117th Monon Bell Classic

[Wabash Hokie]

Agreed.  I don't think I'll be able to forget this sh*tshow, and that thought really started to dig in early in the 3rd quarter.  For me, the most horrendous stat is 95 yards of offense.  Yeah, the numbers that really stand out this Monday morning are 47, 0, and 95.  Say what you want about Wabash dropping 500 yards on DPU, I was more disappointed in the offense.  While I did worry about the effects of rain on our offense, I didn't think the end result would be this horrible.  Apparently we are water-soluble.

Making the playoffs (PLAYOFFS?!)  is great but I'd much rather have a Bell.  Maybe I'm in the minority with that view, but a season with a loss to Wabash is a failed season in my book.  Conversely, 0-9 season can be redeemed with a Bell victory.  I'd like to be optimistic and look forward to DePauw at home vs Trine, but it just doesn't feel right.  And after speaking to a few DPU parents on Saturday, I'm concerned that we won't touch that Bell until 2013.  Walker seemed to be a better recruiter than Long, and at this point I want Coach Nick back.

I agree with your comments regarding the Bell...

Rain didn't have anything to do with this beat down.

D3_DPUFan - I agree wholeheartedly regarding "the game" vs the playoffs.   I don't think that Raeburn got it two years ago and DPU kicked the crap out of us.   However, I don't think the players will ever get it.  Unlike the alumni base, they don't have an appreciation for how they will feel 5, 10, 15 years down the road.  The playoffs are a big deal to the players and I understand that - they live in the now.  In my humble opinion, if we can't beat DePauw, then we should not go to the playoffs.  If winning the Monon Bell game is a must for post season play, then the focus on that game will only be greater.   I hope this becomes moot in two years when DPU joins the NCAC and we can knock heads at the end of the season for all of the marbles.

[Danny Boy]

BTW...this is the fourth consecutive year that the team with a guaranteed game after week 11 has lost in this rivialry.  The last three of those games haven't been close.  Anybody ready to bite on my seniors-in-their-last-game-have-something-extra theory? 

Um, DPU has 30 senior players graduating this year.  While I would normally agree with that theory, I'll say that our squad didn't bring anything extra.  

DPUFan - True, that loss was less about weather and more about being dominated.  And maybe voodoo.  Just saying Engle is not the same player in Saturday's conditions.  After watching that embarassment, I'm convinced we would have lost regardless of the skies.  But maybe we could have put SOMETHING on the scoreboard.  Maybe not.

[Mr. Ypsi]

BTW...this is the fourth consecutive year that the team with a guaranteed game after week 11 has lost in this rivialry.  The last three of those games haven't been close.  Anybody ready to bite on my seniors-in-their-last-game-have-something-extra theory? 

Um, DPU has 30 senior players graduating this year.  While I would normally agree with that theory, I'll say that our squad didn't bring anything extra.  

DPUFan - True, that loss was less about weather and more about being dominated.  And maybe voodoo.  Just saying Engle is not the same player in Saturday's conditions.  After watching that embarassment, I'm convinced we would have lost regardless of the skies.  But maybe we could have put SOMETHING on the scoreboard.  Maybe not.

Exactly Wally's point - DPU seniors knew this wasn't their last game.

[wally_wabash]

BTW...this is the fourth consecutive year that the team with a guaranteed game after week 11 has lost in this rivialry.  The last three of those games haven't been close.  Anybody ready to bite on my seniors-in-their-last-game-have-something-extra theory?  

Um, DPU has 30 senior players graduating this year.  While I would normally agree with that theory, I'll say that our squad didn't bring anything extra.  

No, no.  This is exactly my point.  All 30 of those seniors got off the bus on Saturday knowing that this was not the last they would play college football.  All of Wabash's seniors, and there are a lot of them on that defense that completed owned that Tiger offense, had to play Saturday like they were never getting another down.  I'm convinced that there is an extra gear that these players find when the clock is about to strike midnight on their football careers.  I've seen too many players in this game find another level that didn't exist before that day to not believe this.  

