D3football Daily Dose

I’ve been asked this question more this year than any other, and it usually takes one of a couple of forms:
Isn’t it boring if the same team wins all the time?
Don’t you hate that Mount Union wins every year?

Is it boring? Ehh, probably a little bit.

Do I hate it? Nah, not at all. We’re watching one of the greatest dynasties of our day. It’s not like Mount Union 2002 and Mount Union 2005 have anything in common. Each year is a little different.

However, what I don’t like in Division III football is when we enter the season with Mount Union’s championship being a foregone conclusion. Unfortunately, it looks like 2007 is shaping up to be one of those years. Mount Union loses a key piece in Justen Stickley, but the Purple Raiders have proven that offensive linemen are replaceable and Greg Micheli returns, as does Nate Kmic and Pierre Garcon.

Everywhere else you look, teams are losing key pieces. UW-Whitewater loses its coach, its quarterback, three of its four starting defensive linemen, its No. 1 receiver. Capital loses the only quarterback they’ve had during this run of impressive seasons. St. John Fisher loses the best running back in school history and its top tackler. And those are just a few of the key names on the list.

So this is the challenge I throw out to the other 233 Division III teams. Show us something, please. Give us something to be excited about. Move your game to the next level. Otherwise fans outside of Alliance will be hitting the snooze button and waiting for 2008.

Or 2009.

Bob Berezowitz came up to me after the game and asked when our All-American team came out. When I told him it came out just before the game, he asked, “Did Kleppe make it?”

Hmm, yes, Ryan Kleppe was first team All-American and our Defensive Player of the Year. The Whitewater program had taken the AFCA All-American snub pretty hard, all things considered. Three state school players in the starting 22 for the AFCA (they only name a first team), six in ours.

Thos who talk about coaches reviewing film (by the way, does anyone still use film and a projector these days?) and make superior choices should use this as a guide. Kleppe’s value was far more evident on video or in person than on a stat sheet.

In the end, no All-American team is superior to any of the others. Some are more prestigious. Some involve less politics. Some are so large they aren’t worth the shirt they’re printed on for you to buy.

But in the end, it only seems fitting that Berezowitz was looking out for the best interests of his players.

THE GAME: You may have been to Salem once or twice. Maybe you haven’t been there in a few years. But if you haven’t, and you’re downplaying the experience based on your one or two trips in, you’re missing the boat.

Here’s what Salem has done for the game that you don’t know about:
Some things were done a long time ago, such as adding more lights and press box space. Most people have seen those in action.
However, if you haven’t been to Salem in the past two seasons, you might not realize that the stadium has a new scoreboard and there is now a large video screen stationed behind one of the end zones for the Stagg Bowl.

An elevator was installed last year to expand access to seating for wheelchairs and those who need help getting around.

This year, the locker rooms were completely overhauled with individual lockers installed for players.

Next year, there will be field turf. In fact, the grass may be coming out as we speak — while most wouldn’t commit to it happening, one person close to the field said the process could start as soon as Monday, today.

Here’s what the NCAA has done for the game that you don’t know about:
The home office’s liaison for Division III football, who has taken the moniker “Idiots of the First Magnitude” that was applied by a person posting a comment to the blog, was behind Division III getting the later time slot and the game on ESPN.

Fans realize that there was a video broadcast of the national semifinals last week. Since we promoted it heavily and our voices were involved, we’ve been getting a lot of credit, but in fact, that’s the NCAA’s doing. They paid for the video and got it done. We just did the talking.

There is probably more I don’t know about or have forgotten to mention.

THE LEGACY: With all apologies to Kenyon, it’s time we started talking about Mount Union football in John Wooden-like terms. This dominance of a major sport is approaching UCLA men’s basketball proportions. We should be talking about Larry Kehres in epic terms that transcend the sport of football, and he should be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible.

Hello everyone and welcome to Salem Stadium. This is John McGraw for D3football.com and I’ll be blogging throughout today’s game between Mount Union and UW-Whitewater. Pat Coleman and Keith McMillan are broadcasting live on NCAASports.com and Pat Cummings is down on the sidelines. Gordon Mann and I will be handling the half time show and already hosted the opening part of the pre-game show.

