FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[matblake]

Congrats IWU, from the comments on the board it sounds like the Titans did what they needed to do.  I'm sure the seniors on the team are extremely happy as they have been through the ringer the last few years. 

North Central is a great example of how the entire conference season matters.  They stayed focused and although they lost the Bell, they gained the playoffs.

Seems like at the end Wheaton's injuries were just too much for them.  Also, I think the Carthage defeat took some of the magic away from Thunder.  I think Wheaton would have been much more confident had they come back to beat the Red Men. 

As always, this was a great season.  I look forward to supporting North Central in the playoffs.  Let's do the CCIW proud!

[Titan Q]

The Pantagraph's article on the IWU/Wheaton game for anyone interested...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/11/11/sports/doc4736789b8af98883996636.txt


"It's going to sound like an excuse, but we have so many kids that are hurt it's mind-boggling," said Wheaton coach Mike Swider. "This is a football team that is a wounded animal, man, and we didn't have all of our bullets. But the kids stepped up and played well and took it as long as they could take it. Sooner or later it catches up with you."

[Titan Q]

Thorne for CCIW Coach of the Year ... that is all.

Co-champ NCC was picked 3rd in the coaches pre-season poll; co-champ IWU was picked 7th ... that is all.

NCC 23, Illinois Wesleyan 7 ... That is all.

I personally don't think the Coach of the Year should be determined by who does best relative to the preseason coaches poll.  The coaches picked Illinois Wesleyan 7th, be we know now that the Titans did not have 7th place talent...turns out they had a loaded, senior-dominated defense and a young offense full of emerging playmakers.  Having seen both teams play, it seems that there is very little separation in talent between the two co-champs.  I guess I am saying it is not like Norm Eash took 7th place talent and tied for first, just as Augustana did not finish 5th with 2nd place (their preseason poll slot) talent.  The poll was wrong -- and I don't see how that should affect the Coach of the Year award.

I also don't think the IWU/NCC game should be the end all, be all either, as suggested above.  It was a very close game (much closer than 23-7 looks).  It was 13-7 with about 8:00 to play with IWU driving and a chance to take the lead.  Kraid Ladd threw a bad pass at about NCC's 25 yard line that was picked off.  NCC scored 10 points in the final 8:00 and won the game.  I don't think John Thorne out-coached Norm Eash in that ballgame...I think his players just made more plays that day.  Just as Mike Swider didn't out-coach Thorne in that head-to-head game - two good teams played and one team made a couple more plays.

The way I see it, this season John Thorne and Norm Eash both did everything a successful coach has to do.

* They recruited good players.
* They prepared the players.
* They coached the players.

In the end, over the course of the same CCIW schedule, they both finished 6-1.

It just seems impossible to me to distinguish who deserves the award -- seems like a co-Coach of the Year situation.  They both deserve it.

[FormerCard]

I am a little confused with the brackets.  I was almost certain we would be in the Mount union bracket (no complaints here).   Anyone want to provide some insight?

[Jim Matson]

Wow!  They moved Mount Union to the East bracket.  Go North Central!

Now if Wheaton had only executed, they'd be in a bracket without Mount Union for the first time.  A real tough result for the Thunder, that's for sure.

[Titan Q]

http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/07/bracket.htm

Yes, this is big news -- the CCIW path does not hit Mount Union until the national championship round.  I don't think this has happened during the "Mount Union Era."

If NCC beats Franklin, they will have to go to UW-Whitewater though, which will be incredibly tough...but at least the road does not go through Alliance for once.

Good luck Cardinals.  Time for everyone to get behind the CCIW's rep in the tournament.

[FormerCard]

Wow!  They moved Mount Union to the East bracket.  Go North Central!

Now if Wheaton had only executed, they'd be in a bracket without Mount Union for the first time.  A real tough result for the Thunder, that's for sure.

This may send Swider straight to the barbershop

Go NCC!!!

[Adam Sayer]

I'm just glad MSJ doesn't have to play one of you guys again in the playoffs

On a serious note, How do you think NCC will prepare for FC's offense? They've put up big numbers on some pretty good teams (i.e. Wabash and MSJ). Teams who traditionally have decent defenses.

[Titan Q]

Wow!  They moved Mount Union to the East bracket.  Go North Central!

Now if Wheaton had only executed, they'd be in a bracket without Mount Union for the first time.  A real tough result for the Thunder, that's for sure.

