FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[repete]

The Tommies are progressing well with their new head coach and despite playing in perhaps a less competitive MWC conference so are the Fightin' Scots.

Looking forward to a great game this Saturday.  Regarding all of the "less competitive" references, I've included this year's conference results below.  FYI

MIAC               
St. John's    8-0, 10-0      
St. Thomas  7-1, 9-1         
Bethel  6-2, 7-3         
Con-Moor  3-5, 5-5         
St. Olaf  3-5, 5-5         
Augsburg  3-5, 4-6         
Gustavas Ad  3-5, 4-6         
Hamline  2-6, 4-6         
Carleton  1-7, 3-7            

MWC
Monmouth  9-0, 10-0
St. Norbert  8-1, 9-1   
Ripon  7-2, 7-3   
Beloit  5-4, 6-4   
Carroll  5-4, 5-5
Illinois Col.  5-4, 5-5
Grinnell  2-7, 2-8
Lake Forest  2-7, 2-8
Lawrence  1-8, 2-8   
Knox  1-8, 1-9

So distill out the conference results and you've got a conference that went 3-7 NC vs. one that went 15-3.

[DustySJU]

Dens: TDT just took care of you.  Congrats you and GHC are among the few Linfield posters who "get it".

TC: Can we get your prognostication for SJU and UST potential in the playoffs and where you see them finishing?  Clark has called me 3 times already this Monday morning so he is chomping at the bit to get your analysis.

Dusty: C'mon son (in TDT's best Ochocinco voice).  Au contraire,( TDT has seen more combination of SJU and UST games) this season than anyone with the possible exception of Miacmaniac.  I believe Maniac has seen SJU vs Bethel and UST while I've seen UST vs Concordia, Augsburg, and SJU.

Are you feeling okay?  As my pal TC just called you out on that asinine comparison.  I know you are "geeked" up for the playoffs, but lets keep things in perspective here.

W. Clark: That was a below the belt shot.  We'll discuss on Saturday morning...

Fins: How was hunting?  Where are the pics?  

For all the children in the room let me first restate that I was not offering like comparison between the SJU '03 and Monmouth '09 teams.

Secondly, no where did I write I have seen more of UST than anyone else in this room.

However as long as we're on the topic there are a number of Johnnie fans who have grown fanciful with The Tommies and their sudden rise to prominence.  TDT and TC have both sounded the alarm for current and future UST dominance, I am not one of them.

But just to make certain everyone clearly understands my position I believe Monmouth will win this coming Saturday against The Tommies.

[TC]

TC: Can we get your prognostication for SJU and UST potential in the playoffs and where you see them finishing?  Clark has called me 3 times already this Monday morning so he is chomping at the bit to get your analysis.

I would not be surprised by St. John's, Linfield, Mary Hardin-Baylor, or St. Thomas winning this region.  As I've said before, I think UMHB is the best team in the bracket, but they're going to rack up a ton frequent flier miles and they won't have an easy game all tournament.  I think St. Thomas might have the highest ceiling or any team in the region.  St. John's is going to need Boyle to come back better than he ever has been, because right now the offense isn't good enough to beat good playoff teams.  Still, they are the #1 seed for a reason.  Linfield seems to be decent at football this year.

Central got a brutal draw.  In order to win the region, they'll need to beat UMHB, beat Linfield on the road, then beat St. John's on the road (or beat a team that beat St. John's).  There are two teams in the country that could run that gauntlet and Central isn't one of them.  Monmouth is an MWC team--they need to worry about winning a playoff game before they start having delusions of knocking off Top 10 teams every weekend for a month.  Cal Lutheran should enjoy their extra week of practice and their vacation to the Pacific Northwest.  Coe is absolutely a threat to beat St. John's on Saturday (unlike, say, Lakeland would have been), but when you're in a bracket with the nation's #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, and #10 teams and you're not one them, well...  life sucks sometimes.

So there, that should piss pretty much everyone off.  How does everyone else think the bracket looks?

