FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[formerd3db]

Mr. Ypsi:
See my post to you over on the MIAA board.

[Stagg Again!!]

Great game today at Wheaton.  A couple of thoughts... Jesse Geary had a nice game for the Crusaders. He had enough speed to turn the corner and enough power to hit the a-gap and run over defenders.  Looks like Spencer Stanek locked up the OPOY with another efficient (21-29) performance, 5 TD passes, and some very heady decisions.  I also think that Shane Dierking may have locked up the DPOY.  It looked like Roberts did everything he could to stay away from Dierking the entire game, and just when he thought it was safe to go in the water... Pick #7 to tie for the lead in DIII.

[Kovo]

Great game today at Wheaton.  A couple of thoughts... Jesse Geary had a nice game for the Crusaders. He had enough speed to turn the corner and enough power to hit the a-gap and run over defenders.  Looks like Spencer Stanek locked up the OPOY with another efficient (21-29) performance, 5 TD passes, and some very heady decisions.  I also think that Shane Dierking may have locked up the DPOY.  It looked like Roberts did everything he could to stay away from Dierking the entire game, and just when he thought it was safe to go in the water... Pick #7 to tie for the lead in DIII.

So what do you think SOB?  How good is this team?  Are we a contender or a pretender?  Too many playoff disappointments for me to get carried away just yet-----although it is a nice day when the Bell makes its way home. 

[AndOne]

It will be criminal if anyone other than Mike Conway wins the CCIW coach of the year award this season.

Alas, I think that for football the CCIW automatically gives the COY award to the coach of the league champions. The only time that the coaches vote on the award is in the case of a tie for first place (which is how Tim Lester won it last year).

I'm not torn up about it, because North Central is head-and-shoulders above everybody else in the league this season, as the Cards have decisively proven the past two weeks. John Thorne certainly deserves some recognition for that. But, yeah ... Mike Conway deserves some sort of recognition, too. For as much as the newbies have helped this year's team, NPU is still an undermanned outfit by CCIW standards -- but the Vikes have won three games in large part because they've overachieved, and their overachievement is a reflection of how hard and how fiercely Mike Conway has gotten them to play this season.

Sadly, I know this is the case.  But just because the conference has an established, albeit highly myopic, system in place already doesn't make Coach Conway any less deserving.

!. It certainly will NOT be a criminal offense for John Thorne to win the Coach Of The Year award. The Cardinals under Thorne's leadership have met every challenge so far this year and have soundly beaten very talented teams the last 2 weeks, both games being on the road.
2. Mike Conway certainly deserves some type of recognition. CO-COY?
3. Lets be frank here. The CCIW has its head up its ass with regard to automatically designating the coach of the conference winner as the COY. This is also the practice in basketball and has resulted in instances of the probable most deserving coach being screwed. COY should be by a vote of the conference head coaches. JMHO 

[iwu70]

Glad to glance in, peep in here from Chicago and see the scores.  What fun.

Let the Year of Eating Crow begin! 

Congrats to NPU on another CCIW win.

And, congrats to NCC on winning an undisputed CCIW crown in a fashion predicted by this "old and tired" poster.  Crow is being served, gentlemen Wheaties.

I predict NCC will have a good long run in the D3 tournament -- perhaps winning 3-4 games this go 'round.  A very good team, beating WC today, "handily."

Congrats to my Titans on winning on the road at Rock Island, at Augie, never a particularly easy task, and taking care of business now to 8-1.  Time to finish it out at 9-1 vs. Elmhurst for Senior Day next week. And, hopefully, time to prepare for the playoffs.

Lovely warm and beautiful day along Lake Michigan today, with hours spent with old friends from IWU and China in the Art Institute and down at U of Chicago.

Almost time for basketball. 

IWU70

[robertgoulet]

Not much to say about the Bell game...mostly due to the ringing I can hear across the street in Naperville

BUT I do want to commend the Wheaton webcast (video) color man. Really stuck out for me today. Very good work.

[Stagg Again!!]

Great game today at Wheaton.  A couple of thoughts... Jesse Geary had a nice game for the Crusaders. He had enough speed to turn the corner and enough power to hit the a-gap and run over defenders.  Looks like Spencer Stanek locked up the OPOY with another efficient (21-29) performance, 5 TD passes, and some very heady decisions.  I also think that Shane Dierking may have locked up the DPOY.  It looked like Roberts did everything he could to stay away from Dierking the entire game, and just when he thought it was safe to go in the water... Pick #7 to tie for the lead in DIII.

I just pm'd you Kovo with my thoughts. 

One more general comment about today's game.  I think that the Cardinal fans carried the day.  They were MUCH louder than all of the WC fans.  My wife made the comment that when she was home side of the field at the concession stand and visiting that it was like a morgue.  She could easily hear the NCC fans from the other side of the field.  So, congratulations go out to the proverbial Cardinal 12th Man for carrying the load.

[Stagg Again!!]

By the way, I wonder if the Cardinals can pick up the AQ in both the CCIW and the WIAC if they have perfect records in both conferences.   

[Mr. Ypsi]

By the way, I wonder if the Cardinals can pick up the AQ in both the CCIW and the WIAC if they have perfect records in both conferences.   

