FB: Northwest Conference

[coco]

Did anyone go to the WOU-SOU game?

What a difference it makes when your team is finally off parole, and everyone can play every weekend.

[57Johnnie]

Great Pirate victory yesterday 

[wildcat11]

Did anyone go to the WOU-SOU game?

What a difference it makes when your team is finally off parole, and everyone can play every weekend.

Coco,

What team are you talking about? 

BTW, a good buddy of mine was in Mon-Town the other day at Burgerville and they were running a special promotion:  buy one hazelnut milkshake get a partial WOU athletic scholarship free.  He just took the milkshake.

another btw...great job Rats.  I think that put them in the drivers seat for a post-season birth even if they take a loss.

[Foss]

I would just like to give some extremely major props to Whitworth. I believe many other teams would not have pulled that game out. Down by 7 with just over a minute left on the road and having to go 70+ yards. Great game and win for the Pirates. That was a huge victory for the program and for the entire NWC. It is out of conference wins like this that boost the rep of the conference and may give teams in it with slightly less than perfect records a better chance of getting at large bids come playoff time.

I lost my link to the Whitworth broadcast and so listened to the end of regulation and OT on the UW-Stout link. I thought it was pretty cool how the announcers stayed focused on D3, making a note of what was going on and upcoming games within the rest of their league.

They talked to the UW-Stout coach after the game and he was total class, giving nothing but respect to the Pirates. I thought it was interesting when he said be believed there was no team in D3 that would not have a serious matchup problem with Allan, the TE, saying guys that are 6' 7", 265 lbs that can run and jump like that don't come around very often. This is coming from a guy who sees plenty of big, athletic dudes out in Wisconsin. He went on to say that he would guarantee we would be seeing Allan on Sundays next year. Now, he might have went a little overboard on that last line but it gives you an idea of how good he thought Allan was.

[coco]

Wildcat11,

The Wolves, of course. I know it's been hard for them the past few years to have so many of their players incarcerated, in halfway houses. on work release, and the like.

57Johnnie,

Thanks for the kind words. Whitworth's win is a good one for our conference.

[Foss]

WC11,

Pretty much agree with you on that. Funny you say that because I was thinking after the game that WOU's TE is about the same size and is listed as a "pro hopeful" on the main website that covers that division of football. Apparently a pretty good year for small college Northwest TE's. I also think Allan is better, although WOU's is very good.

[Foss]

I am very surprised Whitworth did not move up in the rankings this week. They play a team that at the time was ranked as the third best in the toughest conference. The game is on the road, their QB throws 3 picks in the red zone and they still win. I was expecting them to move up with a win like that.

Pat, can you shed any light on this? Not a huge deal and rankings don't mean a whole lot this time of the season, but I would think that a team that steps up like that and beats a tough team from the WIAC on the road would move up a little. Do you think it is partly due to none of the teams (I'm assuming) ranked just above them losing this week?

[spiritof86]

Astute comments Foss.

11- I totally agree about the 'rats. Now or never means "Whitworth 2006".

wu week means time to kill bearcats. Or bears. Or cats.

[pineconefan]

Wow, so many warm fuzzys from Wildcats and Johnnies. . . is this the right board?

It was a good win for the Bucs and the conference, and its about time a team besides Linfield picks up a big out of conference win.  The Cats have been the only team carrying that banner over the last few years.

I was also surprised that Whitworth did not move up in the rankings this week.  But, as we all know, the rankings just provide fodder for discussion and nothing else.

No real time to enjoy it for the Bucs, things really don't get any easier this week as Azusa Pacific makes a trip to the Pine Bowl.  APU has lost two in a row to DIII teams after picking up a long winning streak against the division.  Certainly they will want to get that straightened out again.

[MonroviaCat]

O.K.  Moving heavy into conference play now: 

We've got Willamette at Linfield.
PLU at UPS
Menlo at Lewis and Clark
and the lone non-conference game--- APU at Whitworth

Gonna throw my predictions out later in the week (want to see what inury updates come down the line) but would love to hear what you all think about the matchups!

[Pat Coleman]

Pat, can you shed any light on this? Not a huge deal and rankings don't mean a whole lot this time of the season, but I would think that a team that steps up like that and beats a tough team from the WIAC on the road would move up a little. Do you think it is partly due to none of the teams (I'm assuming) ranked just above them losing this week?

Ithaca lost above them but St. John Fisher, which beat Ithaca, moved above Whitworth.

Plus, I think the number of people who thought 14-13 in double overtime was impressive may have been balanced out by the people who look at 14-13 in double overtime and think, 'man, they almost lost that game.' But yeah, there wasn't much room to move in that part of the poll. The primary juggling came in the 20-25 range.

[d-train]

O.K.  Moving heavy into conference play now: 

We've got Willamette at Linfield.
PLU at UPS
Menlo at Lewis and Clark
and the lone non-conference game--- APU at Whitworth

Gonna throw my predictions out later in the week (want to see what inury updates come down the line) but would love to hear what you all think about the matchups!

Menlo and L&C meet up on the 7th, they are both off this week.

I have little to say about the Lutes. I'm not close enough to the situation to have any insight. As an alum and former player, I'm disappointed with the results on the field. People have short memories...especially 17 or 18 year old recruits. So past success isn't going to get them very far. I'm supportive of the people coaching there and how they run the 'non-football' parts of the program. But it's looking like they need to tweak some things in their approach to the recruiting and football side of things. Other campus variables might be playing a factor.

[Gig Harbor Cat]

DT,
  Since I live right smack in the middle of Lute country, I thought I would give you the pulse of the situation
I GOT NOTHIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  Not being a smarta$$ here but actually there is nothing in the Trib , haven't even been flipped off in Parkland when I fly my Wildcat flag on the truck. 
  Your guess is as good as mine.  My guess is that they will come together as the season progresses.  Its too good of a program not to.  See you at the PLU tailgate.

   GHC

[Catville Commissioner Elect]

Wow, so many warm fuzzys from Wildcats and Johnnies. . . is this the right board?

It was a good win for the Bucs and the conference, and its about time a team besides Linfield picks up a big out of conference win.  The Cats have been the only team carrying that banner over the last few years.

I was also surprised that Whitworth did not move up in the rankings this week.  But, as we all know, the rankings just provide fodder for discussion and nothing else.

No real time to enjoy it for the Bucs, things really don't get any easier this week as Azusa Pacific makes a trip to the Pine Bowl.  APU has lost two in a row to DIII teams after picking up a long winning streak against the division.  Certainly they will want to get that straightened out again.

Pineconefan - I am not sure it is just the warm and fuzzies for the Bucs, but more respect for a well coached team, a team with character, the efforts that everyone has put forth over the past several years building a program that wants to succeed, and doing some pretty nice improvements to the 'bowl'.  I have watched Linfied play in Spokane for the past 12-15 years and from a visitors stand point it is definately not the same program that existed 10 years ago.  The  Cats know that when they go up against the Pirates it is going to be a hard fought game with both teams giving their best.  I only hope that Spokane begins to embrace them and respect the program as much as the rest of the NWC does.  Of course, I hope you don't mind if I am a little bias when it comes to the Cats/Bucs game because of course I like to see all teams loose when them come to the dome.  You can be assured even after a loss at the dome, the Pirates will be well respected.

[d-train]

GHC -

I plan to catch up with you tailgaters in Nov. for the Whitworth-Linfield game. I won't be at Sparks for the Linfield game this year.