FB: American Rivers Conference

[TrainsEqualCrowdNoise]

Yes, fortunately I have never, and I mean never been around a bad football team, so if we ever lost and when we do lose, the postgames are plenty negative. I can see how if you are building a team though how you would have to stay positive in the postgame.

It was amazing how Coach Hefty could stay so positive during some of that.

Marijuana can be a beautiful thing.

I think that is a coach's mindset.  If a coach dwells on the negative they would crack up.  I think the coach has to look at the negative and correct it but stress the positive things that the team did.  I don't think Coach Walston really means this.  A coach like McCarney and Hefty have to stay positive. 

Coach McCarney speak.  We lost the game 44-7...but we won the 4th quarter 7-3...so we can build on that for next week!!!

Just have to find that balance from being overly negative and overly positive/optimistic.  If you can't be honest with yourself about the mistakes you made, how are you ever supposed to know what to improve on to win ball games?

[doolittledog]

doolittledog ...

My copy of The Iowa Conference Story arrived in today's mail.  Looks like it will be interesting ... and fun ... reading.

GO SPARTANS!

If only we could get somebody to write about the next 40 years of the conference!!!  Sounds like du-sz from this board might try to work something up as a part of a school assignment.

You will find a lot of interesting little tidbits in that book.  I think Moco Mercer was still at UD while you were there.  Plenty of stories about him.  Basketball stories were interesting to me.  The IIAC was the 2nd conference in the nation to get rid of the center jump after every basket.  And the IIAC was the first conference to propose a 5 second rule.  It also mentioned that then, as now, there was a home court advantage.  Before most schools had scoreboards in their gyms the ref would announce the score after every basket.  A former Iowa Teachers coach told the story of a referee during a game at Simpson announced the score as "Iowa Teachers have 20...WE have 25"!!!  It nearly started a riot on the Iowa Teachers bench  

[DutchFan2004]

Yes, fortunately I have never, and I mean never been around a bad football team, so if we ever lost and when we do lose, the postgames are plenty negative. I can see how if you are building a team though how you would have to stay positive in the postgame.

It was amazing how Coach Hefty could stay so positive during some of that.

Marijuana can be a beautiful thing.

I think that is a coach's mindset.  If a coach dwells on the negative they would crack up.  I think the coach has to look at the negative and correct it but stress the positive things that the team did.  I don't think Coach Walston really means this.  A coach like McCarney and Hefty have to stay positive. 

Coach McCarney speak.  We lost the game 44-7...but we won the 4th quarter 7-3...so we can build on that for next week!!!

Even when the teams you played were better than you?  I can think of times when the team that a team just is plain better than you.  The UWW game in 05 comes to mind.  The Warhawks clearly beat us.  If there had been a few plays that went the other way the score and outcome could have been different but they were clearly the better team.  I don't think you go into the press conference and unload on your guys and be negative in a game like that.

[Walston Hoover]

I have never, and will never unload on my players in public.
Publically, it is my fault for things that go wrong. In the film room and lockerroom however is a different story.
I am the first to admit when a team is better than us, but if they are, then there are things we need to work on so that it doesn't happen again. As most of you have probably gathered from my ramblings here, I am not one to sugarcoat anything.

Yes, fortunately I have never, and I mean never been around a bad football team, so if we ever lost and when we do lose, the postgames are plenty negative. I can see how if you are building a team though how you would have to stay positive in the postgame.

It was amazing how Coach Hefty could stay so positive during some of that.

Marijuana can be a beautiful thing.

I think that is a coach's mindset.  If a coach dwells on the negative they would crack up.  I think the coach has to look at the negative and correct it but stress the positive things that the team did.  I don't think Coach Walston really means this.  A coach like McCarney and Hefty have to stay positive. 

Coach McCarney speak.  We lost the game 44-7...but we won the 4th quarter 7-3...so we can build on that for next week!!!

Even when the teams you played were better than you?  I can think of times when the team that a team just is plain better than you.  The UWW game in 05 comes to mind.  The Warhawks clearly beat us.  If there had been a few plays that went the other way the score and outcome could have been different but they were clearly the better team.  I don't think you go into the press conference and unload on your guys and be negative in a game like that.

[doolittledog]

How about if you were working radio for Wartburg or actually any IIAC team???  Would you try to accentuate the positives??? Noting that your listeners are fans and might be turned off by negative commentary, and therefore might not tune in next week if they think there is no chance of their team winning.  Or do you tell it like it is and tell listeners it could be a long season???

It's one thing to be a nuetral ESPN commentator, it's another thing to be a team broadcaster.  I wondered if there are different rules for each situation. 

[Thunderbolt]

How about if you were working radio for Wartburg or actually any IIAC team???  Would you try to accentuate the positives??? Noting that your listeners are fans and might be turned off by negative commentary, and therefore might not tune in next week if they think there is no chance of their team winning.  Or do you tell it like it is and tell listeners it could be a long season???

It's one thing to be a nuetral ESPN commentator, it's another thing to be a team broadcaster.  I wondered if there are different rules for each situation. 

Doolittle, go to the Luther website- click on audio webcast schedule, then archives(on the left) then Luther Sports. Scroll down until you come to the Central game on Oct. 7/ 06.
The announcers start the broadcast with a clip of the previous game with Dubuque and a recap. I'm not sure there are rules for this situation, but you will love it. I still play it every once in awhile when I need a laugh. Some of you other broadcast majors might get a kick out of it as well.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

It was amazing how Coach Hefty could stay so positive during some of that.

Marijuana can be a beautiful thing.

Coach McCarney speak.  We lost the game 44-7...but we won the 4th quarter 7-3...so we can build on that for next week!!!

