FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Thunder44]

Just a call out to all Franklin College Fans that plan to be at Hanover this weekend to watch the Bell Game.  The Franklin College Touchdown Club will host a tailgate in the parking lot between the tennis courts and softball field.  Food line opens at 11:20 am.  GO GRIZ!

Bad choice.  That's where the local 4H kids graze their herd of domestic water buffalo.

Just kidding!

Panthersfan and I will be in our usual spots in the Hanover tailgate lot.  PM me for the lot# if you are interested in stopping by to join in a beverage unapproved by the administrations at Manchester and Earlham.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Just a call out to all Franklin College Fans that plan to be at Hanover this weekend to watch the Bell Game.  The Franklin College Touchdown Club will host a tailgate in the parking lot between the tennis courts and softball field.  Food line opens at 11:20 am.  GO GRIZ!

Bad choice.  That's where the local 4H kids graze their herd of domestic water buffalo.

Just kidding!

Panthersfan and I will be in our usual spots in the Hanover tailgate lot.  PM me for the lot# if you are interested in stopping by to join in a beverage unapproved by the administrations at Manchester and Earlham.

Speaking of Earlham:  Toby Keith's new record has a song entitled "Red Solo Cup".

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Thomas More @ Mount St. Joseph: The last chance to improve the conference's terrible non-conference record which stands at 3-14 this year. MSJ won their first 3, then lost 3, then won 3. This is their 10th straight non losing season. Last time MSJ won the Bridge Bowl however was 2007. Thomas More is 8-1 and coming off their first loss of the year and will prepare for the playoffs next week.

Franklin @ Hanover: Franklin is looking to complete an unbeaten conference season and potentially host a first round playoff game. Hanover went from a potential playoff berth to needing a win just to finish above .500 this season. Even though Hanover has less on the line now, the battle for the Victory Bell will still be a tough fight.

Rose-Hulman @ Earlham: Rose has gone from potential darkhorse to afterthought. Losing 3 of 4 before last week has dropped them to 4-5 for the year and needing a win to avoid a losing season. Luckily they have a winnable game. Earlham has lost every game they've played since joining the conference... 19 in a row now.

Anderson @ Manchester: Anderson has had a disappointing season with just one win. They tried last week scoring 50 against Rose but couldn't get that 2nd win. Manchester meanwhile has been competitive but unable to win, but scored a big win last week against Defiance. Which team will carry over their performance from last week and have positives heading into the offseason?

Bluffton @ Defiance: A battle of identical teams. Both are 4-5 on the year and 4-3 in conference. Both teams lost their first 4 then won the next 4 before terrible performances last week. Bluffton still have a chance for their first 5-5 season since 2004 and first 5 win conference record since 2000. Defiance meanwhile haven't lived up to expectations. Their largest win was by 16 to Earlham while all their losses have been by at least 17.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Just a call out to all Franklin College Fans that plan to be at Hanover this weekend to watch the Bell Game.  The Franklin College Touchdown Club will host a tailgate in the parking lot between the tennis courts and softball field.  Food line opens at 11:20 am.  GO GRIZ!

Bad choice.  That's where the local 4H kids graze their herd of domestic water buffalo.

Just kidding!

Panthersfan and I will be in our usual spots in the Hanover tailgate lot.  PM me for the lot# if you are interested in stopping by to join in a beverage unapproved by the administrations at Manchester and Earlham.

Stop by our group as well.  Blue Dodge truck with flag pole.  Several tents all together with brunch at 11.  Cold beverages for all.

[Jackets Backer]

Black eye for Defiance College today. A post-game brawl was pretty ugly and embarrassing. City cops were even called in but didn't get there till after the fracas was over. It's just bad, bad, bad for something like this to happen.

[cave2bens]

Black eye for Defiance College today. A post-game brawl was pretty ugly and embarrassing. City cops were even called in but didn't get there till after the fracas was over. It's just bad, bad, bad for something like this to happen.

So, JB, it appears from your offering certain life lessons are lacking in the DC curriculum? 

As occurs in the rarefied atmosphere of "we're all winners - everyone gets a trophy BS," dealing with adversity (like Bluffton running the ball right up the Yellow Jokers posteriors), and then reacting like petulant pre-schoolers or belligerent buffoons solves all.  Not to worry - ping pong, popcorn, and a hand-holding, choral rendition of "Cumbaya" will clear the Utopian air at the corner of Webster and North Clinton. 

