FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[faunch]

Everyone is failing to take note of the gauntlet that Carleton has to run- this week Hamline, next week Augsburg; they get a reprieve Oct. 26 with a wounded UST followed with a bye week and wrapping up the season with Concordia. Carleton controls their own destiny. Having played St. Olaf, St. John's & Bethel during the first three weeks of the MIAC schedule they are clearly licking their chops as the weather turns bad and three yards and a cloud of dust becomes their battle cry. 

#KeepStackin'

[Texas Ole]

I thought about the Warner Coliseum and some of the other arenas for sports when I mentioned off campus facilities.  I don't know if Xcel or even Roy Wilkins is a possibility.  It appears Warner would need major work to allow for hockey again.  Ft. Worth built a new arena for the Stock Show and other activities.  If you are proposing a new venue I am not sure you'd get many complaints.  I've long thought building a facility there that can host sporting events and concerts would make sense.

The U is likely not going to play many sporting events at St. Thomas.  There are some sports where St. Thomas won't even be on the schedule.  Sports like baseball and others where home/home are common could happen.  That is especially true with sports needing non-conference opponents with minimal travel.

Getting back to the discussion on running the football team it is possible to beat a very good team only running the football.  The wishbone and other modern options have shown that to be possible.  The pass heavy spreads steal from those systems.  When you are going to focus on the run and ignore passing the ball you have to change your perspective.  It is going to be a much more simplified philosophy where proper execution is the key.  That execution has to be almost flawless.  The advantage is that it can be done with smaller players who might not be as athletic or talented.  With that execution you have to control the game speed.  You are trying to wear down the defense to force them to make mistakes while controlling the clock.  I remember watching high school games 20 years ago where a 10 minute possession was not uncommon.  The problem with running the ball so much is that you cannot be playing catch up.  There is almost no way to comeback once you get down by multiple scores.

There are teams that like to throw the ball a ton.  This goes back to the Hal Mumme offense and those that went with that philosophy.  Mike Leach is a key figure in these offenses.  At Texas Tech there were reports he would run team practices where the offense would run 1 play for 3 straight hours at full speed.  Leach also would have games where he would not call a single run play.  The problem is that when these pass happy offenses can be seen in some of the Big 12 teams particularly one that I don't say by name, but it sucks to bu.  When the passing game goes away so does the offense and it will get ugly in a hurry.  A good run team can also wear down that defense much like MSU did in the 79th Cotton Bowl.

The goal of many teams is to have a run/pass balance.  I am of the philosophy that the ratio needs to be more fluid.  Early in the game the goal should be to establish the run while giving the QB and receivers some opportunities to get a rhythm.  Eventually I like to see an offense force a team to stop the run.  Pound the ball until the defense proves it can stop the run, and don't be afraid to telegraph that you are going run it.  When the defense shows they can stop the run hopefully with 7+ man box then it is time to open the passing game.  I just love good running teams, and I have seen way too many passing attacks take a team out of a game.  Football can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.  The problem is people tend to find the extremes.

[OzJohnnie]

So, this is the order of the Tommie challenges?

1. See if they can get straight-to-D1 approval
  a. Demonstrate AD capability (this is already checked off, right?)
  b. Demonstrate facilities capability (assume the Summit invite ticks that list, bar hockey and football)
  c. Demonstrate competitive capability (already ticked according to Pat)
  d. Hope the NCAA doesn't have issues with other institutions who have been led down a different path to D1

2. If not D1, then D2
  a. To which conference?
  b. Assume any qualifying ticks for D1 tick all the same boxes for D2.

3. If not D2, then stay D3
  a. New conference or independent?


Well, it looks to me like Tommies to D1 is a certainty.  I wonder what cats will be let out of which bags with this precedent.  Not only with institutions like North/South Dakota who went the long way up but other schools like maybe UMHB who might want to go to more competitive Texan waters on a flagship football program.

[Mr.MIAC]

So, this is the order of the Tommie challenges?

1. See if they can get straight-to-D1 approval
  a. Demonstrate AD capability (this is already checked off, right?)
  b. Demonstrate facilities capability (assume the Summit invite ticks that list, bar hockey and football)
  c. Demonstrate competitive capability (already ticked according to Pat)
  d. Hope the NCAA doesn't have issues with other institutions who have been led down a different path to D1

2. If not D1, then D2
  a. To which conference?
  b. Assume any qualifying ticks for D1 tick all the same boxes for D2.

3. If not D2, then stay D3
  a. New conference or independent?


Well, it looks to me like Tommies to D1 is a certainty.  I wonder what cats will be let out of which bags with this precedent.  Not only with institutions like North/South Dakota who went the long way up but other schools like maybe UMHB who might want to go to more competitive Texan waters on a flagship football program.

You Johnnies should consult with your healthcare providers sooner rather than later. He or she might want to adjust your blood pressure meds before the UST move to D1 is finalized. If you dont take the proper precautions now, one of you guys is going to have a heart attack due to extreme Tommie envy once this train starts moving.

[OzJohnnie]

Ha!   Tommie envy.  That's a good one.  I started laughing so hard that I nearly fell out of my chair.  I'll need to sue you for a Workers Comp claim if you do it again and I injure myself.

