FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[TC]

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

People who just look at St. John's margin of victory this year might be underestimating just how dominant their defense is, myself included.  As good as the defense has been playing lately, the Johnnies might not need that much offense to be one of the best teams in the country.

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

Better forward it to me, just to be safe.

[wildcat11]

You know, kinda like you and Linfield.

I'd would get offend by that TC but that pretty much summed it up.

Bleed,

My feelings were not hurt and I doubt you could write anything that would.   I really enjoy the great majority of the UWW backers and posters.....but you just happen not to be one of them.     

[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.

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.

Well, looking at the SOS table on d3football.com, the rankings for the West (according to the previous two weeks' process) would be:

1. SJU  (0.567)
2. Central (0.535)
3. Linfield (0.518)
4. UWW (0.515)

Now, there's hardly a difference between UWW and Linfield (and arguably Central) so you could see those flipping.  But SJU's SOS is 10% higher than UWW, which is quite large in the scheme of SOS differences.  To break the pattern of the previous two weeks, essentially calling those weeks useless as indicators of relative strength, implies that an even bigger inconsistency is on the cards this Sunday if a change in ranking methodology is not made in the West.

To test Keith's position ask this: would anyone complain if a #4 UWW stayed in the West?  (Those are crickets you hear.)  To test my position ask this:  Would anyone complain if a #4 UWW was moved North and made #1?  (That's a sound reminiscent of the '87 Homer Hankie cheer squad ringing in your ears).  For the NCAA to avoid a chorus of boos on Sunday, the West committee must learn to enjoy the feeling of an egg facial mask.

As to your point of SJU being the national #1, I wonder if the other regions were also doing this mindless rank-by-the-numbers exercise rather than applying professional discretion?  If they were ranking based on their profession opinions, then I wouldn't be surprised if the pressure being put on our committee was coming not only from the NCAA seeding committee but the other Regional ranking committees as well.

[DustySJU]

TDT loves his food and loves to wage war with just about anyone on this board.

On Nacho Libre's behalf I'll extend his "olive branch" and invite y'all to Tom and Carol's surprise tailgate delicacy, stewing and ready to be served up at Johnnie Pregaming Saturday morning.

Find out now at www.JohnnieFootball.com...

Anybody can come.

[Pat Coleman]

One of the criteria is also results against common opponents. They may be looking at this:

at UW-Whitewater 38, UW-Eau Claire 13
at St. John's 35, UW-Eau Claire 27

at UW-Whitewater 38, UW-River Falls 14
St. John's 28, at UW-River Falls 24

Who knows? Just throwing that out there. The handbook doesn't say "winning percentage against common opponents" -- just "results." So it could be open to interpretation.

[OzJohnnie]

One of the criteria is also results against common opponents. They may be looking at this:

at UW-Whitewater 38, UW-Eau Claire 13
at St. John's 35, UW-Eau Claire 27

at UW-Whitewater 38, UW-River Falls 14
St. John's 28, at UW-River Falls 24

Who knows? Just throwing that out there. The handbook doesn't say "winning percentage against common opponents" -- just "results." So it could be open to interpretation.

In support of the committee your argument is reasonable, accurate and what everyone would expect to flavor the committee's rankings.  Running against the committee is the inconvenient fact that those games had all been played before the first rankings came out and didn't seem to influence that last two sets of ranks.

It's hard to argue that the ranks this week are wrong.  They are what everyone expected (the coin-toss regarding positions 2-4 taken into account).  The reason that went into this week's rankings appears to have been lacking from the first two.

Anyway, I'm not unhappy with the results (actually, I'm pretty happy considering the J's could be ranked fourth) just disappointed with the process.

[D O.C.]

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

Do not take this as a perceived slight but we can hear the johns gritting their teeth on this side of the rockies about this seeding stuff because we all know your best defensive player is crippled (and we are sorry to see that) and the man behind the curtain does not want to play an away game because the team as a whole is not as strong as you would like to send into battle with really good teams.

I will now go post this own the NWC board to ease your grit.

[DuffMan]

... we can hear the johns gritting their teeth on this side of the rockies about this seeding stuff because we all know your best defensive player is crippled ...

While it's a big loss, the Johnnie defense has been playing well with Gunderson at a limited capacity thus far.  The Johnnies, thankfully, have a very deep and talented pool of d-linemen.  While having a 100% Gunderson would be nice, I don't think it's going to make or break games.

... and the man behind the curtain does not want to play an away game...

That's ludicrous!  John's never been one to care where a game is.  He always says, "You've got to win half your games on the road."  In fact, I think he prefers road playoff games because there are less distractions to the team and coaching staff.  The people that want the home games are the fans 

[DuffMan]

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.

I'll do what I can.  Although WithaSilentK and PRF2000 have been mysteriously absent for the majority of this week, so there's not much point in bantering.

Here's to a bonafide MONKEYSTOMP by the Johnnies on Saturday! 

[kubiack78]

But what about that "Johnnie magic"  behind the pine curtain?   I read a post earlier that says that the Johnnies haven't lost a late season home game in years.


I know what it is,  you just want to come back to the Whitewater and party at the perk right?

[sju56321]

If everyone is right and SJU is the #1 seed in the "West," I would like to see UWW again. That would mean SJU is playing in the Semis-not bad. And, partying with Flash is quite the experience-especially with the Groovy Beer!  8)

[kubiack78]

I sampled some of JF's beer at the 2005 Wesley playoff game,  Had my son with me so I couldn't sample too many

[DuffMan]

I know what it is,  you just want to come back to the Whitewater and party at the perk right?

It's not that I dislike "The Perk" that much.  It's just that 1) that's a lot of driving and 2) I've got some bad memories of that place.

Come back to Clemens.  I liked the result last time UWW was there

[VOJ]

Carleton probably shouldn't worry you this year.  They have made strides since the beginning of this year, but because they're missing a recruiting class, they just don't have the depth to absorb injuries.  I'm not sure what the injury status is but I can guarantee you a couple people had to have gone down.

Their D has improved but it won't be enough to stop the SJU rushing attack.  On offense, they're receivers and quarterback are young and still very raw.  Maybe they can keep it close for a while ala 2006, but I don't think they have the ability to make a major upset this year.  Next year though...they could be a 7-9 win team...

Do you know anything about why there has been a quarterback switch?  Kind of late the in season for that, unless Ramler wants to see some game action of his back-up heading into next year.

I think the regional rankings had to be adjusted to give more creditability of a move of UWW to the North...I think things point to a possible Kohawk party at Clemens on the 21st...

[kubiack78]

It's funny, never played any MIAC teams during the regular season while I was at WW.  Just played UST in the 90' playoffs.  So I understand the Johnnie hate for them.