MBB: Midwest Conference

[tps040580]

Systemfan86, Grinnell isn't a lock after six games, but they do look good right now. I think they'll get in but its still really early.  They are coming up on their stretch where they play Lake Forest and Knox, which are two teams that take the air out of the ball against GC.  If they were to get caught, it would probably be either Knox or Lake Forest that does it. It would require Grinnell goes 1-3 or 0-4 against those two so its definately unlikely. I also wouldn't put it past Ripon to go on a run, but I am still clinging to my preseason tournament prediction of Ripon, Lawrence, Carroll, and LFC

[titan2000]

Early and other Riponites:

Ripon should be a lot better than this.  The talent is there.  Why can't they get it done?

After watching Lake Forest at LU on Saturday, I can't believe Ripon lost to them.

I want Ripon to be good.  It's good for the MWC.

Seeing Mr. Rodgers rant and rave at the MWC tourney was really entertaining in 2005.  I will miss that if they don't turn the corner fast.

 

[The Roop]

I ain't saying they is...I ain't saying they ain't...

Did Kenny from Norwood ever learn to read and are you related ??

[wwallacecc]

its been too long...i've been out of town and very busy, sorry for the lack of posts this new and wonderful year.

anyone else excited about wednesday???  i can remember being five years old on christmas eve and the excitement level being no where near what it is for this weeks carroll/lawrence faceoff at "the big gay al"!  i have no intentions of talking trash about the matchup...it'll be a dog fight from start to finish and hopefully it'll help our boys get some more well deserved recognition from d3hoops.  do you think appleton police have ever detained anyone wearing a kilt and face-paint?  i guess we'll see...but i'm ready to win that $50!

my next point...could the goons at d3hoops spend alittle more time on their knees for the CCIW!  Wesleyan has a great program and a storied tradition, they have earned quite a bit of respect.  but elmhurst (who finally dropped out of the rankings) is garbage!  unless they have completely revamped the team from last year, they should be no where near the top 25.  we beat them at their tourney last year by 30+.  Also, #10 Augy almost drops one to a lackluster Carthage squad!  the mwc gets no respect and im downright pissed off about it!!!  the force for change is in this room.   REVOLUTION!

[The Roop]

wwallacecc,

I've got to agree with your assessment of the publicity, and lack thereof, for certain conferences. If you listen to Hoopsville they make it sound like everyone in the MWC is no better than CalTech.

Is the MWC as good as the CCIW or WIAC ?? top to bottom no, but that doesn't mean it's a bad conference. We get ignored because we are in the same region as those two and I hardly think it's fair. Seed the MWC representative in one of the eastern regions and we'd have a Final Four team every year.

[kbanya30]

Wallace! I think you know that I am just as excited as you are about the big Carroll/Lawernce game. I think falco is pretty pumped as well, but his liberal ass hasnt been on here in awhile. Its gonna be a great game and a dog fight till the end. Some people around the mwc dont think that carroll's bench is as good or as deep as lawernce's, i disagree, carrolls bench is very solid and i have been pleasently surprised by the play of carrolls bench up to this point in the year. I'll let the doubters doubt and hopefully carroll can prove the critics wrong on wednesday night. Its gonna be a good one.

peace

[Greek Tragedy]

I think systemfan86 said it.  No one in your conference after Lawrence, Carroll and Grinnell are above .500.  Aside from Lawrence the last couple of years, what has the MWC done to gain any publicity?  I support the MWC, but after Lawrence no one has done anything on the national scene.  The pollsters gave some love to Grinnell two years ago when they started off 13-0 and then proceeded to tank the rest of the year 5-6.  Nice job.

Carroll, surprisingly, hasn't gotten much love.  They look good (from the scores) by beating Whitewater and losing to Oshkosh by one.  So, I thought they might get some recognition.

BTW, the WIAC is in the West Region, while the CCIW is in with the MWC in the Midwest Region...I guess they are all in the same region, geographically, if that's what you mean.

The CCIW on the other hand, has half their league 10-5 or better and have played better competition overall as well.  

Carthage is better than their poor record.

Seed the MWC representative in one of the eastern regions and we'd have a Final Four team every year.

I think you can say that about Lawrence the last two years.  But, like I mentioned, the MWC rep hasn't done anything in the NCAA tourney aside from that.

Maybe when the MWC becomes a power conference with more than three teams above .500, then maybe d3hoops can start talking about them.  I wouldn't really say the MWC's nonconference record is very good.

[The Roop]

Mmmmmmm,

I think you're missing my point Old School. Hoopsville groups the Midwest and West together when they talk about regions. Were the MWC out east somewhere they'd be the darlings of d3hoops.com. I don't fault Pat and the crew for a slight eastern bias because that's where they live, but if they saw any MWC games I bet they would change their tune.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I don't fault Pat and the crew for a slight eastern bias...

Hmmmm,

People on just about all the other boards are often whining about a midwestern bias!  (Of course, I can't see that, being a midwesterner - afterall, all of OUR children ARE above average!)

More seriously, I think the MWC DOES get unfairly overshadowed - they are surrounded by the WIAC and CCIW, pretty generally considered the two top conferences in the country.  On the other hand, as someone pointed out earlier, except for Lawrence the last two years, what HAVE you done on the national scene?

I think the MWC is underrated, but until your bottom-dwellers raise their game I think you are at most hanging around the fringes of the top ten conferences.  (Right now, I think you are a less extreme example of the NCAC - they have Wittenberg and Wooster; they also have some teams among the worst in the country.)

[Pat Coleman]

Hmm, some people are complaining about an "East Coast Bias" and others are complaining about the CCIW getting too much press. Well which is it?

Last five front-page stories: Midwest, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Great Lakes. No east coast at all.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hmm, some people are complaining about an "East Coast Bias" and others are complaining about the CCIW getting too much press. Well which is it?

Last five front-page stories: Midwest, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Great Lakes. No east coast at all.

Pat, I feel compelled to protest that obvious Great Lakes bias!   I DEMAND more CCIW coverage!

[Pat Coleman]

Perhaps your favorites should win some more games then.

[Mr. Ypsi]

You GOT me, big guy!  Ouch!

[Gregory Sager]

Hmm, some people are complaining about an "East Coast Bias" and others are complaining about the CCIW getting too much press. Well which is it?

Last five front-page stories: Midwest, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Great Lakes. No east coast at all.

I think it's patently obvious that Pat is biased against the letter 'U'. When's the last time that Ursinus, Union, or Utica made the front page? Hmmm? Hmmm?

[The Roop]

No MWC stories either, but that's another issue............

Cabonney,

I don't deny the substandard history of the MWC in the NCAAs, but let's face facts. The MWC rep usually gets thrown into a 1st round game against the WIAC or CCIW. How would Wooster or Wittenberg do in that situation??