FB: American Rivers Conference

[DutchFan2004]

I'm actually going to agree with a Kohawk.  I'm not sure what to believe in any more.  Maybe bigfoot is real.

Rest easy.  All is not lost.  Bigfoot is real...he wears #12 and plays TE for the Rams.

Well #12 is as big as Bigfoot but I have never seen him without pads so I can not tell if he has the hair.   

[DutchFan2004]

I guess I am not sure if it comes down to a simple matter of playing harder.

The Rams mental outlook is critical at this point.  In the past 2 years, they have at least had non-conference success.  With that blown out the window, given the past several years, this team is staring the prospect of a 0-fer season...with what we all thought could be an improved team.  But all of that does not matter.  They need to stay focused on the game in front of them from here on out.  Their biggest opponent is their own self-doubt.

But it comes down to a matter of perserverance.  With Wartburg upcoming and the obvious difficulties awaiting, the Rams have to fight the battle of themselves and their own personal committment.  They need to break it down to 1 guy, 1 job.  You do your job and the guy next to you does his and we'll take the result win or lose.  This isn't offense vs. defense....and these are times when that kind of anti-team crap begins.

The coaches have duty to make sure this doesn't happen...but the players have the responsibility to do it.  Get back to work, keep chopping wood, or whatever cliche' floats your boat, but don't frickin' give up.  Giving up is what true losers do.

I, for one, don't believe they are losers.

I agree with you.  This is D3.  Any kid that plays football and gets his degree is a winner.  There is more to life than football.  (did I just really say that, don't let #4 son know I said this)  The kids that earn their degree and play football are winners regardless of the record on the field.  College is not easy and to throw football with all of the conditioning on top and studying film that goes into it and still get a degree the kid has to be a winner IMHO.

[Fannosaurus Rex]

I just now figured out what was the best thing about watching the web cast of the Central football game.  I sat here and watched at least two hours of football, not to even mention I listened to Pat's interview and watched the Central Dance Team's half-time performance...and there wasn't one commercial!!!!!!!  It isn't the way I am used to watching football games so I almost wet my pants a couple of times waiting for the commercial break.

[the_mayne_event]

I think the Kohawks are ready.  Those two tough non-conference games were great tune-ups for the IIAC season.  They should be very confident that they can beat anyone in the conference.  

Cornell will win a confernence game this year. 

no they wont

[the_mayne_event]

maybe ShowMe will shut up now.

[doolittledog]

Man, spend the last 21 hours throwing up with flu/food poisoning and you miss a lot  

I think what might turn into the biggest problem with Dubuque is the lack of an O-line.  They graduated 3 long time starters after last season.  The Spartans have a good RB but he won't go anywhere without some holes getting opened up for him.  The last 2 games he hasn't had anywhere to go.  If opposing teams know the run is shut down they can spend more time defending the passing game.  Brennan Rellaford, is 6'5 and a good receiver has been out all season with a high ankle sprain.  Adam Burken is a 6'5 TE with a lot of talent.  The other receivers, while talented have spent their careers as backups and probably aren't quite to the level Dubuque has had recently. 

While watching the Luther webcast they initially thought that contravertial touchdown was called correctly.  They thought he broke the plain before dropping it.  Then back tracked a bit the more they thought about it.  Either way, it didn't change the outcome of the game. 

[Charlie Kohawk]

maybe ShowMe will shut up now.

no he won't

[dutchfan1]

I don't want to get people started making fun of Central for not being a party school again, but I've never been to a dumpster party.  What is it?

It does not surprise me that people from Central have never made it to a dumpster party!

A dumpster party is when the bar closes at 2:00 AM, you buy a case of beer, and sit out behind the bar next to the dumpster. The party goes till the case is gone.  Sometime after 3:30 AM.

See, when you played in the MWC you could party hardcore and still win.

Go Kohawks!!!

Classy.

An hour and a half to finish a case? I don't think it ever took us that long at Central -- even after the bar closed. Just sayin'. 

