Wildcat football practice 8/30/2013

What do Linfield football, Alabama have in common?

The bleachers being assembled (Wildcatville took these photos on 8/27/2013) in the scoreboard end of Maxwell Field were manufactured by and purchased from Outdoor Aluminum of Geneva, Ala. You thought the headline meant commonalities between Linfield Wildcat and Alabama Crimson Tide football? For the record, it's an about 210 miles drive north from Geneva (less than an hour from the Alabama-Florida border) to Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama.

Postscript – For the record, Oregon State University football coach/former Linfield assistant coach Mike Riley played football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

Kickoff will be at what time?

An observer of college football claims, "The only similarities between DI and DIII football are the ball, the game rules, the field dimensions and the equipment. The way the games are played and the athletes playing them are very different." 

One thing that is not similar is knowing, months in advance, the time of the game kickoff

What time does a DI football game kickoff? Who knows? The ticket and schedule say it's TBA/to be announced. 

About DI, "The extent of ESPN’s influence over college football is literally displayed on the face of your ticket to next week’s game. Tickets to most games are printed with the date and the opponent’s name, but something is missing: the kickoff time. That is because ESPN, under its contracts with conferences, has the right to set kickoff times and wait until 12 days before game day, or in some cases only six, to inform universities." -- 'College Football’s Most Dominant Player? It’s ESPN,' New York Times, 8/25/2013 

What time does a DIII football game kickoff? It's on the ticket and schedule.

Ad Rutschman 'develop people' quote on Linfield Bookstore wall

In late spring 2012, Barnes & Noble College announced it "partnered with Linfield College to operate their campus bookstore." Previously, the store was college-operated.

After that changeover, Barnes & Noble College redesigned layout and displays in the McMinnville campus store. The bookstore sent out a request to Linfield community members asking for quotes it might use in that effort.

A Linfield staff member, who requested anonymity, was among those responding. "I found this gem (quote from Ad Rutschman, Linfield athletic director emeritus and former Linfield football and baseball coach) as well as a few others, and passed them along. This is the one (the bookstore) chose. I like it," the staffer said.

Chad Cottrill, bookstore manager, said, "... We wanted to have an inspirational quote from a Linfield coach, professor or administrator that would be a focal point" in the store's new layout.  "Coach Rutschman's words were very appropriate for the message we wanted to convey to the Linfield community and visitors to the campus" when they visit the store.

There are Linfield Bookstores on the McMinnville and Portland campuses.

Photos taken in Linfield Bookstore by Wildcatville on 7/29/2013.

Linfield Water Crew vital part of Wildcat Football

Wildcatville photos taken 8/23/2013 at practice.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

Is one of these posters an imitation of the other? If so, which is which?

Linfield 2013 football practice underway

Wildcatville shot still photos and video during an 8-21-2013 practice session.

Fresh paint for Maxwell Field concessions building

Fans arriving at Maxwell Field for Linfield football's 2013 season opener Sept. 21 against Cal Lutheran will be using a freshly-painted concession building (johns, football game food). Wildcatville photos, taken the morning of 8/22/2013, show Wright Touch Painting of Yamhill at work.

Hops salute Linfield nat'l baseball champs 8/13/2013 in Hillsboro

Syndicated column about Linfield sports from 1987

Georgie Anne Geyer is an "American journalist and columnist for the Universal Press Syndicate, says Wikipedia on 8/14/2014. " This column appeared in the 6/30/1987 edition of the Ellensburg, Wash., Daily Record newspaper.  She died May 15, 2019.

Linfield Homecoming 2013 in October

In U.S. Mail and at the Linfield website is information about Linfield 2013 Homecoming. It will be held Friday-Saturday, Oct. 4-5. Click here for info about the annual BWC Homecoming golf tourney, BWC/Linfield Homecoming barbecue and more. Below is a Wildcatville slideshow looking back at Homecoming 2012.  The photo above, which is included in the slideshow, was taken during last year's barbecue.

You can see Wildcat football games in Texas, Ohio during 2013 season

Uwe Dedering map at Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository, edited by Wildcatville.

Too far for you to travel to McMinnville for a Linfield home football game? How about watching the Wildcats play in Texas or Ohio? Linfield has games in both states on its 2013 schedule.

The season begins Saturday, Sept. 14, in Abilene, Texas, versus the Hardin-Simmons University Cowboys at Shelton Stadium.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, in Cleveland at Case Western Reserve University, Linfield will be the homecoming opponent for the Spartans on Case Field.

