FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

I suspect that if St. Thomas ever moved to D-I FCS, those 64 football scholarships would help level the playing field a bit.

Pat,

Are you referring to the ones they already have  8) or do you think FCS would allow them an additional 64?

Your brother's comments on the Star Tribune website about last season's game (video and still photographic evidence   ) has me wondering when Oliver Stone will be brought in to direct "Robbery on Snelling Ave...a D3football production"

When the journalist becomes part of the story, they have failed.

In case anyone missed it ...

St. Thomas has a very good team this year. And St. John's team (who I've seen play a 20 games in the last 6 years) has a lackluster team in a lackluster conference. Last year SJU won on a blown call by a referee (photographic and video proof is on D3football.com) so to come out and claim that it's a black cloud of UST is a misnomer.

posted by ryanjcole on Oct 18, 09 at 12:02 pm

Ryan tries to give a compliment to UST but then pretty much undoes it with his gratuitous swipe at Saint John's.   Closed circuit to Ryan - go to other games.  We don't need your photos anyway.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll have a talk with my little brother.

[faunch]

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Stiftungsfestivities yesterday and for all the culinary delight donations. That had to be the largest turnout ever for the tailgate party. Enjoyed meeting the two Vikings cheerleaders.

Anyone else still on campus around 4:45 p.m. when the power went off throughout the entire campus? That was strange. Evidently it started in St. Joe.

I was sitting in Brother Willie's Pub having a cold one w/ Jim and Daniel Bassett when the power when off.  I was planning to eat dinner at the refectory but decided that I didn't want to eat in the dark.  It sounds like it affected St. Joe, Collegeville, Avon and Albany.

A few numbers on the tailgate.  I believe JR served up about 75 burgers.  I went through 3 pork shoulders (15 pounds total pre-cooked)  and 64 buns (some may have been used on burgers).  Also people were eating brats, hot dogs and chicken drummies.  All I know was a lot of food was consumed.

Did anybody see the group on the other side of the lot using their deep fryer to make scrambled eggs in ziploc baggies?  They container was filled with water.  They filled the baggies w/ eggs, ham, peppers, onions etc...and then place them in the boiling water for about 5-10 minutes to make scrambled eggs.  It was really cool.  

[hazzben]

Did anybody see the group on the other side of the lot using their deep fryer to make scrambled eggs in ziploc baggies?  They container was filled with water.  They filled the baggies w/ eggs, ham, peppers, onions etc...and then place them in the boiling water for about 5-10 minutes to make scrambled eggs.  It was really cool.  

Even more important than how cool it looks, 'bag omelets', (as I call 'em) are actually really good as well.  Great for tailgating, camping, etc.

[tmerton]

Ha nice sleuthing Redtooth.  And Clark you've really been on your game lately.  +K

Tmerton:  Email me tomorrow.  Do I have a story for you...

Lots more to get to.  Looks like Veek has been telling some "white lies" and TC has called him on it.  Kudos TC for a job well done.  Nothing sneaks by the crack staff of JF.com...

Wonka can you please explain this "temper tantrum" on the sideline by Ryan Coleman?  Sounds ridiculous and juicy...

Before we get to any of that, I believe you predicted a UST victory earlier.  So I think you and our friend TC have a meal to eat first ...

[hazzben]

@ TC:

That scenario is certainly possible. However, as I stated earlier, if SJU, UWW, MUC and Wheaton all win out I'm not sure I see UWW in the north. It seems much more likely to me that the committee would be committed to moving MUC East in order to give Wheaton, a natural North team the top seed. Especially since if they and sju win out they will probably be the higher ranked team.

The biggest downside to that scenario would be that the West would be ridiculously stacked and the North would seem to be much diluted by comparison.

Thoughts?

In terms of his rather conspicuous omission for possible #1 seeds, you beat me to it.  (Though I suspect Wheaton may fall by the wayside next Saturday when they go to NCC, who has been absolutely dominant - over 65 points a game - since their opening loss to ONU.)

