FB: Northwest Conference

[D O.C.]

Likely the LINFIELD program helped them be all they could be.

[BearcatFan]

Stats from the "Tazon de Estrellas"

http://livestats.willamette.edu/teams/football/2011/tazon11.htm

Jamiere Abney participated but didn't record any stats...

http://www.willamette.edu/athletics/news/archive/2011/12/17_FB_Abney_at_Tazon_de_Estrellas.php

Stars & Stripes  - 27
Mexico - 45

[OldCatProf]

Likely the LINFIELD program helped them be all they could be.

DO.C. "hit the nail" on this one.

I vaguely remember (creeping Alzheimers, you know) that after Aaron Boehme completed his career at Linfield, Aaron's Dad addressed that issue here on the Board. Me thinks he said something to the effect that as a high school senior, Aaron was just a skinny kid with a good arm. Accordingly, he didn't get much of a look fromn the Big Boys.

It appears that during five years in the Linfield program (counting the medical redshirt year) Aaron developed into the All-Star he became.

Go Cats!

[RedandPurple]

Likely the LINFIELD program helped them be all they could be.

It certainly did for my son. 

[D O.C.]

Is that windmill turning tonight, Bluenote?

d3football.com has reasoned this out  - as you know - and arrived at the conclusion all teams abide by the Division III guidelines.

You and I, however, were fortunate to sit in classes of 7 - 18 people, walk and think in the rain, reason late at night with anyone who would listen, drive and think in the rain, and ask questions against the grain - in the rain.

I pondered how many national titles the WIAC wins every year in all division III sports. Why does THAT happen? How does Whitewater compete in division II in SOME sports? What are they thinking?

But Mount Union University is a smallish private school, no? What they have accomplished MAY be attributed to one man, Time will tell. They, unlike UWW, basically suck at other sports over the years. They DID change their name from College to University so maybe they're looking at a change.

[Mr. Ypsi]

There is something not right about 1 or 2 teams winning the D3 Tittle so many years in a row or so many out of the last 15 years or so....would someone shed some light on that? I'd like to get beyond the "well, you have to earn it".....there must be some reasons behind it....maybe the fact that WIAC Schools have between 5,000 to 15,000 students and the tuitions are state subsidized? Let us know what you think........thinking minds want to know your opinions.....maybe there should be a movement to delete state subsidized schools from D3? How many are there now? As far as I know most D3 schools are small private colleges and universities?

The largest enrollment in d3 is a private school, NYU, which does not have a football team.  Since no competitive school staffs their football (or nearly any other sport) team by open tryouts from the student body, enrollment, per se, is completely irrelevant.  Generally, state schools DO have an advantage in tuition costs, but (given generally higher scholarship monies with privates) the net difference is usually only a fraction of the 'sticker' difference.

Enrollment CAN make a difference if it makes a difference in ticket revenue (but that seems to be almost always the opposite) or alumni giving (VERY iffy - large enrollment obviously means more alums, but they seem generally to be less committed to the school).

With the starvation of state budgets to higher ed, privates may actually have an advantage over publics in support.  PERHAPS publics received better facilities than privates could afford before the meltdown, but they are not likely to upgrade anytime soon.

And you seem to be ignoring that the OTHER Purple Power is a (fairly) small, private school - how did UMU become so dominant?

[This message is from an alum of a (fairly) small private school (IWU).]

[Pat Coleman]

How does Whitewater compete in division II in SOME sports? What are they thinking?

They don't.

There's always been a small undercurrent of "let's kick the state schools out" but on average, state schools have tended to win about 25% of the Division III national championships, which is right on line with the percentage of Division III schools that are state-sponsored institutions.

[George Thompson]

There is something not right about 1 or 2 teams winning the D3 Tittle so many years in a row or so many out of the last 15 years or so....would someone shed some light on that? I'd like to get beyond the "well, you have to earn it".....there must be some reasons behind it....maybe the fact that WIAC Schools have between 5,000 to 15,000 students and the tuitions are state subsidized? Let us know what you think........thinking minds want to know your opinions.....maybe there should be a movement to delete state subsidized schools from D3? How many are there now? As far as I know most D3 schools are small private colleges and universities?

In the case of Mount Union, it is not right that they never play an away game in the first four rounds.   That is a huge advantage to them.   If the Wildcats or Wesley had four home games this year, UW-W might very well have played one of them in the Stagg Bowl.   

Also, UW-W and Mount Union have had relatively easy playoff games in the first three rounds for at least the last three years.   Linfield, Wesley and Mary Hardin-Baylor, not so easy---especially on the away games. 

Now no one should take this as minimizing what MU and UWW have done.   They are truly the two kings of D3 football.   But, it is NOT a level playing field in these NCAA playoffs.

George

[D O.C.]