Inmates running the asylum under auspices of "Defy the Ordinary - Welcome to Attica."  I prescribe pink jumpsuits, fifteen minutes for daily recess at the new ($ 5000 per brick) jock dome, and bologna sandwiches through May for all of the perps and their enablers. "Clean up on Aisle Five"     

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Just thought I'd make a comparison between the preseason coaches poll and the final standings...

Team       Conf  Overall Poll votes Rank
Franklin      8-0    9-1      78 (8)     1st
Mt St Joseph  5-3    6-4      59 (1)     4th
Bluffton      5-3    5-5      34        T6th
Hanover       5-3    5-5      61         3rd
Rose-Hulman   5-3    5-5      38         5th
Defiance      4-4    4-6      63         2nd
Manchester    3-5    4-6      28         8th
Anderson      1-7    1-9      34        T6th
Earlham       0-8    0-10     10         9th


It's fun to go back and read what everyone thought before the season now that we know how it turned out.

I think there should be a good 4 team battle for 2nd, and the possibility that even if someone upsets Franklin that the Griz could still win the conference because everyone else ends up with 2 or 3 losses.

Surprisingly accurate prediction by me... but to be fair I also had Bluffton finishing 8th

[GRIZ_BACKER]

The GRIZ took care of business at Hanover 40-15 (34-3 at end of third)  FC looked and played like a playoff team today.  Balanced attack offensively and played solid defense (56 yards rushing for HC). Hopefully a home game awaits next weekend.

[formerd3db]

cave2bens and Jackets Backer:
Hilarious commentary cave2! .  Although at the same time, it is sad that such a brawl took place - no place for that and no excuse for that.  Sounds like some stiff changes need to be made somewhere.  Do you think there will be any consequences/reprimands for the brawl for players, the schools from either the league and/or the schools themselves?  That it happened is not good and that's unfortunate.

[Jackets Backer]

Disgust, embarrassment and anger for what happened were the sentiments afterwards. It really is sickening. I don't know what triggered the bruhahah but so what if Bluffton kids were running their mouths, walk off the field DC, you got stomped ... get'em next year on the field. But you could see this coming a mile away. The DC program has been a powder keg all year. Discipline issue after discipline issue. There have been problems on a weekly basis pretty much with the program on campus and around town. It came to a boiling point after the game and you got an ugly, ugly fight. The interim coach was thrown into a blazing inferno. Cave you know what I mean by this, you reap what you sow.

[cave2bens]

Disgust, embarrassment and anger for what happened were the sentiments afterwards.   Cave you know what I mean by this, you reap what you sow.

Certainly do - regrettably enablers and users never get quite "get it" as consequences and responsibility might dilute "good feelings" and cause damaged psyche.  Oh horror! 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

That was an interesting selection show. Have to say I was quite surprised seeing Thomas More's name come up after Franklin. Guess that was a sign of things to come with the rest of the bracket. I wonder how long till SaintsFAN weighs in on all this.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

That was an interesting selection show. Have to say I was quite surprised seeing Thomas More's name come up after Franklin. Guess that was a sign of things to come with the rest of the bracket. I wonder how long till SaintsFAN weighs in on all this.

Surprised to see Thomas More as a 5 seed but Franklin doesn't have to face IWU.  TM will be a huge challenge but both teams are fairly evenly matched.  Tough game to predict.

[Thunder44]

Thomas More at Franklin is an interesting matchup.  Hanover hung with TM for the first half (second game of the year), before Thomas More kicked it in.  Seem to recall a TM punt return for TD, and a couple of good kick returns.  They also have a good kicker.

TM "lost" their home playoff game last week losing a conference game at home, and had to insert their freshman QB to give the offense a spark yesterday against MSJ.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20111112/SPT01/311120097/Thomas-More-downs-Mount-St-Joseph-Bridge-Bowl?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[SaintsFAN]

I will say this... very surprised at the bracket and very happy we are heading to Franklin IN... that means I may be able to attend this game (moving this week).  That said, about the new QB --- you would have rather played TMC the last two weeks than this weekend.  The kid is legit.... and just what they needed.  He was very non-plussed and calm after a big run on his first series got them inside the 10 yard line. 

Until the point when he entered the game in the 2nd quarter, the offense was sputtering ala Waynesburg. 

There are a couple things that need fixed, defensively but I think they'll work on doing that this week.