FB: Northwest Conference

[coco]

WOW!!!   

I stumbled across this opinion piece in "The Almanac" which covers the Atherton area.  They have an opinion section and a Menlo mom just double barreled unloaded on the Menlo coaching staff in a OPEN LETTER TO THE MENLO PRESIDENT.  I've never seen this at the DIII level and in the NWC.  Insane but what's even crazier is the huge comment section that runs below where current/former parents, current/former players, and even Menlo administrators stir it up even more.  This might be the craziest thing I've seen at the DIII level in terms of parents butting in.

A Couple of Excerpts:

-From what we are talking about in the stands is this young man transferring in from Palo Alto by way of his family, who by the way are very wealthy, and come here for only a semester to have his position purchased for by a sizable donation to our program, we welcome any donation and are grateful for it, however not at the expense of our kids losing our games because this young man couldn't make it as a quarterback at Stanford

-Furthermore, we also understand this young man is transferring back to Stanford to graduate once football season comes to an end. I have a question, as does your football team who is uncomfortable in asking of your coaches and all the parents: if this young man is only here to play one semester and transfer back after the season, where on earth is the loyalty to our program or this team?

-We expected a whole lot more from our football program and coaches this year but instead it is worse than it was and we don't want our children wasting anymore time where favoritism abounds to the highest bidder.

The Almanc: Menlo College Continues Losing Ways! Why?

Man, they've got a real mess going on! What a sad deal for the players to have this distraction during their season.
It's odd that Menlo can't find good coaches. The stands seem to be full of them.

[bleedpurple]

Hey 11 and GHC and the rest of you 'Cat fanatics...

Just thought you might get a kick out of my column this week for JohnnieFootball.com this week.  It is a small world when you keep the company of OneArmedScot...

TDT's Column with some of Linfield's favorite officials!!!

Call it Six Degrees of Linfield College!

GO CATS!
55 IN '10!

Just got stopped in the parking lot of my local grocery store (in Peoria, Arizona), I was wearing my Linfield football camp t-shirt, and the driver of the truck said he played football at Linfield. Didn't have time to talk details , but he said he played on the team with Larry Doty. Small world indeed.  

Glad to see the ex-Cats continue to gobble up those truck driving jobs!

Pretty rich that a Whitewater backer would take that jab considering that all you have to do is fog a mirror in order to be a Warhawk.

I thought you'd like that. 

[bleedpurple]

I thought the Whitewater coach showed good sense last year when he had the team take a knee against Willamette at the end of the game last year..... when they were on the 3 yard line and ready to score. I guess they could have...or kicked a field goal if they wanted. Good on him.

"Go cover soccer."

OxyBob

Thanks for reminding me of my biggest smile of the offseason! 

LOVED that line!

[bluenote]

I do see your point, Blue. 

Thanks for the info BearcatPress. Let's just say I think it's interesting that a coach would be going for it on 4th downs in the second half of a blowout game when you're up by 30+ points.

[spiritof86]

I would be surprised of the real 'cats lay 60 on the pios this weekend. Just seems a but unnecessary. I may be forced to eat my words I suppose though. In regards to the atmosphere at L&C, it has always been good. At least the last 20 yrs that I have been going there.

speckman wrote a book, so that means he must be a good coach.

[MonroviaCat]

I watched a great deal of the Willamette/L&C video feed and in Willamette's defense, they had a hard time not scoring.  As BCP mentioned, even when they tried to kick a field goal--they scored a TD.  Had they punted or taken a knee--their defense probably would have recovered a fumble or intercepted the ball again and then the offense would be right back at it...the Pios D was just not doing anything...their offense, looked a little better than they have the past few years except for the turnovers....

[Las Vegas Wildcards]

I do see your point, Blue.  But I think the Whitewater scenario was completely different.  We had no way to stop the clock, and Whitewater had no reason to score - if they just take a knee, the game's over.  If they score, we get the ball back.  I would say a better analogy would be the Oxy game - where the game's last 1:34 ended up taking about 1 hour and 34 minutes because of Oxy's passing game and onside kicks.  I tried to expalin the rationale behind each decision to go for it - as I saw it - in my last post.

Onto something else, the Pios are really giving it a go with their game day atmosphere.  Band, dance team, crowd of over 1000, big L&C flag that the team runs out onto the field.  Aside from the fact that they ran out of hot dogs, I was really impressed.  The new black helmets look significantly better than their old orange ones.

Seriously though - how many schools out there have "On Wisconsin" as their fight song?!  Sheesh . . .

Lewis & Clark switched to black helmets? That's unfortunate, I liked the orange ones, at least it was more original. They join the Atlanta Falcons and Portland State Vikings as needlessly switching to black helmets. I hope Linfield never switches to a purple helmet.   

