MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Civic Minded]

Awwww...thanks to FDF and ScotsFan for that lovely walk down Cubbie memory lane.  Despite Harry's baskwards spelling when things got boring, long-time Cubs fans will always know that Heileman's Old Style is the brew of choice.  But what about Hamm's -- didn't they precede Heileman's (anyone remember those commericals besides me?)?

"From the Land of Sky Blue Waters (Waters),
  From the land of pines, lofty balsam,
  Comes the beer refreshing,
  Hamm's the Beer Refreshing".

Goodnight, I'm so sad to know you live on the other side of the tracks in baseball and basketball.   

To bring this back on-topic, I thought that now that games have been played it would help with the conversation in here.  Evidently we need league play before the lobs and volleys can begin in ernest.   

[SKOT]

Chisox fans are the Calvinists of baseball.  Hope still springs...but not without some depravity thrown in.  Like totally. 

I feel dirty just reading the first part of that 

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Great - now I've got the Hamm's song stuck in my head   

[Bob MacKenzie]

Great - now I've got the Hamm's song stuck in my head   

...and I'm seeing visions of that cartoon bear.  You older sox fans probably see Harry and think of a nice cold Falstaff! 

[almcguirejr]

Great - now I've got the Hamm's song stuck in my head   

...and I'm seeing visions of that cartoon bear.  You older sox fans probably see Harry and think of a nice cold Falstaff! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc7HoWEk6y8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgX10ssatT8&feature=related

[goodknight]

Chisox fans are the Calvinists of baseball.  Hope still springs...but not without some depravity thrown in.  Like totally. 

I feel dirty just reading the first part of that 

Just wait until the movie comes out...

[realist]

What is everyone expecting of the HOF games this weekend?  AQ appears to really have struggled so far this year.  When do they get their players back from injury?  CU is something like 6-2 and KVS was commenting last weekend he had seen them play a number of times.  His comment was something to the affect they are considerably better than last year, and experience will do that for a team.  Being that they get Hope at Hope I"m going out on a limb here with the Dutch, but they (Hope) should avoid getting complacent if they get a lead.  Unless I am missing something an all MIAA HOF final could well occur.  Me thinks that will give us all kinds of lobs, volleys and other bball type things to discuss CM.

[HopeConvert]

I'm really not sure what to expect from Hope, not only this weekend, but for the season. Part of that is due to the fact they are a work in progress. Part of it is due to what appears to me to be holes on both ends of the floor. I thought we had difficulty last year matching up with skilled post-players (such as Lazic, but for sure with Troy Ruths), but managed to be a good defensive team through great team defense led by Ryan Klein, who I thought was outstanding last year on the defensive end of the floor (just ask Kent Raymond). I'm not sure how the Dutchmen are going to replace him. I know it sounds strange, but I think he may be the biggest loss from last year's team. Given that Snikkers fouled out in a game where he saw only 8 minutes of floor time, I doubt he's the answer. OK noted how Hope can extend another team's offense, but I wonder about the interior defense. Then too, there is how well they can play a halfcourt offense when Reimink (congratulations to him on being named MIAA Player of the Week) is not in the game.

I am looking forward to seeing Calvin this weekend and whether they are living up to the early enthusiasm of Knight fans. Of course, mostly I'm looking forward to Dec 5 and 6. That will give us a good gauge of the status of both teams.

[sac]

Don't look now, but the collective league record is not bad at all at this early stage, save for winless Alma,

Just looked back at last years record following everyone's first weekend of games, and at that point the league was 8-8.  As of this moment, the league is 12-6.  Moving in the right direction for sure, but it's still early

12-6, which is even better when you consider Alma took a weekend touring the U.P. and playing Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan.  Thats a nice trip for site-seeing, not so nice if your a struggling D3 basketball program playing two D2 programs.  Hope they got a waterfall visit out of it at least.

Pretty sure Alma will be the only D3 not named Finlandia to play 3 games in the UP this year.  They play Finlandia Dec. 20 in St. Ignace.


With a quick glance I can only find 2 more games vs D2's.  Olivet vs Ferris State and Northwood.