It is hard to describe, but Coach Hefty was just more positive in general about everything than he was a spinner.  I never really heard much of the "we led the nation in 3rd quarter field goals" or "this program was so bad before I took over that you all should be making a statue of me for outside the stadium."

I also don't remember much spinning about that 2004 St. Olaf loss (or the other three losses to the Oles).  I don't always know what was said to the team in every situation, but it sounded like Paul tended to be a guy that after a game would talk about improving and playing the season rather than letting the team get too down after a loss.  Like most coaches, he also was better or more positive with the media after a game than he might have been in the locker room at halftime or looking at film the next week.

Paul could be hard on players just like any coach.  Just ask some of the guys that were on the team last year about how a certain QB was treated at times. 

Former Norseman Kent Finanger (all-American in both football and basketball) was a very good coach at Luther (basketball, cross country, assistant football in the 1960s, assistant baseball, etc.) and was a VERY positive leader and person.  There is no one style to being a good coach other than knowledge, hard work, communication skills, and being yourself.

[doolittledog]

How about if you were working radio for Wartburg or actually any IIAC team???  Would you try to accentuate the positives??? Noting that your listeners are fans and might be turned off by negative commentary, and therefore might not tune in next week if they think there is no chance of their team winning.  Or do you tell it like it is and tell listeners it could be a long season???

It's one thing to be a nuetral ESPN commentator, it's another thing to be a team broadcaster.  I wondered if there are different rules for each situation. 

Doolittle, go to the Luther website- click on audio webcast schedule, then archives(on the left) then Luther Sports. Scroll down until you come to the Central game on Oct. 7/ 06.
The announcers start the broadcast with a clip of the previous game with Dubuque and a recap. I'm not sure there are rules for this situation, but you will love it. I still play it every once in awhile when I need a laugh. Some of you other broadcast majors might get a kick out of it as well.

I had listened to the Dubuque game from that year, but hadn't listened to the Central game.  It is always nice for me to hear positive Dubuque clips!!!  Again, I think Luther does a great job with their broadcasts. 

I also liked the Luther scouting report.  Connell had good feet and an "adequate" arm!!!  DF2K4 might get a kick out of that!!!

And listening to that bit of the game makes me REALLY ready for football!!!  My wife was trying to buy Dubuque gear on the website today but their bookstore site has been down for quite awhile 

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Connell was TOUGH.  That toughness is what the Luther broadcast team must have seen as he was getting nailed by Norse defenders as he was getting rid of the ball and completing passes.  Norse coverage wasn't always the best that game as it was quite the track meet at times (44-36 loss), but he took lots of hits from the Norse front.

Connell played very well, but the Dutch Special Teams also were huge in that game.

[oldNorse]

In my three years on the board it seems to me that we usually act as CHEERLEADERS for our respective schools. I am here to suggest that during this IIAC season we support but also CRITIQUE our various teams.  I have recently offerred critiqued my school's team (Luther) and have had some great dialogue with others....both Norse and supporters of other teams. 

IMHO it would make the postings much more interesting if we would analyze the strengths and weaknesses ....the pros and cons....of the teams we observe and support/oppose.

The off-season can be given to children, restaurants or whatever.  I'm all for that too.
BUT LETS PLAY FOOTBALL !!

[Wartburg Fan]

How about if you were working radio for Wartburg or actually any IIAC team???  Would you try to accentuate the positives??? Noting that your listeners are fans and might be turned off by negative commentary, and therefore might not tune in next week if they think there is no chance of their team winning.  Or do you tell it like it is and tell listeners it could be a long season???

It's one thing to be a nuetral ESPN commentator, it's another thing to be a team broadcaster.  I wondered if there are different rules for each situation. 

I will reply to this later. I listen to WH on the radio for a couple of year, I just have to think how to phase what I want to say. It terrible getting old and can't think As fast anymore.

[Wartburg Fan]

How about if you were working radio for Wartburg or actually any IIAC team???  Would you try to accentuate the positives??? Noting that your listeners are fans and might be turned off by negative commentary, and therefore might not tune in next week if they think there is no chance of their team winning.  Or do you tell it like it is and tell listeners it could be a long season???

It's one thing to be a nuetral ESPN commentator, it's another thing to be a team broadcaster.  I wondered if there are different rules for each situation. 

I will reply to this later. I listen to WH on the radio for a couple of year, I just have to think how to phase what I want to say. It terrible getting old and can't think As fast anymore.

  I believe WH stayed positive, but was also honest on how he felt the team needed to improve or how they were playing that day.  Even through sometimes I didn't agree with him ,I always tuned in the next week to listen to him and his partner on the radio. ( this isn't exactly how I wanted to write this but I'm a dumb cop and not very good with words). I believe the home guy can be honest. example if you ever listen to Pete Taylor    for ISU you always knew how they were playing before you knew the score. I believe he was always straight foward good or bad.

[footballdaddy]

AEN,

Have you got the official opinion on the Knights scrimmage on Saturday?

[DutchFan2004]

Remember people if you are going to do the pickems this year we have some tie breaking questions.  Please get to the pickem boards and get the questions answered. 

[DBQ1965]

Off topic, but I just got done watching a show on HBO called "Generation Kill". Excellent, excellent show detailing the first month of the war in Iraq through the eyes of some reconnaissance Marines. Its pretty much a "Band of Brothers" for the modern war. I haven't seen the type of combat these guys did (yet) but a lot of the conversations and interactions are dead on accurate.

Airborne Dutch ...  I had dinner with our son tonight and he said the same thing about "Generation Kill."  He was a Stryker driver with the 14th Cav, 172 Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Anbar Province, and for a while his group was attached to the Marines out on the Iraq-Syria border.   He agrees that the series is an accurate portrayal and worth watching.

GO SPARTANS!