FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[frank uible]

reality: Hostetler is not an extremely uncommon name, but nevertheless is this one related to the West Virginia/ N.Y.Giants one?

[beenhit2hard]

profs-fan,, this is the 1st time you did not score 24 against mount,, that was you score in all of our other games

[shane falco]

Congrats Mt. Union,

You guy's are the best.  I was really impressed with how balanced you are.

You have some moose's on your d-line.

[jdean]

You have some moose's on your d-line.

One of my employee's kids goes to the school where Buddy Wolf is doing his student teaching. He met him on Parent--student-teacher night and he said out of uniform and talking to him you would never guess he was the Wolf you see on the football field. The kids just love him.
I got a kick out of the story by the TV people that the Mount coaches laughed when someone said Gibbons was listed at 195--that he's really 175!! Next they're going to tell us Wells is 225??

[patcummings]

(Posted this on Dailydose, but thought I would share here too)

A few thoughts as I sit in Charlotte's airport awaiting a connecting flight back to Philadelphia...

WHAT A WEEKEND.

Best Stagg Bowl weekend I've been a part of...

1.  Sat with Mount and UWW fans on the plane from Charlotte to Roanoke.  Mount fans were calm, WW visibly jumpy.  Their major question: "Why Salem?"  Answered later...

2.  Hotel Roanoke - 8:30am, "kid" calls and confirms Stone Station is well established at the stadium parking lot, with chicken on the grill.

3.  10:00am - Kmac and I arrive at the stadium and pull right up to Stone Station...witness Llamaguy, Skoaltrain, et al getting down with all that is good in tailgating.  TV cameras come by to take pictures of the 75 chicken quarters on the massive grill.  This is going to be good.  Ric, HSCoach, Theaprof, Seventiesraider, Skunkssidekick, and plenty of others are there.  I think to myself...without D3football.com, this doesn't happen.

4.  11:00am - Crowd building in the parking lot and OLineMom arrives with her 17 pans of brownies...and they are as good as advertised.

5.  11:20am - The chicken comes off the grill and Theaprof is the first to get a piece.  He reaches into the container to pull a leg out...the bone comes out and the rest of the meat is left in the container.  WOW.  I was fourth in line and Llamaguy's weeklong marination did it's job.  Some of the best, most tender BBQ chicken I've ever had.  The Whitewater folks start to flock over to "Stone Station" and they too get in line...first come first served with the chicken.

6.  11:35am - The first 45 quarters that were done are now gone and the remaining 30 are coming off the grill.  Looks like a Soviet bread line...except, without the poverty, etc. 

6a.  11:38am - Stone Station wins best tailgate award and package of goodies from 94.1 Star Country FM.

7.  11:43am - Chicken is gone...still people in line thinking more are on the way.  Sorry...as Llamaguy said, first come first served.  A gaggle of WW folks are chomping away, and those who didn't get the bird got Olinemom's brownies...scout teamers are there, a ton of WW parents including starting TE Pete Schmitt and starting LB AJ Raebel.  Good people...

8.  12:00pm - I head on up the press box for the duration, the crowd still kicks on...as Skoaltrain remarked..."There were people on the phone telling those they were talking to...'I'm at Stone Station."

8a.  For those who don't know, Stone is a reference to the Bridgewater College president...Bridgewater tailgaters gave their tailgate location such a name for their on-campus tailgates and have since carried it on the road...and oh how far they've come.

9.  Why Salem?  I saw some of my flight-mates hanging at Stone Station.  That should be enough reason.

10.  Myles Brand was there.  I was really surprised to here that he would be in attendance, and almost as surprised that Pat Coleman was able to interview him on the sidelines at the start of the third quarter.  His overall remarks summarized...1.  We're glad you webcast the game, 2. Even though brackets are regional in D3, this truly remains a national championship, 3. D3 has about 25 schools waiting to gain full membership, bringing total numbers to around 450, chances are they would cap that membership there.

11.  Great game...you had a feeling UWW was always in the hunt.

12.  Would have never predicted UWW wouldn't score for more than 2.5 quarters of football.  That was their downfall...

13.  Replay was well used, took no more than one minute from announcement of review to result of review.  The MIAA officials did a decent job overall, I give them a 8.5 out of 10...I think they definitely missed on a few calls, but the ones they made were right on.

14.  If Justin Beaver can get out of bounds or in the end zone on that last drive, it would have greatly increased UWW's chances of a shot on that onside kick.

