WBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Willy Wonka]

M&G - As former footballers, I think we both know firsthand what Bethel says and what Bethel does doesn't always mesh.

[Maroon&Gold]

WW- you read my mind.

Earlier today I tried to find the famed Star Tribune article from 2003 where coach Johnson and his players gave the rest of the state a glimpse into how holy they were, but my search proved unsuccessful. 

I see your sis and the lady Sioux are still on the road to an undefeated season, hopefully they bring the title back to the Red River Valley

[glorydazareover]

Just a little note in case you didnt know:  Basketball is a contact sport, intentional or not........  an elbow here or there is going to happen.  If you cant handle a little contact try checkers.  Also... sometimes when players start reaching in and trying to steal the ball posts should have the right to clear themselves.   Just a personal thought. 

[gacbacker]

Glory you are correct unless it becomes a habit...Davis has swung before in games I've attended and not hit anything but air, now its two games in a week where she has hit somebody and it just so happens to be the top two scorers in the conference...Watch out Erica Opdahl.

Blazer fans, you say your team is a little banged up...care to expand? I see Heikenen only played 19 minutes in a close win over St. Mary's. Hmmmmmmmm.

[Willy Wonka]

glorydaze - Yes, many good players used their elbows in such a way. Karl Malone, John Stockston, Dikembe Mutumbo - in his glory daze - and Rick Mahorn all pop to mind without a second thought. They were also all quite cheap. Not all contact is legal.

[peachbasket]

Go to Vegas, and my Cobbers lose! Bummer.  No, gambling for me, just interviewing!!!  Had the Cobbs been on the board at Caesar's, maybe?!?!?!?!?
So the elbows, well, I once again, have to go with the gustie crew, their is legal contact, but it is limited.  You can put a forearm, hand or leg on a post player, who's back is to the basket; you can have a forearm on the ballhandler, periodically; you can "body-up" a player provided you don't interfere with his/her advancing the ball; you can catch and "chin" the ball; a ballhandler can have a forearm, but cannot push-off/extend the forearm to a straightarm. Is this a contact sport, yes, to a limit, but when your elbows interfere with a player who's establish himself/herself in their postition, you have committed a foul, and possibly an intentional one!!

2/8/2006 (Wednesday)
Gustavus @ St. Olaf - could be a game, depends on who show for the oles, jeckle or hyde.  Gusties eek it out by 5
Saint Mary's @ Hamline - see above regarding the pipers, they need this to get to the top 6, hamline by 7
Concordia @ Augsburg - tough road trip, ugly game, cobbers by 13
St. Thomas @ Bethel - which team is heading to the porcelein bowl quicker?  Bethel by 8.
Macalester @ Saint Benedict - bennies run it up, win by 20+
St. Catherine @ Carleton - as I said earlier, no one sweeps the knights, carleton by 12

[Ghost of MIAC Past]

What Bethel says and what Bethel does is not the same thing?  Playing a game the way it is supposed to be played does not mean you are being UNCHRISTIAN.  Football is a very rough sport and basketball can be too.  Don't judge a school's philisophy cause a couple football players played the same way your players play everyday.  A majority of student athletes at BU embody every aspect of what the school is about.  Heather Davis is one of those athletes.

Posts players are taught to play with their elbows up.  Post defenders are taught NOT to body up because of the fact they may catch an elbow.  What Heather does is not illegal nor is it cheap.  Guys play that way all the time and nothing is said.  If you don't want an elbow to the face, back off.  I consider myself a strong Christian, but if you get in my face, I'm going to clear you out.  If your face gets in the way of my elbow, that's your fault.

It's unforunate that two great players were caught with elbows, but there will be no apologies.  Heather was just playing basketball.  Both coaches knew going into the game that Heather loves to turn with her elbows up.  So why would you put your best player on her?  So again, no apologies for playing basketball the right way.  And it is still not the Un-Christian way to play.

[Willy Wonka]

east coast - Ask any MIAC football player over the last 5-10 years who the cheapest team in the league was. The answer may surprise you.  But that's neither here nor there.

When Heather swings at Heikenen and connects, supposedly prompting a Durbin call to BU afterwards with one message - you need to control her - that warrants mentioning. I don't remember if the CSB posters did talk about it and I'm too lazy to go back and check

When it happens again, to another MVP candidate no-less, that seems very sketchy.

[Ghost of MIAC Past]

WW, I'm appaulled to think you would think that it was done on purpose.  I know Heather personally, as well as the entire coaching staff.  To claim that Heather purposely took a swing at two MVP candidates is absurd at the least.  I'm not saying she did it on purpose, but even if it had been Boone for CSB or some other post for GAC in the same play, they would have gotten hit.  Heather is Not a goon looking to take down star players.