Kickoff for both contests is noon, Central Daylight Time in Texas and Eastern Daylight Time in Ohio.

Linfield has never traveled this far (to Cleveland in this case) for one regular-season game before. To have two long football trips like this for regular season games is unprecedented in Linfield sports history.

The approximately 3,830 miles the Wildcats will travel for these two games (within 15 days) is more than 750 miles they traveled in all nine of their regular-season road games the last two years.

Based on the team’s flying and bus travel, there's about 1,790 miles between McMinnville and Abilene and it's some 2,040 miles from McMinnville to Cleveland. The record distance for Linfield football to travel for any game was in 2011. That was about 2,440 mile trip to Dover, Del., and a 49-34 NCAA playoffs loss to Wesley.

The game in Cleveland came about because George Fox University resumes football starting next fall. However, originally GFU announced it was to begin playing again football this season. Because of that, teams in the Northwest Conference had GFU on their 2013 schedules. That left an opening in Linfield's schedule which it's filling by traveling to play at Case Western Reserve.

OHIO CONNNECTIONS
Linfield President Thomas Hellie and his wife, Julie Olds, have Ohio connections. He was a tenured faculty member in theatre and English at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio, 1980-1989. It's about 40 miles from Hiram to Cleveland. A Hiram grad, she earned a master's degree from Case Western Reserve and worked several years as an actress in the Cleveland area. 

John Schindelar, head of the Linfield Water Crew, volunteers who hydrate the Linfield football team during practices and games, is a Solon, Ohio, native and grad of Solon High School and Ohio's Bowling Green State University. He played football at Solon High and, as a freshman, at Bowling Green. He has a master of education degree from Ohio's Kent State University and studied at Ohio State University. His background includes teaching in Ohio. At Ohio’s Beachwood High School, he was an assistant varsity football coach.

ABILENE
"Blend an old West town and a modern, medium-sized city, then throw in a good dose of hospitality, and a large helping of recreation, and you have Abilene, Texas! Established in 1881, Abilene is located near the geographic center of Texas and is named after a famous Kansas cattle shipping point. Abilene is located in Taylor County and has a population of 116,806. Dyess Air Force Base, home to the B-1 Bomber, lies in the western part of the city. Abilene Regional Airport offers daily connecting flights through DFW." -- Logsdon Seminary of Hardin-Simmons University website

CLEVELAND
"Five miles east of downtown Cleveland, University Circle is one of the city's most energetic and culturally robust communities. It's anchored by Case Western Reserve University and enhances the urban campus experience with some of the nation's best arts, music, historical and medical institutions." -- Case Western Reserve website

LINFIELD FOOTBALL GAMES EAST OF OREGON
1964: At Fargo, N.D., vs. Concordia, Minn., NAIA playoffs, lost 28-6.
1965: At Midland, Texas, vs. Sul Ross State, NAIA playoffs, won 30-27.
1965: At Augusta Georgia, vs. St. John's, Minn., NAIA playoffs, lost 33-0.
1974: At Seguin, Texas, vs. Texas Lutheran, NAIA playoffs, lost 52-8.
2003: At Collegeville, Minn., vs. St John's, NCAA playoffs, lost 31-25.
2004: At Salem, Va., vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas, NCAA playoffs, won 28-21.
2006: At Abilene, Texas, vs. Hardin-Simmons, lost 21-6.
2008: At Abilene Texas, vs. Hardin-Simmons, lost 29-22.
2009: At UWisc.-Whitewater, Wisc., NCAA playoffs, lost 44-41.
2010: At St. Paul, Minn., vs. St. Thomas, Minn., lost 24-17, NCAA playoffs.
2011: At Dover, Del., vs. Wesley, NCAA playoffs, lost 49-34.
2013: At Abilene, Texas, vs. Hardin-Simmons, yet to be played.
2013: At Cleveland, vs. Case Western Reserve, yet to be played.

Linfield football record for games east of Oregon: 2 wins, 9 losses, 2 yet to be played.

MILES BETWEEN HERE AND THERE
2,437 -- McMinnville to Dover, Del.

2,321 -- McMinnville to Augusta, Ga.

2,254 -- McMinnville to Salem, Va.

2,042 -- McMinnville to Cleveland

1,790 -- McMinnville to Abilene, Texas

1,755 -- McMinnville to Seguin, Texas

1,632 -- McMinnville to Whitewater, Wisc.

