FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[HScoach]

^ when you get to the point that you look at your roster after a semi-final or Stagg bowl and think that next year will be BETTER, then you've officially reached the ultra-elite category.

[CardinalAlum]

^ when you get to the point that you look at your roster after a semi-final or Stagg bowl and think that next year will be BETTER, then you've officially reached the ultra-elite category.

Winning year after year as the Mount has done is impressive.   NCC isn't there yet.   This weekend is another step in the progression of getting there.   People still look at us as the team that could win a game or two in the playoffs.  MTU, UWW, Linfield and i'm sure i'm missing someone, have set the standard of getting to the top and staying there, yes, i know that UWW didn't make the playoffs last year but that was an exception and not the norm.  I'm excited to see where we stand.  To be the best, you have to beat the best.  Here it is.   Show our cards and see if they're good enough to win the hand!

[Kovo]

^ when you get to the point that you look at your roster after a semi-final or Stagg bowl and think that next year will be BETTER, then you've officially reached the ultra-elite category.

UMU is the standard and we will soon find out how close we are---if we are in fact close!

[emma17]

^ when you get to the point that you look at your roster after a semi-final or Stagg bowl and think that next year will be BETTER, then you've officially reached the ultra-elite category.

Winning year after year as the Mount has done is impressive.   NCC isn't there yet.   This weekend is another step in the progression of getting there.   People still look at us as the team that could win a game or two in the playoffs.  MTU, UWW, Linfield and i'm sure i'm missing someone, have set the standard of getting to the top and staying there, yes, i know that UWW didn't make the playoffs last year but that was an exception and not the norm.  I'm excited to see where we stand.  To be the best, you have to beat the best.  Here it is.   Show our cards and see if they're good enough to win the hand!

Well some of us have had higher expectations than a "game or two" for quite a while now.   
I have no idea who will win this game, but I really do hope that NCC plays in a way that shows the D3 world that they are elite.  The power of the CCIW should be an elite status team, just as with the MIAC, NWC, WIAC, ASC and E8 (and Wesley). D3 is better served when multiple teams are championship caliber.     

[Kovo]

^ when you get to the point that you look at your roster after a semi-final or Stagg bowl and think that next year will be BETTER, then you've officially reached the ultra-elite category.

Winning year after year as the Mount has done is impressive.   NCC isn't there yet.   This weekend is another step in the progression of getting there.   People still look at us as the team that could win a game or two in the playoffs.  MTU, UWW, Linfield and i'm sure i'm missing someone, have set the standard of getting to the top and staying there, yes, i know that UWW didn't make the playoffs last year but that was an exception and not the norm.  I'm excited to see where we stand.  To be the best, you have to beat the best.  Here it is.   Show our cards and see if they're good enough to win the hand!

Well some of us have had higher expectations than a "game or two" for quite a while now.   
I have no idea who will win this game, but I really do hope that NCC plays in a way that shows the D3 world that they are elite.  The power of the CCIW should be an elite status team, just as with the MIAC, NWC, WIAC, ASC and E8 (and Wesley). D3 is better served when multiple teams are championship caliber.     

I agree.  However, the CCIW has not advanced a team to the semi-finals, other than the one appearance by Wheaton, since 1988.  So while I think that we have a strong league, it is difficult to argue elite status without teams making those deep runs in December. 

[robertgoulet]

I agree.  However, the CCIW has not advanced a team to the semi-finals, other than the one appearance by Wheaton, since 1988.  So while I think that we have a strong league, it is difficult to argue elite status without teams making those deep runs in December.

Part of the reason for the lack of a CCIW team in the semi's can be tracked back to meeting up with UWW or Mt. Union before the semi's. You could probably make an argument that if the top CCIW were placed in another bracket they'd have made the semi's (and then lost).

[hithitski42NCC]

Very Tru

[Kovo]

I agree.  However, the CCIW has not advanced a team to the semi-finals, other than the one appearance by Wheaton, since 1988.  So while I think that we have a strong league, it is difficult to argue elite status without teams making those deep runs in December.

