FB: American Rivers Conference

[Purple Heys]

Here's a question...who out there at 160 lbs or below in the IIAC could fit the pound for pound tough guy class?

I'm gonna throw Joe Wacenske's name into the hat at 5'6" 150 lbs.  Freshman RB/KR/PR.  KR averaged 20 yards per return not including one 75 yard TD return called back vs. Coe.

I don't believe he fumbled as a KR/PR while throwing his body into the returns with reckless abandon.  Kind of hard not to admire a kid that size who plays hard and is practically guaranteed to get the worse end of the collision...yet still comes at it every time.

I'm told that PH Jr. uses him for midget bowling night...

[DutchFan2004]

Wow week 6 IMO the schedule this year was back loaded as far as games to decide things.  Coe WB, WB UD, UD Central, Coe Central, Central WB,  I am sure I am forgetting ones but I think they all were after week 6 were they not?

[Ash Park]

...Glad to see Andy Tekippe wasn't forgotten in the Connell-Jackson lovefest. I'll say it again -- pound for pound the toughest player in the IIAC.

Not to set up an argument here, but using this boxing-typical comparison...and no disrespect to Mr. TeKippe who's relative toughness is not in question...but playing football at a stout 6'0" and 190 lbs. isn't all that remarkable...shaking off injuries is also somewhat commonplace too as I am sure each IIAC team features a guy or two that just won't sit out unless a limb is missing.

In boxing, the pound for pound moniker is better applied to the lightweights, bantamweights and featherweights, not a light heavyweight like TeKippe.

Here's a question...who out there at 160 lbs or below in the IIAC could fit the pound for pound tough guy class?

One of the Wartburg LB's can't remember if its Gerardy or Lauterbach, is only 5'6, 160-170ish.
I would put him up as pound for pound toughest.

I believe he was #8 Walston and I cannot remember his name either but yes that kid is a tough SOB. I believe PH Jr took a nice shot from him. Hopefully Wacenske sticks around because I think a couple years with coach Freys strength and conditioning that kid will be a brick sh*t house.

[Ash Park]

Ash Park, he just put up some great stats when he started playing consistently in baseball. He didn't make all conference. Ditch was 1st team All Conference in Football, Basketball, and Track in the same academic year. I believe it was his junior year.

Yeah I knew he had a good year but wasn't sure if he was all-conference. Senior year Ditch did the same thing I believe getting all-conference honors in all three. What about Chet was he both all-conference in football and baseball?

[koekrazy87]

Here's a question...who out there at 160 lbs or below in the IIAC could fit the pound for pound tough guy class?

I'm gonna throw Joe Wacenske's name into the hat at 5'6" 150 lbs.  Freshman RB/KR/PR.  KR averaged 20 yards per return not including one 75 yard TD return called back vs. Coe.

I don't believe he fumbled as a KR/PR while throwing his body into the returns with reckless abandon.  Kind of hard not to admire a kid that size who plays hard and is practically guaranteed to get the worse end of the collision...yet still comes at it every time.

I'm told that PH Jr. uses him for midget bowling night...

Tommy Breitbach might have a job in this pound for pound talk.  5' 9" 171 lbs.  Only came off the field for kickoff and punt.  He was one of the receivers this year that would go across the middle, get smacked hard, and get back up and go to the next play.  Then to go to defense and deliver a hit, and be able to out jump taller recievers to pick off a ball.  If it isnt TeKippe for getting hit all the time and jumping right back up it has to be Breitbach.

[Former Ram]

Yeah I knew he had a good year but wasn't sure if he was all-conference. Senior year Ditch did the same thing I believe getting all-conference honors in all three. What about Chet was he both all-conference in football and baseball?
[/quote]

Ah yes, Chet Knake, all-conference and honorable mention all-america linebacker as well as all-conference third baseman at least once.  Also would probably gather a few votes for the all-conference knows how to have a good time team.

[youcantseeme]

It was a little dissappointing that neither of the top two guys for INTs were recognized on the first or second team for the coaches or on our team.  Squires seemed like a no-brainer to me having seen him almost every weekend, and honorable mention seemed WAY too little of recognition for his outstanding season.

