MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[iwu70]

AndOne, my friend, I'm so delighted to finally see that you know what you are talking about and where you are headed to watch the #2 nationally-ranked TITANS play this weekend.

(Well, maybe not.  I think the athletic facilities area is actually called "The Shirk Center Athletic Complex," but who's to quibble?)  Yes, @Emerson and University, if you have trouble finding your way. 

Welcome, welcome!  Some great basketball on tap.

IWU vs. Elmhurst in football too -- 1 p.m. Saturday -- and we hope our team takes care of business and gets to 9-1 and a pretty sure play-off berth.   Yes, at Tucci Stadium at Wilder Field!     Remember?

NCAA Tourney women's soccer too -- Saturday and Sunday @ Neis Field -- home of IWU soccer -- and yes, it's a nice field.  Donated by my classmate Tom Neis, another IWU '70. 

Be there or be square.

GO ALL TITANS!!! -- wherever you play!

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

NCC is hosting its tipoff tourney this weekend, MS, as it has done since time immemorial. Therefore, you're about as likely to see Mark at Shirk Center this weekend as I am to don an orange sweatshirt and sing the Wheaton fight song.

[iwu70]

Oh well, hope springs eternal.  I was hoping for some ecumenism and surely thought I'd best give him the FULL address and location, just in case he's still confused about Tucci and Wilder.  Some things have to be repeated many times before they sink in.  I can tell you this from teaching college students for 40+ years.  In any case, IWU would always be happy to accept his money.

(Do you know the Wheaton fight song?    You might be an Illini fan, misguided as that would be of late). 

Looks like a good, full weekend all 'round the CCIW as basketball and football and soccer overlap.

Will Landon Gamble play this weekend?  AndOne, your curious friends wish to know.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Oh well, hope springs eternal.  I was hoping for some ecumenism and surely thought I'd best give him the FULL address and location, just in case he's still confused about Tucci and Wilder.

North Central and Illinois Wesleyan are both nominally tied to the United Methodist Church, so no ecumenism necessary.

(Do you know the Wheaton fight song? 

No, I don't know the words. All I know is that when I hear it I want to vomit.

You might be an Illini fan, misguided as that would be of late).

I don't know why you said that. For the record, I have no D1 rooting interests. In fact, my interest level in D1 athletics these days is close to zero.

[AndOne]

Yes, this Saturday @ 1 P.M. I'll be in Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium @ the end of Brainard Street to watch the CCIW Champion Cardinal football team dismantle the western Vikings ship to complete an undefeated regular season.

Then, after returning home for a short respite to prepare a gourmet dinner for my much better half, I'll make the 5 minute trip back to the NCC athletic complex to see if I can talk the proper authorities into granting me admittance into the infamous "Hangar," sometimes referred to as Bill Warden Court @ Gregory Arena @ Merner Field House  @ almost  the end of Brainard Street to watch last season's Final Four member Cardinal basketball team tame the Tigers of DePauw before enjoying post game pizza while quaffing a few celebratory gustos to top off the day's festivities.        

[Mr. Ypsi]

hey former classmate, if Greg DID have any D1 rooting interest, I somehow suspect it would more likely be Northwestern than Illinois.  But he IS also a Cubs fan - hasn't he suffered enough?!

But the THREE Viking conference football wins (after going until this year 0-for-the-millenium) no doubt has him still grinning ear to ear.  IF Conway had more sons in the pipeline, they might have finally overcome the recruiting problems Greg has cited, but I fear this year's success will be at most a four year 'blip'.  I truly hope they can become competitive long term, but we shall see.

[Gregory Sager]

hey former classmate, if Greg DID have any D1 rooting interest, I somehow suspect it would more likely be Northwestern than Illinois.  But he IS also a Cubs fan - hasn't he suffered enough?!

What makes it worse is that I've been a Buffalo Bills fan practically from birth.

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen ...

[bopol]

So now that Benedictine's roster is up, I am compelled to ask if anyone on the board has any idea which stop is next on the Luke Johnson NBA Express. 

I'm guessing he'll end up at D2 or NAIA.  He can contribute at that level immediately and with only 2 years of eligibility left, I just don't see a D1 school taking him and hoping he develops really quickly unless they are desperate for size.

Or maybe he's back at Carthage.

