It's hard to believe its been 10 years since Vince Flynn passed away. 

"If I had gone to St. John's... I'd be in prison, probably."   
- Vince Flynn (4/6/66 to 6/19/13) RIP

https://www.startribune.com/charge-st-olaf-football-players-wrong-way-crash-at-75-mph-kills-driver-fleeing-chicago-police/600229877/?refresh=true

Quote from: DuffMan on November 03, 2021, 07:04:33 PM
Lol, I've never actually watched SJU's.  Plenty to do around the house this weekend (and I haven't even been pheasant hunting yet... GASP!), but I'd like to watch a bit of the game (before it gets outta hand  ).

In that case, I'd recommend tuning in at kickoff and you should be able to move on to chores (or hunting) by 1:45

Quote from: Texas Ole on October 29, 2021, 10:18:20 AM

I think the addition of certain programs definitely created tension.  Augsburg has their Weekend program and other non-traditional programs and UST created a similar program.  Hamline and William Mitchell had to combine law schools after UST created one.  Several schools have had their MBA programs overshadowed by UST.  These schools with smaller endowments often relied on these programs to fund the operating budget.  The WEC/Adult program at Augsburg probably saved the school.  When UST aggressively went after these programs it threatened the schools existence.  That doesn't sit well with Presidents.

What also gets ignored is that UST is unique in the size and scope of its graduate programs.  The MIAC does not allow graduate students to participate in athletics.  That is not a common NCAA practice.  Most conferences allow graduate student participation.  I think St. Thomas' stance on this issue was a major sticking point.  Imagine an star player for 3 years at one MIAC school leaving it to join UST as a graduate student.  That can't sit well with almost all of the schools.

It should be pointed out that, contrary to your post, UST (well, CST back then) has been operating a nights-and-weekends undergrad program since at least the early-1970s, which I am pretty sure predates Augsburg's weekend program. Back then  it was called The New College and was one of the first of its kind in the area.

To assert that Hamline & Wm Mitchell combined solely due to UST's entering into the law school competition is as absurd as to say St Teresa's  closed because UST began admitting women (something with which I'm surprised you didn't try to vilify UST - after all, those hateful Tommie upset the apple cart by allowing females to enroll in 1977). Hamline/Mitchell were poorly promoted and poorly run in the years leading up to their merger and that more than UST's presence in the marketplace was why they both nearly went under.

UST could have chosen to stagnant and remain a quaint, cute little school of 1500-1800 men only, but over the past 45-50 years the administrations of the school have felt they would better serve the educational needs and wants of the Upper Midwest by growing and evolving from a niche school into a larger, more varied university. Doing so also ensured that the school would be able to not only survive but thrive.

Where is your anger and angst over St Kate's allowing guys in its grad programs? Why aren't you upset that SMU opened a branch campus in the Twin Cities?  Whee is your holier-than-thou wrath at Bethel, St.Kate's, Saint Mary's and Augsburg for expanding their graduate program and reclassifying as universities rather than remaining niche colleges?

No one has tried harder than Olaf to replicate UST's athletic successes across the spectrum than St Olaf. No one has flailed and failed as badly as the Oles.  Dropping millions of $ on facilities, importing a slew of former D1 coaches & administrators has garnered a very good run in cross country but mediocrity an all other sports and has seen the once proud Ole baseball program...well, self destruct.

mmm boy! Did Reusse show his love for the MIAC!

https://www.startribune.com/st-thomas-football-miac-pioneer-league-carleton-hamline-st-scholastica-macalester-patrick-reusse/600106186/

A highlight/lowlight: "The MIAC already was bottom-heavy in football, with Augsburg and St. Olaf joining Carleton and Hamline in recent seasons. The response to losing St. Thomas was adding two more teams to the bottom: St. Scholastica and Macalester."

But he has a point. The Pioneer is like playing St Thomas/St Johns/Bethel (most years) every week, without 6-8 courses of cream puffs filling the schedule. Other than SJU Bethel and UST, the only teams to win an outright conference title in the past 30 years were Concordia (in 2004 & a share in  1995) and Carleton (in 1992-- 68 years after their previous championship).

I keep reading on here about GAC being a contender--but in truth they have not been one in around 50 years. They last won the title in 1979 and that was as part of a 4-way tie.  Augsburg had a fun electric season in  1997 and not much since then (or before then for that matter as their prior championship was 1928).

