FB: American Rivers Conference

[coocooforcoekohawk]

I knew a couple of players from Coe the past few years that have conference champion rings.  To me that is ridiculas. 

Being number one is not something to be celebrated especially if there is a tie for number one in the conference?

That is Ridiculous!

How should a conference championship be celebrated.  I think it shows that the college is appreciative of there student athletes for working so hard to attain a worthy goal.

Apparently Pakk doesn't think much of the IIAC conference if winning or tying for the championship is something that is expected.

Coe use to win the MWC all the time and we didn't think much of it because the MWC is what it is.  The IIAC is a worthy conference and one whose champions should be celebrated. My point will be made when the third ranked Knights kick the crap out of the top ranked Scots in a couple of weeks.

[sportsknight]

If you look at the top three teams Coe plays the other two at home.  It is a tight race this year and having both those teams playing at K. RAY gives Coe the slightest of advantages.

Slightest to say the least.  I think we' all probably agree that there is no venue in the IIAC that isn't immune to having a visiting team come in and dominate the hosts.  In D-III, good teams are good regardless of where they play.  Homefield only makes a difference at about 5-10% of stadiums across the country, with Linfield and St. John's being obvious examples.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

Slightest to say the least.  I think we' all probably agree that there is no venue in the IIAC that isn't immune to having a visiting team come in and dominate the hosts.  In D-III, good teams are good regardless of where they play.  Homefield only makes a difference at about 5-10% of stadiums across the country, with Linfield and St. John's being obvious examples.

I agree whole heartedly, I was just looking at what might have given Coe the edge as far as the coaches poll.

I think Wartburg and Central have great facilities and I am envious of them.  St. John's is a rough place to play and the amount of fans they get at each game is impressive.

[DutchFan2004]

I think the results of previous years have more of an affect on the coaches poll than the schedule.  Coe having the most IIAC crowns as of late give them an advantage and I think coaches polls do have some posturing in them.  Couple that with Central's cardiac way of winning last year and the uncertainty of Wartburg's new coach it makes sense to tab the Coe Cohawks preseason favorites.  Being fairly new to watching the IIAC how accurate have the coaches polls been the last 5 years.  I get the feeling that they are very accurate.  With teams like Luther, Simpson, BV playing the spoiler some years and Coe, Central, and Wartburg capable of beating each other any given year I think the preseason is just a HUGE guess.  Good Luck the next two weeks with practices to the other schools and lets kick some butt in the nonconference season. 

[The Show]

Any idea about how B.V. generally does in football recruiting battles with Briar Cliff, Morningside, or Northwestern in Orange City?

Northwestern will steal some north-northwest Iowa recruits, but I've never heard of many choosing Briar Cliff or Morningside over BV (within the past 3-6 years or so).  I'm not 100% positive, but I think Jesse Schmidt started out at camp with Briar Cliff and after a day or two came to BV.  I'm pretty sure it was Briar Cliff...but regardless, that was a nice pick up for BV. I'm sure Hawkins wishes he was back this year...

[Charlie Kohawk]

I knew a couple of players from Coe the past few years that have conference champion rings.  To me that is ridiculas.  When I played at Central that was the expectation, not the goal.  We were not rewarded for doing what we were supposed to do..

A point of order is needed here. The Kohawks were not "rewarded" with championship rings. They bought them themselves, or perhaps their parents did, but I don't want anyone to get the impression that the college or the program provided them. And while championship rings might seem "ridiculas" to you, Pakk (is that how they spell in Pella?), I don't see anything wrong with student-athletes who worked their tails off to win a share of three conference titles over four years rewarding themselves with a little bling.

[ram_this]

Not only did Coe win three championships in four years, but they advanced to the playoffs twice. Considering there are over 230 D-III programs, I'd say the players (especially the seniors) had every right to purchase something that will remind them of their hard work and dedication to one team for four years. It's certainly not ridiculous.

On a side note, I'm a huge IIAC fan, but imo the best offensive player not playing at a D-I school last year was Morningside quarterback Craig Fobbe. He completed 300-of-487 passes, threw for 4,885 yards and 41 touchdowns to nine picks. He led Morningside to a 12-1 record, including a 58-7 win against St. Ambrose in the NAIA playoffs. He threw six TDs in that one.

Top to bottom, the IIAC is the better league, but, Show, I don't think you can throw out there that Buena Vista has dominated the football recruiting in that area. I count 54 Iowa boys on this year's Mustang web site.

