FB: American Rivers Conference

[NewKnightDad]

Wartburg lost to UWW in the quarters in 2008. I believe Coe lost to St Thomas in the quarters in 2009 and Central the conference champs lost to MHB first round.  2010 Wartburg lost to Bethel in first round and Coe lost to Wheaton first round.  2011 UD lost to North Central first round.

Trending in the wrong direction.

[Phred]

I also think the Coe loss is a reflection of just how far down the conference was this year.  Which makes it even sadder that all of the teams were two games back of Coe.  I am with the other Central fans looking forward to a brighter future.  I think this year will give a lot of incentive for the guys to work hard in the off season with weights and just working at getting better.  If we play the same non conference teams next year, it means we need to get better or face more pressure for a non-losing season.  We do lose some quality players to graduation, and I am glad that some of the seniors will be able to come back and play their senior year after missing it to injury.  But we have a very strong nucleus of young players that need to be prepared to step up and show a lot of leadership moving forward.

I know a lot of teams will be thinking the same thing, so I guess we will all have to get better and do better against our non conference opponents.  One thing is certain, with another early exit after the year the IIAC had, if you want to get to the playoffs, you better be the team that wins the conference, because our conference strength perception and reality both took a huge hit this year. 

Perhaps the IIAC was a bit too PUFFED UP about themselves all year.....and for several years.  After all its only Iowa D3 students who (hopefully) want a college education and not NFL contracts.

[NewKnightDad]

I also think the Coe loss is a reflection of just how far down the conference was this year.  Which makes it even sadder that all of the teams were two games back of Coe.  I am with the other Central fans looking forward to a brighter future.  I think this year will give a lot of incentive for the guys to work hard in the off season with weights and just working at getting better.  If we play the same non conference teams next year, it means we need to get better or face more pressure for a non-losing season.  We do lose some quality players to graduation, and I am glad that some of the seniors will be able to come back and play their senior year after missing it to injury.  But we have a very strong nucleus of young players that need to be prepared to step up and show a lot of leadership moving forward.

I know a lot of teams will be thinking the same thing, so I guess we will all have to get better and do better against our non conference opponents.  One thing is certain, with another early exit after the year the IIAC had, if you want to get to the playoffs, you better be the team that wins the conference, because our conference strength perception and reality both took a huge hit this year. 

Perhaps the IIAC was a bit too PUFFED UP about themselves all year.....and for several years.  After all its only Iowa D3 students who (hopefully) want a college education and not NFL contracts.

Huh???

[notlongago]

I also think the Coe loss is a reflection of just how far down the conference was this year.  Which makes it even sadder that all of the teams were two games back of Coe.  I am with the other Central fans looking forward to a brighter future.  I think this year will give a lot of incentive for the guys to work hard in the off season with weights and just working at getting better.  If we play the same non conference teams next year, it means we need to get better or face more pressure for a non-losing season.  We do lose some quality players to graduation, and I am glad that some of the seniors will be able to come back and play their senior year after missing it to injury.  But we have a very strong nucleus of young players that need to be prepared to step up and show a lot of leadership moving forward.

I know a lot of teams will be thinking the same thing, so I guess we will all have to get better and do better against our non conference opponents.  One thing is certain, with another early exit after the year the IIAC had, if you want to get to the playoffs, you better be the team that wins the conference, because our conference strength perception and reality both took a huge hit this year. 

Perhaps the IIAC was a bit too PUFFED UP about themselves all year.....and for several years.  After all its only Iowa D3 students who (hopefully) want a college education and not NFL contracts.

A) I think every fan who watched this non conference schedule knew the iiac was weak.
B) did you hit the communion wine a little hard this morning because your post is irrelevant to the discussion.

[CaliRamRL6]

I don't think Coe's loss makes the IIAC, as a whole, look weaker than it did after the regular season ended. Elmhurst played a solid game. Coe made a lot of mistakes that kept this game close all 4 quarters. McNutt looked like he was a little timid with a good amount of his throws. The Kohawk defense didn't really show up. Poor tackling, blown coverages, and general brain farts lead to the final outcome. It was a great game to watch for someone looking for action.

[Klompen]

I don't think Coe's loss makes the IIAC, as a whole, look weaker than it did after the regular season ended. Elmhurst played a solid game. Coe made a lot of mistakes that kept this game close all 4 quarters. McNutt looked like he was a little timid with a good amount of his throws. The Kohawk defense didn't really show up. Poor tackling, blown coverages, and general brain farts lead to the final outcome. It was a great game to watch for someone looking for action.

So timid throws, a defense that doesn't show up, poor tackling, blown coverages, and general brain farts from our best team makes us look about like people expected?  It's worse than I thought.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

POOP!

[doolittledog]

The CCIW is generally considered a top tier D3 conference. 

The IIAC champion lost to the CCIW co-champion by 3 points in a playoff game.

Augustana went 4-3 in the CCIW this year.  Auggie lost to Central and Dubuque...2 teams that went 4-3 in the IIAC this year.

Also for your consideration...

Cornell went 4-60 over their last 8 seasons in the IIAC.  The Rams went 4-5 in their 1st year back in the MWC.   

I'm not sure it's time for doom and gloom around here.  Time for some improvement, sure.  Time for doom and gloom, nope. 

[5 Words or Less]

Things could be worse ...

[notlongago]

The CCIW is generally considered a top tier D3 conference. 

The IIAC champion lost to the CCIW co-champion by 3 points in a playoff game.