You can puff up the paper tigers to make the upcoming games seem challenging, but really? if it's not SJU v Bethel, it just doesn't have championship implications. Realistically, most weeks SJU & BU should be winning by 50+ over the cream puffs.

Yeah I miss the Tommie/Johnnie game and will always miss it. And I miss the battles UST had with Bethel-- they were good football. But the games against the cream puffs were too boringly predictable and I don't miss them at all. I'd rather play the Mad Hatters of Stetson

Quote from: Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) on September 07, 2021, 02:45:46 PM

Quote from: GoldandBlueBU on September 07, 2021, 02:25:56 PM
Bethel has hired a coach - they went pretty young!  I don't know anything about him beyond what I just read in the release.

https://athletics.bethel.edu/news/2021/9/7/mens-basketball-zach-filzen-introduced-as-bethels-next-head-mens-basketball-coach.aspx

He was the HC at Lancaster Bible during their recent heyday. They would've been Wooster in the first round of the NCAAs if their best player hadn't messed up his ankle dunking in warmups. (That player, incidentally, was one of the guys charged with burning down the police station in Minneapolis in 2020.)

Filzen is confident and ambitious and I think he recruits pretty well.  He keeps moving up the ranks, so he must be doing ok.

Probably far more relevant than the escapades of a former player three years after that player was coached by Filzen is the fact that Zach's mom was a highly successful coach at Carleton, leading their women's program to its only berths in the NCAA and  MIAC playoffs.  I remember Zach (a junior high kid at the time) sitting on the bench and "helping" his mom coach the Knights.  I'd say his hire is a tremendous move for both BU & him.

Well, it is here. The End has come. With baseball's loss in the second game Saturday night, UST is done competing in the MIAC. Softball will play this weekend in the World Series baseball will play in the NCAAs (at the Collegeville Section- how ironic!)and a few T&F competitors will go on in NCAAs and then by June 1, D3 is history as far as UST is concerned.

Personally, I am going to miss the long rivalries with our former MIAC brethren even as I look forward to the challenges of moving to D1. I wonder if beating Oral Roberts will feel the same as beating GAC, or if winning over NDSU or SDSU will be as gratifying as a win over SJU or Bethel. I've made many friends across the MIAC over the years, rooted in our common love of D3 athletics at its finest, for which the MIAC has always famous. the high quality of competition on the playing field,  the respect and appreciation of each other's performance and the camaraderie that surrounds MIAC events are, to me, what college athletics is supposed to be about and that can be found on every MIAC  playing field. I'm going to miss that for sure. Because of that, I plan to be at many MIAC games and events over the years to come.  Heck, I might even root for SJU once in a while!!

It would be beautiful if UST brought home the walnut & bronze for a third time each in softball and baseball.

Well, it is here. The End has come. With baseball's loss in the second game Saturday night, UST is done competing in the MIAC. Softball will play this weekend in the World Series baseball will play in the NCAAs (at the Collegeville Section- how ironic!)and a few T&F competitors will go on in NCAAs and then by June 1, D3 is history as far as UST is concerned.

Personally, I am going to miss the long rivalries with our former MIAC brethren even as I look forward to the challenges of moving to D1. I wonder if beating Oral Roberts will feel the same as beating GAC, or if winning over NDSU or SDSU will be as gratifying as a win over SJU or Bethel. I've made many friends across the MIAC over the years, rooted in our common love of D3 athletics at its finest, for which the MIAC has always famous. the high quality of competition on the playing field,  the respect and appreciation of each other's performance and the camaraderie that surrounds MIAC events are, to me, what college athletics is supposed to be about and that can be found on every MIAC  playing field. I'm going to miss that for sure. Because of that, I plan to be at many MIAC games and events over the years to come.  Heck, I might even root for SJU once in a while!!

It would be beautiful if UST brought home the walnut & bronze for a third time each in softball and baseball.

Quote from: faunch on April 21, 2021, 10:56:26 AM
Spring 2021 MIAC Football Champs!
http://strib.mn/3n3a37L

"I have declared us to be the MIAC champions for my last season," left tackle Jacob Weisser said. "We're the only conference team that's played an actual game and we're 1-0, so that makes us the champs."

