Week 6: NWC Pick 'Em

An Annual tradition for members of the D3boards.com is the conference “Pick ‘Em” contest. Here is a link to the NWC Pick ‘Em board, however, you must be a registered member in order to see or post on these boards. It only takes a minute to register and doesn’t cost a dime. NWC Pick ‘Em

So old Wildcat11 moved up two spots to number 6 (out of 17) in the NWC pick ‘em contest but only 3 points off the lead so I’m within strking distance at the halfway mark of the season. So here are WC11’s picks of the week *cue the music*:

Menlo over Puget Sound: I’m not totally basing this pick off of last week’s Linfield/Menlo game but for the fact the Menlo is at home and gave the Loggers a facial last year down at Menlo. Due to scheduling UPS is making the back-to-back trips to Atherton and that gives favor to the Oaks. It’s going to be a close one.

Willamette over L&C: The Bearcats keep the wagon wheel and the only drama is if the Pios will be able to score any points.

Gustavus over PLU. The MIAC team is visiting PLU for the very first time and I’m taking the visitor. PLU will get better as the year continues but they are going through “youth” pains this season and that will show in their record.

Bonus Pick: Redlands over Oxy. This is the Game of the Year in the SCIAC and should determine who will win the SCIAC championship and have the inside track to an auto bid. Even with Redland’s explosive QB, Dan Selway, out with a foot injury I’ll take the Dawgs defense and run game over Oxy.

Week 5: NWC Pick 'Em

An Annual tradition for members of the D3boards.com is the conference “Pick ‘Em” contest. Here is a link to the NWC Pick ‘Em board, however, you must be a registered member in order to see or post on these boards. It only takes a minute to register and doesn’t cost a dime. NWC Pick ‘Em

We’re in week 5 and I’m dropping faster that the Dow Jones. I’m currently sitting 8 out of 17 and I’ve been getting killed by the Bonus Games. It’s brutal that someone who likes to fancy themselves as knowing a lot about the conference is getting hammered in the pick ‘em contest. Yikes. Oh Well…here are this weeks picks:

Willamette over Whitworth. Easily the NWC game of the week. These two went into an overtime game last season down in Salem with the Rats squeezing out the win but things have changed so far in 2008. So far the Whitworth defense has been getting shredded and the Rats have had to put the full offensive load on running back Adam Anderson. Willamette on the other hand is playing very well this year and has started the season 4-0. This team has been getting contributions in all three phases of the game and I think they’re going to squarely beat Whitworth up in Spokane this weekend.

Pacific Lutheran Over Lewis & Clark. This is an easy pick. The Lutes get to travel to beautiful Palatine Hill to play on the “Old Style” ACL killing turf of the Pios. Thankfully the turf will be wet due to rain so the chances of that garbage surface shredding Lute knees decrease by a large margin.

UPS over the Bye Week. After getting pounded into a fine dust the Loggers are still on an IV of Wild Turkey and deserve a weekend rest.

Bonus Game of The week: St. Thomas beats Gustavus Adolphus (MIAC). So far I’ve picked ever single bonus game wrong and it’s killed me in the standings. In order to get off the goose egg I’m going to incorporate the “Constanza” theory: Whatever is my first instinct just go with the opposite. My first instinct is Gustavus so that means I’m going to pick St. Thomas.

Week 4: NWC Pick 'em

An Annual tradition for members of the D3boards.com is the conference “Pick ‘Em” contest. Here is a link to the NWC Pick ‘Em board, however, you must be a registered member in order to see or post on these boards. It only takes a minute to register and doesn’t cost a dime. NWC Pick ‘Em

‘Ol WC11 is still holding strong in 5th place out of 17 pickers in the NWC race. I’m only a few points off from the lead so there is still plenty of time to make a move…or really screw it up. So let’s get to the goods!

Whittier over Menlo. Yeah, the Oaks showed some signs of life last week in giving Occidental a pretty good game but that’s the Oaks for you. This program is like a good golf shot. You shank shots on the course all day long but then you hit that one incredible shot that makes you believe you could actually be getting better. That great shot keeps getting you back to the course but when in reality all you’re doing is continuing to fool yourself and prove you’re not very good at golf. Same thing goes for Menlo.

UW-Whitewater over Puget Sound. Hey I have to give Willenbrock credit that he had the stones to put the Warhawks on the schedule but this could turn out bad. Look I don’t think the Warhawks are nearly the same team from the past three years in terms of a dominate offense but they will handle UPS. Granted UWW has the long road trip and they are playing in what I like to call “The Morgue” (due to the place having no life at all). UWW wins not by a dominate margin but comfortable margin and then look for the Loggers to say after the game “We were “this close” to taking the game, we can play with anyone!”

