FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[finsleft]

Fins, I agree with you about the Rodent pucksters being the favorite in the NCAA's. However, The draw it looks like they are going to get isn't the greatest. The Pairwise ratings showing them going to the Grand Forks Regional to play Bemidji St. and then the winner of UND and Michigan. That amounts to a home game for BSU and a huge crowd advantage for the Sioux if they win.

They still have to be hurting in Grand Forks after the Gophers spanked them twice there this year!!

Well, they can be beat. Haven't looked at the potential matchups, but there's not much better to watch than college hockey this time of year.

[finsleft]

Do you know what kind of facilities they have for weight training at SJU?  Guess we'll see soon enough. 

tmerton, I think you'll be impressed. The McGlynn Fitness Center is one of the nicest health clubs in central Minnesota.
http://www.csbsju.edu/sjuphysicalplant/mcglynn.html
Nice of a family who made money selling donuts to build us a fitness center.

[sumander]

Not the time of year for your starting goaltender to have a confidence crisis! Gophers down to the Badgers 2-0! Briggs has looked shaky again today.

[johnnyadmit]

Other schools may have organized programs, and guys like Duff who've recently played at SJU will know better than I, but my understanding is that at SJU, you're expected to be in shape when practice starts. Simple as that. How you do it is up to you. If you're not in shape, there are 2 or 3 guys at every position who are ready to take your spot.

Do you know what kind of facilities they have for weight training at SJU?  Guess we'll see soon enough. 

Weight training facilities are part of the arms race at certain levels.  Even the NESCAC schools have some really nice weight training facilities.  Middlebury in fact has D1 quality facilities all around.

SJU has top of the line facilities in comparison to many/most D III schools.  Actually they are better or comparable to most of the D II schools I looked at.  There is a lot of space, and plenty of equipment.  Plus a few more machines and weights at St. Bens.     They don't close it down for sports practices, but that is usually never a problem.  The only time I ever had to wait long for anything was once in awhile during the 2 weeks before spring break when everybody was lookin to get in shape for Mexico.  

[DuffMan]

Other schools may have organized programs, and guys like Duff who've recently played at SJU will know better than I, but my understanding is that at SJU, you're expected to be in shape when practice starts. Simple as that. How you do it is up to you. If you're not in shape, there are 2 or 3 guys at every position who are ready to take your spot.

Off-season training is up to the athlete.  I think they may have some spring things now, but I'm not sure.  We didn't when I was there.  Kids who want to play know what they need to do to excel.  That being said, there is always guidance for those who want it.  Gary Fasching is a terror in the weight room and he'll help a guy figure out a program if they ask.  I know that Dumonceaux is working as a strength coach for the team this spring, and he was probably one of the strongest guys in d3 last year, and he got that way because he knows his way around the weight room.  Like a few have mentioned, training facilities are fantastic.

[finsleft]

Not the time of year for your starting goaltender to have a confidence crisis! Gophers down to the Badgers 2-0! Briggs has looked shaky again today.

Final:
Wisconsin Buggers - 4
Golden Chokers - 0

[tmerton]

Do you know what kind of facilities they have for weight training at SJU?  Guess we'll see soon enough. 

tmerton, I think you'll be impressed. The McGlynn Fitness Center is one of the nicest health clubs in central Minnesota.
http://www.csbsju.edu/sjuphysicalplant/mcglynn.html
Nice of a family who made money selling donuts to build us a fitness center.

Thanks for the link.  Looks like lots of free weights, which is good. 

[DuffMan]

Lots of free weights, weight machines, and cardio machines.  Plus the indoor track is nice, too.  And I've heard that the newly renovated locker room is fantastic.

[johnnyadmit]

Lots of free weights, weight machines, and cardio machines. Plus the indoor track is nice, too. And I've heard that the newly renovated locker room is fantastic.

I wonder if they added another water heater so there will be hot water for those who workout after practice...?   

[Willy Wonka]

How many more years can fins get away with calling Duffy a "recent SJU graduate"?

In related news, I called TDT and woke him up last night for like the third time this week. I realize he needs all the beauty sleep he can get, but I refuse to accept his childish sleeping patterns - it wasn't even midnight on a Saturday night. I own him.

[DuffMan]

How many more years can fins get away with calling Duffy a "recent SJU graduate"?

I am a recent graduate...compared to Fins

[finsleft]

That's how it works...anybody who graduated after me is a "recent" graduate.

[tmerton]

And I've heard that the newly renovated locker room is fantastic.

With the no cut policy and the number of kids on the team, that either has to be the largest locker room in college football, have the smallest lockers, or force guys to share.

[tmerton]

This is an actual letter sent to a man named Ryan DeVries by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, State of Michigan.  Read the State's letter before you get to the response letter.

This is true per snopes. http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/dammed.htm

___________________________________________________________________

SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County

Dear Mr. DeVries:

It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity:

Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond.

A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the department's files shows that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated.

The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2005.

Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter.
Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

David L. Price, District Representative
Land and Water Management Division

** Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries: **

Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County.

Dear Mr. Price,

Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson, Michigan. A couple of beavers are in the process of constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond.

While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris." I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose.

I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.

As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity.

My first dam question to you is: (1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or (2) do you require all beavers throughout this state to conform to said dam request? If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated.

I have several concerns. My first concern is; aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names.

If you want the stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English.

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources(Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).

So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2005? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then.

In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality (health) problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! (The bears are not careful where they dump!)

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office.

THANK YOU.

RYAN DEVRIES & THE DAM BEAVERS

[DuffMan]

With the no cut policy and the number of kids on the team, that either has to be the largest locker room in college football, have the smallest lockers, or force guys to share.

Well, it's a big locker room, and in recent years, they've resorted to "not inviting players back" meaning that if you're going to be a sophomore and they know you'll have no chance of ever playing, they'll ask you to not come back.  They keep it around 180 or so guys so there are enough lockers.