FB: American Rivers Conference

[doolittledog]

dollitttledog ...

Thanks for the heads-up on UD's schedule for next year.  Living in west Michigan, I would love to see the Spartans schedule an MIAC (Olivet or Hope are the closest) team.  I even would be willing to host a pre-game alumni gathering (with the help of the Alumni Office, of course) for the die-hards that would show up.

Go Spartans!

With losing Wisconsin Lutheran on the schedule somewhat late in the game it might get interesting who Dubuque ends up scheduling.  UD has a trustee that is also a trustee at Marietta College in Ohio.  I know the Spartans played them once in the early part of this decade and they might be a possibility.  That trustee is also on the board of the Ohio council of independent schools...or something like that, so he might have some pull with other DIII schools in that state.  Waldorf is a usual suspect.  Upper Iowa might be as well.  Maybe UW-Platteville comes back on the UD schedule.  One last thought is Dubuque has had a pretty good pipeline of Michigan talent on their roster recently.  It might not be a bad idea to schedule some MIAA teams.  With Wisconsin Lutheran leaving the MIAA to join the new Northern Athletics Conference next year there might be a lot of MIAA teams with a spot to fill on their schedule.  And if the Spartans do that we might have a ready made tailgating organizer in DBQ1965...maybe he will let all the travelling UD fans crash at his place that weekend

[DutchHawk]

dollitttledog ...

Thanks for the heads-up on UD's schedule for next year.  Living in west Michigan, I would love to see the Spartans schedule an MIAC (Olivet or Hope are the closest) team.  I even would be willing to host a pre-game alumni gathering (with the help of the Alumni Office, of course) for the die-hards that would show up.

Go Spartans!

With losing Wisconsin Lutheran on the schedule somewhat late in the game it might get interesting who Dubuque ends up scheduling.  UD has a trustee that is also a trustee at Marietta College in Ohio.  I know the Spartans played them once in the early part of this decade and they might be a possibility.  That trustee is also on the board of the Ohio council of independent schools...or something like that, so he might have some pull with other DIII schools in that state.  Waldorf is a usual suspect.  Upper Iowa might be as well.  Maybe UW-Platteville comes back on the UD schedule.  One last thought is Dubuque has had a pretty good pipeline of Michigan talent on their roster recently.  It might not be a bad idea to schedule some MIAA teams.  With Wisconsin Lutheran leaving the MIAA to join the new Northern Athletics Conference next year there might be a lot of MIAA teams with a spot to fill on their schedule.  And if the Spartans do that we might have a ready made tailgating organizer in DBQ1965...maybe he will let all the travelling UD fans crash at his place that weekend

Why dont they schedule someone good...Augustana, Wheaton, North Central, LaCrosse, Bethel, Eau Claire??

[Airborne Dutch]

Congrats to Guy Dierikx on the Aztec  Invite. Hopefully Central is still playing at that point and he can't go  . Its been mentioned earlier, but if I can remember right, Bethel travelled to Pella with a fairly strong contingent. The details of that day are slightly hazing as the tailgating started at about 7:30 the night before. I do remember kicker Brandon O'Neall faking a kick and running it in for a TD. Could that be in store again? Developing.....perhaps. On a sad note, sux to hear about Redskins safety Sean Taylor. I loved watching that guy play ball. He could hit like a mack truck and always seemed to be around the ball. Sad day for the NFL.

[The Show]

but I'm sure you'll be able to counter nicely with the most nauseating PA announcer in the history of the free world. 

You've never been to a Simpson game, have you...

[Purple Heys]

OK, so I looked at the Central/St. John's pictures and noticed something a bit out of sorts.

Some funky looking white stuff, looked like they packed cotton around the outsides of the field and along the fences.   

What's up with this?  Were they afraid of the Johnnie fans coming in liquored up from the Stiftungfest tailgating would be stumbling around and so they covered up the sharp stadium edges?

Those Dutch.  What gracious hosts they turn out to be.   

[doolittledog]

Come on Purple, I half expected you to be posting pictures of you and the family on the beach so you could REALLY taunt us!!!

[The Show]

Congrats to Pierce of BV on the Aztec Bowl honor.  Well deserved and had a very successful career at BV.

[Purple Heys]

I will post Beach pix of me and MY SAND after I have won the Central Bracket Pick -'em.

Our new IIAC Playoff Motto:

There ain't much without the Dutch!

[Purple Heys]

I'll probably listen to the game this weekend.

We may actually get some rain and the surfing is supposed to be terrrible this weekend.   

[Purple Heys]

I am self-declaring that I am holding the new record for a Cornell poster this late in the season.

I can't wait for Spring Football!

[doolittledog]

dollitttledog ...

