FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[tmerton]

We truly are living in the decline of the Age of Reason. I got a cab ride home last night from a guy that believed the US was so powerful because aliens gave George Washington the tip on what to do, the pyramids of Egypt are giant power antennas sending signals to the alien home world, and that the Myans got all their great knowledge from their special relationship with ET. He learned and genuinely believed all this from a DVD set called Ancient Aliens. It only cost $38 and was 7 hours long. Very good value!  They even list the dates when things happens. You can't deny the truth!

I fear for my grandchildren. I think we're dropping the ball with our mantle of responsibility to the generations that follow us. Sigh.

Oz, I though you knew to call me whenever you're in San Francisco.

[tmerton]

Any of the SJU alums in the Post Patterns world thinking of attending the Family and Friends weekend in June?  Could be a pretty fun weekend.

http://sjualum.csbsju.edu/s/1433/3/index.aspx?sid=1433&pgid=1165&gid=3&cid=2129&ecid=2129&post_id=0

Why don't they do it in August so you can take in a couple of football practices?

[tmerton]

For those interested, you can watch every game of the AFL pre-season (called the NAB Cup) live or OnDemand and for free on the web (or iPad, etc).  Registration is at http://afltv.afl.com.au/.  You can subscribe for the regular season for AU$120 (about US$130, I think), but you would need to be a pretty hard core footy fan to pay for that.

And if you want American rules football, the Japanese X-League starts its spring season at the end of April.  I haven't found any online streaming (except for two IBM Big Blue games last fall, for which they used a hand held camera held at field level in a corner of one end zone!), but who wouldn't like a trip to Tokyo - spring is a beautiful seaon in Japan!  I can even recommend at least one fantastic restaurant experience - www.andysfish.com

And in the whatever happened to Fritz Waldvogel category (did the Unicorns fold?), #13 led the X-League in receiving yardage and touchdowns (at least one TD in seven consecutive games).  Not bad for an old outside linebacker.  And in case you wondered, or even if you didn't, the Japanese actually play pretty good American football - better than the Germans!

[OzJohnnie]

Jr is doing well. You can always count on a Johnnie to shine.

Does he pay the bills with football?  I seem to remember he is teaching English in addition to catching passes.

[bennie]

bennie,
From today's Denver Compost:
Buffaloes upset Ducks 76-53. Sounds like a Duck football score - in March

Maybe I'm still messed up over what the Jackets did to the Avs

If it was a Duck football score we would have been on the winning side!

Losing to the Blue Jackets is rough! Some days I question my fandom! At least the Ducks are kicking a$$ so far this season!

[OzJohnnie]

The AFL is running a US combine in LA April 14-16. So if anyone is interested... 

http://youtu.be/4a8Hgq29TV0

[57Johnnie]

Heilman Old Style Lager and Special Export were considered premium.

Oh...wow! 

Of course that was before you were born and Heilman (before making many acquisitions and being sold to Pabst?) still made real beer. 

[retagent]

Just to show my age, and proximity in my youth to the font of Old Style and Special Export, isn't the correct spelling HeilEman?

[Tom Thumb]

Recruiting update.  UST added a few more players.

Michael Redmond, Minnetonka HS (received offers from Illinois State, North Dakota and Northern Iowa. Has received PWO from Iowa)
Alex Stevson, St. Thomas Academy HS
Jarrod Thill, Green Bay Southwest HS

[hazzben]

And in the whatever happened to Fritz Waldvogel category (did the Unicorns fold?), #13 led the X-League in receiving yardage and touchdowns (at least one TD in seven consecutive games).  Not bad for an old outside linebacker.  And in case you wondered, or even if you didn't, the Japanese actually play pretty good American football - better than the Germans!

Why is the X League better than the GFL?

As far as I could tell, the only two teams that played each other last year were the Dresden Monarchs (who finished 3rd in the North division of the GFL) v. the Obic Seagulls (who won the X League). The Seagulls won 29-17, but it was hardly best on best. For that to have happened, the Seagulls would have actually had to have played against Fritz's team, which won their 2nd straight title. Or, the Monarchs could have played BigBlue and Mr. Stanton for a 'equal' matchup 

Seriously though, is there more objective evidence that the X League is better or is it just anecdotal stuff? Dad's opinion isn't exactly unbiased  And until the Jets and Chiefs showed otherwise, it was unimpeachable that the NFL was superior to the AFL. We all know how that turned out for the Vikings 

Not that it really matters I guess. It's fun to see two MIAC guys playing overseas. It'll be even more fun to see a few legitimately (ahem, not Hoag, ahem) playing in the NFL! I know a few guys have gotten a shot or tryout, but nothing that's stuck. Here's to hoping one can make it through. I think Mathis could have a shot. He'll have the pedigree/recognition and size/speed numbers they are looking for. 

