WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[cciwrabblerouser]

can any uww fan on this board explain why the university thumbs its nose at ncaa rules on hosting.  the ncaa clearly states that advertising is to be covered up, and it especially picky when it has a corporate partnership with coca-cola.  i'm watching tonight's game and the pepsi sign is lit up in all its glory.

nearly all d-III schools are careful to cover up that kind of display with some sort of covering, but that must be too much for the uww athletic administration.

what's up with that???  here's hoping that the ncaa will come down hard on uww and that the ncaa rep at the game will someday develop a backbone.

[JMM]

cciwrabblerouser must be a Hope fan, who is hoping the NCAA gives Hope a victory because of some signage in the hallway .  Anyhow, super congrats to an outstanding team from Whitewater. That was a nice victory for a hard working team (family). I don't know Hopes strength of schedule. I do know WW was one of the toughest 25. Keep your eye on the prize Warhawks. Keep your eyes on the prize. Seems like I can' help but wonder if Hope and the coaches have realized yet they lost. They may have looked through this game with the always tenacious WarHawks. I think Hope thought they would win it "all" at home. Guess that was just not to be.

[Roundball999]

cciwrabblerouser must be a Hope fan. Anyhow, super congrats to an outstanding team from Whitewater. That was a nice victory for a hard working team (family). I don't know Hopes strength of schedule. I do know WW was one of the toughest 25. Keep your eye on the prize Warhawks. Keep your eyes on the prize. Seems like I can' help but wonder if Hope and the coches have realized yet they lost. They may have looked through this game with the always tenacious WarHawks.

Congrats to the Warhawks, they played a great game.  Best wishes in the Final Four, I think you'll find the team will be treated very well in Holland.  Please don't make assumptions about Hope fans, we've never seen that poster over on the MIAA board.

[JMM]

Thanks Roundball - very classy post.

[Roundball999]

Thanks Roundball - very classy post.

My pleasure, it was a great game between two very skilled and hardworking teams.  I know I'll be pulling for the Warhawks to win it all.

I can assure you that no one at Hope overlooked the Warhawks.  Sure, they had a dream to play in the Final Four on their home court - wouldn't anyone?  But if you knew the Hope girls, you'd understand that they are as sincere, earnest and hardworking as anyone and surely didn't take a Final Four spot for granted.

Interesting similarities between the two games; both teams blitzed the opponent early when playing at home, then held off a comeback attempt.  Seems like two pretty evenly matched teams.  Good luck the rest of the way!

[sac]

cciwrabblerouser

his/her affiliation is right in their name. 

[cciwrabblerouser]

i'm definitely not a hope fun -- though i do think it's unfair for the ncaa to move them away from their home court because they've been chosen to host the national championship weekend.  somehow, the #2 team in the country having to play two games away from home against quality competition seems like a pretty stiff, and unfair, penalty.  i have to think that the hope coaches and players would rather have played at home this weekend instead of hosting a national championship that they won't be in next weekend.

i did a little more research about the advertising situation.  typically, the ncaa representative at the game would tell uww that they had to cover up the sign with skirting or some other material.  and the ncaa rep typically would be the chair of the central region.  and who is that?  it's none other than uww's head women's basketball coach!!  so whoever was chosen to serve as the 'ncaa site rep' this weekend apparently didn't have the backbone to tell uww to cover up the sign -- probably afraid of retribution down the road, so that person kept his/her mouth shut.

it just doesn't make uww's athletic administration look very classy at all.  in any case, i do not have any respect for uww athletics.  but i'm sure that the uww purple koolaid drinkers won't care at all.  just go out and celebrate and 'damn the rules!'

[Mr. Ypsi]

cciwrabblerouser,

I'm also a CCIW guy.  First of all, the sectional was not at Hope not because they are hosting the FF (in 2010, IWU hosted the sectional even though they were also hosting the FF), but because St. Thomas to Holland would require a flight.  The sectional was clearly between Simpson and UWW, the two locations where the NCAA didn't have to pay to fly anyone.

I DO have great respect for UWW athletics, and think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.  Besides, I like Pepsi better than Coke anyway!

[Just Bill]

cciwrabblerouser,

I'm also a CCIW guy.  First of all, the sectional was not at Hope not because they are hosting the FF (in 2010, IWU hosted the sectional even though they were also hosting the FF), but because St. Thomas to Holland would require a flight.  The sectional was clearly between Simpson and UWW, the two locations where the NCAA didn't have to pay to fly anyone.