Augustana went 4-3 in the CCIW this year.  Auggie lost to Central and Dubuque...2 teams that went 4-3 in the IIAC this year.

Also for your consideration...

Cornell went 4-60 over their last 8 seasons in the IIAC.  The Rams went 4-5 in their 1st year back in the MWC.   

I'm not sure it's time for doom and gloom around here.  Time for some improvement, sure.  Time for doom and gloom, nope.

FWIW, I believe Cornell wins 2-3 conference games this year in the iiac if they were still around.

[Mr. Ypsi]

The CCIW is generally considered a top tier D3 conference. 

The IIAC champion lost to the CCIW co-champion by 3 points in a playoff game.

Augustana went 4-3 in the CCIW this year.  Auggie lost to Central and Dubuque...2 teams that went 4-3 in the IIAC this year.

Also for your consideration...

Cornell went 4-60 over their last 8 seasons in the IIAC.  The Rams went 4-5 in their 1st year back in the MWC.   

I'm not sure it's time for doom and gloom around here.  Time for some improvement, sure.  Time for doom and gloom, nope.

Augie (they hate that double g so many use! or is that why you do it? ) may not be your strongest argument - they pretty much stunk this year.  Their 4 conference wins were over 2-5 Millikin, 1-6 Carthage, and 0-for-the-century North Park, plus a decimated-by-injury IWU team that began the season 6-0 (with a #12 ranking), then finished 6-4.

I still respect the IIAC as a fairly solid conference, but they do seem quite down from the days that 2 teams in the tourney was almost routine.  But doom and gloom seems a bit excessive.

[NewKnightDad]

POOP!

For Shizzle!!!   

[doolittledog]

The CCIW is generally considered a top tier D3 conference. 

The IIAC champion lost to the CCIW co-champion by 3 points in a playoff game.

Augustana went 4-3 in the CCIW this year.  Auggie lost to Central and Dubuque...2 teams that went 4-3 in the IIAC this year.

Also for your consideration...

Cornell went 4-60 over their last 8 seasons in the IIAC.  The Rams went 4-5 in their 1st year back in the MWC.   

I'm not sure it's time for doom and gloom around here.  Time for some improvement, sure.  Time for doom and gloom, nope.

Augie (they hate that double g so many use! or is that why you do it? ) may not be your strongest argument - they pretty much stunk this year.  Their 4 conference wins were over 2-5 Millikin, 1-6 Carthage, and 0-for-the-century North Park, plus a decimated-by-injury IWU team that began the season 6-0 (with a #12 ranking), then finished 6-4.

I still respect the IIAC as a fairly solid conference, but they do seem quite down from the days that 2 teams in the tourney was almost routine.  But doom and gloom seems a bit excessive.

What I was getting at was perceptions.  The IIAC is perceived as being down and the general consensus is the CCIW is a strong conference.  I was showing that while the the CCIW co-champ beat the IIAC champ, it was by 3 points and a competitive game.  Likewise...a 4-3 IIAC team this year would probably be a 4-3 team in the CCIW this year as well.  I would like our conference to be stronger, but I don't really see that we are the UMAC at this point either. 

[NewKnightDad]

It will be interesting to see how the IIAC does next year, I expect things to be better.    Black & orange sunglasses on!!

I think people have alluded to the emergence of other schools like UD and some facility upgrades at places like Simpson and BV might be keeping some of the in state talent that might have in the past looked harder at a Central or Wartburg closer to home at schools mentioned above.

If that is the case schools might have to look out of state more and might that benefit the schools closer to Iowa's borders?

Just something to talk about since the IIAC season is over.

[DutchFan2004]

The CCIW is generally considered a top tier D3 conference. 

The IIAC champion lost to the CCIW co-champion by 3 points in a playoff game.

Augustana went 4-3 in the CCIW this year.  Auggie lost to Central and Dubuque...2 teams that went 4-3 in the IIAC this year.

Also for your consideration...

Cornell went 4-60 over their last 8 seasons in the IIAC.  The Rams went 4-5 in their 1st year back in the MWC.   

I'm not sure it's time for doom and gloom around here.  Time for some improvement, sure.  Time for doom and gloom, nope.

Augie (they hate that double g so many use! or is that why you do it? ) may not be your strongest argument - they pretty much stunk this year.  Their 4 conference wins were over 2-5 Millikin, 1-6 Carthage, and 0-for-the-century North Park, plus a decimated-by-injury IWU team that began the season 6-0 (with a #12 ranking), then finished 6-4.

I still respect the IIAC as a fairly solid conference, but they do seem quite down from the days that 2 teams in the tourney was almost routine.  But doom and gloom seems a bit excessive.

What I was getting at was perceptions.  The IIAC is perceived as being down and the general consensus is the CCIW is a strong conference.  I was showing that while the the CCIW co-champ beat the IIAC champ, it was by 3 points and a competitive game.  Likewise...a 4-3 IIAC team this year would probably be a 4-3 team in the CCIW this year as well.  I would like our conference to be stronger, but I don't really see that we are the UMAC at this point either.

DD,

I am not so sure about your statement about a 4-3 IIAC team would be a 4-3 team in the CCIW.  Millikin was not a push over this year as they went to OT with IW and Elmhurst and could have won both games but didn't.  IW had some pretty big injuries as was mentioned late in the season.  I am guessing that Central if it was in the CCIW this year would have seen the streak end.  I don't see Simpson or BV winning 4 in the CCIW.  Carthage was no powerhouse this year but not a Cornell either.