FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[usee]

For the record, regardless of whether or not it involves NCC, I try to recognize that sometimes the ball bounces the other way...and while a great team may sometimes make their own luck...I believe sometimes you just get screwed by circumstance.

in my opinion teams that believe that will never win. it is the job of the players and coaches to eliminate circumstance from the equation.

[matblake]

I think that you have to count Wheaton in, but maybe not in the favored status of previous years.  The word "contender" might be best ascribed.  Wheaton returns a lot on offense including a number of underclassmen QB's that might force Chupp to up his game.  New offensive coordinator Tim Hardy has been around the program as a player and a coach since 1995 (minus one year at Centre College in KY) so the transition to the new coordinator should be pretty painless. Not quite sure about the defensive returnees.  Any insights by other Wheaton aficionados?  Or anybody else?

[usee]

In terms of NCC v. Wheaton...

I think that both teams have as much to prove as the other.  NCC must prove that they can sustain a great program (ala Wheaton), while Wheaton needs to prove that they haven't fallen a notch...and are still capable of competing for the title.

i couldn't agree more. we may look back in a few years and see this as a passing of two ships. as a wheaton fan, i hope not but you have acutely pinpointed both teams issues in my opinion.

[washdupcard]

I believe there are things that you can control to a point.  I firmly believe that a team can put themselves in positions to capitalize on random circumstances...but i think its foolish to think that everything can be controlled in a football game.  I agree that the best coaches eliminate circumstance as best as possible from the equation, but its impossible to eliminate it totally.

[79jaybird]

washdupcard-- I think you're right that there are certain factors/elements to the game that are uncontrollable.  To put a number to this I would say 3-5% of the game could be labeled the "uncontrollable/unpredictability" of the game.
The good teams ( and teams that win consistently  like Augie and Wheaton over the last decade),  are able to work around these obstacles.  Everything is smooth sailing when things are going well, but I think the good teams (playoff quality)  are able to navigate the ship when the tide changes suddenly.

[vikes35]

I agree with USee's argument and for that it would have to be WC and Augie that are going to be the big games until knocked off, but in all honesty next year might be another 7-3 and maybe even 6-4 year for Augie. They lose 14 starters, and 15 if Simpsen can't come back from the knee injury he suffered in the NCC game, and that alone should bring some concern to us Augie faithful. The QB spot is solid and the RB's always seem to show up, the question is going to be how solid is the line they are running behind. If history continues we will have a good line and they will be able to show that as time goes on in next season, but it is still a HUGE question mark. Also it was a good year for the defense, except for the Elmhurst and MUC games, but they have to prove that wasn't a one year thing. The main contender on paper then should definitely have Augie and WC at the top (history is a strong defense to that) but there could be an outside shot for EC with some upsets and NCC will bring to the table another tough team into all their games. The CCIW is stacked, and instead of organizing them into tiers I am instead going to be happy to have the conference look as strong as it does.

[jay alum]

Washdup, i think your right, the big 4, little 4 is no longer existent. Wheaton and Augie are the favorites to win every year until they have made the consistent drop that iwu has made and milikin is on the verge of making. I have just a few thoughts on the cciw for next year. Augie- graduate all-americans, replace with all-americans. losing tom anthony will hurt their secondary a bit, but they didnt seem to be set back from graduating spezjnowski in '04, so i dont think it will be a problem. Wheaton-they where not as physical this year as in the past, need to get back that mentality. Studebaker is a freak, but they are missing a dominant LB. Chupp-Chupp, and Black are also very talented on the offensive side. NCC-missing the presence of Radtke will downgrade defense immensly. Even if spencer leaves, their is still a lot of talent on offense, but kniss will not be putting up the numbers he did this year. ELM-every returning defensive starter. Brady is a dpoy canidate, and Kudyba, with a year of experience will help out the offense tremendously. Carthage-defense should be solid. Fox needs to live up to the hype and they need to stay healthy if they want to contend. IWU-Dunlop is a talent, but not much of a supporting cast. banks is graduating on the other side of the ball. Millikin-the only good thing i can say about them is wallick. they MIGHT win 2 games in confernece next year, depending on the outcome of the iwu matchup. NP- graduating rotenberry, harris, and a new coach will send them from bad to brutal.

[79jaybird]

As Vikes35 and JayAlum have pointed out, the CCIW has major players at every level/position throughout the conf.  Each of the 7 weeks is going to be a 60 minute brawl.  That makes it exciting!
Any news from North Park?  I wonder how the recruiting process is going for their new Coach.  I sure he is going to find that recruiting and developing that program is like trying to wade through rapids without oars.

[augiedogie]

In spite of all that crap I just said....

I think that the current state of the league is a top 3, middle 3, the fallen giant, and perennially bad.

Augie/NCC/Wheaton

Elmhurst/Carthage/Millikin

IWU

NP

In my eyes, the big 4 / little 4 dichotomy is gone.

I'd add Milikin to the "Fallen Giant" list as well.  Although they went 7-3 in 2002 and 2003 the past 5 seasons they've had atleast 3 conference losses which makes the 7-3 (4-3) less impressive IMO.

[washdupcard]

Who is attacking my Karma?  I didn't think I said anything that over the top!

[redman04]

Who is attacking my Karma?  I didn't think I said anything that over the top!

I have an idea.  Start a Karma whiner's page and then everybody can do all their complaining about Karma there instead of here.  It is getting a little old. 

Not just attacking you Washdup

[zorbadagreek]

Hey Redman 04, since you have now officially become one of the whiners, how bout you start up the whiners page. You can be the 1st one on it!!!! An old drunk wise man once told me, "Dont throw stones in glass houses", Words to live by redman 04!!

[79jaybird]

I was thinking ( and mostly because Arena Football is the only fb being played right now)  Besides Bob McMillen, are there any AFL players that were former D-3 athletes?  Bob played at Benedictine
"Who's attacking my karma"?  I would like to know also. In 2 weeks I have gone from +2 to -7??  I  think it is somebody on the bball board.

[Mugsy]

Who is attacking my Karma?  I didn't think I said anything that over the top!

From experience I've learned... never appear to complain or even mention that your karma has taken a hit.  In the past when I've asked the same question to find out what I've said that was so controversial or what was detestable about what I posted, my karma took a second drive.  I've learn to just let it go... bringing it up only seems to make it worse.

[zorbadagreek]

Im going to take a different approach to this silly karma deal. My goal now is to have the least amount of karma. i think that would be kinda cool. So go ahead die hards, fire away. Do I hear -8, -9, -10 karma??? If im having my karma zapped, I must really be on that persons mind!!!!