FB: American Rivers Conference

[WartTrainer]

that is until this weekend......when the Knights beat the Beaver with Ward, June, Wally, and Eddie all watching.

I think the auto bid is decided by Rose Bowl rule???

[norseman]

Geez-  I leave for a few years and look at what happens, the Dutch don't get any smarter...

Dutchfan2004:  In answer to your question:  For the sake of argument, let's pretend the season plays out this way:  Luther beats Coe (1 loss), Coe beats BV (1 Loss), Wartburg beats Coe (2 losses)...going into your last two weeks of the season, you have 4 teams with 1 loss: Luther, BV, Central and Wartburg.  BV plays Central the last week, and only one can emerge victorious from the Central/Wartburg match.  IF, and this is only an IF, Luther were to be tied with either Central or Wartburg, Luther gets the berth.  Check the Rose Bowl rule on that one- the team with the longest drought of playoff berths gets the auto bid.

Don't they teach you kids anything in Pella?  Forgive me, I may have taken my hits playing ball, but even I knew that.

Now, here is the trump stack for ties in the conference.  BV > Luther > Simpson > Central > Coe > Wartburg.  I'm not counting Cornell, Loras, or UD because realistically none have a chance this year.

The only way the championship game can run through Wartburg/Central this year is if both come in with equal records AND have better records than Simpson, Coe, BV and Luther.  I'm too tired to do the math, I don't even know if it is possible.

For everyone's knowledge, I will not CLAIM that Luther will be champs right now, because I have not seen a game since my final snap three years ago, but I will root for them to no end, much as I expect my old friends to do for Wartburg and Central (and God forbid- Dubuque).  However, I will predict Sherden will be All American at the end of the season IF Luther wins the conference, as well as be the conference MVP.  IF.

[tributetothemaninblack]

no reason for any to talk playoffs as of yet,  most of the conference schedule has yet to be played, many tough games for everyone.  There is only one game that matters for every team and that is the next one, one week at time.  To use a Yogi'ism the conference race is wide open until it's clinched.

But those of you who are in that mode, there is no rose bowl rule in the IIAC.  You only need to look back to last year to find that out.  Wartburg and Coe were co-conference champs.  Wartburg was the team the represented the IIAC in the playoff.  Wartburg won the head to head game.  If the rose bowl rule was in effect Coe would have been the playoff team, not the case my friends.

I am not sure what the case would be in the event of a 3-way tie.

[Oldknight65]

Underhill, or perhaps it is undereducated or ungrateful, check your history. The two alumni that I mentioned in my post each played in the playoffs and each of them beat Central twice. Look at the history, the Knights became perennial playoff contenders in the early 90's. Additionally, when they were upperclassmen, they would have never allowed a performance like Saturday (especially at Luther). Take the Willis-blinders off! You obviously have no respect for the athletes of the early 90's that began the winning tradition at Wartburg. (Penningroth, Klunder, Beatty, Rockford, Harve, Shannon, or Smith) Bob Nielsen instilled a winning tradition at Wartburg and Willis has carried that on. Remember that Canfield, although he was a great person, turned over an average program to Nielson. Additionally, keep in mind that if it were not for Chad Klunder and other athletes from that era that the Willis-era athletes would not have the $100,000 weight room that they do. I can remember Klunder and Entz spending their Christmas break building platforms for the team to lift on. Should alumni of this caliber return to Wartburg to coach, they would bring with them the tradition of being a winner at Wartburg.

[Walston Hoover]

Tribute and anyone else- Although I think all this talk is a bit premature, The Rose Bowl rule comes into play in the event of a 3-way tie. That is why Central was left out in 2002 even though there was 3 way at the top. They were the last team to make the playoffs. Head-to-head takes precedent over everything else. Had BV beat Coe at the end of last year, BV would have made the playoffs.
Here's hoping Wartburg runs the table and Luther loses 2 more.

[LC65]

Here's a question, no matter which IIAC team makes the play-offs, can any of them beat Linfield??? Wartburg has lost to them a few times in recent years, and Central pulled off the "Miracle in the Mud." But this year, the road to the Stagg Bowl for our teams will go through The Catdome in Oregon. Can any of our teams take down Linfield on the road? Or will maybe a WIAC or MIAC school knock them off in the play-offs instead? (St. John's has been able to do it in the past). I know this is a ways away, but it something to think about.

