FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[sju56321]

So, D3 Keith says with SJU dropping behind UWW, we may just see the old North, East, West and South brackets. That would be interesting, 6 of the top ten teams in the D3 poll playing in the same region? Or maybe move Monmouth out?

[DutchHawk]

Wow! Seems like both the Johnnies and the Dutch want to take their shot at Linfield! Seems like there's some grudges there considering the Cats haven't even MADE the playoffs since 2005! UWW had a classic game against them when they were #1 ranked back in 2005. It would be fun to play them again!

I do understand not wanting the game out there, that's for sure! Maybe the whole CATDDOME thing has rubbed some the wrong way?

Mainly its the fact its clear the hell out in Oregon!

[DuffMan]

Maybe the whole CATDDOME thing has rubbed some the wrong way?

No, the CATDOME is a great place to play...and win

[sjusection105]

Assume that UWW stays in the "West" region and is not moved to the "North"

West Region
1. UW-Whitewater 7-0 9-0
2. St. John's 9-0 9-0
3. Linfield 7-0 8-0
4. Central 10-0 10-0
5. Monmouth 10-0 10-0
6. St. Thomas 8-1 8-1
7. Coe 8-1 8-1
8. Cal Lutheran 7-1 7-1

Would they send Cal Lutheran to Linfield, Coe to UWW, Monmouth to SJU and UST to Central?

It's all speculation at this point and we will have to wait for Sunday afternoon to find out.

[sju56321]

I bet they would move Monmouth out and put the Nathcon champ at #8, so SJU would play Coe and Central would play UST, UWW v. Nathcon and Linfield and Cal Lu.
They could pair Monmouth with the IWU in the North

[wildcat11]

Glad to see the West Rankings have sharpened up. All is right with the world again!  

Looks about right.

Swap Linfield and Central and its correct.

How would that be correct?  

[bleedpurple]

Personally, I would love to see UWW stay in the west. Not because it would be easier but because I think it would be more fun.  I would love a week to go back and forth with my friends at Linfield. It would be a fun week to anticipate a matchup of the Johnnies/Dutch with the winner taking on the UWW/Linfield winner. Can you imagine if a Monmouth was moved out and a UMHB was moved in? Wow, what a Region!

Having said all this, I don't believe it will happen. To me, unless there is a shocker on Saturday, the four #1's seem destined to be:

1. MUC
2. UWW
3. St. John's
4. Wesley

[wildcat11]

I would love a week to go back and forth with my friends at Linfield.

Please, after years of dealing with SJU posters and OxyBob the folks on the NWC board are not worried about bleedpurple's smack. 

If it does come down the UWW/Linfield you might as well save yourself the trouble that week and go cover soccer...I'm sure that will be more fun that screwing with the Linfield fans. 

[OzJohnnie]

Amazingly, the bleeder is correct.  Moving UWW to #1 from #4 when no game result or their previous method justified the change can only mean UWW is moving North.  It would be an even bigger inconsistency from previous policy to move a #4 across regions, make them a #1, and then a #2 overall.  In order for the pairing committee to maintain integrity, they must have forced the hand of the Western ranking committee.  So now, short of a MUC, UWW or SJU loss this weekend, purple has named the placement and national seeding of the Western teams.

[TC]

Glad to see the West Rankings have sharpened up. All is right with the world again!  

Looks about right.

Swap Linfield and Central and its correct.

How would that be correct?  

Ignore DoucheHawk.  He just goes board to board, looking to right perceived slights of the mightly Central Dutch.  You know, kinda like you and Linfield.

*****

Oz-Your plea for consistency is worthless.  This week's names have been drawn from the hat.  They can't go back in.  You'll just have to learn to live with them until next week, when they are drawn again.

Actually, I'd like a chance to rerun the SOS numbers (probably later tonight).  It's conceivable that the Johnnies playing Augsburg was enough to drop their SOS close enough to UW-Whitewater's that the "subjective boost" that put UW-W ahead of Central and Linfield last week moved them ahead of St. John's. 

*****

Is it just me or has the MIAC board really gone to hell lately?  While I'm flattered that Central, Linfield and UW-Whitewater fans are airing their petty differences here, don't they have their own boards for that?

And it's great to see a few St. Thomas rubes come out of nowhere now that they're playoff bound.  But c'mon guys, act like you've been there before.  Oh, sorry.  Nevermind.