Kick-off is officially scheduled for 4:13 PM EST. The stands are just about completely full on the home side of the field, full of purple and black clad Mount Union fans. UW-Whitewater will be the visitor and their fans take up about 2/3 of the bleachers on the other side of the field. Fans are still making their way into the stadium from the tailgate. There was a great turn-out at the Stone Station tailgate and we thank the Bridgewater folks for their great hospitality.

It’s a gorgeous afternoon for football. Temperatures right now are in the 60s and there’s not a cloud in the sky. You couldn’t pick out better weather for a football game in mid-December.

For Mount Union, Pierre Garcon was warming up without any type of protective cast on his hand. He looked good in warm-ups catching passes, so we’ll see how he does once the game begins.

Don’t forget, later on tonight, the D3football.com All-America team will be posted on D3football.com. We made the official announcement during the pre-game show. Congratulations to all of those selected.

More from Salem to come. We’ll have scoreboard updates on the front page of the web site.

We’ve predicted every Stagg Bowl since Stagg Bowl XXVII, and that year we were one of the few groups east of the Rockies to correctly predict Pacific Lutheran would beat Rowan.

We’re going to rest on those laurels … well, basically forever. We’ve been right every year except 2003, when St. John’s got it done against Mount Union against very long odds. Here’s what our assorted staff and contributors see happening Saturday in Stagg Bowl XXXIV:

Previous years’ picks: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005

Pat Coleman, D3football.com Publisher
I missed last year with UW-Whitewater. I’m giving them one last chance to redeem me. Everyone on the Warhawk side is downplaying the “Win one for the … Bobber” factor. Can the Whitewater front line get pressure on either Mount Union quarterback? Can they and the Mount Union linebackers keep Nate Kmic in the 5-yard-per-category range? I don’t know — they have a better chance than most, but it’s hard to bet against the Purple Raiders. In the end, I am simply playing a hunch. This game, as the networks would say on election night, is too close to call. But a call is required:
Mount Union 23, UW-Whitewater 20

Matt Barnhart, publisher, Bridgewaterfootball.com
This 2006 Warhawks team will be the best all-around squad the Purple Raiders have faced since Bridgewater in 2001. The Eagles fell just three points short that year, but the Warhawks should have enough to get by the second time around. It is always tough to pick against Mount Union, but even on the big stage, they can lose. 2003 versus St. John’s and 2004, at home, against Mary Hardin-Baylor are shining examples.
UW-Whitewater 27, Mount Union 23

Ric Brienza, Mtunionfootball.com
This is supposed to be fun right? Well what could be more fun than winning a ninth national title?
Seriously, how can the eight-time and defending national champions be underdogs in Salem, VA? Once again Larry Kehres has his team thinking that way. This team is very focused and is ready to play, as is Whitewater I’m sure. It should be a very good game between two very good teams. We’ll go with the Purple Raiders in overtime.
Mount Union 34, UW-Whitewater 27 (2 OT)

Pat Cummings, D3football.com broadcaster, Around the Mid-Atlantic columnist
Mount Union has not had as glowing a postseason as we have seen from them in the past. A dramatic shift in their offense, while successful so far, has limited their output and forced me to Whitewater. Even as Justin Beaver was held in check against Wesley, the Warhawks have flowed on all sides and they shine with a spectacular assortment of receivers. They’ve all been here before, so nerves aren’t a factor. Sending Berezowitz out with a win will be all the motivation they need.
UW-Whitewater 23, Mount Union 17

Gordon Mann, D3football.com broadcaster
Going into last year’s Stagg Bowl, Mount Union had lost to ONU and didn’t dominate a wounded Rowan team in the semifinals. UWW survived the toughest region, took out the defending champ and destroyed Wesley. So I picked Whitewater with some confidence. After Mount Union proved me wrong (again), I vowed not to pick against Larry Kehres again. So I won’t.
Mount Union 28, UW-Whitewater 24

Keith McMillan, D3football.com columnist
It could go either way, but Berezowitz riding off into the sunset with a championship, in a rematch, against the greatest Division III program in history is too perfect an ending not to go with.
UW Whitewater 24, Mount Union 21

