FB: American Rivers Conference

[DutchFan2004]

Yes,  I am an old dog, and because of that I enjoy reading the muscle flexing of the guys who talk about playing in the late 90's annd 2000's.  Football has become "basketball on grass" and not the hard headed game it once once.  I remember when Loras had leather helmets and were the terror of the Iowa Conference playing one game on Saturday and another on Sunday with their JV team.  Please don't tell me how powerful Central and The Warts are.

I enjoy the evolution of the game that has occurred as I watch it from my age.  But please don''t tell me  the football game is better.  It is just different with a different language to describe the x's and o's.  It still has to do with blocking and tackling.  Currently Central and the Warts are the best at that but "the worm will turn" and we will see Luther and Loras and others become the IIAC leaders.

I look forward to the evolution of the IIAC in 2008.

I am not an old dog, I am actually quite a young dog who isnt to many years removed from the game. 

I to am looking forward to the evolution to the IIAC as well.  My uncle played at the evil empire back in the late 60's.  So I have been familiar with IIAC since I was a young lad, it always seemed like Central and Wartburg were in a dog fight at the top. 

I hope I do not offend the Knights or the Dutch, but I do hope to see a BV, UD, Loras, or Luther win a conference title in the next 5 years.  The Beavers had in their hands a few years ago and did not close the deal.  I thought that Luther had a powerful team for the 2005 season, and that did not pan out.  Loras has had some strong ball clubs in the recent history.  UD has had a couple nice seasons. 

I think the Warts and Dutch would agree that if the bottom of the conference gets stronger its pushes the bar higher, which in turn pushes the IIAC to another level.  Be it any team, I hope to see an IIAC team bring home the grand prize in the next 10 years.  Id say next year, but I do not know if we have a national championship type team in our conference.  The good thing is, anything can happen on any given Saturday afternoon. 

If a team earns the victories they deserve the crown whoever they are.  Having some other team win other than Simpson, Coe, Luther, Central, UD, or Wartburg matters not.  I do not take offense at another team winning.  If they can work hard or harder than the others to win more power to them.  If the conference gets stronger that is a good thing.  I would like to see it get to be as well respected at the WIAC or OAC.  If that means Cornell, Loras, or BV wins the conference great.  If they get on a winning streak that means the rest of the conference has to get better.  Like Walston said though I don't want to see the top of the conference coming down in play so that the bottom is up to them.  I want the bottom of the conference to get better so they are able to beat any one in the country. 

[Klopenhiemer]

I did not meant to make my statements sound like I was hoping that the top half of the conference would lower their standards in order for the bottom half of the conference to show better. 

That would be the last thing that I want.  All that would due is to lower the competition level of the conference, and also not allow the conference to further pogress on a national level. 

BV winning 9 games and taking the conference crown next season, only to be beat 55-3 in the opening round of the playoffs is no prize.  As an IIAC fan in general, I see the IIAC crown as the first step in a much larger goal. 

[Thunderbolt]

Yes,  I am an old dog, and because of that I enjoy reading the muscle flexing of the guys who talk about playing in the late 90's annd 2000's.  Football has become "basketball on grass" and not the hard headed game it once once.  I remember when Loras had leather helmets and were the terror of the Iowa Conference playing one game on Saturday and another on Sunday with their JV team.  Please don't tell me how powerful Central and The Warts are.

I enjoy the evolution of the game that has occurred as I watch it from my age.  But please don''t tell me  the football game is better.  It is just different with a different language to describe the x's and o's.  It still has to do with blocking and tackling.  Currently Central and the Warts are the best at that but "the worm will turn" and we will see Luther and Loras and others become the IIAC leaders.

I look forward to the evolution of the IIAC in 2008.

I would tend to agree that the game has not evolved for the better sometimes.  The one thing you have to admit Old Norse is that players are bigger, faster, and stronger than the average player from your day.  Heck they are bigger, faster, and stronger from my day 30 years ago.  Heck if you are from the leather helmet days they were only starting to use the forward pass.  It may be a different game than when you and Nile Kinnick played I am guessing that is about the time you are talking but the game has changed.  To say that they are better now I agree is a stretch.  The game is more wide open.  The fact remains though Luther has not won an IIAC crown since 78 Ushared with UD, Central, and BV) and looking at the IIAC web site Loras has never won an IIAC crown.  Since 78 BV and Luther 1, UD has 3 crowns, Coe 3, Simpson has 4, Wartburg 7, Central 19.  You may be right that Luther comes around never say never.  I don't see it happening for a while.