[footballdaddy]

I think Willis was out coached yesterday. 

Willis had 15 returning starters from a team that only had one conference loss, that being by a last second field goal by the team that went 3 games into the playoffs.  Central had 6 returning starters, one of whom has a blown out knee.  The QB spot was up for grabs and it looked like Snead might have been on the way to winning it when he was injured.  Central was only playing their second game of the season and the first game was two weeks ago against a team that is not going to have a successful season. 

The first half, Central had some scoring opportunities that we could not convert on.  Not unusual for so many new players in their second game of the season.  The third quarter we went down 16-3.  Willis, with his more experienced team, playing their third game of the season, should have been able to put us away at that point.  But Central showed that they have the same spirit as last year, never give up, never stop believing.  The coaching adjustments were put in place and we came back to take the lead.  We gave WB a gift when we intercepted a pass on 4th down instead of just knocking it down, since we would have gotten the ball further upfield.  WB's FG barely wobbled over the posts, had that been another 10-15 yards out, Central wins.  Even when WB went ahead with 41 seconds left, Central made a valient effort, assisted by WB finally getting called for the interference penalties.

In my eyes, Coach Mac was again the better coach.  Coach Willis just had the more experienced players and they managed to get it done.  Barely.

Once again, I think you're either expecting too much of Wartburg or not giving your Dutch enough credit.  Both of these programs have enough success and tradition on their side that they can bring in the quality of player, year in and year out, that can step in and perform in just about any situation.  Too say that Wartburg should have won by more because they have more returners from last year is a little much.  Guess I missed it last fall when you said that McMartin got outcoached for only beating Wartburg by a couple points, even though Central had so many guys back from back-to-back championship teams and Wartburg was starting a sophomore QB.

I don't mean to sound like I don't want to hear any discussion of games from week to week, but all this "Wartburg should have won by more" and "Willis got outcoached" talk really takes away from a very well played game by both teams.  Both teams definitely have some things to work on, as one would expect in just the 3rd week of the season, but a game that features only 3 turnovers and just 10 penalties between the two teams counts as very well-played in my book.  Wartburg now knows the importance of getting an early lead and not panicing of that lead is erased.  Central, as a young team, now knows that they have what it takes to come back from an early deficit if need be.  Lots of good to be take away from this contest for both teams.

Your point is a great point.  Why would you expect any thing else than a close game.  2004 a 4 point Knight win, 2005 a 17 point Dutch win, 2006 a 6 point OT win by the Dutch, 2007 a 3 point last minute win but the Dutch, and 2008 a 2 point last minute win by the Knights recent game said it would be close and I thought that it would as well.  To think that Willis didn't do better cause the Knights went to the wire to win is not realistic IMHO.  The kids that were on both sides of the field were equally talented.  It was a good win for the Knights and good lesson for the Dutch.  You can learn many things from a loss.  The Dutch learned that they can come back from two scores down.  They had chances to win just came up short.  Just have to hope now that the Dutch will learn from this improve every week.  Search themselves inside and grow from this. 

A great effort by both teams. I don't think there could be a tougher place to play than Pella on Homecoming. The weather wasn't a factor allowing each team to play to it's fullest. Both teams showed a huge amout of guts coming back from deficits. I hope we both win out and make the playoffs. The next step is Saturday.

[dutchfan1]

I think Willis was out coached yesterday. 

Willis had 15 returning starters from a team that only had one conference loss, that being by a last second field goal by the team that went 3 games into the playoffs.  Central had 6 returning starters, one of whom has a blown out knee.  The QB spot was up for grabs and it looked like Snead might have been on the way to winning it when he was injured.  Central was only playing their second game of the season and the first game was two weeks ago against a team that is not going to have a successful season. 

