FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[janesvilleflash]

I'd rather hunt with Chaney than ride with Ted Kennedy.

[bennie]

I'd rather hunt with Chaney than ride with Ted Kennedy.

And I would rather smoke pot with Clinton (but not inhale) than snort cocaine with George W! And your point would be? 

[tmerton]

This site has become one of my favorites.  But I seem to have some questions.

First, a question for the Johnnies, esp. any of you current/former football players.  As I said when I first posted last week, my son is looking at playing fb at SJU and we're going to be visiting the campus next month.  Admissions has suggested coming on the National Fly-In Weekend.  Is that a good idea or would he get a better sense of things (especially coaches and other team members) if he came in on another weekend?  Or does it make any difference?

Now, some questions for anyone.  I haven't been in MN since I was at Camp Lincoln when I was 12, so my knowledge of things Minnesotan is a bit thin and dated (yes, I've seen Fargo and I listen to Garrison Keillor from time to time, but I don't think I want to go there on this board).  So here we go.  First, what's this thing about Stiftungsfestivities?  I asked a former fb player who graduated in 97 and he couldn't tell me (though he also operates under the handicap of being a fellow Left Coaster).  Next, does anyone really eat eelpout?  And if so, how?  And finally, what's the fascination with Hamms?  I always thought of it as the Coors of Minnesota, and I won't drink Coors (give me a Sam Adams or a Sierra Nevada). 

Okay, have at it. 

[Buckman]

Stiftungsfest comes from a celebration in a small town here in Minnesota.  Here's a link to the website. 
www.stiftungsfest.org/

Anyway, JohnnieRed probably has forgot more about the festival than most of us know, so he'd be the one to give you the history of it and how it relates to SJU tailgating.

Hamms - I believe Finsleft will probably chime in with some info on that.   

It's a good thing you're not planning a visit this weekend.  High temps are supposed to be below zero with windchills around -60 F.

[DuffMan]

Stanc,

Well, the Stiftungsfestivities really just came about in recent years.  It's really just a way to put a name on the celebrations that some of us enjoy prior to games.  It come from the name of the burger that Johnnie Red grills up before games (more info in Chris56317's link).  It's really blossomed into an event with many culinary treats brought by all.  Hamm's is just a way to keep in touch with our humble roots.  Finsleft is a Hamm's lover, and he spread his love of Hamm's to the rest of us.  Eelpout?  I know that some people eat them and claim they are excellent, but I have heard that you must clean them in an exact way and eat them fresh, never frozen.  Myself, I have never had one.

I can't help you much with your visit, as I grew up 13 miles from campus.  If you're going to visit on fly-in weekend, I would just suggest that you have made contact with the coaches and set up a meeting with them (allow plenty of time because John can and will talk your ear off).  I don't know what kind of schedule admissions has planned, but if it looks full, you might want to stay an extra day to meet with the football coaches and meet some current players.

As I said before, feel free to contact me further.  I'm only a few years removed from the program.

[BDB]

Eelpout?  I know that some people eat them and claim they are excellent,   Myself, I have never had one.

Duffman,

I almost had to smite you for that one. 

[finsleft]

Next, does anyone really eat eelpout?  And if so, how?  And finally, what's the fascination with Hamms? 
Okay, have at it. 

People do eat eelpout. It is generally thought of as the most disgusting water creature alive and,if caught accidentally while fishing for walleye or northern pike, can ruin your day of fishing if you are not adequately prepared, i.e. well into your terdy pack of Hamm's. I have eaten it at the Eelpout Festival, the one weekend on Leech Lake when eelpout become the prey and all other fish are tossed back.http://www.eelpoutfestival.com/results06.html
So eating eelpout is much like eating a rocky mountain oyster. You don't really want to but every one else is so you do so you can say that you did. And so you can wash it down with a Hamm's.
What was your 2nd question? Oh yeah, Hamm's.
In these days of beer conglomeration by Miller and that other one from St. Louis, Hamm's harkens back to a quieter, simpler time. The beer choices then were like, Hamm's or Grain Belt. Well you can still get these fine beers but they are now "labels" owned by other beer companies. But Hamm's was cool because they sponsored the Twins and it was all about the the great Minnesota outdoors, lakes, fishing, camping, etc. Bottom line, for at least a little while you can buy 30 of these fine beverages, nicely packaged in a box with a handle built right in it, for a reasonable price. Good beer, reasonable price.

Hopefully, when you come up to visit your son this fall and take in a football game, we can enjoy one together.

[DuffMan]

Sorry, Fins, but I'll take a Grainbelt over a Hamm's anyday.

[sumander]

Sorry, Fins, but I'll take a Grainbelt over a Hamm's anyday.

I'll second that!

[finsleft]

Well if I had your money, I might be tempted to drink the expensive beer, too.

[DuffMan]

Yes, I'm living the rich life!  Who needs a law degree?  Science is where it's at!

[Buckman]

Here's a good article on Minnesota's unofficial state fish
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060212/SPORTS/102120021/1002

[BDB]

It's a good thing that Schmidt's doesn't put an eelpout on their scenic outdoor cans.

That would be hard to swallow. 

[DuffMan]

It wouldn't surprise me if they did, BDB!

Frank R, how do you feel about Schmidt Lite?

[Willy Wonka]

A Canadian beer has been forced to pull an ad that states "The average woman speaks 10,000 words in a day. Roughly 9,950 too many." as the lead for its campaign.

Can we hire fins to look into this? I don't understand what the problem is...

TDT hasn't been heard from since the new SI came out...is he too "busy" or what?