John McGraw, D3football.com broadcaster
The old saying goes, at least on D3football.com, never bet against Mount Union and Larry Kehres. But, I think 2006 is the year of the Warhawk. Whitewater’s defense has been stiffling all season long and absolutely shut down a potent Wesley offense last week. While Mount’s defense is stellar, the offense lacks a healthy Pierre Garcon. A returning Justin Beaver aids the Warhawks, as does their solid passing attack and outstanding wide receiver Derek Stanley.
UW-Whitewater 17, Mount Union 14

Tom Pattison, Warhawkfootball.com
The difference between last year and this year is UWW’s championship game experience gained in 2005’s 35-28 loss to the Purple Raiders. As Ryan Kleppe told me this week, “there were times during last year’s game that we played like deer caught in headlights.”

For Whitewater the key will be to not let Nate Kmic to have a game like last year. He may gain 100 yards but he can’t rip off big chunks of yardage. While the Warhawks set of linebackers have been called the most talented in Division III, the proof must be on the field on Saturday.

Saturday’s good weather will help Justin Beaver play with mostly repaired collarbone. It was very difficult for him to take hits in the bone chilling cold and frozen turf vs. St. Johns and Wesley leading up to Saturday’s game.
UW-Whitewater 31, Mount Union 24

FIFTY YARD LINE — Arrived in Salem this afternoon for the presentation of the Gagliardi Trophy as well as this afternoon’s practices.

The weather is beautiful here. Currently breezy and low 60s. Head on down to Salem and take this game in — this year is a great opportunity to see the game and the weather at its best.

Field looks alright but not perfect. A couple bare spots that will probably be painted green by the time we hit kickoff.

On the way down here, on the actual road to Salem, Ryan and I passed a pairt of trucks, one of which was being towed. Those trucks just pulled into the stadium — they’re the television production crew.

Reminder that we hit the air for pregame two hours before kickoff. http://www.d3football.com/audio/

Stop in and say hi on the blog when you get to Salem.

So I’m at my real job on Sunday, on the sports copy desk at USA Today, sitting not far from a Wisconsin native. Another editor stops by his desk. The Wisconsin native asks the other if he saw that UW-Whitewater won and would be headed back to the Stagg Bowl.

Some people here know me as a Division III football geek/guru (you make the call), but in this case, I was like a fly on the wall, listening to two casual fans’ honest opinions about Division III football.

“You see who won?”
“No, who?”
“Wisconsin-Whitewater. They’re going back to the championship to play Mount Union.”
“Oh. Now they’ll get killed.”

Normally, I’d butt in there, as most of us expect a pretty tight rematch between the Warhawks and Purple Raiders. But for some reason I kept listening.

“You’ll never guess who scored three touchdowns?”
“Who?”
“Derek Stanley. The guy who used to be a running back at Wisconsin (Madison), and beat up his girl and got kicked off the team. He must’ve ended up at Whitewater.”

‘Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?’ I thought to myself. ‘I didn’t know that. I’m supposed to know stuff like that about D3. I’ve never heard anyone say a negative word about Derek Stanley. And Whitewater doesn’t really seem like it would need to build with transfers with questionable pasts. And he’s a receiver, not a running back. I’m so confused.”

So eventually I spoke up. And we determined that it was BOOKER Stanley who was convicted in July of beating and choking a woman in his off-campus apartment. The running back was kicked off the team this offseason by new UW coach Bret Bielema, and according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in April, inquired about enrolling and playing for Whitewater.

The Warhawks already had a Stanley, thank you very much (not to mention some running back that appears to be holding down the starting job). As far as I know, DEREK is a model citizen.

A journalist always gets his facts straight … eventually.

The moral of the story, kids, is: You might learn a lot more about Mount Union and UW-Whitewater this week than you ever thought you would. But don’t believe everything you hear, and always consider your source.

Definitely keep this in mind as you read fans’ chit-chat about Saturday’s national championship game.

Have at it everybody:

This was about the strangest trip to Alliance I’ve ever been on. It was my seventh time at Mount Union, my sixth time at the national semifinals, and this one was decidedly different than the others.

First of all, usually Keith McMillan and I drive together, leaving D.C. far too late on Friday night, not getting much sleep, calling the game and driving back listening to (and singing) the ’80s songs that permeate the airwaves on a Saturday night.

