FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[DuffMan]

Exactly what holes did the Johnnies need to fill?

Offensive line.  Tom Engwall (T), Dan Kosel (G), Josh Dirlam (C), Josh Pantzke (G), and Brent Vogt (T) all graduated the year before.  They were also missing Kent Crowley, who established himself as a force in the backfield the prior year.  And, of course, a certain #72 off the defensive line 

Frankly, I was amazed that the 2003 team did what they did, simply because they replaced the entire offensive line.

[DuffMan]

I can't believe that nobody suggested driving into St. Joseph for lunch at Bo Diddley's.  

I'm not a big Bo Diddley's fan.  

Blasphemy!!!

Bo Did's supplied us with sandwiches after every away game...I just got sick of them after a while.

[tmerton]

I see some of the braves are starting to return to the campfire.  TC's first post of the season and he's already laying money against the Johnnies.  

John was on fire at the luncheon yesterday - a video of his remarks can still be seen if you go to the story on the Daily Planet website.  I wonder if his reference to STU "still" giving athletic scholarships will hit any nerves down at the end of Summit Avenue, but it certainly is interesting how they managed to give that fantastically talented quarterback a full ride.  Even better was when he explained that he tells the team that when they are playing STU all they have to do is keep it close and the Tommies will find a way to screw it up at the end.  Last year, he said, was just a classic example of this.  "Most of them are Irish," he said, "they just get excited."

Too bad the Planet didn't post the full video with the remarks of the other coaches.  Ah, well, the season can't get her soon enough.  29 days.

[faunch]

Exactly what holes did the Johnnies need to fill?

Offensive line.  Tom Engwall (T), Dan Kosel (G), Josh Dirlam (C), Josh Pantzke (G), and Brent Vogt (T) all graduated the year before.  They were also missing Kent Crowley, who established himself as a force in the backfield the prior year.  And, of course, a certain #72 off the defensive line 

Frankly, I was amazed that the 2003 team did what they did, simply because they replaced the entire offensive line.

Duff:
Thanks for clarifying.  I guess I didn't realize how much we lost up front.  Even more amazing that the o-line in 2003 played so well.  Maybe there is room for optimism this year after all.

[faunch]

 I wonder if his reference to STU "still" giving athletic scholarships will hit any nerves down at the end of Summit Avenue, but it certainly is interesting how they managed to give that fantastically talented quarterback a full ride.  

This comment made me squirm a little and I'm sure it will hit some nerves.  SJU has always had difficulty attracting minority students let alone student athletes and I think location is a major issue.  I know of an African-American student that was freshman @ SJU last year.  He told me he chose SJU because they gave him the most money (he is not an athlete).  I ran into him on campus last fall and he was having a difficult time adjusting.  Too far from the city and he wasn't all that impressed w/ the St. Cloud area. 

My question is that if UST is able to get scholarships to these student/athletes why can't SJU? 

[DuffMan]

 TC's first post of the season...

Not to mention his lengthy interview in the SC Times...

[raiderguy]

Frankly, I was amazed that the 2003 team did what they did, simply because they replaced the entire offensive line.

Me too!  ( I even watched it happen.) Not that I didn't expect a game of it, more so than most Mount fans since I had watched SJU all season I knew they came to play. Mount's 66-0 win the week before over a highly reguarded Bridgewater team didn't help matters either. Big Heads, Big Ego's Big Flop Big Ten (oops thats a different commercial). IMHO.

Interesting team because we did not have a stud RB or QB that year. We had parlayed it as far as it would go and SJU exposed some weaknesses. And let's not forget the stud was on the other side of the ball that year, Mr. Elliott! 

I know I saw him driving the bus back to the airport from Salem!

[faunch]

I was going to suggest that everyone come join me in Saint Paul for Irish Fair this weekend but it looks like a big washout.  My daughters dance today @ 4:30 and twice tomorrow.  At least there's beer at the event.
Gotta get the rain gear packed up.

http://www.irishfair.com/

[Redtooth]

Exactly what holes did the Johnnies need to fill?

Offensive line.  Tom Engwall (T), Dan Kosel (G), Josh Dirlam (C), Josh Pantzke (G), and Brent Vogt (T) all graduated the year before.  They were also missing Kent Crowley, who established himself as a force in the backfield the prior year.  And, of course, a certain #72 off the defensive line 

Frankly, I was amazed that the 2003 team did what they did, simply because they replaced the entire offensive line.

Duff:
Thanks for clarifying.  I guess I didn't realize how much we lost up front.  Even more amazing that the o-line in 2003 played so well.  Maybe there is room for optimism this year after all.