Willamette over LeVerne. Yup the Bearcats have made me a complete fool the past three weeks, BUT NO MORE! I’m officially picking WU to win.

Whitworth over Chapman. People have been jumping off the Whitworth bandwagon faster than rats jumping of a sinking pirate ship. (Boom! I was able to work in a “rat” reference with a tie in to a Pirate ship. *pats self on back* +1 Wildcat11). Yes I know the Rats lost Kemp at quarterback but I don’t think that is a huge loss. He’s been more of a care taker than a play maker. Whitworth will continue to get better but this is a pick ‘em game and I haven’t given up on the Rats just yet.

Bonus Game: Bethel @ Concordia-Moorehead. I’m going with Bethel. Everyone with Willamette ties have now become huge Cobber fans because the more Concordia wins the better Willamette looks for a Pool C bid if they don’t win the NWC. Concordia is coming off a big win but I think SJU’s offense was exposed as a fraud and Bethel is going to be a different beast for the Cobbers to handle.

Week 3: NWC Pick 'Em

An Annual tradition for members of the D3boards.com is the conference “Pick ‘Em” contest. Here is a link to the NWC Pick ‘Em board, however, you must be a registered member in order to see or post on these boards. It only takes a minute to register and doesn’t cost a dime. NWC Pick ‘Em

Wildcat11 went 6 for 8 last week. I picked Willamette to lose and the ‘Cats to win and we know how those game out. 6 for 8 might sound good but I dropped from 3rd to 5th out of 17 posters. I’m hoping for a clean sweep during week 3 of NWC action.

Puget Sound over Claremont-M-S - Kavin Williams played well vs a perennial SCAIC powder puff and I expect UPS to continue to mop up the lower half of the “we won’t play Linfield” conference.

Pomona-Pitzer over Lewis & Clark – I know people were excited that L&C beat a team with 20 dudes on the roster but the Pios are still terrible. Yes, the effort is there to move the program in the right direction but the best part of their season wrapped up two weeks ago.

Cal Lutheran over Pacific Lutheran – Yikes! PLU’s back up QB, Nick Caraballo, comes in for their injured starter, Michael Byrne, and goes 5 for 30 with 3 picks. Oh my. Again, PLU has some good young talent but that will not help them this year as they continue to take their lumps.

Oxy over Menlo – Menlo has shown as much life as 3-day old road kill. Oxy is going to murder them.

Southern Oregon over Willamette – OK so the Bearcats have made me a fool the past two weeks but eventually I’m going to be right and this is the week. The Bearcats play well at home but I think SOU is going to be too physical for them to overcome this time.

Redlands over Whitworth – Redlands was sharp in week one and Whitworth wasn’t. I base this pick on Redlands being at home, having a veteran team, and that the Rats still have many new pieces. Also for me, QB Kory Kemp has not come through in the play making department.

Bonus Game: Central over Wartburg (IIAC). This is a toss up but Wartburg took a bad loss last week so I’ll take the home team (Central)

Northwest Conference Pick 'Em

An annual tradition for the memebers of D3boards.com is the conference "Pick 'Em" contests. Here is a link to the NWC Pick 'Em board, however, you must be a registered member in order to see or post on these boards. It only takes a minute to register and doesn't cost a dime. NWC Pick 'EM

Old WC11 sits in 3rd place out of 17 after going 2 for 3 last week. I came "this close" to taking Willamette over Concordia but the Cobbers strong tradition baited me into picking the Cobbs. My mistake.

So here are WC11's week 2 picks for the NWC games plus the bonus game of the week.

St. Olaf over the visiting PLU. The 'Lutes are so young and this is a tough trip to start off on. I have no idea how the 'Lutes will perform so I'm taking the home MIAC team.

Puget Sound over Pomona-Pitzer. The Logs get to chew up on the soft SCIAC teams before getting to the meat of their schedule. I'll be keeping an eye on Kavin Williams this week.

Chapman over Menlo. The Oaks are at home for the 2nd week in row but I'm still not sure if/when they are going to start putting up good performances. Chapman is not a world-beater program but they are solid enough to get the win.

Claremont M-S over L&C. I know people are happy for the Pios but I would be shocked if they have improved that much in such a short time.

Rats over LaVerne. Coach Tully has said that Whitworth hasn't thought about Redlands at all and all their focus is on LaVerne. I suspect LaVerne to get ran over all day long here.

Cal-Lutheran over Willamette. The Bearcats have been very quiet about QB Ryan Whitcomb's knee injury but I suspect he won't be in LA this weekend and that should spell doom for the Bearcats. I would take the Bearcats with Whitcomb but not if he's out.

Bonus Game: UW-Whitewater over UW-EauClaire. I think UWW will be able to get it done on defense but this should be a very tight game.