FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[SagatagSam]

Two new posters in one day?

And, by the looks of it, they could be Johnnie backers. Welcome to post patterns!

The smokefest has returned!

[Retired Old Rat]

I am wondering how the non-NCAA game against Jamestown, ND is affecting Concordia's numbers. Does it make them better or worse or neutral? On the one hand statistically speaking, 7 and 2, or 77.77% is not as "good" as 8 and 2, or 80% compared to either Bethel or St. Thomas, assuming both of these squads win out. On the other hand, we see the results of playing just one "better" team versus playing two "not so good" teams affect the SOS numbers, comparing St. Thomas and Concordia.

I also wonder about the non-NCAA win for Concordia (although irrelevant in this race). A number of years ago the Gustavus women hoopsters got credit for a victory (or didn't appear to LOSE credit for the lack of a full NCAA schedule) when they played Universidad Metropolitana of Puerto Rico. Got a bid over my CSB Blazers team. Really seems to me that NCAA teams should be required to play all their games against NCAA or have those games somehow count against them.

For some teams NAIA games are the only way they can fill out their schedules without a long trip (airplanes, hotels, etc.).  Most d3 schools cannot afford the travel or prefer not to spend it on this.  Northwest Conference is a good example.  There are no other d3 schools in the Pacific Northwest.  Flying to Cali is their least expensive option.  And teams like Whitewater have a hard time getting any other d3 teams within driving distance to schedule them.

[Retired Old Rat]

I must say, the current set of Bethel posters are very gracious as well as insightful.

And I miss Mighty Royal and his Chuck Norris jokes.  Please come back.

[sjusection105]

Weather.com forecast for Northfield on Saturday:
28 degrees w/ a 50% chance for snow
SW winds at 8 mph

They better call out all the Freshmen to shovel what snow they received today off the playing surface. Maybe a rotary broom on front of a skid steer with tracks. Soft ground with wet snow is not a good combination.

Isn't the game in Northfield?  From what I heard they barely got 2" of snow.

Yes, the game is at Northfield.
The concern is snow removal equipment on natural grass causing ruts, then the temps. are supposed to drop into single digits on Thursday & Friday night with highs on Saturday in the upper 20's. The field could be a big factor as far as footing & traction. It could be a frozen rutty mess.

[faunch]

Weather.com forecast for Northfield on Saturday:
28 degrees w/ a 50% chance for snow
SW winds at 8 mph

They better call out all the Freshmen to shovel what snow they received today off the playing surface. Maybe a rotary broom on front of a skid steer with tracks. Soft ground with wet snow is not a good combination.

Isn't the game in Northfield?  From what I heard they barely got 2" of snow.

Yes, the game is at Northfield.
The concern is snow removal equipment on natural grass causing ruts, then the temps. are supposed to drop into single digits on Thursday & Friday night with highs on Saturday in the upper 20's. The field could be a big factor as far as footing & traction. It could be a frozen rutty mess.

Might as well move the game to Collegeville. 

[OldAuggie]

Would love to see Augsburg pull one out this weekend at Bethel and play spoiler. Go get 'em boys!

Congrats to SJU and all you Johnnie fans out there. I saw the team at it's lowest point a few years ago and to see this resurgence is encouraging for all MIAC teams. Over the past few years I have watched UST as a finals team, Bethel last year as a final 8 team and this year Wartburg and SJU, all against AUG of course. With SJU and Sura I saw a team that must be well coached but is not as dominant looking as some of the previously mentioned teams. Maybe that is the SJU way and part of the coaching that distinguishes them from the others in the conference. If SJU can get some kind of home field playoff advantage through out the playoffs I think they can go far. Wartburg? Yeah, they are going to be tough to beat. Saw them the first week vs AUG this year and they reminded me of the UST team a few years back that went to the Stagg Bowl.  Wartburg has a better QB this year than UST had for their run IMO so I hope SJU can cook up a plan and take it to them. If Bethel makes the playoffs they can take care of Wartburg. Do us all a favor and send those farmers home.

[CobberHawkeye]

SOS numbers for this week in the MIAC

25 Concordia-Moorhead    7-2    .778    .5493 (53)    .5543    0.551


I am wondering how the non-NCAA game against Jamestown, ND is affecting Concordia's numbers. Does it make them better or worse or neutral? On the one hand statistically speaking, 7 and 2, or 77.77% is not as "good" as 8 and 2, or 80% compared to either Bethel or St. Thomas, assuming both of these squads win out. On the other hand, we see the results of playing just one "better" team versus playing two "not so good" teams affect the SOS numbers, comparing St. Thomas and Concordia.

