FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[DustySJU]

Holy ish.  So much to get to so little time. 

One thing is certain:  The old geysers don't stand a chance (Little Wiener Doggie, W. Clark, and VOJ)...

No doubt..... all this wasted time... are you even up on the site yet???

[sjusection105]

Holy ish.  So much to get to so little time. 

One thing is certain:  The old geysers don't stand a chance (Little Wiener Doggie, W. Clark, and VOJ)...

No doubt..... all this wasted time... are you even up on the site yet???

Inquiring minds want to know what TDT has to say about the Auggies and he's spending his time talking smack about older members of The Johnnie Nation.......how unoriginal.

Shouldn't you be selling hockey equipment to some eastern European club team finananced by Russian cyberhackers

[Touchdown Tommy]

And...

We're Live.  Scouting the Auggies from Touchdown Tommy...  Remember patience is a virtue.  A few celebrities make an appearance this week including "The Big Kahuna"...

[retagent]

VOJ - I'm assumimg that the reference to the idiot in the replay booth not knowing what a TD pass looks like is a reference to last Saturday's Indiana/Iowa tilt that I addressed a few pages back. I, too, thought that it was a TD until I saw the low angle replay. It showed, at least to my aged eyes, that the receiver's foot never touched the ground inbounds. You could always see air between his foot and the ground. Do you disagree?

[WithasilentK]

Oh this is great...

Did some reading of TMQ on ESPN today.  A quote:

"Cards cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has nine interceptions in his past 19 starts, the kind of stat announcers praise, but he gambles constantly and gets torched. Carolina ran a simple hitch and go to Steve Smith -- Smith took one step backward as if to catch a hitch, then shot down the field. Rodgers-Cromartie so totally bought on the hitch action, gambling for an interception, that he was barely in the picture as Smith caught a 50-yard touchdown pass."

He also mentioned the Hamline-Carleton game as the obscure college score of the week, but I'd just rather ignore that game.

Disclaimer:  I usually disagree with 80% of TMQ's thinking, but have to love this one.

[DutchFan2004]

VOJ - I'm assumimg that the reference to the idiot in the replay booth not knowing what a TD pass looks like is a reference to last Saturday's Indiana/Iowa tilt that I addressed a few pages back. I, too, thought that it was a TD until I saw the low angle replay. It showed, at least to my aged eyes, that the receiver's foot never touched the ground inbounds. You could always see air between his foot and the ground. Do you disagree?

Thanks for clearing that up for me.  I did not see the Iowa game as I was in Pella.  I had no idea what he was talking about.

[cobbernation]

C'mon guys, the Johnnies have now started 8-0 or better in 5 of the last 7 seasons, and they have looked better in every single other one than they have this year.  That doesn't mean I'm not happy about it, or that I don't hope they keep winning.  I just think the team has some pretty glaring weaknesses. 

The Vikings starting 7-1 and becoming THE storyline and epicenter of the professional football world doesn't happen every year.  Or even every decade.  It's now happened twice in my lifetime.  Personally, I think the Vikings this season have been far more impressive than the Johnnies. 

Let's look at the Vikings season and the 7-1 start...they were lucky to beat SF on a once in a lifetime catch by a 4th string WR...when truth be told if Delta O'Neal holds onto a ball that hits him in the hands late in the 4th quarter, he walks into the end zone with the clinching TD...by the way, Brett throwing a pick to loose the game is 2X more likely than the TD pass to win it...

If TJack was our qb we wouldn't even think about engineering a game winning drive because he is incapable of handling pressure well or pressure at all.  Lets not forget that Favre has about 43 game winning drives. 

It's still amazing the vikings have a loss and we still talk as if they are 2-5.  Favre didn't have a terrible game vs. the Niners.  He didn't pass the greatest but threw for 2 TD's and 300 yds.  The first 300 yd game for the vikings in a 3 year span.

Final thought and changing directions.  How hard is it for gopher athletes to stay out of trouble with the law.  Two basketball players, one of who is Royce White from Hopkins has been suspended for the first 2 games or more.  Then a DB for the football team was arrested and jailed for failing to cooperate with university police!

