FB: American Rivers Conference

[Ralph Turner]

I just received a brochure from Wartburg describing a $ 3.2 M addition to "the W."  It will create a new Strength and Conditioning Center, and a new exercise science department will occupy the space formerly occupied for athletes' conditioning.  They tout that Wartburg will be the first D3 college to utilize the EliteForm motion-capture system thoughout the entire weight room and all 17 stations.  They say the technology is more commonly used by professional sports teams and D1 programs.  It can help manage each athlete's individual workout.  The competition keeps heating up.

Hmmm.... wonder if the ARC presidents are considering kicking WB out of the conference over this.

(I really find the actions of the MIAC puzzling...  education doesn't always infer common sense I guess.  )

Ed

Inquiring minds want to know.

[hazzben]

Amazing story in the Athletic about Mike Leach during his tenure at Iowa Wesleyan from 30 years ago. Not directly IIAC/ARC related, but close enough!

In addition to helping his boss Hal Mumme set offensive records at Iowa Wesleyan, Leach had proven to be quite adept at his new job, doubling as the school's SID and spreading the gospel about the Tigers. The 28-year-old Leach even got them mentioned in USA Today several times. The only problem was the school's Director of Public Relations who oversaw Leach's job as the SID didn't appreciate the national attention from USA Today. In her mind, the SID was supposed to write a press release about the game's outcome, and because this was in the days before email, Leach was to mail that release to the papers around the state. Her system made no sense, Leach thought.  The mail wouldn't go out until Monday and the papers wouldn't receive it until Tuesday or Wednesday. By the time they got the score, statistics and information on the game, it was no longer relevant. Because the information was so untimely, they wouldn't write a story.

Leach had a better idea, he says.

He'd call the main newspapers locally with their score from Saturday so that their readers — and Iowa Wesleyan's recruiting targets — would know how the team did.

The Tigers were breaking all kinds of school records and led the nation in passing.

"I kept reaching out to the USA Today, and soon they began writing about us," Leach said. "Well, someone tells her that her school is in the USA Today and she gets all flustered. She calls me screaming: 'How dare you contact the USA Today?'

"Mike, I know you've been talking to other newspapers, and that's bull****. I told you that you have to write a press release and mail it out, so that it's fair for everyone. So everyone gets the information at the same time. It's not fair to the weekly newspapers. I know for a fact there was an article in the USA Today about Iowa Wesleyan."

A number of times Leach had explained to her how ridiculous it was for them to get the Iowa Wesleyan score on Wednesday. By then, he pointed out, they're supposed to be talking about who you're playing next, not who you played five days ago. It is called "news" after all.

She was still incredulous. "That's bull****, Mike!"

Mumme, who was in the next office to Leach, could overhear the conversation.

"It was one of those deals where she was yelling at him for like 30 seconds straight and he has the phone pulled away from his ear," Mumme says. "And then Mike, in that monotone voice of his goes, 'Iowa Wesleyan sports information had gotten Iowa Wesleyan into the USA Today three times this year. Your office couldn't get Iowa Wesleyan into the USA Today unless there was a mass murder on campus.' And then she really lost it.

"Our goal was just to be in the Des Moines Register. That's everything in Iowa. If you get in there, you made it. It was kinda like Steve Martin in that movie "The Jerk", 'I'm in the phone book! I'm in the phone book!' Well, Mike got us into the USA Today and when she was walking into her office, everybody was congratulating her on the USA Today thing and she didn't know anything about it."

Later that day, Iowa Wesleyan's school president stormed past the football secretary and into Leach's office and screamed at him, "You're banned for three days!"

"Does this mean I don't have to teach my business law class tonight?" Leach replied.

"Except for that," the president said

Classic 

[doolittledog]

Thanks for the article hazzben.  We need more characters like Mike Leach.  And since Iowa Wesleyan was in the conference while DBQ1965 was in school, it counts as conference related 

[formerd3db]

Thanks for the article hazzben.  We need more characters like Mike Leach.  And since Iowa Wesleyan was in the conference while DBQ1965 was in school, it counts as conference related 

No thanks. We don't need more coaches like Leach. If you are talking about what he did for Iowa Wesleyan as described in the above transcript, that was a good thing (for the small colleges and DIII-although Iowa Wesleyan was not DIII at the time of his assistant coaching stint there. However, his later antics i.e. the Texas Tech incident(s) were not good.

