FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[AO]

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's pick-em time!  All are welcome.  Take your shot at knocking off Finsleft, the reigning champion prognosticator. 



Previous winners:
2010: Finsleft
2009: sju56321
2008: AO
2007: AO
2006: Piperinsider
2005: Frankrickard/Repete

2011 MIAC Pick-Ems
4 Points Rivalry Games (UST-SJU:Holy Grail, CAR-STO:Goat, STO-CORD:Troll, AUG-HAM:Hammer)
3 Points MIAC conference
2 Points Non-Conference
1 Point Macalester/West Region/National

Week 1 Sept. 3
Non-Conference: 2pts
Carthage @ Carleton (+7.5)
Luther (+12.5) @ St. Olaf
Northwestern (+42.5) @ #25 St. John's
St. Norbert (+28.5) @ #5 St. Thomas
Simpson (+27.5) @ #7 Bethel
Augsburg @ Concordia (Wis.) (+40.5)
#7 NAIA Dickinson St. (+3.5) @ Concordia-Moorhead

West Region: 1pt
Grinnell @ Macalester (+4.5)
#23 UW-Stevens Point @ Willamette (+3.5)
#10 Coe @ #16 Hardin-Simmons (+2.5)

National: 1pt
#4 North Central @ Redlands (+9.5)

Please post your picks to the Pick-Em board by kickoff Saturday.

[DuffMan]

Larry David was musing on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on what a shame it was that one guy ruined both the first and last name. You don't hear anyone called Adolf anymore. And did all the Hitler family die off?

In pouring over baby name books, I always get a little chuckle when I run across the name Adolf.  I can't imagine anyone actually using that name.

[DuffMan]

Interesting fact from Frank:

The Johnnies, who lost three-year starting quarterback Joe Boyle to graduation, are the lone conference team not to return their starter at the position.

[DuffMan]

AO, 42.5 point spread on the SJU/NWBC game?  Are you losing faith in the Eagles?

[badgerwarhawk]

In Germany, they would be facing prison time.

When I visited Germany a few years ago I saw monuments to German soliders in several cities.  I also met an old man who proudly showed me a picture of Adolph Hitler that he still carried in his wallet.  I'm not sure that they didn't look at them as young men who fought and died for their country rather than as a Nazi.  The Hitler picture thing was just creepy.

However, that said, I'd have to agree that wearing the uniform to the celebration was in poor taste. 

[Retired Old Rat]

Now we know how they are (and who is) paying for their new "state of the art" facilities...

uhm, yeah, the athletic facility and the soon-to-open Student Center are paid for by the genrousity of the Anderson fmily. (much like the Clemens family's donation paid for renovation of a certain football field and the Warner family donation paid for a state-of-the-art in the erly 1970s) 

Pollyanna , just because someone has their name on a building doesn't mean that they donated 100% of the cost. Heck, even at a west coast university I am familiar with, "Uncle Phil" may have paid for the new student athlete academic center, but the university had to pay to provide parking facilities for the athletes while they are using the facility (interestingly, the lot is usually empty...). That was part of the terms of the agreement. I don't think it is that unusual for schools to have to provide matching funds (or a percentage of) for these kinds of donations.

The Andersons donated $60Million and the athletic center cost $52Million.  Maybe the Anderson's didn't also want to build the student center and larger parking facility to accompany both buildings, but any good fundraiser will use one big donation to spur on many others to build something else.  The extra $3 for the Tommie-Johnnie game isn't going to be enough to build another new locker room,  it might buy another treadmill.

I couldn't find what last year's paid attendance was, but did see something about total attendance being over 16,000. Even if half of these fans are paying $3 extra dollars, that's $24000. That is one expensive treadmill...

The important thing is how can the Rat Pack and the SJU crowd make fun of the UST Athletic Department.  I think the Rats should run around the filed with large $3 bill w/ Steve Fritz's picture on it and word GREED on it.  Maybe make some fake $3 bills and toss them into the crowd....any other ideas???

I'm thinking some $3.00 discount coupons at the concession stand.

[AO]

AO, 42.5 point spread on the SJU/NWBC game?  Are you losing faith in the Eagles?

I'd say I'm gaining faith, last year they lost by 46.  Maybe I'll feel even more optimistic if I find more highlights like this from the incoming recruits.  If our new fullback is 6'5" 320, think about how much bigger the rest of the o-line must be.