[arena]

After seeing Arena's wretched avatar, I decided it was finally time to find him/her/it (I'm not sure you can classify Cubs' fans as male or female or human for that matter) a new avatar. 

Arena, I think you should use the one i just started using.  I find it extremely appropriate considering their most recent playoff experiences...

I wouldn't take the Sox's choke so badly, but, most White Sox fans are negative, so, the avatar if appropriate.  Stay Blue, stay positive.

As a lifelong Pale Hose partisan, I resemble those remarks.
White Sox fans are no more negative than Cubbie fans.  They're just more aware of their team's frailty (due in good measure to actually paying attention to the game on the field).
Chisox fans are the Calvinists of baseball.  Hope still springs...but not without some depravity thrown in.  Like totally. 

I seriously conflicted right now.  I mean seriously.  I've always looked at White Sox fans as very similar to Hope fans.  Arrogant and more willing to find fault with the success of the other team.  Now I see you're a Calvin fan, as well as a White Sox fan.  What to do, what to think, what to say.   

Go Hope, or, ere, I mean Go White Sox, or shoot. I don't know anymore.  Helppppppppp./

[sac]

After seeing Arena's wretched avatar, I decided it was finally time to find him/her/it (I'm not sure you can classify Cubs' fans as male or female or human for that matter) a new avatar. 

Arena, I think you should use the one i just started using.  I find it extremely appropriate considering their most recent playoff experiences...

I wouldn't take the Sox's choke so badly, but, most White Sox fans are negative, so, the avatar if appropriate.  Stay Blue, stay positive.

As a lifelong Pale Hose partisan, I resemble those remarks.
White Sox fans are no more negative than Cubbie fans.  They're just more aware of their team's frailty (due in good measure to actually paying attention to the game on the field).
Chisox fans are the Calvinists of baseball.  Hope still springs...but not without some depravity thrown in.  Like totally. 

I seriously conflicted right now.  I mean seriously.  I've always looked at White Sox fans as very similar to Hope fans.  Arrogant and more willing to find fault with the success of the other team.  Now I see you're a Calvin fan, as well as a White Sox fan.  What to do, what to think, what to say.   

Go Hope, or, ere, I mean Go White Sox, or shoot. I don't know anymore.  Helppppppppp./

Have another Hamm's and forget about it.

[goodknight]

What was this Cub fan drinking when he penned this "ernest" query to the team's beat reporter?

With Barack Obama being elected President of the United States, do you believe his support for the White Sox will encourage the Cubs to have a more active offseason in order to be the best team in Chicago in '09?
-- Drew D., Rock Island, Ill.

No.


Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[KnightSlappy]

I am looking forward to seeing Calvin this weekend and whether they are living up to the early enthusiasm of Knight fans. Of course, mostly I'm looking forward to Dec 5 and 6. That will give us a good gauge of the status of both teams.

The next two weekends of the HOF Tournament and MIAA/CCIW Classic should allow us to compare where Hope and Calvin are in relation to each other.  Either they play each other in the HOF final (or consolation game... please... not the consolation game) or they play the same schedule for the next four games.

My prediction at this point is for Calvin to beat AQ and for the Hope/Cornerstone game to be very close, maybe Cstone (now I'm thinking about ice cream) to win by a basket or two.  Although, I may be underestimating the home court advantage for the Dutchmen.

For now I am also guessing that  MIAA/CCIW classic ends 2-2 for each league.  I have thought that it would be cool to see this weekend turn into something more like Big Ten/ACC challenge where one conference beats up on the other where more teams from each league play each other.  Maybe throw in any two schools but Kzoo or Alma Albion and Adrian and Elmhurst and Illinois Wesleyan and have two four-team sites, one in Ill/Wisc and one in Michigan.

[northb]

Although, I may be underestimating the home court advantage for the Dutchmen.

Even the Baby Dutch (Nederkinds?) will have continue to have a significant HC advantage.  It is still their house.

[hopehoopfan]

Props to the Hope JV team who came back last night against a much bigger Lake Michigan College team after being down by 20 at half. Led by Gustav Nystrom's 41 points. Interesting to note, "Goose" is an exchange student from Sweden who reportedly knew Coach Elliot while he was playing overseas.  Team is 2-1 overall.