The Central football teams, of late, have earned bragging rights for their fans. I can respect the history and tradition, of their program. For most 18-22 year old players in this conference, tradition equals, what happened last year. (Maybe last week).
In the case of Central vs. Luther the past four years.  Central has won three of four, with two going to overtime. The combined average score in those games was, Central 31.7- Luther 28.5 with Luther averaging 427 yards of offense per game. Not exactly the dominating results one would expect from reading this board. There is to much parity in this League to use past success to predict future results. "The worm may not have that far to turn".

[New Storm]

Yes,  I am an old dog, and because of that I enjoy reading the muscle flexing of the guys who talk about playing in the late 90's annd 2000's.  Football has become "basketball on grass" and not the hard headed game it once once.  I remember when Loras had leather helmets and were the terror of the Iowa Conference playing one game on Saturday and another on Sunday with their JV team.  Please don't tell me how powerful Central and The Warts are.

I enjoy the evolution of the game that has occurred as I watch it from my age.  But please don''t tell me  the football game is better.  It is just different with a different language to describe the x's and o's.  It still has to do with blocking and tackling.  Currently Central and the Warts are the best at that but "the worm will turn" and we will see Luther and Loras and others become the IIAC leaders.

I look forward to the evolution of the IIAC in 2008.

I would tend to agree that the game has not evolved for the better sometimes.  The one thing you have to admit Old Norse is that players are bigger, faster, and stronger than the average player from your day.  Heck they are bigger, faster, and stronger from my day 30 years ago.  Heck if you are from the leather helmet days they were only starting to use the forward pass.  It may be a different game than when you and Nile Kinnick played I am guessing that is about the time you are talking but the game has changed.  To say that they are better now I agree is a stretch.  The game is more wide open.  The fact remains though Luther has not won an IIAC crown since 78 Ushared with UD, Central, and BV) and looking at the IIAC web site Loras has never won an IIAC crown.  Since 78 BV and Luther 1, UD has 3 crowns, Coe 3, Simpson has 4, Wartburg 7, Central 19.  You may be right that Luther comes around never say never.  I don't see it happening for a while.

The Central football teams, of late, have earned bragging rights for their fans. I can respect the history and tradition, of their program. For most 18-22 year old players in this conference, tradition equals, what happened last year. (Maybe last week).
In the case of Central vs. Luther the past four years.  Central has won three of four, with two going to overtime. The combined average score in those games was, Central 31.7- Luther 28.5 with Luther averaging 427 yards of offense per game. Not exactly the dominating results one would expect from reading this board. There is to much parity in this League to use past success to predict future results. "The worm may not have that far to turn".

I agree Simpson lost a close game to Central late last year lost to Luther in double overtime and beat Loras in double overtime lost to Bethel then came back and beat BV who had beaten Bethel . The league is very balanced and anyone can step up on any week end

[oldNorse]

Thanks guys for your responses.  I think we have the best message board that I view....certainly better than the MIAC.  We talk about the game of football and defend our various schools without slandering the other schools. 

Being an old dog, I remember playing against Doc Dorman and Upper Iowa for Edsel Schweizwer's Norse.  Doc was a great coach playing a Notre Dame "box" offense.  What changed the game in the IIAC was Ron Schipper coming with his great defense.  Edsel, Moco, etc. couldn't find a way to deal with Central and they have held sway ever since....to their great credit.  Lately, the Warts have ground out a great offense. 

The game will evolve......now we have a more wide open offense and Dubuque has come to the fore.  It is so much fun to see it all.  Who will be next? 

I encourage you to cheer for your team without demeaning the others.  Go IIAC !!  After all...it is only a game.

[doolittledog]

Thanks guys for your responses.  I think we have the best message board that I view....certainly better than the MIAC.  We talk about the game of football and defend our various schools without slandering the other schools. 

Being an old dog, I remember playing against Doc Dorman and Upper Iowa for Edsel Schweizwer's Norse.  Doc was a great coach playing a Notre Dame "box" offense.  What changed the game in the IIAC was Ron Schipper coming with his great defense.  Edsel, Moco, etc. couldn't find a way to deal with Central and they have held sway ever since....to their great credit.  Lately, the Warts have ground out a great offense. 

The game will evolve......now we have a more wide open offense and Dubuque has come to the fore.  It is so much fun to see it all.  Who will be next? 

I encourage you to cheer for your team without demeaning the others.  Go IIAC !!  After all...it is only a game.

Great post oldNorse!!!  That made my day.  I am looking forward now to what I will be able to watch coming out of the IIAC over the next 40 years or so!!!  Seeing how the game has changed so much over the last 40-60 years it will be interesting to see how the game evolves from here!!!

[footballdaddy]

Thanks guys for your responses.  I think we have the best message board that I view....certainly better than the MIAC.  We talk about the game of football and defend our various schools without slandering the other schools. 