[bleedpurple]

So, this is the order of the Tommie challenges?

1. See if they can get straight-to-D1 approval
  a. Demonstrate AD capability (this is already checked off, right?)
  b. Demonstrate facilities capability (assume the Summit invite ticks that list, bar hockey and football)
  c. Demonstrate competitive capability (already ticked according to Pat)
  d. Hope the NCAA doesn't have issues with other institutions who have been led down a different path to D1

2. If not D1, then D2
  a. To which conference?
  b. Assume any qualifying ticks for D1 tick all the same boxes for D2.

3. If not D2, then stay D3
  a. New conference or independent?


Well, it looks to me like Tommies to D1 is a certainty.  I wonder what cats will be let out of which bags with this precedent.  Not only with institutions like North/South Dakota who went the long way up but other schools like maybe UMHB who might want to go to more competitive Texan waters on a flagship football program.

So looking at this order, the idea of annually finishing somewhere between 2nd and 4th in football as part of the WIAC didn't appeal to the Tommies. Somehow their quick run towards D-I makes the whole dis-affiliation thing from the MIAC seem... well...orchestrated.

[art76]

Morning all,

Hope I'm not beating a dead horse now, but the weather forecast is "improving" for Saturday's game in Collegeville. Just 1.3 inches of snow expected for the whole day now, and the winds will be out of the W-SW above 15 mph, blowing across the field from the home side into the faces of the visitors side. With the buildings on the West side, there'll be "swirling" winds to account for by both teams.

I just leafed back through the previous posts back to my weekly accounts for this week's games and it seems that someone pulled back a post. I don't recall who it was, but basically they were saying that the Bethel/Johnnies game was not going to be close, but rather a Monkey stomp. I sure hope not. I wouldn't want the Johnnies to fall below the Tommies in the Top 25. 

[DuffMan]

...and it seems that someone pulled back a post. I don't recall who it was, but basically they were saying that the Bethel/Johnnies game was not going to be close, but rather a Monkey stomp.

I don't recall seeing that.  Maybe you should lay off the cannabis gummies. 

[DuffMan]

So looking at this order, the idea of annually finishing somewhere between 2nd and 4th in football as part of the WIAC didn't appeal to the Tommies. Somehow their quick run towards D-I makes the whole dis-affiliation thing from the MIAC seem... well...orchestrated.

I don't generally expect wise posts from WI, but +K. 

[BDB]

As someone who has ridden horses and showed cattle in the State Fair Coliseum, let me say it is getting a little dated even for those types of events when compared to other venues that host big time livestock and equine events.

I'm not positive, but I think this may be the first time the MIACPP has ventured into the livestock/equine arena, so to speak.

[jamtod]

As someone who has ridden horses and showed cattle in the State Fair Coliseum, let me say it is getting a little dated even for those types of events when compared to other venues that host big time livestock and equine events.

I'm not positive, but I think this may be the first time the MIACPP has ventured into the livestock/equine arena, so to speak.

Not true, Tommie Johnnie week is coming up. I will let you fill in the rest.

[GoldandBlueBU]

...and it seems that someone pulled back a post. I don't recall who it was, but basically they were saying that the Bethel/Johnnies game was not going to be close, but rather a Monkey stomp.

I don't recall seeing that.  Maybe you should lay off the cannabis gummies. 

Could've missed it, but I didn't see that either.

I'm hoping that BU can hang in there and keep it interesting, and do suspect that the conditions will help a bit, but were I a betting man, it would be difficult to wager against a stud senior QB playing a home game.

I do like our chances better this year than last year, with Roste having a season under his belt now, even though the defense isn't quite what it was last year, though they are solid. 

Remind me, if I decide that I want to watch, can I purchase a single game pass, or do I have to subscribe to the entire season?

[DuffMan]

I do like our chances better this year than last year, with Roste having a season under his belt now, even though the defense isn't quite what it was last year, though they are solid. 

I think SJU was fortunate to catch BU early in the season last year.  I still think SJU would have prevailed later in the year, but they controlled most of that game as BU was still settling in.

Remind me, if I decide that I want to watch, can I purchase a single game pass, or do I have to subscribe to the entire season?

The simple solution would be to attend in person.

[GoldandBlueBU]

I do like our chances better this year than last year, with Roste having a season under his belt now, even though the defense isn't quite what it was last year, though they are solid. 

I think SJU was fortunate to catch BU early in the season last year.  I still think SJU would have prevailed later in the year, but they controlled most of that game as BU was still settling in.

Remind me, if I decide that I want to watch, can I purchase a single game pass, or do I have to subscribe to the entire season?

The simple solution would be to attend in person.

Yeah, I'd like that too, but I cashed a ticket to be away from the family last weekend for the annual dock pulling / cabin closing trip up north to my parent's cabin, so leaving the kiddos at home with my wife again would be detrimental to my health.

Were it a nicer day, I might haul them with me, but they're 5 and 3, so I don't think the conditions will allow.

[retagent]

Sure sure, but were you dominant in golf during that era? Because that's what really attracts the negative attention.

That, I don't know.  My interest in golf is on par with my interest in hockey.

About the only two sports I have played extensively (hockey until age 60) and have any real skill at.