Foss,
Then ship the cats to the east, i am not saying there great and I haven't seen them in person except for the whitworth game but they might do some damage and guess what, they all come back next season, only 4 seniors.

I just talked with one of my buddies out in oregon and I was wondering why you call them the Lizcats, and he told me that a girl kicker scored on Linfield in 97 and that they kicked Linfields butt that year.  I myself am  montana Griz Fan but it seems to me that you have sour grapes.  We hate our rival the Bobcats of Montana State and want to kill them but if they can make the playoffs then we say great how about two from the Big Sky, why do you folks not jump the bandwagon and get two from the NWC each year, I know you people are the smart private school type, ever think Linfield will be a little down some season and lose even 1 game in region and need some help, I should hope they would go with one loss and especially if WU loses then it was to the USC if you will of D3 who has a better regional record. get em in

I like this, let's everybody be nice to each other thing we got going on this board, or maybe the linfield guys are right, maybe this season has no suspence what so ever.   Ding ding ding... you are correct.... who the heck is going to beat you and your band of guys who could be playing D2 or 1AA football or higher, ( obviously Elliot)  what is everyone else supposed to do.  Maybe play with 14 guys on defense and see what happens.  UPS has DB's that wouldn't start at most high schools, #6 is atrocious, anyway sorry PENNSTLBU you are a good guy and we are both from MT but that is a fact.  The only games that fans are sweating are games the Wildcats are not in.  I mean at least USC is getting pushed this season, The butcher and CO. could sit in the lockeroom for the first half and come out for the second if need be for most games.  And Linfield and WHithworth both have bye weeks before they play that fly offense at Willamette so they have 13 plus days to get ready for WU and the fighting Mark Speckmans.  Let's just wait out the season and cheer for the Cats in the Playoffs and hope they make the NWC look good.. Although I do think that if the NWC sent 3 per year to the playoffs and it was not done by region, anybody could play anybody, the NWC would just rip the east coasters, I mean 52-0 over Rowan, WU, Whit, anybody else played the CATS better last year, are you kidding me, lets jump the east coast D3 bandwagon.  While the NWC record and league may seem down don't jump ship yet.  WU is 3-3, they lost to D2 WOU, NAIA #3 preseason Azusa and #2 UMHB, at a place where the GPA flows like wine and is much higher than Linfields average, 3-3 is like winning the National title right know.  they are 2-1 against D3 teams and if they win there next two they will finish 4-2 against D3 teams with losses to #1 Lin and #2 UMHB Not bad and I am willing to guess Azusa and WOU would do pretty well in the midwest and east coast D3 conferences.  Anyway sorry for taking so long, I will end with that, by the way how is coach august doing, any word on his recovery??? Until then I just can't wait for another D1 transfer to come to the NWC, maybe lin can have Eric AInge drop into their collective lap and win 3 more titles.......

Dtrain Good Point,
It will be interesting to see how the season pans out, we will have to get together at one of the linfield playoff game tailgates and party..

What is funny to me is everyone saying how great Whitworth is, No doubt they are a quality club, but just like last season they got in a shootout with Linfield and lost, everybody jumped there bandwagon and they did not make it to the playoffs.  This season they are not as good as last and it will be tough for them to make it into the playoffs.  by the way SOU vs Lin, Sou had 5 personal fouls in the game and they definately can hit on D.  I see Linfield winning by quite a few but beware coaches, get Elliot outta there once the game is in hand.  I can just see some more cheap shots coming.  I hope coach August makes it through okay and has a speedy recovery.

Pincone,
That is probably true, the only thing I can say for a fact is that your buzzsaw of an offense got chopped down last season and held to one of your lowest point totals of the season and WU had over 500 yards of offense, no doubt the bucs will be tough at home, I am just saying they need to beat WU before they talk playoffs.

When you mention Whitworth finishing strong and you hope they don't drop another one to Willamette.  I would like to point out that they did not DROP one to the Bearcats last season.  They were absolutely outeverythinged.  They came in averaging 36 points per game and ended up with 17.  The Cats kicker missed 3 short field goals and two extra points or the 28-17 score would have looked a lot worse.  I think that it is great they give a good showing against Linfield every year but just because they play somebody tough does not mean they should get a look at the playoffs.  Just as UPS has to prove it can consistently beat some of the big 4 in NWC Whitworth needs to be able to Beat Willamette before they can even think about crying playoffs. 
Prediction:
Linfield National Champs undefeated
Only one NWC team into the field of 32
WU will play Linfield for the Conference Championship and get beat
Whitworth will finish with a better record than the Bearcats but still end up third in the conference.