[doolittledog]

Former UD d-back Michael Joseph in the Bears preseason game tonight.  3 tackles, 2 solo, 1 PBU (in the end zone). 

[doolittledog]

28 days until the 1st weekend of ARC football. 

09/05
BVU @ Hamline  Hamline was the lone victory last year for BVU.  Beavers make it 2 straight?

09/07
Luther @ Whittier  Norse head west, get victory over weak SCIAC team?  Or like the BIG in the Rose Bowl...lose?
Northestern MN @ Central  Dutch won big last year...Same this year?
Loras @ UW - Eau Claire  Duhawks got stuffed @ home last year...Ditto on the road in 2019?
Coe @ Augustana  Coe lost @ home to the Vikings last year...Anything different this year?
Westminster MO @ NWU  Westminster talking to the newest conference member about joining up?
Wartburg @ Greenville  When will the Knights call off the dogs?  1st quarter?  HT? 
Simpson @ Bethel  Bethel won @ Simpson last year...Anything tell us it could be different this year?
Dubuque @ UW-Whitewater  Spartans lost @ home last year...I am an optimist by nature...Dubuque by 100 

[hazzben]

Simpson @ Bethel  Bethel won @ Simpson last year...Anything tell us it could be different this year?

Speaking for Bethel: Offense should be better. QB Roste (UofMN Transfer) came off the bench and was super new to the offense and pretty limited in 1st game last year. Return RB and most WR threats. Defense graduated some key pieces. Talent is there, but younger than last year.

[Outside the Crate]

I read the news release from Central about this year's football team.  I don't know their SID, but he does a great job.  There's no "woe is me" in Pella...  I'm accustomed to coaches downplaying expectations, but I think any Central fan reading this news release will be terribly disappointed if they don't win it all.  Needless to say, I hope there's disappointment.

[02 Warhawk]

Let me know if anyone is interested in participating in this year's West Region Fan Poll. I'm looking for two (maybe three) participants.

Much appreciated

[doolittledog]

Some big news from Simpson.

http://www.simpsonathletics.com/sports/fball/2019-20/releases/20190819fwuxt6

A home and home with Mary Hardin Baylor.  Open the 2020 season in Texas. 

[hazzben]

Yeah, they probably needed a break from playing Bethel! 

JK! In all seriousness, I love it. Good on Simpson!!

[5 Words or Less]

2019 non-con difficulty-of-schedule:

Dubuque = @UW-Whitewater, Pacific ... Most rigorous by far
Simpson = @ Bethel (Minn.), Chicago ... Two solid opponents
Loras = @UW-Eau Claire & Benedictine ... Blu-golds on the road
Coe = @ Augustana (Ill.) & Cornell ... Rivalry games are unpredictable
Luther = @ Whittier & St. Olaf ... Long road trip to California
Buena Visa = @ Hamline & Concordia (Neb.) ... From N/A to NAIA
NWU = Westminster & Illinois College ... Home games favor home teams
Central = Northwestern - St Paul (Minn.) & DePauw (Ind.) ... Ditto
Wartburg = @Greenville & Monmouth ... Only one non-con scheduled

[5 Words or Less]

2019 Enrollment increase 

• Central https://www.kniakrls.com/2019/08/07/central-college-enrollment-increases-ahead-of-2019-20/
• Coe https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Enrollment-continues-to-increase-at-Coe-College--549497811.html

[doolittledog]

Simpson president stepping down.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/indianola/2019/08/08/simpson-college-president-jay-simmons-steps-down-iowa-higher-education-indianola-ia/1960091001/

[DBQ1965]

Considering my poor performance last season,  maybe I shouldn't even ask, but ... Will there be an ARC/IIAC Pick'em this season.  I know the burden has fallen on Mrs. Doolittledog in the past ... dare she be asked to do it again?