Camel Foe – Week 8, Davidson

The Fighting Camels return home this weekend for a homecoming tilt with Davidson College. The Camels are licking their humps after a 44-0 thrashing at the hands of the San Diego Toreros last weekend in southern California. The Camels were thoroughly outclassed by San Diego, managing just 79 yards of total offense and 6 first downs while allowing 516 and 26. QB Dakota Wolf completed 14 of 23 passes but gained a paltry 58 yards. Kurt Odom led the team in rushing with 24 yards on 7 carries. However, things could be looking up this weekend with Davidson rolling into Buies Creek as one of only 7 remaining winless FCS teams.

Davidson College

Location: Davidson, NC (population: 10,944 as of 2010 census)

Established: 1837 by the Presbyterians. The college (and the town) was named after Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, a Revolutionary War commander.

Enrollment: ~1,900

Nickname: Wildcats. The nickname was bestowed upon the football team by Atlanta sportswriters in 1917 after Davidson upset undefeated Auburn. [Ed. Note: SEC speed!] Wildcats replaced references to teams as the “Red & Black”, “Preachers”, and “Presbyterians”.

Mascot: Will E. Wildcat.

Affiliation: The Wildcats participate as a member of the Southern Conference in most sports. Sports that compete in other conferences besides football include men’s and women’s swimming and diving in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, Field Hockey in the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference and women’s lacrosse in the National Lacrosse Conference.

Random Fact #1: Davidson has the second smallest enrollment of any school in Division I football.

Random Fact #2: According to The Princeton Review, Davidson is ranked among the top twenty colleges nationally for the following categories: “Best Overall Academic Experience For Undergraduates,” “Professors Get High Marks (#1),” “Professors Make Themselves Accessible (#16),” “Students Study the Most(#10),” “School Runs Like Butter (#4),” “Town-Gown Relations are Great (#3),” “Easiest Campus to Get Around (#3),” and “Best Quality of Life (#16).”

Random Fact #3: The men’s basketball program reached the Elite Eight in 2008, defeating Bo Ryan’s open mouth and the Wisconsin Badgers in the third round. The Wildcats  lost to the eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks 59–57 in the Elite Eight, capping off an incredible run that saw the rise of Stephen Curry to national prominence.

Random Fact #4: Davidson’s two-man golf croquet team has won the National Collegiate Croquet Championship back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. It also brought home the national trophy again in 2010.

[Ed. Note: Collegiate croquet? Tell me more, United States Croquet Association – “So you’ve never heard of NCAA-sanctioned collegiate croquet tournaments? Never seen the student body turn out en-masse to cheer their colleagues as they try to outwit their opponents on a carpet of green perfection? Never heard the cheerleaders gasp and scream as the team captain makes a 50-foot hit-in?” I haven’t, but I (and MB) will in the future.]

Notable Alumni:

  • Laeta Kalogridis, Screenwriter and Hollywood Film Producer (Avatar, Shutter Island)
  • NBA player Stephen Curry (did not graduate)
  • longtime college AD Terry Holland
  • NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn
  • John Belk, former head of Belk, Inc and former mayor Charlotte, NC
  • author Patricia Cornwell
  • Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States (did not graduate)

Notable natives of Davidson, NC:

  • NASCAR crew chief Alan Gustafson
  • NASCAR driver David Streeme
  • NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin
  • former MLB pitcher John Candelaria

Oh yeah, the Football Team:

