114th Annual Monon Bell Game

[Mr. Ypsi]

By the way, how cool is it that Gameday is going to air from Williams this weekend?  Hopefully this starts a Gameday tradition where they'll do a show from a small college on rivalry day once per year. 

With all due respect for NESCAC in other sports, it would be even cooler if they were actually a part of d3 in football!  Spurning the playoffs is one thing; playing NO non-conference games makes them (IMO) little more than glorified intramurals.

[K-Mack]

From Keith's 2005 column:    http://www.d3football.com/atn.php?id=90

Since I was there, I can say that there Monon Bell game is second to none in Division III. Wabash and DePauw sit 27 miles apart in a stretch of central Indiana where there isn't much else to get excited about. But they've been doing the season-ending game for both teams big since 1890, and it's as chippy now as it ever was. Wabash hung on for a 17-14 win this season in a game where the play along the lines was fierce and both quarterbacks were warrior-like. They lead the series 52-51-9.

But no tale from game day summarizes how big the rivalry is like this does: As soon as I wrote I was coming, three Wabash e-mails arrived, politely thanking me for choosing to attend but mentioning how much better the game is when not at DePauw. Now that's a rivalry.

Huh, I got the impression Keith had a good time.  Wonder if we could get him in here to weigh in...we could pretend we have a beer for him, and lure him into the thread.

I recall reading K-Mack's blog from Blackstock in '05 and it seemed like he enjoyed the experience.  I've since seen him post that Wabash/Depauw is at or near the top of the list of D-III rivalry games (the Cortaca Jug game being the other preeminent rivalry game).  And that's not to say that others aren't awesome in their own way...they're all unique and different and special in their own way.  I don't think it's fair to say which is better.  They're all good, they're just all good in their own way.  [/quote]

Yeah,
I have been asked to stop by this thread and chime in, although I guess I'd have to go back and start from Page 1 to find out exactly what.

I think you are all on the right track. What I wrote then is much better than what I remember ... I'll even read some of my old stuff and be enlightened.

I wrote about rivalries some in today's ATN, you guys are right up there.

Also, even though I personally think Wabash-DePauw and H-SC/R-MC (would never put it in that order, but had to keep the men's schools in red on the same side, with the black and gold co-eds on the other) have a lot in common, except for teh Bell ... Boone, the coach I played for my senior year, was a Wabash guy, and he was pretty frank about how much more, um, butt, the Monon Bell kicked.

But as noted, our rivalry was going through a little non-competitve period where we wiped the floor with them, and then they us.

[Duster72]

Which parking lot are the rest of the Wabash people shooting for?  The big lot south of the stadium?  The smaller lot on the Northeast side of the stadium?  That one makes more sense to me...

[WAF78]

K-Mack,
Oh my gosh...you played for Boonie? Wow...he was a freshman my senior year...and he was a pledge at my fraternity. It's a small world. I know he left R/M a few years ago...ever know what happened to him?
He was a great athlete...11 letters at Wabash...3 football, 4 basketball, 4 baseball.

[WAF78]

If anyone would like to report...how was the stag last night...if anyone on this board went?
Read portions of CC's chapel speech...I guess the Cavemen are ready. Looks like a bunch of the guys are sporting mohawk hair cuts for the game...whatever floats your boat...lol.

[bashbrother]

Forecast for Tomorrow.

Partly cloudy with a 90% chance of Darryl Kennon

Highs in the mid 50s.

Adi out of the north at around 45 mph.

[gobash]

The stag was a good time.  Brad Wochomurka (D`04) and Jon Pactor (W`71) were the roasters.  They both did a good job.  Woch went for the (Spud) Dick jokes, and Pactor went for verbose quantity.  I think the line of the night was from Pactor (not an exact quote), "The difference between DePauw and Wabash is Quiche Lorraine.  DePauw men eat quiche, Wabash men eat Lorraine."  That and the constant vehement references to the "bull**** hailmary" of the `01 game from the DPU presenters.  Good stuff.

The food was pretty decent, and the company was great.  I can see myself attending for the indefinite future.

[Wabash Hokie]

GoBash:

Thanks for the Stag update - great Quiche joke!  Can't wait to share that with my DPU spouse.

WAB78:

I will be in Blacksburg, VA on Saturday but Hokie Steve, of course, has HDNet at home and will be recording the Wabash game so we can watch it after we get home from the Virginia Tech/Florida State game.  

Saw the proposed playoff pairings.  I was hoping that if Wabash did have an away game, it might be up north.  Looks like East as opposed to North.  Oh well.

If you go to the game - have a great time.  And once again, I am sure the tiger will not be brave enough to don the tail.

[WAF78]

"The NESCAC folks would have you believe that you can't possible then go back and play in a playoff game after competing in the big season-ending rivalry, but Wabash would beg to differ. DePauw would beg to be able to beg to differ, but that's a different story."
This was a quote from Pat Coleman on the D-3 daily dose. It speaks for itself.
K-Mack, however, again, chooses Wabash as most likely team in the top 25 to be upset. I can see his rationale as with this game wins and losses and rankings matter nothing. Too many times Wabash has come to this game undefeated and have left with a loss or a tie. However, I hope K-Mack is wrong as he was wrong in the first week of the season...when he picked Wabash to be the most likely team upset in the top 25.
gobash:...Thanks for the report. There have truly been some classic lines uttered during the stag. Pactor's line was great.

[WAF78]

Hey Wabash Hokie,
Good to see you...have a great time in Blacksburg and say Hi to Hokie Steve. I'll be watching the game from the warm environs of the Covington Grill in Fort Wayne....however, I plan to be at the playoff game the next weekend...whereever it is.
About the pairings...if we win..we will play at C'ville. If not, then who knows where it will be.
Have a good time Hokie..and say Hi to the family. Hope to see you soon.

[Pat Coleman]

However, I hope K-Mack is wrong as he was wrong in the first week of the season...when he picked Wabash to be the most likely team upset in the top 25.

Long memory. Holding a grudge is never healthy.

[wally_wabash]

In week 1, or I guess it was week 2 rather, Wabash was the most likely top 25 team to get beat.  Wabash ranked just inside the top 25, Franklin ranked outside of the top 25...Franklin beating Wabash on that day would have been about the mildest upset of all time.

The Stag was a good time last night.  Last night was the first Stag for me and it definitely won't be the last.  I'll take this opportunity to thank the gentlemen from DePauw who were in attendance..I hope you guys can spread the word and grow the event in spite of the university's unwillingness to help you out.  It's a fun event and while the jokes fly non-stop, it's all really good-natured.  I didn't see anything last night that a university should be afraid of associating itself with.  Quite the opposite actually. 

And now I'm done complimenting anything DPU until at least after the game.   

[BashDad]

Sweet article on the Wabash website re: yesterday's chapel speech.

From it:

"As a football player, a football team, and the Wabash community, I say to DePauw: Come take this Bell from us. I dare you!" -adi pynenberg

hell. yes.

[WAF78]

Wally,
As that was your first stag...the reason DPU's administration, coaches, etc. don't come is that it is a STAG...no women allowed. It's politically incorrect...so  DPU administrators, etc.  (the definition of PC people) can't sanction such a hideously sexist, fascist, immoral event. The stag is a great event.

Pat...no grudge...just a memory that still functions...occasionally...and at my age that's something to be thankful for.

[wally_wabash]

That quote from Adi is strong!  Makes me want to throw on some pads and hit somebody!