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.
My trip to Alliance was a first.
Since I started working for D3football.com in 2002 I have been to two of the four semifinals possible and three of the four Stagg Bowls. But my Stagg stories are for another blog.
2003: St. John’s vs. RPI; an excellent matchup on a snowy, cold day in Collegeville. Not a long journey by any stretch since I live a little over an hour away in Minneapolis. But I met Jayson Moy, an RPI graduate and staffer for USCHO.com, at the game which led to more photographic connections for D3football.com in a couple of years.
2005: UW-Whitewater vs. Wesley; I think we remember that outcome quite well. As a photographer blowouts are never fun to shoot. For me, a good sign of the interest level of the game is how much I don’t remember happening when I wasn’t firing off photos. Sadly I remember much of that game. Wish it had been closer. Maybe in 2006. Wait, no, that didn’t happen. There’s always next year, right?
2006: Mount Union vs. St. John Fisher; Wow, what a game! I rode down with RaiderGuy (which I will document a little later in this post) and had two of our photographers drive up from Troy, Ohio, to help document the game: David Rich and his wife, Rhonda. We have over 700 photos in the gallery. It’s always nice to meet a photographer you have brought into the fold in person and have the opportunity to work side by side.
The ride
After making the journey to Whitewater, Wisc. for the St. John’s game with Johnnie fans and Posting Up posters my sleep schedule was shot. I am also the programmer for D3football.com and D3hoops.com, in addition to a few other websites that many of our readers frequent, and thus am acclimated to working late at night with Pat and updating my software from 6pm to 4am daily, I had to pull an all-nighter to catch my ride to Whitewater. My sleep schedule was shot ever since.
RaiderGuy (RG) and I hit the road around 10:30 a.m. Central and stopped off at the Norske Nook in Osseo, Wisc., for a late breakfast that was absolutely incredible(!) we bought a pie, a couple of slices for RaiderGuy’s wife in Ohio, myself and Pat and continued on our 13-hour adventure to Middlefield, Ohio.
The rest of the drive was pretty non-descript but RG was impressed with my ability to use my cell phone to connect to the internet while he was driving down the toll roads of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio at 75 MPH to stay on top of my three jobs, the news on D3football and the massive amounts of email that come in from visitors to the website. We arrived at his Ohio home in Middlefield around 1:30 a.m. Eastern, 14 hours after we left my apartment in Minneapolis.
We woke up around 8am and started to prepare for a possibly frigid day in Alliance and set out on our 45-minute drive through Amish country to Mount Union in his car. If I were to have driven myself and had to find my way back to his house I probably would have given up and driven all the way back to Minneapolis on the 5.5 hours of sleep I got that night.
After setting up my desktop in the press box and getting everything configured for Pat and Keith’s arrival an hour later, RG and I walked over to the visitor center for the traditional Mount Union brunch. There I found RG talking to George Weimer, Jr, a Mount Union alum, former employee and avid follower of all things Purple Raider football and we shot the breeze for a few minutes. His business card (he’s a retired banker) was nowhere near accurate in describing himself but quite the descriptor of his humor: listless – useless – aimless AT YOUR SERVICE. My only regret from my conversation with George was that I did not ask him if he was going to make the trip to Salem if Mount Union won the game.
We went to the buffet… If you have never been to Alliance to see a Mount Union game, or have been but haven’t tried the buffet, you definitely should. The selection of food was incredible; You could have an omelet made to order, waffles made while you wait, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon (my preferred breakfast of choice) or even forgo breakfast altogether and have lunch! From what I could see they had hot dogs, brownies, donuts and much much more.
And then there was the game. It became apparent right away that I made the right choice a month ago in contacting RG about the possibility of going to Alliance for the semifinals. Not only was the game close throughout but it became apparent at halftime that it was the only worthwhile game of the weekend (somewhere Pat has a photo of Keith ‘listening’ to the end of the UWW-Wesley game with his eyes wide shut).
Fast-forward to the postgame. Pat, Keith, RG and I went to a Texas roadhouse for dinner and a 90-minute discussion of all things Div III football. I won’t deny that I am far less knowledgeable than my superiors on all subject matter but this year I am far more able to insert my observations and my, insignificant, opinions on game match ups and possible outcomes. But to see the three of them talk about things made the trip worthwhile.
RG and I retired to his second home and I started the daunting task of editing 1416 photos into something more acceptably reasonable for viewing. Not long after we arrived I stepped outside to make a few phone calls and, when I was there, I looked up in the sky to catch a Geminid meteorite flash across the sky. With as many stars as I can see in the Minneapolis skies at night I had never seen a meteorite before. I decided to call my father and fill him in on the game, and the sighting, when an Amish buggy went by.
