FB: American Rivers Conference

[Wartburg Fan]

 Where is WH awaiting his comments on the game.

[doolittledog]

As far as Wartburg fans on the Monmouth side.  Home seating is often out of the wind.  Making that an attractive option for visiting fans during cold weather games!!!  Or, closer to the concessions...always popular with former lineman

[The Roop]

I was also very surprised that Monmouth didn't kick the field goal on that last 4th down. 

That whole sequence of events has to make it tough to sleep tonight for Monmouth fans. Third and 1 on the eleven and the Knights out of time outs. A false start, delay of game and two incomplete passes. Forget the field goal, two running plays and it's doubtful the Knights have time to score.

It wasn't the best of days for place kickers, missed PATs (both teams) and a missed FG (Wartburg) etc. So I'm guessing that delay of game was to give the punter more room to keep it out of the end zone. BUT. The obvious choice was to run it. If you don't get the 1st then take a delay of game while the clock is running. Then pass it if you must on 4th down. Valuable time would have come off the clock.

Similarly I don't agree with Wartburgs decision to go for it on 4th down on their previous possession. Probably out of field goal range, on that particular day, so why not pooch punt it 10 yards instead of risking a sack. Which they wound up taking. Punting was viable at the time as Wartburg still had 2 time outs left. (time outs/times out whatever)

I'm not so much a Monmouth fan as a MWC (Beloit) fan but I did make the trip and could watch the game with a semi-neutral eye. I don't think a FG does Monmouth any good in that situation as a 2 point conversion would have still given Wartburg the win.

Best of luck to the "Evil Empire" this week and I may be able to catch part of the game @UW-Wastewater.

[Walston Hoover]

Quickly before lunch-
Awesome game! Made the trip well worth it again.
Regarding the poster who thought Monmouth was the better team. Wartburg has now won I think 7 in a row and probably 6 of the teams they beat would tell you they thought the exact same thing. The better teams find a way to win. What a copout. Nothing gets me going more than the people claiming the losers were the better team. If you are the better team, prove it on the field.
Very nice facility in Monmouth, and probably fits them just fine for MWC games, but I hope a rep from the NCAA was there yesterday to see how they are NOT set up to host a playoff game. You guys that think Wartburg's visitor bleachers are bad, try having half that for well over a thousand Knights fans that made the trip. Because of this, a couple hundred of us had the displeasure of sitting in the Monmouth student section because the only students there were the players that weren't good enough to dress for the game. Between them and some really old guy, it was not a pleasant viewing experience. We had to listen to Iowans being inbred jokes from people in a town that wreeks of hog **** when you drive in. I saw more mullets yesterday than I see at the Iowa State Fair.
Also, if you are going to build a stadium, but a pisser in it. That's right, no bathrooms in the whole stadium, Fans had to leave to get rid of their pregame beverage cosumption. Of course, that wasn't alcohol because of the power-tripping baby-faced rentacop with his plastic badge patrolling the lots before the game having fans dump their beverages. ALso, a 5 block walk to the nearest bathrooms from the tailgating lots.
Also, only 1 entrance into the stadium that made it over a 10 minute wait to get in.
Its a good thing the KNights won because the rest of the place was not set up for the calibur of game that was hosted there.
...Still wondering why the Monmouth coach didn't kick it at the end. I guess that's what happens when you destroy all your competition from the mighty MWC all season long. You don't learn how to manage endofgame situations.

[Scots4]

Just threw this on the MWC board. Thought I would throw it on here as well. Speaking of throw? 




First off, I have all the respect in the world for Coach Bell and his staff for what he has done to the Monmouth program. However, that play call in the waning minutes was inexcusable. I am a semi-knowledgable football fan without a down of experience to my name and I know that no matter what, you do not throw the football there. If you handoff and run the wrong direction for 10 yards and fall down it is more productive than risking an incompletion. The players were put in terrible spots and the coach made a terrible decision. In turn, the game was handed over like a nice 3-button coat at the Salvation Army. In my years of playing basketball I have never felt as sick to my stomach as I did after that football game yesterday. I saw some of the football players later that night and no idea what to say to them and I couldnt even look at some of them. What do you say to a player that did everything right and then had the game ripped out from under them. You run the football on 3rd and ANYTHING there, let the play clock run down to 1, call a timeout and then do as you feel necessary. Monmouth is not known for their running game, Alex Tanney is their best player, but to not call a run there is a slap in the face to Caleb Pratt and the Monmouth offensive line. That is a common sense call, plain and simple. I am a big fan of Coach Bell and the rest of the Monmouth coaches so I have tried to justify it, but I just cant do it. There is just absolutely no excuse for the atrocious play calling and game management at the end of that game.

Second, how do you not call a timeout before that delay of game penalty? We have three timeouts left.



Now on to the game:

Congrats Wartburg on a very fun game to watch for about 58 minutes. Those were two really good teams going at it on the field. Wartburg tried to establish the pass early and just could not do it against that Monmouth D. Instead, they decided to run the ball and did it very effectively. They maintained a few long drives and put some points on the board. That running back was a ton and I hope his ankle heals up for next weekends game at Whitewater. Kudos to the Wartburg coaching staff for making adjustments at halftime and sending the house on Alex Tanney. He had very little time to throw the ball in the second half and when he did get it off it was a short crossing pattern for minimal games. He had no time to throw the ball down the field and so the safeties could play up. That was a great adjustment.

