FB: American Rivers Conference

[Klompen]

This is going to be a fun run to watch. 

I don't know, it hasn't been much fun from where I'm sitting so far.   

Seriously, you are right, even though I would love to see the Dutch at the top, I have to admit that the conference race will be a fun one to watch this year.  I guess it gets pretty boring seeing the same one or two teams at the top every year, but boring and Pella go together, don't they?   

Of course its not fun and I doubt that you will get much sympathy on this board

I am just hoping that this season ends much better than 2004 did. 

Sympathy is over rated, kind of like Central this year.  (Ouch, this from a Dutch fan???)  I just want to keep my sense of humor.  

Central can't learn how to deal with adversity without facing it.  I think we have faced enough for one year, thank you very much.  It's time to get back on track now.  Learn from the past and then leave it there.  The seniors need to step up and show some leadership.  They have had great mentors and I know they will rise to the challenges ahead.  

I would love to see Central turn things around and somehow finish in first place, but I'm not hanging my hat on it.  I've said it before, if it can't be us, I can support the teams that I fully expected to finish much lower in the conference, as long as you aren't playing us.  It's not like my pick-ems are going to need the tie breaker anyway.  This year every week is interesting, I actually hope BV finishes strong, except against Central.  

[DutchFan2004]

Ok for the IIAC posters this is week 6 it is the half way point of the season.  So since this is college football this is sort of mid term week.  Time to grade out the teams so far. 

In no certain order here goes.

BV-  I think they receive an A so far.  They are perfect in the conference and deserve this.  Their upset of Wartburg is also deserving of this mark. 

Coe- I think they are no more than a C- at this time.  They may fall farther by the end of the season if they don't get some more wins.  The Loras loss hurt them.

Central  I think Central garners no more than a C- as well.  Luther's upset win pulled them down from a C+ as them losing to Wartburg was not a shock to any  of the posters here.  Central's grade could go down if they don't right the ship as well. 

Cornell  At 0-5 I think an F is warranted here.  The consensus that they would not win many IIAC games was proper but we did think they would beat Grinnell.  So until they get a win I think the grade is just.  If they can win a couple of IIAC games they can salvage a C for the year. 

Loras-  At 2-0 in the conference here again is an A for the grade so far.  If the Duhawks can keep it going they can maintain the grade.  If they start to lose and fall apart then they can fall to a C.  I think beating Coe will keep them at this level no matter the out come of the rest of the games. 

Luther-  At 2-1 in the IIAC I would say they are on a B course.  If they can beat Wartburg and make a serious challenge for the crown I would say that they call pull an A.  If they fall apart I think they fall to a C with the win over Central. 

Simpson At the present time I grade Simpson as a C at best.  They had one of the most veteran teams coming back and one of the softest non con schedule if not the softest.  I know that there is a new coach but if Simpson does not start winning I think the grade can fall. 

Dubuque-  Starting the season the way they have you have to give them a D.  They can turn it around with a win against the Dutch this week.  I think they have plenty of upside but they can still slide to a failing grade if they can not start winning. 

Wartburg-  Losing to BV hurt the grade here.  I think C is the best now with the loss to Augsburg.  Running the table out can raise the grade only marginally.  With them being the consensus front runner and having the most veteran team back they have come up short. 


I would say the two coaches that are standouts now for COY at the half way point are the BV coach and Loras coach.  Luther if they can come up with some more W's may play his way into that spot as well. 


let the comments come now.

[doolittledog]

Ok for the IIAC posters this is week 6 it is the half way point of the season.  So since this is college football this is sort of mid term week.  Time to grade out the teams so far. 

In no certain order here goes.

BV-  I think they receive an A so far.  They are perfect in the conference and deserve this.  Their upset of Wartburg is also deserving of this mark. 

Coe- I think they are no more than a C- at this time.  They may fall farther by the end of the season if they don't get some more wins.  The Loras loss hurt them.

Central  I think Central garners no more than a C- as well.  Luther's upset win pulled them down from a C+ as them losing to Wartburg was not a shock to any  of the posters here.  Central's grade could go down if they don't right the ship as well. 

Cornell  At 0-5 I think an F is warranted here.  The consensus that they would not win many IIAC games was proper but we did think they would beat Grinnell.  So until they get a win I think the grade is just.  If they can win a couple of IIAC games they can salvage a C for the year. 

