MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[PhelpsHall]

I know everyone is still talking about today's game, but I'm hoping to get some input from this board...

10 years ago, a friend and I debated who would win a basketball game between Hope's 1998 National Runner Up team and the U.S. Women's Olympic team.  You could substitute the 98 Hope team with the 2000 Calvin team and still have the same argument.

So who would win?  MIAA men or US women?

[Titan Q]

I know everyone is still talking about today's game, but I'm hoping to get some input from this board...

10 years ago, a friend and I debated who would win a basketball game between Hope's 1998 National Runner Up team and the U.S. Women's Olympic team.  You could substitute the 98 Hope team with the 2000 Calvin team and still have the same argument.

So who would win?  MIAA men or US women?

Silly.

[PhelpsHall]

Silly because there's such an obvious answer, or silly because you wouldn't waste your time thinking about the question?

[sac]

I know everyone is still talking about today's game, but I'm hoping to get some input from this board...

10 years ago, a friend and I debated who would win a basketball game between Hope's 1998 National Runner Up team and the U.S. Women's Olympic team.  You could substitute the 98 Hope team with the 2000 Calvin team and still have the same argument.

So who would win?  MIAA men or US women?

Please tell me you did not register tonight just to ask that question?   

[bulldogalum]

Calvin 63
Adrian 59

This is becoming a disturbing trend for the Bulldogs.  They hang in there the whole game, give themselves a chance to win, but for whatever reason, it just doesn't work out in the end.  If you're an Adrian fan, you have to start hoping that the outcome of all these close games will eventually turn, hopefully before it's too late.  If the Bulldogs have proven anything, it's that they can hang with anybody.  When they play well, I don't think anyone wants to see them as an opponent.

I don't think it's worthwhile to look at this game in a negative light, though.  Adrian got no production from Desmond Young, and yet, sitting in the stands, I hardly noticed his absence.  The Bulldogs got great production from the bench (whether or not it showed in the stat sheet), and the other starters really stepped up and competed with Calvin.

I thought both sides played well defensively.  Adrian did a very nice job pressuring the guards from Calvin, and limiting easy shot opportunities for the Knights.  Obviously from the work done on Young, the Knights did a nice job forcing Desmond into tough shots, and Mantel was a constant presence in the paint.  That said, when Mantel was out of the game, Adrian had a fair bit of success in the post.

Finally, I've been making a considerable effort to avoid commentary on the officiating this season, and I don't plan on going into great detail.  However, I thought I'd include an image of Tommy Bray during the game today.  Suffice it to say that I was less than impressed with his view of the game.

[Hopester]

Veltema needs to somehow get more wide-open shots. 

So does Jesse!

[northb]

Welcome to the board anyway, Mr. Phelps.  I am not sure why you got the response you did, as we seemed to be trying to be nicer on this board over the past week (I have to say I miss the banter we used to see).  I think the "silly" response was because it is a moot question--such a game would never happen.  Kind of like saying who would win a one-on-one game between Steve Honderd and Mark Veenstra.

Nevertheless, keep coming back to the board. 

[almcguirejr]

Silly because there's such an obvious answer, or silly because you wouldn't waste your time thinking about the question?

b

[Titan Q]

Silly because there's such an obvious answer, or silly because you wouldn't waste your time thinking about the question?

Well, both. 

Here is the 2008 Women's U.S. Olympic team starting lineup:


G Sue Bird (5-9/150)
G Katie Smith (5-11/174)
F Diana Taurasi (6-0/172)
F Tina Thompson (6-2/178)
C Lisa Leslie (6-5/170)

I assume those Hope and Calvin teams you referenced were set up like most great D3 teams.  Something like...

G 6-0/175
G 6-2/190
F 6-4/210
F 6-6/220
C 6-7/230

(And that is pretty conversative - a lot of top D3's are bigger than that.)

The top women's team in the country is always incredibly skilled, but when facing the size of a top NCAA D3 men's team, they'd be physically dominated at every position.  In addition to the height, it's strength.  A D3 guard can usually bench press, what, 225 pounds...and a post player 300+.  And then there's the huge gap in leaping ability.

Just like when a top D3 men's team faces a D1, just too much height, strength, and jumping ability to overcome.

[PhelpsHall]

SAC: I thought you were passing out hugs on this board, not scaring away new posters.  I only asked the question because I saw YOU were part of the High School All-Americans vs. D3 All-Americans debate at http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=6226.0 (yet another game that will never happen, but may be interesting to discuss nonetheless).

Titan Q: Thanks for the thoughts.  Trust me, I didn't take the side of the US women.

I'll go back to lurking now.

[Titan Q]

Titan Q: Thanks for the thoughts.  Trust me, I didn't take the side of the US women.

I'll go back to lurking now.

Phelps, sorry, you just hit a nerve with me.  Every now and then it seems I read something about how a great D3 team would lose to a high school team or a D1 women's team or something like that.  (I want to say ESPN's Stuart Scott made similar comments a few years back.)  They're usually made by people who have no concept of the talent level in Division III and it bugs me.

Didn't mean to dismiss your post.  Stay around.

[sac]

SAC: I thought you were passing out hugs on this board, not scaring away new posters.  I only asked the question because I saw YOU were part of the High School All-Americans vs. D3 All-Americans debate at http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=6226.0 (yet another game that will never happen, but may be interesting to discuss nonetheless).

There are at least 2 people on this board who will find that funny........and probably for different reasons.


I just thought your question was kind of funny for a first one, guess my sense of humor doesn't translate well to the written word, by all means join the madness. 

[Civic Minded]

SAC: I thought you were passing out hugs on this board, not scaring away new posters.  I only asked the question because I saw YOU were part of the High School All-Americans vs. D3 All-Americans debate at http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=6226.0 (yet another game that will never happen, but may be interesting to discuss nonetheless).

There are at least 2 people on this board who will find that funny........and probably for different reasons.

I have tears running down my cheeks...dang, that was funny (and he's right, there's probably only one or two other humans who will find that funny, for very different reasons...but I digress). 

PH -- please forgive us for your abrupt and less than welcoming welcome.  We're glad to have you here.  Rest assured that you have now passed your initiation, I think.   

[northb]

Do tell...

[sac]

Not sure I feel comfortable sharing that with the board.

Its just one of those moments that happens........then a few minutes later you ask yourself...........did I really just do that?........and why the hell did I just do that?