FB: American Rivers Conference

[coocooforcoekohawk]

The Norse have played a very good St. Olaf team, who will probably win the MIAC

Don't let the Johnnies hear you say that.

[dbljay21]

You can't even put Coach Hefty and Coach Pole in the same sentance.  Just look at the program since Hefty has taken over.  Luther gets respected around the conference as one of the tougher teams and have been considered as pre-season contenders for the conference title in recent years.  I don't believe that ever happened under Coach Pole. 

As for the game not being as close as the score indicated, I can't say anything about because I wasn't at the game.  And personally, I never liked that statement.  A win is a win and a loss is a loss. 

And I don't believe last year was an anomaly, and I hope the Norse prove that again this year.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

The Norse have played a very good St. Olaf team, who will probably win the MIAC

Don't let the Johnnies hear you say that.

I have the Oles finishing 2nd in the MIAC behind St. John's and ahead of Bethel.  Concordia is still an opponent to be reckoned with, but I have them in 4th in front of St. Thomas and the rest.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

No doubt plenty of venom here. It always pissed me off how every year it was always Luther's year when we played them, always Hefty or the other guy ahead of him having quotes in the paper about how it was going to be a good game. I think I was part of wins 9-12 in the series, and only one was close.

I must have missed those optimistic years of Luther Football in the 1990s!  The general campus expectations most years were for an average year or a bad year.  I know Coach Pole had a year in which big things were talked about coming off of a 5-5 season (highlighted by a 74-0 win over the mighty Spartans), but then that team went 3-7 (and they lost to Dubuque!).

To me it seems like a big difference between a coach saying that a rivalry game (or game that used to be a rivalry) might be a good game versus saying that it is Luther's year or that Luther was going to have a breakout year.  From what I see, Coach Hefty barely even says anything publicly about the Norse in the preseason most years other than he hopes the Norse can improve.

[NorseFan]

Luther has to play mistake free football in order to win.  I for one hope they do it.  It was pretty exciting to beat the Knights last year and the Dutch the year before that.  Hopefully the Norse can continue to climb.  Two straight conference downers would definately hurt their season.

Picks for the week:

Coe over BV by at least 2 scores

UD over Loras  The Spartans put together a disciplined game.  Might be the last one of the season but they need to learn to play as a team, and play smart.

Cornell over the Storm  A late and noisy train muffs a Simpson audible and a turnover results in a TD.

Luther over Wartburg  It has been a while since this has been an easy pick and it definately isn't easy this year.  Wartburg is always a scary team no matter who is playing them. 

Good luck to all IIAC teams this week.  Hopefully we see injury free, good games.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Walston,

I have always wondered why the Luther rivalry still means so much on the Waverly campus?  The two football programs haven't been on the same level consistently since the 1980s.  The other thing I noticed was that the Wartburg crowd was much more likely to break the law by doing such things to the opponent like using gasoline to put a "W" on the Luther field, or spray paint the Martin Luther statue pink, or even fly a plane or helicopter over the Luther campus dropping leaflets.

Some fans may run their mouths, but this stuff that fires up Wartburg people is not coming from Coach Hefty or the Luther Football program.  Paul is not like Dan McCarney who talks about his wins over Iowa about 25,000 times a year.  Last time I checked, there is no billboard in Cedar Falls or Waverly from the Luther-Wartburg game last year.   Iowa is also major focus of the ISU media guide each year as the front cover and tons of other pages can attest.

McCarney should almost get a tattoo that says "6 out of 8!" even though the Hawks have won 3 of 4, 18 of 24, 36 of 54, and have by far the more decorated and consistent program as it relates to top-25 finishes, top-10 finishes, conference titles, bowl appearances, etc.

From the Iowa presser this week:

Q: Iowa is 5-0 against Illinois as of late, and has won 6 of 8. Is there a reason for that success against them?

Kirk Ferentz: I have no idea. I didn't know that was a stat. I didn't know we kept statistics outside of the Iowa State game.

Classic quote from a coach whose most important yearly goal since he has been at Iowa is to be in the Big Ten title race in November.

[youcantseeme]

I am going to vent a little here.  I am sick and tired of fans of Iowa thinking that all Cyclone fans, players, and coaches care more about the ISU/UI game than any other game of the season.  It is a huge game, within the state, but Clone fans would trade a Nebraska win for a win over Iowa any day.  Real fans would anyway.  On the same token, Iowa would rather beat Ohio St. than ISU.  Anyone that says that Iowa State only wins the rivalry game because that is the only game they get up for was never in a sport because if they were they would understand what a rediculous comment that is.  Finally, if the game didnt mean that much to Iowa anyway, why is there still so much trash flying out of Hawkeye fans mouths?  Iowa rolls this week against the Big 11's JV team in Champaign and the Clones get nailed by a pissed UT by 21+.

Now to the IIAC:
Coe in a laugher:  BV is down and Coe's offense is due to really break out at home.
Wartburg by a couple of scores:  Luther cant run at all which makes them one dimensional and that is bad news for a fired up Knight defense
Simpson by 14:  get into the win column at the expense of the Rams.  Only having  60 bodies on a college football teams will catch up to you in a hurry.
UD makes it 2-0 in conference in a close one against Loras:  their offense is tough if Jackson makes good decisions.

