MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[tjcummingsfan]

Hey KD, that wasn't me at the Westminster game, I haven't been to Chicago in almost 5 months.

[Gregory Sager]

Greg:  I think attending games is more stressful than reading and typing.  I am not sure if I'll return to the gym this year after witnessing the Westminster debacle.

This strikes me as a somewhat bizarre attitude, Mark, seeing as how you're one of the tiny handful of people that actually cares about NPU football. Your threshold of endurance for witnessing putridity by our alma mater's teams, and for caring enough to pay attention in the face of utter hopelessness, should be infinitely higher than mine by now -- seeing as how my attitude towards NPU's football program has always been one of utter indifference (with occasional bouts of sardonic derision), dating back to our student days.

To each his own, I guess.

Say what you will about this year's NPU basketball team, which is certainly a trial to have to watch as an alumnus of the Park, but at least the program has a tradition and the team has enough promising freshmen and sophomores to raise the possibility that there is light at the end of the tunnel. The only tradition NPU football has is an unremitting string of losing seasons dating back to LBJ's tenure in the White House (with the exception of one .500 season in the early nineties), and the only light at the end of the tunnel for the gridiron Vikings every season is from the train that runs them down once the CCIW portion of the schedule starts.

A fellow NPU alumnus, after seeing the note on the school website that claims that 60 people have applied for the vacant position of head football coach at the Park, said to me, "Well, we now know that there are at least 60 people in this country who would apply for the job of providing target practice for a firing squad."

Dennis, I was sorry to hear about Newell Johnson. He was a wonderful guy.

[cardinalpride]

cp,

Kudos to you on your prediction!!  What an exciting win for the Cardinals.  I hope this is a springboard for the program to get back to a prominent position in the conference.

CA, thanks!  I think Adam Krumtinger said it best.  Here's his quote from the pantagraph. 

"We had good defense and decent rebounding. We played hard," Krumtinger said. "It's a big win beating the No. 1 team in the nation, but I think we can do it more consistently now. There's no need to celebrate. We've got 13 left in the conference." 

If the entire team takes on that attitude, NCC will be just fine.  It's all about consistency.  I love that quote by Krumtinger.  It shows the maturity level NCC will need to compete for a championship in the CCIW.   Preach Krumtinger, Preach!!!

[cardinalpride]

Did "we" ever learn why Raridon left NE Wesleyan?  I doubt NCC lured him with megabucks.  If Raridon succeeds in lifting the Cardinal program, does his resume becomes ready for a D2/D1 openings?  Is that his plan or did he simply want to move from one red place to another?

From where I sit, why Raridon left Nebraska Wesleyan is between Todd and Nebraska Wesleyan.  And, again from my view point, any discussion of that subject does not belong in CCIW Chat room.

Todd is a quality coach in every way which IWU fans knew that having faced Nebraska Wesleyan several times.  I thought Coach Raridon was (and is) ready to be a head coach at D2 or Assistant at D1.  NCC, and the CCIW, is very lucky to have Todd Raridon.

Nor, I was not surprised last year to see a discipline approach invoked in the NCC program both on and off the court.  I am somewhat surprised how quickly the team has responded.  Yet, you could tell by the end of last season this NCC team was more disciplined than prior teams under Benji Taylor.  (And, I liked Taylor.)   I expected a tough battle from Simmons; however, I was equally impressed with Krumtinger and Walton whom seem to have taken their game to the next level.

The win in the Shirk is a credit to Coach Raridon, his staff, and the Cardinal team.  And, thanks for some additional motivation Feb 1st at the "hangar".

Congratulations to NCC for the win over the Titans. 

Well said/written IWM.  You're not so bad after all!        Just kidding! 

[cardinalpride]

My goodness, the Iwu backers are extremely quite.
But as the trend goes, they will be there at the end.  NC will start hot, and fade as usual.

Stat, aren't you a carthage fan?  You must be jealous of NCC or upset that IWU will take their frustration out on your redmen.  Lots of luck in that game!

[markerickson]

I've attended no more than five home games per year over the last three years.  This number has decreased as my sons have realized the NP team sux as opposed to the event being entertainment.  Concomitantly, my kids activities, as they've grown, take priority over bball games.

Perhaps my attendance has decreased as a result of the proliferation of d3hoops.com.  That is, I can read how the team lost w/o having to witness the problems.

[markerickson]

Greg:  I've attended approx 5x more home games for mens bball than football over the last six-plus years.  The ratio increases significantly during my undergraduate years as I do not recall missing a single home bball game* yet was indifferent to football.  I attended one road football game in four years.

*I missed the 1985 playoff games in Chicago as they occurred during spring break.  I was in Daytona, Ft. Lauderdale, and possibly the Keys at this time. 

[Gregory Sager]

I didn't raise the point to compare how many NPU basketball games you attend versus how many NPU football games you attend, Mark. My point is that the fact that you're one of the few people who cares about NPU football at all should've inured you to disappointment from the school's other sports teams.

