118th Monon Bell Classic

[Danny Boy]

sigma one -

Totally agree.....  The Bell Game has proven itself to be as much, if not more, a mental game as it has been a physical one.   The whole playoff element has only added another dynamic.   Next year,  the perfect storm of Bell, Playoff & Conference Championship may/will all be on the line in some form for each team.

There is so much made of this game, and we have to remember we are still dealing with young, emotional student athletes.   Anything can truly happen.   I don't care about what anyone says,   this IS the best rivalry in College Football.  The historical record is unmatched and is what helps prove this point.

I believe Wabash will win,  but don't believe it will be the "monkey stomp" it was last year,  history just doesn't support that it will go down that way.

Agree with everything here.  If money were on the line, I'd take wabash.  But I don't think I'd care about this rivalry if I didn't understand that either team can win it any given year.  Truly the best rivalry -- the history and the unpleasantries make it so. 

[Breckenridgebear]

         

I don't look forward to the next three weeks. The conversation is going to stay a healthy distance from actual football talk--you know, because why invite further clarification on why and how much y'all suck? Instead, we're going to hear a billion little cries into the universe of "throw out the records" and "the pressure's entirely on Wabash" and "this is Depauw's championship game" and "look at 1996" or "look at 2008" or "look how gay you are" blah, blah, blah. It's all just noise; an attempt to fill the massive, gaping wound of inferiority that you're going to strut in to Blackstock with in 20 days.

Depauw is going to lose and not by 7 or 14 or a field goal at the last second. It's going to be ugly. Like We'll-Be-Here-On-Monday-Talking-About-Whether-Or-Not-The-Last-Touchdown-Was-Classless Ugly.

You don't have the horses, man. You don't have a quarterback (holy grossman, batman, how many have you PLAYED this year?), a run game, or a defense. You don't have a coach who has engendered any kind of big-game confidence, nor--more importantly-- proven he can scheme to protect his team's weaknesses (to say nothing of scoring zero points in his first bell game and giving up 47. In a GOOD year. With a PLAYOFF team).

Your program is gasping for air and your players are not good and your coach is so good that fans of the team are saying things like "he didn't ASK to be head coach, cut him some slack." You guys are in sooooooooo much effing trouble.

But, you know, keep talking.

Dear Dabash Dad,

I am sorry you don't look forward to the next three weeks, these next three weeks are the best time of the year. Not only do we have the build up to the Bell game, but with a winning record Dabash actually has a chance to keep a playoff dream alive. Similarly, Depauw has a chance to partially redeem a lackluster season. Sure Depauw is not having the best of seasons, but if they turn it around in these next few weeks who is to say that a repeat 1999 is not possible? 

There is no question that Depauw has some problems, but so does Dabash, as does every other team that puts on a helmet every weekend. I know that the caveboyzz of Dabash are the perfect team with no faults, has an unassailable coaching staff, and are superior to every man to walk the earth, but we know that is not true. Dabash will slip up, as they do every year. To say they won't, you will have to show me those Stagg Bowl Trophies you have been collecting up at Dabash School of Animal Husbandry. Depauw's best chance for a win (at least at this point, not knowing what will happen in the next few weeks) is that Dabash wins out, and looks forward to the playoffs.   

We will keep on talking, because Depauw Never Quits. You caveboyzz always like to dish it, but can never take it.   

I also don't discount a chopped up Blackstop field, if the grass there takes a beating from practice and the home game the previous week, what with Wabash playing on turf almost all year.  Bear, what's with the vitriol:  some Wabash guy steal your girlfriend, take a job away?  Jeez. Maybe talking football for a change would be good therapy.

Thanks for your concern sigma one. And no, a wally caveboy did not steal my girlfriend, it was my best milking cow.

You do bring up a good point about the field. Those privileged cavboyzz of dabash do play most of the season on a synthetic turf. As you know, Blackstock grass (a surface the game was meant to be played on) often takes a beating. As I reside over 1500 miles from the stadium, I have not seen the shape it is in currently. I do know that Depauw Field Hockey (that is a sport Depauw Women play, Google it) has had some problems with a fungus affecting their grass and has been using the football practice field and Blackstock this season. Will this make the field a tougher place for Dabash to play after spending so much time on carpeting? I can't really tell you. It is just one more factor that can impact the outcome of the game, which according to most of dabash, is not even worth playing, as Depauw is so horrible, inferior, blah, blah, blah, Dabash!

Can't wait to hear more dabash responses for the next three weeks!   

[BashDad]

If you don't believe in upsets, then you must not understand the history of this rivalry.

There are upsets and then there are upsets. You're welcome to find me an instance of a team with 6-7 more losses than their opponent winning the bell game.

The "anything can happen" schtick is as good a rallying cry as any, I guess. It just seems kind of silly this year.

It may be a tough season to be a Tigers fan but I'm optimistic considering our win over OWU.

Oh, lord....

[Breckenridgebear]

sigma one -

Totally agree.....  The Bell Game has proven itself to be as much, if not more, a mental game as it has been a physical one.   The whole playoff element has only added another dynamic.   Next year,  the perfect storm of Bell, Playoff & Conference Championship may/will all be on the line in some form for each team.

There is so much made of this game, and we have to remember we are still dealing with young, emotional student athletes.   Anything can truly happen.   I don't care about what anyone says,   this IS the best rivalry in College Football.  The historical record is unmatched and is what helps prove this point.

I believe Wabash will win,  but don't believe it will be the "monkey stomp" it was last year,  history just doesn't support that it will go down that way.

This is the first good post from Dabash this year (Except for the caveboyzz winning).

Yes, it is true, anything can happen. Records, playoffs, etc . . . do matter, but the Bell game itself can either bring out the best, or the worst in a team. This is why the Bell game is the most exciting rivalry in all of College football.

