FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[FormerCard]

Nope, it was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

No, I think you misremember.

I love it everytime they play the Roger Clemens testimony on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike!  or Mr. Palmeri and his 300th hit...  +K

[FormerCard]

NCC excluded, from both, I’ve come up with 2 lists.  First list is coolest stadiums and second is places that are tough to play.

1.   Wilder Field – this whole campus is gorgeous, stadium included.  I really like how the bleachers wrap around the place and give it a bowl type feel, and the torch is a neat tradition.  I seriously considered attending Wesleyan just because of how beautiful the campus is.
2.   McCulley – Jumbotron, beautiful playing surface, good sound system
3.   Langhorst – I love the mature trees around Elmhurst and the buildings that frame the stadium
4.   Art Keller – would score more points if it weren’t so cold!
5.   Lindsey – It has a bad case of being in Decatur, good enough reason to knock it down the list a few pegs.
6.   Ericson – nothing blows me away about this place
7.   Holmgren – a nice place, but nothing particularly impressive about it

1.   Lindsey – after a long bus ride, lost a couple of close ones to Millikin in ‘03 and ’04.  The rubber plant and cemetery behind it are pretty disquieting. 
2.   Art Keller – reasons aforementioned.
3.   McCulley – Wheaton’s fan base is loyal, tough, and always turns out for the brass bell game.
4.   Holmgren – the walk sucks.
5.   Ericson – nothing spectacular about it, but the people who occupy it have always defended it well.
6.   Wilder –while the campus is beautiful, I never found it particularly intimidating.
7.   Langhorst – never had an issue playing here, although the first game I ever saw here was a game in 2001 between NCC and Elmhurst when Coach Krohn was recruiting me.  Before they put the artificial surface on here, this place was a dust bowl!  I would not have liked to play on that surface at all.

Ugh, I will second Millikin, what a horrible loss in 03 and then the fluke at the end of the game in 04....we also lost in 01 there in the Rain which was miserable as well..better than the year before though when we got pasted at home 57-0. 

On a positive note,  it looks as though the CCIW is getting alot of quality players which will make for great competition in the next 4 years and many issues and players for us to talk about on the boards!

[AndOne]

Not sure if it has been mentioned here or not, but Jordan Tassio is transferring from Western Illinois to North Central.

Tassio quarterbacked Naperville North to the 2007 state football championship. In doing so, he completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,550 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing 117 times for 720 yards and 17 TDs. He was the DuPage Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and was named by Rivals.com as Illinois Offensive Player of the Year. He will also play baseball for the Cardinals.

Mentioned it over a month ago! where you been?!?!?

As I recall, it was hinted at, but never confirmed.

As i recall, it was wait and see if he shows up in august

As I recall, I recall that as well. You are correct, sir!

The transfer was confirmed in an interview with Tassio's dad. Following the interview, the story, which included quotes from the dad, was reported in the Naperville Sun. While there is never a guarantee until a player shows up for the 1st day of practice, thats about as much confirmation as is possible at this point. Based not on rumor, but on direct quotes from the player's dad.

[CardinalAlum]

 

Here's the article:  


Jordan Tassio moving to North Central
 
May 9, 2010

By BLAKE BAUMGARTNER For Sun-Times Media

Jordan Tassio, who was the MVP of Naperville North's 46-19 rout over Glenbard North in the 2007 Class 8A state title game, is coming home.

Tassio's father, Chuck, confirmed Saturday his son's plans to transfer from Western Illinois to North Central College.


"Jordan comes home next Friday (May 14) from Western and we're enrolled at North Central," he said.

An e-mail address is listed for Tassio in the college's student directory.

Chuck Tassio said Jordan plans to play both football and baseball for the Cardinals.

[edited to preserve newspaper's copyright/pc]

[New Tradition]

Jordan Tassio, who was the MVP of Naperville North's 46-19 rout over Glenbard North in the 2007 Class 8A state title game, is coming home.

Coulda done without that...   At least he's got the right colors on now. 

[Mugsy]

Wheaton's recruiting class has just been posted:

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2010/5/12/FB_recruits.aspx?path=football

Couple of interesting names:
Justin Swider - RB, 6'0" 185lbs (son of Coach Swider)
Hunter Thorson - TE, 6'6" 220lbs (son of 3 time All-All American LB Chad Thorson)

Overall good looking class (on paper).  35 recruits total with a good spread of positions represented.  Some good sized OL and LB's.  Typical representation from Michigan and Texas, with reasonable number of local players (Wheaton North, Naperville North, St. Francis).  One recruit from IWU's backyard (Bloomington H.S. Brett Anderson, LB, 6'3" 215lbs).

I know one recruit personally (Adam Breure - goes to my church).  Solid player from 7A state runner up Glenbard West.  I think he'll thrive at Wheaton.

One transfer from Northeast Oklahoma A&M.

[lakeshore]

I am always amazed at the Wheaton staff's ability to recruit nationwide on a D3 budget.  Always some impressively sized kids.

