FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[DuffMan]

And in beer news . . .

http://www.startribune.com/dogfish-head-will-bring-its-craft-brews-to-minnesota/415205684/

Yes!

[Smitty Oom]

The Cobbers stepped up big to schedule UW Whitewater instead of Jamestown - kudos to them.

Wow, no kidding, way to go Cobbers.  I wish the playoff setup (of having 2 losses nearly certainly knocking you out of an at-large bid) wasn't what it is. (beating a dead horse, I know).

Have to figure that's why SJU doesn't want to play a school like UW-Plat...If you figure you have a shot at winning the MIAC, and if not, a very, very good chance at only having 1 in conference loss, why risk a playoff berth on a challenging non-conference game.

We'd see a ton of fun non-conference matchups if this wasn't the case.

Platteville got in this past season with 2 losses.  Concordia's low SOS last year could have prevented them from getting in at 9-1.  Playing a down Eau Claire team and an NAIA almost eliminates you from at-large consideration before the season starts.

They have been playing Jamestown for as log as I have been a Cobber fan... I was really excited to see this when the schedule was announced. Every year I was there the talk about how to make playoffs/different scenarios arose around week 7 or 8, all failing to come to fruition due to multiple factors. Odds increase for an at-large this year, for what should be another competitive Cobb Squad!

[HansenRatings]

Just curious, does anybody here think St. Scholastica is a better team than Eau Claire? Would anyone even pick CSS to win at home against UWEC straight up?

[DuffMan]

I think it'd be an okay matchup, but I'd pick UWEC 7 times out of 10.

[badgerwarhawk]

Just curious, does anybody here think St. Scholastica is a better team than Eau Claire? Would anyone even pick CSS to win at home against UWEC straight up?

I'd pick EC 10 out of 10. 

[miac952]

Just curious, does anybody here think St. Scholastica is a better team than Eau Claire? Would anyone even pick CSS to win at home against UWEC straight up?

I'd pick EC 10 out of 10.

2nd that one. 10 out of 10. The physical disparity is so great. Might be close for a quarter or two, but thats about it.

Hansen Ratings, you may have your probability on this hypothetical too, but I found this to be eye opening: http://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=286577&t0=Wisconsin-Eau+Claire&h=0&s1=286577&t1=Saint+Scholastica . And, the numbers only go up in probability for Stout (98%) and La Crosse (100%).

Its a bit of a conundrum. In Caruso's early years with UST, they had Northwestern and St Norberts on the calendar. Those schools did them more favors from an SOS standpoint based on how the NCAA measures it, but they didn't prepare them or compete like UWEC, LaCrosse, or Stout. It's a significant flaw and it makes the top teams in the UMAC, MWC, and other conferences like it highly desirable non conference opponents.


D1 basketball is starting to recognize this with the flawed RPI system. Many teams want to load the non conference schedule with teams that are likely to end up 60 - 100 in the RPI, to manipulate their own RPI strength. The really low teams bring you down and the really high teams bring risk with too many losses.

[AO]

Just curious, does anybody here think St. Scholastica is a better team than Eau Claire? Would anyone even pick CSS to win at home against UWEC straight up?

I'd pick EC 10 out of 10.

2nd that one. 10 out of 10. The physical disparity is so great. Might be close for a quarter or two, but thats about it.

Hansen Ratings, you may have your probability on this hypothetical too, but I found this to be eye opening: http://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=286577&t0=Wisconsin-Eau+Claire&h=0&s1=286577&t1=Saint+Scholastica . And, the numbers only go up in probability for Stout (98%) and La Crosse (100%).

Its a bit of a conundrum. In Caruso's early years with UST, they had Northwestern and St Norberts on the calendar. Those schools did them more favors from an SOS standpoint based on how the NCAA measures it, but they didn't prepare them or compete like UWEC, LaCrosse, or Stout. It's a significant flaw and it makes the top teams in the UMAC, MWC, and other conferences like it highly desirable non conference opponents.


D1 basketball is starting to recognize this with the flawed RPI system. Many teams want to load the non conference schedule with teams that are likely to end up 60 - 100 in the RPI, to manipulate their own RPI strength. The really low teams bring you down and the really high teams bring risk with too many losses.

Eau Claire is better than Scholastica but the Tommies still beat them 104-13 in the last two years.  Not sure that did a great job of preparing them for any close games later in the year.  If you're a top 15 team you're going to have trouble finding teams to give you good competition.

[sjusection105]

Eau Claire is better than Scholastica but the Tommies still beat them 104-13 in the last two years.  Not sure that did a great job of preparing them for any close games later in the year.  If you're a top 15 team you're going to have trouble finding teams to give you good competition.

That in a nutshell is why SJU is looking for an opponent on 9-9-17.
At this point, pick a team,pay them $5K + travel and get a game scheduled.

[OzJohnnie]

Eau Claire is better than Scholastica but the Tommies still beat them 104-13 in the last two years.  Not sure that did a great job of preparing them for any close games later in the year.  If you're a top 15 team you're going to have trouble finding teams to give you good competition.

That in a nutshell is why SJU is looking for an opponent on 9-9-17.
At this point, pick a team,pay them $5K + travel and get a game scheduled.

And if the Jays don't play?

[sjusection105]

Eau Claire is better than Scholastica but the Tommies still beat them 104-13 in the last two years.  Not sure that did a great job of preparing them for any close games later in the year.  If you're a top 15 team you're going to have trouble finding teams to give you good competition.

That in a nutshell is why SJU is looking for an opponent on 9-9-17.
At this point, pick a team,pay them $5K + travel and get a game scheduled.

And if the Jays don't play?

A scenerio something like AO describes here:

Platteville got in this past season with 2 losses.  Concordia's low SOS last year could have prevented them from getting in at 9-1.  Playing a down Eau Claire team and an NAIA almost eliminates you from at-large consideration before the season starts.

[HansenRatings]

And this all pretty much sums up why I have such a vendetta against the NCAA's SOS. Being better than the process used 10 years ago isn't good enough.

[OzJohnnie]

http://mentalfloss.com/article/49120/origins-10-great-insults#ixzz2MWEiQJ40

[DuffMan]

Augsburg College to rename itself Augsburg University as of Sept. 1

When did they change from Auggie Tech to Augsburg College?

[OldAuggie]

Augsburg College to rename itself Augsburg University as of Sept. 1

When did they change from Auggie Tech to Augsburg College?

Augsburg College has been around for close to 150 years.  I was busy raising kids and working hard and never noticed the rise of the moniker "Auggie Tech" which I assume was conjured up by the ubiquitous SJU and UST players that were sitting on the bench during one of those 49-0 blowouts during the dark years of Augsburg Football.

http://www.augsburg.edu/university/

[DuffMan]

I was busy raising kids and working hard and never noticed the rise of the moniker "Auggie Tech" which I assume was conjured up by the ubiquitous SJU and UST players that were sitting on the bench during one of those 49-0 blowouts during the dark years of Augsburg Football.

LOL.  So, the "dark years of Augsburg Football" are over?