I have a feeling that UWW might take issue with that.

[Stagg Again!!]

By the way, I wonder if the Cardinals can pick up the AQ in both the CCIW and the WIAC if they have perfect records in both conferences.   

I have a feeling that UWW might take issue with that.

+k. So true.  UWW didn't like traveling to play NCC in the playoffs, so they probably wouldn't like it if we took their conference title. 

[shepherd]

Loosing to North Central is like eating 10 jars or extra spicy jalapenos it really burns my butt.
Grumble, grumble,  grumble - stinking lost on our field - grumble, grumble,  grumble
Congratulations to North Central
Grumble ringing stinking stupid grumble bell grumble on our field grumble.

[ncc58]

By the way, I wonder if the Cardinals can pick up the AQ in both the CCIW and the WIAC if they have perfect records in both conferences.   

I have a feeling that UWW might take issue with that.

Big time. UWW remembers in excruciating detail the last time that UWW and NCC were in the same bracket.

Stagg, you may have unleashed purple fury upon yourself. It wouldn't surprise me to see UWW and NCC in the same bracket again, given that the North teams had such a disastrous Saturday and the West has three undefeated,top teams. With three common opponents, the argument  to separate NCC and UWW will be fierce.

[Stagg Again!!]

By the way, I wonder if the Cardinals can pick up the AQ in both the CCIW and the WIAC if they have perfect records in both conferences.   

I have a feeling that UWW might take issue with that.

Big time. UWW remembers in excruciating detail the last time that UWW and NCC were in the same bracket.

Stagg, you may have unleashed purple fury upon yourself. It wouldn't surprise me to see UWW and NCC in the same bracket again, given that the North teams had such a disastrous Saturday and the West has three undefeated,top teams. With three common opponents, the argument  to separate NCC and UWW will be fierce.

My comment was all in good fun Gator.  I fully expect to see a UWW, UWO/UWP, or Bethel in the North bracket (assuming Linfield, Bethel, UWW, NCC, and the Mount all win out).  If Mount loses to JC (don't jump on me; I said IF), perhaps JC goes East as a #1 and Mount stays North with NCC.  Given what we saw last year with NCC being put in the West bracket and flying twice, the NCAA will not be adverse to having North region teams playing at UWO or Bethel in Round 2/3.  All said, the North will have at least one west bracket team and probably the loser of the Mount/JC game. 

My personal guess right now is that NCC gets #1 if it wins out; an undefeated West bracket team (Bethel) gets #2, and the Mount/JC loser and Wittenberg get #3/#4.  IWU gets #5, Albion gets #6, Franklin gets #7, and Wisconsin Concordia gets #8.  This is just to get the conversation started for the week on this front.

[Stagg Again!!]

I've taken a first crack at regional rankings for North Region due out this week (SECOND REGIONAL RANKING).  I have also included the name of other schools in the hunt.  I have done this only to get the conversation started. 

1.  Mt. Union (9-0) OAC (John Carroll)
2.  North Central (9-0) CCIW (Augustana)
3.  John Carroll (9-0) OAC (Mt. Union)
4.  Wittenberg (8-1) NCAC (Allegheny)
5.  Illinois Wesleyan (8-1) CCIW (Elmhurst)
6.  Albion (7-2) MIAA (Hope)
7.  Franklin (6-3) HCAC (Hanover)
8.  Concordia, WI (7-2) NACC (Wisconsin Lutheran)

Wabash (8-1) NCAC (DePauw) - Bubble.  Most likely on the outside looking in.
Hope (7-2) MIAA (Albion) - Must defeat Albion

[NCF]

By the way, I wonder if the Cardinals can pick up the AQ in both the CCIW and the WIAC if they have perfect records in both conferences.   

I have a feeling that UWW might take issue with that.

Big time. UWW remembers in excruciating detail the last time that UWW and NCC were in the same bracket.

Stagg, you may have unleashed purple fury upon yourself. It wouldn't surprise me to see UWW and NCC in the same bracket again, given that the North teams had such a disastrous Saturday and the West has three undefeated,top teams. With three common opponents, the argument  to separate NCC and UWW will be fierce.

My comment was all in good fun Gator.  I fully expect to see a UWW, UWO/UWP, or Bethel in the North bracket (assuming Linfield, Bethel, UWW, NCC, and the Mount all win out).  If Mount loses to JC (don't jump on me; I said IF), perhaps JC goes East as a #1 and Mount stays North with NCC.  Given what we saw last year with NCC being put in the West bracket and flying twice, the NCAA will not be adverse to having North region teams playing at UWO or Bethel in Round 2/3.  All said, the North will have at least one west bracket team and probably the loser of the Mount/JC game. 

My personal guess right now is that NCC gets #1 if it wins out; an undefeated West bracket team (Bethel) gets #2, and the Mount/JC loser and Wittenberg get #3/#4.  IWU gets #5, Albion gets #6, Franklin gets #7, and Wisconsin Concordia gets #8.  This is just to get the conversation started for the week on this front.

Albion/Hope winner gets #6.Hope gave IWU all it could handle and may very well end up getting the win and AQ next week.I wouldn't count Hope out just yet. I'm "Hoping" for a victory.