  • Davidson is 0-6 (0-3 in the PFL) and have been outscored 189-77 on the season. They have no common opponents with the Camels thus far.
  • Davidson was picked 9th in the preseason coaches poll, ahead of only Valparaiso. Valpo also remains winless on the season so keep your eye on a potential Pillow Fight of the Week November 10 if both teams keep losing. The Fighting Camels also play Valpo before then so hopefully they don’t spoil a winless matchup that late in the season.
  • Davidson leads the all-time series between the two schools 3-1. The Fighting Camels won 26-20 at Davidson in OT last year. Davidson had won the previous three meeting by increasingly competitive scores: 49-0, 24-7 & 28-27.
  • Davidson had its closest loss of the season last week in a 34-24 defeat at the hands of Jacksonville.
  • WR Lanny Funsten caught a PFL record 17 passes in last Saturday’s contest, totaling 246 yards against Jacksonville. Funsten also broke school records for career receptions and career yardage during the game. The 17 receptions tied a Davidson record while he fell 2 yards shy of the single-game yardage record.
  • QB Jonathan Carkhuff threw to others besides Funsten as well, completing 34 of 53 throws for 404 yards.
  • LB Patrick Moynahan led the defense with 13 tackles.
  • The Wildcats are averaging just 40.7 yards/game, 121st and last in FCS. They are averaging 1.7 yards/carry and have just 1 rushing TD.
  • Carkhuff ranks 9th in FCS with 268.0 passing yards/game and 6th in completions/game with 27.5.
  • Funsten is T-11th in receptions/game (6.7) and 16th in receiving yards/game (90.0).
  • Head Coach Tripp Merritt Merritt was born with spina bifida occulta, which resulted in deformities in his lower spine and nerve damage in his left leg. To this day he has no reflexes in his left leg and back pain surfaces when he tires, sometimes causing a slight limp. His doctors didn’t have an optimistic outlook, telling his parents “He’ll never be able to run.” Merritt’s father was an assistant high school football coach and not one to give up hope easily. He worked with his young son, helped him improve his mobility and stamina. That and sheer determination allowed young Tripp to make his way onto the playing field as early as second grade – football, basketball, baseball. His athletic career continued at Burns High School in Shelby, N.C., where he lettered three times in football and baseball. He now runs three or four miles a day.
  • The team runs the Air Raid offense under offensive coordinator Matt Mumme, son of longtime college coach and passing game tactician Hal Mumme. Matt was Tim Couch’s backup at Kentucky.
  • Stat Leaders:
    • Passing
      • Carkhuff – 165 of 278 for 1,680 yards with 9 TD and 9 INT (46.3 attempts/game)
    • Rushing
      • Spencer Perry – 55 carries for 253 yards
      • Chris Gorman – 1 TD (23 carries, 63 yards)
    • Receiving
      • Funsten – 40 receptions, 540 yards, 3 TD
      • Reese Williams – 3 TD (23 receptions, 241 yards)
    • Defense
      • Moynahan – 65 tackles and 9 TFL
      • Lewis McAlister – 2 sacks
      • 4 players have 1 INT each
      • Adam Dulberger 4 pass breakups
  • Best Name Nominees:
    • WR Desi Dockery, QB Bates Taylor, WR Se’Vaughn Carter, DB Toms Bernhard-Callahan, K/P Chazzo Habliston, WR Houegnon Attenoukon, OL Joey Esposito
    • The winnerChazzo (and his bowtie and serial killer stare)
    • The bestJoey Esposito [Ed. Note: I don’t care how many times we’ve already linked to You’re the Best. We’re going to keep doing it.]

Prediction:

Two teams with a combined record of 1-11 so at least one of them will get a win. The Camels have still yet to score in the 1st quarter this season. But what better weekend than homecoming? Davidson is averaging 12.8 points/game, the Camels 10.8. Campbell is allowing 35.8 points/game to the Wildcats’ 31.5. Davidson at least has an effective passing game with an excellent receiver although Campbell has been better defensively against the pass. If Davidson had a serviceable running game I would like their chances a bit more. Home field advantage has not mattered much to Campbell this season, but I think it tips the scales in their favor in this battle of two very bad teams. I foresee a happy bunch of Camels celebrating a 20-19 homecoming victory.


CFB Week 8 MB-views

An early post this week as your weekly authors are both heading to Chicago for the weekend.

