FB: American Rivers Conference

[Walston Hoover]

Fair enough. I didn't go digging to see who they lost to. Back in the days of the 28-team playoff- I thought it was a real mistake to have the perceived "best matchup" at the end or near the end of the year.

[DutchFan2004]

Question---
A little "what if" but a lot more "what happens if"

What happens if Wartburg and Central play earlier on in the year? Does it give the loser a better chance at getting in if they win out.
Say this year for instance- Does Wartburg get in if the loss comes earlier and we're talking about winning their last 4 or 5. I know there's a lot of hype, but I gotta believe after the winner of this game winning the conference title the last 10 years, people are going to pay attention anyway.
Does Wartburg get in over Eau Claire (are they Pool c?) at 8-2 if Central game is the first game of the year rather than the last?

I think picking the seven pool C spots is a lot like the BCS and it is easier to recover from an early loss. I think by most opinions, Whitworth would have been the next one in and probably should have been in before Eau Clare. Eau Clares non conference wins over Southwest Minn. St. 42-13 and 14-3 at Black Hills St. who is in the D-2 tournament, no doubt benefitted them.

I agree,  I think the two losses is what did the Knights in.  As posted previously the Augsburg game is what lost the playoff spot not the loss to Central. 

[Thunderbolt]

Wow the Storm didn't load their schedule at all did they?  One or the other is not bad but both is a pretty weak schedule IMO.

I think scheduling Grandview is a nice bone to throw out.  A probable win and you are playing for potential recruits in the Des Moines area.  And always nice to help out a team in your near area.  As far as Northwestern...we don't really know just how hard it is to schedule opponants...who is willing to play you and what not.  Plus, if you feel like you are headed south in the win column, scheduling some soft opponants isn't always a bad idea!!!

I agree with the Grandview point,  They could also be a potential IIAC team in the future as well so no problem with that choice.  But to schedule two weak games says you are kind of giving up on a playoff bid IMO.  The AQ will be the only thing you play for with a weak SOS.  A second place at 9-1 with that non conference schedule will not cut it.  I guess that is what I was thinking about.  One soft game is not bad but two affects the SOS I think.

Also effects everyone else in the conference with oppositions strength of schedule.

[Walston Hoover]

Question---
A little "what if" but a lot more "what happens if"

What happens if Wartburg and Central play earlier on in the year? Does it give the loser a better chance at getting in if they win out.
Say this year for instance- Does Wartburg get in if the loss comes earlier and we're talking about winning their last 4 or 5. I know there's a lot of hype, but I gotta believe after the winner of this game winning the conference title the last 10 years, people are going to pay attention anyway.
Does Wartburg get in over Eau Claire (are they Pool c?) at 8-2 if Central game is the first game of the year rather than the last?

I think picking the seven pool C spots is a lot like the BCS and it is easier to recover from an early loss. I think by most opinions, Whitworth would have been the next one in and probably should have been in before Eau Clare. Eau Clares non conference wins over Southwest Minn. St. 42-13 and 14-3 at Black Hills St. who is in the D-2 tournament, no doubt benefitted them.

I agree,  I think the two losses is what did the Knights in.  As posted previously the Augsburg game is what lost the playoff spot not the loss to Central. 

I have no doubt about that, I was just wondering if that Augsburg loss would have been looked at a little differently had it been followed up by 4-5 more wins and NO losses, This is all just assuming the Central game was earlier in the year (Was it in September last year?)

[Wartburg Fan]

Good thing you didn't get me to say hi. Apparently I'm not very cool in person.

Just one persons opinion. May it cause you are truthful and that person can't take it.

Just one more comment on Footballdaddy then  I will leave it alone. When I talked to him after his sons recruiting trip to Central and Wartburg. He came away from Central so impress with the coaching staff and not that way with the staff at wartburg. I told him not to given up on Wartburg and to give them a chance. I don't know the reasons why he chose Wartburg. but I'm glad they are part of the Wartburg family.

