FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[chewey]

I was wondering if Bethel is a very religious school? Are they in the Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson vein? Or more like Jesus style?

I would say Bethel is a religious school of the Robertson/Falwell/Jesus vein.  It's a great school affiliated with a conservative Baptist "synod."  It used to be that there was no dancing on campus.  I don't know if they have that still but they are not afraid to speak about religion and they are quite open about their commitment to faith/Jesus/God/virginity, etc.  Like any school though, I'm sure there are bad apples on campus.  It's a really nice school.  Linfield is Baptist too, I think right?

[Mr.Shoes]

Just a sidenote for the playoff picture...Looks like the Yankees are going to nab Johan Santana from the Twins.  How are the twins going to fill the stadium when the most popular and best pitcher are gone???!!??!?!?

I can't think rationally about this. I get too emotionally invested in the Twins. TC is my go-to guy when I need a rational, thoughtful assessment of a Twins-related situation. If/when they trade Johan—regardless of where he goes and what they get for him—I'm going to need TC to talk me back off the ledge. I'm getting irritable just thinking about the possibility.

[DustySJU]

Whew, glad I got that off my chest.  The game was no fun.  The weather sucked.  The trip down was bad, the trip back was worse.  All in all, it was a pretty good time.


I really don't want to make this sound like a shot at the players because they're kids that are trying their hardest, and we all enjoy watching them play, but it will be nice to get a breath of fresh air into the program.  Boyle, Hansel, Crees...  Who knows.  I just hope there's a QB somewhere in that mix.  


Now it's time to find out who the next batch of stars is going to be.

GO JOHNNIES!!!

In his few appearances this season Frosh Joe Boyle appears to have the "schwagger"... I believe he attended the Tom Linneman Quarterback Academy.

Developing....

[GoldandBlueBU]

I was wondering if Bethel is a very religious school? Are they in the Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson vein? Or more like Jesus style?

I would say Bethel is a religious school of the Robertson/Falwell/Jesus vein.  It's a great school affiliated with a conservative Baptist "synod."  It used to be that there was no dancing on campus.  I don't know if they have that still but they are not afraid to speak about religion and they are quite open about their commitment to faith/Jesus/God/virginity, etc.  Like any school though, I'm sure there are bad apples on campus.  It's a really nice school.  Linfield is Baptist too, I think right?

Yeah, that's pretty accurate.  Dancing has been allowed since the early 2000's, and there are now several school sponsored dances.  Yes, theres the drinking rules/vis hours and that kind of stuff.  I'd say something that sets bethel apart from more conservative schools (NWC)  is that they don't force certain things on students (chapel attendance, service project requirements, etc.) There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in things, but its up to the individual to do it.

[DutchHawk]

Quick, let me ask the next question from gloating Dutchmen before they weary themselves typing with numbing predictability:

So, do you think Gagliardi will retire this year?  I mean he's old.  How much longer can he go on?  Sure the guy has a great record and all, but he's a figurehead on the sidelines.  Too old to think.  Heck, he's probably too old to chew his own Cornflakes in the morning.  I mean really, how much longer can he go on?

And I'll answer for us:  Forever.  Until he stops.  Odds are he'll retire before I die, but maybe not.

Were gloating yet you guys keep taking stabs at us. You wonder where it come from. Props to Gags for coaching as long as he can, wish Schipper could have.

[Rugman]

Just a sidenote for the playoff picture...Looks like the Yankees are going to nab Johan Santana from the Twins.  How are the twins going to fill the stadium when the most popular and best pitcher are gone???!!??!?!?

They are planning on making everyday a bobblehead day.  They have 81 ex Twins lined up.  Opening day will be a rendition of the new stadium with Carl Pohlad sitting on it taking a big dump.

Seriously how much can a bobblehead cost?  $5?  Two million fans times $5 is only $10 million.  Lot less than what Hunter and Santana are getting.

[Seton41]

Just a sidenote for the playoff picture...Looks like the Yankees are going to nab Johan Santana from the Twins.  How are the twins going to fill the stadium when the most popular and best pitcher are gone???!!??!?!?

I am pretty frustrated about the Santana thing as well.  HOWEVER, given that Hunter is gone and that we don't appear to be replacing him anytime too soon, what good does having Santana here for the next few years provide?  We will have the best pitcher in baseball but nobody else.

I don't necessarily agree with what we are doing, but you can't do this half-a$$.  Either you rebuild or you keep your big guys and add veterans.  Since Hunter left, I would feel the Twins would be rather inconsistent if they kept Santana.  I don't want to be on this board next year pissing and moaning about why we let Santana go for nothing.

In the end, though, the Twins have as good a track record as anyone in making good trades and building from within the organization (unlike Kevin McHale).  I guess I will trust the Twins on this one.

[TC]

Just a sidenote for the playoff picture...Looks like the Yankees are going to nab Johan Santana from the Twins.  How are the twins going to fill the stadium when the most popular and best pitcher are gone???!!??!?!?

They are planning on making everyday a bobblehead day.  They have 81 ex Twins lined up.  Opening day will be a rendition of the new stadium with Carl Pohlad sitting on it taking a big dump.

Seriously how much can a bobblehead cost?  $5?  Two million fans times $5 is only $10 million.  Lot less than what Hunter and Santana are getting.

I already have my tickets for Steve Lombardozzi Bobble-Head Day--huge Lombo fan, can't wait.

