BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[TitanRailer]

I'm happy its a home series for Carthage, but I gotta admit that those drunk fans at IWU drinking on the roof of that house right down the 3rd base line and having a microphone and announcing things is absolutely hilarious.

There is nothing like D3 baseball for that reason alone. I loved playing on the raod in the CCIW simply because of the hilarious things that fans said to us. North Central fans always rode me for 6 hours, even if we were pounding them. I gotta respect that type of devotion to a team. IWU fans were not bad either, but I had more fun listening to Martell complain about how lucky Carthage always seemed to get when playing them. Sometimes, playing 3B while he coached third base for a DH was worse than listening to NCC's fans all day.

I still think that Carthage fans are toughest on the opponents. Nothing a like a little frat party in left field to get the opposing outfielders off their game.

Coach Martel always thought if he constantly talked to the third basemen it would get him off his game, maybe cause an error or something. 

I was never fortunate enough to play at the new IWU field.  I had to endure the football turned baseball field in the spring.  Of course, I still have memories of Carthage and one Gavin Winfield who hit a HR to right off me that landed on top of the old Fred Young Fieldhouse.

We had to play against guys like Flees, Beyer, Blansette, Atkins, etc, that were just gritty and winners.  I think that is one reason why Coach Martel dislikes Carthage.  They always found a way to win against us.  We always knew we were in for a battle.     

[BigPoppa]

Coach Martel always thought if he constantly talked to the third basemen it would get him off his game, maybe cause an error or something. 

I was never fortunate enough to play at the new IWU field.  I had to endure the football turned baseball field in the spring.  Of course, I still have memories of Carthage and one Gavin Winfield who hit a HR to right off me that landed on top of the old Fred Young Fieldhouse.

We had to play against guys like Flees, Beyer, Blansette, Atkins, etc, that were just gritty and winners.  I think that is one reason why Coach Martel dislikes Carthage.  They always found a way to win against us.  We always knew we were in for a battle.     

I was there when Winfield hit that homerun... it was amazing! He could flat out hit... I was fontunate enough to hit between Beyer and Winfield for two years. I gotta a lot of good pitches to hit. I also remember Glen Braun(National POY in '99) hitting a ball out there as a freshmen and Martell whined about it for five innings to me..." The kid just got lucky.."

Augie has a way of breaking down players and rebuilding them in a gritty, mentally tough sort of way. He will not accept anything less from his players and it shows on the field.

[REDMENFAN]

I'm almost positive Carthage has both tomorrow and  monday off for easter break. If that's true, hopefully some of the real fans decide to stay and get rowdy tomorrow during the double header.

[BigPoppa]

I'm almost positive Carthage has both tomorrow and  monday off for easter break. If that's true, hopefully some of the real fans decide to stay and get rowdy tomorrow during the double header.

Since it is a holiday weekend, I am sure that many parents will be off as well. I would expect a good crowd of parents this weekend and fewer Carthgage Crazies than normal. Either way, it will be a good atmosphere for baseball. How is the Kenosha(aka... the mistake by the lake) weather going to be?

[REDMENFAN]

Friday: Mostly sunny with a high of 77 and 10 mph winds
Saturday: High of 64, sunny, with 13 mph winds

Couldn't ask for much better weather than that at Carthage!!

[BigPoppa]

That's actually warmer than it is in SoCal today!!!!!

[emeritusprof]

Hey, is it OK if I cheer for Carthage simply because I want to cheer for Carthage?

I like to be consistent.  For example, I will typically cheer for whomever happens to be playing the GB Packers.  Or, in baseball, I will always be in the St. Louis Cardinal stands.

[emeritusprof]

Yes, Carthage does take an Easter break of Good Friday and the Monday following.  However, this usually means students begin the exit Tuesday afternoon and return a week from the next Thursday.  A class schedule in which classes will often be Mon-Tue and Thur-Fri will contribute to such absenteeism.

A residual left by the aborted 4-1-4. 

[BigPoppa]

Hey, is it OK if I cheer for Carthage simply because I want to cheer for Carthage?

I like to be consistent.  For example, I will typically cheer for whomever happens to be playing the GB Packers.  Or, in baseball, I will always be in the St. Louis Cardinal stands.

Though the Packers statement hurts, I am glad to know that you are in favor Carthage this weekend. We will take all that we can get.

[Mr. Ypsi]

IWU did beat Millikin 21-2 yesterday.  Three separate innings they batted around in the order.  Pounded 14 hits.  It is the 7th straight game they had a double digit hit total.  Unfortunately, that string will come to an end this weekend at Carthage.