Luther fans need to calm down a little.  No one is taking anything away from you for saying that Wartburg will win.  You have a good team, but not one that is going to compete for the conference this year.  Maybe its just me, but the Norse might have the most sensitive fans in all of college football. 

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I am sick and tired of fans of Iowa thinking that all Cyclone fans, players, and coaches care more about the ISU/UI game than any other game of the season.  It is a huge game, within the state, but Clone fans would trade a Nebraska win for a win over Iowa any day.  Real fans would anyway.

FROM YOUR OTHER POST:
I was just curious how anyone that knows anything about this conference thinks that Luther will beat the kohawks this weekend.  I know they are at home, but the last time the Kohawks came up to Luther, under very similar circumstances, Coe had put up 35 points before Luther even realized the game had started.  i know that was two years ago, but my point is that home field is no advantage here.  So these posters think that Luther is a better team than Coe?

Gee, why would Iowa fans think that?  Maybe it is the billboards, the media guides, or maybe the constant quotes from the ISU Head Coach?   That might also have more to do with the trash talking this year as many around the ISU program milked last year's win in Ames for as much as they could.

Sorry us posters hurt your feelings last week when we actually thought Luther had a chance to win the game against Coe.  How is that for sensitive?  I think these message boards actually can still function when some posters think an underdog might win a close contest.

[dutchfan1]

Picks for the week:
Coe over BV
Simpson over Cornell
Wartburg over Luther
UD over Loras in the other rivalry game this week.
Central OWNS the Bye the week.

My Hawkeyes win the scrimmage, er, I mean Hawkeyes over Illinois. Big.

[DutchFan2004]

I don't know why anyone is talking about Iowa and ISU here or even brought it up.  They are d-1 and this is d-3. 

As far as Luther and Wartburg spats I think it's great to support your team.  If you can't support them why even be here. 

The bottom line is the "W"  how ever it comes and whoever it is against.  That's why the game is played.  If it is stats or scheduling they the computer would figure it all out.  The problem with that is the computer can't figure the heart and soul of a team.  The can't figure on a particular player raising his game or getting nervous and falling apart under pressure.  Thats what makes college sports what it is, and in particular D-3 level.  These kids are here for the love of the game.  That's why I LOVE college sports and the D-3 level. 


Good luck to all the IIAC teams.  If I get bored I may come to see that Norse and Knights matchup.  I will have to see what my Knight educated son has planned for Saturday.

[dutchfan1]

I don't know why anyone is talking about Iowa and ISU here or even brought it up.  They are d-1 and this is d-3. 

Wow, Dutch, chill out -- just because we follow D3 doesn't mean that we can't enjoy a good intrastate rivalry and mention D1 games here.

[coco]

Don't mess with the Dutchfan -- the original Dutchfan1, that is.

[Turf Guy]

Pick for Saturday
Cornell-the Rams get back on track at home
Coe-need not say anymore
Dubuque-should be a good inner city game
Wartburg-at home. pretty tough

[sportsknight]

Time for my picks for this week.  Hopefully I can hold my lead.

Two Rivalry Games this week...
I'm still kind of on the fence as to whether I think all the IIAC Rivalry Games should be played the same weekend (Wartburg-Luther, Coe-Cornell, Simpson-Central, Loras-UD) or whether each one should get its own weekend with no other Rivalry Games.  Something to ponder.

Coe over BV by a couple scores.  Coe tries to pick up a little steam following the near miss on the road last week.  This feels like a 42-13 kind of game. 

Cornell over Simpson in a squeaker.  Simpson can't run the ball one bit, which means the Storm defense will spend a lot of time on the field and will not be able to step up and stop a late Cornell drive.  Cornell 17, Simpson 10.

Loras over UD in a pretty close game.  They're naming Loras' field for Coach Bierie Saturday, and given last year's loss to UD (the first in 20 years!) I don't see the Duhawks letting the Spartans come into their place and win another one.  I'm still waiting for the Loras offense to get rolling and maybe this is the week.  Loras 28, Dubuque 17.

And onto the big game...
Being on the Wartburg campus last year when the Knights lost to Luther in Decorah, I can tell you first hand that the football players had to deal with a lot of "What happened?" questions.  Not only did they lose to the dreaded Norse, but they looked horrible doing it.  Frankly, Wartburg got embarassed in Decorah last fall.  That does not happen again.  Wartburg 24, Luther 13.

[Charlie Kohawk]

Before I forget, here are my picks for this week:

Coe over BV -- Beaver defense can't match up to the Kohawk offense, which looks to explode after last week's struggle.
Loras over Dubuque -- I'm not sold on Dubuque yet, and the whole field dedication thing gives the Duhawks the edge.
Wartburg over Luther -- Tough start for the Norse, but there's a big difference between needing a win and getting one.
Simpson over Cornell -- I don't believe Simpson is as bad as their record, nor is Cornell as good as theirs.