Can someone explain to me how winning your only game-- a NON conference game- gives a claim as "conference champs"?  What about all those teams that went unbeaten in intra-squad games?  While the rest of the article was a good read, that quote is utterly laughable

Quote from: faunch on March 19, 2021, 10:18:26 PM

Quote from: SUMMIT!!!!! on March 07, 2021, 02:01:41 PM
It is only fitting that UST's opponent in today's final MIAC game is GAC, who for decades has been our primary rival on the court. Historically GAC has been the #2 hoops program behind UST. I'd rate Augsburg 3rd all-time & SJ2 fourth (they were a bottom feeder until 1969 -Smithy's 4th season- when they won their first title). Hamline was dominant till the early 60s (before my time!) but hasn't been much of a factor since then. Bethel, Carleton & Olaf have consistently been competitive & often fielded strong teams. SMU was a strong program in the 50s, 60s, 70s and even early 80s and is showing signs of returning to that level. Concordia has been good two or three of every 9-10 seasons, but always was a tough road game at least. For decades, Mac was at or near the bottom of the barrel, with 4-5 good seasons under Coach Kietzer and now has an abundance of optimism under Coach Woldeslassie.

I cherish so many good memories of fun, exciting games in all the gyms across the MIAC. Boisterous fans at every school - they could really get LOUD at SJU, GAC, Bethel, Carleton and Olaf!! Intensely competitive players in uniforms of all shades and colors. Some great venues for hoops-- the old gyms at SJU, GAC (with the hockey rink beneath the elevated basketball court), UST (both- hoops on 3rd floor?!) and Mac (maybe not the old Field House, but The Cage was amazing) as well as those currently used. Special mentions of Hutton and Memorial for the way they encapsulate historical architecture, keeping the ghosts of seasons past alive and still provide a sweet atmosphere today.

I will miss UST's many rivalries in the MIAC and expect to continue attending MIAC games & following the league. But I look forward with enthusiasm to joining and ascending the Summit!!

Oral Roberts beat The Ohio State today. You've got a long road to compete at that level. Have fun 🤩 looking up at the Summit for a while. In order to compete U$T is going to have relax entrance requirements for a number of years. Prediction...Tommie$ might make conferences semifinals once or twice in the next ten years and play for conference playoff championship once in that time frame.
Most of this years $t. Thomas roster has played their last game for the Tommie$.

For someone who avows he hates UST, you sure spend a LOT of time worrying and analyzing Tommie athletics. its gonna be lonely being  a john after June 30.  How bout you worry about your school's programs-- as I recall, SJ2 hoops cant beat the UMAC in the NCAAs so you got some growing to do.

It is only fitting that UST's opponent in today's final MIAC game is GAC, who for decades has been our primary rival on the court. Historically GAC has been the #2 hoops program behind UST. I'd rate Augsburg 3rd all-time & SJ2 fourth (they were a bottom feeder until 1969 -Smithy's 4th season- when they won their first title). Hamline was dominant till the early 60s (before my time!) but hasn't been much of a factor since then. Bethel, Carleton & Olaf have consistently been competitive & often fielded strong teams. SMU was a strong program in the 50s, 60s, 70s and even early 80s and is showing signs of returning to that level. Concordia has been good two or three of every 9-10 seasons, but always was a tough road game at least. For decades, Mac was at or near the bottom of the barrel, with 4-5 good seasons under Coach Kietzer and now has an abundance of optimism under Coach Woldeslassie.

I cherish so many good memories of fun, exciting games in all the gyms across the MIAC. Boisterous fans at every school - they could really get LOUD at SJU, GAC, Bethel, Carleton and Olaf!! Intensely competitive players in uniforms of all shades and colors. Some great venues for hoops-- the old gyms at SJU, GAC (with the hockey rink beneath the elevated basketball court), UST (both- hoops on 3rd floor?!) and Mac (maybe not the old Field House, but The Cage was amazing) as well as those currently used. Special mentions of Hutton and Memorial for the way they encapsulate historical architecture, keeping the ghosts of seasons past alive and still provide a sweet atmosphere today.

I will miss UST's many rivalries in the MIAC and expect to continue attending MIAC games & following the league. But I look forward with enthusiasm to joining and ascending the Summit!!

Quote from: faunch on March 03, 2021, 09:01:50 PM

Quote from: jamtod on March 03, 2021, 08:48:24 PM
Probably the last MIAC game I will get a chance to listen to and I get the pleasure of a full game of VOJ. Gotta love it.

