Around the Nation board

[Mr. Ypsi]

K-Mack,

Just be always clear that these are grads of schools NOW in d3 (afterall, d3 arose quite a few years after Reagan and Nixon went to Eureka and Whittier) - otherwise Pat may do a "Jack Sikma" on your head!

If you expand it beyond grads, John Wesley Powell, first man down the Grand Canyon and first head of the U. S. Geological Survey, was a professor at IWU (but they had not yet joined d3, so I am not suggesting him as the most illustrious one-armed Civil War general in the division).

[K-Mack]

So for the die-hards that actually read this thread, I value your opinions and hereby solicit them.

Started looking at games I might attend this year. Haven't gone too much in depth, I know we have another Texas trip planned, with probable ventures this year to Wisc., Michigan ... and I noticed Wesley at Widener on a Friday night Sept. 14. Del Val playing Wesley is nice too.

What games, for those of you who have looked at a schedule, would you want us/Around the Nation to attend?

Also, what storylines do you want us to tackle in Kickoff '07? There's the obvious Who's No. 2 discussion, since Mount Union has so much back I can't imagine anyone else being No. 1 to start. And there's the offseason turmoil and changes in the WIAC. But what else?

Who do you all think will be breakout teams? NC Wesleyan? Emory & Henry? (just throwing some teams that finished strong out there)

Breakout players/impact transfers?

Whatever you see, we might already have our eye on it, but we might not, and pointing us in the right direction could get us on the right track so we can properly report on it from the start of the season.

Serious answers only please, no self-promotion.

Thanks.

KMc.

[K-Mack]

K-Mack,

Just be always clear that these are grads of schools NOW in d3 (afterall, d3 arose quite a few years after Reagan and Nixon went to Eureka and Whittier) - otherwise Pat may do a "Jack Sikma" on your head!

If you expand it beyond grads, John Wesley Powell, first man down the Grand Canyon and first head of the U. S. Geological Survey, was a professor at IWU (but they had not yet joined d3, so I am not suggesting him as the most illustrious one-armed Civil War general in the division).

Absolutely. At least one of our most illustrious current D3ers began his coaching career before there was a D3. ... 1973 to be exact, but the seeds were planted in 68 or 69 ... I always mention that because R-MC was Knute Rockne Bowl champs and undefeated in '69!

(Hey, when you ain't Mount Union, Augustana or Ithaca, you gotta count whatever championships you can get your hands on)

[tmerton]

Some possible issues:

Key Transfer (maybe): Cal Lutheran qb Danny Jones to UWW - if it actually happened.  There was a long discussion of this on the SCIAC board last month but I'm not sure if anyone ever confirmed that the transfer actually took place.

Big Topic: Steroid use in D3 - is Fay Vincent right?  (See NESCAC board.)

Another Big Topic: Is the NCAA going to split D3?

Topic NOT to cover: Where should the Stagg Bowl be played?   

[K-Mack]

Tmerton,
Thanks for your input. Jones was one of the "changes" in the WIAC referred to above.

I believe we were discussing ratings on this thread. According to USA TODAY: Anaheim's 3-2 win against Ottawa in the opener of the Stanley Cup Finals got a 0.72 cable rating on Versus and was watched in 523,000 U.S. households.

Whoo-hoo, have some NHL and Versus. The Stagg Bowl outdoes The Stanley Cup. At least in the U.S.

[Ralph Turner]

Tmerton,
Thanks for your input. Jones was one of the "changes" in the WIAC referred to above.

I believe we were discussing ratings on this thread. According to USA TODAY: Anaheim's 3-2 win against Ottawa in the opener of the Stanley Cup Finals got a 0.72 cable rating on Versus and was watched in 523,000 U.S. households.

Whoo-hoo, have some NHL and Versus. The Stagg Bowl outdoes The Stanley Cup. At least in the U.S.

I wonder how many fans residing in Orange County California watched the match on cable versus the number in attendance at the rink.

[K-Mack]

You think the numbers might be close? 

It was actually a good game tonight (I work in sports, I have to pay attention to such things) ... and it's pretty well accepted that hockey is much more fun in person than on TV.

But I think fan interest has everything to do with being emotionally invested in either the teams/institutions or the players, for some reason ... and in American cities outside the Northeast and Northern Midwest, hockey is just not ingrained in the culture. People don't have that attachment, IMHO.

Anyway ...

(They just showed Snoop Dogg at the game with his kids though ... interesting)

[janesvilleflash]

Games to attend---
Augsburg @ St. Johns 1pm

WW @ St. Cloud State 6pm

Sept. 15

Chance to see 2 games same day.

[K-Mack]

Games to attend---
Augsburg @ St. Johns 1pm

WW @ St. Cloud State 6pm

Sept. 15

Chance to see 2 games same day.

Yeah, we love night kickoffs for that reason. Always wary of the one team not being D3, and there's a chance neither game would be terribly significant. Or that we'd see both teams down the road at some point. But I was reading about that weekend on the thread devoted to it.

However, a game at St. John's is on my list of things to do this year.

Sept. 14-15 also features Wesley @ Widener on Friday night and Rowan @ Wilkes on Saturday at 1. The latter a rematch of a playoff game that had a really crazy ending.

Great suggestions Janesville. Keep 'em coming, folks.

[roocru]

How about UMHB vs Whitewater or UMHB vs CNU.  UMHB lost to both in heartbreakers last year.  UMHB vs HSU is always a classic.

[Pat Coleman]

I think Keith saw both those games last year.

We're definitely on board with Keith taking a trip to Collegeville this year.

[frank uible]

I would love to go to The University of the South during peak foliage - have never been there.

[KennethK]

If any of you guys like a packed house..you might consider the St Johns vs St Olaf game in Collegeville Oct 7th.  It is Homecoming for SJU, both teams could very well be unbeaten, two of best senior QB's in the country, a crowd of about 12000, and the fall colors in full bloom.  Should be a dandy..

[Sakman 1111]

My preseason pick for an awesome game to attend is Mary Hardin Baylor at Whitewater....The Perk is a great place to tailgate and both teams should be awesome. A chance to see the West Coast Messiah at QB.....

[KennethK]

correction on the Johnnie vs St Olaf game..make that Oct 6th..