FB: Northwest Conference

[d-train]

I truly dispise the way that the 2005 season was handled...Don't know if the monetary resources weren't there for recruiting...but LC is IN Portland I'm pretty sure...Our team has had a high number of kids from Spokane throughout the years...even with high admittance standards, that is a pretty large pool to pick from.  Maybe my own bitterness comes from 2005, but I still hope they get beat by 70

Given the numbers they were down to, I can totally understand the decision. They would have had 180# former receivers playing on the line and it would have been borderline unsafe. The head coach and athletic director were asked to step down that spring over how bad the situation had become. What else do you want? No one can give you that '05 game back, but you'd have been better off playing your own JV anyway.  

Recruiting budgets for all L&C sports have been increased significantly. A quick view of L&C's roster will show a large number of Fr. and Soph., many of whom are major contributors right now. They're better already and will be competitive in the coming years. I'm not predicting a NWC title or anything, but they'll get their numbers up even more and be able to give other teams a decent game at least.

[d-train]

" It takes a lot longer to turn a football program around. Whitworth's rise into the upper level of the NWC took quite a while. It took several years just to get back to .500 under Tully"

If Tully has been coaching for 13 years at Whitworth...they went 5-5 in '97, so if several means about 3 years...then I guess it does take awhile.

http://www.whitworth.edu/Athletics/Teams/Football/Coaches.htm

"Prior to Tully's arrival at Whitworth in 1995, the Pirate program had suffered through 10 losing seasons in the previous 11 years. Tully spent the first three seasons righting the direction of the ship as the team finished 1-8 the first two years and 2-7 in 1997...consecutive 5-5 seasons followed..."

Yes 3-4 years is what I meant. Plus, as was mentioned, L&C was in much worse shape. At least through all those losing seasons, Whitworth still had a decent sized roster. I think only about 20-25 Pio players from '05 returned for '06. Imagine recruiting the necessary number of players after playing only half a season and changing out the staff. Only this spring did L&C really get a fair shake on the recruiting trail...and the freshmen class looks pretty good from what I've heard.

[MonroviaCat]

" It takes a lot longer to turn a football program around. Whitworth's rise into the upper level of the NWC took quite a while. It took several years just to get back to .500 under Tully"

If Tully has been coaching for 13 years at Whitworth...they went 5-5 in '97, so if several means about 3 years...then I guess it does take awhile.

http://www.whitworth.edu/Athletics/Teams/Football/Coaches.htm

"Prior to Tully's arrival at Whitworth in 1995, the Pirate program had suffered through 10 losing seasons in the previous 11 years. Tully spent the first three seasons righting the direction of the ship as the team finished 1-8 the first two years and 2-7 in 1997...consecutive 5-5 seasons followed..."

Yes 3-4 years is what I meant. Plus, as was mentioned, L&C was in much worse shape. At least through all those losing seasons, Whitworth still had a decent sized roster. I think only about 20-25 Pio players from '05 returned for '06. Imagine recruiting the necessary number of players after playing only half a season and changing out the staff. Only this spring did L&C really get a fair shake on the recruiting trail...and the freshmen class looks pretty good from what I've heard.

Yeah, I expect the Pios to be decent over the next couple of years if for no other reason that they will have a lot of experience since they're starting many Freshman and Sophmores now.  Even if those guys are not the best athletes around (and I'm not saying they are OR are not), experience and playing with the same guys for 3 or 4 years will be of benefit.    I'm certainly pulling for the Pios (except of course against the Cats). 

[Pirate Pride]

I do agree with you that it isn't the players' fault for the season ending in 2005.  But cancelling a season doesn't happen just because of injuries, it happens because of a failure to bring in players the previous 3,4, and 5 years before that.  If we score 70...that means our young players played well, which is ok 

[RedandPurple]

Not a whole lot to say when you are going into a week that just hurts your strength of schedule and you just hope everyone stays healthy.  What a defensive stat killer this game is for the starters who will be playing about a quarter and a half.  Hope we are travelling some freshman and sophomores to get them ready for the future, bc last time i checked we are graduating a few kids on the defensive side of the ball.  Setting the line at 56.5

I wonder if USC (+41) felt the same way before the Stanford game? 

RNP, just handed out my first +K for that one. 

Thanks speedy! I gave you one back.

[d-train]

...cancelling a season doesn't happen just because of injuries, it happens because of a failure to bring in players the previous 3,4, and 5 years before that. 

Agreed. The low numbers were the issue. Injuries (a given in football anyway) were more likely with a few folks out of position...and it would have really gotten worse against the NWC heavyweights as the season wore on. I think that was part of the thinking in the half-season compromise. That they could hopefully get through that and salvage something for the players who were in camp. I understand the thinking behind the decision...but you're right that it never should have gotten that bad.

There were a lot of things L&C was doing wrong...or simply not doing. Thus there was an external top-to-bottom review of the program, the AD and coach were asked to leave, recruiting budgets (for all sports) were increased, some 'understandings' were made with the admissions staff about wait-lists and student-athletes that met the min. standards but might have been denied because of numbers, etc.

