FB: American Rivers Conference

[DutchFan2004]

So you are saying that Kac and Willis are in the same boat then right?  I think the COY is for that season only not the record for his whole time coaching.  I didn't imply anything from my post I only reported the results. 

[DutchFan2004]

Player of the year for the last sixteen years

                  POY                                   Conference Champs

93 Griffin, Loras                                           Wartburg
94 Mark Kacmaryinski, Central                     Central
95 Penningroth, Wartburg                           Central
96 Jorgenson, Simpson                                Simpson
97 Jorgenson, Simpson                                Simpson
98 Leman, Simpson                                      Central
99 Wheller, Wartburg                                   Wartburg
00 Sanger, Central                                       Central
01 Jackson, Coe                                           Central
02 Jackson, Coe                                           Coe, Central, Wartburg
03 Donnenwerth, Simpson                           Wartburg
04 Brannen, Coe                                          Coe, Wartburg
05 Schuring, Central                                     Coe, Central
06 Schuring, Central                                     Central
07 Connell, Central                                       Central
08 Mcgrew, Loras                                          Wartburg


6 times in the last 16 years the POY was not from a Championship team.  Over a third of the time.  So I think that the coaches really take a look at who is the best player in the conference and not just who is the best player on the champs team. 

Edit
I only included Mark's first name so that he was not confused with his brother Rich for POY and COY.  I didn't want to be accused of being partial to the Dutch in any way.

[Klompen]

A coach that has a good year every 3-4 years gets recognition but a coach that sets his team up to be at or near the top every single year gets hosed.

No, they give it to McMartin.  

I just think that it comes down to the fact that another team did something that was very unexpected, where as Wartburg did what was expected.  It could have gone either way.  Why does it never go Willis' way should be the question.  What is he doing other than his coaching that has the other conference coaches, many of whom have changed while he was away from coaching, consistently looking for and voting for another option.  With McMartin, there would be lots of reason to look at another coach, given that Mac had won it two years in a row already.  Dubuque had a great season last year, but the coaches voted for Mac.  Willis has never won, yet they didn't go with the conference champ that took over the team two weeks before the season.  What is he doing that he is not getting the respect that WB fans feel he deserves?  

[DutchFan2004]

A coach that has a good year every 3-4 years gets recognition but a coach that sets his team up to be at or near the top every single year gets hosed.

No, they give it to McMartin.  

I just think that it comes down to the fact that another team did something that was very unexpected, where as Wartburg did what was expected.  It could have gone either way.  Why does it never go Willis' way should be the question.  What is he doing other than his coaching that has the other conference coaches, many of whom have changed while he was away from coaching, consistently looking for and voting for another option.  With McMartin, there would be lots of reason to look at another coach, given that Mac had won it threeyears in a row already.  Dubuque had a great season last year, but the coaches voted for Mac.  Willis has never won, yet they didn't go with the conference champ that took over the team two weeks before the season.  What is he doing that he is not getting the respect that WB fans feel he deserves?  

Fixed it for you 

[DutchFan2004]

I would venture a guess that if Dillon from Cornell would have gone 4-4 this year in the IIAC his name would have been seriously considered for COY even if someone went undefeated unless it would have been Loras or BV.  IMHO COY is what the coach does the current year with the talent he has.  If a coach does a great job with no expectations you have to consider him to have done a good job.

[sportsknight]

I just think that it comes down to the fact that another team did something that was very unexpected, where as Wartburg did what was expected.

So does that mean you think Vinny B from Dubuque deserved the award over McMartin in '06 or last year?  Dubuque did better than predicted while Central only did what was expected.

[sportsknight]

A coach that has a good year every 3-4 years gets recognition but a coach that sets his team up to be at or near the top every single year gets hosed.

That's the great thing about low expectations - they're that much easier to overcome.

[Newshound]

Wartburg relishes underdog role

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/11/21/sports/local/10784036.txt

[DutchFan2004]

I just think that it comes down to the fact that another team did something that was very unexpected, where as Wartburg did what was expected.

