FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[cciwman]

Norm Eash has had a very fine career at Illinois Wesleyan. But to insinuate that he's the Bear Bryant or the Joe Paterno or the Urban Meyer of the CCIW, and is thus subject to the envy of opposing partisans, is utterly ridiculous.

It would appear to me, that from a longevity and win percentage perspective, he's the Kirk Ferentz of the CCIW.

Or from the recruiting side, the Lovie Smith.  They players will come to me because I am a big-time coach, therefore I don't need to work the area to get the best talent.

[blue_jays]

It's a good thing for my spirits and ego that IWU has always been (and probably always will be) a basketball-first school!

Actually, in terms of walnut-and-bronze hardware, Illinois Wesleyan is a women's track-&-field-first school.

And go a bit lighter on the Norm-bashing.  One big reason why IWU NEVER finishes dead last is stability - they have had exactly TWO head football coaches in the last SIXTY-SIX years (Don Larson for 33 years, and now Norm Eash for 33).

C'mon, Chuck. Nobody here bashes Norm for his success rate*. He gets bashed for reasons other than wins and losses. And you know it.

*That may now be subject to change.

Yes, women's t-and-f has had more national success then basketball (so has golf ), but in terms of student interest, it's basketball (and, increasingly, also women's basketball); at least that was true back in my day (when we dodged mastodons to get to classes), but still seems to be true.

I 'know' from this board that the Norm-bashing is for reasons other than won-loss record, but can't confirm from personal experience.  The only time I met Norm (2010 homecoming), he struck me as a very personable guy.  So I simply don't know what the bashing is really all about. And I can't recall the bashing ever being at all specific as to cause - just general hatred.  Can anyone clue me in to specifics?  Otherwise, I will put it off to jealousy that he has more conference wins than anyone else will probably ever get (with Don Larson in second place).

Herein lies the issue, Ypsi. Norm is a great guy to his constituency, his friends, and people who he can get something from. Of course he'll be nice to you as a fellow greenie.
Norm's conduct with others outside of B-Town is the problem. His arrogance, pomposity and lack of giving other teams credit (look no further than the NCC beatdown, who says that delusional stuff on the record?) are not a good look. His in-game shenanigans with running up the score or trying to obviously stick it to rivals when he has the superior team hasn't been forgotten. It's not a coincidence that every fan base in the CCIW has a Norm story that riles them up. He's not being "persecuted", he does it to himself. It's not jealousy. Look at what John Thorne and Mike Swider were able to accomplish in their tenures - they've never gotten the vitriol that Norm inspires.
I worked with a head coach in the midwest who told me directly about one of his run-ins with Norm. A prized offensive lineman had been accepted to this coach's school and had even deposited. Norm tried to poach him despite knowing this, and the kid said no thanks. The head coach found out about it from the kid and the next time he saw Norm at a convention, Norm lied about it when the subject came up, and the coach had specific words for what would happen the next time Norm tried to pull that crap.

[WUPHF]

I haven't seen them play, so I can't speak to the eye test, but Wash U's loss to Chicago after beating them 43-7 in 2019 isn't a good look.

I am willing to give the Bears a mulligan for the Chicago game and say that this is the first big test for the Bears going forward.  I am not sure that we learned much with wins over North Park and Elmhurst.

[BIG BLUE BEN]

Sorry I am late, did not want to miss my chance at the Green Norm Pinata Fiesta. The IWU/Millikin rivalry runs very deep in Decatur, the rivalry saw some droughts in the 2010's simply bc it was no longer a big game and beating NC /Wheaton became Wesleyan's big game every year. The trash talking was always at another level and it was always a chippy game since the old story of the rivalries origin goes that Millikin's only 3 seasons not playing football since there onset in the early 1900's except during WW2. If you look in the record books youll notice that IWU played all 3 seasons and since then the Millikin Men have never respected the Green Weenies who dodged the draft.


Its a bad blood game. Wesleyan has always been the "preppy" "cocky" old money in Bloomington while Millikin has always viewed themselves as a the blue collar, harding working which I believe is true. Blooimgton (city) Decatur (farmers, factor workers). Obviously, the hostility isn't anything uncivil but when it comes to sports, thats just way people around there feel.

Just in my 4 years, I saw 4 ejections (not including targeting calls) for (punches, fights, middle finger to the crowds, spit in the face, etc).Millikin however during those years was not too far behind those Wesleyan teams and that game was still the most important game home or away. It still is, without a doubt, still our Rivalry game whether Wesleyan wants to consider it one is up to them. But maybe it will just take need to take Millikin throwing a party on their field as they did in the spring. It was a massive release of all the frustration/failures of past teams failing against the Green Weans.

There is nothing I would like to see more than Millikin send Norm to the retirement homes with one last (long overdue/well earned) butt kicking. AND if the Big Blue can beat a very good Carthage team (I think they are better than Wash U) then Millikin will walk into the Wesleyan game riding high 4-1 (4-0). If Wesleyan cannot manage to escape against Elmhurst then they should not be expecting a win until  October 30, 2021 vs North Park. It would be a site to see but im pulling for the claimed 0-10 season for IWU. Best case scenario now is 2-8, which I would also welcome with open arms.  Every other CCIW team I will pull for in non conference and playoffs barring one.... Bloom Tech.

I hope everyone gets their "pound of flesh" from Norm this year on his way out. What goes around comes around Norm.

[79jaybird]

cue Marisa Tomeii,  "You think I'm hostile, wait until you see me tonight!"   Oh you two know each other,  "Yeah, she's my Fiance. "....Explains the hostility".   