But I have trouble with 'the North would seem to be much diluted'.  Even without MUC, there are 9 North teams in the top 25 (which would MORE than fill a bracket).  Since there will be two AQs from conferences with no one in the top 25, there would currently be at least two or three ranked teams in the North who may not even make the playoffs.  How 'diluted' is that (and they will almost certainly still be the second strongest bracket, with or without the Mount).

Good call Ypsi. 

Upon further review, I'd say the West (with UWW) would seem to be very top-heavy, with the possibility of some pretty good teams to fill it out.  I think you're right that the North will be strong as well, but I doubt they'll manage to have all 9 of those teams in the Top 25 by the end of the season.  Then again, with as horrendous as the East is (1 top 25 team at this point) this year, they might just manage it.  Furthermore, the East's ineptitude has to almost guarantee that MUC gets moved East if things hold.

[retagent]

Has anyone else noticed that there is only one 7 - 0 team in D III?

[Pat Coleman]

Has anyone else noticed that there is only one 7 - 0 team in D III?

Monmouth, Central and Hampden-Sydney are also 7-0.

http://www.d3football.com/standings

[DustySJU]

I suspect that if St. Thomas ever moved to D-I FCS, those 64 football scholarships would help level the playing field a bit.

Pat,

Are you referring to the ones they already have  8) or do you think FCS would allow them an additional 64?

Your brother's comments on the Star Tribune website about last season's game (video and still photographic evidence   ) has me wondering when Oliver Stone will be brought in to direct "Robbery on Snelling Ave...a D3football production"

When the journalist becomes part of the story, they have failed.

In case anyone missed it ...

St. Thomas has a very good team this year. And St. John's team (who I've seen play a 20 games in the last 6 years) has a lackluster team in a lackluster conference. Last year SJU won on a blown call by a referee (photographic and video proof is on D3football.com) so to come out and claim that it's a black cloud of UST is a misnomer.

posted by ryanjcole on Oct 18, 09 at 12:02 pm

Ryan tries to give a compliment to UST but then pretty much undoes it with his gratuitous swipe at Saint John's.   Closed circuit to Ryan - go to other games.  We don't need your photos anyway.

Blast!

[BleacherBum]

Has anyone heard anything about the injured Tommie who was carted off the field yesterday?

They made an announcement at the 10:30 mass this morning at SJU that he was still in the hospital. From where I was sitting I couldn't see the play and was wondering what happened.

I always hate to see that, and hope that he's back in the lineup for the Tommies next week.

[onearmedscot]

I ran into a UST assistant at the movie theatre tonight and he said Hilliard was doing ok.  It was a concussion and apparently he has had several so there was extra concern.

oAs.

[Retired Old Rat]

That's good to hear.  I was about 30 or 40 feet from where he was.  He did not move anything.  He had to have been out cold.

[OzJohnnie]

What a great game today. 

Looks like TC, TDT, and Maniac will have some crow to eat at our next tailgate.  I'll bet my last dollar that TDT won't consume his portion, though.  He'll probably just hide it in a pocket of his nice girly winter coat.  And whatever you do, please do not ask him about his NICE winter coat or you will get a 15 minute story about he searched for a deal forever and then scored a girly version at an 80 % discount.  Who cares!! 

Nice seeing OAS, his bride to be, Wonka, ROR, ROR Jr, and being able to meet Oz today, albeit briefly. 

I think that today may have been the largest Stiftungsfest we have ever had.  I'm looking forward to next week.

GO JOHNNIES!!!

What is with TDT and his winter wardrobe.... must be time for him to fly south with the rest of the snow birds.

My small pack of born and bread Minnesotans had no problem battling the pure sunshine and 45 degree weather with just a mere hoodie.

I hope TDT is around to see the end of the season.

I Oz he might be known as a "Manscaper."  Hours spent in front of the mirror with a razor; very smooth to the touch.

[OzJohnnie]

Do have to mention that the storming the field at the end was pretty lame.  There are certain times when that's warranted, this was not one of them.