Next year will be a whole new level of competition. Talk about a game that means absolutely everything.

[BashDad]

Depauw's best chance for a win (at least at this point, not knowing what will happen in the next few weeks) is that Dabash wins out, and looks forward to the playoffs.   

Here's hoping Coach Long shares your enthusiasm.

[Breckenridgebear]

Depauw's best chance for a win (at least at this point, not knowing what will happen in the next few weeks) is that Dabash wins out, and looks forward to the playoffs.   

Here's hoping Coach Long shares your enthusiasm.

and Dabash looking forward to getting waxed in the playoffs.

[wally_wabash]

Can we stop with the "looking forward to the playoffs" stuff?  Nobody overlooks the Monon Bell.  Not a single player, coach, or fan.  I have a theory on why the team that knows they are playing another game beyond Week 11 has struggled in the recent years which I have shared around these forums many times previously.  It has nothing to do with looking past the game and it's absurd to think that anybody does this. 

It may be a tough season to be a Tigers fan but I'm optimistic considering our win over OWU.

I know you're new to NCAC competition, but you should check yourself here.  You know who else beats OWU?  Everybody.  Y'all didn't prove that you're not bad...you're just not as bad as OWU. 

[Danny Boy]

Can we stop with the "looking forward to the playoffs" stuff?  Nobody overlooks the Monon Bell.  Not a single player, coach, or fan.  I have a theory on why the team that knows they are playing another game beyond Week 11 has struggled in the recent years which I have shared around these forums many times previously.  It has nothing to do with looking past the game and it's absurd to think that anybody does this. 

It may be a tough season to be a Tigers fan but I'm optimistic considering our win over OWU.

I know you're new to NCAC competition, but you should check yourself here.  You know who else beats OWU?  Everybody.  Y'all didn't prove that you're not bad...you're just not as bad as OWU.

Before we start cherry picking statements, go back and read the first 4 words of the following sentence.  Here, I'll do it for you: "Quality of opponent aside..."  Not saying the victory over OWU was a significant win, just saying I liked that our offense actually seemed to fire.  D held well, too.  The guys showed a spark that was absent since game 1 and IMO we got our best QB play of the season from a freshman.  Given our poor performances thus far, it was nice to see some production from the pocket.

[BashDad]

Yeah, freshman QBs really have a great record in the rivalry, too.

Anything can happen!

[Breckenridgebear]

Can we stop with the "looking forward to the playoffs" stuff?  Nobody overlooks the Monon Bell.  Not a single player, coach, or fan.  I have a theory on why the team that knows they are playing another game beyond Week 11 has struggled in the recent years which I have shared around these forums many times previously.  It has nothing to do with looking past the game and it's absurd to think that anybody does this. 

It may be a tough season to be a Tigers fan but I'm optimistic considering our win over OWU.

I know you're new to NCAC competition, but you should check yourself here.  You know who else beats OWU?  Everybody.  Y'all didn't prove that you're not bad...you're just not as bad as OWU.

Before we start cherry picking statements, go back and read the first 4 words of the following sentence.  Here, I'll do it for you: "Quality of opponent aside..."  Not saying the victory over OWU was a significant win, just saying I liked that our offense actually seemed to fire.  D held well, too.  The guys showed a spark that was absent since game 1 and IMO we got our best QB play of the season from a freshman.  Given our poor performances thus far, it was nice to see some production from the pocket.

Dabash dad,

Beating OWU might be something that Dabash automatically assumes is a win, as dabash can't lose, but it is more than that for Depauw this season. It is a step in the right direction. All a team needs sometimes is a little kick to get the season going in the right direction. And maybe, just maybe, a freshman QB can lead Depauw. All the players were once Freshman.

Anything can happen Dabash dad, just accept it.

[smedindy]

There was 1967, where a 1-7 Wabash team beat a 6-1-1 DPU team 7-0 in the mud and gunk. That was the year the cowards at DPU buried the bell lest "Operation Frijoles II : Electric Boogaloo" would have occurred.

That game gives credence to the 'anything can happen' talk.

When Wabash and DPU took turns knocking each other out of the playoffs it was good teams beating better teams, not blah teams beating great ones.

[bashbrother]

Worth another watch.... I particularly like Coach Long looking around at his coaches for an explanation.....  perfect "Wanna  Get Away"  commercial moment......  I also like Depauw's pass defense.....  we could start a new TV Series... call it "Lost"

http://youtu.be/DBxzfaIRJqs

WAF!  This one is going to be fun!

[Danny Boy]

"Operation Frijoles II : Electric Boogaloo"

I have to give credit for this awesome 80s reference.  However, the burial was an attempt at resourcefulness rather than cowardice.  Dannies are not intimidated by wallies; we're not afraid of anything that sneezes glitter.

[Breckenridgebear]

Worth another watch.... I particularly like Coach Long looking around at his coaches for an explanation.....  perfect "Wanna  Get Away"  commercial moment......  I also like Depauw's pass defense.....  we could start a new TV Series... call it "Lost"

http://youtu.be/DBxzfaIRJqs

WAF!  This one is going to be fun!

We are showing films now?

Check out #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CszeIv00TkM, It is tough to tell whether he gave dabash the bird.

[bashbrother]

Worth another watch.... I particularly like Coach Long looking around at his coaches for an explanation.....  perfect "Wanna  Get Away"  commercial moment......  I also like Depauw's pass defense.....  we could start a new TV Series... call it "Lost"

http://youtu.be/DBxzfaIRJqs

WAF!  This one is going to be fun!

We are showing films now?

Check out #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CszeIv00TkM, It is tough to tell whether he gave dabash the bird.

We scored in our film!