[wally_wabash]

D3_DPUFan - I agree wholeheartedly regarding "the game" vs the playoffs.   I don't think that Raeburn got it two years ago and DPU kicked the crap out of us.   However, I don't think the players will ever get it.  Unlike the alumni base, they don't have an appreciation for how they will feel 5, 10, 15 years down the road.  The playoffs are a big deal to the players and I understand that - they live in the now.  In my humble opinion, if we can't beat DePauw, then we should not go to the playoffs.  If winning the Monon Bell game is a must for post season play, then the focus on that game will only be greater.   I hope this becomes moot in two years when DPU joins the NCAC and we can knock heads at the end of the season for all of the marbles.

As it stands right now, the Monon Bell game and the playoffs are not really related.  Wabash and DePauw have seperate league championships and automatic qualifying opportunities regardless of the outcome of the Monon Bell game.  It's wrong to want to strip those players of the opportunity to compete for a national championship because of the Bell game, particularly if they earned the right to compete in that tournament by winning their league.  A league championship is a special thing that is HARD to get.  Even in the down SCAC...even in the NCAC where there are some struggling programs.  Conference championships ought to be rewarded with placement in the tournament.   

Beginning in 2012, these scenarios of having already clinched a spot in the tournament will be a rarer occurance than it has been this past decade.  I think we are more likely to start seeing the Bell game determine the NCAC qualifier.  One or both of these teams ought to be playing for league championship nearly every year in the NCAC. 

[Danny Boy]

BTW...this is the fourth consecutive year that the team with a guaranteed game after week 11 has lost in this rivialry.  The last three of those games haven't been close.  Anybody ready to bite on my seniors-in-their-last-game-have-something-extra theory?  

Um, DPU has 30 senior players graduating this year.  While I would normally agree with that theory, I'll say that our squad didn't bring anything extra.  

No, no.  This is exactly my point.  All 30 of those seniors got off the bus on Saturday knowing that this was not the last they would play college football.  All of Wabash's seniors, and there are a lot of them on that defense that completed owned that Tiger offense, had to play Saturday like they were never getting another down.  I'm convinced that there is an extra gear that these players find when the clock is about to strike midnight on their football careers.  I've seen too many players in this game find another level that didn't exist before that day to not believe this.  

Ah, yes.  I misunderstood initially.  Yes, I agree.  The recent trend shows that the playoff-bound team leaves something in the locker room.  While I can't say for certain that the Tigers were looking too far ahead and wouldn't treat this as a last game, I will say that I saw no spark from the guys in white.  It's tough to say and I was not on the bus or in the locker room, but we LOOKED gutless.  Distracted, preoccupied, 1 more game, whatever the excuse DPU appeared to lack hunger.

[D3_DPUFan]

D3_DPUFan - I agree wholeheartedly regarding "the game" vs the playoffs.   I don't think that Raeburn got it two years ago and DPU kicked the crap out of us.   However, I don't think the players will ever get it.  Unlike the alumni base, they don't have an appreciation for how they will feel 5, 10, 15 years down the road.

Yes...I agree that is probably true.  

DPUFan - True, that loss was less about weather and more about being dominated.  And maybe voodoo.  Just saying Engle is not the same player in Saturday's conditions.  After watching that embarassment, I'm convinced we would have lost regardless of the skies.  But maybe we could have put SOMETHING on the scoreboard.  Maybe not.

Understood. But Saturday's conditions were not that bad...they we even playing on turf. Hell Wabash's two-headed QB system threw for more than 200 yards and 4 TD's!  It was much less about the weather and much more about handling pressure. Or, more to the point, not handling pressure.

BTW...this is the fourth consecutive year that the team with a guaranteed game after week 11 has lost in this rivialry.  The last three of those games haven't been close.  Anybody ready to bite on my seniors-in-their-last-game-have-something-extra theory?  