1,514 -- McMinnville to Collegeville, Minn.

1,504 -- McMinnville to Midland, Texas

1,438 -- McMinnville to St. Paul, Minn.

1,231 -- McMinnville to Fargo, N.D.

Mileages are estimates, based on one-way trips. Within Oregon and Washington, Linfield travels by bus from campus in McMinnville to the opponents' campuses for football road games. For longer trips, including those east of Oregon, the team travels by air from Portland International Airport to an airport near the opponent team's campus. The team travels from that airport to the game site.

PRACTICE
The 2013 Linfield football team reports Aug. 18 and practice begins Aug. 19.

Slight change to Linfield sport venue(s)

New vehicle entryway surface between the back of Helser Field/Wright Stadium and Maxwell Field/Memorial Stadium. Photos taken 8/7/2013 by Wildcatville.

Mickey Polis, Wildcat men’s assistant basketball coach has Lower Columbia College, family connection to Linfield

When Mike Polis was growing up in Longview, Wash., he attended Perry’s Basketball Camp in Vernonia, Ore., run by Linfield men's basketball coach Ted Wilson (and the Perry brothers). Mike dreamed of playing for Linfield.


It didn’t happen.

After graduating from Longview’s R.A. Long High School in 1968, he played two seasons each of basketball and baseball for Lower Columbia College (LCC) in Longview and Central Washington University.

But, Mike’s dream is almost coming true in a roundabout way through his son, Mickey Polis. See photo.

Mickey is coaching Wildcats men’s basketball in Linfield’s Ted Wilson Gym as assistant coach on the staff of newly appointed men’s head coach Shanan Rosenberg.

LCC has a Linfield connection through Linfield grads Don Porter, Jack Riley and Scott Carnahan, Linfield athletic director and assistant/former head baseball coach. Carnahan came to Linfield as head baseball coach after serving in the same role at LCC. Don, Jack and Scott graduated from Linfield in 1956, 1960 and 1973 respectively.

Don -- who played basketball for head coach Ted at McMinnville High -- coached LCC men’s basketball, 1965-70, assisted by Riley. Mike played for Don and Jack in the 1968-69 and 1969-70 seasons. At the time Jack left LCC in 1972 to become Oregon State University head baseball coach, he was LCC head coach of both baseball and men's basketball.

Back to Mickey, he starred in basketball and baseball at Longview’s Mark Morris High School from 2002-2005. He went on to play basketball at LCC, 2005-2007, and Portland State University (PSU), 2007-2009. At PSU, he was a point guard on teams that won 46 games, two Big Sky Conference titles and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament. Mickey was the team’s top three-point percentage shooter during his career, hitting 47 percent of his shots.

After his graduation, Mickey remained at PSU as director of basketball operations for the men’s team.  During four years in the job handling various administrative duties for the PSU team, he earned a master's in education degree.

MORE TO THE STORY:

==Second Polis brother in NWC -- While this will be Mickey's first time in the Northwest Conference, his brother, Tony Polis, is no stranger to it. Tony played men's basketball for NWC member Pacific Lutheran University and competed against the Wildcats at Ted Wilson Gym.

==PSU pipeline to Linfield -- In addition to Mickey joining the Linfield Athletics staff, former PSU trainer Duane Duey now holds the same job at Linfield.

==About Ted Wilson -- He was Linfield head men's basketball coach, 1961-1981. He died in 1996.

==Camp leaders --Ted Wilson and brothers Bob and George Perry started and operated Perry's Basketball Camp (also known as Perry's Sports Camp) in Vernonia, 1964-1980.

==Played hoops for Lefty -- Don Porter played basketball at Linfield for coach Roy “Lefty” Helser in the 1954-1955 and 1955-1956 seasons.

==Former reporter's Linfield connections -- John Polis, uncle of Mickey and brother of Mike, has connections to Linfield, too. As sports editor of the Longview Daily News, he covered LCC basketball when Don Porter was coach. He knows two of Ted's Linfield players, Terry Miller and Loren Bruner. "Terry was my closest pal growing up in Longview," John said. "We lived on the the same street, played four years on the same Little League team and remain friends to this day. I played ball with and graduated from R.A. Long with Loren."


.........

Mickey Polis at Greg Crawford (Linfield Class of 1972) Sports Lunch Oct. 5, 2016, in Portland.