FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

The rumors or Purple Raider demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Holy Buckets!

THAT was a butt-whuppin'!  If UWW had won yet again, I would have been tempted to say that there is now only ONE truly elite team, then UMU, then all the other near-elite teams (fill in you own list of whatever number of your choosing).  Now it is clearly back to the standard two - and if UST can manage to win next Friday, I guess it is three.

[thunderdog]

The rumors of Purple Raider demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Holy Buckets!

I was hoping to see 2 evenly matched, competitive games today, but it wasn't to be... My takeaways from the UWW @ UMU game:
1) late in the first half, score 6-15, QB Nelson throws what appears to be a catchable deep ball to WR Marcus Hudson. If Hudson lays out, he easily gets his hands on the ball. The announcers were all over him as soon as it happened and rightfully so, a shocking lack of effort in a huge game.
2) in that same drive (I think), on a 4th and 1, QB Nelson attempts a sneak, with his back to the defense, reaches the ball over his head to extend for the 1st down, ball comes loose, regardless of who actually came up with the ball, the ball was recovered short of the 1st down marker. The refs (probably Steve), ruled his forward progress was stopped and gave him the 1st down...are u kidding me??? It wasn't the goal line, offensive players should not be given the freedom to willynilly extend for a 1st down and have the protection of "forward progress" if the ball comes loose. Anyone with me on this?
3) Lake Buchar, maybe the best leg I've ever seen in d3. He's good from 46 & 40, and attempted a ridiculously long 64 yarder with 10 seconds left in the half. It was grossly wide right but had the distance... And he's from Wheaton North Had some booming punts and kick offs as well.
4) was surprised UMU didn't try a hail mary after getting the ball with 5 seconds left in 1st half after said 64 yard FG attempt
5) once the score was 6-22, thought UWW should have gone with Jarrod Ware at RB, more of a HR hitting type of a runner than Ratliffe
6) not sure where to start with the accolades for UMU, there's so many, but obviously RB Logan Nemeth deserves mention, fast, slippery, powerful and just a tough son of a gun
7) UMU is just at another level on both O and D

Haven't gotten thru much of the Linfield @ UST game yet, I wonder what Linfield fans would think if they had starting QB Sam Riddle in the game? I'm sure it makes a difference, but enough to overcome what appeared to be an obvious mismatch?

The WR's for Linfield didn't seem to be doing any favors for the backup Knecht as I saw 1 guy with lazy footwork on a catch on the sidelines, and then another just had a flat drop for a TD early...

OLine and RB Jordan Roberts for UST obviously impressive. Not exactly sold on the skill level of the QB and WRs when it comes to competing with UMU. My eye test also says that USTs D << UWWs D. Just a few too many holes for me not to think UMU takes the Stagg rather easily (10+)

[Ga_Colonel]

Dan Gritti did a nice job at Rhodes, but he's going to find out that the CCIW ain't the SAA.

Gritti left Rhodes just like he found it. 

[Gregory Sager]

You're technically correct in that the Lynx had the same 4-6 record this year that they had the season before Gritti showed up in Memphis. But in between he had a pair of 8-2 seasons, including the first conference championship won by Rhodes since 1995. To quote the Millikin press release:

Under Gritti's leadership, Rhodes had back-to-back 8-2 (5-1 Southern Athletic Association) seasons in 2013 and 2014, setting a school record for most wins over a two-year period. The five wins in SAA play were the most conference wins in a single season in Lynx history. The 8-2 records were the best single-season records at Rhodes since 1985 and the most wins in a season since 1977. In his five seasons at Rhodes, Gritti compiled a 29-19 (.604) career record.

No other Rhodes coach over the past several decades can match those achievements, so I'll stand by my statement that he did a nice job there.

[Gregory Sager]

I'm going to be interviewing Mike Conway at halftime of tonight's NPU men's basketball game. He's always a good interview, so it might be worth listening.

[Ga_Colonel]

No other Rhodes coach over the past several decades can match those achievements, so I'll stand by my statement that he did a nice job there.

As an alum, I am glad he is gone. He is a really smart guy, but I don't think he will build a sustainable winning culture unless he changes the way he treats people around him. I don't think the were begging him to stay.

"We would like to thank Dan for his contributions to the program the past five years," said Rhodes athletic director Mike Clary.  "We wish him the best in his future endeavors."