Doane @ Dakota Wesleyan – Saturday, October 20 @ 7:00 pm CDT

Author: Ryan

This week I am going closer to home for the preview with the big Doane-Dakota Wesleyan battle.

Mascots

Doane – Tigers.  Specifically Thomas the Tiger, named after school founder Thomas Doane.  Check Thomas out here, he looks like a lame tiger.

Dakota Wesleyan – In a shocker, Tigers.  Unfortunately this is the only information on the DWU Tigers.

Advantage – Doane.  Thomas the Tiger is better than nothing.

 

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Doane – Unfortunately my boy Tommie Frazier is no longer an option, as he would have dominated this category.  I’ll have to settle for Assistant Coach Rodney Boykin and his playing experience with both the Lincoln Lightning and Omaha Beef in arena ball.  It has also been announced that Boykin will be the Special Teams Coordinator for the brand new Lincoln Haymakers indoor team, who will begin play next spring in the CPIFL.  See you in the spring.

[Ed. Note: The CPIFL is made up of several formers members of the APFL, which was in MB 2012 & 2013, as well as a few other teams. It will definitely be in MB. Also, the Lincoln Haymakers used to be the Council Bluffs Express, so they have that going for them. Which is nice.]

Dakota Wesleyan – Tie – Head Coach Ross Cimpl and Linebackers/Special Teams Coach Jason Glasco are both former coaches and players at the University of Sioux Falls who were hired to make DWU a contender.  Glasco was a three-year starter at Safety for USF, and also All-State First Team in High School playing for Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Alma Mater of the guy writing this.  Cimpl was team captain at USF in 2005 and 2006 and was named NAIA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2005.  In his time as an assistant coach at USF the team’s record was 42-1.

Advantage – Tie.  The discovery of a brand new indoor football league is good enough to match up with my high school.

 

Best Player Name

Doane – DB Ben Muff, LB Brock Diffendaffer, and DB Franky Khanthavixay.  Unfortunately Doane does not have any player photos.

Dakota Wesleyan – LB Francisco Rangel, OL and former New Kid on the Block Jonathan Knight.  Logan Burwell is gonna redshirt and try to put on a couple hundred pounds.

Advantage – Doane.  I always have a soft spot for Muff.

 

Location

Doane – Crete, NE.  Founded in 1871 and named after Crete, IL.  I can tell you from experience they have a lovely collection of gas stations, bars and fast food restaurants (including an Amigos, Jimmy’s favorite).  Crete is mentioned in the song Tarkio Road (8 weeks on the charts in 1971) by Brewer and Shipley.  Crete’s notable resident is Oregon Basketball Head Coach Dana Altman, who was born and raised there.  Almost all members of the Doane football coaching staff choose to live in Lincoln, about a 30 minute drive away, so it’s got that going for it.  Crete is also home to a Nestle/Purina plant.

Dakota Wesleyan – Mitchell, SD.  Incorporated in 1881 Mitchell was named for Alexander Mitchell, President of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Raildroad (also known as The Milwaukee Road).  Mitchell is the home of the famous Corn Palace, home to basketball games, a museum, community events and many Kenny Rogers concerts attended by my mom.  According to Wikipedia, Mitchell is home to many state champion trees, whatever that means.  Notable Mitchell residents include NBAer Mike Miller (he has his own energy shot now!), former Colt Defensive End Ordell Braase, former Democratic Presidential Nominee George McGovern, Gary Owens (the voice of Space Ghost, which is awesome, and many other things), and Jared Reiner (born in Mitchell but grew up in my parent’s hometown of Tripp, SD – no way I was skipping a Tripp reference).

Advantage – Dakota Wesleyan.  This one wasn’t really fair.  Space Ghost, Mike Miller’s Hair, Corn Palace and prize winning trees were too much.