The 7-2 vs 8-2 doesn't hurt them since there is no official criteria that puts the SOS and Winning percentage together like the RPI used in march madness.  It hurts the SOS as you lose a chance to schedule an SOS booster like my Northwestern squad.  Their SOS is still amazing but when you're on the bubble every win counts.

You have to feel for the Cobbs, on the road against Bethel, St. Thomas and St. John's and the one win you get against the conference champs is the game that helps you the least.  Too hard to get to the table this year in the West with so many teams with 2 losses.

That, and no mid-season bye week to rest up. This season had to be a grind.

[faunch]

Weather.com forecast for Northfield on Saturday:
28 degrees w/ a 50% chance for snow
SW winds at 8 mph

They better call out all the Freshmen to shovel what snow they received today off the playing surface. Maybe a rotary broom on front of a skid steer with tracks. Soft ground with wet snow is not a good combination.

Isn't the game in Northfield?  From what I heard they barely got 2" of snow.

Yes, the game is at Northfield.
The concern is snow removal equipment on natural grass causing ruts, then the temps. are supposed to drop into single digits on Thursday & Friday night with highs on Saturday in the upper 20's. The field could be a big factor as far as footing & traction. It could be a frozen rutty mess.

MSHSL is dealing their own field issues.  Ironic that the first season the dome is gone mother nature gives them a huge sh_t sandwich.  Problem is that many of the semi-final games this weekend are at high schools...6 total locations I believe.  My guess is that the schools don't really have the capacity to move all the snow / ice off the fields and the bleachers / walking paths.  I think it's really a safety issue for not only the players but the spectators. 
http://www.startribune.com/sports/282181341.html

[2115 Summit]

Anybody have a guess as to what the West Region Rankings will look like this week and what pool c bids may come out of the west?

My thoughts are that no West teams this year are rewarded with a Pool C bid to the NCAA Playoffs unless UW-Platteville wins this weekend.

November 5th, 2014 -                           This Week

1 UW-Whitewater 7-0 8-0                     1.UW-Whitewater
2 Wartburg 8-0 8-0                             2.Wartburg
3 Bethel 7-1 7-1                                 3.Linfield
4 Linfield 6-1 6-1                                4.St. John's
T5 Chapman 6-1 6-1                           5.Chapman
T5 St. John's 7-1 7-1                           6.UW-Platteville
7 UW-Platteville 6-2 6-2                      7.UW-Oshkosh
8 UW-Oshkosh 4-1 4-4                        8.Bethel
9 St. Thomas 6-2 6-2                          9.St. Thomas
10 Pacific 5-1 5-2                               10.Pacific

[retagent]

Happy Veterans Day to all, especially my fellow veterans.

On a football note, Is there any way to avoid a SJU-Bethel showdown in the first or second round of the Playoffs, barring unforseen events?

[DuffMan]

On a football note, Is there any way to avoid a SJU-Bethel showdown in the first or second round of the Playoffs, barring unforseen events?

Yes, it would never happen if Auggie Tech were to beat Bethel on Saturday. 

[RoyalsFan]

You have to feel for the Cobbs, on the road against Bethel, St. Thomas and St. John's and the one win you get against the conference champs is the game that helps you the least.  Too hard to get to the table this year in the West with so many teams with 2 losses.

That, and no mid-season bye week to rest up. This season had to be a grind.

Bethel also did not have a mid season bye this season as they had their bye week the first week. I was talking to some BU staff at the Wartburg game and commented that I thought it was odd that they had a bye the very first week and their response was that Coach J thought a bye week mid season was more disruptive to their regular weekly routine and would rather not have a bye week then - interesting point of view.

[RoyalsFan]

I must say, the current set of Bethel posters are very gracious as well as insightful.

+k ROR 

[art76]

"On a football note, Is there any way to avoid a SJU-Bethel showdown in the first or second round of the Playoffs, barring unforseen events?"

The easiest way would be to put Bethel into the "North" bracket, which means they wouldn't meet until there were only 4 or 2 teams left.

[RoyalsFan]

On a football note, Is there any way to avoid a SJU-Bethel showdown in the first or second round of the Playoffs, barring unforseen events?

Yes, it would never happen if Auggie Tech were to beat Bethel on Saturday. 

And it could also happen if St. Olaf pulled a huge upset against the Johnnies on Saturday.    Even if both SJU and BU win this weekend, it's not a guarantee that BU will get a pool C bid.