I can only remember 3, maybe 4 games in my 20 years of watching games in Collegeville when the students stormed the field.  One was after the Simpson playoff game in the late nineties.  Truth is a full scale brawl practically broke out between the two teams at the end of the game.  Luckily the student section was nowhere near the size as yesterday.  It could have been ugly. 
The other was 409...not much reason to explain that one.
The other two were Bethel and St. Thomas this year. 
In defense of the students....they have shown more exuberance and passion than I ever witnessed in the late 80's.  The Bethel and St. Thomas games were big.  Bethel had beat us 3 years straight and it looked like it would be 4.  After watching the Vikings game today a 49 yard last minute field goal is even hard for pros.  Yesterday's game had 13,000 fans and a Tommie team that was trying to prove that they were ready to take control of the MIAC.  It's what rivalries are about  They didn't tear down the goal post or trash anything that I know of.
I can almost guarantee that if BU and St. Thomas win those games their students would have stormed the SJU field. 

Storm the field?  Big deal.  Close games, major rivalries.  If they storm the field after STO then you've got a complaint, until then you just have one more reason to hate the Johnnies:  not only do they win but their fans are happy they win.  And care.  If you didn't tie the shoe-laces of the chess club members, then CC's fans could storm after a win as well.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

There was that mysterious power outage yesterday, running from Avon to Collegeville/SJU and St Joe. I hear the juice went out about 4:15 for 2 hours or so. The electric company has no known cause, but I've found what made it happen:

Gagliardi tapped so deep into his "higher connections" that it shorted out the electrical grid in the 20 mile radius of Clemens stadium.

If he reaches that deep into his connections again, Lake Sagatan will part and locusts will plague Moorhead, St. Peter, Arden Hills, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Northfield

[SagatagSam]

Do have to mention that the storming the field at the end was pretty lame.  There are certain times when that's warranted, this was not one of them.

I can only remember 3, maybe 4 games in my 20 years of watching games in Collegeville when the students stormed the field.  One was after the Simpson playoff game in the late nineties.  Truth is a full scale brawl practically broke out between the two teams at the end of the game.  Luckily the student section was nowhere near the size as yesterday.  It could have been ugly. 
The other was 409...not much reason to explain that one.
The other two were Bethel and St. Thomas this year. 
In defense of the students....they have shown more exuberance and passion than I ever witnessed in the late 80's.  The Bethel and St. Thomas games were big.  Bethel had beat us 3 years straight and it looked like it would be 4.  After watching the Vikings game today a 49 yard last minute field goal is even hard for pros.  Yesterday's game had 13,000 fans and a Tommie team that was trying to prove that they were ready to take control of the MIAC.  It's what rivalries are about  They didn't tear down the goal post or trash anything that I know of.
I can almost guarantee that if BU and St. Thomas win those games their students would have stormed the SJU field. 

Storm the field?  Big deal.  Close games, major rivalries.  If they storm the field after STO then you've got a complaint, until then you just have one more reason to hate the Johnnies:  not only do they win but their fans are happy they win.  And care.  If you didn't tie the shoe-laces of the chess club members, then CC's fans could storm after a win as well.

I can remember a number of Johnnie fans being pretty sour over Bethel fans storming the field at Clemens Stadium after a 28-13 defeat at the hands of the Royals in 2006. (I know, I was one of them). But, that's what rivalries are all about!
Now, if one wants to argue the tact once the students are on the field, that's fine. As far as I've heard, nothing was destroyed. And, I didn't see anyone get hauled off by the Stearns County Sheriff for starting fights (this was also true for the highly volatile time after the bars closed later that night).
Were there a few drunk, belligerent fans that exchanged not-so-kind words? Absolutely. But, they are the exception and not the rule.
I'll take the three or four drunk college students (whose knowledge of the game I doubt rises above the level of 'novice') smack-talking as opposed to some of the stuff observed around the country at other college football events. (See: "College Football Games and Crime," Rees and Schnepel, 2008 -- http://econ.cudenver.edu/home/workingpapers/Rees_WP_08-01.pdf)