I agree with Poppa, the rest of the league must root for Carthage.  Winning the regular season title is only for pride.  The conference tournament is what it is all about, as that is the automatic qualifier.  Ypsi, you know from hoops season, the most important thing is to make the tournament!

Maybe!

I suspect Augie will remember their unexpected CCIW title (seems like EVERYONE not on their team already had crowned IWU) this year, long after the sting of losing to UPS in the Sweet Sixteen has faded.

But baseball may be different.  Since we didn't have this chat board before (and baseball is not one of my TOP sports), I'm not up to speed - does the CCIW generally get ONLY the AQ in?  Is d3 as dominated by sun-belt teams as d1?

If the answer to the first question is 'yes', I can see how making the tourney could be even more important than winning the title.  On the other hand, if the answer to the second question is also 'yes', perhaps winning the conference title is more memorable than getting into a tourney you have a near-zero chance of winning.  I'll yield to the players (or former players) as to which is the MORE significant goal.  But the goals ARE incompatible this weekend.  If conference title - root for IWU to rein in Carthage; if conference tourney - root for Cathage to put a big hurt on the Titans.

And, yes, emiritusprof, it is fine to root for Carthage just because you want to - I'll root for IWU for the same reason!

[BigPoppa]

Usually the CCIW has only gotten one team, two on rare years, into the NCAAs. That will certainly change with the addition of a few more bids this year. I think the CCIW should get two bids if things progress as they are right now.

[bataviapete]

Mr Yipsi-  D3 is dominated by northern teams, northern being north of the Mason Dixon line.  Part of that is because the state of FLA has zero D3 teams and there aren't very many in other southern states although Emory in GA is currently ranked #1.  Of the current top 30 teams I count 5 as "warm weater" teams.  VA has 2, not sure if they count as warm weather.  While a CCIW team has yet to finish first or second they usually have a team at the D3 World Series.

[irish21]

I think the CCIW got two teams in a couple of years ago. The Green Wienies got the automatic bid and Carthage got an at-large bid. I think that was in 2004.

Martel brings the dislike upon himself. I remember at the regional in 2000 that was played at IWU. I was at the concession stand and was not wearing anything that said I was from Carthage. He was talking to one of his assistants and  said "I hope Carthage get the  -hit kicked out of them." Very supportive of the conference representative!

We were down for the series in 2003 and were partying in the right field "patio" with some ex-Titan ball players. Adam Palmer was one of them. Great kids and not many of them were very fond of Martel. They didn't like Carthage but had the utmost respect for the players. They all said they would have liked to had a chance to play for Augie because it seemed like it would be worth a few laughs playing for him.

[TitanRailer]

Here are my predictions for the weekend games:

Carthage over IWU 2-1 (hurts to say that, I just think Carthage pitching is too good.  IWU pitchers may need a shutout to get a split today).

Augie over NPU 3-0 (Augie bats just too much for NP)

Millikin over Elmhurst 2-1

NCC over Wheaton 2-1

How is the weather in Kenosha?  Tornados and thunderstorms in Bloomington.


Coach Martel is good for Division III baseball.  He truly understands that the student-athlete's most important responsibility is the student.  Not sure how the other coaches handle the non-conference midweek road games, but he will rarely take his top pitchers so they won't miss class (plus, he wouldn't throw them anyway). 

As for his dislike of Carthage, I just think most athletes have that one team they hate to root for.  I doubt too many Cubs fans and Yankees fans were truly rooting for the White Sox and Red Sox the past two years.  I know I wasn't rooting for the Sox last year as a Cubs fan.  I will quote Dale Earnhardt mentoring a young Jeff Gordon, who was upset that fans were booing him, "Hey, Kid, if they are booing you it means two things, they are noticing you and you must be doing something right!!"  I think it is just a respect for the winning Carthage program that he envies, just sometimes comes out a different way.

Plus, if I know the Carthage players, they enjoy being "hated" or cheered against.  I know I enjoyed players/fans rooting against me, it was fun!

[BigPoppa]

We were down for the series in 2003 and were partying in the right field "patio" with some ex-Titan ball players. Adam Palmer was one of them. Great kids and not many of them were very fond of Martel. They didn't like Carthage but had the utmost respect for the players. They all said they would have liked to had a chance to play for Augie because it seemed like it would be worth a few laughs playing for him.

It's even funnier when you are on the "inside" of the program. The best things that Augie says are usually under his breath in the dugout... or at practice.  I am not sure that he thinks he is funny... he just says what he is thinking and does not shy away from anything. It usually comes out as something classic.