118th Monon Bell Classic

[Mr. Ypsi]

Guys, guys,

I love this site every year, but I'm getting bored before it is even MBW!  You think maybe Wabash has a more important (or at least immediate) consideration first, and DePauw has a pretty important consideration also with the AQ of the MIAA coming to town.

Maybe you ought to consider a blackout until at least Saturday night?!  (Or SatERday night, if you're a fan of the LLPP. )

[smedindy]

Saturday is just the pre-game Tiger hate for us!

[D3_DPUFan]

In any case, the 2008 score was the recruiting class of 2004. Which isn't, actually, the date range you were talking about and--also--is the single worst season of Wabash football in the decade since Creighton was hired. Not a coincidence.

Really? The key players on both sides of the ball for DePauw in that game were 2006 and 2007 recruits. In fact, an '08 recruit rushed for 100 yards in that game and another frosh picked off two passes. Undefeated and #2 in the nation going into that game...that WAS a horrible team  You guys are awesome!!!!

[Schwami]

Ypsi, you know that is impossible.

I do think the reason we are already up to Page 20 --- and it isn't even Monon Bell Week yet --- is because of the frustration of the DPU posters.  They've long since thrown in the towel on their season (but for the one thing they hope can bring them redemption), so they post here as a form of therapy.  And it's been a loooong year for them since the last Monon Bell game!

[DPUIrish1]

Ypsi, you know that is impossible.

I do think the reason we are already up to Page 20 --- and it isn't even Monon Bell Week yet --- is because of the frustration of the DPU posters.  They've long since thrown in the towel on their season (but for the one thing they hope can bring them redemption), so they post here as a form of therapy.  And it's been a loooong year for them since the last Monon Bell game!

here we go again - dear God.  NEVER thrown in the towel...that's a joke...and you've used the same forum as your own therapy.  I think you forgot this is not a one-sided rivalry.  Sure...debash is 7-3 the last 10 years, but DePauw is 8-7 over the last 15 years.  I'm all for pride, but let's stop acting like this is YOUR game and always has been.  That's laughable.

[BashDad]

If we were ranking the best players on both teams, wouldn't we get pretty deep in the ranking before we had to write "Depauw?"

This might actually be a fun idea. Here's my stab at our top-10. What are yours, DPU?

1. Wes Chamblee WR/KR - South Bend, IN
2. CJ Gum LB - North Judson, IN
3. Weston Kitley OL - Indianapolis, IN
4. Jonathan Horn WR - Carmel, IN
5. Chase Belton QB - Dayton, OH
6. Luke Zinsmaster LB - Logansport, IN
7. Vann Hunt RB - Phoenix, AZ
8. Austin Hodges CB - Plymouth, IN
9. James Kraus WR - North Judson, IN
10. Pat Clegg DL - Clarendon Hills, IL

Houston Hodges (CB) would have been in had he not been injured, as would Nate Scola (LB). Jonathon Koop (DB) is an All-American that isn't on my top ten and there's a handful of other players that are right up there (including a number of freshmen).

What do other Wabash folks think? 

[sigma one]

I did not say that Wabash has won ALL the recruiting battles when going head to head v. DePauw.  I know recently they've won more than their share. I do not and will not name the names of current student-athletes. I did say that one side would trust me, and the other would not.  OK.  On the brain v. brawn comment--predictable and uninformed--I have a good sense of the Wabash individual and team GPAs, and the players and team do very well, thank you. (Here comes the snarky comment on the quality of a Wabash education!)  I've also said previously that both schools are fine academic institutions as evidenced by the standard national rankings, whatever you may think of them.  To be fair, I know of DePauw players that Wabash would love to have; I would not produce a list like the one here.  There are DPU offensive linemen and defensive backs (and others, but not near the top at lease in notable numbers for me) who would be excellent players anywhere.  By the way, on head to head in recruiting, there are plenty of reasons why a student-athlete chooses a particular school (varying by the individual) including, but not limited to, recent athletic-team success, the campus visit, contact with coaches and the rapport being established there, prospective major (I know of players who have gone to DPU for the business program; Wabash does not have a Business major), and "fit," that elusive but very important factor in the minds of 18, 19 year olds.  I also mentioned Indiana as a recruiting base.  It is Indiana only that I am referencing.  DePauw does very well attracting players from out of state, with strong results in the St. Louis and Chicago areas.  Wabash concentrates on Indiana, though the team has several fine players from other states. In about 10 days we will find out if any of this matters, and even then we won't know for sure.  Fun, if aggrevating exchange among passionate people.

[smedindy]

In all seriousness, if we DPU and Wabash both weren't top notch colleges with passionate alums and fans, this game wouldn't be as special as it is.

[DPUIrish1]

In all seriousness, if we DPU and Wabash both weren't top notch colleges with passionate alums and fans, this game wouldn't be as special as it is.