[wildcat11]

The ADvantage has just posted up our Whitworth/Linfield game recap:

ADvantage Catdome:  'Cats Win!  Linfield keelhauls the Rats

In regards to the L&C/Willamette discussion:  Blue makes a valid point but I tend to give Coach Speckman the benefit of the doubt.  As much as I'm not a Willamette fan, I do have much respect for Coach Speckman as a person and coach.  It's a tough to balance between letting your others kids play as hard as they can, not trying to embarrass the other team but not be insulting to the opponent at the same time.

[RedandPurple]

Hey 11 and GHC and the rest of you 'Cat fanatics...

Just thought you might get a kick out of my column this week for JohnnieFootball.com this week.  It is a small world when you keep the company of OneArmedScot...

TDT's Column with some of Linfield's favorite officials!!!

Call it Six Degrees of Linfield College!

GO CATS!
55 IN '10!

Just got stopped in the parking lot of my local grocery store (in Peoria, Arizona), I was wearing my Linfield football camp t-shirt, and the driver of the truck said he played football at Linfield. Didn't have time to talk details , but he said he played on the team with Larry Doty. Small world indeed.  

Glad to see the ex-Cats continue to gobble up those truck driving jobs!

bleedpurple:
Just to set the record straight. Your assumption is way off. He was driving his personal 4wd truck (extra long/wide cab), not a delivery truck. He attended Linfield as did his sister.

GO CATS!
55 IN '10!

[RedandPurple]

The ADvantage has just posted up our Whitworth/Linfield game recap:

ADvantage Catdome:  'Cats Win!  Linfield keelhauls the Rats

In regards to the L&C/Willamette discussion:  Blue makes a valid point but I tend to give Coach Speckman the benefit of the doubt.  As much as I'm not a Willamette fan, I do have much respect for Coach Speckman as a person and coach.  It's a tough to balance between letting your others kids play as hard as they can, not trying to embarrass the other team but not be insulting to the opponent at the same time.

A gem from the past off the BPSports web sight:
"In 1968 the Ohio State Buckeyes were mauling their bitter rival, the Michigan Wolverines, on the gridiron. The score was 42-14 late in the game. Ohio State scored another touchdown and instead of taking the extra point, went for two. Coach Woody Hayes later stated that the reason he went for two was because he couldn't go for three. In college basketball, Billy Tubbs was known for running up scores, famously quipping that if opponents don't like it, they should get better."

GO CATS!
55 IN '10!

[d-train]

Look guys, you've all missed the boat on the Bearcats' 4th down decisions vs. L&C.  It had nothing to do with the Pio's.  Speckman is a bright coach who was clearly looking ahead to this Sat.  He knows that his team will need to defend the hook-and-lateral and convert on two or three 4th down tries to have any chance of upending the Lutes.  Remember, PLU is undefeated in conference play.

[D O.C.]

And I, for one, would like to see them stay that way.  +1

Front page published talking points Strength of Schedule (SOS) and NCAA play-off approach for 2009

There are 23 automatic bids to the playoff field of 32 teams. Three bids are held out for teams who are not in those conferences, known as Pool B. Six truly at-large bids are available for everyone left on the table, known as Pool C.

So nice to have wiggled into an automatic bid conference.  

WILDCATS could feel their SOS and that is why Wildcat11 lauded AD Scott Carnahan and Coach Joe Smith. LINFIELD has learned from it's mistakes.

Now I have to go research how the N E W S brackets play in the Semis. Not that I'm looking ahead or anything.

Later....

same 'ol, same 'ol

This is not predetermined and has not been since the playoffs expanded for the 1999 season. We'll find out on Selection Sunday when the bracket is unveiled.

[Gig Harbor Cat]

Dee,
  I expect your boys will break out the ole bag of tricks, including the one hop back pass to the wide out, then everybody plays like a dead ball then   ZOOMMMMMMMMMM  TD
   I think that is how it goes

Go get em Lutes !!!

GHC

[OxyBob]

I thought the Whitewater coach showed good sense last year when he had the team take a knee against Willamette at the end of the game last year..... when they were on the 3 yard line and ready to score. I guess they could have...or kicked a field goal if they wanted. Good on him.

"Go cover soccer."

Thanks for reminding me of my biggest smile of the offseason! 

LOVED that line!

Yeah, that worked out real well for Leipold, the team, and the school.

OxyBob

[Bearcat Press]

Look guys, you've all missed the boat on the Bearcats' 4th down decisions vs. L&C.  It had nothing to do with the Pio's.  Speckman is a bright coach who was clearly looking ahead to this Sat.  He knows that his team will need to defend the hook-and-lateral and convert on two or three 4th down tries to have any chance of upending the Lutes.  Remember, PLU is undefeated in conference play.

I asked Speckman in my interview this week what Lutes game stuck out the most in his mind.  Judging by his first response, I think we'll be ready for the hook-and-laterals.