MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

bluemom · February 13, 2006, 05:46:57 PM

There is no disrespect in the term "backing in" in sports. Granted, the end (in this case the CCIW championship) is justified because you won more games in the conference than any other team. "Backing in" is not my original term but one used by somene else on this board, but implies that the game that gave you the championship was the result of someone else's loss on a particular night.

For that matter any loss during the CCIW could have had the same meaning, but because IWU who had a shot at the Championship lost, it assured Augie of the trophy. My point is that such a manner in which one wins the conference title will fuel the fire in the next game to prove that they have won it outright, which if they win on Wednesday night gives them the outright and sole ownership of the crown over IWU and Elmhurst, who currently have a shot at a tri-fecta of sorts.

A hundred years of living in a sports-crazy family teaches you a lot about winning and losing. Augie fans, I wish I could say that I was cheering you on, but I can't help but want my Blue Jays to share in the title.....and then, you can say that IWU and Elmhurst practically "backed-in" to the championship although they have to win their own games first.

No disrespect intended. It was mere a critique of the situation. This league is too tough for one team or one fan to throw too many barbs at another......one gets their just desserts in the end!

Titan Q · February 13, 2006, 05:48:14 PM

The Scott Trost Show, live from Cheek's Bar & Grill, is tonight at 6:00pm on WJBC...

http://www.wjbc.com/

Will try to post some thoughts on "senioritis" and such later. Off for a run now...maybe I'll come up with something profound out there in the cold temps and nasty wind.

diehardfan · February 13, 2006, 05:55:03 PM

Quote from: augie_superfan on February 13, 2006, 03:53:05 PM
Did the Wheaton players shake hands with the Augie players after the game Wed.?

No... I'm sure they were distracted and weren't thinking about it. While that's somewhat understandable in the heat of the moment, and with all those people surrounding you, it's certainly not something a school like wheaton would normally do.

I know Harris was quick to seek out Coach G and shake his hand... and I would imagine that the Wheaton guys probably got thoroughly reprimanded for not shaking the Augie guys hands, and that's why they were so quick to do it on Saturday after beating IWU.

I'm sure there were no bad intentions on the part of the Wheaton guys... $:-\$

augie_superfan · February 13, 2006, 06:19:15 PM

April, we know the Wheaton guys are good guys and everything...and I know how it gets after a big win and the last thing you think about is shaking the other team's hands. I just found it funny that someone brought up how they conducted themselves after the game and used, as evidence, their shaking of the hands. My comment wasn't meant to imply that the Wheaton kids aren't good people...just found it sorta ironic that someone brought up something that didn't occur in a similar situation 3 days before.

Heck, the last thing the Augie guys probably wanted to do after losing was walk through and shake everyone's hand...I'm sure they just wanted to get the heck out of there.

Mr. Ypsi · February 13, 2006, 06:23:26 PM

dansand,

While a 'sour grapes' emoticon might be very useful, it's not needed in this case. It is long-standing sports jargon that clinching a title despite losing a game is 'backing in' - and often the champs themselves are among the first to use the term, and seek 'vindication' by winning the next game. I don't think anyone was intending to 'diss' the Vikings.

79jaybird · February 13, 2006, 06:59:50 PM

"Did the Wheaton/Augie players shake hands after the game?" and responding with no"
I am sorry back that is terrible on both schools behalf. Regardless as to who won the game and whether your favorite team wins or loses, you shake the guy's hand! That goes back to All I needed to learn I learned in Kindergarten. C'mon where's the sportsmanship.
This conference is too grand/proud to not keep simple sportsmanship gestures going.
Great to see 4 CCIW teams make it into the Top 25 this week. I am still keeping that slim hope ( I"m an optimist) that the CCIW gets 3 teams in. Unlikely yes, but not impossible.

iwumichigander · February 13, 2006, 07:10:16 PM

Quote from: Hoops Fan on February 13, 2006, 10:54:53 AM

Q can answer this better, probably, than anyone, but I wonder how much the four years of hype and pressure are weighing on the IWU squad right now. ... I'm not sure any group of kids has had higher expectations placed on them in recent years. We all know the talent is there ...

From where I sit, I don't think the hype or the pressure really bothers this team; and, that includes the coaching staff. If anything, it is more of a nuisance which at times provides some good humor. Yes, Titan fans (and, CCIW fans too) have had and continue to have high expectations of this Titan team. And, the expectations often are too high, not realistic and, frankly, sometimes border on ridiculous. Those who thought this team or, any team for that matter, could go through the season and the CCIW undefeated just did not understand the reality of the CCIW or the NCAA Tournament for which the historical records of surviving undefeated has already been posted.

With an outstanding performance against the Illini in exhibition and a 10 – 0 non-conference run, fans wanted an encore performance of 14-0 in the CCIW. Four CCIW losses were probably not an expectation. I had them pre-season with 2 or 3 going into the CCIW Tournament. This team still is in reach of its goals. What was not an expectation? These were not: Cory Jones sitting out the Illini exhibition with an injury, Matt Arnold sitting out 8 games, Andrew Freeman with a stress fracture injury, Zack Freeman & Steve Schweer with broken noses, Chris Jones with a knee injury and starting lineups in constant change attributable to the aforementioned. No excuses, just not expectations. On four given nights, four good CCIW teams handed IWU a loss. The problems the Titans have experienced are not physical or a lack of athleticism. The problems are a loss of focus. And, let's be honest, a lot of CCIW teams got better this year too.