[Pat Coleman]

I don't think that quote is particularly indicative of anything one way or the other. Seems pretty typical for a school whose coach left for an equivalent job.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm sure Pat has seen far more sports-related press releases than I ( thank goodness!), but I've seen more than my fill of academic press releases.  That Rhodes release was a classic 'don't say a damn thing' sort of release.  Utterly meaningless.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm sure Pat has seen far more sports-related press releases than I ( thank goodness!), but I've seen more than my fill of academic press releases. 

LOL +1

[kiko]

No other Rhodes coach over the past several decades can match those achievements, so I'll stand by my statement that he did a nice job there.

As an alum, I am glad he is gone. He is a really smart guy, but I don't think he will build a sustainable winning culture unless he changes the way he treats people around him. I don't think the were begging him to stay.

"We would like to thank Dan for his contributions to the program the past five years," said Rhodes athletic director Mike Clary.  "We wish him the best in his future endeavors."

As others have suggested, that is pretty much boilerplate language when someone departs -- not just in D3 but in just about any setting where a departure merits a memo or press release.

[formerd3db]

I'm sure Pat has seen far more sports-related press releases than I ( thank goodness!), but I've seen more than my fill of academic press releases.  That Rhodes release was a classic 'don't say a damn thing' sort of release.  Utterly meaningless.

I'm sure Pat has seen far more sports-related press releases than I ( thank goodness!), but I've seen more than my fill of academic press releases. 

LOL +1

No other Rhodes coach over the past several decades can match those achievements, so I'll stand by my statement that he did a nice job there.

As an alum, I am glad he is gone. He is a really smart guy, but I don't think he will build a sustainable winning culture unless he changes the way he treats people around him. I don't think the were begging him to stay.

"We would like to thank Dan for his contributions to the program the past five years," said Rhodes athletic director Mike Clary.  "We wish him the best in his future endeavors."

As others have suggested, that is pretty much boilerplate language when someone departs -- not just in D3 but in just about any setting where a departure merits a memo or press release.

I don't think that quote is particularly indicative of anything one way or the other. Seems pretty typical for a school whose coach left for an equivalent job.

Agree with all of you.  Pat, the Hope press release fit that mode completely as it was quite mundane.  I think we would all agree that what is said in these type of statements from the administrators at any particular school, while there may be some sincere appreciation and well deserved compliments, there is obviously behind the scenes "private" opinions/comments that are not so, regardless of whether there was a legit reason for a change. 

All that said, I am somewhat amazed at how many coaching changes have been made this year, particularly at DIII.  I have not gone back to review recent years of your excellent Coaching Carousel to count the numbers, however, am wondering if you have already kept that tally.  It would be interesting to see if this year's totals are more or less than previous years and if there is any trend.  Regarding the latter, probably not, since changes in any given year are random and depend on so many factors at any school.     

[Ga_Colonel]

I don't think that quote is particularly indicative of anything one way or the other. Seems pretty typical for a school whose coach left for an equivalent job.

Sounds like a school that had no plans on renewing his contract. Left without addressing his players unless you consider a tweet an acceptable substitute.

Thank u to the Rhodes players and their families for 5 incredible years. Our paths may diverge but I will carry the memories with me always.

[Gregory Sager]

I'm going to pile on by agreeing with everybody else that it was clearly nothing more than a pro forma, neutrally-worded press release by the Rhodes administration. You're reading too much into it, and my guess is that your antipathy towards Gritti is coloring your perception of that press release.

As for his leaving Rhodes without a departing address to his players, that does seem a little cold. But I don't know the circumstances involved behind the scenes with regard to his tweet-instead-of-speech farewell, so I'm certainly not going to judge Gritti based upon that. There could be any number of explanations as to why he didn't speak to them in person a last time. It may not even have been a matter that was under his control.

[Mugsy]

I'm going to pile on by agreeing with everybody else that it was clearly nothing more than a pro forma, neutrally-worded press release by the Rhodes administration. You're reading too much into it, and my guess is that your antipathy towards Gritti is coloring your perception of that press release.

As for his leaving Rhodes without a departing address to his players, that does seem a little cold. But I don't know the circumstances involved behind the scenes with regard to his tweet-instead-of-speech farewell, so I'm certainly not going to judge Gritti based upon that. There could be any number of explanations as to why he didn't speak to them in person a last time. It may not even have been a matter that was under his control.

I've seen several times an employee go into a bosses office to talk about future plans, exit the office amicably, only to have multiple security guards watch him/her pack up their personal items and walk them to the door with no opportunity to say goodbye to co-workers. 

Who know what transpired, but it is not a stretch that he may not have been given the opportunity for face-to-face farewell with the players.

Complete speculation... but how do you know the circumstances upon his departure?

[Gregory Sager]

I was thinking along those lines, too, Mugsy.