Loras-  At 2-0 in the conference here again is an A for the grade so far.  If the Duhawks can keep it going they can maintain the grade.  If they start to lose and fall apart then they can fall to a C.  I think beating Coe will keep them at this level no matter the out come of the rest of the games. 

Luther-  At 2-1 in the IIAC I would say they are on a B course.  If they can beat Wartburg and make a serious challenge for the crown I would say that they call pull an A.  If they fall apart I think they fall to a C with the win over Central. 

Simpson At the present time I grade Simpson as a C at best.  They had one of the most veteran teams coming back and one of the softest non con schedule if not the softest.  I know that there is a new coach but if Simpson does not start winning I think the grade can fall. 

Wartburg-  Losing to BV hurt the grade here.  I think C is the best now with the loss to Augsburg.  Running the table out can raise the grade only marginally.  With them being the consensus front runner and having the most veteran team back they have come up short. 


I would say the two coaches that are standouts now for COY at the half way point are the BV coach and Loras coach.  Luther if they can come up with some more W's may play his way into that spot as well. 


let the comments come now.

I thought Dubuque was still in the IIAC 

Or are they so bad you didn't want to mention them...or...with the Spartans playing your Dutch this weekend you didn't want to give them any bullitin board material???

[DutchFan2004]

Sorry Dog,


I had my notes here but skipped over them.  I thank you for pointing out my faults.  I don't think the mid term grades are any thing that the coaches have not thought or talked about with their players.  I don't think this is bulletin board stuff.

[DutchFan2004]

I am interested to see other posters takes on the mid term grades that they would give their teams. 

[Klopenhiemer]

Here are my mid term grades.  Short, sweet, and to the point. 

BV:  A
Coe:  B - new coach and touch schedule = rough start
Cornell:  F - enough said
Central: D - last weeks loss to Luther in that fashion droped them down
UD:  D - Jackson was the team not Bellus
Loras:  A - undefeated in conference play
Luther:  B+/A- - big win over the Dutch have them playing well
Simpson: C - thought they would come out the gate better
Wartburg: F - losses to Augsburg and BV set the tone for the season

[doolittledog]

BV - A: They are a bad 4th quarter away from undefeated.  With their small upper class numbers things are looking good for the Beavers. 

Central - D:  Even with losing that big senior class.  Central is supposed to reload...not rebuild. 

Coe - C:  Coaching change and a tough non-con spelled out trouble for them.  Losing to Loras still should not have happened.

Cornell - D:  Losing to Grinnell is a surprise.  Carleton...not so much.  Conference games were supposed to be tough for them. 

Dubuque - D:  Offense has run away and hid after Rockford game.  Gave game away against Luther.  Spartans should have done better than 3 points with 5 trips into the redzone against BV. 

Loras - A:  Close loss to a good Monmouth.  Have won all games since then.  I had thought their cupboard was bare...apparently not!!!

Luther - B:  Coaching change, player defections, opening game loss that looked bad.  Then some good home cooking wins.  If they can start winning games on the road their grade will go up. 

Simpson - C:  Have won games they should have, lost games they should have...about average for them at this point. 

Wartburg - D:  Knights look like an average team so far this year.  Like Central, we have come to expect more of them. 

Maybe there is some Karma going on for all the talk about the Conference Championship game being played in the first week of the season!!!

[DutchFan2004]

BV - A: They are a bad 4th quarter away from undefeated.  With their small upper class numbers things are looking good for the Beavers. 

Central - D:  Even with losing that big senior class.  Central is supposed to reload...not rebuild. 

Coe - C:  Coaching change and a tough non-con spelled out trouble for them.  Losing to Loras still should not have happened.

Cornell - D:  Losing to Grinnell is a surprise.  Carleton...not so much.  Conference games were supposed to be tough for them. 

Dubuque - D:  Offense has run away and hid after Rockford game.  Gave game away against Luther.  Spartans should have done better than 3 points with 5 trips into the redzone against BV. 

Loras - A:  Close loss to a good Monmouth.  Have won all games since then.  I had thought their cupboard was bare...apparently not!!!

Luther - B:  Coaching change, player defections, opening game loss that looked bad.  Then some good home cooking wins.  If they can start winning games on the road their grade will go up. 

Simpson - C:  Have won games they should have, lost games they should have...about average for them at this point. 

