FB: Northwest Conference

[spiritof86]

7 turnovers? No team can overcome that. I was impressed with plu's tenacity last week, but they obviously have issues.

Congrats to the bearcats. Sou is in for trouble next week.

[DarkHarvest]

Cats beware,
No, I am not calling for an upset, lord knows that the cats will pass all over the raiders, i mean plank from willamette had 9 catches for almost 200 yards and 2 scores.  Obviously Linfield throws the ball better than WU.  I did see the game though and SOU will play hard on D and they also throw in a few cheap shots.  I hope elliot doesn't go down due to a bush league play and a helmet to helmet hit....On a new note nice job to both Cats yesterday and pennstatelbu might come back to the board since they won yesterday.

[back2back]

On the Lutes:
I was impressed with how they played against Linfield last week. They hung in there the whole game, never got down and were fighting at the end. Though clearly outmanned, I said to myself, "Well this program isn't going to self destruct anytime soon."

But the seven turnovers yesterday would make any fan cringe. Yikes, they should have won that game going away had it not been for such sloppy play. Obviously, I'm not  close enough to the Lutes to make a guess here, but what we're seeing may magnify a couple of things -- how tough it is to transition coaches, especially from a Legend like Frosty (witness Linfield's bumps in getting past the Rutschman era), and the painful lack of facilities in Lutedom to go with the tradition. I'll argue that these go hand-in-hand and provide an outlet for the fan base to express its commitment. Not having a venue to play on campus is a killer and I'm amazed that Frosty has been able to overcome this deficit for so many years -- just addition confirmation of what a great coach, motivator andn person he was to the Lute program.

I hear Mr. W was in attendance at the Linfield game last week and talking confidently about the effort he's leading to build such a facility for the Lutes on campus. It was a watershed undertaking when Linfield rasied nearly $2 million to rebuild the Catdome (and there's more to come). The Lute loyal should line up behind Frosty sooner than later beause his effort may be more of a key to the Lute's future than anything Scott can do in recruiting and coaching. If Linfield is the finest venue in small college football to watch a game, PLU could certainly give the Cats a run for their money.

Also, props to the Whitworth fans for their impressive turnout yesterday and the support they gave their team. This is another program on the rise and ready to supplant the Lutes if they don't pick up the pace. The only downer was the officiating and some of the Linfield fans' reaction to the well-deserved criticism of what was really a lacklustre effort by the zebras.

[back2back]

testing

[downtown48]

What was the reaction that you're talking about...?  I know the radio guys were talking about how bad a couple of the calls were. 

[eastcoastlute]

Back2Back,

I think you hit the nail on the head in a lot of categories.  Today's high school athletes are a lot more conditioned to look at things like facilities when deciding on a program.  I don't know if Scott has changed the traditional PLU approach to recruiting (no home visits, rely on family & friends, etc) but as has been mentioned on this board before it might be time to revisit the philosophy.  I don't think anyone associated with the program in any capacity (former players, alumni, fans, etc) is advocating a fundamental change in the way PLU football does business, and I believe the overall aim of the program should remain the same - to develop outstanding young men who succeed in the game of life (More Than Champions).  But clearly the landscape in the NWC is changing and it begs for a response from PLU.

I'm not down because of an 0-4 start.  I'm not down because of the way PLU has lost some of those games.  Having lost almost everything I own to a hurricane and flood makes pouting over seven turnovers a ridiculous waste of time.  But I am a lot more sensitive now than I ever was before to process, and the way things are built.  PLU football has a solid foundation, and one of the principal architects of that program is the man currently in charge.  The challenge now is to pay attention to the cracks in the foundation and address them sooner rather than later.  The infamous 17th Street Canal ran through my backyard - an ode to engineering triumphing over nature.  Now it's the poster child for any project that is left to fend for itself without the necessary resources dedicated to keeping it strong.

Time for PLU to really take a look at the strong foundation that is its football program and make sure recent results are simply the bad bounce of the ball, and not a lack of resources and attention that can rot a foundation to its core.

Way too heavy for a Sunday afternoon.  I apologize.

Hey Lutes
Go Lutes
Attaway
Attaway

[pennstlbu]

WOW! What a night! As much as the loss to Willamette hurt, the win last night for the Loggers was many times sweeter. It had been a long 18 years for the Loggers aginst the Lutes, and an even longer year after last season's tough 2OT loss. This is definitely a huge win for the program, winning its first NWC game against someone other than Lewis & Clark since 2000.