 

Notable Alumni

Doane – As mentioned Tommie Frazier was once the head football coach; actual alumni include Zernon C.R. Hansen, former CEO of Mack Trucks, Poet/Writer Weldon Kees, and J.R. Artozqui, QB for the Copenhagen Towers, who just entered his third season with the team and I quote is “determined to lead the Towers to the Mermaid Bowl.”  Danish American Football Federation.

[Ed. Note: If that site ever gets an English translation, we are absolutely picking the Mermaid Bowl.]

Dakota Wesleyan – Sticking with former famous coaches, Adam Morrison’s dad John was basketball coach at DWU when Adam was young.  Actual notable alumni include many South Dakota governors and congressmen and nobody very fun.

Advantage – Mermaid Bowl.

 

Decision

Doane takes this one in a close battle.

 

Anderson (IN) @ Earlham – Saturday, October 20 @ 12:30 pm CDT

Two of my three previews once again highlight Battles of Defeateds.

Author: Bristol

Mascot

Anderson (IN) – Ravens. Formerly the Tigers, AU’s nickname was changed to the Ravens in 1937.The current mascot is Rodney the Raven. Rodney, normally portrayed by a costumed character, is usually represented as a stylized raven with black feathers, yellow legs, and an orange beak. Rodney has his own Facebook page.

Earlham – Hustlin’ Quakers. They originally had been the Fightin’ Quakers; although the name was meant tongue-in-cheek, it was changed in the 1980s to the Hustlin’ Quakers after the college’s board of regents decided that it was inappropriate for Quakers to fight. Perhaps the Quakers’ most notable football game was against Japan’s Doshisha University Hamburgers in 1989. Here is a video of the unveiling of the new mascot, Mr. Quaker, in 2011. The atmosphere in that gym is indescribable.

Advantage – Hustlin’ Quakers. Sorry, Rodney, but you had not shot. Especially after learning the Hustlin’ Quakers played the Hamburgers in 1989.

 

Best Player Name

Anderson (IN) – Tie – sophomore LB Dominique Speed and sophomore DL Hunter Prol.

Earlham – Tie – freshman OL Dooley Gabriel and senior DB Dakota McElley.

Advantage – Anderson. Linking to Fred Dryer might be cheating, but it also makes you a winner.

 

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Anderson (IN)  – Head Coach Bobby Ladner was recruited to LSU as a fullback before transferring to Belhaven. He was a four-year letterwinner at Belhaven, serving as a team captain twice and was named All-Conference twice. He is the school’s all-time sack leader with 36. He’s also looking awkwardly at you. Assistant coach Jeff Maxwell was a four-year letterwinner at Belhaven as well, playing for Coach Ladner. He started two seasons at wide receiver and one at safety and looks a little bit like Adrian Beltre.

Earlham – Head coach Neil Kazmierczak played TE and LB at Michigan State from 1983-86. His collegiate coaching resume includes stops at Stanford, Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, St. Mary’s College (CA), DePauw, Butler and Marian in addition to Earlham. At a glance, he could pass as a goateed Will Ferrell. Defensive line coach Mark Hoffman dares you to fuck with him.

Advantage – Earlham. I’m going to have night terrors about Coach Hoffman.

 

Location

Anderson (IN)  – Anderson, IN. A city of just over 56,000, Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God (Anderson) and home of Anderson University, which is affiliated with that denomination. Highlights of the city include the historic Paramount Theatreand the Gruenewald Historic House. The city is named for Chief William Anderson, whose mother was a Delaware Indian (Lenape) and whose father was of Swedish descent. Anderson grew to such proportions that a Cincinnati newspaper editor labeled the city “The Pittsburgh on White River.” Other nicknames were “Queen City of the Gas Belt” and (because of the vulcanizing and the rubber tire manufacturing business) “Puncture Proof City.” Notables residents include MLB player Adam Lind, actor James Rebhorn (Independence Day) and American pop punk band The Ataris.

