MBB: Midwest Conference

[ccfan69]

Carolll only lost 2 players last year.  Even though they were starters and good, they are returning everyone else and have some good recruits coming it.  Don't forget about them, they have been in the hunt the past couple of years.   

What about Monmouth?  I heard they are suppose to be pretty good this year

[diehardfan]

My wife left me last night.

Ugh... I'm really starting to feel like it's people of my gender who are the unfaithful/scandalous ones these days. blah...

But then another random guy trys to seduce me and I remember that it's basically most people of both genders that are lame. 

Anyhow, on a serious note, best wishes to you in this new season of your life. 

[TeeDub]

What's Roopicinno
Is it a drink or creature
I may never know

[lu_nut]

Just a local Appletonian who likes MWC ball, but here is my take:

I think LU will be among the favorites.  Front court will be very strong with Braier and McGillis at forward and strong play at the center as well.  The real question for LU is whether freshman guards will step up to complement Rosenblatt and Bradley.  Holinbeck and Evans were strong at both ends.

I think Ripon will be competitive, but loss of Becker is very significant.  He was so quick he created shots for people like Johnson.  They may take a step back.

I think Carroll has had and will continue to have strong talent.  They will miss Hickether, but they had 4-5 good players. Not sure why they do not get over the hump.

Knox will have two of the 10 best players in the conference in Maclin and Zirk.  Depth is their challenge, especially with Kelly gone.

Lake Forest has a bunch back and is also due to get over the hump.

I think these will be the top 5 unless Grinnell really has some good freshman as advertised.  I think St. Nor takes a step back and IC misses Dudley and their big guys.

At the risk of insulting some folks on the board, I think the noise about Beloit is probably just noise.  Their big guy Hinz is good, but they just have not accomplished much with him.

Hence,(it is early) 1. LU 2. Carroll 3. Lake Forest 4. Ripon

Hopefully, a couple teams have strong years and we get two in the expanded NCAA tourney.

[hjmphelp]

lu_nut
nice job here! Just a few comments. Ripon lost 2 key players, but still has one of the wiliest coaches in the conference. Haven't heard much about the newbies but still expect them to be good. Larry lost its heart (j Holinbeck) IMHO, and that may be more difficult to overcome than you might think. A resurgent GC squad pasted Knox and LFC at the end of the season last year, has a fine, but unproven 1st year class, great senior leadership, what appears to be fantastic intersquad relationships on and off the floor, and the luxury of 8 straight home games to start the season. The first 3 conference games are at home as well. As stated, Carroll is consistent year to year, but they and St N are sort of unknown factors. Monmouth youngsters have matured and Beloit is very well coached and apparently has some good new talent. IC really needs a great frosh class to make up for losses and to be competitive. Not sure of their situation, but the coach will still be the best dressed in the conference which should be worth something.;-)

In other words, crapshoot!

[d3bbfan]

Well looked in on Beloit today and saw Hinz not in practice gear with a cast on his right hand. I found out he broke it in the teams 1st practice. I also found out that their very tough JC transfer guard is having season ending surgery on his foot or leg. Also one of the new big kids has a stress fracture and another of the new big kids was at practice cause he hurt his back. Tough way to start the season. Hope they get over all these injuries before the regular season starts. They sure look like they could be good if they can stay healthy.

[the game]

WOW!  Tough break for BC. This was relly suppose to be the year. What's exactly the extent of Hinz's  injury?  BC veterans (Towns, Fieck , Hendry and Bysted)  will really have to step it up now. Bottom line though is that this team goes nowhere without Hinz!

[hjmphelp]

Sorry to hear about all the injuries. Hinz is a great player. I hope he makes it back in good shape.

[Early]

Whew that is quite a tough break BC.  Hinz is a good baller....I hope he isn't out long.   

jeffp, Ripon has some quality new recruits.  I talked to coach Gillespe and he is pretty excited.  As mwc4life said earlier, Vahntre Brown is a frosh, and Chris Kellet is a transfer from Concordia, who also played Defensive back for the hawks this year. 
People forgot about David McMullen will be a second year starter this year and actually lu_nut, he is quicker than Tommy Becker, just not as much of a moose physically.  Brian Schmitting looks as though he put on 20 lbs over the summer.  Also 6'7" senoir Wally DeVries is a work horse and shot blocker. 
BRING BACK WALLY'S WALL!!!

Oh yeah one more thing...

If you don't know...go to BO!!!

[The Roop]

Grinnellfan68,

From the time I made my first post on here to the time my wife left me I believe was 15 days. When was your first post ?? you may have the new record. Either way there must be a D3hoops Curse.

TeeDub,

A Roopaccino is the top selling coffee at Jeffs place. (or will be after Dec. 2nd) In addition to freeze dried goodness, like all his coffees have, The Roopaccino also includes caramel and cashews.  

Diehardfan,

Wear birkenstocks and tie dye shirts. The seduction attempts should stop immediately.

General Beloit comment:

While the injuries certainly don't help matters, any team with 8 freshman and 1 sophomore on the 15 man roster can't be expected to achieve greatness.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Can I get my Roopaccino without the Cashews or would that be sacrilege?

[The Roop]

HoopsFan,

As I understand it the cashews are only small pieces, so I doubt you'd notice them. They have to be able to float atop the foam, etc. Perhaps Jeff could serve them on the side for you. However, it's not a Roopaccino if it's made with decaf.

[GrinnellFan68]

More like a Poopaccino

Sorry, Roopert...I'm just so out of it right now. I'm lashing out at you to make me feel better. 
Edith left me for a Mexican guy, Raul. He's only 33. What is a 49 year old woman doing with a 33 year old guy? I'm so pathetic. 

Thanks for all of your supprt through the troubled times. Especially you, jeffp.

[systemfan86]

So much to comment on...guess I'll go with basketball first...

If I've learned nothing else from posting on this board, I've learned it's wa-a-a-y too hard to predict this league. Every year, there is a player or team that goes off that no one expected. Last year it was Becker. That's not to say that no one had heard of him or that he didn't get respect, but he took it up more than a notch last year to become POY. No one expected him to be in the running for POY much less an honorable mention D3 All American. If anyone can predict a surprise POY candidate, I'd be surprised.

Grinnellfan68,

From the time I made my first post on here to the time my wife left me I believe was 15 days. When was your first post ?? you may have the new record. Either way there must be a D3hoops Curse.

GF68, you don't have a picture of you and a dead elk, do you?

TeeDub,

A Roopaccino is the top selling coffee at Jeffs place. (or will be after Dec. 2nd) In addition to freeze dried goodness, like all his coffees have, The Roopaccino also includes caramel and cashews.  

...you just have to drink it with a very LARGE grain of salt...

Diehardfan,

Wear birkenstocks and tie dye shirts. The seduction attempts should stop immediately.

If you did that, you might have been accepted at GC!

Let the Haiku's begin!

Haiku in Suess style
Do not like kimchi and spam
How's that diehardfan?

[Dolph Stanley]

Just to clear something up regarding Beloit, while the players being refered to as JuCo transfers did indeed attend JuCo's last year, they did not play basketball (not saying they were not capable, just that they did not play and as such are listed as Freshman (or in Beloit terms "first-years" since we can't use "men"))

Beloit's roster consists of three Seniors (one who is still playing football) three Juniors (one who  has seen no time in the first two seasons) and one Sophmore to go with the eight new players.  To say that much will be expected of the newcomers if this team is to have any chance to compete for one of the top spots in the MWC would be an understatement.   

a solid group.  If they stick around either