Yes,  the IWU/MU rivalry is a good one.   Sadly, Elmhurst doesn't really have a true arch rival like NC/WC, IWU/MU, even to a lesse extent Augie/WC. 

[mr_b]

cue Marisa Tomeii,  "You think I'm hostile, wait until you see me tonight!"   Oh you two know each other,  "Yeah, she's my Fiance. "....Explains the hostility".   

Yes,  the IWU/MU rivalry is a good one.   Sadly, Elmhurst doesn't really have a true arch rival like NC/WC, IWU/MU, even to a lesse extent Augie/WC.

Maybe you could have someone do a cover of Mr. Rogers singing, "Won't you be my rival?"

[Gregory Sager]

[jaybird44]

On a side note:  I am currently fundraising for Rett syndrome through my Rett Gets Rocked 2021: 100 + ONE event.  I am going to attempt to run/walk 100 miles in 32 hours, from 9 a.m. October 23 to 5 p.m. October 24 at WashU's Francis Olympic Field.  Proceeds go to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation and the Rett Spectrum Clinic at WashU's School of Medicine in St. Louis Children's Hospital.

If you would like to make a donation, you may use this link:

https://rettracers2021.funraise.org/fundraiser/jay-murry

We are close to a cure...gene-replacement therapy research is well underway across the country, to correct the gene mutation in the brain that causes Rett syndrome.  Trofinitide, a drug in its final round of clinical trials before FDA review, has shown promise in limiting the frequent seizures that are a part of Rett.

Rett syndrome manifests itself typically when a child is between 6-18 months of age.  Just when a child is learning how to walk and talk, Rett acts like Lucy when she pulls the ball away from Charlie Brown.  Only Rett doesn't allow a child to get up and try again.  Children regress sharply to wheelchairs or assistance with walking, and the ability to talk is taken away, with no ability to even move hands for sign lianguage. 

One in 10,000 girls develop Rett syndrome, and it is even rarer in boys due to the mutation occurring on the X chromosome.  I don't have any family members with Rett, but I have become friends with many families who are dealing with Rett.  It is my fourth year of doing an ultramarathon fundraiser, and I have raised nearly $16,000 to date.

It is the cause in which I pick up sword and shield every year.  I hope yon can join me in the quest for a cure of Rett syndrome.

Jay Murry
Play-By-Play Announcer
Washington University in St. Louis

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 17
North Park 14

I didn't get to watch more than a handful of first-quarter plays because I had a volleyball match to call in NPU Gym, but from what I was told, this was a defensive struggle that was largely settled by a long punt return that set up Augie's winning touchdown in the Quad Cities.

[CardinalAlum]

Augustana 17
North Park 14

I didn't get to watch more than a handful of first-quarter plays because I had a volleyball match to call in NPU Gym, but from what I was told, this was a defensive struggle that was largely settled by a long punt return that set up Augie's winning touchdown in the Quad Cities.

Good to see the Park making strides!

[Gregory Sager]

Carthage gets to enjoy its marathon bus ride home after taking down Millikin, 63-42, at Lindsey Field in Decatur.

[Gregory Sager]

Augustana 17
North Park 14

I didn't get to watch more than a handful of first-quarter plays because I had a volleyball match to call in NPU Gym, but from what I was told, this was a defensive struggle that was largely settled by a long punt return that set up Augie's winning touchdown in the Quad Cities.

Good to see the Park making strides!

Thanks, but in all honesty, this seemed to be more of a grab-bag kinda game between two bottom-tier teams than anything. The person watching the NPU @ AC game on his scorer's table laptop between points here in the NPU Gym went out of his way to stress that he was not at all impressed by Augustana. (It sounded like Augie's starting QB suffered an injury on an NPU sack that took him out of this game, which might affect Augie's fortunes going forward as well.)

Still, it's good for the young Vikings to play well enough to be in a competitive game for sixty minutes after getting their lunch handed to them by Bethel and Wheaton, and by Wash U for a half as well.

[CardinalAlum]

Carroll took the opening kickoff down the field and took a 7-0 lead on the Cards.  NCC reeled off 62 straight for a 62-7 final. Luke Lehnen had a very productive day with his arm and his legs and is really settling in nicely under center for the Cards as his speed gives an added dimension to an already potent offense.

[Gregory Sager]

Elmhurst is the cure for what ails you, apparently, as Illlinois Wesleyan slaughtered the 'jays, 52-3, down in Bloormal.

[Next Man Up]

Augustana 17
North Park 14

I didn't get to watch more than a handful of first-quarter plays because I had a volleyball match to call in NPU Gym, but from what I was told, this was a defensive struggle that was largely settled by a long punt return that set up Augie's winning touchdown in the Quad Cities.

Good to see the Park making strides!

Thanks, but in all honesty, this seemed to be more of a grab-bag kinda game between two bottom-tier teams than anything. The person watching the NPU @ AC game on his scorer's table laptop between points here in the NPU Gym went out of his way to stress that he was not at all impressed by Augustana. (It sounded like Augie's starting QB suffered an injury on an NPU sack that took him out of this game, which might affect Augie's fortunes going forward as well.)

Still, it's good for the young Vikings to play well enough to be in a competitive game for sixty minutes after getting their lunch handed to them by Bethel and Wheaton, and by Wash U for a half as well.

Elmhurst is the cure for what ails you, apparently, as Illlinois Wesleyan slaughtered the 'jays, 52-3, down in Bloormal.

Based on NPU's recent "strides," they have to be favored in their upcoming game vs. Elmhurst. Perhaps vs. Carroll as well?

It appears EU has fallen over the edge to the point that the question of whether they will win even a single game this season seems entirely valid.