[DutchFan2004]

Walston,

You bring up a good point but with Whitworth staying home and UWEC getting in I think that Wartburg was behind Whitworth so I don't think this year it made any difference at all.  I think this year was a different year that we are even talking about two loss teams and them getting into the playoffs.  The past two years the bubble was if you had one loss not two.  I think Central was some what lucky to get in 05 with the one loss and not the AQ.  Had UWEC lost I think Whitworth gets in so for Wartburg to get in this year both those teams had to have a loss last Saturday.  Oh the other team that Wartburg needed to lose was OXY and that did happen.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Congratulations to Central.  You will represent the IIAC very well once again.  Also congrats to the Central SID.  Whoever writes your game summary on the web gave a great account of the game.  To someone at the Luther/Dubuque game your summary gave a good insight......... whether or not Connnell fumbled or spiked.   But my question is, "Why doesn't Wartburg's SID ever give an account of their game except in the fewest words possible?"

Luther and Dubuque:  The story was Jackson's quarterback draws.  Norse D did very well in the second half and had opportunities to win but couldn't quite pull it off.  
Luther gave us an exciting season however with close games.  Congrats to  all Norse...coaches and players.

We'll be back !!!!!

How do you define being back?

On one hand, the Norse have been competitive for the past six years.  They have had good defenses (2003 and 2004), good special teams (2005 and some of the seasons before that), good offenses (2004, half of 2005, 2006, and a good running offense this year).  In that time they have had a good QB (last year), a great WR (Pearson), a great OL (Stavast), a great RB (Sherden) and some very good defenders at times.

They are exactly a .500 team since 2003.  They have lost a lot of close games, but Central has shown that there is a skill to consistently winning them.

You would like to think that you could find a way to win more than 5 games with a back like Sherden.  They were picked 7th to start the season and finished 5th.  They beat everyone below them in the standings and lost to everyone above them.

This is not a veiled attempt at taking shots at the coaching staff but rather a frustrated alum who would like to see the Norse return to the older traditions of being very good in football.  The Norse do have very good programs in other sports (wrestling, cross country, baseball, tennis, swimming, women's basketball, and others) but haven't won a football championship or been to the playoffs since 1978.

Men's basketball and men's track aren't exactly living up to the old traditions either.  In fact, basketball might be the lone non-competitive program left at Luther since the volleyball program showed vast improvement this past season.

Anyway, congrats to the Dutch in football and to the Luther Cross Country teams for making it to nationals.

[DutchHawk]

I thought it was a great game in Waverly Saturday and I want to commend the players on each side for working their butts off. Wartburg returns a lot of guys next year so thats a positive and I hope it comes down to Wartburg - Central again every year for the title!!

Walston - Central was a 1 seed in 2001 as they had a bye in the first round and dropped a 6 point game to PLU in the second. Central was also the last team to get any further than the 2nd round if memory serves me correct, in 2000 the Dutch dropped a close one to SJU 21-18 in the quarterfinals.

[doolittledog]

I hope it comes down to Wartburg - Central again every year for the title!!

Um, I don't!!!

[DutchHawk]

I hope it comes down to Wartburg - Central again every year for the title!!

Um, I don't!!!

No offense meant...just a personal opinion!

[DutchFan2004]

Ok Doolittle,

How about UD-Central   just for you!!!!!!!!!

[DutchHawk]

Ok Doolittle,

How about UD-Central  just for you!!!!!!!!!

As long as one of the teams involves the Dutch Im all for it! 

[DutchFan2004]

This may start a whole debate should have not said that  

[Dsquared]

WH... Good to see you the other day, unfortunately my mind was more set on shaking hands with the unemployed rather than chatting at the moment.  At least we can look back on 11/10/07 and remember that ISU took it to Colorado, and the officials called the game BEAUTIFULLY at the end.  I loved the reaction of that O-lineman from Colorado... thought he might've actually hit the official.  I'd be interested to see whether he's suspended for the last game of the year because of that outburst.

Central... one last time, I'll echo the good luck comments.  I'll likely go back into the recesses and just read the posts for the duration of the playoffs.

WB... Use the disappointment to fuel next year's run.  So you didn't make the playoffs this year... get it done next year and LEAVE NO DOUBT.

[doolittledog]

Ok Doolittle,

How about UD-Central   just for you!!!!!!!!!

Just throw the Spartans a bone every few years or so.  Doesn't need to be every year.  We don't need to be a dynasty

We just don't want to ever see 0-10 seasons again.