The Monmouth defense was put in some horrible positions in the second half and came through. That last drive by Wartburg was a great drive and they did everything right. The Monmouth D (at least it seemed) was on the field the WHOLE second half and just couldnt maintain a level of energy. I am tired of seeing the prevent defense as well. Too many times in the NFL, college, and high school I see it just get shredded and it prevents a team from winning. You can not give Yordi that much time to pick apart a defense because he will.

After watching it about 37 times, absolutely horrific call on the Alex Tanney "fumble.". Clearly his arm was moving forward. There is an empty hand rule ref and that was obvious. The Wartburg coach got on the officials in the first half and it seemed that every borderline call went that way the rest of the game. That being said, it had no effect on the outcome of the game so I dont really care about it.



Most of the Wartburg people I met were very nice people and I enjoyed being around them. However, I happened to run into the "few bad apples" that every crowd has. They certainly make the cut for being some of the most arrogant people I have ever met.


Good luck to Wartburg next week when they visit the defending national champions. The Monmouth players played their hearts out and know they had that game wrapped up. Run once and then we come out in the victory formation and battles ova. I am just upset because that Monmouth team was really fun to watch on both sides of the ball. Get this boring basketball stuff out of the way so I can watch again next season.

Walston- Sorry I didnt run into you before or after the game. I was too busy trying to duck and dodge the fascist Monmouth security guards so I could enjoy a Keystone Light. Hope everyone was safe and everything went well.

[The Roop]

Actually there were 2 entrances to the stadium. And if you had followed the wanderers at half time, you would have found an abundance of restroom facilities in the other buildings. I will concede that the PA announcer should have mentioned that.

I apologize that the MWC schools don't all have Domed Stadiums and valet parking as the IIAC schools apparently do, but next year why not go undefeated and you won't have to worry about the inconveniences of going on the road.

FYI. Had BV won, as they should have, Wartburgs season would have ended a couple weeks ago.

[Scots4]

Roop, I agree.

Walston, you just made an ass of yourself. I had no trouble finding a place to urinate. There was about 6 different places you could go to pee right around the stadium. You just sat there and ripped Monmouth and the MWC even though the only thing that prevented them from taking down "mighty" Wartburg was an obvious coaching error.

You were good to talk to the week leading up to this game, I only hope you normally arent this belligerant after a win.

[The Roop]

Don't worry Scots4, Wartburg has won their last game of this season.

UW-W 273- Wartburg 2 as Whitewater takes a knee in the end zone to give the Knights some points.

[Scots4]

You know Roop, I really wanted to root for Wartburg against UW-Factory, but after reading that noise I dont think I can.

[The Roop]

As did I. See my previous posts.........

Now it seems that winning isn't enough. How about the IIAC Champ gets a bye to Salem ?? Perhaps that "may" satisfy some people.

[Scots4]

Roop, where did you sit at the game? Did you go out anywhere in town?

[scottie]

I, too, am surprised at Hoover's rant.  Frankly, I thought it was a pleasure to converse on this board and that you all showed great pre-game class.  I also had a very nice conversation with a couple of your fans during halftime. But I guess an early Christmas present** brings out the true colors of the "evil empire."  Monmouth has spent a ton of money on athletic facility upgrades and does not owe anyone an apology for the accomodations, including the stadium restrooms which are located, oh, about 50 feet from the entrance.  

**Not much else to add about the game that hasn't already been said.  Though it was on the very first drive of the second half, however, I think the miscue on the snap (fumble/TO) was a major play.  Had the Scots continued their first have momentum and scored on that drive - and I had no reason to think they wouldn't have - the score now becomes 35-14 and I don't think the Knights are able to catch them.  But you know what they say about if's and but's and Christmas time....  

Congrats to the Knights for making a play when it counted most.  However, please remember to be humble in victory and defeat.  (You're facing the defending champs next weekend, afterall.)

[DBQ1965]

Don't worry Scots4, Wartburg has won their last game of this season.

UW-W 273- Wartburg 2 as Whitewater takes a knee in the end zone to give the Knights some points.

This one needs to be re-posted next Saturday night.

[Walston Hoover]

I call it as I see it. Like I said, your stadium is probably fine for MWC games, but for a playoff game like yesterday, it is not.
Unfortunately, we don't have the conference schedule to beat up on the sisters of the poor week in and week out so going undefeated in our conference is pretty difficult.
Roop, not sure what your comment about BV means, other than stating something that has been hashed and re-hashed on this board. As it stands right now you and whatever team you cheer for can go get a jump start on offseason workouts and my Knights will prepare for another week of football.
Sure, if BV would have taken care of business, they may still be playing. But they did not, and the Knights did.
24 hour rule is now in effect. Time to move on to Whitewater.
To everyone else in the IIAC, Thanks for the support. I think this mini-run by the Knights right now has shown that almost any team in the IIAC can compete with supposed "top 25 teams" in the nation right now. 2 years in a row of having conference team playing in the final 8 and apparently our runners up don't deserve a spot in the playoffs.

[Scots4]

Walston, you might be the most delusional person I have ever met/read/talked to. What does undefeated in conference have anything to do with ANYTHING? You won your conference, we won ours. We beat you if I am the coach the last 1:42. Your posts make everyone around you dumber, but go ahead and dream inside your little bubble and may God have mercy on your soul.