I will tell you that they are taught to clear space if someone is all over them, but every coach should teach that.  It's a mere coinencidence that two MVP candidates got hit in the same week.  That's a freak of the schedule.  As for Durbin, who cares what he says.  I'm sure Herbie told him it's just basketball and nothing was personal.  If I was coaching Heather, I wouldn't say one thing to her about changing.  Other defenders better just back up a little bit.

I highly doubt BU football players are the cheapest in the conference the last five years, but this is an arguement that I don't know enough about to argue, so I will leave it at that.

[Collegeville Magic]

ECMF- Go ahead and be appaulled.  Davis didn't "turn with her elbows up", she swung at Anna.  I wasn't at the GAC game, but I wouldn't be shocked if the exact same thing happened to Bri. 

"If your face gets in the way of my elbow, that's your fault." 
That might be true if elbows had any business being around face level.  It's not like Anna or Bri are tiny guards in among the trees, so their faces were nowhere near elbow level. 

Playing hard is fine, clearing the ball when defenders are close is fine, elbows to the head are not.  I'm appaulled to think that you could debate that.

Gustavus @ St. Olaf - GAC by 7, Oles don't have quite enough
Saint Mary's @ Hamline - Pipers by 4, SMU's bog-down of opposition continues
Concordia @ Augsburg - Cobs by 12, Ugs still aren't good
St. Thomas @ Bethel - Davis knocks out Opdahl, Christians by 5
Macalester @ Saint Benedict - Blazers JV squad by 18
St. Catherine @ Carleton - Carls by 11, Wildcats don't win on the road

[Ghost of MIAC Past]

There were no purposeful swings taken.  Stop crying about your star player getting hurt.

[Maroon&Gold]

St. Thomas @ Bethel - Davis knocks out Opdahl, Christians by 5

CM-- I had a real good laugh after reading that prediction, thank you for that.

ECMB-  I wasn't at the games, so I will decline on comment to both "incidences". However, in my brief experiences (last 5 years) I will say that I have not been at all impressed at the sportsmanship of Bethel athletes that I have played against.  and there is nothing Christian or UnChristian about it.   

WW- I haven't checked any info so this is probably a dumb question, what are the chances of the UND women hosting the regional tourney at the Betty?

[LA RAMS]

I was at the GAC - Bethel game Monday night and, ironically, I missed the elbow that Monahan took from Davis as I had turned to look down the court; then heard the ref's whistle and saw Bri sprawled out on the floor (I also missed the alleged action of of Gustie parent(s) in the hallway as well).  True, basketball is a contact sport up to a certain point and I've played enough pick-up ball for cross-training to know you can get knocked around a little but when two players get it in the mouth/forehead like AH and Bri have lately something's wrong.  Memo to Erica Opdahl:  If Heather Davis gets a rebound next to you tonight - BACK OFF!

Should be a dogfight for the 5th and 6th spots as we head toward playoff time.  Here's how tonight's games should turn out:

St. Kate's @ Carleton - The resurgent Knights put a crimp in the Kitties playoff hopes - Carleton by 17.

SMU @ Hamline - Pipers realize it's crunch time and a golden opportunity to enhance their playoff chances; Hamline by 13.

Concordia @ Augsburg - Corn by 20+ on the road

UST @ Bethel - Both teams in a serious tailspin; the loser here might as well pack it in.  Christians by 6.

Mac @ CSB - Bennies in a laugher; by 30+

GAC @ St. Olaf - Gusties should manage to pull out another tough one by 7.   

[Naf layor]

What a bunch of RUBES!  Heather has been in this league for three years now, rebounding the same way.  Having two players (of MVP status as you putz's keep pointing out) go down in a short period of time is her only offense.  Were there any issues the first two years; NO.  She is in no way intentionally trying to hurt anyone. But if it makes you all feel important and smart to run down Heather and Bethel then so be it.  How low can a bunch of grown men stoop?  Now common guys, write back with your smart comments and rip everything I've said.

[she_scores51]

Have any of you ever seen a WIAC game? My sister had to go to the ER for stitches a few times in her career and I'm pretty sure it was never a discussion point on their boards...just part of the physical game called basketball. Maybe their conference is just overall a little tougher skinned?? I'd hate to admit that though.

I'm not justifying the BU girl's actions because I wasn't there to see it. I'm also not one to promote "dirty" or "cheap" play, but I am a proponent of clearing with your elbows to create some space for yourself. Would I ever intentionally knock someone in the face with my elbows? No. I can't say whether or not Heather Davis would do something like that intentionally. Again, I wasn't there.

I'm also not going to say anything based on "hearsay", which is apparently banned I just can't believe the discussion has gone on this long about something that no one can truly prove was intentional or not. I guess thats what this board is for though.

On to other topics...Since no one is picking SMU to win tonight, I'm going to say that they win up at HU by 9. I haven't even looked at who else is playing so I won't predict those games. Sorry.