[ScoutTeamTommie]

C'mon guys, the Johnnies have now started 8-0 or better in 5 of the last 7 seasons, and they have looked better in every single other one than they have this year.  That doesn't mean I'm not happy about it, or that I don't hope they keep winning.  I just think the team has some pretty glaring weaknesses. 

The Vikings starting 7-1 and becoming THE storyline and epicenter of the professional football world doesn't happen every year.  Or even every decade.  It's now happened twice in my lifetime.  Personally, I think the Vikings this season have been far more impressive than the Johnnies. 

Let's look at the Vikings season and the 7-1 start...they were lucky to beat SF on a once in a lifetime catch by a 4th string WR...when truth be told if Delta O'Neal holds onto a ball that hits him in the hands late in the 4th quarter, he walks into the end zone with the clinching TD...by the way, Brett throwing a pick to loose the game is 2X more likely than the TD pass to win it...

If TJack was our qb we wouldn't even think about engineering a game winning drive because he is incapable of handling pressure well or pressure at all.  Lets not forget that Favre has about 43 game winning drives. 

It's still amazing the vikings have a loss and we still talk as if they are 2-5.  Favre didn't have a terrible game vs. the Niners.  He didn't pass the greatest but threw for 2 TD's and 300 yds.  The first 300 yd game for the vikings in a 3 year span.

Final thought and changing directions.  How hard is it for gopher athletes to stay out of trouble with the law.  Two basketball players, one of who is Royce White from Hopkins has been suspended for the first 2 games or more.  Then a DB for the football team was arrested and jailed for failing to cooperate with university police!

Bernard Berrian did drop a number of well thrown balls that game as well.

[VOJ]

VOJ - I'm assumimg that the reference to the idiot in the replay booth not knowing what a TD pass looks like is a reference to last Saturday's Indiana/Iowa tilt that I addressed a few pages back. I, too, thought that it was a TD until I saw the low angle replay. It showed, at least to my aged eyes, that the receiver's foot never touched the ground inbounds. You could always see air between his foot and the ground. Do you disagree?

Actually it looked to me like he grazed a foot in bounds, and I heard the guys from ESPN talking about it and they had the same thoughts I did...Indiana should not have fallen apart like they did anyway...blowing a lead like that and then allowing a TD in the final minute like they did is disgraceful, I have a feeling that after blowing leads vs Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa, the Badgers go in and open a can on the Hoosiers Saturday

[retagent]

As I said, it looked like he dragged a foot in bounds. I thought I saw the shredded tire dust kick up on the overhead replay. However, when they showed the low angle, you could always see daylight between his foot and the ground, and there was no tire dust kicked up. The replay guys agreed, seeing that the call was overturned.

[Retired Old Rat]

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish Frank Rickard a happy birthday.

Maybe he'll come out of hibernation for his birthday.

Dusty, did you remember to send him a card?  8)

[hazzben]

I know we've still got several days leading up to the game...but I'm interested in previews on the BU - UST game from anyone who has seen both teams.  I haven't been to any UST games yet, so other than reading about them on here, I don't know that much about them.

I would say the BU defense is better than UST.

BU would be better off if Aakre can play. BU would also be better off Morse was playing QB for UST.

The RB game goes to Flannery.

The return game goes to UST.

I think Dakota Tracy adds a new element to the running game that wasn't as prevalent before. Tobin is starting to shoulder more of the load as well...and is a more effective runner between the the tackles than Wartman. Conservative estimate:

UST 72 Bethel 3

That sounds about right but...

Until Tracy shows he can pass better than Morse (which was bad), UST still has a lot of work to do against Bethel's D.  Bethel's corners love to sell out for the pick (how many times can you get pre-season All-American but not actual All-American before people realize you aren't that good?) and this normally hurts them, but with an inexperienced QB in there, with a not-so-great arm, they could grab a couple big interceptions.

I think Cornish is an outstanding corner...he also plays well on special teams as he blocked a FG against SJU.  He has 6 picks on the season, so teams have tested him and he has made plays...and had a pick-6 against Gustavus.  Here is the thing if he can hold Waldvogel in check like the Johnnies did, the Tommies will get beat, Wartman is a back who can be contained and neither Tracy or Morse are great at throwing the football...

