MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[chmarx]

No problem, OS.  There is a bridge downtown, but the bank of the navigation channel is only three blocks from the bar street.

[John Gleich]

I have to give him a little more credit than I have in the past, but not much more

Let's see... first NCAA bid in how long...?  And at least give him the respect to spell his name correctly.

You sure criticize a lot for somebody who has never tied up his kicks and walked out on the hardwood on the collegiate level.

[laxeagles1]

I have to give him a little more credit than I have in the past, but not much more

Let's see... first NCAA bid in how long...?  And at least give him the respect to spell his name correctly.

You sure criticize a lot for somebody who has never tied up his kicks and walked out on the hardwood on the collegiate level.

if you can't be criticized you shouldn't be out there.  Having coached, played in high school, and reffed anyone knows that comes with the territory.  I have pointed out times I was impressed with his coaching, as well as times I wasn't.........I am not that 'unrealistic' negative on it as it may seem and this year was awesome to see............To me it was more of his stellar recruiting........and again I apologize on the name. Koelbl......I don't know why I insist on an L after the K

[Greek Tragedy]

............To me it was more of his stellar recruiting........

Isn't recruiting a major part of coaching?

[chmarx]

I always thought so.

[John Gleich]

LaXeagles, a little gem for you again...

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

So many years ago, Teddy Roosevelt got this right.

Bobby Knight had a slightly different, though probably just as equally effective way to deal with critics:

"When my time on earth is gone and my activities here are passed, I want they bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my ass."


Coach Koelbl's job title (as well the job title of all the other coaches in the this league, and coaches in every sport, at every level) is coach, not media affairs, or crowd control, or human relations.  There is a level of diplomacy that they much carry with those entities outside of their athletic family, but their main concern is, and should be, with their players and the game of basketball.  Of all coaches in the leauge, the one who should be given the most break at this point, and probably for this entire season, should be Coach Koelbl.  He not only is dealing with a group of college age men, he is dealing with a group of college age men who have just lost a teammate.

Coach Knight had another great quote, citing another president by saying, "You know, Abraham Lincoln said once that 'When it comes time for me to lay down the reins of this administration and only one person is satisfied with what I've done and that person resides deep within me, then I'll be satisfied.'"

When it gets right down to it, though they have some importance, fans, friends of players or the program, the media, girlfriends, parents... none of these things really have any impact on the direction that a team makes (well, no positive impact...)  Each of these can help to support the team, but they can also be a detriment.  If a team dwells too much on what is written or if players listen to the tiny voices in their ear from people asking why they aren't getting to play more, this can cause a rift in the program and, as the Bible says, a house divided against itself cannot stand.

When it all gets down to it, I guess I'm just questioning why the criticism continues.  La Crosse made its first NCAA tournament bid.  Ever.  Coach Koelbl has turned around a program that wasn't headed anywhere.  Let's look at the Eagle's previous success in the last 16 seasons:

91 2-14
92 4-12
93 2-14
94 2-14
95 5-11
96 3-13
97 3-13
98 3-13
99 4-12
00 3-13
01 5-11
02 10-6
03 2-14
04 4-12
05 4-12
06 10-6

This is a record of 66-190, for a winning percentage of just over .257.  Now, he's only been at the helm for 3 years, but Coach Koelbl has taken a team that KNEW how to lose and he's taught them how to win.  Even with the setback of losing a teammate, I think this team will do some pretty good things again this year as well.

[chmarx]

Well said, PS.

[Greek Tragedy]

Here is the list of nonconference games for the conference.  Eau Claire does not have theirs posted on their website yet.  Comments below.