As soon as a team starts limiting their options--deciding the will or will not sign or trade a player--they have already started making a huge mistake.

The Twins certainly have the money to pay Johan Santana to play baseball for them.  Counting the money that comes off the books for Hunter, Ro White, Silva, Ramon Ortiz, Sidney Ponson, and Santana's current salary, that is well in excess of $25MM per year.  Santana is certainly the type of player that you overpay for--he is demonstrably better than any option they can think of replacing him with.  From a strictly baseball standpoint, he is a much better investment at 8 yrs./$200MM than a 31-year old Torii Hunter is at 5 yrs./$90MM.  However, as soon as Santana and his agent know that the Twins are desperate to resign him, Santana has all the leverage.

Which is why the Twins need to legitimately keep their trade options open.  Currently Johan Santana is a ridiculously valuable commodity.  At the July trade deadline, he is decidedly less so.  At the end of the season, when the Twins would have to bid against every other team for his services, he is essentially worthless.  If the Twins are serious about exploring their trade options, now is absolutely the time to do so.  I'm not saying they should take pennies (or even 3 quarters and a dime) on the dollar to trade him as soon as possible, but if the Yankess are willing to trade Robinson Cano, Philip Hughes and Joba Chamberlain for right now, it would be criminaly negligible for the Twins to walk away from that deal.

I desperately want to watch Johan Santana play for the Minnesota Twins as long as he is physically capable of doing so at a high level, but that's easy for me to say because I don't need to pay his paycheck or deal with the ramifications when he stops being JOHAN M.F.'ing SANTANA and starts to be plain old Johan Santana.  I think the Twins shopping him now while he is at the apex of his value is really the only option they have.

[finsleft]

I say, if the Twinks can get Phil Hughes, Milkdud Cabrera and a top prospect, why not pull the trigger on that deal? He's gone for nothing in a year and Hughes should be able to post 16 wins, or close to it. Plus we have a CF and another possible impact player.
Twins better hope for competition from other teams for Johan. Why wouldn't the Yanks just wait a year and sign him as a free agent?

[finsleft]

Good points TC, except that they're saying Cano is untouchable. Also, Santana's #'s dropped last year when he copped a bit of an attitude after drinking koolaid with Torii and they let Castillo go to the Mets. But if he would stay with the Twinks on the last year of his contract, watch his #'s go way up. He'd be playing for the $$$$.

[TC]

Sure Cano is untouchable, but so is Johan Santana if you know what I mean.  I'd imagine this is one of the cases where different levels of untouchable are involved, especially when the media catches wind of the fact that Johan Santana is an attainable target for the Yankees.

And even though I'm sure Nick Punto is an important part of what the Twins are trying to do in the future, and Ron Gardenhire would be in all kinds of trouble if the Twins lost him, I bet we could send him to the Yanks if we get Cano back.  You know, to fill their hole at 2B and all...

[Mr.Shoes]

The Twins certainly have the money to pay Johan Santana to play baseball for them...[snip]...I think the Twins shopping him now while he is at the apex of his value is really the only option they have.

This is why TC is my go-to guy when I need a shot of rational thought about the Twins. I can't think like that without getting all flustered.

I really really really want to win a World Series. I'd prefer that Johan gets the win in the deciding game, but if it is Phil Hughes who throws the pitch and Melky Cabrera who catches the last out, whatever. My brain tells me that Mr. Smith is doing whatever he can to bring a W.S. win to MN. My heart is aching because it tells me that Pohlad doesn't give a rip about those of us who pay to watch.

But if he would stay with the Twinks on the last year of his contract, watch his #'s go way up. He'd be playing for the $$$$.

The thought of a pissed-off Johan throwing the baseball for a monumental paycheck gives me the goosebumps. If we keep him for the season and make a run, we get to experience those goosebumps. If we trade him, the contract situation means he'll be signed and we won't have to face that attitude. Of course, we'd have to face a Johan who is disappointed in being traded. D'oh.

[finsleft]

Alright TC, Punto for Cano, even up. Deal? 

Of course, Gardy would have to go to NY, too, since Nicky's lips are attached to Gardy's ass.

[TC]

Alright TC, Punto for Cano, even up. Deal? 

Of course, Gardy would have to go to NY, too, since Nicky's lips are attached to Gardy's ass.

Which only partially explains why he only hit .210/.291/.271 last season or, more inexplicibly, why he was given over 500 plate appearances to remove any and all doubt that he is/was not a major league-caliber hitter.

Re: Santana's performance declining last year, I was going to go into a whole spiel about his K/9 showing a marked improvement over the last few years and how--besides his W-L Record, and don't get me started on the predictive nature of that...--none of his actual stats show any decline from previous seasons.  I'll spare you the numbers, but will admit that his HR Rate from last year was very troubling.  If it is a one-year blip, Santana should be just as good as ever next year.  If the HR Rate stays high, though, we may already be seeing the beginning of his decline. 

[BU5758]

From ROR, "For known and unknown reasons, Bethel is the team the rest of the MIAC
has a difficult time respecting."

TC, TDT, Duffman, Frankrickard, shouldabeen71, TouchdownTommy, Redtooth....and
any others who want to answer....for the record....

Complete this statement...."I hate Bethel (or Brothel) because...."

Not looking for a "group hug"..Just curious what fuels your venom.