I would not produce a list like the one here.  It is Indiana only that I am referencing.  DePauw does very well attracting players from out of state, with strong results in the St. Louis and Chicago areas.  Wabash concentrates on Indiana, though the team has several fine players from other states. In about 10 days we will find out if any of this matters, and even then we won't know for sure.  Fun, if aggrevating exchange among passionate people.

thank you sigma and smed for making valid points and not producing a top 10 list with honorable mention candidates of your best recruits on the current debash team.  that was a bit much, debashdad....seriously, unless you're the recruiting coordinator, you might want to spend more time in your job or whatever it is you do with your life.

[Breckenridgebear]

Sounds like Dabash is getting a lot more meat than brains.

Oh, does it? And what in the heavenly universe can you point to as evidence for that brilliant piece of analysis?

The average verbal SAT score of students admitted to DePauw University falls between 530 and 650, and the average math SAT score is between 550 and 670. The average ACT score of admitted DePauw University students is between 24 and 29.

The average verbal SAT score of students admitted to Wabash College falls between 500 and 600, and the average math SAT score is between 530 and 660. The average ACT score of admitted Wabash College students is between 21 and 27.

[Breckenridgebear]

In all seriousness, if we DPU and Wabash both weren't top notch colleges with passionate alums and fans, this game wouldn't be as special as it is.

Agree 100%. That is why you can go into any major city in America on Monon Saturday, and find a bar where two groups of people who won't even talk to each other, are watching a football game.

[D3_DPUFan]

In all seriousness, if we DPU and Wabash both weren't top notch colleges with passionate alums and fans, this game wouldn't be as special as it is.

Well said.

[D3_DPUFan]

I did not say that Wabash has won ALL the recruiting battles when going head to head v. DePauw.  I know recently they've won more than their share. I do not and will not name the names of current student-athletes. I did say that one side would trust me, and the other would not.  OK.  On the brain v. brawn comment--predictable and uninformed--I have a good sense of the Wabash individual and team GPAs, and the players and team do very well, thank you. (Here comes the snarky comment on the quality of a Wabash education!)  I've also said previously that both schools are fine academic institutions as evidenced by the standard national rankings, whatever you may think of them.  To be fair, I know of DePauw players that Wabash would love to have; I would not produce a list like the one here.  There are DPU offensive linemen and defensive backs (and others, but not near the top at lease in notable numbers for me) who would be excellent players anywhere.  By the way, on head to head in recruiting, there are plenty of reasons why a student-athlete chooses a particular school (varying by the individual) including, but not limited to, recent athletic-team success, the campus visit, contact with coaches and the rapport being established there, prospective major (I know of players who have gone to DPU for the business program; Wabash does not have a Business major), and "fit," that elusive but very important factor in the minds of 18, 19 year olds.  I also mentioned Indiana as a recruiting base.  It is Indiana only that I am referencing.  DePauw does very well attracting players from out of state, with strong results in the St. Louis and Chicago areas.  Wabash concentrates on Indiana, though the team has several fine players from other states. In about 10 days we will find out if any of this matters, and even then we won't know for sure.  Fun, if aggrevating exchange among passionate people.

Thanks for explaining and the legitimate reasoning behind your earlier post...and for your common sense regarding "the list." I agree with your points...I don't want to drag this discussion on ad nauseum as I believe it's run its course, but I would think cost and the financial aid packages could play a role as well with some student-athletes.

[DPU3619]

It does kinda bother me that the recruiting angle always gets used by the team who has had more recent success.  I got that shoved down my throat in 2005 & 2006.  Then 2007 and 2008 happened.  And now, 3 years later, we've come back full circle.  I get it.  We all think after a couple of wins that our side is finally taking a step out of this quagmire.  Maybe go on a tear of 7 or 8 wins in a row.  But, we're not.  Wabash isn't.  DePauw hasn't and won't.  Neither will very often anymore, I doubt.  Not in this age where we're competing for the all the same players.

All the huffing and puffing, but we all know this rivalry still splits basically down the middle, and so does the recruiting.  For every Short, there's a Koors.  For every Knott, there's a Spud.  For every Pynenberg, there's a Hertel.  For every Marks, there's a Morris.  It leans one way or the other in a sample of 3-5 years, but evens out over 10-12 years.  It is what it is and it's great.

[D3_DPUFan]

It does kinda bother me that the recruiting angle always gets used by the team who has had more recent success.  I got that shoved down my throat in 2005 & 2006.  Then 2007 and 2008 happened.  And now, 3 years later, we've come back full circle.  I get it.  We all think after a couple of wins that our side is finally taking a step out of this quagmire.  Maybe go on a tear of 7 or 8 wins in a row.  But, we're not.  Wabash isn't.  DePauw hasn't and won't.  Neither will very often anymore, I doubt.  Not in this age where we're competing for the all the same players.

All the huffing and puffing, but we all know this rivalry still splits basically down the middle, and so does the recruiting.  For every Short, there's a Koors.  For every Knott, there's a Spud.  For every Pynenberg, there's a Hertel.  For every Marks, there's a Morris.  It leans one way or the other in a sample of 3-5 years, but evens out over 10-12 years.  It is what it is and it's great.

Very accurate, especially your last sentence.