FB: American Rivers Conference

[DutchFan2004]

DF2K4, a 5-5 Augsburg from the MIAC is as good as an 8-2 Redlands that won their conference and made the playoffs.  And an 8-2 St. Olaf from the MIAC is even stevens with a Lakeland that went 6-4...won their conference but didn't make the playoffs???  Yeah, possibly.

I think Redlands will be favored to win over Dubuque.  That said, it will be the Spartans 2nd game of the season and the 1st of the year for Redlands.  That might help even things out a little bit for Dubuque in my mind.  

Valid pointsabout UD.  That is why I favored Redlands though due to it being at home and the fact that this will be a long trip for the Spartans to adjust to.  I don't have any inside information or anything just a gut feeling about the Spartans.  They played the Dutch very tough at home but were very easy wins at Central.  That is another reason for my favoring Redlands.  


I am not sure that I would call Redlands even with Auggie.  I have never seen either team play.  That being said I would give the nod to the MIAC being a tougher conference to play in than the SCIAC as the MIAC, IIAC, and WIAC fight it out to see who gets two teams into the playoffs.  I am sure it is possible that the SCIAC has had two teams in the playoffs just none that I can recall.  If Wartburg had showed up and played, Auggie would have been 4-6 but it didn't happen.  

[doolittledog]

DF2K4, a 5-5 Augsburg from the MIAC is as good as an 8-2 Redlands that won their conference and made the playoffs.  And an 8-2 St. Olaf from the MIAC is even stevens with a Lakeland that went 6-4...won their conference but didn't make the playoffs???  Yeah, possibly.

I think Redlands will be favored to win over Dubuque.  That said, it will be the Spartans 2nd game of the season and the 1st of the year for Redlands.  That might help even things out a little bit for Dubuque in my mind.  

the road trip probably won't help the Spartans though.

No, definatly won't help.  In my mind you have 2 good teams.  Dubuque lost a lot more from last season than Redlands loses.  Dubuque has the advantage of this being their second game.  I think the saying goes you improve the most from the 1st game to the 2nd game.  Last year it seemed like any team playing after their off week was rusty so I think Dubuque has an advantage from already playing a game.  Redlands gets the advantage of playing at home and Dubuque not only playing on the road, but playing 2,000 miles away!!!  Overall, advantage Redlands.  I think that game will be a huge indicator to how Dubuque does this season.  Lose badly and it could be a long year.  Lose a close game or even get a win...and it could be the start of a big season for the Spartans.  

[DutchFan2004]

I would agree with your points on how it will go for UD by how they play at Redlands.  It could be a springboard game if they win.  You are correct in that if they lose big they will need to play very hard their next game so as they don't slip backwards.

[Ash Park]

DF2K4, a 5-5 Augsburg from the MIAC is as good as an 8-2 Redlands that won their conference and made the playoffs.  And an 8-2 St. Olaf from the MIAC is even stevens with a Lakeland that went 6-4...won their conference but didn't make the playoffs???  Yeah, possibly.

I think Redlands will be favored to win over Dubuque.  That said, it will be the Spartans 2nd game of the season and the 1st of the year for Redlands.  That might help even things out a little bit for Dubuque in my mind.  

the road trip probably won't help the Spartans though.

No, definatly won't help.  In my mind you have 2 good teams.  Dubuque lost a lot more from last season than Redlands loses.  Dubuque has the advantage of this being their second game.  I think the saying goes you improve the most from the 1st game to the 2nd game.  Last year it seemed like any team playing after their off week was rusty so I think Dubuque has an advantage from already playing a game.  Redlands gets the advantage of playing at home and Dubuque not only playing on the road, but playing 2,000 miles away!!!  Overall, advantage Redlands.  I think that game will be a huge indicator to how Dubuque does this season.  Lose badly and it could be a long year.  Lose a close game or even get a win...and it could be the start of a big season for the Spartans.  

I agree with everyones points about this game. Could this be a game that truly tests whether UD has turned that corner as a program? Even if they lose no matter big or small it will say a lot if they come back and win that next game against Luther. If they win they will have great momentum and have a chance to be 4-0 plus an extra week with a bye before heading into Pella Oct. 11th. That will be a date to circle granted that both Central and UD are both undefeated at that point.

[Ash Park]

Just looked at Centrals schedule...didn't realize they play Wartburg right off the bat for the conference opener Sept. 20th. That will be another date to circle.

[Klopenhiemer]

BV just lost a pretty decent SID. 

[Walston Hoover]

Wartburg goes
Norbert
Augsburg
Central

So a conference champ and both of last year's losses in the first 3 games. We'll find out how good the 2 new coordinators are right away.