The Bethel defense will be the most athletic the Tommies have faced, their blitz packages could cause some major problems as the Johnnie D line was in the backfield alot against UST

So the recipe is 8 in the box and man to man with a safety over the top of Waldvogel and jam him with a LB every down...

The Tommies D will have issues with Flannery who is the best back in the MIAC, slippery, shifty and always seems to get the extra yard...

Also which coach makes a mistake...something that seems like the right decision at the time but then goes awry in hindsight...

@ K: So, it sounds like you've seen Cornish play twice?  Good to know you've got a full body of work to examine him with.  And for the record, he's been Pre-season All-American twice.  When you consider Bethel went 5-5 last year, it is pretty understandable they didn't get anyone on the All-American team.  As someone who has seen Cornish up close for 4 years, in both games and practice, I think he is a very good.  He has excellent cover skills, knows how to make a play on the ball when it's up for grabs and is very physical against the run.  He has also improved each year.  You're assuming alot about a guy to call him selfish because he is a ball hawk.  Yes, he's an aggressive corner, but going for the pick doesn't mean he's downright selfish.  The thing that sets him apart, as VOJ pointed out, is that he is an excellent special teams player as well.  He blocks kicks, has converted a fake punt and run several KOR for TDs.  He's the real deal.

Regarding UST v. Bethel:

I think VOJ is right about Bethel's athleticism on D.  However, they are almost exclusively a 3-4 zone blitz team.  They play very little man-to-man.  They could have Cornish line up on Waldvogel's side of the field on Saturday, but it most likely won't be in man, that's just not their scheme.  This team has been very good against the run, and Bethel's priority is always run first defensively.  However, a mobile qb like Tracy can stress even the best run D.  Containment will be big for Bethel on Saturday.

Flannery has been mister consistent all year.  I expect him to be around 115 yds on the day.  The real question is whether or not Aakre is back.  I talked to a trainer on Sunday and they hadn't heard either way yet.  Without Aakre, Bethel will likely move Velo in from WR again.  Not a bad option, but it also dilutes the potency of our WRs.  If Aakre does go, is there going to be some rust?  Will he be hesitant to take a big hit?  If he doesn't play, Bethel has to play a nearly perfect game with no turnovers, IMO.

All of that to say, as much as each team has some significant studs at skill positions, I think this is battle of lines.  Both have appeared very good all year, but given the qb situations, if one team can get pressure and rough up the opposing qb that will be significant. 

I'd like to think that Bethel finally wins a close game against a good team this year.  We'll have to see.

[WithasilentK]

@ K: So, it sounds like you've seen Cornish play twice?  Good to know you've got a full body of work to examine him with.  And for the record, he's been Pre-season All-American twice.  When you consider Bethel went 5-5 last year, it is pretty understandable they didn't get anyone on the All-American team.  As someone who has seen Cornish up close for 4 years, in both games and practice, I think he is a very good.  He has excellent cover skills, knows how to make a play on the ball when it's up for grabs and is very physical against the run.  He has also improved each year.  You're assuming alot about a guy to call him selfish because he is a ball hawk.  Yes, he's an aggressive corner, but going for the pick doesn't mean he's downright selfish.  The thing that sets him apart, as VOJ pointed out, is that he is an excellent special teams player as well.  He blocks kicks, has converted a fake punt and run several KOR for TDs.  He's the real deal.

I've watched him play much more than twice.  My assessment is that he's a good corner but goes for the interception too often.  I think this is general hurts a team, Carleton last year was a perfect example.  He's a decent run stopper and a very good athlete.  His ability to go up for a ball when it's up for grabs...average.  I think he has the athletic ability to be a great player, but as a CB is average.

I am talking nothing of his ST play and feel he is the right build and athletic ability to be a great ST player, but 1 KOR for TD 3 years ago, none in the past 2.

