FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr.MIAC]

Great question!  Another question is will U$T renew their contract w/ the Old Neighbor?  Anybody have any idea how much the Tommie athletic department pays for Dave Lee to have some semblance of a sports broadcasting career?

Who carried Toms games before the Old Neighbor on Life Support?

I believe at the time U$T signed on with Old Neighbor 'CCO had just lost their Gopher contract.  The only other sport that 'CCO still has is the Timberwolves.  At this point what would the neighbor have on the air for 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon if they didn't have the Tommie$?  They will resign a contract...the Old Neighbor and U$T want statewide radio coverage of the Target Field game.

I think the previous contract was pretty interesting. I may not have all the facts, but I believe UST essentially "bought" air time on Saturdays. They pay for the air time and Radio Dave and Eric Nelson (was to be Senser until his wife's issues occurred that first week of broadcast). UST then was able to co-own advertising during the game and get a % of revenue from that to offset air time costs. I suppose the model could be tweaked now that it isn't new anymore and the players that be have an idea what kind of listening audience they are getting.

While the Old Neighbor is easy to knock, one thing that cant be disputed is their range and bandwidth. It reaches far out into cabin country and extends well beyond the states borders. The game each week is also a nice segue into the college football scoreboard show they have been doing for years.

They also do a good job, not just celebrating UST, but the entire MIAC. Athletes of the week are announced across all sports and other MIAC members are guests on the halftime show semi-frequently.

I'd go a step further and say that WCCO's coverage is the best in the MIAC. Okay, so the play-by-play might be a bit lacking, but at least the commentary is professionally done. If you take a look at the production, including audio and video, it's far more professional than the rest of th MIAC. I hold a weekly viewing party at my place and guests (many from DI schools) have commented that stuff coming out of other MIAC schools is more reminisciant of a large high school than college coverage. It's not just a matter of money and fancy video either. WCCO presents UST and the rest of the MIAC in a way that belies the typical "only DIII" label and that's a good thing.

[sjusection105]

If this new AD knows what he's doing, I don't think he would have fired Claeys w/o having a bigger name lined up. Fleck seems like the best option available, despite FootballScoop's report that it's "not happening"

I agree.  Other names to consider...Pellini and Bohl.  Maybe even Les Miles (long shot in my view).

Pellini would be a step in the wrong direction IMO,but we will all find out soon. New AD Coyle,knows this football program has underachieved for decades and needs to be a revenue source as does men's hockey & men's basketball.

[sjusection105]

Big Ten Network report on Gopher's football coaching vacancy:
http://btn.com/2017/01/03/minnesota-dismisses-tracy-claeys-after-two-seasons/

[OzJohnnie]

I'd go a step further and say that WCCO's coverage is the best in the MIAC. Okay, so the play-by-play might be a bit lacking, but at least the commentary is professionally done. If you take a look at the production, including audio and video, it's far more professional than the rest of th MIAC. I hold a weekly viewing party at my place and guests (many from DI schools) have commented that stuff coming out of other MIAC schools is more reminisciant of a large high school than college coverage. It's not just a matter of money and fancy video either. WCCO presents UST and the rest of the MIAC in a way that belies the typical "only DIII" label and that's a good thing.

Well, my friends have listened to all the broadcasts and they declare VOJ the best in the business.  So there.

[DuffMan]

With the firing of J Robinson and now Claeys, Coyle's making it clear that he's not going to stand for crap.  I think his firing of Robinson was a poor decision (truth be told, I've been a huge fan of J for a long time), but I'm glad to see Claeys gone.  I wasn't a big fan of his from the start, but recent events have been a huge red flag.  I just hope that Coyle can bring someone in to move this program in the right direction.

Where are the Caruso rumors??? 