15.  Salem does a great job with the Stagg Bowl, no question...but after watching the field debacle from the 2004 D1-AA championship in Chattanooga, they knew they had to get an artificial surface if they wanted to keep the game.  The field conditions today didn't determine the outcome, but they didn't help either.  If Salem wants the Stagg Bowl beyond 2006, one of the things that will sure up their bid is an artificial surface at Salem Stadium.

16.  Got back to the airport by 515 thanks to "kid" and several Mount and UWW fans were there.  Got to talking with Bob Berezowitz's brother who was on my flight.  He was obviously disappointed and said he would have rather been going back after a win, but having spent parts of seven seasons covering the Stagg Bowl, and the men's Final Four, this much is clear...no other D3 team, of the 231 out there, are playing today. 

The road to Salem is the chore...get to Salem, and winning is merely icing on the cake.  There is no need to say "I told ya so..." about some off the wall predictions.  Two teams got there, and no one else can say they did.  Just getting there TRULY is 9/10ths the battle, the remaining portion is left on the field. 

WW players will look back on this at some point and reflect, knowing that they their experience was a good one.

17.  Bill Curry from ESPN2's broadcast was also on my flight.  Didn't get a chance to talk to him but this much is clear...he appreciates D3.  His comments on the Friday night preview at halftime of the D1-AA champ game were very well received by the NCAA committee watching...from where we stand, ESPN2 is an outsider when it comes to D3, we want to see outsiders respect our niche of the market and not treat us as a circus sideshow as some felt from 2004.  Good job Bill and Gary Bender.

18.  Best Stagg Bowl weekend so far...thanks to the following:

Pat Coleman for his great job on the sideline
Gordon Mann for his production of the broadcast - he was the traffic controller and we couldn't have done it without him
KMac for being Kmac
All the Bridgewater folks who came and made the Salem experience that much better for fans who might not have known the difference...they do now.
Carey Harveycutter and all the Salem gang for being gracious hosts
Brad Bankston and Chris Kilcoyne from the ODAC for another flawless day of game management...

[theotherpurple]

just wondering when the national championship game was... today or two weeks ago??? great game mount

[jdean]

Thanks for the birds eye view of your day. The sod didn't seem to impact the game today but given the number of D3 schools with artificial surfaces, a change by Salem does seem in order. It would be a shame if they couldn't afford the change--the Salem community seems to support the game more than you would expect.

[mucraiders]

I had to go back and take a look at the predictions for the Stagg Bowl after the game and came across this prediction.  It gave me a pretty good laugh. 

Iknowitall Says:

The 16th of December, 2005 at 7:58 pm

No disrespect at all to Mount Union. What they accomplished for last decade is incredible, probably unmatched, what UWW is striving for. But this UWW team is incredible, unbeatable machine. I hate to see a storied program take one like they will tomorrow but LK game plan wont make a differnce. You could take greatest coaching minds for the last 15 years and put them all on the sideline tomorrow but it wont matter.............

Great game Raiders!  Congratulations to Beaver on breaking the rushing record that Chuck Moore accomplished in 10 games compared to 15.

[Olinemom]

Just got in from a great game!! and for me a short road trip.  It was a whale of a game.  And Mount Union's defense stopped the Warhawks twice inside the 10 yard line.  That 96 yard line run made me think that Coach Kehres had brought Chuck Moore back for a play because it sure looked like deja vu to me!!  Proprs to Mount Union.  They won the game when it counted --on the field between the lines.  Coach Kehres,  another great coaching job.  And I must say what an O-Line.   Some of those holes you could have driven a mack truck through.  I hope you and the team are having a safe ride back to Alliance.  Say hello to the baseball coach for me.  I met him when I brought the brownies over.  I had given them to one of your players earlier, but he must have set them down because one of the security guards came and told me they were sitting back by the fence.  I hope they were ok and that they were still in the box!!!  One of MUC's posters, Kirasdad (nice and warm in Florida),  asked so nicely for brownies for his players, that I got up extra early and made more so I could divide 17 pans between the 2 teams.  I also met some of your other diehard posters.  Great guys--theaprof and seventies and the chip off the old block. I didn't hear B4's songs, however,   Stone Station had invited D3football posters from both teams over to a tailgate party before the game.  It was a fun preliminary to an excellent game.  Thanks again for your fantastic work with the premier program of D3 football, one everyone aspires to match.  The baseball coach asked me to put my name on the brownie box so I did but in case it got lost in the shuffle, I'm OLinemom, aka Barbara Long, French prof at Bridgewater College.