[cawcdad]

I do agree with you that it isn't the players' fault for the season ending in 2005.  But cancelling a season doesn't happen just because of injuries, it happens because of a failure to bring in players the previous 3,4, and 5 years before that.  If we score 70...that means our young players played well, which is ok 

You are absolutely correct and, as d-train has stated, steps have been taken to remedy the situation. And if the subs score, then so be it. This was talked about on the General Boards in Running up the score. What bothered me was the wanting to run up the score and the bitterness it displayed. Why punish the kids and coaches that weren't even there when this all went down? Rather than holding onto the resentment, you should be the one rooting for and helping to build up the program so they can be competitive and so that the cancelled games never happen again. I have encouraged kids to go to Linfield, but if they decide they want to go elsewhere, even Willamette and Whitworth, I would say go for it and have fun.

[D O.C.]

Cawdad
What bothered me was the wanting to run up the score and the bitterness it displayed. Why punish the kids and coaches that weren't even there when this all went down?

Pirate Pride
What a defensive STAT killer this game is for the starters who will be playing about a quarter and a half. 

Hey Veau, been said Pride comes before the fall....

[coco]

Pirate Pride,

It looks like you've given up on the Sportsmanship Award for this year.

You are one bitter guy. That's incredible that you want to humiliate the young L&C team when they are trying to rebuild their program, and the rest of the posters are supporting them in that. No one (well, most of us) likes to be on either the winning or losing end of such a lop-sided score as 70 to 3. The Rowan game was fun,  but even then we only hung 52 on them, and that was a playoff game. This is totally different. So what if your starting defensive guys don't get their stats in this one game? They'll survive.

Forget 2005. It happened and it was too bad for everyone, but especially the L&C team. They didn't cut their season short just to irritate you.

It's time to let it go.  My two cents only.

[(509)Rat]

Sorry, PP but I have to disagree with you a little...

1.  Stat killer?  Were you at the game last year when Joel Clark played several series into the 3rd quarter...with the score 56-0?  And if you played at Whitworth then you know that starters will never come out until you are 35-42 points up...and no backup (other than a d-lineman that is in Pomante's rotation) will play before the first half on the Pirate defense.

2.  LC needs to do well in order for the NWC to become a stronger conference, which will be beneficial come next year when we get an automatic bid.  Humiliating them as some sort of payback is a terrible thing.

But, then again I agree with...

1.  The USC v. Stanford analogy was terrible...both USC and Stanford have scholarship guys.  Granted they weren't given an offer by USC, they were good enough to play division 1 football which means it is never inconceivable for them to upset somebody.  DIII football is a whole 'nother ballgame...parity would not be a good description of our division because teams can't give scholarships.  If that doesn't make sense to you then say so and I'll explain further in another post.

2.  LC cancelling their schedule was a load of bull.  In a tight game, Whitworth plays no more than 30 guys.  LC had that many players on their roster...Why cancel the games?  Because you are worried about potential injuries?  Why don't you just play the games until injuries ACTUALLY force you to forfeit and give those NWX teams the win they would have gotten anyways.

3.  Whitworth and LC have the same numbers (GPA, SAT, etc) for incoming freshman classes...how is it that Whitworth fields a competitive football team if the academic standards are the same?  In fact, I'm pretty sure all of the NWC schools have about the same stats for incoming freshman classes...Linfield won a national championship with rigerous academic standards so figure it out LC.

[hatchet molly]

I don't know if anybody saw this, but Brett Elliot was signed by the Edmonton Eskimoes. Thought I would pass it along.

[coco]

Come on, Rat. If I'm a high school kid looking at colleges and I want to play football, do I want to go to a school that hasn't won a game in years, or do I want to go to a school with a winning tradition? It's not all about SAT scores. Recruiting is easier when you're successful.

Once L&C started that downward spiral, it was hard to reverse it. Now they appear to be doing just that and I look for them to be competitive in a couple years.

I agree with what you said about how it will make the NWC a stronger conference when they do improve.

[Pat Coleman]

Why don't you just play the games until injuries ACTUALLY force you to forfeit and give those NWX teams the win they would have gotten anyways.

Because the NCAA doesn't work that way. They are not forfeits unless the game actually starts. If L&C couldn't field a team in November, then three teams would have had a victory against L&C and two would not have a chance, throwing off the standings.

[Pirate Pride]

509,

I was at the game last year and didn't remember Joel playing in the 2nd half...so I checked on line at last years drive summary, and it was jon luke all in the 3rd, sorry you are wrong about that .  Our 3rd and 4th string RB's started playing in the 2nd quarter...We threw 4 times in the 2nd half for 28 yards, so it isn't like we were bombing the ball down the field.  At that point we threw because no other QB had really even thrown much of a pass at that point on the team.  The 1st team d played 2 series of the 3rd, with a few guys mixed in...afterwards they didn't touch the field.  The only sketchy thing happened before the end of the half when joel hit allan for a 34 yd. td, that was to boost stats for the scouts I'd almost guarantee.

I think I mentioned something about how this game hurts our strength of schedule earlier, so I would like them to improve just like anyone else for the sake of the league.

I still ask...What are you supposed to do when a team can't tackle?  You definately don't take a knee in the 3rd quarter, I think that is even worse. 

I want our young players to look phenomenal and score TD's and shut down LC offensively, sorry if that makes me a terrible human being.

[bluenote]

509,


I want our young players to look phenomenal and score TD's and shut down LC offensively, sorry if that makes me a terrible human being.

I'd like to see L&C beat you with your first team in...