MBB: Midwest Conference

[diehardfan]

DHF- all ya gotta do is line up the match and the real bet is on.

Lol... right, because I have magical powers! 

[The Roop]

Curse of the Hooded Beloit Sweatshirt. a.k.a. Why Beloit wins on Friday...............

First time I wore the shirt to a basketball game Beloit beat Monmouth. A Red Team.
First time I wore it to a football game Beloit beat Ripon. A Red Team.
First time I will wear it to a road game will be Friday @Grinnell. Yet another Red Team.

Someone recently told me you needed two examples before a curse may lie. I think "Roopadomus" has satisfied the requirements.

[Greek Tragedy]

From what I've seen the last couple of years, both Ripon and Lawrence would be a shadow of themselves without Becker and Braier.  Becker and Braier, in my opinon, are/were the heart and soul of their respective teams.  I think Becker is more of a shooter, athlete while Braier is just a hardnosed thug (and I mean this in the most complimentary way) who gets the job done no matter what it costs.  The guy is a stud.

[The Roop]

Scottie,

I was just verifying my selections on the pick em board. How could you say such a thing   

[systemfan86]

I'm just trying to stir things up a little.

Looks like I achieved my goal.

LU05, a word of advice (based on past experience), avoid temptation and don't take the bait.

I think I was actually the first to comment on starting a countdown on Braier. He's the genuine article and the entire MWC (except for LU) will be both happy and sad to see him go. Happy because we don't have to watch him play against our team and sad because we no longer get to see a great player play.

Who knows if LU will struggle after he's gone? Past history, even here in the MWC, indicates that teams struggle to find a new identity after a signature player like Braier leaves. Look at the records of teams in the conference the year after a former POY leaves:
                     2004/5 - GC goes 8-15 after former POY Wood leaves
                     2003/4 - SNC goes 12-11 after POY Hoffman leaves
                     2002/3 - Beloit goes 10-13 after Grant leaves

Even this year Ripon is struggling after Becker left.

Seems very reasonable to project that losing a two time (with a solid chance to be a three time) POY might have a negative effect on the LU team. Regardless of the numbers, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?
 
   

[scottie]

Just busting your chops Mr. The Roop...

Hey, everybody get your predictions in today on the pick 'em board.  While certain johnnie-come-latelys will no doubt join the MWC conversation throughout the season, you will rest easy knowing that your individual pick 'em record reflects ALL conference games.

"Monmouth basketball in 2006!"   [/color]

[Dolph Stanley]

Lawrence can survive and even thrive when they lose Briar.  The larger question is could they survive were they to lose Tharp.  Those a little older remember that prior to his arrival basketball was rarely played at LU.

[mwc4life]

Old School, Systemfan86,  THANK YOU!!! Those are all great points and i especially like the research done by Systemfan86.  Do you think there's a pattern here in losing superstars???  I guess LU is just immune to the let down after a great athlete comes in and flurishes.  Maybe not as much as a let down, but the transition period it takes to form a teams idenity.  Look, i know Briar a little bit throw Scottie Landish and the guy is a class act, a great teammate, a hardworker, and good student.  The guy is just a special special player and you are nuts, as a lot of LU fans are drinking that blue kool-aid, if you don't think there will be a bit of a drop off.  I mean Brair is going to go down as one of the all-time greats in this league and when i make my count down to bother LU fans, it really is just echoing what systemfan86 is saying....that we are so so happy to see him go, but a bit sad at the same time to see such a great competitor and winner leave.

Posted by: Dolph Stanley  Posted on: Today at 09:51:32 AM 
Insert Quote 
Lawrence can survive and even thrive when they lose Briar. 

Soooo their better off without him??? I guess I don't understand what you mean by this.



128 days until Briar and LU are no more!!!

[Old Fighting Scot]

i am extremely surprised to see so many people picking Ripon over MC at MC this weekend.  is this b/c you truly think MC sucks or strictly b/c i have been proclaiming MC a team to look out for and you northern biasers just dont want to believe.  i think the picks against MC are more wishful thinking and spite than actual thought out predictions.  but whatever....

MC 2-0 (by double digits in both games) this weekend!!!![/glow]

[hjmphelp]

Dolph-
Is that Briar Rabbit or Briar Bear?

[Pat Coleman]

As for MWC basketball, my earlier post was more of a thoughtful inquiry rather than a complaint. 

Hard to tell by your use of the term Coleman mafia, sir. Not very thoughtful.

Perhaps if you want to be mistaken for thoughtful, you can leave the derogatory terms out of it.

Meanwhile, yes, I am always happy to see our poll validated at the expense of the AFCA's.

[Greek Tragedy]

I'm not really sure why everyone is down on Ripon already this year.  I'm not a Ripon fan and I don't have a favorite MWC team.  As many of you know, I'm a WIACer.  I've seen a handful of MWC games the last couple of years, trying to expand my basketball horizons. 

Ripon is just 1-3 and I think their only bad loss was against Marian.  I have no idea what happened there.  Maybe a Ripon fan can tell us what happened.  Ripon did lose the conference POTY in Tommy Becker.  Ripon lost to Point, which is 3-1 after knocking off Oshkosh and La Crosse, who is off to a fast 5-1 start, despite losing to Whitewater in their opener.  It's not like these two WIAC teams were Eau Claire and River Falls here.  Both teams are capable of finishing in the top four in the WIAC.

Ripon still has three solid players in McMullen, Bo Johnson and Schmitting.  Even Paul Wise doesn't look like the biggest piece of wood.

I still think Ripon can make some noise in the MWC this year and it's true they could start the conference season 0-3 since all three are on the road.  In the end though, the conference crown is Lawrence's to lose.

[Snydz822121]

i am extremely surprised to see so many people picking Ripon over MC at MC this weekend.  is this b/c you truly think MC sucks or strictly b/c i have been proclaiming MC a team to look out for and you northern biasers just dont want to believe.  i think the picks against MC are more wishful thinking and spite than actual thought out predictions.  but whatever....

MC 2-0 (by double digits in both games) this weekend!!!![/glow]

it is called no respect for us fighting scots!!!   that will be changed this weekend

[Greek Tragedy]

I have nothing but respect for a team that owns two wins (out of three) against winless opponents.  lol. 

Just talking a little friendly trash.  I'll be happy to eat my words if Monmouth beats Ripon.  I shouldn't even care since I'm not even a Ripon fan, but like I said before, I don't understand why people are down on Ripon already.

[Snydz822121]

so what fan are you??