WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[The Champ]

UW-Superior cancelled classes tomorrow, as did most of the northern third of Wisconsin and Minnesota. What's happening to Friday night first round play? Can teams get to Menomonie? Both bridges between Superior and Duluth closed stranding out of staters in Minnesota AND Wisconsin. That's reciprocity for you.

Just talked to T about 7:00.  All teams made it to Menomonie earlier today, and St. Ben's was actually on the floor practicing. 

I'm wondering if we'll be able to make the game tomorrow.  I have to work until 5:00 in Rochester (which I have no problem getting there in my truck), but I don't know if Mrs. Champ will be able to get into Roch in the car, based on current conditions.  Heck, the way the wind is blowing, she may not be able to get out the driveway!!!

[billys]

Bottom line is, if you were picked for 7th, finished 2nd, and made the greatest 1-year jump in the history of the league,

Tied for the greatest 1-year jump. Stevens Point also jumped five spots in the standings going from 8th (2-14) in 94-95 to 3rd (9-7) in 95-96.  Their seven game improvement is the best in history, trumping WW's six.

No matter.  Carollo should have gotten COY.

My bad. I was going off of the 8th seed from last year ... not the tie for 7th.

[billys]

This is not intended to be read by BW...


Keri was a shoe-in, IMHO, until she lost to Platteville at home in the first round.  I know BW doesn't think that should matter, but I think it does.  If she had made it to the second round and lost, I think she gets coach of the year.  I haven't talked to Coach T on this yet, but I guarantee you he voted for Keri.  Keri's his protege, and it was his hope she and her team would be the one's coming to Johnson Fieldhouse last Saturday.  I'd be willing to bet that Keri voted for T.

As far as Coach T (and in case anybody doesn't know it, T is my best friend, so I have a certain amount of bias - blast away... ) is concerned - yes Stout was picked to win the conference - but that also means that he's had a great big target on his back all season long.  Every team brought their "A" game when they played Stout.  He and his team survived and excelled with the pressure - even after losing a starting guard for the last 2 regular season games and all of the WIAC tourney.

No school in WIAC WBB Tournament history has won 4 Championships, much less 1 coach doing it with the same school over a 6 year period.  Three in a row is also a record, and one that will be difficult to duplicate by any WIAC coach.

As far as the COY being a popularity contest - I don't think the other coaches vote based on popularity, but respect for the accomplishments.

Coach Keri did a great job this season.  I fully expect the Warhawk WBB program to prosper under her guidance.  She is building her program!!!

I'm not sure how to break these up, and the last thing I want to do is discredit Coach Thomas at Stout ... cause it's obvious he's a great coach since this was a top four team prior to the last three years.

First of all I'm curious when those votes for all conference go out ... and I know they are supposed to vote on regular season results. So if that tournament game was factored in, it should not have been. It's not a post season award.

I think you're wrong about the "popularity" contest ... Stout was a bigger favorite this year than last ... Whitewater made a bigger improvement this year than La Crosse did last ... yet Coach Thomas had to share the award last year.

I don't think them voting for each other means anything. Of course they did, who else would they vote for when they couldn't vote for themselves? And when you say "protege," let's be honest, she spent three seasons at Stout ... she was also at La Crosse for two ... so it's not like she learned everything she knew from Coach Thomas.
And as far as him hoping her team was the one who came to Stout Saturday ... why again? In this case I'm asking. Do they really get along really well and have a great relationship? Having watched him coach I just don't get the impression he's worried about things like that. That all he would care about would be his team advancing ... not who's coming to play them.

Lastly, no question his last 6 years have been special. I just don't think that's an argument for 2007 Coach of the YEAR.

Just trying to balance out all the Stout love on this board. Now that my friend's not at La Crosse anymore ... I'm a free agent fan. Although I do like watching Stout when they're in the area cause of their style. I could never coach at that speed cause I hate turnovers, but I like watching someone else play it.