Perhaps my attendance has decreased as a result of the proliferation of d3hoops.com. That is, I can read how the team lost w/o having to witness the problems.

This must be Pat Coleman's worst nightmare: People using the comprehensive coverage of his website as an excuse to avoid actually attending the ballgames. As I said, to each his own. But I can't wait to see Pat's reaction to your post. 

[Stat]

The only consolation for Carthage is that NP is in the conference.  They can't hit rock bottom.

However, teams will bottle up Simmons, and the Cards like the Cubs will start their fade around mid year.

I hear the"hack a shaq"will be put into play this Saturday in Kenosha against the greenie five. It could be too ugly for the busload of retirees to watch.

[Gregory Sager]

The only consolation for Carthage is that NP is in the conference.  They can't hit rock bottom.

So glad that we could be there to break your fall, Jack. "Service to others" is the unofficial NPU motto.

However, teams will bottle up Simmons, and the Cards like the Cubs will start their fade around mid year.

I'm willing to bet that Todd Raridon is at peace with the idea of North Central staying in the CCIW race through June.

I hear the"hack a shaq"will be put into play this Saturday in Kenosha against the greenie five. It could be too ugly for the busload of retirees to watch.

Not to worry, as I'm sure that Mr. Tarble sprang for a defibrillator or two when the Carthage PE Center got its recent facelift. Of course, the defibrillators would be of the snap-together variety, but I'm sure that they work just as well as any other kind.

[iwumichigander]

I hear the"hack a shaq"will be put into play this Saturday in Kenosha against the greenie five. It could be too ugly for the busload of retirees to watch.

Stat,  A NCC 20 - 6 run over the last 8:55 in the first half, shooting 21.1% 3- Pt FG% for game and losing in the Shirk is ugly.  Watching or listening is even uglier.  16 turnovers with 7 assists is unacceptable.

Our fans will be ready Saturday.  The IWU faithful on that bus will be ready; and, a tough,veteran group of fans are they.  This group of Titan seniors have never played "ugly" in back to back contests.  We don't expect them to start now.

A Titan team that had a target on their backs pre-conference; now has put themselves with their backs against the CCIW corner wall.  It will be interesting to see what Titan team shows up and how they respond.

[clu]

I think Carthage might surprise IWU. It may not be pleasant. 

[albcard]

CCIW schedule....

Wouldn't it be nice if teams played one game at home and one away, or have no more than 2 away games in a row during conference play? I think that kind of schedule would make the league a little more competitive. It would be hard for any team to have long stretches of road games. (NCC is opening the conference with 6 straight away games, that is almost half their games). They do it in the NBA,  but teams play 100 games all season.

It is pretty clean, each team has to play 14 games. Take European soccer leagues as an example.  All games are scheduled on the same day of the week and time (most of the time), and teams play at home every other game. CCIW should designate 1 or 2 days of the week for basketball, so let's say every Friday night at 7:30 all games take place at the same time.  You could also add Tuesday or Wednesday for a couple of weeks. I know that there could be problems with double booking the facilities, but (I am sorry if I am offending anyone) what else can be booked that could interfere with basketball?

Just a thought....

[iwumichigander]

I think Carthage might surprise IWU. It may not be pleasant. 

Carthage could surprise more than IWU!  I think some CCIW Chat posters may have under evaluated Carthage (as some did North Central).  I won't be surprised by Carthage.  Coach Bosko Djurickovic does an outstanding job getting his teams ready and prepared.  He has as much respect for IWU as it does for Carthage.

When you look at Carthage's non-conference schedule, it was very tough -- combined record of opponents 80 - 25; 6 road games including the first five at essentially neutral sites; level of competition - current # 6 Hope, current #7 Lawrence, current receiving votes: Grinnell & Calvin (who I think deserves a much harder look for the Top 25); and opened against NAIA Concordia (Calif) [with a split ] and Westmont.  Throw in Carroll (8-1), Gustavavus Adolphus (8-2) and a backyard contest against neighboring Beloit.  That's a very challenging non-conference schedule for any D3 team.

I think Carthage is better than its current 4 - 7 overall record.  The intangible factor - What does the reported loss on this chat room of Trey Bowens (34.9 min/game 16.1 PPG) do to Carthage?

[armywife]

Wow, you stay away from the board a few days and all heck breaks loose. NCC over IWU at the Shirk!!! Milikin over Elmhurst? Thank you Augie for taking care of business agianst NP. Greg is back, sorry about the NP loss Greg. How's that for double-speak? Well CP, I guess it just plain pays to stick with cheering your team on no matter how many smite's come with it. IWU, don't get your head's down, even good teams need a wake up call and IWU just got theirs. They will be even more dangerous this season because of it. I'm still picking Augie to win the conference. As this week just proved, anything is possible in this conference, and Augie has just as good a chance as anyone.