The first half, Central had some scoring opportunities that we could not convert on.  Not unusual for so many new players in their second game of the season.  The third quarter we went down 16-3.  Willis, with his more experienced team, playing their third game of the season, should have been able to put us away at that point.  But Central showed that they have the same spirit as last year, never give up, never stop believing.  The coaching adjustments were put in place and we came back to take the lead.  We gave WB a gift when we intercepted a pass on 4th down instead of just knocking it down, since we would have gotten the ball further upfield.  WB's FG barely wobbled over the posts, had that been another 10-15 yards out, Central wins.  Even when WB went ahead with 41 seconds left, Central made a valient effort, assisted by WB finally getting called for the interference penalties.

In my eyes, Coach Mac was again the better coach.  Coach Willis just had the more experienced players and they managed to get it done.  Barely.

Once again, I think you're either expecting too much of Wartburg or not giving your Dutch enough credit.  Both of these programs have enough success and tradition on their side that they can bring in the quality of player, year in and year out, that can step in and perform in just about any situation.  Too say that Wartburg should have won by more because they have more returners from last year is a little much.  Guess I missed it last fall when you said that McMartin got outcoached for only beating Wartburg by a couple points, even though Central had so many guys back from back-to-back championship teams and Wartburg was starting a sophomore QB.

I don't mean to sound like I don't want to hear any discussion of games from week to week, but all this "Wartburg should have won by more" and "Willis got outcoached" talk really takes away from a very well played game by both teams.  Both teams definitely have some things to work on, as one would expect in just the 3rd week of the season, but a game that features only 3 turnovers and just 10 penalties between the two teams counts as very well-played in my book.  Wartburg now knows the importance of getting an early lead and not panicing of that lead is erased.  Central, as a young team, now knows that they have what it takes to come back from an early deficit if need be.  Lots of good to be take away from this contest for both teams.

I agree -- both teams are were well coached, and the game was well played. To question a late-game judgement call (that ultimately contributed to the win) is funny. The Knights did what they needed to do to win the game at that point. They got it done.

SK said it best when he said there were a lot of good take aways from that game for both teams. Remember, it's early -- very early -- and there are plenty of games to make adjustments and learn from those mistakes and fine tune the judgement.

[Charlie Kohawk]

An hour and a half to finish a case? I don't think it ever took us that long at Central -- even after the bar closed. Just sayin'. 

Emphasis added. Just sayin'.

[sportsknight]

An hour and a half to finish a case? I don't think it ever took us that long at Central -- even after the bar closed. Just sayin'. 

Emphasis added. Just sayin'.

Not taking sides here, but how many places you went to before cracking the case has very little to do with how long it takes to polish it off.

[warthog]

I guess, based on Klompen's observation, the best Wartburg/Central coach has actually been Koehler.  He lost by 3 to Central in 2007 and by 6 in overtime in 2006.  Both years his team played it close against an experienced undefeated conference champion team.  

Then again maybe every coach who stayed within 7 points of the Dutch over the past three seasons is a better coach than Mac.  For some guy who has put together three great seasons, he must not be much of a coach since some of the other coaches have occasionally lost by less than a touchdown over the past three seasons.

(Please note the above comments were made with my tongue firmly pressing against my cheek.)

[Charlie Kohawk]

An hour and a half to finish a case? I don't think it ever took us that long at Central -- even after the bar closed. Just sayin'. 

Emphasis added. Just sayin'.

Not taking sides here, but how many places you went to before cracking the case has very little to do with how long it takes to polish it off.

It's all about choices and options, or lack thereof.

[dutchfan1]

An hour and a half to finish a case? I don't think it ever took us that long at Central -- even after the bar closed. Just sayin'. 

Emphasis added. Just sayin'.

Not taking sides here, but how many places you went to before cracking the case has very little to do with how long it takes to polish it off.

It's all about choices and options, or lack thereof.

I can't speak for the options in Pella now, but when I was on campus there were at least 6 bars in town frequented by Central students. From what I remember, finding an establishment selling restorative beverages was not a problem. We all had favorite bar stools somewhere. 

Don't get me wrong, though -- if you guys are angling for the title of IIAC Drunks, we're more than happy to let you have it.