Could the officials call the Tommie$ for the body and hand check fouls on the press? Jesus Christ!!!

When in doubt, cry and blame the officials. The Johnnies' 14 turnovers (vs 6 by UST) couldn't be a factor-- it had to be bad officiating. The 18 points off those turnovers? Bad refs!  The inability to stop Riley Miller in the first half and the foolish choice of continually fouling Anders Nelson down the stretch? Of course its the refs doing.  Not being able to contain Bjorklund in the paint?  Yup, them dang refs did it again.

For all eternity, UST will have a 2 game win streak over SJU

Quote from: Cav-J on March 01, 2021, 06:29:27 PM
SMU MBB did not have 1 positive Covid test all season.

Quote from: SUMMIT!!!!! on March 01, 2021, 05:56:21 PM

Quote from: jamtod on March 01, 2021, 05:39:31 PM
New Top 15 poll is out:
UST up from 7 to 5. St John's falls out. Top 15 on a short season is going to be very unforgiving. No idea what to think about St John's after that brutal loss to Bethel. My first thought was maybe Bethel is pretty good, but they've got losses to Hamline and 2 to St Mary's.

St Thomas has the fewest games played of any team in the poll and tonight's game with St Mary's has been postponed also. Only 2 left, SJU and Bethel.

https://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2020-21/week5

5 if the 9 games scheduled for this week have been canceled/postponed.  Taking into account hockey and WBB and WH, a solid majority of scheduled events have been shelved....with Concordia, Hamline & SMU being involved in most of them. Sad end of strange season.

RE: the National rankings---I am shocked that SJU got any votes, much less 17 after last week's nightmare pair of games. Losing soundly to UST was bad enough but to get hammered like they die at home by Bethel is nothing short of embarrassing. bad week? horrible day? over-rated?

Maybe not, but 7 of 12 SMU athletic events scheduled for this week have been canceled or "postponed."

Quote from: jamtod on March 01, 2021, 05:39:31 PM
New Top 15 poll is out:
UST up from 7 to 5. St John's falls out. Top 15 on a short season is going to be very unforgiving. No idea what to think about St John's after that brutal loss to Bethel. My first thought was maybe Bethel is pretty good, but they've got losses to Hamline and 2 to St Mary's.

St Thomas has the fewest games played of any team in the poll and tonight's game with St Mary's has been postponed also. Only 2 left, SJU and Bethel.

https://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2020-21/week5

5 if the 9 games scheduled for this week have been canceled/postponed.  Taking into account hockey and WBB and WH, a solid majority of scheduled events have been shelved....with Concordia, Hamline & SMU being involved in most of them. Sad end of strange season.

RE: the National rankings---I am shocked that SJU got any votes, much less 17 after last week's nightmare pair of games. Losing soundly to UST was bad enough but to get hammered like they die at home by Bethel is nothing short of embarrassing. bad week? horrible day? over-rated?

So much for the Big Match-up. UST was in control nearly the entire game, controlling the tempo of play throughout. The Toms held the lead for nearly 36 minutes of the game (SJ2 lead for 2:59). The inside-outside game was rolling for UST and SJ had little in the way of answers. Anders Nelson had a relatively quiet night - he never put on a string in which he dominated the game; he just methodically made things happen and kept SJ2 off balance. His 23 points led all scorers and, in typical Anders fashion, he hit a couple of key 3s that were daggers to the Johnnies chances. Inside,  Parker Bjorklund was a force, pounding home a pair of thundering dunks over the bewildered Johnnies (and had a third one waved off due to shot clock), He finished with 14 pts & 6 boards.  Riley "Dead-eye" Miller found his stroke in the second half putting in 9 of his 15 points. Will Engel led all players with 9 rebounds as the shorter Tommies held a 35-32 edge off the glass. UST committed just 8 turnovers. The Toms torched the net in the second half at a 58.3% clip and simply outplayed the Js in every aspect.

Sigh. It was a great rivalry, and next week's non-conference game is still scheduled, but tonight was the last battle between the two schools in a game that matters, be it conference play or postseason.  While the end of the rivalry sucks, I' m excited about what the future holds for UST. While the next 2-3 years might not be as loaded with success as the past 20 have been, the move to D1 has me enthused!