Part of the reason for the lack of a CCIW team in the semi's can be tracked back to meeting up with UWW or Mt. Union before the semi's. You could probably make an argument that if the top CCIW were placed in another bracket they'd have made the semi's (and then lost).


Very true especially with NC's 2010 team.  But we have also lost to Wabash, Franklin, Linfield and Capital (twice). 

[robertgoulet]

I agree.  However, the CCIW has not advanced a team to the semi-finals, other than the one appearance by Wheaton, since 1988.  So while I think that we have a strong league, it is difficult to argue elite status without teams making those deep runs in December.

Part of the reason for the lack of a CCIW team in the semi's can be tracked back to meeting up with UWW or Mt. Union before the semi's. You could probably make an argument that if the top CCIW were placed in another bracket they'd have made the semi's (and then lost).

Very true especially with NC's 2010 team.  But we have also lost to Wabash, Franklin, Linfield and Capital (twice).

Indeed. I disregard the Capital losses, as they were at the early part of this build...but the other 3 (esp. Franklin/Wabash) are inexcusable for a "top" program. Linfield is consistently regarded as one of the top programs, so a loss to them (@ Linfield, especially) is nothing embarrassing.

[HScoach]

^ I understand why you're pointing out the Capital losses as it pertains to NCC, but those Capital teams were the best that Mount faced those seasons, including UWW in the Stagg.   Capital was within 3 points of Mount in back-to-back Regional Finals and both games were very much in doubt in late in the 4th quarters.   
2005 - Mount 34 / Capital 31
2006 - Mount 17 / Capital 14
Those were some really, really good Capital teams, and represents the last time the 2nd place OAC team was worthy of being considered a national contender.  So don't completely discredit those Capital losses simply because NCC wasn't a well known commodity yet.   Those are quality losses in my book.

[NCCAlum48]

BSN posted their All American team today ---> http://www.beyondsportsnetwork.com/pages/2013AA

Congrats to Slezak, Dierking, Werkheiser, and Stanek.

I also heard that NCC is heading east today and will be practicing at Notre Dame this afternoon.  That should be a great experience for the boys.

It should be a great game on Saturday.  Go Cards!

[jaypeter]

Other than a cool experience, is there a reason they would do this?  What does that do for the Cardinals?  Do they have an indoor facility NCC doesn't have or something?  I'm curious.

[Kovo]

^ I understand why you're pointing out the Capital losses as it pertains to NCC, but those Capital teams were the best that Mount faced those seasons, including UWW in the Stagg.   Capital was within 3 points of Mount in back-to-back Regional Finals and both games were very much in doubt in late in the 4th quarters.   
2005 - Mount 34 / Capital 31
2006 - Mount 17 / Capital 14
Those were some really, really good Capital teams, and represents the last time the 2nd place OAC team was worthy of being considered a national contender.  So don't completely discredit those Capital losses simply because NCC wasn't a well known commodity yet.   Those are quality losses in my book.

All true, but we can't complain that games with UMU and UWW, have caused our playoff hopes to be derailed.  UWW has knocked us out a couple of times, but there were other opportunities.

[robertgoulet]

Other than a cool experience, is there a reason they would do this?  What does that do for the Cardinals?  Do they have an indoor facility NCC doesn't have or something?  I'm curious.

NCC does not have an indoor facility. Probably a combination of the experience and the ability to use the indoor facility. Unfortunately they apparently couldn't get a hold of a real program's facility (like Toledo or Ohio State) and had to settle for the most overrated college football program in the country 

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Other than a cool experience, is there a reason they would do this?  What does that do for the Cardinals?  Do they have an indoor facility NCC doesn't have or something?  I'm curious.

NCC does not have an indoor facility. Probably a combination of the experience and the ability to use the indoor facility. Unfortunately they apparently couldn't get a hold of a real program's facility (like Toledo or Ohio State) and had to settle for the most overrated college football program in the country 

Since Toledo's HC is a MTU Grad, I doubt they would be welcome to practice there.