    On another note,  I would like to thank Llamaguy and Skoaltrain for getting to Salem at the crack of dawn (and for a Saturday, it was well before the crack of dawn in my book!!) and barbecuing all that chicken served at Stone Station before the game.  I was finishing my piece on the way home tonight and it was so delicious!!  What a great season of tailgating  Thanks, guys!  You're the best! I have an idea --Let's do it all over again next year!

   I enjoyed talking to the guy who sold the equipment to Dustyn Miller for the Funkhouser Fitness Center.  I wondered if you went to Awful Arthur's anyway.  Sure hope so.  What's life without some fun and games, right? 

    All in all a great afternoon.  Kirasdad, I did my best to do right by your young men.  They were very gracious and nice and I enjoyed talking to them after the game when security finally let us in the gate.  They saw my Bridgewater football coat, but didn't say anything until I brought it up.  I told them the next time I come to Alliance, I want a DOME with heat in it.  It was too cold, by far, last time!!!  And I mean that in the nicest way.  Hope your moving went well and that B4 was able to keep you abreast of all the scoring and other great plays during the afternoon.

   I will also say as I will on the West Board that I enjoyed meeting with the Whitewater team players after the game.  They were equally gracious and kind to an old broad with brownies.  It must be something in the chocolate.  Ah, what a word, it conjures up magic.  Oh well, time for a nap. . .We old people need our  naps so we can run around to ball games like we were 20 which we aren't.  I'm  not sure I can even remember my 20's  - sometimes I think they were in the 20's.  (NOT!)

    Finally (for this post anyway)  PROPS to the Salem Civic Center Staff and all the volunteers for the wonderful job they did in putting on the Stagg Bowl.  As an ODAC member I am always proud to see us sharing credit for the great show that happens in Salem. Great props to Carey Harveycutter for a job well done!!  That was such a class act!!!    See you again  next year!

[formerd3db]

Congrats to all you Mount fans and your team for a great season and great win at the Stagg Bowl today.  Congrats and thanks also to Pat and associates for a nice job today and also for all the hard work during the season as well.  I'm also glad our MIAA officials did a respectable fine job today in the game.

[bushman]

Great game by both teams!  Mt. was the better team this day.  My pick for player of the game would be Joris.  Reason,  he stepped his game up more than a notch.  About four or five notches.  But Kmic certainly deserve it.
Garcon was well Garcon.  What a talent to have on your team.  Raiders fought up hill this season, but arrived at the top at just the right moment.   And lets remember what Paul Brown said  " When you lose say nothing, when you win say even less"   

[Bwana]

Congratulations, Mount Union!  Helluva good game!

Like Olinemom said above, that Kmic 95-yarder gave me flashbacks and heebie jeebies about Chuck Moore's 95-yarder vs. BC in 2001.

Again, congratulations!  A job well done!

[Olinemom]

I might need to pull out my 2001 Stagg Bowl tape (versus Bridgewater), but I want to say that Kmic's run started, within inches, of Chuckie Moore's big run in that game.  The difference, as I recall, is that Moore's run was straight up the middle.
Either way...BEAUTIFUL!!!

And honestly...no BS here...I saw where the ball was spotted, and said to myself, "That is about where Moore ran it for a TD in the 2001 game...maybe Kmic can do the same."
And then....Looky there!

That was certainly my take on it!!!  Who could forget it.  I don't think anybody from Bridgewater will, that's for sure.

[Olinemom]

70'sraider
I'm sure you and your 8 yr old are bouncing off the roof of the car about now. Aren't you glad you found the time and the way to go and the smarts to take Jr.?
What a game to watch. If only 66 was here to write about this one. Didn't get a bellyache from too many brownies, did you?

All I know is that he and the 8 yr. old and Theaprof were there waiting for me when I rolled in with the 17 pans of brownies!!!  I can only hope he got some.  I was so busy cutting them and making up boxes--1 box for each team, plus a small box for the D-3 people who were doing the audio stream.  I still have not had one.  Chocolated out just from making them.

[reality check]

BillyRay (rec)

I must admit I am at a loss with the Cortland State comment.  Perhaps today was too much for me to take in and I have lost my touch.

Frank

I haven't heard of any connection between the two.  Perhaps Moe45daddy could answer that questions since he once roomed with Hos.

For those that care (and I do not wish to take anything away from the day for Mount Union):

Hostetler's Record Day

Pretty cool seeing him get carried off the field by his teammates...

Congrats to the Purple Raiders!!!