FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[OzJohnnie]

I don't think the on campus housing requirements has a large impact on recruits / recruiting...but you never know.

As a recruit, I don't recall that topic even being in my mind.  Besides, you're shown some of the on-campus upperclassmen housing, and many of those apartments are really nice.

Next we're going to identify the lack of Coke as the big recruiting issue now that the mess hall (can't remember what it was called) has a contract with Pepsi.

I think the issue was identified in the first shot and all this extra fire is likely to have collateral damage, not addressing the issue.

[SagatagSam]

What rule is that? You mean no students can live in St. Joe?

Pretty much this appears to be the policy for 2013-2014

I give the SJU administration a bit of credit on this one.  Living in St. Paul (Highland) I'm well aware of the issues in the UST neighborhood in regards to student housing.  At least St. John's has decided to keep students on campus and provide housing for them.  At the start of the current school year UST didn't have enough rooms for their freshman class.  That kind of crap should only happen at the U.
IMO there are a few rationales for the policy at SJU.
1.  An attempt to decrease issues between students and St. Joe residents / law enforcement. 
2.  An attempt to build community by keeping students on campus all four years.
3.  An attempt to increase revenue (room rentals, dining fees, other incidentals).

I have--and always will--consider this to be an absolute bonehead policy. When I was a high school senior, I was sold on how awesome SJU was because I saw that the school gave upperclassmen a choice as to whether they would live on or off campus and that the overwhelming majority elected to live on campus without it being mandatory.

That choice showed how confident SJU was in the strength of its community. It's as if the school was saying, "Our community is so great and welcoming that to make it mandatory is an act without meaning."

To make matters worse, this clouds market signals as it relates to housing decisions.

Forced community building sounds like something out of Pyongyang.

[OzJohnnie]

For Christ's sake.  I mean really.  The football team loses four games in a row and suddenly the school can do no good.  Damned disgraceful display in my opinion.

The schadenfreude of those watching the SJU faithful lash and flail in helpless in-futility must be intense.  And the pity of those who have befriended many Johnnies here must be almost as great.

See you all later.  I'm taking a break.

[SagatagSam]

For Christ's sake.  I mean really.  The football team loses four games in a row and suddenly the school can do no good.  Damned disgraceful display in my opinion.

The schadenfreude of those watching the SJU faithful lash and flail in helpless in-futility must be intense.  And the pity of those who have befriended many Johnnies here must be almost as great.

See you all later.  I'm taking a break.

Perhaps I should have been more clear about my opposition at the outset of rumors of this policy dating back to 2006-07.
(For those of us keeping score, that was when all was hunky-dory with Johnnie football and we were all blissfully unaware of what was to come after the 2009 season.)

The housing issue is a completely separate issue from any football woes. Sorry you got so butt-hurt about it, Oz.

[SagatagSam]

I feel like I'm back in 7th grade English class where our teacher, Ms. Faulkner, made us say ten nice things to someone whom we had just criticized.

So here goes:

1) Saint John's has a campus so nice, you'd think they had snatched it out of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2) Stiftungsfestivities, a wonderful bit of spontaneous tradition now going over ten years strong
3) Where else can you go for a walk every day during a four year college career and never walk the same path twice?
4) Johnnie Bread--just try and act like you're not envious of this one
5) I know I am home for the holidays when I attend the midnight Christmas Mass at the Abbey Church and end up being one of the last ones to leave the post-Mass fellowship gathering in the Great Hall over hot cider and cookies because of wonderful conversations with long lost friends
6) I met the love of my life at Saint John's... and I'm proud to say that beer and I have just celebrated our 8th wonderful year together
7) My heart swells and I am compelled to sing at the top of my lungs whenever I hear "Sing us a song, you're the piano man. Sing us a song tonight. Well, we're all in the mood for a melody. And you've got us feelin' alright!"
8) There is no better feeling than lying on the floating dock on Lake Sagatagan as the sun sets on another gorgeous summer day.
9) I know that no matter where I am in the world, there is a good chance I could go to Mass and find the publisher of the hymnals and missalettes is The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota
10) It is nearly impossible for me to return to Saint John's and not learn something new and profound about the campus, the world, or myself.
11) The list never ends....

[sju56321]

Geeze OZ-get a grip.
I graduated by in the 80's when there was no policy on living off campus. I think it is a poor policy now to force students to live on campus-although, as Duff pointed out, I have not seen the upgraded living accommodations on campus. I just remember when I was there you had the earth shelters and flyntown. And the living policy has no bearing on the poor football play-just could not believe they have such a policy.
And maybe you are right -maybe we should just accept average to poor play, it certainly frees up my Saturday.