Wartburg - D:  Knights look like an average team so far this year.  Like Central, we have come to expect more of them. 

Maybe there is some Karma going on for all the talk about the Conference Championship game being played in the first week of the season!!!

You said a mouthful with your last statement. 

[Thunderbolt]

 I like to use a kinder, gentler grading system.

BV-   
Loras
luther 
Wartburg
Coe
Simpson
Central
Dubuque !!!
Cornell

[TheOne89.1]

Tough weekend for me.  All the teams I cheer for are losing.  Knights, Cubs, Warriors...at least those Bears got a win!  GO IOWAN KYLE ORTON.

Wartburg isn't out of it yet, but it's never good relying on others to decide your fate.  Definitely not the way Willis had wanted the season to go.  Someone had hinted at too much drinking for some Wartburg players.  I'm sure if there is an issue surrounding frequent visits to Joe's by players that the coaching staff will have plenty of spare time after practice set aside for up-downs, for all.

Does a win over the Lions even count?  'Bye' might be tougher!

Hey, if Miami can beat New England then any team in the NFL is a threat.  I'm sure no one expect a Chicago victory over the Colts week 1 either.  And UNI's Kurt Warner leads the Cardinals over Coe's Fred Jackson and the Bills?  The National Football League is looking like the Iowa Conference this year.

[Klompen]

I like to use a kinder, gentler grading system.

BV-   
Loras
luther 
Wartburg
Coe
Simpson
Central
Dubuque !!!
Cornell

I think you got every symbol right, but I would have put Coe and Wartburg on the same line or possibly reversed.  (I'll tell you Saturday night!   )  I say this because the expectations were higher for Wartburg than Coe, plus the Coe/Loras outcome debate.  

Central shocking is right.  I expected that it might be more than a matter of reloading, I thought rebuilding this particular year, as compared to the two prior was more accurate.  A loss to Wartburg wasn't shocking, in fact, I thought we played them well.  But barely winning in Michigan and getting completely handled in the second half at Luther surprised me.  Not that I didn't think Luther could win, they have played us too well for that, but they dominated and that was a shock.  If I had to give Central a score right now, I would give them a C- or D+.  C- if you look at the WB game, D+ if you look at the Luther game, and I can't decide which because the whacky schedule plays into it IMHO.  

Of course, if you sign up for the heavy load of courses, you don't get a better grade because you weren't thinking about the repurcussions of the schedule.

[TheOne89.1]

Tough weekend for me.  All the teams I cheer for are losing.  Knights, Cubs, Warriors...at least those Bears got a win!  GO IOWAN KYLE ORTON.

Wartburg isn't out of it yet, but it's never good relying on others to decide your fate.  Definitely not the way Willis had wanted the season to go.  Someone had hinted at too much drinking for some Wartburg players.  I'm sure if there is an issue surrounding frequent visits to Joe's by players that the coaching staff will have plenty of spare time after practice set aside for up-downs, for all.

Wartburg cancelled class today ... coincidence???

Looks like the players dodged a bullet with Outfly being on Monday.  With it being the off day there isn't extra time for running.  It was always stated that if there was outfly, meetings to watch film were moved up and practice was moved up as well.  With no classes, that would mean no one would have to leave early for class leaving plenty of time for some extra "conditioning" to let the players think about how much time they spend at local water holes.  Seasons when this was not an issue it was a good way to add some extra time watching game film and going over any kinks that needed working out.  May explain SK's research on winning after Outfly.

[TheOne89.1]

www.henkelhelps.com

I know this isn't football related, but I wanted to pass this website along. Click on it and vote for A-P School. The winner of the nationwide voting (with the most votes) will be awarded $25,000....which would greatly help rebuilding efforts.

Just went at voted.  Right now AP has 77% of the votes!

[Fannosaurus Rex]

Since Central is the only team I follow, I was on the verge of saying they are being graded too harshly.  Except for dropping some passes on offense and giving up a couple of big plays on defense, and having a field goal blocked in both the Wartburg and Luther games, they haven't looked sloppy or like they are playing poorly.  They just didn't play as well as Wartburg and Luther who both played very well.  I think I will give them an incomplete and give them until Saturday night to turn in a complete game.

[DutchFan2004]

I like to use a kinder, gentler grading system.

BV-   
Loras
luther 
Wartburg
Coe
Simpson
Central
Dubuque !!!
Cornell

This deserved some k