FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[SaintsFAN]

Is there an Ohio River bridge that virtually connects the two campuses, or is Bridge Bowl a more generic name?

There are six Bridges which seperate the haves (TMC) from the have nots (MSJ) in the Cincinnati area.  The Bridge Bowl was just a funky, generic name given to a game between two first year programs in 1990.  The series was supposed to be a good one since both programs were brand new- it hasn't lived up to that billing as MSJ quit the series after the 1995 thrashing and renewed it in 2002 when they thought they were better equipped to play Thomas More.  After going 3-15 in the series, including 75-6 and 59-13 the past two seasons, MSJ has quit again. 

We'll wait until they get enough D1 transfers who go to class, thus making them eligible for more than just their 1st year, and maybe the MSJ assistant coaches who voted unanimously to quit the series, will vote to play Thomas More again.

Or maybe with the way they can't beat Franklin now, these same coaches will seek permission from HCAC Officials to end the series with Franklin, also?

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

You can say it... and Thomas More to avoid W&J.  Although, Thomas More has only lost two straight to W&J ... and both games were AT W&J, somehow.  If they have to play them on the road again in 2015, then we'll know the fix is in. 

BUT, they would have to be approved by league officials -- with heavy lobbying by MSJ's President and probably the coaching staff.  I'm not sure about you, but I learned alot about myself playing football.  You get knocked down 17 times, you get up off the ground 17 times.  I'm not sure what the lesson is to their kids about facing adversity.  In my line of work, you can't avoid a potential customer just because they've been with the competition forever.  I view those situations as opportunities -- I don't ask my sales manager to adjust his expectations on my budget numbers by removing that customer from the group I am calling on.

Make sense?

And yes, Hanover being so bad absolutely didn't help Thomas More's SOS --- I'm not sure anyone saw that coming.  But I can tell you, they didn't quit on the field.  And I'd be willing to bet they will be on the schedule next season...along with St John Fisher coming to BOK Stadium as our other non-conference game.  I like Coach Hilvert's scheduling philosophy now that we don't have to play our not-as-accomplished neighbor.  His scheduling is much like Coach Leonard's.  And it will make the program better much like it has Franklin's. 

The only way to have a shot at getting up into the upper echelon of Division Three Football is to play teams from that level.  That's a big reason why Whitewater is where they are -- a series they played against Mount Union early on in this century.

[wally_wabash]

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

Why would we do that?  Wabash/Witt is a fantastic series.  It's intense, it always has major, season-defining ramifications, and the series and games are always neck and neck.  It's a rivalry in every sense of the word. 

I think it's funny how two games all of a sudden indicates ownage.  Witt won in 2013 and 2014 and it's supposed to be a crisis?  Wabash won in 2011 and 2012.  Two games isn't a big deal.  What IS a big deal is five (soon to be six) in a row.  That's time to hit the panic button if you're on the wrong end of that. 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

Why would we do that?  Wabash/Witt is a fantastic series.  It's intense, it always has major, season-defining ramifications, and the series and games are always neck and neck.  It's a rivalry in every sense of the word. 

I think it's funny how two games all of a sudden indicates ownage.  Witt won in 2013 and 2014 and it's supposed to be a crisis?  Wabash won in 2011 and 2012.  Two games isn't a big deal.  What IS a big deal is five (soon to be six) in a row.  That's time to hit the panic button if you're on the wrong end of that.

If you want to talk about one sided... Franklin is on a 9 game winning streak (05-present) over Hanover... which comes after Hanover had won 11 in a row (94-04) and 15 of 16 (89-04). When the Victory Bell moves, it makes itself at home.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

Why would we do that?  Wabash/Witt is a fantastic series.  It's intense, it always has major, season-defining ramifications, and the series and games are always neck and neck.  It's a rivalry in every sense of the word. 

I think it's funny how two games all of a sudden indicates ownage.  Witt won in 2013 and 2014 and it's supposed to be a crisis?  Wabash won in 2011 and 2012.  Two games isn't a big deal.  What IS a big deal is five (soon to be six) in a row.  That's time to hit the panic button if you're on the wrong end of that.

I was making a joke.

[SaintsFAN]

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

Why would we do that?  Wabash/Witt is a fantastic series.  It's intense, it always has major, season-defining ramifications, and the series and games are always neck and neck.  It's a rivalry in every sense of the word. 

I think it's funny how two games all of a sudden indicates ownage.  Witt won in 2013 and 2014 and it's supposed to be a crisis?  Wabash won in 2011 and 2012.  Two games isn't a big deal.  What IS a big deal is five (soon to be six) in a row.  That's time to hit the panic button if you're on the wrong end of that.

