FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[AO]

Bethel is picked to be in the playoffs even with a loss to the johnnies this Saturday.

The winner gets St. Norbert in the first round.  I would think Bethel would be on the road to St. Norbert if they win as the Green Knights are undefeated and ranked slightly higher in the regional rankings.

While I'm at it, I just noticed Reusse's article in the STrib about Wetzell and this weekend's matchup.

[stanbob]

Bethel is picked to be in the playoffs even with a loss to the johnnies this Saturday.

The winner gets St. Norbert in the first round.  I would think Bethel would be on the road to St. Norbert if they win as the Green Knights are undefeated and ranked slightly higher in the regional rankings.

While I'm at it, I just noticed Reusse's article in the STrib about Wetzell and this weekend's matchup.

If you knew your reusse you would remember how just a couple months ago he had sto the class of the MIAC ao.  And I do believe that the playoff predictions are based on records prior to bethels last dance on saturday.   

[AO]

Reusse didn't make any predictions.  I suppose if you have put all your energy into saying Bethel sucks and forgetting that you have ever lost to anyone- his recap of Bethel punching St. John's in the nose last year must have come as a surprise and could have been confused with a prediction of this year's game.

The regional rankings by the NCAA and the playoff projections by d3football.com do include all games through last weekend.  So no, beating Augsburg by only nine has not hurt their playoff chances as much as it hurt Wartburg to lose to Augsburg, putting them in a must win situation this weekend-whereas Bethel may not be forced to win this weekend.

[OzJohnnie]

Reusse didn't make any predictions.  I suppose if you have put all your energy into saying Bethel sucks and forgetting that you have ever lost to anyone- his recap of Bethel punching St. John's in the nose last year must have come as a surprise and could have been confused with a prediction of this year's game.

And, it seems, if you put all your energy into saying SJU sucks and forgetting that you have ever lost to anyone (and shoulda beets the J's when you used to play them), then an article that does nothing but talk up the Royals could be mistaken for something other than the puff-piece it is.  It's understandable Reusse would write it, Bethel is in the Trib's dwindling distribution area, but it's still a Royal assist.

Of course, the biggest give away may be the title, "Something's in the air".  Followed by the buzz around campus re: back to back wins.  But it could be missed - if you're a one eyed Johnnie hater.

I'm fine with that.  We've got true blue Frank Rajkowski in our corner.  And no one pretends he's impartial.

And (I can't believe I'm saying this), you're right about PC predicting the Royals have an outside chance of making the playoffs, even with their inevitable loss to the Johnnies this weekend.  I gave you +k for being right.  How's that?

[bcflyguy1]

Esq-
If I had given you the choice between SJU having to play at UWLAX or Central, I'm pretty sure you would have taken Central every day of the week and twice on Saturday.  It was just a little backward that the MIAC's second place finisher drew a better match-up.  Yes, Central won their conference and LAX didn't but my point still remains.  At the end of the day, BU has to win no matter who they get paired with.  Perhaps this is the year it happens, but the Royals have to get through their play-in game this Saturday first.

Sure I would take the Dutch-- we've done pretty well against Central recently.  After all, what is the difference between the IIAC champ and a WIAC second place?  Should be pretty comparable, no? Are the Royals really sure they wanted an IIAC team, in hindsight, after BVU this year?

Don't forget, the Royals loss to Carleton killed them last year.  Since the MIAC was considered down, and your loss in conference was to a non-playoff team, you are at the mercy of other conferences.  SJU was pool C and took what they got, but their loss was to a playoff team; as was UW-L's.

I do agree with you though that the pairings should have been more in line with pure seedings-- thanks be to the SCIAC/NWC for the flight rules that necessitate this screwy-ness.  But the NCAA only advocates fair entry into the playoffs-- not fairness once you are in the playoffs.  Once you are in, you have to win-- and while I have a very small sense of sympathy for BU, you have to win to keep dancing.  And BU has not shown an ability to do that.

We're hoping this is the year the playoff win finally happens, but there's that game on Saturday that must be won first.  True about the Carleton loss last year, if Bethel wins that game they probably host UWW instead of going on the road.  And as you point out, the loss to BV brings a similar scenario into play.  I don't think the loss to BV means that Bethel would want to avoid playing the IIAC; they played by far their worst game of the year that day.  Bethel will probably have to beat somebody very good on the road in the playoffs before the selection committee will show them any love, and that's not neccesarily unfair.  Like you said, once you're in you have to win.  Please, let this be the year!

[AO]

Reusse didn't make any predictions.  I suppose if you have put all your energy into saying Bethel sucks and forgetting that you have ever lost to anyone- his recap of Bethel punching St. John's in the nose last year must have come as a surprise and could have been confused with a prediction of this year's game.

And, it seems, if you put all your energy into saying SJU sucks and forgetting that you have ever lost to anyone (and shoulda beets the J's when you used to play them), then an article that does nothing but talk up the Royals could be mistaken for something other than the puff-piece it is.  It's understandable Reusse would write it, Bethel is in the Trib's dwindling distribution area, but it's still a Royal assist.

Of course, the biggest give away may be the title, "Something's in the air".  Followed by the buzz around campus re: back to back wins.  But it could be missed - if you're a one eyed Johnnie hater.

I'm fine with that.  We've got true blue Frank Rajkowski in our corner.  And no one pretends he's impartial.

And (I can't believe I'm saying this), you're right about PC predicting the Royals have an outside chance of making the playoffs, even with their inevitable loss to the Johnnies this weekend.  I gave you +k for being right.  How's that?