Click clock click clock click clock… Right when I was going to tell my father about the buggy the phone cut out. I swear they have cellular phone killers on those buggies! I couldn’t make another stable phone call the rest of the night!
After doing the edit once, watching the launch of the Shuttle Discovery, I retired to bed around 3am. Another long, long day on the road, which would be capped off with a long, long ride back to Minnesota.
RG and I hit the road around noon ET and made exceptional time. Apparently his radiophonic experiences were limited to sports stations and he has been introduced to many, many different new genres of both talk radio and political satire. Between the Capitol Steps, WBUR’s Only A Game and WBEZ’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, his understanding of what radio can bring you is more than just sporting news, scores and play-by-play.
What a trip it was, and what a trip it can be again in the future! The hospitality of Purple Raider fans ranks in my top 5 experiences in Division III sports and is quite possibly the best experience of the 2006 football season.
Thank you RaiderGuy, and your lovely wife, for your hospitality. I’ll see you this weekend at Salem!
Go teams that wear Purple and Black!
GEORGE WEIMER IS THE MAN! He is legend at Muc…what a great guy..
Did you see his car…its a dark purple..oh shoot I cant think of the name of the car..but its one of those old fashioned looking models that came out a few years ago with a big back end, lots of trunk space…and hes got a raiders decal on either front door… its sweet…glad you enjoyed Dear old MUC….
great pics by the way too…those guys in the purple suits are awesome…
Could it be a PT Cruiser?
yeah, thats it…thanks..brain dead on monday morning
He also has a purple golf cart. I do believe George and his wife Shirley are going to Salem.
As much as I imagined the amount of work that goes into putting on this three ring circus called D3 Football.com…….I know now these guys work harder than Barnum & Bailey ever did. That includes the elephants…
As the elephant trainer was tending to his duties a fan came by to watch….
Just then the elephant took a huge elephant flop on the trainer’s head…
The obsever was totally grossed out by the occurrence and questioned….
“Man why don’t you find another job? There must be something better you could do?
“What……and give up show business!
Thanks for the great time this weekend Ryan, Pat and Keith. Keep juggling those elephants for us all.
OH ya and one more thing
GO RAIDERS!
Number 9
Number 9
Number 9
Number 9
Number 9
So sayeth The Beatles and you just don’t MUC with the Beatles.
N. P. R. stands for Nineth Purple Raiders right Ryan?
I’ll agree with RaiderGuy – don’t mess with the Beatles – they are the best.
However, Mount Union should skip Number 9 and fast forward directly to “Help!”
The Stagg Bowl will feature the two best teams and hopefully noone gets hurt and UW Whitewater wins.
I think everyone knows it will be a great game.
I’ve asked this several times and noone has answered. Is there anyone out there that did not pick Mount Union to go to the Stagg Bowl? I’m just curious.
I called today to order my tickets for the game (this will be my 7th trip to Salem to watch the Raiders play), and I was absolutely floored when the operator told me that MUC will be on the HOME side this year! If this is true, this is the first time MUC has ever been the home team. Would be nice to wear our purple jerseys for once…
Regardless of the outcome, Saturday’s game is going to be a great one. I listened to the last 2 playoff games from my computer in Washington, DC, and they were probably two of the closest and exciting games that MUC has played in the past few years. I’m sure this weekend’s game will be no different.
Here’s wishing ALL of the players a safe and healthy game.
Nine would be divine. GO RAIDERS!
Though the game was cold and painful to watch in 2003, I second ryancoleman’s assessment of the buffet at Mount Union. The food there in the cafeteria on game day was excellent. Little did I know it would turn out to be the only good thing I experienced that day as a BC fan.
Raider94
If you’ve been there 7 times then you should remember sitting in the home stands for Lycoming and Bridgewater. I
Pat
Sorry if I had little to say on Friday night. Those Cokes do little to loosen my tongue. It was the first time in all the years I’ve been around this site that Mama cut me loose to go hang with my cyper buddies, as wierd as she thinks it all is. What we both think is pretty cool is the number of old college friends like Runyr that I have reconnected with that I would never have found any other way than through this site. Thank you for reunited old friends and making hundreds of new ones. And thank you from an old small college athlete for giving today’s Division III athletes the kind of national forum they deserve.
70s,
that’s always the thing that motivates us … we all played or went to D3 schools, and a lot of times you could barely find a blurb in the local paper about your game, much less get an idea what was what nationally.