Earlham– Richmond, IN. Richmond has a population of nearly 37,000 and is sometimes called the “cradle of recorded jazz” because some early jazz records were made here at the studio of Gennett Records, a division of the Starr Piano Company. The city was connected to the National Road, the first road built by the federal government and a major route west for pioneers of the 19th century.It became part of the system of National Auto Trails. The highway is now known as  U.S. Highway 40. Also notable was the fact that Hoagy Carmichael recorded “Stardust” for the first time in Richmond at the Gennett recording studio. On April 6, 1968, a natural gas explosion and fire destroyed or damaged several downtown blocks and killed 41 people; more than 150 were injured.The book Death in a Sunny Street is about the event. Notables Richmondites include singer Baby Huey, former NFL running back Timmy Brown, 3-time NFL championship coach of the Baltimore Colts and New York Jets Weeb Ewbank, former NFL Rookie-of-the Year Paul Flatley, former NBA head coach Del Harris, award-winning sports reporter Mike Lopresti, cult leader Jim Jones, professional golfer Bo Van Pelt and aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright.

Advantage – Richmond. A more impressive list of natives gives Richmond the edge.

 

Notable Alumni

Anderson (IN)  – John Pistole, current director of TSA; former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodger Carl Erskine; John E. “Jumpin’ Johnny” Wilson, Negro Leagues baseball player and member of the Harlem Globetrotters; and Gary Gerould, play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings.

Earlham – Rolin Roscoe James, founder of the Sigma Pi fraternity; author Marc Reisner; Ralph Waldo Trueblood, co-inventor of the telephotographer, the first device used by newspapers for sending pictures by wire; Zack Warren, who ran the Boston Marathon while juggling in 2 hours, fifty-eight minutes; Jim Fowler, star of Wild Kingdom; and actor Michael C. Hall (Dexter).

Advantage – Earlham. Too much random awesomeness to not win.

 

Decision

The Quakers hustle their way to a 4-1 win.

 

Marietta @ Wilmington (OH) – Saturday, October 20 @ 1:00 pm CDT

More winless teams – and more Quakers.

Author: Bristol

Mascot

Marietta – Pioneers. The earliest confirmed use of the nickname is from the College’s Blue and White in October of 1927; a large headline announced that the “Pioneers” were able to break even in their league games for that season.

Wilmington (OH) – Fightin’ Quakers. That’s all I could find, but that’s all they need.

Advantage – Fightin’ Quakers. If the Pioneers were not just ordinary pioneers maybe they would have a chance. But probably not.

 

Best Player Name

Marietta – Tie – Freshman OL Mitch Smotherman and freshman DL Julio Fat, who is incredible.

Wilmington (OH) – Tie – sophomore DB Joe Joe Knecht, who is seducing you with his eyes, and senior WR Kostas Koyfis, who is half-Swedish and half-Greek.

Advantage – Marietta. Fat Smotherman for the win.

 

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Marietta – Head coach Jeff Filkovski led Allegheny College to the 1990 Division III National Championship and named both AP Little All-American at QB and Football Gazette’s Division III Offensive Player of the Year. He has coached at Holy Cross, Thomas More, Cincinnati, Heidelberg and with the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe. Honorable mention goes to defensive coordinator Randy Awrey who was MVP of the national title game in 1975 for Northern Michigan and is a member of the NMU Hall of Fame.

Wilmington (OH) – Offensive line coach Todd Murgatroyd. He looks like a Murgatroyd. His coaching resume includes time at Tennessee, Hawaii, Kent State, Youngstown State, Urbana and Ohio State. Honorable mention to running backs coach Will Isaac, the 3rd all-time leading rusher in Wilmington College history (2,191 yards).

Advantage – Marietta. A couple of national titles beats the Murgatroyd.