[foul_language]

What is the actual criteria used to determine coach of the year? I would suspect making the biggest impact at a conference level would be one; popularity shouldn't play a part, because who cares if people like the person or not; success of the program--and I would (have) argue consistent success to weed out the wackiness of wins and losses in the conferences;  I'm sure we're all happy there isn't a swimsuit or evening gown contest, for many reasons. I would also believe that actual day-to-day coaching would play into this, and let's face it, T has a style pretty much all his own. We outsiders are always commenting on the hockey -style line changes, the one-goof up-and-you're-out method, the getting in the faces of players, who are actually playing quite well. The fact is, he puts a team on the floor that usually wins. He brings together an army of players and makes them play well together, mostly.

And you're kinda wrong about this "Stout lovers" comment. I used to be, but I had to change my allegiance. I'm more a Stout admirer now, but that's pretty much because you can't deny Stout is poised for another good year. Look at his backup crew: Hirssig, Stokke, Gerber (what a loss for WW), Edwards. He'll return one Geissler, Boese, Bird from the starting lineup. He's 7/10 of the way to another starting ten.

[Just Bill]

Coach of the Year should pertain to one year and one year only.  I don't see consistent success over a period of time pertaining to this award at all.  If it does, we should call it the Coach of the Last Few Recent Years.

The bottom line seems pretty clear to me:  Carollo got jobbed because the other coaches don't like her.

[BDshotblocker]

GO STOUT!!!!!!!!
Big game tonight!!!!!!  I love NCAA home games!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not to take away from the COY talk, just excited

[foul_language]

Code Select Expand

If it does, we should call it the Coach of the Last Few Recent Years.

Good point

[The Champ]

The bottom line seems pretty clear to me:  Carollo got jobbed because the other coaches don't like her.

Who doesn't like her?

[hoops49]

Major upset for Stout!!!!
86-91

[buf]

Two great games at the Johnson!

Close game all the way, except for the beginning.  After the first few minutes, it looked like Stout was going to destroy Simpson.  However, Simpson got it together and actually took a 42-36 lead.  Stout ends the half with a big run to take a 47-43 halftime lead.  Simpson takes control right away in the 2nd and builds a lead of 3 or 4.  Stout comes back to tie, but Simpson manages to answer every Blue Devil run.  Simpson gets lead up to 10 with 1:30 left.  Stout makes a furious comeback (thanks in part to some Simpson missed FTs) and actually gets within 3 with 36sec.  Simpson does enough down the stretch to pull out the victory.

Whiton and Franker played excellent for Simpson.  Whiton and an odd but effective inside shot, which she hit time and time in the 2nd half.  Franker played both well outside and inside.  She often posted up in the 2nd half.  Basically Stout had no answer for Simpson's inside game. 

I know its easy to criticize when a team loses, but I have to wonder why Duoss spent a lot of time in the 2nd half on the bench?  She wasn't in foul trouble and she was dominating when she was in there.  She ended up going 10-10 from the field.  Duoss, along with Oetjen ended their careers playing very well for the Devils.  They were clearly the best two on the court for Stout.  Hirrsig had a nice hustle game which ended in a double double.

Congrats to Stout on good season.  Just wish it didn't end so soon.

[Just Bill]

Did the long first game seem to affect one team more than the other?

[buf]

Did the long first game seem to affect one team more than the other?

If anything, it looked like it affected Simpson more.  Stout got out to a 9-0 lead 3min into the game.  Stout was really flying around out there to start the game. 

[foul_language]

Tough loss last night; I suspect Stout's win at Simpson last year about this time generated some enthusiasm.

I believe Simpson does competitive opera; I guess they're pretty competitive in basketball, too.

Who's the presumptive favorite between Wheaton and Simpson?

[buf]

Seeing both teams play last night, I would have to say Simpson.  Some Wheaton players played a lot on minutes yesterday (2-OT).  I think their only chance is to slow the tempo.  Simpson has pretty good depth, so even though they ran a lot in yesterday's game with Stout, I think they will have plenty left for tonight.

[buf]

I think the over/under for the game at Stout tonight is set at 100.  Neither team brought many fans.