[57Johnnie]

Only 4 more days ................... 

[hazzben]

In Germany, they would be facing prison time.

When I visited Germany a few years ago I saw monuments to German soliders in several cities.  I also met an old man who proudly showed me a picture of Adolph Hitler that he still carried in his wallet.  I'm not sure that they didn't look at them as young men who fought and died for their country rather than as a Nazi.  The Hitler picture thing was just creepy.

However, that said, I'd have to agree that wearing the uniform to the celebration was in poor taste.

Monuments to German soldiers are not necessarily monuments to Nazi's. There's a big difference. The SS were Nazi's, your average german infantry man probably was not. No problem with honor for the latter who fought bravely for a misguided cause. No honor for the former...

[USTBench]

In Germany, they would be facing prison time.

When I visited Germany a few years ago I saw monuments to German soliders in several cities.  I also met an old man who proudly showed me a picture of Adolph Hitler that he still carried in his wallet.  I'm not sure that they didn't look at them as young men who fought and died for their country rather than as a Nazi.  The Hitler picture thing was just creepy.

However, that said, I'd have to agree that wearing the uniform to the celebration was in poor taste.

Monuments to German soldiers are not necessarily monuments to Nazi's. There's a big difference. The SS were Nazi's, your average german infantry man probably was not. No problem with honor for the latter who fought bravely for a misguided cause. No honor for the former...

Eh...still think it's kind of jacked up. Like going to the South and seeing the locals "honoring" the Confederacy. It's just weird, particularly at the several predominantly black Robert E. Lee High Schools. Can't wrap my head around that one.

[tmerton]

Reply to the questions from a Tommie fan who apparently felt shy about quizzing me in the open (I'm not posting his name out of deference to Pat's policy on PMs):
* I have no idea whether UST will have added seating on the visitor side for the Tommie/Johnnie game.  Do you?
* As for how many teams in the MIAC have permanent visitor seats behind the visitor bench, I know of two or three.  However, I know of no team at any level of football that has permanent home-team-only seats on the visitor's side, which is the issue here.
* As for how many of them actually fill up for any but the Johnnie game, it's not my fault no one wants to see other teams play.  What's your point?
* Yes, I have actually seen the new set up; seen it up close and personal a couple of times.
* Whether the type of visitor seating they have at Clemons would have looked totally out of place at UST isn't really the issue.  First, we're not talking about visitor seating here, are we?  Second, they could have left it the way it was, or they could have put in premium seating on the press box side.  They could have done many things other than what they did.
* Good for you and UST that the "veranda" will generate between $15-$20,000 in additional revenue this year.  Congratulations.  You guys obviously need the money.  Of course if you had a team people wanted to watch you could easily make that much and more in increased ticket sales.
* I am pleased to hear that there is a covered patio area underneath that you say can hold several hundred for standing room and that you say any Johnnie fan should be able to utilize if they arrive early.  Why do I think that won't actually be the case come Oct. 1?
* What would I have changed in this arrangement to satisfy the "few dozen Johnny fans who are bent out of shape"?  Aside from not building it in the first place, how about letting it be a seating area for the Johnnie fans, or for all visiting teams in fact?  When Notre Dame plays USC at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, ND brings so many fans that SC moves the seats of many of its season ticket holders for that game alone and opens up some of the good seating for ND.  You're as magnanimous and fair-minded as the Trojans, aren't you?

[Pat Coleman]

(I'm not posting his name out of deference to Pat's policy on PMs):

Do appreciate, thanks.

[Pat Coleman]

By the way, I had heard that temporary stands for the St. John's game was a possibility. That's something done a lot of places, including at the Monon Bell game. But I don't know for sure if that is happening.

[DuffMan]

However, I know of no team at any level of football that has permanent home-team-only seats on the visitor's side, which is the issue here.

The only thing more ridiculous was the set-up at the old Auggie Tech field in which the teams shared a sideline 

[Retired Old Rat]

By the way, I had heard that temporary stands for the St. John's game was a possibility. That's something done a lot of places, including at the Monon Bell game. But I don't know for sure if that is happening.

After I shared my views on the new permanent home team seating on the visitor side with Mr. Fritz at the Linfield game, he told me they were bringing in additional seating for the St. John's game this year.  Given the fact that there is no room between the visting team bench and the high roller veranda, NONE of those seats will be between the goal lines.