From a very well placed source............

It seems Luke "NBA" Johnson discovered Benedictine, as Carthage beforehand, was not the ticket to NBA stardom. He wanted to transfer to a D1 this year, but it seems his NBA body is giving him some difficulty, particularly with regard to some back issues he has encountered. Accordingly, his current plan is take some time off to rehab his back, then transfer to a D1 next year to complete his remaining 2 years of eligibility before entering the NBA draft.
Of course that is all predicated on a D1 taking a kid who spent his 1st 2 years out of HS at Carthage and Benedictine, and then his being talented enough to play in the NBA after completing his college eligibility. Some dreams die hard. 
As far as the possibility of his returning to Carthage, I sense Bosko would have a good laugh before telling him to "go scratch." 

Is he getting interest from D1 schools?

[Mr. Ypsi]

hey former classmate, if Greg DID have any D1 rooting interest, I somehow suspect it would more likely be Northwestern than Illinois.  But he IS also a Cubs fan - hasn't he suffered enough?!

What makes it worse is that I've been a Buffalo Bills fan practically from birth.

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen ...

At least the Bills have MADE the Super Bowl 4 times (even if they always lost).

The Lions have NEVER made the Super Bowl (and I was not yet a Lions fan when they were good in the fifties).

[iwu70]

AndOne, my friend, you really know how to live.  Have a great Saturday, surely sounds enjoyable, and thanks for the FULL description of your day, your doings and your locales.  An education, to be sure. 

Greg, I was playing on the "orange" sweatshirt theme, and thought maybe you were considering wearing that sickly orange so ubiquitous amongst Illini faithful.  I'm pretty much with you on having almost no interest in DI sports these days. 

Ypsi, you are right that Greg has seen plenty of woe -- and you too if you have Lion loyalties.  They are playing pretty well this year, so far -- at least putting two important losses on our Bears.  Seems injuries are playing a huge role in the NFL outcomes this year -- surely for the Pack, the Bears, and now perhaps the Broncos too.  Who would have thunk it -- KC at 9-0.

Sure would like to see all the Titan basketball roster healthy and then we can really see what a great, deep and diverse team this squad is in 2013-14.  Perhaps by January-February it will all come together.  In the meantime, I expect the Titans to be very strong, win lots of games leading up to the CCIW race in January onward.

Have a good, full sporting weekend all! 

IWU70

[AppletonRocks]

If any of you CCIW fans see the Ripon games vs. IWU or the other game this weekend, please report on it.  Lots of points to be replaced in that line-up.

[AndOne]

Will Landon Gamble play this weekend?  AndOne, your curious friends wish to know.

IWU70

It seems that negotiations with the T71 Dudelange pro team in the Luxembourg Diekirch League have broken down, and Landon will be arriving from from Luxembourg City via Zurich tonight at 8:23. Whether he plays this weekend, and for how long, will be game time decisions.

[Iwufan]

I will be at all 4 games over the weekend and will provide some feedback. 

[iwu70]

Yes, AppleRocks, we'll have a careful look @The Shirk this weekend -- Ripon, Aurora, Manchester and IWU.  Two days, four games. 

Saw one of the Titan players earlier and he said Zimmer might play reasonably soon, Rossi is OK and will play, Nelson, Marietti and Heyen making progress, but not likely back 'til mid- to late-December.  Plenty of Titan talent available this weekend to get the season off to a great start.

Do hope the CCIW gets off to a 9-1 or 10-0 start.  Come on, North Park! 

Yes, we'll all be watching to see if Gamble arrives back safely from Luxembourg and laces them up for NCC this weekend.     NCC will be a very different team if he's still on European holiday.

IWU70

[middhoops]

I checked out this board last year and was amazed at the quality and intensity of discourse.  Very shortly thereafter I watched an IWU/North Central game.  Along with a few other NESCAC posters, I commented on the relatively 'soft looking' Andrew Ziemnick from IWU.  Got most of my negative K from that mistake.
After watching how effective he was in games through the rest of the season, I adapted to the fact that (as many D3 players) he is a great basketball player if a limited athlete, by unrealistic D1 standards.
Congrats to Mr. Ziemnick and IWU for his pre-season all america pick and hoping multiple CCIW and NESCAC teams meet in Salem.
Let the games begin!