 

Location

Marietta – Marietta, OH. The population was 14,085 at the 2010 census. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. It was a station on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War. Between 100 BC and 500 AD, the Hopewell culture built the multi-earthwork complex on the terrace east of the Muskingum River near its mouth with the Ohio. It is now known as the Marietta Earthworks. Developed over many years, it had a large enclosed square, within which were four platform mounds, used for ceremonial purposes and elite residential; another square, and a larger conical mound used for burials. A walled, graded path led to the river’s edge. In 1860, oil was first drilled in the Marietta region. Oil booms in 1875 and 1910 made investors rich, leading to the construction of numerous lavish houses in the town, of which many still stand. Notable residents include Althea Flynt (wife of Larry Flynt), former MLB player (from 1884-1903) and manager Chief Zimmer and Charles Dawes, the 30th Vice President of the United States.

Wilmington (OH) – Wilmington, OH. The city slogan is “We Honor Our Champions” although no word on how the town of 12,520 honors its winless football team. In the early 1950s the city became home to a number of U.S. Department of Defense facilities, most notably the Clinton County Air Force Base. The city also serves as corporate home to R+L Carriers, a trucking and shipping company. In the mid 90’s, the annual Banana Split Festivalwas started, to commemorate the town’s alleged creation of the famous treat in Wilmington in 1907. In addition, each year the city hosts the Clinton County Corn Festival, an homage to the agricultural tradition of the county. Located in the downtown business district is the historic Murphy Theater, which can be seen in the film Lost In Yonkers, part of which was filmed in the city in the early 1990s.The theater saw the marriage of actor John Ritter and wife Amy Yasbeck on September 18, 1999, with the marquee simply stating “Congratulations John and Amy.” Notable residents include former Chicago Cubs owner Charles Murphy and General James W. Denver, founder and namesake of Denver, CO.

Advantage – Wilmington. Marietta had this one right up until the wedding of John Ritter and Amy Yasbeck. It’s no wonder their chemistry was so good in Problem Child.

 

Notable Alumni

Marietta – former MLB pitcher Matt DeSalvo; Ban Johnson, the founder of the American League in 1887; former MLB pitcher Terry Mulholland; former MLB pitcher Kent Tekulve; and former MLB manager Jim Tracy.

Wilmington (OH) – former MLB umpire Satch Davidson, who was behind the plate when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career HR record; actor Gary Sandy (Andy Travis from WKRP in Cincinnati); novelist William Todhunter Ballard; and a crapload of state and national politicians.

Advantage – Marietta. Pitchers > Umpires. Especially Kent Tekulve and his baseball cards.

 

Decision

Marietta wins a close battle thanks to Kent Tekulve’s sunglasses.

Concordia (WI) @ Lakeland – Saturday, October 20 @ 2:00 pm CDT

“Cheese Bowl”

The Cheese Bowl has been played since 1992 between these two schools. Concordia leads the all-time series 18-17 and won the Cheese Bowl 28-23 last season after losing the previous three contests to Lakeland.

Author: Bristol

Mascot

Concordia (WI) – Falcons. Freddy the Falcon has his own LinkedIn page.

Lakeland – Muskies. Become Musko the Muskie’s friend on Facebook.

Advantage – Musko.

 

Best Player Name

Concordia (WI) – Tie – sophomore DB Clerson Lalanne, junior DL Widchero Cherident and sophomore DL Uzziel McDermit.

Lakeland – Tie – sophomore DB Yaphay Harvey, sophomore RB Todd Szymuszkiewicz, and sophomore DL Trevor Tanck.

Advantage – Lakeland. A Tan(c)k beat an Uzzi(el) every time.

 

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Concordia (WI) – Defensive coordinator Adam Walker played QB at Carthage College before playing in 2 games as a replacement player for the Minnesota Vikings during the 1987 NFL strike. Walker had 5 carries for 24 yards and 2 receptions for 3 yards. He spent 13 season as a high school coach and spent time at Carthage before coming to Concordia. Assistant DL coach Arnie Garber played Boss Hogg on the Dukes of Hazzard. Assistant OL coach Denny Galipo has a terrific mustache.