So does that mean you think Vinny B from Dubuque deserved the award over McMartin in '06 or last year?  Dubuque did better than predicted while Central only did what was expected.

http://www.iowaconference.com/news/2007-08/Previews/football.pdf

I think the preseason picks were right on here.  Above is the IIAC preseason picks.  Below are the results.  Did they do better than predicted?  You be the judge. 

http://www.iowaconference.com/men/football/2007-08/standings.htm

They improved only by one game from 2006 to 2007

[sportsknight]

I'm sure there is some reason that coaches aren't voting for him...I know he turned me off of Wartburg during my recruiting processes, I just personally didn't want to play for a guy like that...that was a personal thing with me...he gets a ton of talent and I was very surprised to hear how often wartburg fans believe he has been "jimped" out of COY honors.

[What is he doing other than his coaching that has the other conference coaches, many of whom have changed while he was away from coaching, consistently looking for and voting for another option....  
What is he doing that he is not getting the respect that WB fans feel he deserves?  

Why don't you guys just come out and say it.  You think Willis isn't getting the votes because the other conference coaches don't like him on a personal level.  If that's really what it is, I think that's pretty petty and immature, but that's just me.

Having dealt with both Willis and McMartin, I can tell you that personality-wise, they really aren't that different.  Willis does a bit more yelling on the sidelines, but he and McMartin are both very good guys.  Neither one overwhelmingly outgoing, both of them keep things pretty close to the vest, but they both take football very seriously, want what's best for their team, and have a lot of respect for the guys on the other sideline.  

And despite the fact that there have been plenty of new coaches in the league over the past few years (every school besides Dubuque had made a coaching change in the last 5 years), a good number of the coaches have Iowa Conference experience.  BV's Anderson, Coe's Staker, and McMartin were all assistant coaches in the IIAC before becoming head coaches (although McMartin not immediately before taking over).  Osterberger was a new coach, but came from another school within the league.  Dillon played at Cornell.  When it really comes down to it, Durnin and Glo at Simpson are the only coaches with no prior connections to the Iowa Conference.  So if there are some lingering differences with Willis, they are likely being carried over from old staffs.

I still just don't see it, though.  After all, Willis is far from the biggest prick that's coached in the IIAC in the past decade.  Cough...Raeburn...Cough, cough.

[Alfredeneumann]

Wartburg relishes underdog role

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/11/21/sports/local/10784036.txt

FYI for the story writer  "UW-Stevens Point, a public institution, has an enrollment of more than 7,700. Wartburg, a private school, hovers around 1,450." 

Wartburg is close to 1800 students and have been for a few years.

[Walston Hoover]

THis is my weekend sign-off post. Heading up to the dome and then to a place where the beer flows like wine, a place like Stevens Point.

[doolittledog]

THis is my weekend sign-off post. Heading up to the dome and then to a place where the beer flows like wine, a place like Stevens Point.

Have a fun and safe trip up there.  Wisconsin is a fun place.  Lot's of drinkers up there!!!

[doolittledog]

Dubuque Telegraph-Herald with a story about McGrew getting POY and the other Loras and UD players making all-conference. 

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=223521

[DutchFan2004]

Why don't you guys just come out and say it.  You think Willis isn't getting the votes because the other conference coaches don't like him on a personal level.  If that's really what it is, I think that's pretty petty and immature, but that's just me.

[/quote]

I agree with you SK.  I don't think that is it at all.  I think that it has been the individual accomplishments of the coaches that year.  As I posted before.  You bring up good points about the turnover of coaches in the league.  Willis has had no dealings with BV, Simpson, Coe, and Luther as head coaches, they were not even around when Willis coached last.  So the coaches must have had other reasons than personality to vote Anderson COY.  Lets face it none of these players and coaches do this so that they will be POY or COY.  If they did that there would not be as many players on the sidelines and the coaches would not be coaching for as long as they are.