[GoldandBlueBU]

For Christ's sake.  I mean really.  The football team loses four games in a row and suddenly the school can do no good.  Damned disgraceful display in my opinion.

The schadenfreude of those watching the SJU faithful lash and flail in helpless in-futility must be intense.  And the pity of those who have befriended many Johnnies here must be almost as great.

See you all later.  I'm taking a break.

Excellent use of shadenfreude.

I'm certainly not taking pleasure in SJU being down, but I am definitely a bit surprised at how knee-jerk some of the reactions are.  As others have said before, I think it is just a cyclical move of the MIAC...SJU was up for a long time, now they're down, Tommies were down, now they're up...what the conference standings will look like in 5 years, who knows?  I doubt that anyone (other than an Auggie insider, perhaps) would have predicted that Augsburg would leap into relevance as quickly as they have, but they'e suddenly a contender.

I personally have no doubt that SJU will be back.  Maybe next year, maybe 2 or 3 seasons after that, but they'll eventually get a crop of players with the ability to make it happen.

[sju56321]

And when SJU returns to form-I will still wonder about the living on campus policy. The two are not related, however, may be just bad timing that I became aware of the policy now.
And let's be clear-there is no better place in Minnesota to receive a Liberal Arts education than SJU.

[USTBench]

Bethel - Concordia game got some run in Deadspin today: http://deadspin.com/5949884/division-iii-football-game-provides-reminder-not-to-storm-the-field-until-the-game-is-actually-over

My favorite comment from the story: To be fair, Preparing For The End-Times is the second most popular freshmen seminar at Bethel, narrowly beaten out by Left Behind Books: Are They Ever An Inappropriate Gift?

[sjusection105]

The schedule is stacking up with all the tough games still coming for UST. Bethel,Augsburg & Concordia all present a different challenge. To defend their MIAC title, the Tommies are going to have to play mistake free ball- are they up to it? Time will tell.

[faunch]

Almost time for Frank's live chat on the SC daily planet.  What will be the hot topic today?  Will a current player post (I hope not)?

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

The schedule is stacking up with all the tough games still coming for UST. Bethel,Augsburg & Concordia all present a different challenge. To defend their MIAC title, the Tommies are going to have to play mistake free ball- are they up to it? Time will tell.

I don't see much difference between Bethel and Concorda-- they both play steady, hard-nose, pound-the-ball football with an emphasis on the ground game. both running attacks are stellar. Augsburg is another story, with Scott, they run a MIAC-Wildcat styled offense. All three will be big challenges to UST (as will Olaf). In UST's favor is their rush defense is superb, and among the nation's best. That said,  six turnovers is 5 or 6 too many!!!!  Anything more than 2 turnvoers vs Bethel spells defeat. I am confident Caruso and his staff will be emphasizing the importance of turnover-free football this week.

I am really looking forward to Saturday-- not just because its Homecoming and the stands will be mostly full at O'Shag, but for the limo and Lambo sightings along the streets and most importantly for THE GAME! Bethel has dodged a few bullets in the past 2 weeks....can their good fortune hold out? UST/BU has grown into a bona fide rivalry not only in football but in all sports. The last 4-5 football games have been as intense as one can hope for....this week should continue the trentd!

[Retired Old Rat]

So down on Johnnie football I couldn't post anything after the game.  As I commented to one of the guys I was sitting next to, I sure hope this is bottom.

[dlippiel]

Bethel - Concordia game got some run in Deadspin today: http://deadspin.com/5949884/division-iii-football-game-provides-reminder-not-to-storm-the-field-until-the-game-is-actually-over

My favorite comment from the story: To be fair, Preparing For The End-Times is the second most popular freshmen seminar at Bethel, narrowly beaten out by Left Behind Books: Are They Ever An Inappropriate Gift?

Thanks for posting this video. What an ending! Congrats to Bethel on the great last second win.

[hazzben]

Next we're going to identify the lack of Coke as the big recruiting issue now that the mess hall (can't remember what it was called) has a contract with Pepsi.

Now that actually would affect my decision...Pepsi, yeck

Then again, Bethel did the same switch so maybe we need to investigate if UST is still a Coke campus (the drink, not the drug guys  ) and hence has a soft drink edge in recruiting.