Lakeland – Another school with all the coaches on one page. The winner here is WR coach Eric Treske who spent two years playing in the CIFL. He was a four-time letterwinner at Wisconsin Lutheran and an all-conference pick at WR/TE.

[Ed. Note: The CIFL had not previously been included in MB because their website was unusable. That problem seems to have been fixed, so welcome aboard, CIFL!]

Advantage – Concordia. Even though they were replacement games, the NFL trumps the CIFL. Plus, Boss Hogg.

 

Location

Concordia (WI) – Mequan, WI. The name “Mequon” is thought to have come from the Native-American word “Emikwaan” or “Miguan,” meaning ladle.This refers to how the Milwaukee River curves like a ladle in the Mequon area. The first Lutheran church in Wisconsin was built in the area in 1840. Mequon is located near Lake Michigan, approximately 20 miles north of Milwaukee. Notable natives and residents include current Milwaukee Bucks head coach Scott Skiles, NBA player Mike Dunleavy, Jr., actress Halle Barry, Marquette head men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams, and many other professional sports figures who spent time in Milwaukee including Hank Aaron, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Ray Allen, Paul Molitor and George Karl.

Lakeland – Sheboygan, WI. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Sheboygan River, about 50 miles north of Milwaukee and 64 miles south of Green Bay. The city’s motto is “Spirit on the Lake” and nicknames include “The Bratwurst Capital of the World” and “The City of Cheese”. Sheboygan was founded in 1846. Since 1995 Sheboygan has been the site of 8-and-20-foot-tall (2.4 and 6.1 m) rocket launches for a local high school program called Rockets for Schools. The Sheboygan Jaycees have an annual fund-raising festival called Bratwurst Days, which includes the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship. Sheboygan hosts the annual Dairyland Surf Classic, the largest lake surfing competition in the world. Notable natives and residents include comedian Jackie Mason, basketball coach Rick Majerus, former NFL player Bill Schroeder and two former governors of Wisconsin.

Advantage – Mequon. Two great city names, but all of the Milwaukee sports figures (barely) beat out the World Bratwurst Eating Championship.

Update:

A protest was filed on behalf of Sheboygan in the location category. After further research the following information was unearthed regarding Sheboygan’s Brat Days

  • Grand prize for the brat eating contest (although calling it a “World Championship” is a stretch, if not out-and-out lie) is $500 and a year’s supply of brats
  • Brat Days is a 3-day festival of fine food and fine music
  • Past notable headliners include:
    • 2011 – Spin Doctors
    • 2009 – Bret Michaels
    • 2008 – Slaughter
    • 2006 – Firehouse
    • 2004 – Gin Blossoms
    • 2001 – Blue Oyster Cult
    • Wait for it….
    • 2000 – Eddie Money

(Turns microphone on)…Upon further review the call in the preview is reversed. Their is incontrovertible Internet evidence that Eddie Money once played Brat Days. Sheboygan is the winner.

Notable Alumni

Concordia (WI)– former NFL player John Scardina (also played during the 1987 strike); minor league SS Ty Schill; and Rev. Ken Klaus, speaker on The Lutheran Hour worldwide radio broadcast.

Lakeland – Wisconsin state senator Calvin Potter; former NFL TE Pat Curran (106 catches from 1969 – 1978); and former NFL LB Ron Ferrari (4 sacks in 68 games from 1982 – 1986).

Advantage – Lakeland. Two real NFL players are much more impressive than a fake one and a minor league SS.

 

Decision

Lakeland wins the MB-view 3-2. Will they take the Cheese Bowl as well?

Update:After the protest, Lakeland wins 4-1 and more importantly, the people of Sheboygan were the big winners, seeing Eddie Money in 2000 and then getting more cowbell in 2001.