FB: American Rivers Conference

[sportsknight]

Hard to believe we've come to the last week of the season already.  Here I was yesterday enjoying the 70 degree temperatures when I flip on ESPN and find out that college basketball teams are already playing exhibition games.  Very strange.

Anyway, I know I'm pretty well out of the running for the conference pick 'em, but with a solid week, I can eek out a win in the overall race.
On to the picks...

Waldorf @ BV:  The Mason City newspaper today said that this one was being played at Waldorf, but the IIAC site has it Lakeside.  Not that I really think it will matter.  BV 34, Waldorf 13

Coe @ Cornell:  The Highway 30 Showdown, The Oldest Rivalry West of the Mississippi, The Battle for Linn County...whatever you want to call it, Coe will still win.  Coe 42, Cornell 17

Luther @ Loras:  Maybe the toughest game to pick this week.  Both teams have been fairly inconsistent this year and have been playing for pride since mid-season.  If memory serves, the Norse usually play pretty well in the Rock Bowl.  Look for Sweers, Pearson, and Sheetz to have big games in their final college games.  Luther 27, Loras 16

Simpson @ Central:  Another rivalry game this week, as if we couldn't tell from all the conjecture on the board the last couple of days.  The Dutch will be tuning up for the playoffs, but as it has been noted already, the Storm always play them tough.  Central 24, Simpson 20

Dubuque @ Wartburg:  All in all, I think both of these teams should be pretty happy with their seasons.  Dubuque surpassed expectations to finish in the top half of the conference for the first time in a while.  The Knights overcame a coaching shakeup and the loss of some talented seniors from a year ago to come within a couple of plays of the IIAC title and an unbeaten season.  But they have to remember that they're not done yet.  A win (esp. a big one) over UD will solidify Wartburg's chances for a playoff spot.  Can't be sure about the playoffs yet, but I think the Knights avoid the landmine here.  Wartburg 24, Dubuque 7

Extra thoughts...
- Any other Wartburgers glad the state of Iowa was smart enough to not elect a Luther alum governor?
- BV vs. Iowa in basketball exhibition action last night.  I imagine some of the BV guys will be able to walk over to the Iowa bench and give Mike Henderson and Tyler Smith more forceful slaps on the wrist than what they got from Alford.
- Lastly, did I see someone use the words "University of Dubuque" and "jealous" in the same sentence?     
As my parents always told me:  If you can't go to college, go to Coe.  And if they won't take you, there's always UD.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

........grass? Since when did Coe believe in that?

We had plenty of grass back in the late eighties at Coe.


Oh, you mean...,  never mind.

[Walston Hoover]

........grass? Since when did Coe believe in that?

We had plenty of grass back in the late eighties at Coe.


Oh, you mean...,  never mind.

[DutchHawk]

I dont think Central will play down this week just because they have the playoffs locked up. The outright conference championship and 10-0 mean to much. Anyway Ill throw my picks out even though Im not in the contest:)

BV over Waldorf by 10...Waldorf just isnt ready to compete with the IIAC.

Coe at Cornell...Cornell is motivated but and could Coe come in with a hangover from the barnburner last week...possible but they are too well coached for that to happen. Coe by 14

Luther at Loras...tough one here..I think the offensive machine that is Sweers and Pearson is too much for Loras' overmatched defense. Luther by 20

Dubuque at Wartburg...I think the 'burg needs to take a page out of Centrals recipe for success against Dbq this year and let Hammes pound the ball, UD couldnt stop Schuring and Hammes runs for 185 while the fast defense of the burg stifles Belleus...WB by 17 
*This sends Wartburg on the unfortunate roadtrip up to Whitewater next week.

Simpson at Central...there will be no letdown as Central focuses on hosting a playoff game and outright title. Centrals defense is just too tough for Simpsons lack of offense. Central 28 Simpson 3
*Central hosts LaCrosse on the 16th as the win garners them the 3 seed in the region

Good luck to everyone!

[lorbec47]

And if you can't go to High School, go to Cascade, right Sportsknight?