[repete]

Are you Eau Claire's only fan? 

You have to remember that EC is also the home of Walters beer which was mediocre at best. When Chippewa quit dumping raw sewage into the river it got worse.  :

57 you crack me up 

I have nothing against Walters or the Blugolds but growing up in Chippewa we had no use for the EC Old Abes & preferred Leinies. Heilman Old Style Lager and Special Export were considered premium. Actually I think Walters closed quite a while ago.

Back in my days at SJU, you could buy Walter's for 47 cents a quart ... and the bottles said "Family Size."

[sjusection105]

I have nothing against Walters or the Blugolds but growing up in Chippewa we had no use for the EC Old Abes & preferred Leinies. Heilman Old Style Lager and Special Export were considered premium. Actually I think Walters closed quite a while ago.

Ah, Old Style brings back some fond memories. My old man used to drink Old Style and during hay baling he would buy the 7 oz. version. After a long day throwing bales from the wagon to the conveyer that went into the barn my old man would reward me ( as a 14,15,16 year old) with (1) 7 oz bottle of ice cold Old Style.
Of course, when I turned 16 & got my drivers lic.- I had a 19 year old sister who would buy me all the beer I wanted as long as I paid for her booze on each particular trip to the liquor store.

Things were different then, I'm not saying better, just different growing up in central Minnesota.

[57Johnnie]

Just to show my age, and proximity in my youth to the font of Old Style and Special Export, isn't the correct spelling HeilEman?

Prolly - been over 40 years

[tmerton]

And in the whatever happened to Fritz Waldvogel category (did the Unicorns fold?), #13 led the X-League in receiving yardage and touchdowns (at least one TD in seven consecutive games).  Not bad for an old outside linebacker.  And in case you wondered, or even if you didn't, the Japanese actually play pretty good American football - better than the Germans!

Why is the X League better than the GFL?

As far as I could tell, the only two teams that played each other last year were the Dresden Monarchs (who finished 3rd in the North division of the GFL) v. the Obic Seagulls (who won the X League). The Seagulls won 29-17, but it was hardly best on best. For that to have happened, the Seagulls would have actually had to have played against Fritz's team, which won their 2nd straight title. Or, the Monarchs could have played BigBlue and Mr. Stanton for a 'equal' matchup 

Seriously though, is there more objective evidence that the X League is better or is it just anecdotal stuff? Dad's opinion isn't exactly unbiased  And until the Jets and Chiefs showed otherwise, it was unimpeachable that the NFL was superior to the AFL. We all know how that turned out for the Vikings 

Not that it really matters I guess. It's fun to see to MIAC guys playing overseas. It'll be even more fun to see a few legitimately (ahem, not Hoag, ahem) playing in the NFL! I know a few guys have gotten a shot or tryout, but nothing that's stuck. Here's to hoping one can make it through. I think Mathis could have a shot. He'll have the pedigree/recognition and size/speed numbers they are looking for.

I don't pretend not to be biased, but FWIW I based my opinion on (1) from what I can tell of inter-league play, the Japanese have pretty consistently beaten the European teams they have played, and (2) in the Junior World Championships in 2009 (Canton Ohio) and 2012 (Austin TX), Japan finished 3rd both times, ahead of any European team.  They beat Germany head-to-head in 2009; Germany wasn't in the 2012 championship, but Austria and France were.  Aside form that, I'm just blowing smoke.    (Of course, there's a young man from Germany at FSU who will be a first rounder in the NFL draft and no Japanese player has ever been drafted.  And one would certainly think that Germans, rather than Japanese, would have the size for the NFL, and I would agree with that.)

[tmerton]

Jr is doing well. You can always count on a Johnnie to shine.

Does he pay the bills with football?  I seem to remember he is teaching English in addition to catching passes.

Football pays a few bills but it's not a living.  He's got a new job though and is happy to be started on a new season.