FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[57Johnnie]

Who is the bigger rival for you SJU guys -- Bethel or USTD?

Concordia

[wildcat11]

ADvantage Catdome = West Region Final Preview: Linfield Vs. St. Thomas

[DustySJU]

This happens so often, we went further in the playoffs, we won the division, and so on.  SJU should be happy with the fact that they beat UST (again) and get over the fact that they played like crap against Coe.

But what is interesting is what this will do for UST's program.  I think one more win in the playoffs will look very good on Caruso's resume.  I don't think UST is his final pitstop, and getting far in the playoffs so quickly could get him a job offer sooner than one thought.

I'd say Joel Maturi is watching closely....

[TC]

Who is the bigger rival for you SJU guys -- Bethel or UST?

St. Thomas is and always will be the main rival, and that goes way beyond football.  Historically, Concordia has been a more competitive football rival (and the old folks on this board will tell you Gustavus used to have a football team, too, I guess).  More recently, Bethel has become the most competitive football rivalry.

I might not be representative of all Johnnie fans, but I dislike St. Thomas and Bethel much more than Concordia.

*****

That said, St. Thomas has the best football team in the MIAC this year.  If Morse plays up to his talent, that makes the Tommies exponentially better than they were when they played St. John's--like Pat Coleman said, it puts Waldvogel in position to make plays after the catch, which opens up the ground game for Wartman and Tobin.

I THINK Linfield is better than St. Thomas, but like I said before, I think St. Thomas has the highest ceiling of any team in the West.  They haven't been there before, unlike, St. John's, Linfield, or Central, but the talent on the field is pretty sick.  Since halftime of the first playoff game, they've outscored Monmouth and Coe 47-7.  Linfield should be worried, and St. Thomas at UW-Whitewater the next week would be pretty damn interesting.

Ok, VOJ, let's hear again about how St. John's beat St. Thomas this year. 

[OzJohnnie]

As you may have heard, Australia's emmissions trading scheme was defeated after a hot debate in the opposition party where the leader was defeated by one vote, changing the opposition from supporting the policy to, well... opposing.  I bring this up because the average tax increase from this bill was $1,100 and the average electricity bill increase was $400/yr.  Australia, like the US, has a very progressive tax code that leaves the bottom 50% of wage earners paying no tax meaning that the average tax.  A similar scheme although not as progressive exists for electricity bill assistance as well.  All this means that the average cost for those that actually pay taxes (like me) was much higher than $1500/year.

And how is all of this relevant to the MIAC board?  The biggest threat posed by this legislation was not to carbon producers (not counting living organisms, I guess) but to my budget as the government was threatening to take almost exactly as much money as I need to return and watch the Johnnies beat the Tommies again.  Now that is a bad law, no two ways about it.

[sju56321]

No, just saying that if you spoke to fans from outside the MIAC they would not remember who finished 2nd in 2000, or 3rd or 4th.....
But I will give you that placing 2nd in the nation is memorable, rather than 4th or 5th or 6th.....

[VOJ]

Who is the bigger rival for you SJU guys -- Bethel or UST?

St. Thomas is and always will be the main rival, and that goes way beyond football.  Historically, Concordia has been a more competitive football rival (and the old folks on this board will tell you Gustavus used to have a football team, too, I guess).  More recently, Bethel has become the most competitive football rivalry.

I might not be representative of all Johnnie fans, but I dislike St. Thomas and Bethel much more than Concordia.

*****

That said, St. Thomas has the best football team in the MIAC this year.  If Morse plays up to his talent, that makes the Tommies exponentially better than they were when they played St. John's--like Pat Coleman said, it puts Waldvogel in position to make plays after the catch, which opens up the ground game for Wartman and Tobin.

I THINK Linfield is better than St. Thomas, but like I said before, I think St. Thomas has the highest ceiling of any team in the West.  They haven't been there before, unlike, St. John's, Linfield, or Central, but the talent on the field is pretty sick.  Since halftime of the first playoff game, they've outscored Monmouth and Coe 47-7.  Linfield should be worried, and St. Thomas at UW-Whitewater the next week would be pretty damn interesting.