And regarding how St. John's and St. Thomas, specifically, will do...  I feel very strongly that one team will lose in the second round and the other will lose in the third round.

[scottie]

So distill out the conference results and you've got a conference that went 3-7 NC vs. one that went 15-3.

Fair enough, Repete.  The MWC only has one NC game each.  I'm sure they would have gone 10-0 if they could schedule a second NC opponent.   

[smedindy]

To all,

I will have pick 'em results posted and PLAYOFF PICKEM'S coming with new scoring and some twists and turns. Stay tuned tonight!

[WithasilentK]

SJU v Coe;

I reckon the Johnnies will be able to put 21 to 28 points on the board while holding Coe to no more than 14.  I see a one or two TD win for the J's.  If Coe is given 7 1/2 points then it would be a pretty tough pick.

Considering teams are only scoring 15 points per game against Coe this year, 28 seems unlikely.  Throw in the fact that teams are only getting 3.3 yards per carry against that defense and you have all the signs of a lower scoring game. 

Yeah, but SJU is likely a bit better than Coe's normal competition 

I agree, SJU is better than Coe's normal competition, but how confident are you that SJU's offense is better than Coe's normal competition?  I'd say 10 points better isn't a stretch at all, but it is definitely a question for SJU coming into the playoffs.

[DuffMan]

I agree, SJU is better than Coe's normal competition, but how confident are you that SJU's offense is better than Coe's normal competition?  I'd say 10 points better isn't a stretch at all, but it is definitely a question for SJU coming into the playoffs.

I'm more concerned about SJU's soft defensive secondary.  If Boyle's thumb isn't bothering him, I think the SJU offense will perform well.

[D O.C.]

Somewhere I gave TC a +K and I guess I tried to do it again for the analysis. 24 hours. +K in the bank..

May every team get and stay healthy throughout.

[scots fan]

fair enough TC,I know the TOMMIES are a good football team but i can tell you this they have not seen a offense like monmouths offense . based on what i have seen in the last 21 monmouth football games this game will be won on whoevers defense steps up.MONMOUTH HAS TO STOP THE TOMMIE,running game to have a chance.ON the other side of the ball the Tommies better get ready for 4 and5 wideout sets.OH by the way did I tell monmouth rushes for 190 a game .HMMM  WHAT A DILEMA.

[WithasilentK]

fair enough TC,I know the TOMMIES are a good football team but i can tell you this they have not seen a offense like monmouths offense . based on what i have seen in the last 21 monmouth football games this game will be won on whoevers defense steps up.MONMOUTH HAS TO STOP THE TOMMIE,running game to have a chance.ON the other side of the ball the Tommies better get ready for 4 and5 wideout sets.OH by the way did I tell monmouth rushes for 190 a game .HMMM  WHAT A DILEMA.

My head hurts after attempting to read this.

[DuffMan]

If anyone cares, Northern WinterHawk Chicken$hit created a separate thread to rip on the Johnnie fans.

[sju56321]

I would guess that SJU defense is the best they will have seen, SJU does bend, but they are now making the big play to change the game. It looks like Coe has a nice QB, but a Soph, who can throw and runs some. SJU will need to control the clock by running the ball and keep Coe off the field.

[DuffMan]

fair enough TC,I know the TOMMIES are a good football team but i can tell you this they have not seen a offense like monmouths offense . based on what i have seen in the last 21 monmouth football games this game will be won on whoevers defense steps up.MONMOUTH HAS TO STOP THE TOMMIE,running game to have a chance.ON the other side of the ball the Tommies better get ready for 4 and5 wideout sets.OH by the way did I tell monmouth rushes for 190 a game .HMMM  WHAT A DILEMA.

My head hurts after attempting to read this.

I have utter disdain for the Tommies, but all I can say is, "WOW!"

[DustySJU]

If anyone cares, Northern WinterHawk Chicken$hit created a separate thread to rip on the Johnnie fans.

Ah yes Duffman, that's some priceless commentary from WinterHawk!

[Touchdown Tommy]

"Johnnie Pukes"...I kinda like it hahahahahhahahahahahhahaha