MBB: Midwest Conference

[The Roop]

Well, in my defense, I did complain before the game even started. It was like listening to an airline pilot and a bad game show host.

2-2 in the last 4 games tells me that Beloit still has some things to prove. Today was good but yesterday was a comedy of turnovers. They need some consistency.

[systemfan86]

Good luck GC against Lawrence tonight. Here's hoping:

- the 'good' team shows up and plays the entire game
- Scott Kaitz and Griffin Lentsch reappear
- we don't get iced out

Looks like you got your first wish two nights in a row. 

[systemfan86]

We do spend a lot of time talking on this board about Grinnell and The System. And, there are apologists both ways; when the team is winning championships and when they're in the cellar.

The Grinnell system CAN work. We've all seen that. With the right players committed to the common goal. But you do need the right players.

And the Grinnell staff tries to recruit the best players possible. NOT the best system players, because there are virtually none of those coming out of high school. But it is tough to sell the middle of Iowa to a kid who can go to Williams, Amherst, Chicago, etc.. It's not an eastern establishment location, nor is it a major metropolitan urban location. And there are no "special admits" held for the basketball team, as at some other premier institutions.

All that being said, I would proudly compare the players who have suited up for Grinnell over the last 10 years , and their record of championships with any team in the MWC.

The Coaches A will build up their arsenal and be a force again before too long. And, maybe a spoiler this year as well.

Perhaps they already have, that loss they gave to Lake Forest could loom large at the end of the year, with Lake Forest sitting at 3-3 currently.

Add this weekend to that list...

Then again, if they run the table...

[systemfan86]

No offense to the "System" but I hope never to watch GC play again. I watched the podcast vs STN and thought that it was a travesty to the game to be down 25-30 points and have one of your players near the half court stripe hoping your other 4 defenders could give up a quick hoop so you could "basket hang" with the intent to get a 3 point shot.    Why anyone outside of the Midwest Conf would want to schedule a game against them is beyond me

I think you have to understand that their system is a "bastardization" of the game of basketball and the reasons behind why coach Arsenault went to playing it. First of all at an institution that's as acadmically strong as Grinnell you're not always going to be able to get the right players to come play there.

Yes, because if there's anything we've all noticed over the years, it's the serious difficulty that academically strong D3 schools such as Wash U, Williams, Amherst, Chicago, Rochester, NYU, Franklin & Marshall, etc., have had in competing on the basketball court.

Look, Grinnell fans ... there are myriad reasons why Coach Arseneault concocted the System, and some of those reasons are good ones. But could we please pull the plug on the whole "Grinnell is so academically exclusive that it requires gimmickry for the school to recruit basketball players" routine? The fact of the matter is that D3 schools that are as good, if not better, than Grinnell with regard to academic reputation -- schools whose basketball programs use standard offensive and defensive sets -- have not only managed to find and attract recruits to play for them, they've reached Elite Eights and Final Fours and have even won national championships with them.

Completely agree Mr Sager. But it's tough not to go to stock answers when terms like 'bastardization' annually get thrown GC's way.

back to lurker mode

[PC]

Grinnell 2010... the team nobody wants to play... (and they are killing me in the pick 'em league)

[Put up a #]

If Grinnell hadn't dropped that nail biter early in the year to Beloit, and looking at the remaining schedule, would we now be talking about their playoff chances?

The answer: yes.

And I love the fact that they killed me this weekend in the pick 'em. I wanted to pick them over Lawrence so badly, but just didn't have the guts. Blinded by my ranking in the pick 'em league. But I never saw the Carroll game coming.

Does anybody out there have a handle on what's happening in this conference? Other than St. Norbert running away with it?

[The Roop]

Grinnell is killing a lot of people in the pickems so it's a wash.

Just a quick reminder. St. Norbert was running away with it last year at this time and wound up 4th.

But you're right, nothing in the conference makes sense this year.

[scottie]

Can't believe that scottie doesn't have a prediction for the showdown tonight between "the Good Guys" and "Americas Team".

Sorry for the oversight, The Roop.  It wasn't a case of ignoring the importance of that game on the future of the MWC, I can assure you.  Obviously, my post presence during hoops season has been sporadic at best.  Partly because of the holiday lull and partly because of the work/travel schedule.  Those charter flights are a killer!   

Basically, I've been able to barely keep up with the pick 'em board and at last glance I appear to be holding down my usual spot at/near the top.  If I would have made a prediction, it probably would have been something like 67-62 Good Guys.  I'll have to check the score....    

[jeffdc]

several things happening w/GC right now:

- they've learned how to play an entire game
- most of the 1st yrs are figuring out the system
- they've had some nice luck late in the game
- even w/o Griffin Lentsch, they've got 3 good shooters

but running the table? I wish.....

[jeffdc]

Congrats to GC player Matt Skelly for being the MWD Player of the week!

[jeffdc]

Congrats to GC player Matt Skelly for being the MWD Player of the week!

Err, make that MWC Player of the week!

[pgkevin]

Congrats to GC player Matt Skelly for being the MWD Player of the week!

Err, make that MWC Player of the week!

And congrats to Jeff for making it through 300 posts completely neutral.    (karma wise that is)

[jeffdc]

And congrats to Jeff for making it through 300 posts completely neutral.    (karma wise that is)

To paraphrase - Tis better to post and have lost karma, than to have never had karma at all.....

I attribute it to my long relationship with JeffP, who is now retired, tending to his flock of baristas and listening to Wookiefoot...

[jeffdc]

and by the way - good luck to GC in their game tonight vs. Monmouth. Let's keep that streak going!

[System Error]

The Grinnell vs. Monmouth game is full of missed threes, free throws and turnovers. Hate to say it but not fun to watch at all. 40-36 GC at the half!