But, of course, this trip did not go down that way. Keith and I don’t live in the same state anymore, so we traveled separately. It was a painfully long drive back to Connecticut. I’ll have to get a second driver or fly the next time I do that.

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand.
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land.

Usually this trip results in us seeing a blowout. I made the trip solo in 1999, spending the night at the home of Mount Union broadcaster Ric Brienza. Mount Union lost to Rowan in overtime the next day and, for some reason, I have not been offered a bed for the night since.

Ray Martel and Pat Cummings and I made the trip in 2000: Mount Union 70, Widener 30.
Keith and I went in 2001: Mount Union 35, St. John’s 14
Ray and Keith and I went for a regular season game in 2002: Mount Union 35, John Carroll 16. I did not partake of the semifinal rematch, won by Mount Union 57-19.
Keith and I went in 2003: Mount Union 66, Bridgewater 0
Keith and I went in 2004 as well, for the loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor.

But this trip was none of that. It was a Mount Union win, in a close game.

We’re headed for Venus, and still we stand tall.
Cause maybe they’ve seen us, and welcome us all.

Sometimes I felt like I was witnessing my own final countdown on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in December on the way to and from Alliance. (Best thing about I-80 — it’s not the Turnpike!) My favorite combination — wind, snow, darkness, a twisty road and an old car. No thanks. One year I got directions that took me across the tip of West Virginia just to get off the turnpike sooner, but it wasn’t worth it.

Oh, we’re halfway there. Oh, living on a prayer.

Usually Keith and I are about the last ones out the door from the stadium. In 1999, when I was basically doing the site solo, Ed Barmakian of the Newark Star-Ledger and I baked in the old press box until at least 6 p.m. (Old heat, too, though it sure worked.) Lately it had become a routine to stop for dinner at the Arby’s on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just over the border from Ohio. And usually we pull into the Washington area about 1 a.m.

Everybody tell me have you heard? Pop goes the world.

This time I found out one of our Alliance staples was to be no longer. The Buffalo Wild Wings in town is giving up the franchise name and becoming a generic sports bar. A memorable experience there in 2000 made BW3/Buffalo Wild Wings a staple for D3football.com road trips. And a less than memorable morning after made the Mount Union/Widener game even less bearable.

But it was strange, but good. I enjoyed meeting some more Mount Union fans I hadn’t yet gotten to know. St. John Fisher fans either weren’t in the restaurant or didn’t want to say hi. I won’t hold it against you.

So you better go back to your bars, your temples …
your massage parlors.

Well,
We’ve always enlisted readers’ help for the year in review, and last year you helped us produce the biggest year in review ever. Hopefully we can boil it down some, but with 234 teams and about 1,200 games, there’s just so much to cover.

That’s where you all come in. With the popularity of the Daily Dose, some of the more serious posters can be a big help in looking back at a great season. (Obviously we’ve one game left, but it can’t hurt to start looking back at the rest now)

Here are the ground rules:

Season in review
Around the Nation will begin accepting brief suggestions from readers (and players, coaches and school-affiliated professionals) for our 2006 Year-in-Review, due out in January 2007. Use last year’s review (linked at the top right-hand corner, posted Jan. 25, 26 and 27) as a guide for which categories we’re looking to fill, or make up your own. ATN cannot promise public credit for your suggestions this year, and we may or may not use them.

But if you think Kean was the surprise team of ’06 or Luther was the biggest disappointment, let us know here. We’d like to hear your games of the year, plays of the year, players, coaches and things, but most importantly, your off-the-beaten path nominations and suggestions. Things we haven’t covered much or would have no way of knowing about are where you can help most.

I know better than to promise I will use everything you post here, but as we look toward this season’s grand finale — done the right way, on the field … I can’t mention that too many times — let’s look back at the season that was.

Try to refer to previous year in review columns (2005 Parts One, Two and Three) … but of course you can make up new categories for fitting issues.

Here are a few things off the top of my head … this is just a brainstorm, so feel free to contribute your thoughts, unrefined. As few or as many as you have. And certainly we can come up with a Best X and think of a better one, if we all put our heads together. Thanks in advance.