[dbljay21]

"Playoffs?  Are we talking about playoffs?"  Guys lets get real for a moment.  Playoffs are a long ways off.  We can't even begin to think about playoffs after only playing 2 conference games.  I know that ALL of the teams in the IIAC have tough schedules remaining.  It is way to early to even think about the postseason or conference championships. 

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Oldknight,

Wasn't Canfield the coach of the conference champs in 1982 and 1983?  I certainly remember his last year in 1990 when they were 9-0 playing 9-0 Central to see who would win the IIAC (Central won like 27-0 at Waverly).  From a distance I certainly thought he deserved some legitimate credit for what has happened over the last 15 years as the momentum of the 1990 team helped recruiting, etc.  The heart of the 1993 champs like Beatty were high school seniors during the 1990 season.

Wartburg has won 4 titles since 1999, and while the league is very deep during this recent time the top of the league no longer has a certain coach from Central.  There were more automatic wins back when Canfield was there (Billy Penn, Upper Iowa, etc.), but to win the league he had to deal with Coach Schipper and what Coach Williams was doing early on at Simpson.

Wartburg also seems A LOT different than the late 1980s as it relates to overall athletic success (wrestling, baseball, track, cross, etc.), financial aid packages compared to a school like Central (just from what I hear), and tremendous facilities upgrades.  This is not your father's Knights over the last ten years or so.

[vinnysboy]

As a new assistant to wrestling. I have realized that Wartburg is a DIII powerhouse

[WartTrainer]

To answer the question about anyone beating Linfield....there is no team in the West that has a shot of beating them.  The WIAC tried and failed and I dont think St. Johns could do it.  The only way Linfield doesnt get out of the West is if Elliot gets hurt. 

[DutchFan2004]

Norseman thanks for your enlightenment.  I am not from Pella and have not kept up with IIAC football or playoff rules until last year.  Hence the name Dutchfan2004.  We all learn from asking questions and I just was curious as to what happens with multiple teams finishing at the top of the conference. I'm glad to know what happens now thanks for you info. 

[DutchFan2004]

coocoo

Why are so many on here so mouthy.  I just asked a question.  According to your way of thinking Coe is the one to bow down to as they have already won.  I said that no team will be undefeated in the IIAC and I still believe that.  With that being said there is a possibilty of multiple teams coming in first.  Remember Pride goeth before a fall.  So keep up the prideful spirits is leads to a bigger fall.

[dutchfan1]

WartTrainer -- I've seen Elliot in action (last season, at Linfield) -- the guy is amazing, and he will carry his team to Salem, as long as the 'Cats aren't plagued with injuries.

Norseman -- ease up, killer. Your assessment of the Rose Bowl Rule is correct. WH is also correct in saying that, in the case of a tie, the head to head winner gets the bid. It is still way premature to be taking playoff berths, though. There is a lot of football still to be played this season. The best teams (Linfield, St. John's, etc.) are taking things a week at a time....it wouldn't be a bad idea for the people in the IIAC to follow their lead.

[norseman]

Ha ha ha, killer!  Priceless.  Come on, old boy, you remember me, I'm not dissing for real...in it for the fun my boy! 

DutchFan2004- No worries, bro, just helping out where I can.  I apologize for not clarifying about the Rose Bowl rule, I assumed everyone would realize that I was talking about a 3+ way tie, NOT a 2 way tie as we all know that is defined by head to head.

No one is talking playoffs yet, we were discussing possibilities for ties.

[Oldknight65]

Floyd,
I agree that Coach Canfield was a very good coach. Perhaps he would have been able to advance to the playoff in 93-94, like Nielson did, had he stayed in Waverly and not left for St. Olaf. More than a coach, Don Canfield was good man.

I also agree that the quality of athletics (overall) is more competitive today than it was in the early 90's. I think that is attributed to the attitude that Mill-boy brought to campus and the leadership of Nielson as AD.

I just think that Mr. Underhill needs to get a clue. There is more to Wartburg football history than simply the past 8 years. When an alumnus questions why the current staff does not attract quality alumni as coaches to enhance tradition, Underhill answers by calling us "fickle motherf**kers." Obviously, he doesn't understand the Wartburg - Luther rivalry.

Maybe I am a "fickle mother f**ker" as Mr. Underhill suggests. Especially when it comes to seeing the Knights play so poorly and being beat by Luther!.The only time that I ever saw a Bob Nielson team play so poorly against Luther was....... NEVER! Keep in mind that Bob Nielson was an alumni coach also.