[badger1845]

I don't think it will be Fleck.  I think he is pretty happy where he is and not sure if he would see UM as a step up at this point as he can sit and win the MAC and go to a bigger bowl game.  Don't get me wrong would be great to see him come in to UM, just don't think it's very likely.  Les Miles I think is a long shot.  Bohl I would think would be one they would like as he's done a pretty good job turning around Wyoming, but who knows.  Very interested in seeing how this plays out.

[SagatagSam]

No way Fleck jumps into the Goofer dumpster fire.  Keep dreaming. I'd rather stay at WMU if the U of M job were the only option to move up (which it's clearly not).

Bennie would surely welcome him out Eugene-way with all that Nike money.

[art76]

No way "insert coach x here" jumps into the Goofer dumpster fire.

You nailed it Sag!  +K

[sjusection105]

Craig Bohl signed a contract extension through 2023 with Wyoming yesterday.

[Tom Thumb]

What about someone like Chris Klieman?

[USTBench]

As a somewhat neutral 3rd party observer, most of us in ND just sort of scratch our heads at the U of M. What's so hard about it?

Clem Haskins was just tip of the ice berg: Kathryn Brenny winning $360K for being marginalized due to her sexual orientation, to J Robinson destroying evidence of a criminal conspiracy, giving used car salesman Tim Brewster a TE coach with no coordinator or HC experience the keys to a Big 10 program, Villa 7, firing competency because you overestimate your status among the Power 5s (Tubby Smith and Glenn Mason - inevitably Don Lucia), Norwood "Mega Tongue" Teague, the entire football program being completely tone deaf on sexual assault or the perception that it could have happened...the list goes on and on.

I have no idea how you get a competent head football coach at the U. You can forget about PJ Fleck, Craig Bohl and Les Miles. Chris Kleiman went to HS with Mark Coyle, but everyone knows Craig Bohl was the architect at NDSU. Bo Pellini would piss everyone off in about 5 seconds and get fired in two years.

The U's Athletic Department is a total joke and I have no clue how they still get donors.

[57Johnnie]

For any jazz fans out there, I have been enjoying listening to Nancy Harms lately. She is a Concordia grad! Look at me with my red blinders off!

She is good Compare her 'bye bye blackbird' to Amy Winehouse.
You are waaaay to young but tell me what you think of: 'Minor Swing' or 'Limehouse Blues' by Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli.
.......or 'How High The Moon'. 

[SagatagSam]

The U's Athletic Department is a total joke and I have no clue how they still get donors.

The donor base is going extinct.  The younger generation is pretty jaded and only supports teams that demonstrate that they can win (and even then they are usually late to the game and begin supporting after a given team has peaked).

Too many sporting events where the Block "M" is visible in the stands.  Even the white haired donors nostalgic for the good ol' days that pay for expensive seats don't show up.

[bennie]

For any jazz fans out there, I have been enjoying listening to Nancy Harms lately. She is a Concordia grad! Look at me with my red blinders off!

She is good Compare her 'bye bye blackbird' to Amy Winehouse.
You are waaaay to young but tell me what you think of: 'Minor Swing' or 'Limehouse Blues' by Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli.
.......or 'How High The Moon'. 

I had never heard of Django Reinhardt or Stephane Grappelli. I enjoyed them. Another young female artist that I enjoy is Halie Loren. I am a bit biased because her sister is a friend of mine.

[miac952]

Troy Calhoun would be my first call. Coaching for where he graduated from right now at USAFA, but they have limited purse strings. He would instill discipline and has NFL success as a coordinator.

I would be nervous of going the Klieman route. The 2nd guy in the program empire needs to show a full recruiting cycle of success on his own (4-5 years) before you can judge them independently of the previous coach.

I also don't think Fleck is a sure thing. MAC coaches moving up can go both ways. You could get the next Urban Meyer or next Darrell Hazel. Plus, even though he has legitimate head coaching experience and success, there is a whole lot of Tim Brewster in Fleck. From row the boat to DJ's on the sideline at their games the motivational and PR tactics might bring some PTSD to Gopher fans.