IFCA All State
Vargyus
Anderson
Hodges

IFCA Academic All State
Vargyus
Benton
Bruere

[Mugsy]

I am always amazed at the Wheaton staff's ability to recruit nationwide on a D3 budget.  Always some impressively sized kids.

Significant help from Wheaton alum spreadout across the country to help identify potential recruits and reasonable recognition of Wheaton from kids attending Christian high schools.

[gordonmann]

When I was looking at Christian colleges as a high school student in 1995, Wheaton was always the first (and sometimes the only) school that people recommended.  And I lived in New England where Gordon or Messiah were much closer geographically.

[Gregory Sager]

When I was looking at Christian colleges as a high school student in 1979, Wheaton was the one that the adults in my church kept pushing me to attend. And this was in an Evangelical Covenant church, mind you -- and the Covenant's one and only college is Wheaton's CCIW rival, North Park. And, unlike Mugsy (who is also the product of a Covie upbringing), I didn't live anywhere near Wheaton, IL, where people with direct and current ties to the college may influence a high-school student. I grew up in upstate New York, 700 miles away.

I let 'em all down and chose the Park instead. Never regretted it, either, not even for a moment. But, as in Gordon Mann's case, it shows you just how pervasive Wheaton's influence really is within the American evangelical subculture.

I've never been surprised at Wheaton's ability to recruit evangelical high-school students from Maine to California, athletes or not. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people across America who believe very strongly in that school.

[Mr. Ypsi]

When I was looking at Christian colleges as a high school student in 1979, Wheaton was the one that the adults in my church kept pushing me to attend. And this was in an Evangelical Covenant church, mind you -- and the Covenant's one and only college is Wheaton's CCIW rival, North Park. And, unlike Mugsy (who is also the product of a Covie upbringing), I didn't live anywhere near Wheaton, IL, where people with direct and current ties to the college may influence a high-school student. I grew up in upstate New York, 700 miles away.

I let 'em all down and chose the Park instead. Never regretted it, either, not even for a moment. But, as in Gordon Mann's case, it shows you just how pervasive Wheaton's influence really is within the American evangelical subculture.

I've never been surprised at Wheaton's ability to recruit evangelical high-school students from Maine to California, athletes or not. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people across America who believe very strongly in that school.

Absolutely.

It mystifies me that Wheaton is not Mount Union/Whitewater in football, since football (more than perhaps any other sport) seems so evangelical.

It does give Wheaton a HUGE leg up in the CCIW in all sports.  (And, by my unofficial computations, they DO win the all-sports trophy nearly every year.)

[formerd3db]

I agree with all of you as well.  I, too have always admired Wheaton's ability to nationally recruit - that is great and says much about the institution and its people.  Hope College used to be very similar in that respect as well years ago.  When I played (like some of you in the mid-late '70's ), Hope used to recruit and did attract many players across the nation due to its Reformed Church connections.  We had many players from NY, New Jersey and out east in the areas where the reformed Church is populated as well as some from the western state regions, where many alumns are (CO, CA, etc.).  However, unfortunately, that trend has seemed to decrease tremendously, well almost, but not completely nonexistent now over the past couple of decades.  I'm not sure why, although perhaps some of that is due to more opportunities closer to home for the prospective football recruits.  Anyway, while a school like Hope or Wheaton is not for everyone, again, Wheaton's continued national recruiting success in that regard is amazing. 

[Ralph Turner]

When I was looking at Christian colleges as a high school student in 1979, Wheaton was the one that the adults in my church kept pushing me to attend. And this was in an Evangelical Covenant church, mind you -- and the Covenant's one and only college is Wheaton's CCIW rival, North Park. And, unlike Mugsy (who is also the product of a Covie upbringing), I didn't live anywhere near Wheaton, IL, where people with direct and current ties to the college may influence a high-school student. I grew up in upstate New York, 700 miles away.

I let 'em all down and chose the Park instead. Never regretted it, either, not even for a moment. But, as in Gordon Mann's case, it shows you just how pervasive Wheaton's influence really is within the American evangelical subculture.

I've never been surprised at Wheaton's ability to recruit evangelical high-school students from Maine to California, athletes or not. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people across America who believe very strongly in that school.

Might one say that Wheaton College is the Notre Dame of the "American evangelical sub-culture"?   

[dansand]

I let 'em all down and chose the Park instead. Never regretted it, either, not even for a moment.

Greg, you made a bad basketball decision. 

It does give Wheaton a HUGE leg up in the CCIW in all sports.  (And, by my unofficial computations, they DO win the all-sports trophy nearly every year.)

Over the last decade or so, that's true. Up until the turn of the century though, Augie dominated the all-sports standings. Something like 30 years in a row for the men, if I'm not mistaken.

[Mugsy]

I've never been surprised at Wheaton's ability to recruit evangelical high-school students from Maine to California, athletes or not. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people across America who believe very strongly in that school.

Not to mention Germany... one player from Germany this year.  Papua New Guinea about 7-8 years ago.