I hereby call for more Duffman, finsleft, and The White Silly and less of the dreck that has filled the last 10 pages or so.

[OzJohnnie]

Was UWW #2 in the West last week?  My bad.  My rightous indignation gland had really been letting me down lately.

[bleedpurple]

Amazingly, the bleeder is correct.  Moving UWW to #1 from #4 when no game result or their previous method justified the change can only mean UWW is moving North.  It would be an even bigger inconsistency from previous policy to move a #4 across regions, make them a #1, and then a #2 overall.  In order for the pairing committee to maintain integrity, they must have forced the hand of the Western ranking committee.  So now, short of a MUC, UWW or SJU loss this weekend, purple has named the placement and national seeding of the Western teams.

Amazingly? The bleeder? Wow, you have the most contentious way of agreeing with someone I've ever seen! 

Don't be down Oz, at least in D3 our guys can decide it on the field when all is said and done!

[bleedpurple]

I would love a week to go back and forth with my friends at Linfield.

Please, after years of dealing with SJU posters and OxyBob the folks on the NWC board are not worried about bleedpurple's smack. 

If it does come down the UWW/Linfield you might as well save yourself the trouble that week and go cover soccer...I'm sure that will be more fun that screwing with the Linfield fans. 

What do you mean? I thought it was fun to go back and forth with the Linfield fans! Did I hurt your feelings by calling you overprotective, Wildcat? What are you a mom of one of the defensive players? I simply say that Linfield didn't play good defense when they played Puget Sound (36 points allowed against a winless team that never scored more than 14 before or since that game) and you call it smack? Your boy is a good boy, Mrs Wildcat. His side of the ball just didn't play very good against Puget Sound. 

[TC]

Amazingly, the bleeder is correct.  Moving UWW to #1 from #4 when no game result or their previous method justified the change can only mean UWW is moving North.  It would be an even bigger inconsistency from previous policy to move a #4 across regions, make them a #1, and then a #2 overall.  In order for the pairing committee to maintain integrity, they must have forced the hand of the Western ranking committee.  So now, short of a MUC, UWW or SJU loss this weekend, purple has named the placement and national seeding of the Western teams.

This.  Keith McMillan seemed to imply that UW-W at #1 in the West made it LESS likely that UW-Whitewater would move North, but I don't think that's the case.  UW-W at #1 does pretty much squash all that silly talk of St. John's as the potential #1 overall seed, though.

*****

As long as I'm ranting and making double posts...

I've heard some talk about the underwhelming nature of the Johnnies' wins this year.  And while I've been as critical (more critical?) as anyone of St. John's this year, I think it's worth noting just how ridiculously awesome the Johnnies' defense has become over the second half of the year.  They have completely shut down St. Thomas (see below), St. Olaf, and Augburg the last three weeks.  St. Thomas is far and away the highest scoring team in the conference, Augsburg has been able to pass on everyone else, and St. Olaf at least has Leon Clark, who's a pretty damn good running back.

Sure, the offense is not nearly as explosive as past years and the margins of victory aren't as impressive.  But I'm starting to feel like 14 or 17 points is all this team is going to need to score to have a good chance to win most games.

*****
Speaking of St. Thomas, look at what they've done offensively by game (apologies in advance for the formatting):

Opp     Rush     Pass     Tot     Points
MAC     325       164      489    54
STO     172       182      354     27
HAM     349       250      599    63
GAC     272       224      496    45
CON    178       218      396     31
SJU      109       130      239    14          (31 pass attempts)
CAR     266       128      394    48          (15 pass attempts)
AUG     308       211      519    42         
BU       171       119      290    19          (20 pass attempts)

So, yeah, the Johnnies held St. Thomas to their lowest rushing yardage, passing yardage (on a per-attempt basis) and point total (I'm ignore the OT field goal) of the season.  Bethel was #2 in all of those figures. 

When it comes down to it, it's not going to matter what St. John's and St. Thomas did against the Hamlines, Augsburgs and Macalesters on their schedules come playoff time--those teams aren't going to exist any more.  I wonder if the Tommies' knife-through-butter offense is going to be able to move the ball in the playoffs.  Of course, I also think the St. John's and Bethel defenses are better than most playoff teams' too.  Should be interesting.

[Touchdown Tommy]

TC can you summarize your last post in 50 words or less??

BTW: if you want excitement on the MIAC PP I have a scathing email from Veek that our fellow posters would enjoy...