Cats beware,
No, I am not calling for an upset, lord knows that the cats will pass all over the raiders, i mean plank from willamette had 9 catches for almost 200 yards and 2 scores.  Obviously Linfield throws the ball better than WU.  I did see the game though and SOU will play hard on D and they also throw in a few cheap shots.  I hope elliot doesn't go down due to a bush league play and a helmet to helmet hit....On a new note nice job to both Cats yesterday and pennstatelbu might come back to the board since they won yesterday.

Jay Locey, Bobby Bowden, Lou Holtz, you name it they have all had this happen.  THis should not be a reflection on the coach or the program.  All kids drink and sooner or later somebody gets caught.  What do people want coaches to do, hold hands of the players after they leave the lockeroom.  The fact of the matter is that the linfield staff is all class and will handle the situation quickly and effectively.  The question is not who is in trouble it is ,,,,,,Is the National Champioship run going to be effected and the answer is NO.  They did not lose a key cog to the team, they merely were blessed with a happening that can turn into a good lesson.  I partied in college lord knows we all did, they got caught, slap the wrist and lets get going, stop talking about this it is boring. 
My predictions for this weekend is that Linfield and Montana will have the same outcome.  More partying and celebrating that wonderful thing called the bye week.
What do you linfield guys do during a bye week, you must go crazy without a game...

Yeah I realize he started at Utah, a friend of mine, Brent Myers was the oline coach there when he played.  Myers told me that when Elliot went down with the wrist injury against A and M that Urban Meyer said well were screwed.  They all knew Brett was a stud, but Alex Smith had not looked very good in practice up to that point.  You are taking my statement wrong.  Obviously he is good enough to start at a 1-AA I won't ever argue that, heck Montana would have a few more National Titles if he would have come to Missoula but I am saying team wide nobody in D3 hangs past halftime.  What cracks me up is that you all take it to heart and I have not taken a shot at your team.  Just relax, it's not like you get a brownie for trying to show someone up with your football knowledge on D3 football.

Okay,
I played at the University of Montana and when we would play D2 teams we were more worried about partyin after the game.  Now yes we did take the game seriously but we knew there was no way we would ever lose.  Elliot would start at most if not all 1-aa schools if that is what you want me to say but most 1-aa school would kick D3 butt.

   Not sure what your talking about but I am guessing you think I am Speckman... I am a bigtime D3 fan and new to the area, sorry if I offended anyone just trying to spark some talk thats all, I have met some of the coaches from all of the schools and just throwing out my two cents if that is okay.

As far as the posts on scheduling: 
Linfield does a nice job and plays a tough schedule every year, those Wisconsin schools are 10,000 kids and get a lot of ballers in.
Willamette arguably plays one of the tougher schedules in the country and maybe that helps and maybe it hurts, last season it helped them get to the playoffs and this year they may be buried. But they will beat Menlo UPS PLU and WHIT. Why, Because tough comp pays off later on and WHIT can't stop the Deaf and Blind Offense from scoring 50
Whitworth Decent schedule pretty good talent and pushing for #2 in Conf
PLU always a good team and they play one Wisc School
UPS Sciac North Champs the Bill Snyder KSTATE rebuild schedule play all terrible teams inflate your record and start to recruit the heck out of some good players.  All good things until you see the offense, the BUC series and the "were gonna get positive yards every play" doesn't sell oh and your not good at  tackle football
As is everyone is in a sprint for the bridesmaid position and hope to make the playoffs.  If you look at records and I know you all do, Lin will be top ranked undefeated going in.
AS for the second NWC team
I am sure all of your money is on Whit or UPS but if they look solely at West Region Record then WU could go at 5-4 by beating 4 D3 west regions and losing to 1 in Linfield.  They have been told that there non conf will not count against them.

  Are you kidding me?  I realize the Eastern Wash and WOU scores were similar but let's stop snorting the lines off our mouse pads and wake up.  What is in your coffee.  Montana, Eastern Wash, Idaho St, Montana St., NAU would kick the Sh*# out of Linfield.  Not even a joke.  Now thats not to say that if a D3 had to play a powerhouse like Montana that I wouldn't choose Linfield to play them but let's get real.  How pumped up do you think Eastern got for the game after watching a D2 get destroyed by a D3 on film all week.  Obviously they could of cared less and they got a lot of young kids some valuable playing time.  As far as playing Carroll College, that would be a great game this season...Carrolls O is awesome and the QB has over 10,000 yards and 102 touchdowns.  Also POY in NAIA as a soph plus 3 straight National Champs.  24 full rides goes a long ways.  I think the Cats would win by 10 but if played next season Carroll by 20.