MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Pat Coleman]

I just think it's extremely unrealistic to say that they even have a vague shot at repeating anything like what they did 10 years ago.

So you're saying you think they have a shot?

[diehardfan]

Yes, exactly. And I just want to add that people who are so obviously good at reading and interpreting the written word should totally be editors for national newspapers. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

If "happening" means talking about players from 20+ years ago...

The really long term posters and followers of CCIW feel the need to pull rank every so often, just to prove how they will always know the conference better than certain other younger people. It's just something they do every once in a while. I've gotten used to it by now. It's probably some subconscious overzealous assertion of the idea that "you can love only what you know." That idea's probably true, but it could also be argued that greater knowledge doesn't necessarily translate to greater love.

Someday I too will be showing my age by talking about players from 20 years ago... "Remember Chris Martin? That kid was really something... he was so fast he could pass the ball to himself and rebound his own three pointers! (Ha, I'm pretty sure I've actually seen him do the latter!!! )"  The only problem is that then, they'll be talking about players from 40+ years ago.

Basically I lose. 

Don't worry, April, eventually we'll all die and YOU can be the 'old fart'!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Without the Jones brothers to provide low post defensive pressure and protection, Zach Freeman will probably find that staying out of foul trouble will be much more difficult in 06/07. Plus he will be double teamed by every opponent. Zach has outstanding talent but it's easier to be dominant when you have 8 seniors in the class ahead of you. Using my naturally pessimistic Cub fan approach, I doubt if the 06/07 IWU season will be a duplication of the 96/97 season.

Lanny, I just wanted to say thanks for this level-headed analysis of the upcoming season for the Titans in this particular area. I love that your logic doesn't get strayed by your greenness. 

I hope this doesn't ruffle any feathers, but it should probably also be mentioned that the 96-97 team wasn't dealing with a coaching transition in addition to the huge loss of starting and contributing personnel. 

I'm not necessarily saying that the Titans will finish in the bottom half of the conference or anything. I sure as heck remember how fast they transitioned after losing Kasten, Camardella, Hubbard, and co. And I remember how quickly Raridon took charge of the NCC squad. (blah blah etc etc)

I just think it's extremely unrealistic to say that they even have a vague shot at repeating anything like what they did 10 years ago.

Gee, that sounds just like what I said in 'dreaming of a (96-97) rerun', hoping 'it is not a rerun of Trost's first year', and expecting 'something somewhere between those extremes'!

[diehardfan]

Don't worry, April, eventually we'll all die and YOU can be the 'old fart'!

Actually, since I'm female, isn't there some other name waiting for me like Old Hag? Incidentally, I don't want you to die silly.  Hmm... perhaps that should have been said in the opposite order...

Gee, that sounds just like what I said in 'dreaming of a (96-97) rerun', hoping 'it is not a rerun of Trost's first year', and expecting 'something somewhere between those extremes'!

Well sorta, but you're probably thinking it's going to be more on the high end of those extremes than I do. 

[Knightstalker]

Don't worry, April, eventually we'll all die and YOU can be the 'old fart'!

Actually, since I'm female, isn't there some other name waiting for me like Old Hag?

Old Hag, Old Bat, Old Crone, Crone, Old Witch, Old Maid, Spinster, Old Battleax...

[Mr. Ypsi]

'Old Fartess'

[diehardfan]

Old Hag, Old Bat, Old Crone, Crone, Old Witch, Old Maid, Spinster , Old Battleax... ::

There you go, there pretty good odds on those being appropriate names for me in twenty years, lol 

I might stop laughing in a day or two chuck... thanks 

[Jim Matson]

It will never be, April.  It will never be...

[diehardfan]

What will never be? Due to my impending Old Bat-ness I'm failing to understand. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just in case anyone actually remembers my previous posts, I'm still here (rather than on my way to Lake Missinaibi) because at the last moment I discovered an incompatabillity between the van and the trailer.  Van goes to the dealer tomorrow, and (hopefully!) we are on the way out by Thursday (when the heat is supposed to break anyway - curses, foiled again!).

Barring a last minute miracle, I've also lost my job (I declined my DH's latest offer - which was exactly contrary to our face-to-face meeting last week, where he agreed that the course mentioned ahead would be 'impossible' - since he wanted me to teach a new prep at the back end of back-to-back-to-back classes ["I refuse to be a party to 'stealing' money from students by teaching a course I already know would be distinctly sub-par" was my phrasing]).

As I calculate it, that is about $17Gs (trailer, laptop [for David at college, but also for the better half to keep track of her ebay business on the trip], van adjustments, misc.) in the last 10 days - not bad for an unemployed guy!

[diehardfan]

Just noticed Wheaton ranked last year on a pretty cool list....