Being an old dog, I remember playing against Doc Dorman and Upper Iowa for Edsel Schweizwer's Norse.  Doc was a great coach playing a Notre Dame "box" offense.  What changed the game in the IIAC was Ron Schipper coming with his great defense.  Edsel, Moco, etc. couldn't find a way to deal with Central and they have held sway ever since....to their great credit.  Lately, the Warts have ground out a great offense. 

The game will evolve......now we have a more wide open offense and Dubuque has come to the fore.  It is so much fun to see it all.  Who will be next? 

I encourage you to cheer for your team without demeaning the others.  Go IIAC !!  After all...it is only a game.

I agree with everything you say except for one thing: For everyone who posts here, wether player, coach, or parent; it's more than just a game, it's a major part of our lives. The passion each one of those who posts here is evedent every day.

[davedevine]

oldnorse,

since you mentioned wearing leather helmets back in the day, you're probably the only one old enough on this board to maybe have heard of Aubrey and Glenn Devine? 

history lesson:   One of Iowa's first black f-ball players(Duke Slater) a very good lineman  according to Grandpa Devine and Jim Zabel  didn't wear a helmet when he played.   

Now that's one tough SOB

[ramfan27]

Everyone else had to defend him once a year....I had to do it every day in practice.  Definitely helped come game time though.

Wasnt he a stud in other sports as well.  Basketball or baseball?

He was all conference in basketball and track as well.

[Klompen]

So true, the Norse have given us fits lately, as have a number of teams.  Posters have always said that any team can win on any given day and we all hope that the team that isn't expected to win doesn't decide that the day they are playing our team, whichever team that is, is the day to do it.  To be honest, Central struggled with pretty much everyone last year, with the exception of St. Johns.  (Just had to get that rarely true end part in there!) 

At the same time, looking through my red blinders, I have to also believe that every team really brought their A-game to us.  (Again, with the exception of St. Johns, who clearly did not bring their A-game while we brought our A ++++ game.)  It isn't easy to win every week of the season when almost every team is playing their A game against you.  BV has the same thing in men's basketball, where they have for many years been the team to beat. 

So among the questions about how much Central really lost this year, whether they can reload quickly enough to get past an early Wartburg match up, etc. would have to be a question about whether the other teams played Central so close because they have all stepped up their game every week, or just that week, or was it that Central found a way to win in spite of a lot of key injuries throughout much of the year.  i.e. Vance Schuring, Dustin Baethke, etc.  I'm not trying to take anything away from any of the teams, you bring it to us, you deserve your shot at winning and most of you had a fair shot at winning last year.  Doolittle?  Doolittle?  Your Spartans gave us all we could handle.  As a long time Central fan, I sometimes miss the years when most teams seemed willing to concede a loss and played not to get clobbered, which only made things worse.  But there is nothing more exciting than winning a close one week in and week out.  I'm actually started to exercise again so my heart can get through next season.   

[sportsknight]

Wartburg's #5s when I was in school:  Garrett Rettig, Andy Parker, and Dan Bauder

5 - Wartburg record for most sacks in one game, set by Matt Stoffel against Cornell in 2003.

[Walston Hoover]

Alright-back to the numbers game.
4- Cody Kelley- Should have been IIAC MVP of 2003
4- prior to Cody Kelley, my good friend, roommate, and now coworker Todd Thomas. 4 is also the number of career completions he had at Wartburg.

4-From 2000-2002, the number of teams we lost to.
Central, Coe, Cornell, Linfield

4- years it usually takes students who go to an IIAC school NOT named Sportsknight to graduate.

4 (point O) The GPA that I did not have nor ever was close to in college.

[TheOne89.1]

4- years it usually takes students who go to an IIAC school NOT named Sportsknight to graduate.

I was not going to go there...but I am glad someone did!

Not football numbers, but after the game on Saturday it's gotta be mentioned...

4 - number of years in a row WSU guard Jonte Flowers was named NSIC Defensive player of the year

4 - # worn by Quincy Henderson who played all 40 mins of Saturday's D2 National Championship helping the Warriors to a 87-67 victory

Just had to get those in there...I'll look around for some Football/IIAC/Wartburg numbers later today at work.

[doolittledog]

4 - The number of IIAC schools to win a conference championship in football since Dubuque last did it in 1980...Central 18 times, Wartburg 7 times, Simpson 4 times and Coe 3 times!!!

4 - the number of IIAC football titles in BV's history...1952, 1972, 1973, 1978

4 - the number of schools that won titles in the 1980's...Central with 7, Wartburg with 2, Dubuque with 1, Simpson with 1

4 - the number of teams that tied for the title in 1978...Luther, BV, Central, Dubuque  all went 5-2 in conference play!!!

[ramfan27]

4- The number of times Cornell beat Dubuque from '02-'05 (The only team that we beat all four years)
4- The most wins in a season we had when I played
4 (point 0)- See WH's post