115th Monon Bell Classic

[Ron Boerger]

I don't have to tell you guys that Wabash/DePauw is a huge rivalry - seem either team considers the season a success if all they can do is win (back) the Bell.   

DPU/Trinity only goes back about ten years, and the emotion's not nearly the same - not to mention that until DPU finally does get the Trinity monkey off its back, that string of losses will continue to play mind games with the DPU players.  There are several games in the series that DPU found creative ways to lose that they simply shouldn't have.

WRT Millsaps, I think you'll see that they have been transformed into one of the premiere programs in the country thanks to Coach Dubose over the next several weeks - heads and shoulders above anyone in the SCAC and by extension Wabash. 

[Li'l Giant]

I responded to that question on the NCAC board by pointing out that DPU fans have said all along that TU and Millsaps were better than us. I find it difficult today to argue with that.

[D3_DPUFan]

my question (with absolutely no sarcasm) if you can play like that at bell time, why not trinity/ millsaps?
i just can not make sense of yesterday's game

The Tigers played a great game Saturday in all phases. Actually they've been playing that well offensively for most of the season and I think on the defensive side it was a matter of people getting healthy and some of the young guys stepping up...the secondary had 3 or 4 picks the week before (although the Rhodes passing game is not comparable to Wabash in any way). As someone else suggested, the Trinity/Millsaps comparison really doesn't have anything to do with this.

One of the things that interested me in Saturday's game was the battle up front...people on this forum were touting the OL and DL as perhaps the best ever at Wabash. Again this year, DePauw won that battle on both sides of the ball.

   

[Breckenridgebear]

What a game. As I stated last week this game goes above and beyond records and schedules. Similar to 1998, Depauw focused on a Monon Win and didn't worry about the future. I truly believe that this had an impact on the outcome of the game.

I would like to point out that seeing the Da'bash stands empty during the 4th quarter was something I thought I would never see. At that point it really sunk in that Depauw had won the game.

On a personal note, on the field after the game, those few Da'bash fans and players I spoke with were realistic in their analysis of the game. Unlike those Depauw wins in the late 90's were the field turned into a war zone with flying bottles, bench equipment, and turf, making it impossible to step onto the field, it was good to be able to congratulate the Da'Bash players on a great season and wish them luck in the playoffs. Although overblown, I think that security did a great job.

Even with Depauw not making it to the playoffs, I think it was a good season for the team to learn how close they are to making the next step. Following a season with losses to only Trinity and the Majors (Two top 10 teams?), Depauw should realize how good their program is, and that beating one of those teams next year could propel them to the national stage.

Great game, good times.   

[gobash]

I would like to point out that seeing the Da'bash stands empty during the 4th quarter was something I thought I would never see. At that point it really sunk in that Depauw had won the game.

That makes two of us, and to me that was far more disappointing than the performance our team gave.

[old wabash]

I would like to point out that seeing the Da'bash stands empty during the 4th quarter was something I thought I would never see. At that point it really sunk in that Depauw had won the game.

That makes two of us, and to me that was far more disappointing than the performance our team gave.

three... i always thought WAF meant being a loyal fan, not a fair weather fan.

[smedindy]

I thought I'd never hear of that. Fair weather Wabash fans? Ye Gods!

[D3_DPUFan]

I would like to point out that seeing the Da'bash stands empty during the 4th quarter was something I thought I would never see. At that point it really sunk in that Depauw had won the game.

Actually, the exodus in the end zone began in earnest in the 3rd quarter. Surprising considering some of the bluster you see in this forum...

[DPU3619]

I remember our fans caught a LOT of flack around here for that same thing at the end of the 2006 game. 

Lot of folks, myself included, took off after Knez got the safety on Spud to put Wabash up 9 with about 5 minutes left.

[wally_wabash]

With lofty records come lofty expectations and unfortunately when you raise that bar high enough and then faceplant, it gets tough to watch.  In fact, it gets almost impossible to watch.  So some people left. 

In 1998, which was eerily similar to this past weekend's game, our stands emptied a bit.  They would have emptied far more in 1998, but I think a lot of people were sticking around to get a piece of the inevitable riot that was going to (and did) happen as soon as that game got over with.  That, I think, is far worse than having some people leave the stadium early. 

[wally_wabash]

It's also worth mentioning that I saw a fairly healthy number of our black and gold clad guests this weekend not make it through all four quarters.  Let's not have this discussion and pretend that every Tiger fan with a ticket stayed for the full pull either. 

[D3_DPUFan]

It's also worth mentioning that I saw a fairly healthy number of our black and gold clad guests this weekend not make it through all four quarters.  Let's not have this discussion and pretend that every Tiger fan with a ticket stayed for the full pull either.

Don't get me wrong, if the shoe were on the other foot, the DPU stands would have been depleted as well. My point is for all of the WAF chest thumping that goes on in here it was interesting to see basically the entire student section walk out long before the game was over...well, at least technically over.  

[wally_wabash]

Speaking for myself and my good friend gobash, we didn't leave early.  We stood there in the bleachers in the west end zone for every agonizing second of it.  All I'm saying is that the vast majority of that game was like standing there watching Ray Lewis have his way with your girlfriend.  It was awful.  I can understand if people wanted to look away or stop looking all together.  I don't like it, but I can understand it.  There are worse sins to commit than cutting short one of the worst three hour experiences of your life. 

[D3_DPUFan]

Speaking for myself and my good friend gobash, we didn't leave early.  We stood there in the bleachers in the west end zone for every agonizing second of it.  All I'm saying is that the vast majority of that game was like standing there watching Ray Lewis have his way with your girlfriend.  It was awful.  I can understand if people wanted to look away or stop looking all together.  I don't like it, but I can understand it.  There are worse sins to commit than cutting short one of the worst three hour experiences of your life. 

The Ray Lewis analogy...now that is descriptive!

[firstdown]

Unlike 1998, the Little Giants don't have to sit like Job on an ash heap contemplating until the following August.  Depauw won, and did so convincingly.  Fortunately Depauw won by playing hard, and without having to rely on stealing signals as occurred in 1998 which made  the time upon the ash heap all the more unbearable.

If the Little Giants ever needed a wake up call, they got one on Saturday.  However, all is not lost.  With a good week of practice and a good game next Saturday in Cleveland, they can take some big steps in the right direction.

Wabash Always Fights!