MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Greek Tragedy]

Manchester is in northeastern Indiana, OS. The Spartans won't be within 400 miles of Eau Claire, let alone 200, until transporter technology is invented and becomes sanctioned by the appropriate NCAA committee.

Using this wonderful website, I figured out that Manchester was in Indiana, I just didn't know where.  Besides, the only Manchester that I care about is in England, where Manchester United make their home (as do those "citizens", Manchester City-BLAH!)...

[badgerwarhawk]

Useless Manchester trivia:

Steve Alford began his coaching career at Manchester and they had a pretty successfull run while he was there. 

[Gregory Sager]

Useless Manchester trivia:

Steve Alford began his coaching career at Manchester and they had a pretty successfull run while he was there. 

The Spartans had more than a "pretty successful run." Alford's last team at Manchester, the 1994-95 squad, went undefeated all the way to the national championship game. They fell to UW-Platteville in the battle for the Big Doorstop, 69-55, in the only D3 national championship game ever played between two undefeated teams. Immediately afterward, Alford left his home state and took a D2 job in Missouri, which was the final steppingstone before he landed the Iowa job.

I find it kind of interesting that all of the Big Ten games between Iowa and Wisconsin now are rematches of the coaching battle of the 1995 D3 national championship game.

[Pat Coleman]

That stepping stone was D-I Southwest Missouri state, actually.

[Gregory Sager]

That stepping stone was D-I Southwest Missouri state, actually.

Yep, I forgot that they're the one Missouri compass school that's D1 rather than D2.

[frankiet]

Gregory, don't forget about SE Missouri State, Saint Louis and UM-Kansas City which are also D1 schools in Missouri, not to mention UM-Columbia.

[Greek Tragedy]

Two posts correcting Mr. Gregory Sager? 

[Gregory Sager]

Southeast Missouri State is the school I was originally thinking of in terms of the Missouri compass school that changed its affiliation from D2 to D1 in the '90s, not Southwest Missouri State. It's easy to mix those two up.

UM-St. Louis and UM-Kansas City are not compass schools. They're hyphen schools ... like you guys. 

[Greek Tragedy]

UM-St. Louis and UM-Kansas City are not compass schools. They're hyphen schools ... like you guys. 

Like you guys?  Come on Greg, not all Passat owners have hyphens in our names!

Stereotyping is stupid! (I love those Volkswagen commercials).

[Just Bill]

One year I was running an NCAA Division I Tournament (Does D-I still exist?) pool with a bunch of friends, including a few who knew nothing about basketball.  I was trying to explain to a newbie how the seeds work so she didn't make any really outlandish picks in the first round, but I was having trouble getting my point across.

Finally a buddy of mine interrupted and said, "Listen, just follow these three rules:
1. Don't pick any directionals (SE Missouri State, Central Florida, etc.)
2. Don't pick any hyphens (Gardner-Webb, UNC-Wilmington, etc.)
3. Don't pick any "States" that aren't actually states (Murray State, Kent State, etc.)

I've followed that advice for 10 years and never finished in the bottom half of any pool. (Although I paid a heavy price when UW-Milwaukee went to the sweet 16 two years ago).

Disclaimer - This system works EXTREMEMLY poorly in the Division III tournament pick-em contest on this site.

[fredfalcon]

As mentioned in a recent post, Rich Melzer has signed what's called a two year "partially guaranteed" contract with the San Antonio Spurs. I'm not sure exactly what that means insofar as his compensation is concerned, but it appears he's in the NBA. He will have to attend camp and prove he belongs, but they've liked what he's done so far this summer enuf to sign him.

His comments on theNew Zealand Breakers websitewere are all  very politically correct, to the effect that he was disappointed that he could not return to New Zealand. He's always known exactly what to say to please people--a real talent for his future I'm thinkin'.

[Just Bill]

He's also smart enough to keep that bridge intact.  If the Spurs don't end up keeping him, I'm sure he can pick up another season of paychecks from the Kiwis.

[uww4ever]

WW finally has it's schedule up.  Tip off with IWU, Clark, and MLC (who are they) AND MSOE, former college of one Beau Brummund (DR, I know you'll like that)

Carroll, Beloit, and Marathona Baptist also on the schedule.  Pretty good and tough.  MSOE I might take Beau to that one (in Milwaukee).  Saw Mr. Anderson on the treadmill the other day, haven't seen many players in the weight room lately, boys camp is this week it looks like (Pat Miller was around the Williams center today). 

[Pat Coleman]

MLC as in Martin Luther?

http://www.d3hoops.com/school_info.php?school=Martin%20Luther&team=m

[Greek Tragedy]

Whitewater's schedule...

I was guessing MLC was Martin Luther as well.
It would be real interesting to see  IWU and UWW get a rematch!  Who's all in the Elmhurst tourney?