Ok, VOJ, let's hear again about how St. John's beat St. Thomas this year. 

No I think you covered it TC...UST could have more overall talent that SJU...guess that is where coaching and execution come in, huh?  

Props to OZ...again

The board seems like a happier place today...hmmm wonder why...  I think I will have a Bo Dids sub tonight on the way out to the SJU-Bethel basketball game...

As for the Bethel season in 2000 being better than SJU...only in one respect I guess.

[Redtooth]

Who is the bigger rival for you SJU guys -- Bethel or UST?

The answer to this question is a little more complex than one or the other.

The SJU/USTd rivalry revolves around two major issues; recruiting and alumni.  The alumni and fans all remember the days when the conference championship was at stake in the game.  Clearly that has not been the case for over two decades.  The last time USTd won the title outright was 1983 while they tied for the title in 1990.  Although a few games have been competitive, including the 2003 game, the Tommies have only won 2 games in the series since 1990 (92 and 97)....that history hardly brings with it a since of a true rivalry where either team could win.  The game has turned into more of a social event for the alumni/fans of the schools.  

In terms of recruiting, this game is very important.  The two schools have historically recruited many of the same players.  Some players have chosen to attend USTd with the goal of beating SJU, some have attended SJU knowing that they will beat USTd....just different philosophies.

The SJU/Bethel rivalry has many of the attributes lacking the above.  In the last decade, the conference championship has often been settled in this game, as have historical games (300 and 409).  Unlike USTd, Bethel grew a program around being consistent throughout the season and not just getting up for one game.  I have never been a fan of Bethel or their style (rather sanctimonious for my taste), but I can say that I respect what they have been able to do on the field over the last 10 years.  The fact that many at SJU consider this "the rivalry game" confirms that respect is shared even if it started out of pure dislike.  They compete hard and have won more than once in the last 20 years.

I would venture to say that this year's USTd team could learn a lesson or two from the Bethel team that won the West Region in 07 and got mack-trucked by Mount Union.  Enjoy where your team is at today, because getting back is a HELL of a lot harder than you can ever imagine.  That Bethel team was young and well stocked (much like USTd 09) and probably had spots in the trophy case picked out where the future MIAC trophies would go and the Stagg trophy as well....and look at how hard they have had to work since.

That is how I size up the rivalries for SJU.

BTW- Pat, when are we going to see the report from your committee along with Ryan's photos?  Maybe Ryan could post his Caruso Family Thanksgiving photos.....

[Pat Coleman]

I think St. Thomas has the highest ceiling of any team in the West. 

Do you mean perhaps that they are the biggest unknown?  I could agree with that.

[D O.C.]

Oh...I see.

I took it as they were in over their heads.

[TC]

I think St. Thomas has the highest ceiling of any team in the West. 

Do you mean perhaps that they are the biggest unknown?  I could agree with that.

Yeah, exactly.  Coming into the postseason, if I were picking a team to win the St. John's bracket St. Thomas would not have been my first choice.  But if I had to pick a team from the bracket to upset UW-Whitewater or Mount Union, St. Thomas would have been my pick.  Does that make any sense?

Ergo, this week I think Linfield will win, but I think the Tommies have a better chance of making the Stagg Bowl than the Wildcats do.

[D O.C.]

Well, that would be because we were picked to place 3rd in our conference by the coaches and were maybe in the top 75 of d3football.com.


I know there is no such poll.
Where is the new Top 25? Only at the season end?

[stanbob]

Hey guys have the tommygirl posters been this lameass all year long or only this week on our board. 

GHC

Their entire miserable existence.

[Gig Harbor Cat]

+K stanbob +k

We really wanted to play your boys -- anywhere we could find a field.
At least that was the talk around last weeks tailgate.  I think that was before old blue went empty 8)

GHC

Hey when does TDT come back off of the IR list ?

[Pat Coleman]

Well, that would be because we were picked to place 3rd in our conference by the coaches and were maybe in the top 75 of d3football.com.


I know there is no such poll.

Linfield was No. 29 in the preseason ranking in Kickoff.

Where is the new Top 25? Only at the season end?

As usual, yes. You have been in the playoffs before, right?