[Ash Park]

Talked to some other Cornell people today and they think that they should easily go 2-0 for nonconference, but I think Carleton is going to be a tougher game than people think. I would say they are better than a Northwestern, but probably closer to an Alma which makes me nervous because both games with Alma were heartstoppers.

[Ash Park]

Wartburg goes
Norbert
Augsburg
Central

So a conference champ and both of last year's losses in the first 3 games. We'll find out how good the 2 new coordinators are right away.

They have to go on the road for both Augsburg and Central don't they?

[DutchFan2004]

Wartburg goes
Norbert
Augsburg
Central

So a conference champ and both of last year's losses in the first 3 games. We'll find out how good the 2 new coordinators are right away.

That is far from a cupcake schedule for the first three weeks.  Week #3 will go a long ways in deciding the IIAC this year.  I don't think this will happen Walston, but have the Knights ever started 0-3?

[DutchFan2004]

Wartburg goes
Norbert
Augsburg
Central

So two conference champs (fixed it for you) and both of last year's losses in the first 3 games. We'll find out how good the 2 new coordinators are right away.

They have to go on the road for both Augsburg and Central don't they?

[dutchfan1]

Wartburg goes
Norbert
Augsburg
Central

So a conference champ and both of last year's losses in the first 3 games. We'll find out how good the 2 new coordinators are right away.

That is far from a cupcake schedule for the first three weeks.  Week #3 will go a long ways in deciding the IIAC this year.  I don't think this will happen Walston, but have the Knights ever started 0-3?

I imagine that Wartburg will go into September 20 2-0....as long as they don't fall asleep at the wheel again when they face Augsburg. 

[doolittledog]

Just remember, I want scouting reports from both DF2K4 AND Purple Heys after the Dubuque/Redlands game.  It should be interesting to compare and contrast their assessments of the game!!!

I am really looking forward to see how each team in the conference plays out their season.  A lot of interesting story lines going on.  

[Klopenhiemer]

Just remember, I want scouting reports from both DF2K4 AND Purple Heys after the Dubuque/Redlands game.  It should be interesting to compare and contrast their assessments of the game!!!

I am really looking forward to see how each team in the conference plays out their season.  A lot of interesting story lines going on.  

Yes there are some interesting story lines happening.  My favorite so far is the following:

"The hopes and dreams of UD's football season will all ride on the fate of one LaPorte city man's Lucky Lawnmower.  Can this man mow grass in a way that it will lead to more numbers in the win column than the loss column?  Can this man's lawnmower affect the Dutch when they head to Dubuque this season for a rematch of last season's nailbiter?  Last but not least, does this man actually have a lawn mower, or is this just some type of voodoo? "

[doolittledog]

Just remember, I want scouting reports from both DF2K4 AND Purple Heys after the Dubuque/Redlands game.  It should be interesting to compare and contrast their assessments of the game!!!

I am really looking forward to see how each team in the conference plays out their season.  A lot of interesting story lines going on.  

Yes there are some interesting story lines happening.  My favorite so far is the following:

"The hopes and dreams of UD's football season will all ride on the fate of one LaPorte city man's Lucky Lawnmower.  Can this man mow grass in a way that it will lead to more numbers in the win column than the loss column?  Can this man's lawnmower affect the Dutch when they head to Dubuque this season for a rematch of last season's nailbiter?  Last but not least, does this man actually have a lawn mower, or is this just some type of voodoo? "

Good one Klop 

I do in fact have a mower...that in my mind is lucky!!!  Maybe the cut grass produces voodoo...I don't know...it just seems to work.  I am of the opinion at this point that my lucky mower can help lead the Spartans to more numbers in the win column than the loss column.  Unfortunatly, Dubuque heads to Pella this year. where their fortunes are often not quite as good as when the Dutch are in Dubuque.  I may be forced to mow twice that week to help the mojo.  Either way, my father and I are planning on making the trip to Pella.  If Dubuque wins the game, all the better, if the Spartans lose but we leave Pella a little heavier due to Dutch Letter consumption and meet some nice people along the way we will call it an afternoon well spent.  We were hoping to make the BV game in Dubuque but in the effort to get more of my sisters in town for my sons birthday party we have scheduled the party for Sept. 27th.  So the UD/BV game is out   

I am still of the opinion the Sept. 13th game @ Redlands will go a long way towards determining how the Dubuque season goes. 

I also apparently will be going to quite a few Union of La Porte City home games this year.  My dad and uncle recently found out that as senior citizens they get into high school events for free!!!  So they are telling me they are taking me and the little guy out this fall to some games!!!  My football plate appears to be full for this fall...which is good news!!!