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Re: the top of this blog thread
Just for the record, Pat usually sings a lot more than I do. Some of these songs I don’t even know. Only lyric above I knew off hand was Bon Jovi (heck yeah, Jersey in the house!)
But I’ll sing a little Wang Chung or J. Geils Band or Cameo every now and again, especially if I’m loopy off a short night’s sleep and mad about not seeing a good game 🙂
Flying was not all that much better.
Somehow I was on a smaller Embraer plane than the one to Cedar Rapids. Not a lot of fun for a 6-3 guy … could you imagine being like 6-8?
Somehow the 1-day rental (of a Cadillac) from Enterprise in Cleveland totaled $205. I was plenty early, but I did the SJF-MUC game on one hour of doze-off on the plane sleep. I’m a hard sleeper, so I had to stay up the night before so I could leave my house in Va. to drive to BWI for a 6:45 a.m. flight. As Pat well knows, if me going to sleep is involved, I can cut it really close. I think I got to the gate for our Millsaps-Miss. Coll. trip a few years back as the plane was boarding 😯
I did arrive Saturday on both ends with time to spare, and when I got to Cleveland, made it over to Baldwin-Wallace (nice field! … plus one for me, Pat!) before driving to Alliance.
On the way back, I missed all of the Eagles game — luckily they were playing the Redskins and I caught it on the radio. I got to be home for an hour or so before leaving for work at USA Today.
But, as Pat said when he booked me the flight: “At least it’s not six hours in the car.”
No doubt about that.
Was nice to get a good game at MUC too. In fact, no real stinkers on any of my travels this year, except maybe the first UWW-UWLax game, but at least that was interesting.
Keith:
Don’t make me mention Weird Al. 🙂
HAHA! And the times I’ve been with you and its “Name that Tune!”
Those were fun times. Now we’re all busy with site-related things.
oh and one word: kajagoogoo.
Yeah, in a little way, the season is a little more fun in Week 3 than in Week 15.
It will be a great game this year as well. I just believe it’s UWW’s year.
UWW 31 MUC 24
Does anyone know what hotel or hotels Mount fans are staying at. I dont wanna get stuck in the wrong hotel???
I heard a rumor about a new rule that evens the playing field in terms of where a team can stay, and something to the effect of no more than an $8 difference between each player per team per hotel room. Does anyone know what im talking about or does anyone have any additional information about this rule change, or do I need to quit believing evrything I hear?
Purplephyco- MUC fans usually stay at the Wyndham , but this rule change I mentioned above may affect that if it is infact true.
Pat sings?
I look forward to it on next years selection show on ESPN News.
“Rock Lobster” by the B 52s would make for interesting t.v.
ATO: Never heard that one.
Keith: You don’t know Duran Duran? Anyway, those lyrics were all songs I heard on the drive Saturday night. 🙂
My underestanding is the Wyndham is where the Mount Union group will be staying and where the pregame party is planned on Friday night. That is what I know from the alumni office.
I’m sure I’d know it if I heard it … but I never could understand what those guys were saying anyway, so I don’t know the lyrics.
Or was that Depeche Mode?
Pat, actually, I meant to mention Weird Al.
He is undoubtedly my homie. And my brother’s too.
Yeah, the time we were all falling asleep at the hotel at UW-Stout/Hardin-Simmons and Ryan pulled “Rock Me Amadeus” off his laptop was classic.
No. 1 is Rio by Duran Duran
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ0zIPjx3Bk
No. 2 is The Final Countdown by Europe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKKs_vWJmVY
No. 3 is Livin’ on a Prayer, as you mentioned
No. 4 is Pop Goes the World, by Men Without Hats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y_B3YbGztI
No. 5 is One Night in Bangkok, from the musical Chess actually, performed by Murray Head
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TMAdRmVPKI
It’s possible that Pop Goes the World is the most ’80s of all ’80s songs.
hmm….. I might have to put together a random playlist on the iPod for this weekend JUST for you Keith. 🙂
Pat had to be a huge fan of the VH1 show “Reuniting the Band”.
I think the most 80’s of 80’s songs is not “Pop Goes the World” (yikes), but is that tune from the Flock of Seaguls. Please don’t tell me Pat had his hair done like the lead singer.
I must confess, I do like 80’s tunes.
I was thinking in terms of the instrumentation, the way it’s played, the simplistic synth line played over and over, the key change. It just oozes the decade. Plus it’s from a two-hit wonder.