Jim, you are right.  If Wheaton had stayed healthy, this would be the year the Thunder could have made a serious run towards Salem.

[Mugsy]

Wow!  They moved Mount Union to the East bracket.  Go North Central!

Now if Wheaton had only executed, they'd be in a bracket without Mount Union for the first time.  A real tough result for the Thunder, that's for sure.

Jim, you are right.  If Wheaton had stayed healthy, this would be the year the Thunder could have made a serious run towards Salem.

Now I really feel sick... a North bracket without Mount Union.   Just what Wheaton and the CCIW has wanted for a long time.  Oh well... maybe next year.

Best of luck to NCC - get it done!

[Tailgater]

Congrats to NCC for coming into Kenosha and taking care of their business. They made Carthage look like........well.......NP :. (no disrespect intended).

Judging from the couple of -hits on my karma I guess some where insulted anyway. I couldn't think of any other team historically in the CCIW to compare the Red Men's incapability of winning yesterday. Sorry again to whom-ever took this as an insult. again.... not intended.

Coach Rucks said this morning he is still embarrassed about the game yesterday. One of those things that occasionally happens, when the bleeding starts and you can't do anything to stop it.

[Gregory Sager]

Congrats to NCC for coming into Kenosha and taking care of their business. They made Carthage look like........well.......NP :. (no disrespect intended).

Judging from the couple of -hits on my karma I guess some where insulted anyway. I couldn't think of any other team historically in the CCIW to compare the Red Men's incapability of winning yesterday. Sorry again to whom-ever took this as an insult. again.... not intended.

Don't assume that it was an NPU fan or fans who hit the smite button, Tailgater. I think that there's five of us North Park alumni who have 200+ posts. Two of them don't read this room, two haven't posted in here for so long that I wonder whether they even lurk here anymore, and then there's me -- and I did not smite you.

The only two semi-regular NPU posters in this room are Lakeshore and myself, and Lakeshore does not have smiting capability. He's only up to 57 posts or so.

Word to the wise: Don't inadvertently make enemies of the entire posting cadre of a school ... unless you don't care about your karma or you really, really don't like that particular school. Since you obviously care about your karma, and I don't sense that you have any particular animosity towards NPU, it doesn't serve you well to accuse us Parkers of smiting you when you have no proof that we did so. I for one did not take offense at your jab at NPU -- how could I, when it's true? When someone in this league gets smacked around on the gridiron, NPU is obviously the best comparison available for the losing team. On the other hand, I'm a little miffed that you leaped to the conclusion that we were the ones who dealt your karma a blow.

[Gregory Sager]

"It's going to sound like an excuse, but we have so many kids that are hurt it's mind-boggling," said Wheaton coach Mike Swider. "This is a football team that is a wounded animal, man, and we didn't have all of our bullets.

Small comfort to Coach Swider, but he's getting my vote for CCIW Mixed Metaphor of the Year.

[Mr. Ypsi]

"It's going to sound like an excuse, but we have so many kids that are hurt it's mind-boggling," said Wheaton coach Mike Swider. "This is a football team that is a wounded animal, man, and we didn't have all of our bullets.

Small comfort to Coach Swider, but he's getting my vote for CCIW Mixed Metaphor of the Year.

Though if wounded animals did have bullets, I suppose hunting could be considered a more 'fair' contest!

[mr_b]

Congrats to NCC for coming into Kenosha and taking care of their business. They made Carthage look like........well.......NP :. (no disrespect intended).

Judging from the couple of -hits on my karma I guess some where insulted anyway. I couldn't think of any other team historically in the CCIW to compare the Red Men's incapability of winning yesterday. Sorry again to whom-ever took this as an insult. again.... not intended.

Don't assume that it was an NPU fan or fans who hit the smite button, Tailgater. I think that there's five of us North Park alumni who have 200+ posts. Two of them don't read this room, two haven't posted in here for so long that I wonder whether they even lurk here anymore, and then there's me -- and I did not smite you.

I frequently read this board (as well as many other CCIW boards), but I didn't even see the original posting.  I'm not sure who nicked your karma score -- not me -- but I agree with Greg: it's never a good idea to knock another school's team, even in jest and surrounded by smiley faces.  It doesn't reflect well on the poster and/or his/her affiliated school.