I DO have great respect for UWW athletics, and think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.  Besides, I like Pepsi better than Coke anyway!

What he said. The hosting decision was clearly a distance issue. Hope was never even considered.

And the advertising? Big, fricking, whoop. It's up to the on-site NCAA rep to make that call, not UWW, but if they don't care, why should we? Did your Coca-Cola stock drop a quarter point this weekend over that sign? I'm far from a UWW fan, but if you insist on finding something to hate them for, go find something worthwhile instead of this petty B.S.

[JMM]

I do not think think the home floor was the reason Hope lost. I think both teams offense was dismal last night. While I think the WIAC was a little down this year (just a little), It is still a tough, tough place to play year in and year out. There are many JR and SR on WW who have seen some exceptional teams in the past 2-3 years. The level of talent in the WIAC last year was off the charts. This WW team is extremely seasoned and pretty fierce.

[Roundball999]

I do not think think the home floor was the reason Hope lost. I think both teams offense was dismal last night. Hope's strength of schedule is 173. WW is 19. When you are an OK team that plays easier teams, you are apt to have an impressive record. When you play very stiff competition often, you pick up some loses. WW because of it's level of competition is better positioned in a game like last night. While I think the WIAC was a little down this year (just a little), It is still a tough, tough place to play year in and year out. There are many JR and SR on WW who have seen some exceptional teams in the past 2-3 years. The level of talent in the WIAC last year was off the charts. This WW team is extremely seasoned and pretty fierce.

According to Massey, WW's strength of schedule for the season is #1 and Hope is #12.  Agree that the WIAC wars prepare their teams well for the playoffs.  Disagree about home court.  If you've ever seen Hope play at DeVos, where they are 125-3 and have crowds that are double anywhere else in D3, you'd know that playing at home is a difference maker - at least for Hope.  But no excuses, WW played great, earned every bit of the win and any team has to win on the road if they want to bring home a championship. 

I think WW matches up well with the remaining teams, including DePauw, and they are now my favorite for the title.

[cciwrabblerouser]

keep drinking that purple kool-aid.  with amherst and depauw waiting for uww at the final four, it could be a difficult weekend for the warhawkers.

[JMM]

I have seen Hope play in Holland at DeVos. Holland is a wonderful town - almost like a Walt Disney style fairyland. It has to be the best D3 gym (arena) in the nation.

I have seen WW play at least 18 times in the past 3 years. I do not yet think they have shown their full assault defense in the tournament. WW has the ability to put teams into the pressure cooker when in the full assault defense - Especially when the refs "let the teams play". Quandt, Thuene, Merg, Thill among others can really do a "head trip" to break a team down when in the full defensive attack mode. This is how they beat Eau Claire in last years WIAC Semi-final. If they go into that mode against Amherst and Amherst has not seen super trapping and defense played to one inch of the offensive player, they may falter big time.

I had picked DePauw for #1 and Amherst # 2 with Hope losing to Amherst. I thought Steven's Point would beat Simpson and then loss to WW. With Hope beating WW at Hope. Anyhow, that is all mute.

Can WW go to #1 - yes if they get the super pressure cooker defense going and the refs are in the "let them play" mood. This WW team is about as an experienced team as can be. They are super fast, super scrappy and can be super confident when their defense is really going strong. I believe we will see that defense against Amherst.

[voice]

can any uww fan on this board explain why the university thumbs its nose at ncaa rules on hosting.  the ncaa clearly states that advertising is to be covered up, and it especially picky when it has a corporate partnership with coca-cola.  i'm watching tonight's game and the pepsi sign is lit up in all its glory.

nearly all d-III schools are careful to cover up that kind of display with some sort of covering, but that must be too much for the uww athletic administration.

what's up with that???  here's hoping that the ncaa will come down hard on uww and that the ncaa rep at the game will someday develop a backbone.

cciwrabblerouser... interesting observation.  I'm not the "expert" you are on signage at NCAA tournament locations.  I do know that the NCAA has a lenghty list of "corporate sponsors."  I do know that I have seen local ads regarding beer and cansino interests at off-campus venues "covered up" due to the fact that the tournament venue was being staged at an off-campus facility.  Just an observation from a D3 fan that definitely has a backbone.

[JMM]

Ok. I can appreciate backbone. Are you saying the NCAA is a miss and streching the rules for Whitewater?