I was making a joke.

Thats why I brought up TMC/W&J -- as a joke, also.  I laughed.  It was funny.  Good post.  +K

[GRIZ_BACKER]

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

Why would we do that?  Wabash/Witt is a fantastic series.  It's intense, it always has major, season-defining ramifications, and the series and games are always neck and neck.  It's a rivalry in every sense of the word. 

I think it's funny how two games all of a sudden indicates ownage.  Witt won in 2013 and 2014 and it's supposed to be a crisis?  Wabash won in 2011 and 2012.  Two games isn't a big deal.  What IS a big deal is five (soon to be six) in a row.  That's time to hit the panic button if you're on the wrong end of that.

I was making a joke.

Thats why I brought up TMC/W&J -- as a joke, also.  I laughed.  It was funny.  Good post.  +K

thanks for K as I got negative K earlier.  Bash folks are a sensitive lot.  Some of the post Witt post are nearly heartbreaking. It's tough to see an elite superior team win in every category except the score. LOL

[wally_wabash]

nothing like a good dose of sarcasm and cynicism!!  carry on Saints fan.  Not a lot of excitement in the HCAC.  Hanover may want to join the Lions.  Maybe Hanover and MSJ can form a conference with Wilmington, Earlham, Muskingum, and the likes?  Wabash could quit the NCAC and avoid Witt? 

Why would we do that?  Wabash/Witt is a fantastic series.  It's intense, it always has major, season-defining ramifications, and the series and games are always neck and neck.  It's a rivalry in every sense of the word. 

I think it's funny how two games all of a sudden indicates ownage.  Witt won in 2013 and 2014 and it's supposed to be a crisis?  Wabash won in 2011 and 2012.  Two games isn't a big deal.  What IS a big deal is five (soon to be six) in a row.  That's time to hit the panic button if you're on the wrong end of that.

I was making a joke.

Thats why I brought up TMC/W&J -- as a joke, also.  I laughed.  It was funny.  Good post.  +K

thanks for K as I got negative K earlier.  Bash folks are a sensitive lot.  Some of the post Witt post are nearly heartbreaking. It's tough to see an elite superior team win in every category except the score. LOL

We are, I must admit.  Sometimes too much so.  Saturday stung quite a bit.  I was just pointing out that Witt winning two in a row against Wabash isn't quite the same thing as MSJ/Thomas More.  I think Rochester bailed out on their game with SJF a few years ago for the same sorts of reasons (noncompetitive). 

[SaintsFAN]

Saturday stung quite a bit.  I was just pointing out that Witt winning two in a row against Wabash isn't quite the same thing as MSJ/Thomas More.  I think Rochester bailed out on their game with SJF a few years ago for the same sorts of reasons (noncompetitive).

You're exactly right -- and I'm sure Wabash will just be using the feeling from this past Saturday in their next game against Witt next season.  That's really why Wabash/Witt isn't MSJ/Thomas More (besides the whole getting their doors blown off bit).  Wabash will use that experience to get better.  It would be more like DePauw quitting the Monon Bell (I know, I know) after 47-0 a couple years ago.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Saturday stung quite a bit.  I was just pointing out that Witt winning two in a row against Wabash isn't quite the same thing as MSJ/Thomas More.  I think Rochester bailed out on their game with SJF a few years ago for the same sorts of reasons (noncompetitive).

You're exactly right -- and I'm sure Wabash will just be using the feeling from this past Saturday in their next game against Witt next season.  That's really why Wabash/Witt isn't MSJ/Thomas More (besides the whole getting their doors blown off bit).  Wabash will use that experience to get better.  It would be more like DePauw quitting the Monon Bell (I know, I know) after 47-0 a couple years ago.

IMO it would be nice for the GRIZ to have 1-2 teams in the conference where the outcome was not generally assumed prior to the game.  MSJ used to be that team for Franklin.  If I were king for a day I would like to see Hanover rise back to the level they used to be and the end of the year game was a knock down dragout to see who would win the conference.  While the Victory Bell game is always a great social event the rivalry has certainly waned due to the disparity in talent.

[SaintsFAN]

IMO it would be nice for the GRIZ to have 1-2 teams in the conference where the outcome was not generally assumed prior to the game.  MSJ used to be that team for Franklin.  If I were king for a day I would like to see Hanover rise back to the level they used to be and the end of the year game was a knock down dragout to see who would win the conference.  While the Victory Bell game is always a great social event the rivalry has certainly waned due to the disparity in talent.