[lorbec47]

Dsquared...don't be so bitter that UD received over $90 mil from like 3 affliates to the U, and it took Wartburg 4 years, and numerous donors to achieve their goal. It could be worse, you could have Coe's football field.


I also saw the plans to the athletic facilities that my wife brought home, and the new gym will be good to play in. It will currently be where the Stoltz Center lies which is the area off of the gym where the basketball teams can shoot, and the baseball/softball teams practice. I also believe it is where the visiting football team would get ready in.

[Walston Hoover]

I think you guys got like 30 mil or more from my wife's aunt. Thank you Jeldwen.

[lorbec47]

Well then thank you too WH!

[Confused77]

Miss a week and miss a lot.. Does it really matter about who raised what amount of money in a certain time? Wartburg was the trend setter with a new FB stadium, now everyone is following suit, which was needed. Yes, UD has won some games this year. Yes, they saved their coaches job. Yes, they think they will be able to recruit a little better, but the fact of the matter is UD still has a very large amount of guys on their roster from no where near Iowa, 67 or so to be correct. I left all Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota guys out for obvious reasons. It is a proven formula--Central wins with a roster made of mostly Iowa kids, Wartburg wins with a roster made up of mostly Iowa kids, St Johns wins with a roster made up of mostly Minnesota kids, Mt. Union wins with a roster made up of mostly Ohio kids, is anyone seeing a pattern?

I could care less about facilities, in the next several years all IIAC schools will be equal again, even Coe knows their field is horrible and they need to do something about it.

What I care about is athletics, we are here to talk about D3 football and maybe a mix of a few other sports in, if I want to talk academics and new librarys I will go to the D3addmissions message board.

By the way- I think ISU needed to go in a new direction with a new OC not a new HC. Anyone else thinking of a possible Bowlsby/Mac situation out at Stanford, I believe Stanford is still winless. If I was Bowlsby I would have been on the phone already.

[lorbec47]

Confused,
When someone calls out school, then yes these facts do matter.

I do agree with you on the recruits home base. Being an Iowa guy and being only 1 of 2 my last season of Basketball, I understand wholeheartedly the reason for getting local players. That all being said, yes Wartburg/Luther are trendsetters. Now catching up, some of these local guys will take a better look, which helps ATHLETICS, which is what we are talking about.

[redmen]

As stormtruper said, the Storm v-ball team swept Maryville in the first round of regionals.  Maryville wouldn't finish in the top half of the IIAC.  Coe lost a heartbreaker to Capital in 5.  Coe was up 14-11 in the 5th game and couldn't get the final point.  Simpson plays the #3 seed Rhodes this afternoon.  On to football....good luck to the IIAC tomorrow....GO STORM!!

[doolittledog]

I also saw the plans to the athletic facilities that my wife brought home, and the new gym will be good to play in. It will currently be where the Stoltz Center lies which is the area off of the gym where the basketball teams can shoot, and the baseball/softball teams practice. I also believe it is where the visiting football team would get ready in.

Are these plans on the internet anywhere?  I didn't see them at the UD website.  Or can you email them to me?  I would love to see these.  I saw a couple of pics on the Telegraph-Herald site but really nothing more than one picture at the UD site. 

[Dsquared]

Wow... thank you for bringing some sense to the board Confused... and yes, the Mac/Bowlsby connection would be a great fit for all parties involved!

Good luck to the Storm VB team today as I want redmen to have to miss ALL the festivities in IC this weekend!

[Dsquared]

DF1... Not that I totally disagree with your analysis, but you also don't count a possible 1 year fluke as the start of a rebuilding program.  This should be a conversation that is being had at this point MAYBE next year, definitely 2 years down the road.  Until then, it should go on the back burner.

Oh yeah... congrats on getting $90 million from 3 donors.  Confused said it right... everyone is following Luther and Wartburg's examples, just like I had said in my post.  I guess it's tough to hear the truth coming from Wartburg alums... but as long as you hear your comrade and agree with him, that's good enough for me.

[lorbec47]

doolittle,

Those plans were given to all the coaches on the athletic staff. I don't think all of them are posted anywhere on the net, sorry.