[WartTrainer]

Walston:  The LB that is 5'6...if you stretch him out.... is Gerardy

Also don't know if this has been posted yet but I heard from a pretty good source that Niemann was asked to resign yesterday...also heard that the front runner for his replacement is Walston Hoover

[luvd3football]

Also don't know if this has been posted yet but I heard from a pretty good source that Niemann was asked to resign yesterday

Heard the same thing.  Team Meeting today at 4:00 - (previously scheduled) I'm sure that'll be a topic of conversation. 

[Walston Hoover]

Wow week 6 IMO the schedule this year was back loaded as far as games to decide things.  Coe WB, WB UD, UD Central, Coe Central, Central WB,  I am sure I am forgetting ones but I think they all were after week 6 were they not?

Remember though, these are just coaches nominating their own players. I'm not sure how many a coach can nominate, but I'm sure coaches are liberal with it. The actual voting takes place Sunday after the season.

[Wartburg Fan]

Also don't know if this has been posted yet but I heard from a pretty good source that Niemann was asked to resign yesterday

Heard the same thing.  Team Meeting today at 4:00 - (previously scheduled) I'm sure that'll be a topic of conversation. 

If this is true is it a big surprise? This is just a question

[DutchHawk]

My two previous posts should have been combined into one.

I hear Wartburg fans say Willis should have more COYs (and probably should have based on his record at Wartburg), but the reason given is everybody hates Wartburg. Is there any deeper reflection as to why?  Was it really b/c Willis coached at Wartburg or was it a Willis issue or just bad luck or a combination? 

If others hated Willis/Wartburg b/c they won, then surely they would dislike coach mcmartin and he wouldn't have won 3 in-a-row. 

Willis was a victim of the circumstances when it came to COY. Maybe he should have got it in '98, going 9-1, but Kac was just as new as Willis was and won the title.
Won it in '99.
If we would have beat Central in 2000 he would have won it, going 9-1 again.
2001, Coe got us and Cornell had their best year in their short history in the IIAC
2002-Coe got their first title so I think Raeburn got the nod (even though it was a 3-way tie)
2003-Everyone expected Wartburg to be good, so when they absolutely rolled through the conference, it seemed to make sense to give it to the runner-up coach??? (If you can't tell, this is the year in particular that chaps my ***)
2004- When nominations were due early in the year, most thought Wartburg was dead in the water, and BV appeared to be world beaters, I've heard rumors that Osterberger was the only one nominated, so, even though Wartburg went on to win the title, and BV finished 6-4 (the same record as the year before), Osterberger got COY.
WIthout checking, I would wager to guess Rick Willis is one of the few coaches in any league to win 3 titles in a row and not have a single COY honor in that time frame to show for it.

As for winning the big ones and losing one he shouldn't have--There were some losses that seemed like that at the time, but by the end of the year, I can only think of one loss that was that way and that was Loras in '04 since they ended up 4-6. The Cornell loss of '01 wasn't that bad in hindsite as they ended up a game behind us. Possibly the debachle in CR of '01, but we didn't know at the time that Coe was about to win a couple titles in a row.

Granted he won 3 titles in a row and probably should have gotten COY over a 6-4 Ostenberger but he also shared 2 of those titles. Just referencing back to my earlier post about not being able to put away every team. Had the Knights not stumbled each of those other 2 years he most likely would have had at least 2 if not 3. He should have won it in 03...11-1 is hard to beat...especially when Simpsons coach won it and lost to SNC first round, the MWC's only playoff win...ever.

[footballdaddy]

I'd heard rumors that it was this year or done for him. I've heard
Lounsberry was brougt in to replace him. Just rumors.

[Walston Hoover]

I think one of the Storm faithful posted something to that effect before the season.
I also think there was some preseason talk about a change at UD as well, I highly doubt that will happen unless there is some MAJOR problems behind the scenes because on the surface, things appear better there than they have the last 25 years.
Any word on the official goings-on of the team meeting yet?

[Walston Hoover]

Maybe they will hire Swenson away from Valley
<crosses fingers>