Game ball goes to the defense. After giving up 300+ passing yards to LaVerne and allowing the late TD pass to Willamette, the defense came back to its 2004 form against the Lutes. Only allowing 195 yards passing, plus forcing 7 turnovers against PLU is a great bounce back effort for the D.

Hopefully the Loggers don't have too much of a hangover, like I have now, for next week's game with Whitworth. It'd be nice for UPS to follow this big win with another one next week @ home.

[back2back]

Downtown,
Some of our fans seem to think that getting on the refs when they consistently and repeatedly make awful calls is out of bounds. I disagree.

[wc2viking]

First off, nice post, back2back.  I jumped on you when you called PLU "losers", but I think your post makes a lot of great points.  I have to say that I think it's nice that UPS finally got a win over PLU.  I hope that all the teams in the NWC can be competitive (below Linfield, of course,  ).  I think Lewis & Clark won't be coming back, and it's in everyone's best interest that one team isn't a perennial bottom-feeder again.

[wc2viking]

eastcoastlute:

I'm very sorry to hear of what you've been through.  Although Wildcat fans may dump on the Lutes, we know that a PLU education wil always give you a basis to get over anything.  Keep your chin up! 

[wc2viking]

Downtown,
Some of our fans seem to think that getting on the refs when they consistently and repeatedly make awful calls is out of bounds. I disagree.

I agree, keeping the refs honest is part of the fans' job.  If they repeatedly make idiotic calls, they deserve to be called out on it.

I mean, how bad can it really be if they get booed/ yelled at or whatever.  Get some thicker skin and stop blowing calls!

[wildcat11]

ECL,

I hope that things are going to work out well enough.  I hope all your loved ones made it out safe and even though you may have lost many possessions you will be able to bounce back.  I'll be sending out the good karma to you and your family.

Football is a metaphor for life and overcoming adverse circumstances to achieve one's goal.  I hope that the Lutes will overcome the adversity of being their own worst enemy and start finding a way to put it together.

Linfield did face adverse circumstances of their own yesterday.  Joel Clark is again the best QB Linfield will face all year.  Better than Borchart from UW-SP, better than Orihel from Rowan, and yes, better than Collins from Oxy. 

Yes, the penalties that were being called were flat out terrible (Linfield 11 for 110 yards to Whitworth's 3 for 25 yards).  A couple of officials were caught up in the excitement of the game and flag happy on the hard hitting 'Cats.  However, that's life on the road and I don't expect Linfield to get many breaks down in Southern Oregon either.

Linfield get most teams best shot on a normal year but I think the 'Cats are finding out that teams are circle, highlight, and underline the Linfield game on their schedules.    The great thing about Satruday.....Linfield responded to every Whitworth challenge and kept pushing the lead too far in front for the Rats to have a possession with a chance to take the lead or tie the game in the 4th.

[back2back]

It's part of what they get paid for. If they can't stand the heat . . .

[Foss]

I also hope PLU can make the necessary changes to get them back to where they were. I am happy for UPS in finally getting a win against one of the NWC big four, but it seemed more a matter of the Lutes giving than the Loggers taking.

Whitworth proved they are solid and playoff worthy. I hope they finish strong and do not drop a game like they did late last season to Willamette, or they will be on the outside looking in again. If they play to their potential, they will receive a very deserving bid.

Pat, I know you get a lot of questions on the Top 25 poll and some of them are ridiculous. But, do you have any thoughts on why voters might have dropped Whitworth 8 spots after losing on the road to a top 25 scholarship school, and then another 3 after playing the #1 team in the nation very respectably? One has to go back a long time (probably October 9, 2004, also against Whitworth) to find a game, other than against UMHB, where Linfield didn't annihilate the team they were playing. I know Whitworth hasn't really beat a top caliber team yet (although they have a nice win against Redlands), but I'm willing to bet than can be said for some of the 35 teams ranked ahead of them, too.

[Pat Coleman]

I think it is felt because of past history that #25 in D-III should beat #25 in NAIA (remember, there are far fewer teams in the NAIA and the ranking isn't that deep).  After that, it's hard to get back on the radar with another loss, I guess.