Winning the conference is a nice to have. Winning the Conference Tournament is the sure way to get an invitation to the Dance. Get a Pool C Dance card if necessary, the way to Salem is just a little bit longer, just a little bit harder. When a team is trying to reach the next level, it sometimes must overcome unforeseen obstacles to get to the next level. Folks, this team have not peaked yet. Some would fairly say it is not even close to a peak. Despite the Wheaton loss, I think this team will start its climb and break through on Wednesday night against Augustana. We Titans often talk and write about this team finding a way to win. All this team really has to do is play like it played in Champaign – the Titan way. It is that simple.

dansand · February 13, 2006, 08:00:36 PM

Quote from: bluemom on February 13, 2006, 09:25:27 AM
On the other sie, Augie as it has been said, "backed into the
championship," so this game is the only way that they can legitimize
their crown.

Let me clarify. The problem I have with this is that somehow their championship is not "legitimate" if they should happen to lose to the Titans Wednesday. It's simply not the case.

Pat Coleman · February 13, 2006, 08:19:38 PM

In watching the end of both games on WETN, the losing team could have stuck around to wait for Wheaton fans to stop celebrating but in both cases the players were surrounded by fans and unavailable to shake hands immediately.

I don't think there's a fault here or an issue. In cases like this the winning team is entitled to celebrate and the losing team shouldn't feel like it has to wait around for that to end.

Mr. Ypsi · February 13, 2006, 08:28:50 PM

dansand,

I'd forgotten about that quote. I don't know bluemom, but in her defense I'd bet she was just unclear. I bet she meant the Augie players felt, in their own minds, they needed a win to 'legitimize' the title.

Hey, I'm about as 'green' as they get; you beat us in the Shirk! Whatever happens on Wednesday, you are the LEGITIMATE regular season champs (though we still hold out hopes of a tie)!

tjcummingsfan · February 13, 2006, 08:37:37 PM

79jaybird,

I think anyone who has ever seen Wheaton play knows that as a rule there isn't a team that has more class and sportsmanship night after night than they do. As Pat said, I think Wheaton deserved to celebrate their amazing win; but Augie shouldn't have been expected to wait around to shake hands. Neither team was necessarily in the wrong, and the situation was anything but terrible (unless you're an Augie fan, but that's a different story).

I can't believe I just stuck up for Wheaton...

augiefan · February 13, 2006, 08:41:49 PM

I am certain that the Augie players want to win Wednesday night or Saturday in Naperville to win the regular season title outright. It's more than just a case of legitimizing their title, it's a matter of solidifying their place in the NCAA tourney. I think a win in one of the final two games assures that bid no matter what Augie does in the conference tourney. A 3 way regular season tie with Augie, Elmhurst and IWU puts huge pressure on all 3 teams to win the tourney for the automatic qualifier.

Any word on Harrigan's status for Wednesday? His absence at Decatur had to have cost the Vikings at least the 3 points they would have needed to win that one. We really need him back at full strength asap.

Brick · February 13, 2006, 09:17:35 PM

Pat Brusveen acctually stepped up big with six threes in that game to help make up for harrigans absence...I would put those three points that augie needed firmly on the back of Nate Swetlla and his missed free throws....

Brick · February 13, 2006, 09:21:24 PM

I haven't posted in two days and today after answering a simple question my karma drops two points....tough crowd...

bluemom · February 13, 2006, 09:33:52 PM

Thanks Mr. Ypsi. My comments were merely in critique of the games coming up on Wednesday night. As I said in the last post, No disrespect was intended. Winning is sweet anyway you get it (legitimately, even otherwise in some cases!). Augie has done that---legitimately won the conference or at least a share of that title. Winning this Wednesday is a statement of ownership especially to win with an exclamation point. (I know I will get a lot of grief from this one, but to win against IWU is a special novelty for any other CCIW BB program!) Not to win does not de-legit anything. In a conference that many picked to be over before it started, Augie has quiety but wethodically picked off every one of the CCIW one by one......... the last two often happens

Please note that the negative of a is not always -a. It could be -(a), which may sound similar but are not always the same. Anyway talking logical analysis is way out of my league. I merely was discussing a team's motivation. I have tried not to speak negative of any team or any player. I have enjoyed the sparring and the discussions. Its on a lot higher level of thought than at the local coffee shop, campus union, or wherever........ I think that is why D3hoops is so successful.

I was more concern with the games this week than many of the "what ifs" that I and others have tossed around. In the Wacky conference race of this year, I was interested in what people expected of this week's games and the motivation or lack thereof.....of the teams in play, especially given the outcome of these wkd games. You would have thought that motivation would be rather shallow for the lower half before Saturday's games, but who'd guessed Wheaton over IWU, Carthage over NCC, and Millikin over Augie!!!!!!!!! And all on the same weekend!!!!!!!

What a conference! If I haven't been clear I do apologize. Thank you Mr. Ypsi for acknowledging my lightheadedness! (Sincerely)