Well said Pat. Your analysis would also work for the tune by the group The Tom Tom Club.
First of all, an enormous “Thanks” to Pat Coleman and all the great folks who work so hard to keep Div 3 football fans well informed and excited about this year’s playoffs. When I went into the d3football web site and saw the link to “live video” for the Purple Raiders/SJF semifinal game, I could hardly believe my eyes. Being somewhat computer illiterate (hey, it took me half a day to get registered for this comment) I clicked on the live feed link and to my amazement I was immediately in Alliance, Ohio sitting in the grandstand and watching the game. My first image was Nate Kmic hightailing it down the sidelines for his first touchdown. I usually get to Mount Union for at least one game a year, and have been to three of the Stagg Bowls, but this year I’ve had some medical problems and haven’t had the joy of watching the amazing football that Larry Kehres and his team consistently give us.
A couple notes. First of all, I’m the guy (Mount Union degree 1964, married to the Mount Union 1962 homecoming queen of 1962 — still one of the miracles of my life) with the son who is a 1992 grad of UW-Whitewater. We THINK we’re the only father-son combination with degrees from both schools in last year’s and this year’s championship game. We went together to the Stagg Bowl last year, sat with the MUC president, and tried to ignore my son’s UW-W sweatshirt. What a great experience for us — thanks again to Division III football. Oh, and thus my contradictory Raiderwarhawk login ID. But the Raiders are first — by far.
Living in Madison, WI, just an easy 45-minute drive from Whitewater, we drove over for the UWW/SJU quarterfinal game. I must say this guy Ryan Kleppe is scary good. He spent about as much time in the St. John’s backfield as did the SJU quarterback. To make it even worse, he sounds like a wonderful young man. Happens a lot in D3, doesn’t it? I fear for my beloved Purple Raiders this year, especially since I’m not sure Nate Kmic can completely neutralize all the strengths of Whitewater. With Pierre Garcon at full health it would be another matter. But I learned long ago to never, ever, count Larry Kehres out. He’ll come up with something. We’re having a Stagg Bowl party on Saturday, but it’ll be tough on us. Nearly everyone in Madison has some connection to Whitewater, and we think we’re the only Mount Union grads within 100 miles. Anyway, go Purple Raiders.
And finally, a word about my dear friend George Weimer. Thanks to Ryan Coleman for the description of George, which is right on the money. What he didn’t say is that until very recently George, now well into his 70’s because he was on the admissions staff at Mount Union when I was a freshman in 1960) would do pushups after every Purple Raider score. When we got up to 70 points, he would do all 70 pushups, and he never had to “cheat,” as some of our presidents have done in the past. Everyone who attended Mount Union College during the last 50 years will have George Weimer stories, and he is one of the most beloved icons on campus.
Thanks for letting me ramble. Can’t wait for Saturday. Go Mount. Go Whitewater. But Go Mount just a little bit more.
Raiderwarhawk,
I hope your son celebrates a win for his team on Saturday. You are proof that there are good Mount Union fans.
Raiderwarhawk,
My wife and I both graduated from MTU (94 for me 97 for her) and my sister and her husband both graduated from UWW (1996/7).
I am hoping that I can call them again this year and “Rub It In”…
SeanGOP,
If UW-W wins I will take my son to dinner. I don’t think there will be a real loser in this game. Both teams have worked hard all year, and a combined 28-0 record so far this year and a 55-2 record over the past two years is almost unbelievable. ..and yet! Go Purple Raiders!
and to Kirasdad,
Sounds like your family is equally unique to mine. Will you all be together Saturday? And remember, “he who rubs it in now might well get rubbed out tomorrow.” But I’m with you in spirit. I love that little place in Alliance. When my wife and I were there from 1959-1964, the football team had a five-year record of 12 wins, 33 losses. I didn’t miss a home game, but I was normally one of about a dozen fans, excluding families of players and the band. I loved it then; I love it now. It’s just a little more fun now.
Again, vacation woes make this a pain, or my Ipod loaded with its 12,000 songs would be great for a little D3 Football Name That Tune Friday night.
Now if somebody could find me a copy of Warhawk Boogie my D3 Playlist would be in order 🙂
Raiderwarhawk,
I agree with what you wrote – at this point in the season, both teams are winners. Mount Union for the obvious reasons of talent and dynasty. UW Whitewater for yet another great year, and being conference champs of a tough conference.
It will be a GREAT game – not matter who wins.
Enjoy your dinner with your son. I am having dinner with my father tomorrow and am looking forward to it.
Eat some BBQ for me when you are at the game.