[hazzben]

@ K: So, it sounds like you've seen Cornish play twice?  Good to know you've got a full body of work to examine him with.  And for the record, he's been Pre-season All-American twice.  When you consider Bethel went 5-5 last year, it is pretty understandable they didn't get anyone on the All-American team.  As someone who has seen Cornish up close for 4 years, in both games and practice, I think he is a very good.  He has excellent cover skills, knows how to make a play on the ball when it's up for grabs and is very physical against the run.  He has also improved each year.  You're assuming alot about a guy to call him selfish because he is a ball hawk.  Yes, he's an aggressive corner, but going for the pick doesn't mean he's downright selfish.  The thing that sets him apart, as VOJ pointed out, is that he is an excellent special teams player as well.  He blocks kicks, has converted a fake punt and run several KOR for TDs.  He's the real deal.

I've watched him play much more than twice.  My assessment is that he's a good corner but goes for the interception too often.  I think this is general hurts a team, Carleton last year was a perfect example.  He's a decent run stopper and a very good athlete.  His ability to go up for a ball when it's up for grabs...average.  I think he has the athletic ability to be a great player, but as a CB is average.

I am talking nothing of his ST play and feel he is the right build and athletic ability to be a great ST player, but 1 KOR for TD 3 years ago, none in the past 2.

Then I'm going to have to assume you are a pathetic judge of talent.  Or, you are simply more insightful than the MIAC coaches who named him 2nd team All- MIAC as a sophomore and 1st team All-MIAC as a Junior.  Or just smarter than D3football.com's all-region voters, who thought that as a junior he was good enough to warrant 2nd Team All-West region.

Face it, you are in the minority opinion regarding Cornish.  And the people arguing against you actually have some credentials, rather than your 89 posts on a message board. 

That, or the MIAC and West region were below average the last two years, thus allowing an average corner like Cornish to make their post-season award teams.

Oh, and if we want to argue based on 1 play from a guys junior year, I saw Ziller get handled a couple times by Bethel in 2007.  Guess he was just average as well...or does that line of argument now hit too close to home? 

[USTBench]

@ K: So, it sounds like you've seen Cornish play twice?  Good to know you've got a full body of work to examine him with.  And for the record, he's been Pre-season All-American twice.  When you consider Bethel went 5-5 last year, it is pretty understandable they didn't get anyone on the All-American team.  As someone who has seen Cornish up close for 4 years, in both games and practice, I think he is a very good.  He has excellent cover skills, knows how to make a play on the ball when it's up for grabs and is very physical against the run.  He has also improved each year.  You're assuming alot about a guy to call him selfish because he is a ball hawk.  Yes, he's an aggressive corner, but going for the pick doesn't mean he's downright selfish.  The thing that sets him apart, as VOJ pointed out, is that he is an excellent special teams player as well.  He blocks kicks, has converted a fake punt and run several KOR for TDs.  He's the real deal.

I've watched him play much more than twice.  My assessment is that he's a good corner but goes for the interception too often.  I think this is general hurts a team, Carleton last year was a perfect example.  He's a decent run stopper and a very good athlete.  His ability to go up for a ball when it's up for grabs...average.  I think he has the athletic ability to be a great player, but as a CB is average.

I am talking nothing of his ST play and feel he is the right build and athletic ability to be a great ST player, but 1 KOR for TD 3 years ago, none in the past 2.

Then I'm going to have to assume you are a pathetic judge of talent.  Or, you are simply more insightful than the MIAC coaches who named him 2nd team All- MIAC as a sophomore and 1st team All-MIAC as a Junior.  Or just smarter than D3football.com's all-region voters, who thought that as a junior he was good enough to warrant 2nd Team All-West region.

Face it, you are in the minority opinion regarding Cornish.  And the people arguing against you actually have some credentials, rather than your 89 posts on a message board. 

That, or the MIAC and West region were below average the last two years, thus allowing an average corner like Cornish to make their post-season award teams.

Oh, and if we want to argue based on 1 play from a guys junior year, I saw Ziller get handled a couple times by Bethel in 2007.  Guess he was just average as well...or does that line of argument now hit too close to home? 

Well this Game Hen kid from Bethel had a decent game against UST last year, 76 yard int return and whatnot. But Wartman and Tobin ran silly on Bethel...and now with Tracy in the backfield with them, I'm guessing clock control and lots of rushing yards again.