Faunch,

Having been involved with that position during that time I can tell you (as Duff did) that replacing 5 seniors that had started a combined 185 games over the course of their careers with 5 guys that had never started before created more than a mild case of stomach upset.  Of the guys that left after 02, three had started for 3 years and two had started for 2 years.  In 02 they helped Crowley nearly break the school record for most rushing yards in a season with nearly 1,400.

The guys selected to start in 03 consisted of 3 sophomores, 1 junior and 1 senior.  They obviously did a very good job throughout the year.

Two other notes regarding the "holes" in 03; losing Crowley after his 1,400 yard season was huge as was determining whether or not Ryan Keating (whose arm was broken into 14 pieces the year prior) would be able to physically and mentally play QB in 03.  We all remember Crowley's replacement, Jake Theis, going mac truck on Mount Union's safety at the goal-line before half.  Ryan's grit and leadership was able to stabilize a great offense.

[faunch]

Faunch,

Having been involved with that position during that time I can tell you (as Duff did) that replacing 5 seniors that had started a combined 185 games over the course of their careers with 5 guys that had never started before created more than a mild case of stomach upset.  Of the guys that left after 02, three had started for 3 years and two had started for 2 years.  In 02 they helped Crowley nearly break the school record for most rushing yards in a season with nearly 1,400.

The guys selected to start in 03 consisted of 3 sophomores, 1 junior and 1 senior.  They obviously did a very good job throughout the year.

Two other notes regarding the "holes" in 03; losing Crowley after his 1,400 yard season was huge as was determining whether or not Ryan Keating (whose arm was broken into 14 pieces the year prior) would be able to physically and mentally play QB in 03.  We all remember Crowley's replacement, Jake Theis, going mac truck on Mount Union's safety at the goal-line before half.  Ryan's grit and leadership was able to stabilize a great offense.

Redtooth:
Great points.  I think I may have been so starry eyed over #2 that I forgot about all of those issues.  Forgive me as a turned 40 this year and might be slipping a bit.

[Knightstalker]

I see the Twinkies just picked up Carl Pavano from the Indians the usual "Player to be named later."

[sportsknight]

I was going to suggest that everyone come join me in Saint Paul for Irish Fair this weekend but it looks like a big washout.  My daughters dance today @ 4:30 and twice tomorrow.  At least there's beer at the event.
Gotta get the rain gear packed up.

http://www.irishfair.com/

This is actually the basis of my trip to Minnesota.  Very much looking forward to seeing Dropkick Murphys tonight.

[Touchdown Tommy]

I just wanna know 1 thing Clark.  Did you sprout wood when Jerry was up at the podium gushing over the California kid?  I know you were watching intently...

[tafkaw]

I can't believe that nobody suggested driving into St. Joseph for lunch at Bo Diddley's.  

I'm not a big Bo Diddley's fan.  

Blasphemy!!!

Bo Did's supplied us with sandwiches after every away game...I just got sick of them after a while.

Duff, did you get sick of Bo Dids or did you get sick of eating them while sucking in diesel fumes from the bus?  If you want to give them another try, I'll buy after the home opener.

[Generic Dude 75]

John was on fire at the luncheon yesterday - a video of his remarks can still be seen if you go to the story on the Daily Planet website.  I wonder if his reference to STU "still" giving athletic scholarships will hit any nerves down at the end of Summit Avenue, but it certainly is interesting how they managed to give that fantastically talented quarterback a full ride.  Even better was when he explained that he tells the team that when they are playing STU all they have to do is keep it close and the Tommies will find a way to screw it up at the end.  Last year, he said, was just a classic example of this.  "Most of them are Irish," he said, "they just get excited."

   Honestly I think that's a joke. Yes the kid got a scholarship, but obviously it's not athletic, you think UST (Not STU) would let him talk about a completely illegal scholarship to a reporter? Really? St. Thomas for years has been trying "diversify" it's campus and they actually have a scholarship geared towards minority students that pays for tuition and room & board. I think if you took a look at past award winners, you'd see that only a small percentage of them are athletes. Also if you want to point fingers...how many kids at SJU pay the full $34,000 or whatever it is to go to school there? I'd have to imagine that there are a good amount of athletes there who can't afford that and do what they can to get the price knocked down.
    I think it's kind of ignorant to say that the kid doesn't deserve the scholarship he got because he's an athlete. Something tells me if you look at Morse's grades, it's not like he's a dumb athlete stealing a spot from someone who deserves it more, it's more like he's a good kid who gets a chance to go to a good school.
   Finally, I can't even believe John would say the stuff he's saying about UST in front of a room full of people, even the oldest coaches understand that it's better to be coy, then to give a team bulletin board material...kind of shocked he took the Lane Kiffin route.

**Side note: I love Lane Kiffin, so I guess I'm not really mad, just more surprised about Gagliardi's comments than anything.**