Stevens Point	La Crosse
@ Carroll	@UWGB
@ Lawrence	@Carleton
Ripon	Ripon
Edgewood	@St. Thomas
@Viterbo	Viterbo
@Regis U.	vs. Calvin
@N.Mich.U.	vs. Ohio N/Wooster
Augustana	@Loras
Lakeland	Lakeland
Whitewater	Superior
WW Tip-Off	Finlandia
WW Tip-Off	Neb. Wes.
@ Marian	Northland
Beloit	@St. Scholastica
@ Elmhurst Tourney	@Crown
@ Elmhurst Tourney	@Bemidji
Carroll	@St. Scholastica
Maranatha	Finlandia
@MSOE	vs. North Central
	@Northland
Oshkosh	Platteville
Carroll	@ Purdue
Lawrence	@RM-Spring
St. Norbs	@RM (Va)-Tourn
@Edge	@RM (Va)-Tourn
@Elmhurst	Viterbo
@Clarke Tourn	Buena Vista
@Clarke Tourn	@Clarke
@Clarke Tourn	vs. Loras
Grinnell	vs. Dubuque
Stout	River Falls
@Wis	@Bethel Tourney
@Bemidji	@Bethel Tourney
@Northland	Macalester
@Finlandia	Bethany Lutheran
@Northern Mich.	@Crown
vs. Buena Vista	@Con.-St. Paul
vs.St. Joseph's/SUNY-IT	North Central
Jamestown	St. Scholastica/St. Thomas
Viterbo	Finlandia

[Greek Tragedy]

Point has a great demanding schedule.  Regis U. is a D2 school, I believe, but I hear they aren't very good.  LU and Carroll are top dogs in the MWC and even Ripon is usually pretty good (though they had a horrible year last year).  Edgewood and Lakeland beat Point last year.  Augustana (CCIW) was a NCAA tourney team last year. 

La Crosse has a very demanding schedule was well, highlighted by the trip to the Wooster (I think) tourney.  Calvin, and then either Wooster or Northern Ohio.  Two very good teams from the MIAC as well.

I have no idea who is at the Whitewater invite.  Any insight?  I think Grinnell, Elmhurst and a team I forgot is at the Elmhurst tourney.  Carroll is always an annual battle and Maranatha, schedule filler? 

Superior has 10 nonconference games scheduled, which of course, can't happen (unless basketball followed D1 football and everyone was allowed to schedule another game!  )  Finlandia and St. Scholastica are scheduled twice at the same location.  Northland is home and away.

Oshkosh has a real tough schedule and hopes to bounce back from a disappointing 2005 campaign.  It won't be easy.  Carroll and Lawrence to start the season.  Elhmurst and an interesting Grinnell matchup.  As Point found out, the Clarke Tourney can be very tough, NAIA teams or not.

I'm not sure who Platteville is playing in the Randolph-Macon tourney.  I think Robert Morris-Springfield is the weaker of the two Robert Morris teams.  I can't remember.  Buena Vista and the cupcake Purdue game  are also on the schedule.

Stout always seems to play some Minnesota D2 teams.  Like Point, Viterbo and Northern Michigan are also on the schedule.

River Falls plays a similar schedule like Stout and Eau Claire do to their proximity.  No clue who's in the Bethel Tourney.

[John Gleich]

OS,

A couple of thoughts:

Point has two D2 teams in ONE WEEK (in Colorado at Regis, then in da U.P. at NMU -- the N stands for knowledge!  Sorry, old Michigan Tech joke), and I think IWU is one of the teams at the UWW tournament (I think I remeber seeing that on the CCIW page).

[titan2000]

A big UW-O supporter told me that TVD was trying to schedule pre-season opponents within one hour of his deer stand.

I don't understand that comment but he seemed quite disturbed when he said it. 

[Gregory Sager]

Well said, PS.

Very well said, PS.

[badgerwarhawk]

The other three teams in the WHITEWATER tip off tournament are Illinois Wesleyen, Clarke and Martin Luther.

The team playing in the Elmhurst tournament that you can't remember is Purdue University - Calumet, OS.  They're an NAIA program out of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

[buf]

UWEC's schedule

For some reason you can't get an updated page off the WIAC website.  But when you go to U of WI Eau Claire homepage, click on athlectics- mens basketball and then "schedule" the 06-07 schedule appears.

[Rico 21]

Terry Farmer, a player Stout will miss this year got a try-out with the ABA Atlanta Vision.  Best wishes for a true class act!