Thanks for the heads-up on UD's schedule for next year.  Living in west Michigan, I would love to see the Spartans schedule an MIAC (Olivet or Hope are the closest) team.  I even would be willing to host a pre-game alumni gathering (with the help of the Alumni Office, of course) for the die-hards that would show up.

Go Spartans!

With losing Wisconsin Lutheran on the schedule somewhat late in the game it might get interesting who Dubuque ends up scheduling.  UD has a trustee that is also a trustee at Marietta College in Ohio.  I know the Spartans played them once in the early part of this decade and they might be a possibility.  That trustee is also on the board of the Ohio council of independent schools...or something like that, so he might have some pull with other DIII schools in that state.  Waldorf is a usual suspect.  Upper Iowa might be as well.  Maybe UW-Platteville comes back on the UD schedule.  One last thought is Dubuque has had a pretty good pipeline of Michigan talent on their roster recently.  It might not be a bad idea to schedule some MIAA teams.  With Wisconsin Lutheran leaving the MIAA to join the new Northern Athletics Conference next year there might be a lot of MIAA teams with a spot to fill on their schedule.  And if the Spartans do that we might have a ready made tailgating organizer in DBQ1965...maybe he will let all the travelling UD fans crash at his place that weekend

Why dont they schedule someone good...Augustana, Wheaton, North Central, LaCrosse, Bethel, Eau Claire??

Maybe UD is trying to schedule those teams...I don't know either way.  I was just throwing out possibilities.  I know UW-Platteville has had trouble filling out their schedule and they are close by Dubuque.  Same goes for Upper Iowa.  Waldorf seems to be an IIAC favorite lately.  I also mentioned it might make sense to take on MIAA teams with Dubuques history of recruits from that state in addition to that conference losing Wisc Lutheran some of those schools might have open dates to fill.  That and Dubuque has a trustee with strong Ohio ties and the OAC is a traditionally strong conference.  Made sense to me but I have nothing to go on other than hunches.  I would be happy if Dubuque was able to schedule any of the teams you mentioned as well.  

Central hasn't exactly been playing playoff caliber teams in St. Thomas and Hope the last 2 seasons and it's gotten them into the playoffs both years!!!  Maybe Dubuque is trying to follow the Dutch way

[Purple Heys]

Kind of shocked and disappointed that Gus didn't get an Aztec nod...

[BeaverOfYore]

Congrats to Pierce of BV on the Aztec Bowl honor.  Well deserved and had a very successful career at BV.

I'm surprised he hasn't been on here posing as an anonymous BV fan so he could congratulate himself like he did when we were talking about possible all-conference picks.  Such a humble guy, Cody Pierce.

[The Show]

Good luck to the Dutch this weekend.

I know a lot of time has passed since Bethel traveled to BV week 1 and obviously they've improved, but I still couldn't get over the fact that they had the ball inside the 40 on 6 possessions in the 1st half and came away with 0 points.

Sounds like the weather could be a little chilly on Sat.

[Purple Heys]

Back the Border War and the NC scheduling.

I remember Florida State in the anyone, anywhere, anytime years before their ACC affiliation.

This boosted them into national prominance and given that one loss at the D-1 Level can cost MILLIONS they have every reason to schedule NC cupcakes.

In both the IIAC and MIAC...IN MOST YEARS...3 maybe 4 team tops have a realistic chance to compete for the title and 1 wrong loss pushes you out of the AQ.  The IIAC suffers from a general lack of respect that the MIAC presently enjoys.

That being said...under present conditions, we get only 1 IIAC team in.  So what does it matter if we upped that ante?  This year, our best chance yet and Wartburg scheduled and bungled their NC cupcake game to Augsburg.

Our better teams should be striving to win the conference and the AQ not trying to rig their NC schedules so as to avoid playing good competition and hoping that squeezes them into the playoffs.  How's that been working out lately?

This is why UW-W and Linfield have to schedule D2 and NAIA schools because some of the better D3's such as the Wartburgs, Coes, and Occidentals won't take a crack at them from a regional standpoint.

On the other hand what happens when our upper teams win a game like that?  They immediately gain prestige and a quality win that could boost them in despite 1 wrong conference loss and no AQ.

Yes, it's a lot to ask for team to play up...You don't get a cupcake game to roll out the 2nd and 3rd stringers.

Hey it's easy from my perspective we bascially schedule up our entire year and we ain't got no playoffs to deal with...I get that.

Perhaps the Dutch playoff run will open some eyes...My feeling is it won't.

But D3 football isn't just about playoffs for 1 or 2 teams.  A Border War Schedule is a newsworthy item that draws attention to both entire conferences involved.  Some real buzz for the entire conference not just the Wartburg-Central game.

Just a thought...