes have been thrown to him over his career because the coaching staff had the philosophy of getting him the ball.  There are lots of great receivers that didn't play for a coaching staff with that same philosophy.

[doolittledog]

Come on now, I'm not ripping on Zweifel, I love how he plays and I think he has great talent and I sure hope he makes it big in the NFL.  The point remains, a lot of passes have been thrown to him over his career because the coaching staff had the philosophy of getting him the ball.  There are lots of great receivers that didn't play for a coaching staff with that same philosophy.

So every team has multiple WR that could have the same stats, it's just the coaches like to spread the wealth.  I'm guessing every team also has multiple Freddie Jacksons that could tear it up at Coe and then go on to stardom with the Buffalo Bills...the coaches just try to spread the wealth. 

Here we go again.  Ok, it's time for me to leave the office and get a little sleep before I have to start my work day all over again.  I'd be in a better mood, but the brewery across the street isn't open monday-wednesday