I agree there is something to it...you described in another post Wabash guys getting off the bus knowing it's their last game...I get that and understand it and do think in that scenario, guys get it into a higher gear. But I just don't think that explains everything if that makes sense. BTW I would also not by any stretch lump the 2009 game with blow outs in 2008 & 2010...  

[wally_wabash]

BTW I would also not by any stretch lump the 2009 game with blow outs in 2008 & 2010...  

2009 was not as lopsided as 2008 or 2010, but Wabash led 32-13 with 5 minutes to play...the game was certainly on ice at that point. 

[D3_DPUFan]

2009 was not as lopsided as 2008 or 2010, but Wabash led 32-13 with 5 minutes to play...the game was certainly on ice at that point. 

FYI...about five minutes before that DePauw was inside your 10 yard line, coming up an inch short on 4th down on a drive that would have made it less than a touchdown game...then Wabash made the gutsy 4th and inches call deep in DPU territory to essentially seal it. Wabash made the plays needed to win that game...you know it's a good day when you give up more than 450 yards of offense and still win by 13.

[bashbrother]

While Saturday was a dream result for the Little Giants, there were many factors that helped produce the result.  One of which was not weather. 

1. Wabash losing the week prior to Witt - Wabash knew they played bad at Witt and wanted to make up for it.

2. Playoff factor - Last game on competitive football for 23 Wabash seniors.

3. Home field.  Even with the weather, the Hollett could not have looked sweeter on the broadcast. (Not a bad recruiting display on Saturday.)

4. Possible over confidence that comes with a 9-0 record.

5. Simply wanting it more.

[smedindy]

If there is sense in the NCAC scheduling after DePauw joins then the last weekend, with Wooster / Witt and Wabash / DPU, should always have the double air of playoffs / conference championship. Of course, during those games it could turn out that Allegheny could win the crown based on the results.

Can you imagine a Bell game where one team can knock two arch-rivals out of a title (thanks to tiebreakers) and hand it to one that is playing at Hiram? Can you imagine one where the fans are just as glued to the Wittenberg score as the Bell game they are watching? Good times...good times....

[bashbrother]

Can you imagine one where the fans are just as glued to the Wittenberg score as the Bell game they are watching? Good times...good times....

This is actually the way it worked out this year, I was trying to watch the 2nd half of the Bell on HDNet with a ton of texts coming from Crawfordsville asking for play by play from the Witt game.

[wally_wabash]

If there is sense in the NCAC scheduling after DePauw joins then the last weekend, with Wooster / Witt and Wabash / DPU, should always have the double air of playoffs / conference championship. Of course, during those games it could turn out that Allegheny could win the crown based on the results.

Can you imagine a Bell game where one team can knock two arch-rivals out of a title (thanks to tiebreakers) and hand it to one that is playing at Hiram? Can you imagine one where the fans are just as glued to the Wittenberg score as the Bell game they are watching? Good times...good times....

Oh, I'm positively giddy about week 11 in the NCAC starting in 2012.  Just once has the Bell game had real playoff implications in the era of the expanded brackets (that was 2009...maybe for DPU in 2005 had they won...the 2008 and 2010 winners had longshot playoff hopes, but nothing certain even with the win).  Starting in 2012, we will start seeing Bell games that absolutely are elimination games for both teams.  Even over the last 10 years without direct playoff implications, we've seen some great games between some of the best teams these programs have ever produced.  Inject some conference championship and playoff sizzle back into the rivalry, and the Monon Bell experience just gets amplified that much more.  It's going to be awesome.  

[bashbrother]

Side Note -

The Monon Bell thread is about to reach 15 pages, which was Breck's minimum number of post pages to gauge Wabash fans excitement of the game.   

Yep, we're now officially excited about the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBxzfaIRJqs

[wally_wabash]

Watching my recording of the Monon Monkeystomp...it might even be better the second time around.  They can't put this game on a bluray disc fast enough.