[knightlife06]

I've heard that morningside has been a program on the rise, I just didn't know they were that good.  I guess I'll have to pay a little more attention. 

As for conference championship rings, not really a big deal to me.  If you need a piece of jewelry to remind you of a memorable season than you should do it.  At Wartburg we went the cheap route and stuck with our highlight tape.  I would have gone broke having to pay for 3 rings and I would have looked like my favorite rapper at the VMA's with all the bling.

[Walston Hoover]

I'm with Pakk-Conf championships are expected at Wartburg as well. I was part of 2 and have no rings. If we would have won a NATIONAL championship, that would have been a different story. Our goal was to make more of a splash nationally, but a couple teams from Oregon had different thoughts on that

[DutchFan2004]

I don't think that a ring is a big deal especially if its one that you purchased.  How many of you out there still wear a class ring from high school?  How about a college ring?  None of my kids even have a college ring.  If the players that were a part of that team have them that is great, but I think like all jewelry the bling will fade with time.  Unless you were a part of the conference champs or played in those years most people dont remember who was the conference champ 5 years ago let alone 10 or 15.  Its a great personal momento if you like that sort of thing but i suspect that most men wont wear something like that when they are 30.  Unless its a National ring or superbowl then you might wear it till you die.  I may be all wet here but thats how I see it. 

[coocooforcoekohawk]

If you wear the ring it will be noticed.  Other people will ask about it.  People who have never heard of Coe let alone DIII athletics.  It is a conversation piece and will serve as a way of letting more people know about Coe, the IIAC and how great DIII athletics are.  Apparently Central and Wartburg only care about being the best in DIII, well that would make your team the 150th best College or University football team in the nation.  So with your logic why celebrate being the best of the least when winning a DIII title.  At what point is achievement worthy of recognition? 

[Walston Hoover]

When your team has won their particular level and can win no more, going as far as they can go. That is worthy of recognition. Getting rings for winning a conf title is like getting them for winning a district title in HS. There's so much more to accomplish after that when there is a playoff. Find out how many of those guys wear their rings after they graduate.

[sc_stormchaser]

Back in the late 90s, Simpson had two undefeated seasons (outright IIAC champs) and one of those years ('97), played in the national semi-finals...we played Mt. Union and I don't want to say the score, it brings back nightmares. Anyway, my point is you will not see those players walking around with IIAC championship rings (maybe a t-shirt, but not rings ). That just seems crazy to me. Does anyone know of any other schools like Coe that do such a thing?

[coocooforcoekohawk]

(maybe a t-shirt, but not rings ). That just seems crazy to me.

We used to get shirts just for winning an event at a swim meet.  None of my t-shirts are wearable anymore.  I do have sixteen medals, most of them are for third place in the conference.  What type of hardware would be O.K. to commerate this achievement?  No one said Wartburg and Central need to get rings when they win the conference, I don't see why this is so unacceptable.  My t'shirts are all put away and I don't have my medals displayed nor do I expect the Kohawks in question will wear their rings past graduation, if at all.  However, everytime I move or come across them I think back to all the good times I'd had with my teammates and those are some special memories, I don't think about many of those good times without coming across the medals and trophies I won.  In High School I'd get pins just for lettering on a last place basketball team.  I'm not going to begrudge anyone for getting a keepsake from their years in college, the effort they put forth, and the lifelong friends that they made.

"Cleaning the attic should take only twenty minutes it's the memories that take four hours to get through."  (James Garner)

[K-Mack]

Hola,
Thought I would make myself available to discuss anything that was (or wasn't) said in the IIAC portion of Kickoff '06.

I was going to list my top three teams who will be disappointed with where I have them slotted (1. Loras, 2. Central, 3. BV/Simpson) but then I saw the IIAC coaches poll was released yesterday, and it was virtually the same as the one I had slaved hours, or minutes at least, over.

As far as the rings, I won one in a 3-way tie in '97 and we got 'em, paid for our own ... it's a cool conversation piece, but nothing you can really wear on a regular basis or to church or whatever. Looking back, I'd probably say it was a waste of money.

But I definitely don't begrudge anyone for getting one to commemorate the title. But you guys have it nailed, you already have everything you need to commemorate it ... The Ws and the memories. Nothing like saying "that was a great game" instead of "we should've beat those ....ers"