FB: American Rivers Conference

[Purple Heys]

What?  Don't like to watch paint dry...would rather watch grass grow.

Tune to Stanford vs. Notre Dame.  Shouldn't have to explain that one.

[Purple Heys]

Good SEC games this weekend

Arkansas over (overrated) LSU in OT

McFadden for Heismann (or is that Huisman?)

Tennesee over Kentucky 52-50 OT

[doolittledog]

All those great games and I find myself watching Duke/North Carolina.

My sister went to Duke and since Duke usually wins about as much as Dubuque...I find myself rooting for them in football.

[stanbob]

Good job Central, Congrats you were the team today.  Best wishes through the playoffs, I for one cannot cheer for Brothel this coming weekend.

[Airborne Dutch]

With back to back weeks of wide margins of victory for the Dutch, kinda makes you wonder whether the Dutch were just toying with us the entire season or that the IIAC is a lot tougher than people give it credit for.

[Old Dutch]

Having heard all week about how fast the Johnnies were and how unbeatable on fiedlturf because of that speed, I was a little disappointed today.  I woud say both DBQ and WB were faster team speed wise.  The Dutch had their receivers covered all day.  We also anjoyed an outstanding day by the O-line, givind Connel ltime to throw and Vance enoug daylight to make some big runs, sveral times he made somehting out of nothing.  

[DutchFan2004]

Getting the D healthy has been huge for the Dutch.  I think the Dutch D is hitting their stride.  Having Baethke back is huge as he has the speed and flies to the ball.  Wow a MONKEY STOMP!!!!!!!!!  That was huge for the D.  Not giving up a score till the game was over for all purposes and with all of the starters out was good to see.  The Dutch only IMO had the ball bounce their way once and that was on the squib kick that came off the SJU player.  Heard the coaches say that they did that because kicking into the wind they felt a squib would be better and they were right .  Now on to Bethel.  GO DUTCH!!!!!!!!!

Oh and to the SJU posters about the G trophy candidates look like they left a good one out of the finals.

[Airborne Dutch]

DF2004, Gagliardi trophy voters left someone out? Fatherly tinted glasses on? Its all good. I was thinking the same thing. Did Central come out with a fire under their ass or did St.Johns just come out flat? Ask any of the Johnnie posters and I'm sure that they will tell you that it was a highly uncharacteristic contest.

[Klompen]

Congrats to the Dutch on an awesome game!  I never expected to be having that much fun!  Congatulations to the Johnnies on a great season, this was our year though.  You hit Central as healthy as they have been all year and it really showed.  It probably helped that all those posts on the IIAC board gave fuel to a team that never gives up.  They played every down like the game was on the line IMHO.  Instead of 4th quarter heroics, they gave 57 plus minutes of heroic play.  

Floyd, I would like to say the fact that Central had so many tight conference games shows that the conference is stronger than most think, and to a certain extent I completely agree with that.  BUT, I think the reason that we had so many close games was because 1)Central had some major injuries and I don't think people realized how much of the season we played without key players or, in Vance's case, limited ability of a key player and 2)I think all the conference teams really brought their A game to us and congratulations to each of them for doing so.  You helped make us ready for the playoffs.

Purple Hays, I agree it is too bad that Wartburg caused their own absence from the playoffs.  I think they were better than some of the teams that made it.  That being said, I think the Johnnies would have handled either Wartburg or Dubuque.  Central has a real history with the Johnnies and have played them close often enough, that even though we weren't winning, they weren't able to intimidate us.  Dubuque and Wartburg just don't have that level of playoff experience with a team that is consistently ranked as high as SJU.  I think either of them could have taken some of the other playoff teams, but I don't know that I would say they could have taken the Johnnies, even given today's results.  Again, I think part of today's results come from the fact that we are healthy now in a way that we just weren't during the regular season.  These guys are peaking at the right time and they have a never say die attitude and a heart for believing in their ability to win that defies the statistics.  

Congratulations to all the seniors, fourth and fifth year.  Schuring and Dustyn Baethke were both injured their first year at Central, Mulder did not play at UNI his freshman year and I don't recall if Doud was injured or if he had not played his freshman year before transferring to Central.  

And Connell should have been a Gagliardi finalist.  I'm sure the man himself saw that today.  Way to prove you deserved a shot!

[KitchenSink]

Congrats Central, on the beat-down of St J's.  Keep it going into December.

[old school ENP Tiger]

I'm not going to get on the Gagliardi voters too much both Connell and Kofoed had similar stats going into the game and they were wearing their northern red glasses at that point...However  I have said that Connell was better than Kofoed.  It was rather baffleing watching that inferior Dutch defense Stomp the SJU vaunted O.  The difference this year was 6 pass attempts in the first half and 6 points to 15 pass attempts and 17 points.  I'm not quite sure what the deal was on the goal line.  3 attempts from the 1 and you don't score  thats trouble need to shore that up.  Either that or stay on your feet a yard longer to make sure you score on the 20 yard pass.  Bring it Bethel....

[DutchFan2004]

DF2004, Gagliardi trophy voters left someone out? Fatherly tinted glasses on? Its all good. I was thinking the same thing. Did Central come out with a fire under their ass or did St.Johns just come out flat? Ask any of the Johnnie posters and I'm sure that they will tell you that it was a highly uncharacteristic contest.

That was more directed at the Johnnie poster that asked where our nominee was.  

[old school ENP Tiger]

I know Central had Schuring running well the last 2 years...but why weren't the Dutch using Connells arm more before this season???  He has great numbers this year. 

Go Dutch...14-0  let's keep it going. 

no clue although it might have been an idea in years past...Either way 2 out of the 3 losses were in the playoffs but it does help knowing you are going to put up points.  Quite a few fans in Pella just have a hard time changing.  Was sitting next to a guy today that absolutely hated it that we would throw the ball on first down... after being up 17-0 and having 189 yards passing at half time he was telling other memebers of his crowd we need to run the ball more Connell just doesn't make that good of throws... UHHHHHH 11-15 not sure what the final tally was but past 2 playoff games 8 passing TD's and 500+ yards isn't good enough for that guy.  Just amazing to me how much some folks are against the pass and would rather grind it out.  Felt like I was watching a Nebraska game.  Except watching the red team win not get smoked.  Those people really hate the forward pass over there...

[DutchHawk]

MONKEY STOMP of the Johnnies!!!!

Should have been a shut out, we put our 2nd and 3rd stringers in. The SJU team whos Win with No motto says everyone plays, even in a blow out, played their starters till then end. Cheap. Either way its clear the Dutch were the far superior team.

Kofoed for Gagliardi award...you have to be kidding me.  I vote for Connell!!!

I have respect for SJU but your posters were awfully cocky considering they were definitely out manned today.

Congrats to SJU on a great season, I am sure they will be back next year, as well the Dutch. On to beat another MIAC opponent.

[BoBo]

MONKEY STOMP of the Johnnies!!!!

Should have been a shut out, we put our 2nd and 3rd stringers in.

Is it possible to have a 3rd string with the reduced playoff rosters? 

Congrats to Central on the impressive win anyway.  Good luck next week vs Bethel.