2006 National Collegiate Scouting Association Power Rankings - Division III

It basically seems like they rank schools based on Director's Cup Rating, Academics, and Graduation Rates (of athletes, one would think).

http://www.ncsasports.org/Powerrankings/2006/06-DIII.htm

Wheaton came in at 19th. The only other vaguely local schools on that list are Wash U at #3 and U of C at #14.... all the other schools are pretty much the best of the best academically too. That's some pretty good company right there! 

[Mugsy]

If "happening" means talking about players from 20+ years ago...

The really long term posters and followers of CCIW feel the need to pull rank every so often, just to prove how they will always know the conference better than certain other younger people. It's just something they do every once in a while. I've gotten used to it by now. It's probably some subconscious overzealous assertion of the idea that "you can love only what you know." That idea's probably true, but it could also be argued that greater knowledge doesn't necessarily translate to greater love.

Someday I too will be showing my age by talking about players from 20 years ago... "Remember Chris Martin? That kid was really something... he was so fast he could pass the ball to himself and rebound his own three pointers! (Ha, I'm pretty sure I've actually seen him do the latter!!! )"  The only problem is that then, they'll be talking about players from 40+ years ago.

Basically I lose. 

Don't worry, April, eventually we'll all die and YOU can be the 'old fart'!

Plus you'll have to change your signature to something like mine?

[jdean]

... and some funny camping stories, however, if you want to see/hear them. 

I could use a good laugh if you have the time to send me an email. Thanks

[diehardfan]

I was surfing around today and I found out the following info about our new recruits. Sorry it's all so long, but I thought the info (as useless as it is) might be interesting to some people since unlike most of the CCIW, our recruits hail from all over and we usually know basically nothing about them beforehand. You can all feel free to ignore it if you're not interested... sorta like how the less devoted fans eyes glaze over when they see a Greg Sager saga-like game recap. 

David Eseke, was an all-county selection his sophomore year, and was second team in the  SCIBCA/AAF, DIVISION VAA (whatever the heck that means) his senior year. It looks like he signed up with a recruiting agency called Total Sports Management when looking at colleges.... "David Eseke Jr., a talented basketball player at Laguna Blanca School, is also using TSM. His family said hiring a recruiter has helped David validate his skills. "David was an eighth-grader who could dunk a basketball and the area high schools were excited about him, but we chose Laguna Blanca for academic reasons," said David Eseke Sr. 'We paid for the service just to see who's interested and give a boost to his confidence. The goal is to attend Harvard, but maybe he won't get his first choice. It's great to have more options.'" He was also the QB of the football team.

Drew Olsen was an all conference pick for Wheaton-Warrenville South. He also apparently played golf. Apparently from all the articles in local papers, he also likes to shoot treys a lot... and makes them.

John Pietkiewicz is the son of Stan Pietkiewicz who played at Auburn in the late 70s and the NBA for three years. According to powerbasketball.com he's the #133 recruit to grab in the state of Florida, and according to uselitephenoms.com he's their #29 recruit in the state. He was honorable mention class 6A all state in 2005-06 by the  Florida Sports Writers Association. According to newsobserver.com, he's the #250 recruit for the class of 2006 in the nation. A fellow teammate was #61 in the nation, and committed to Georgetown as a Jr. so obviously he got the recognition he did while sharing the limelight. He was one of BreakdownMagazine.com's Battle for the Rankings Camp invitees as a junior (only 200 were invited nation wide or statewide, can't figure out which). As a junior, "Pietkiewicz averaged around 15.8 points a game and he estimated about four assists a game and three rebounds....  One article noted that he was a "bonafide Division I recruit" and one site lists him among ivy league recruits at places including Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia and Cornell.

Brad Smith's team was runner up in the District B-5 state tournament, thanks to a turnaround jumper made by brad to defeat the #1 seed in the semis. He also played in the Nebraska Coaches Association All–Star Basketball Game. It looks like he was also a starting receiver for their FB team. He was also a national honor society member.

Marcus Sun's team was CIF State Division V final runner up. He was the the Coastal North League player of the year, was CalHiSports.com All state for his divison, and averaged 19.5 ppg.He's actually a forward, and I found an article citing a double double by him... but at 6'2" I doubt he'll be playing that in the CCIW. He also did theatre in HS, and looks Asian (yes! Racial diversity on our basketball team! )

The Dayton Newspaper compiled most of Jesse Viars' key stats here... and even went to the trouble of interviewing Coach Harris, which is sorta fun. http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:bisQCKSoK5kJ:www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/sports/preps/daily/0509viars.html+%22Jesse+Viars%22+Ridgeville+Christian&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=8. I also found a newspaper note that stated that he scored 32 points in one game to defeat a team for the first time ever and turned around and droped 28 four days later. Fun stuff.

Aside from the basic info on Wheaton and D3hoops.com, the only info I could find on Steven Young is that he won first prize in a history documentary competition.

All in all, this list, and the player's accomplishments, if nothing else, show again that the Wheaton Coaches are consistantly able to recruit good kids, good players and good students all at the same time and go to great lengths to find them all over the country.