I see the point you're trying to make here.  And I agree 100%.  Luckily, Thomas More has Waynesburg and W&J to provide the true intrigue inside PAC Play.  Its not really the same thing with MSJ with respect to Thomas More.  Yeah, they won three times when Thomas More as a program was not where it is today -- there were some LEANER years.  Like in 2006 when a 5-4 Thomas More team (which had lost to Thiel, Waynesburg, Bethany and W&J in the PAC) beat an undefeated MSJ team that was talking about hosting their first ever PLAYOFF GAME in Delhi the following week. 

MSJ's "glory years" aren't really the same as Hanover's playoff years and the playoff committee would agree.  MSJ has never even had a home game in the playoffs and has never advanced to the 2nd round in the playoffs.  Even though the last few years of the Bridge Bowl were fun in a how many points can we score way, it would've been better if there was some intrigue.  As alums, we knew that if MSJ was on the schedule in 2014, it would've been the 7th straight win for Thomas More in the series and the third straight "name your score" game. 

[dc_has_been]

IMO it would be nice for the GRIZ to have 1-2 teams in the conference where the outcome was not generally assumed prior to the game.  MSJ used to be that team for Franklin.  If I were king for a day I would like to see Hanover rise back to the level they used to be and the end of the year game was a knock down dragout to see who would win the conference.  While the Victory Bell game is always a great social event the rivalry has certainly waned due to the disparity in talent.

IMO, I thought that there were two games for Franklin this year where the outcome was not assumed prior to the game.  Both MSJ and Rose were tough fought games till the fourth quarter.  MSJ kept it tight even in the fourth.  Also, Manchester gave Franklin a tough game too.  I know that this is speaking for just this year, but it is exactly what you want.  I also believe both MSJ and RHIT will be bringing back better teams next year too. 
I don't see the HCAC being a top tier conference anytime soon, but I do believe it is getting better.  I don't think scheduling two top 25 teams is the answer to make the schools better.  They need to get better first and then once they can be good consistently like Franklin is, they can start scheduling the tougher teams to make their program take the next step. 

[Adam Sayer]

MSJ will have the opportunity to change 1 game. The Millsaps contract was for this year only. They may have the option of extending it but I think you'll see a different week 2 opponent for MSJ.

[SaintsFAN]

MSJ will have the opportunity to change 1 game. The Millsaps contract was for this year only. They may have the option of extending it but I think you'll see a different week 2 opponent for MSJ.

Adam:  MSJ could go either way on the Millsaps contract.  They'll probably vote as a staff to extend it when they see that Millsaps only went 3 and whatever in 2014.  Until they realize they were one of the three. 

has_been:  MSJ can schedule whoever they want.  One of those Top 25 teams happens to be their biggest rival and they chickened out.  Again, the stated goal at the time of the staff vote on Thomas More was to be competitive for the HCAC Title.  They have no National aspirations, which is fine.  On the surface, losing to Thomas More the last 6 years in the final game doesn't affect their chances at the HCAC title - except when you figure in the recruiting aspect of it. 

Franklin is a better program than they were before they started playing those games.  Whitewater was 5-5 in 2001, 2000 and 3-7 in 1999.  They went 5-5 in 2002 - which was the first year they played Mount Union.  They then went 7-3 in both 2003 and 2004.  In 2005, they started their run of Stagg Bowl appearances. 

I firmly believe Bluffton is NEXT in the HCAC. 

RHIT needs defense and MSJ needs continuity. 

[Adam Sayer]

I don't think MSJ has the finances to do it next year. They would be traveling there and they already have road trips to Augustana and Manchester. The week 2 opponent would have to be someone close enough to drive the morning of, unless they make make Manchester a one-day trip and that would be brutal. With it being a Week 2 slot, that makes opponents really limited. I think the OAC is out, TMC isn't coming back on the schedule for at least 4-5 years, if at all, and I doubt they would take on Wittenberg or Wabash at this point if they had an opening. Who's available?

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I don't think MSJ has the finances to do it next year. They would be traveling there and they already have road trips to Augustana and Manchester. The week 2 opponent would have to be someone close enough to drive the morning of, unless they make make Manchester a one-day trip and that would be brutal. With it being a Week 2 slot, that makes opponents really limited. I think the OAC is out, TMC isn't coming back on the schedule for at least 4-5 years, if at all, and I doubt they would take on Wittenberg or Wabash at this point if they had an opening. Who's available?

I don't know who is looking but the closest other schools would include Centre, DePauw, and Ohio Wesleyan I think.