In summation, there is something amiss, Comrade.
Your honor, I rest my case.

http://www.wiacsports.com/sports/2010/7/23/GEN_0723103641.aspx?tab=nationalchampionshipteams

By Academic Year

2011-12
Football (UW-Whitewater)

2010-11
Football (UW-Whitewater)
Women's Indoor Track & Field (UW-Oshkosh)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-Oshkosh)

2009-10
Women's Cross Country (UW-Eau Claire)
Football (UW-Whitewater)
Men's Basketball (UW-Stevens Point)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)

2008-09
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Indoor Track & Field (UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh)
Men's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-Oshkosh)

2007-08
Women's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-River Falls)
Softball (UW-Eau Claire)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Indoor Track & Field (UW-La Crosse)
Football (UW-Whitewater)

2006-07
Women's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-Oshkosh)
Men's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-Oshkosh)

2005-06
Women's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-Oshkosh)
Men's Outdoor Track & Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Indoor Track & Field (UW-Oshkosh)
Men's Indoor Track & Field (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Cross Country (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Volleyball (UW-Whitewater)

2004-05
Baseball (UW-Whitewater)
Men's Basketball (UW-Stevens Point)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Indoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Indoor Track and Field (UW-Oshkosh)
2003-04
Men's Basketball (UW-Stevens Point)
Men's Indoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Indoor Track and Field (UW-Oshkosh)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Outdoor Track and Field (UW-Oshkosh)

2002-03
Men's Cross Country (UW-Oshkosh)
Women's Volleyball (UW-Whitewater)
Men's Indoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)

2001-02
Men's Cross Country (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Basketball (UW-Stevens Point)
Men's Ice Hockey (UW-Superior)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Indoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)

2000-01
Men's Indoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (UW-La Crosse)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)
Men's Golf (UW-Eau Claire)

1999-2000
None (even BIG 'OL STATE SCHOOLS can have an off year)

1998-99
Men's Basketball (UW-Platteville)
Women's Gymnastics (NCGA) (UW-La Crosse)

[D O.C.]

I'm sorry, this is a DIVISION II 'club'.

The University of Wisconsin Whitewater Rugby Club participates in the Wisconsin Rugby Union as a division 2 collegiate team.

[WashedUp]

Also, UW-W and Mount Union have had relatively easy playoff games in the first three rounds for at least the last three years.   Linfield, Wesley and Mary Hardin-Baylor, not so easy---especially on the away games. 

This year UW-W played the 15th and 9th ranked teams (Albion was unranked) in the first three rounds, last year they played the 22nd, 10th and 3rd ranked teams, the year before it was 9th and 6th ranked (with Lakeland being unranked).  Mount Union appears to have had a relatively easy first three rounds, probably a factor of them being shipped out East so frequently

During the same time Linfield went 12th and 3rd this year (brutal bracket this year), 21st and 7th in 2010, and 7th and 5th ranked (Cal Lutheran was unranked in 2009).

So outside of this year it looks like the schedules for UW-W and Linfield in the first three rounds have been comparable.  This year the NCAA added the clause that they could look at past playoff performance as a tie-breaker between undefeated teams, it will be interesting to see what that does going forward.

[emma17]

There is something not right about 1 or 2 teams winning the D3 Tittle so many years in a row or so many out of the last 15 years or so....would someone shed some light on that? I'd like to get beyond the "well, you have to earn it".....there must be some reasons behind it....maybe the fact that WIAC Schools have between 5,000 to 15,000 students and the tuitions are state subsidized? Let us know what you think........thinking minds want to know your opinions.....maybe there should be a movement to delete state subsidized schools from D3? How many are there now? As far as I know most D3 schools are small private colleges and universities?

In the case of Mount Union, it is not right that they never play an away game in the first four rounds.   That is a huge advantage to them.   If the Wildcats or Wesley had four home games this year, UW-W might very well have played one of them in the Stagg Bowl.   

Also, UW-W and Mount Union have had relatively easy playoff games in the first three rounds for at least the last three years.   Linfield, Wesley and Mary Hardin-Baylor, not so easy---especially on the away games. 

Now no one should take this as minimizing what MU and UWW have done.   They are truly the two kings of D3 football.   But, it is NOT a level playing field in these NCAA playoffs.

George

UWW played NCC on the road in game 3 last year.
The secret- get good players that work hard (like Linfield and several MIAC/CCIW schools do) AND Don't turn the ball over. Winning breeds winning. The playing field will then be level. 

[D O.C.]

I think UWW is always glad to beat LaCrosse. Remember we used to have to meet them in the West. UWW  is heads above now.
Remember when we used to tease the WISC for being fat and slow? No  mo'.

[RedandPurple]

All I know is UW-W became dominate in football following the 2005 season. One in which they defeated Linfield in the playoffs. 

Here's something to ponder (perhaps in the rain):

Study: Men's grades dip when team is hot.
by Justin Pope - Dec. 20, 2011 11:06 PM
Associated Press

On campus, a successful football team is a cause for celebration.

So much celebration, in fact, that three economists have found a link between a winning season at one big-time football program and lower grades for male students.

In a new paper, the economists at the University of Oregon chart the grade-point averages of students there alongside the fortunes of the football team between 1999 and 2007. Their findings could give ammunition to critics of big-time college sports.

Their conclusion: When the Ducks were winning, students celebrated more and grades suffered. And that doesn't bode well for upcoming report cards -- the Ducks are 11-2 this season, Pac-12 champions for the third straight year, and headed to the Rose Bowl.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/12/20/20111220study-mens-grades-dip-when-team-hot.html#ixzz1hCzbwv1d

[Gig Harbor Cat]

Merry Christmas everyone

Peace out--  GHC