Where did I say the Johnnies suck?  Where did any Bethel fan say St. John's sucks?  -- I find it pretty funny that johnnie fans could read that article and think they're up against it with the press picking Bethel.

[OzJohnnie]

Where did I say the Johnnies suck?  Where did any Bethel fan say St. John's sucks?  -- I find it pretty funny that johnnie fans could read that article and think they're up against it with the press picking Bethel.

Can I take that karma back?

[bcflyguy1]

1. UW-Whitewater (A)
2. St. John's (A)
3. Central (A)
4. St. Norbert (A)
5. Redlands (C)
6. Bethel (C)
7. Whitworth (C)
8. Cal Lutheran (A)
Alright, NCAA penny-pinching could rear its ugly head here. But even the NCAA couldn't possibly make Redlands and Cal Lutheran play again, one week later, right? Right?? Let's hope so, anyway. So we're sending Whitworth to Redlands and Cal Lutheran to UW-Whitewater in the Danny Jones Reunion Bowl. Bethel can't play St. John's again, unfortunately for St. Norbert, because Norbert gets the call. Bethel would be at Central.

Wow, the playoff projection has Bethel in with two losses and getting to play the Dutch.  That would be cool, but I'd rather see BU in as the MIAC champ and hosting in the first round.  GO ROYALS!

[DustySJU]

1. UW-Whitewater (A)
2. St. John's (A)
3. Central (A)
4. St. Norbert (A)
5. Redlands (C)
6. Bethel (C)
7. Whitworth (C)
8. Cal Lutheran (A)
Alright, NCAA penny-pinching could rear its ugly head here. But even the NCAA couldn't possibly make Redlands and Cal Lutheran play again, one week later, right? Right?? Let's hope so, anyway. So we're sending Whitworth to Redlands and Cal Lutheran to UW-Whitewater in the Danny Jones Reunion Bowl. Bethel can't play St. John's again, unfortunately for St. Norbert, because Norbert gets the call. Bethel would be at Central.

Wow, the playoff projection has Bethel in with two losses and getting to play the Dutch.  That would be cool, but I'd rather see BU in as the MIAC champ and hosting in the first round.  GO ROYALS!

Why would 2 loss Bethel get the nod over 2 loss Eau Claire?   

Reusse didn't make any predictions.  I suppose if you have put all your energy into saying Bethel sucks and forgetting that you have ever lost to anyone- his recap of Bethel punching St. John's in the nose last year must have come as a surprise and could have been confused with a prediction of this year's game.

Of course, the biggest give away may be the title, "Something's in the air".  Followed by the buzz around campus re: back to back wins.  But it could be missed - if you're a one eyed Johnnie hater.

I'm fine with that.  We've got true blue Frank Rajkowski in our corner.  And no one pretends he's impartial.

And (I can't believe I'm saying this), you're right about PC predicting the Royals have an outside chance of making the playoffs, even with their inevitable loss to the Johnnies this weekend.  I gave you +k for being right.  How's that?

In this mornings STrib article Wetzell said. "The thing about Bethel against St. John's, you don't have cheap shots, you don't have a lot of conversation... just great competition.

Really?   

I suspect the cryptic "Something's in the Air" is a prelude to an AK-11 300+ yard passing day...

Developing....

[footballfan413]

Happy 1000 BDB!

BDB,
Sorry, I missed it but not surpised considering how fast you have been on the rise.  Seems like only yesterday you were at 974!      +karma

[bcflyguy1]

In this mornings STrib article Wetzell said. "The thing about Bethel against St. John's, you don't have cheap shots, you don't have a lot of conversation... just great competition.

Really?   

I suspect the cryptic "Something's in the Air" is a prelude to an AK-11 300+ yard passing day...

Developing....

Yes, really.

"Something's in the Air" could also be a prelude to 300 rushing yards for BU...AGAIN! 

Is it Saturday yet?

[Johnnie Red]

BDB, the "Everybody Polka" video was great. Reminds me of Carver County and our wonderful communities of Cologne, Hamburg, New Germany, Gotha and the Schnappsburg cemetery. Great story from the World War I era in my hometown about a doctor who lived three houses down from where I lived who was from England. There were a bunch of people in Norwood who were outside the doctor's home jeering him because he was British. This was before the US got involved in the war. Guess what their ancestry was? That's right, German. Then again, they did start the Stiftungsfest in 1861.

DutchFan2004, you are correct, sir! There was the airfare that dear old dad also covered for the trip to New York. She gets to go to all these places that I have never been to.

[Rugman]

Woke up at 3 again this morning and started worrying about Saturday again.  Football minds out there....how do you contain Wetzell?  Do you put a LB to spy on him?  Do you blitz inside and force him to scramble sideways?   

[sju56321]

Dusty-Bethel is regionally ranked ahead of UW-EC right now, and with SJU as the #2 team in West, even a loss would probably keep them ahead of #10 UW-EC.
But remember, this is Pat's best guess, also assuming the higher ranked teams win out. If some of those games out east or even the West coast go the other way and SJU wins, Bethel could still be out. Pat already has 9 teams from the North in and moved Capital to the South, could easily keep that team in the North and move Concordia of Wisc. to the West, if another East of South team qualifies.
Also, Bethel must be rooting for Central, because if Wartburg wins and Bethel loses, looks like Bethel is out.

[Rugman]

Hey OZ, are you familiar with a band called Youth Group who hails from your haunts?  Heard their song Daiseychain on the Current yesterday and they sounded pretty, pretty good.