Here's an extremely sensible, reasoned opinion on how to solve the "St. Thomas" problem:
1. Let Hamline, St.Olaf and Carleton move to the Midwest Conference for football only, just as Macalester did a few years ago. With St. Norbert leaving the MWC for the NACC, the MWC will be down at least one team. Adding three new football teams will allow the MWC to have two seven-team divisions and allow that conference to continue having an "exempt" (from regular season game limits) championship game.
2. Allow St. Scholastica to move completely into the MIAC, bringing the MIAC back to seven football schools – and up to 12-14 schools in other sports (allowing for two six- or seven-team divisions in those other sports). The Saints have always wanted to compete in the MIAC anyway and, even though they might start out by getting waxed by the MIAC's elite (in football), their players, alumni and administration have the guts and pride to do something about it (unlike the three MIAC schools mentioned in paragraph 1, above). It's a little more travel for some MIAC schools, but St. John's and Concordia probably wouldn't mind - trading trips to Northfield with a trip to Duluth. Plus, having two divisions in the other sports might make playoffs in those sports more manageable (e.g., having the top three or four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs).
3. Convince Augsburg not to vote to oust UST by allowing it to start calling itself the "University of Minnesota at Augsburg" - which is only fitting since it's already impossible to tell where the U. of M. ends and Augsburg begins, anyway. The "big school name" should allow Augsburg to continue recruiting top-notch wrestlers, who will be easily convinced to go there by telling them they'll be wrestling for the "University of Minnesota."
4. It sounds like St. Olaf might not be satisfied just by being allowed to move its football team out of the MIAC into a "more competitive" conference like the MWC. So, we should convince St. Olaf to stay in the MIAC for all other sports - and not seek UST's or any other school's ouster - by allowing the Oles for the next five years to play or sing "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (the Norwegian national anthem) at the beginning of every home athletic event, with live performances by one (or more!) of the school's 147 "world renowned" musical groups.
5. Convince St. Mary's and St. Kate's not to seek UST's or any other school's ouster from the MIAC by threatening to have a few St. Ben's students go and beat up every student on those two campuses. Wait a minute! – After all of the events in paragraphs 1-4, above, have transpired, it won't matter what St. Mary's and St. Kate's do; they won't have the votes to force UST's ouster. Oh, well, I say we let the Bennies loose on them anyway and make them pay for their roles in this "MIAC break-up" soap opera. Bennies are tough!
1. Let Hamline, St.Olaf and Carleton move to the Midwest Conference for football only, just as Macalester did a few years ago. With St. Norbert leaving the MWC for the NACC, the MWC will be down at least one team. Adding three new football teams will allow the MWC to have two seven-team divisions and allow that conference to continue having an "exempt" (from regular season game limits) championship game.
2. Allow St. Scholastica to move completely into the MIAC, bringing the MIAC back to seven football schools – and up to 12-14 schools in other sports (allowing for two six- or seven-team divisions in those other sports). The Saints have always wanted to compete in the MIAC anyway and, even though they might start out by getting waxed by the MIAC's elite (in football), their players, alumni and administration have the guts and pride to do something about it (unlike the three MIAC schools mentioned in paragraph 1, above). It's a little more travel for some MIAC schools, but St. John's and Concordia probably wouldn't mind - trading trips to Northfield with a trip to Duluth. Plus, having two divisions in the other sports might make playoffs in those sports more manageable (e.g., having the top three or four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs).
3. Convince Augsburg not to vote to oust UST by allowing it to start calling itself the "University of Minnesota at Augsburg" - which is only fitting since it's already impossible to tell where the U. of M. ends and Augsburg begins, anyway. The "big school name" should allow Augsburg to continue recruiting top-notch wrestlers, who will be easily convinced to go there by telling them they'll be wrestling for the "University of Minnesota."
4. It sounds like St. Olaf might not be satisfied just by being allowed to move its football team out of the MIAC into a "more competitive" conference like the MWC. So, we should convince St. Olaf to stay in the MIAC for all other sports - and not seek UST's or any other school's ouster - by allowing the Oles for the next five years to play or sing "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (the Norwegian national anthem) at the beginning of every home athletic event, with live performances by one (or more!) of the school's 147 "world renowned" musical groups.
5. Convince St. Mary's and St. Kate's not to seek UST's or any other school's ouster from the MIAC by threatening to have a few St. Ben's students go and beat up every student on those two campuses. Wait a minute! – After all of the events in paragraphs 1-4, above, have transpired, it won't matter what St. Mary's and St. Kate's do; they won't have the votes to force UST's ouster. Oh, well, I say we let the Bennies loose on them anyway and make them pay for their roles in this "MIAC break-up" soap opera. Bennies are tough!