Best regular season rushing performance: Justin Beaver’s 286 vs. UW-Lax
Best playoff rushing performance: Nate Kmic’s 371 vs. St. John Fisher
Most confusing score triangle: UWW 7, UMHB 3; Wesley 34, UMHB 20; UWW 44, Wesley 7
Most impactful play: Jim Migliore’s OT TD catch for Rowan vs. Cortland in Week 10. The Profs eventually won the NJAC and played 3 playoff games, Cortland missed the playoffs at 9-1.
Best big-time acknowledgements: ESPNews’ Division III playoff selection show, featuring Pat Coleman on analysis, Colby-Bates photo in SI, NCAASports.com playoff videocasts, USA Today’s planned feature on Salem, Va.
Worst big-time acknowledgements: USA Today columnist Ian O’Connor writing that the “lower division” playoffs just test who has the fewest injuries in a column defending the BCS; ESPN’s TMQ calling Mount Union the home of bad sportsmanship for some of their margins of victory (will have to check the direct quotes, but you get the gist)
Best games: Whitworth at UW-Stout, Bethany had a couple of really interesting ones.
Worst playoff score comparison: Millsaps’s 21-0 loss to Carnegie Mellon, which lost 37-0 to Wesley, which beat UMHB but lost to UWW 44-7.

Again, these are tentative and just ideas at this point. Feel free to chip in … don’t worry, there’ll be plenty more come January. You won’t spoil yourself by following this thread/post.

It’s nine and a half hours to kickoff as I write this. And as the painful memory of nearly seven hours’ drive time on I-80 alone melts from my eyes, it’s time to throw out my predictions. I have Keith’s predictions in my inbox and have tried not to read them so far.

What will we see tomorrow? I hope we’ll see two good games. I fear we’ll see two blowouts. So maybe we’ll get something in between.

Mount Union 35, St. John Fisher 17
There’s been some question as to which players will be available and play for Mount Union tomorrow. In the end, it’s not going to matter. As long as Nate Kmic can play, this is going to be a quick game and a Purple Raider win.

UW-Whitewater 35, Wesley 17
Is Justin Beaver 100%? Can Mario Harris, et al, shut down Derek Stanley and Neil Mrkvicka? Will receiver Michael Clarke be able to get open and pull away for his yardage after the catch? Can either team stop Ryan Kleppe or Bryan Robinson?

Hmm, that’s a lot of questions.

Here’s Keith’s take.

Mount Union 28, St. John Fisher 14: If the Cardinals score more than 17 against the Purple Raiders, they’d be the first to do so this season.

UW-Whitewater 28, Wesley 21: The Wolverines keep it much closer this year, but the Warhawks find a way to win again, preserving a chance to send coach Bob Berezowitz off into retirement with a championship.

Check for updates on the Scoreboard, not to mention our live broadcasts.

OK, so I only picked one score for both games. So sue me.

Ahh, the flood has already begun. People like to complain about All-Region selections but usually they don’t stop to consider the process.

For example:

I am infuriated on your all region picks on the running backs Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx from xxxxx has an average of 5.5 per carry 12 touchdowns a total of 1,285 yards. How can your pick Xxxxxx and these other running backs over Xxxxxxxxxxxx this is disgusting and so unfair is this done for political reasons. This is my son I’m his mother … I’m disgusted and upset you people are horrible and to top it off he’s a senior. He helped xxxxxx get to the playoffs I didn’t see Xxxxxx do that or the others. This is obviously fixed. I will make an issue of this you people are awful and phonies

Her son wasn’t actually nominated. Hard to get on the team that way. He also wasn’t first team All-Conference and often that weighs into the decision whether to nominate a player.

I also had a situation this year where a player that had gotten accolades in the past was not nominated. I went back to the school and they said the coaching staff felt he had not played at an All-Region level this season.

I had to respect that — but also in looking at the other players nominated in that region at that spot, I had to put that person on the ballot.

The process starts shortly after the season ends. In this instance, schools had an eight-day window in which to nominate their players. On that eighth day, I looked through the nominees and specifically targeted 30 schools that hadn’t nominated players. Anyone who responded to the e-mail and needed an extension got an extra 24 hours.

In the end, sure, there are even worthy players who were nominated and just didn’t get enough votes. I understand that. We try to be perfect but I doubt we ever will be.

For that I apologize. We’ll continue to try to get better.