FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hazzben]

My guess is that Mr. MIAC is a janitor at a high school.

Ah, but a janitor in the DC area. Don't forget that part. Even toilet cleaners are uber important when they reside so close to the seats of power 

[hazzben]

I'm torn.  For the sake of USTBench and MIACManic, I hope U$T can win at least one game, but I would also like to see U$T drop their first game to spite Dr. U$T Ph.D Mr. MIAC. 

Well, there were a lot of SJU fans that had me torn over who to root for in the '03 National Championship. But I have to admit I did smile when Mike Zauhar took one to the house.

I know not everyone feels the same way, but it's more of MIAC thing for me at this point. Cheered for Bethel after they ground one out against us last year. That's just me I guess.

I thought Mount would beat SJU in '03, but I was cheering for all 99 yds of that Pick-6. Not growing up in Minnesota and in an NAIA heavy area, it was great to talk to people at the gym over Christmas break about the game and have them realize the quality of play in both DIII and the MIAC.

I'll be cheering for UST and cursing the 2nd half of Olaf with every subsequent round of the playoffs. But that 2nd half collapse is just all more reason to cheer for the MIAC to do well. A 2 loss team got an at large this year. For the MIAC to get those in the future, it only helps to consistently send our playoff reps deep into the playoffs. But I'd definitely rather just take care of business in the regular season next year...

[sju56321]

It is interesting that this comes up every year-do you cheer for your rival or not. Did you cheer for the packers in the super bowl? Cheer for the Tigers-maybe against the Yankees-bench you cheer for the gophers if they get to the frozen four? Maybe more of an ambivalence for me-don't care if UST wins or loses.

[57Johnnie]

It is interesting that this comes up every year-do you cheer for your rival or not. Did you cheer for the packers in the super bowl? Cheer for the Tigers-maybe against the Yankees-bench you cheer for the gophers if they get to the frozen four? Maybe more of an ambivalence for me-don't care if UST wins or loses.

I thought the college football season ended when we beat the Pipers 

[tommiegun]

Jamie Carroll has fish eyes; but he is a decent, consistent defensive infielder with a high OBP (albeit no power).  Think, a poor man's defensive Nick Punto and a rich man's offensive Nick Punto.

I'd also like to question Mr. MIAC on something; "UST has the best overall athletics program" in the conference.  While I'd like to think that is true... is it?  My internet is running at a snail's pace or else I'd look it up, but off the top of my head I would say Gustavus has the best overall athletics program.  Consistently the best in men's and women's tennis, usually the best in men's and women's soccer, always good, sometimes great in basketball, usually #1 in the nation in women's hockey, usually pretty good in baseball and softball...  UST is the best, consistently, in men's basketball, baseball, softball, and track, has been the best in football for all of 2 years, and is usually o.k. at hockey.  As far as I know most of our other sports are usually in the bottom half of the conference.  I wouldn't crown UST as sports overlord's just yet.  More an heir apparent if anything.

[WashedUp]

I'd also like to question Mr. MIAC on something; "UST has the best overall athletics program" in the conference.  While I'd like to think that is true... is it?  My internet is running at a snail's pace or else I'd look it up, but off the top of my head I would say Gustavus has the best overall athletics program.  Consistently the best in men's and women's tennis, usually the best in men's and women's soccer, always good, sometimes great in basketball, usually #1 in the nation in women's hockey, usually pretty good in baseball and softball...  UST is the best, consistently, in men's basketball, baseball, softball, and track, has been the best in football for all of 2 years, and is usually o.k. at hockey.  As far as I know most of our other sports are usually in the bottom half of the conference.  I wouldn't crown UST as sports overlord's just yet.  More an heir apparent if anything.

UST has been pretty dominant in the MIAC All-Sports Competition, on both the men's and women's side.  GAC has only won one trophy on the men's side since the mid-70's.

http://www.miac-online.org/sports/2007/8/8/all_sports_competitionhistory.aspx

[USTBench]

It is interesting that this comes up every year-do you cheer for your rival or not. Did you cheer for the packers in the super bowl? Cheer for the Tigers-maybe against the Yankees-bench you cheer for the gophers if they get to the frozen four? Maybe more of an ambivalence for me-don't care if UST wins or loses.

A) My favorite MLB team is the Twins. My second favorite MLB team is whoever is playing the Yankees.

B) My interest in the NFL has been deluded to which one of my fantasy players I have in the game.

C) Grown adults that have anxiety over the outcomes of professional sporting events are pretty sad.
Sure, I prefer that the Vikes/Twins win, but the magic subsided after age 14 when it came to completely arbitrary geographical allegiances to people that play for a paycheck.

D) I like Sioux hockey. That said, Sioux hockey fans are among the most obnoxious people on the planet.

E)RE: Goofs/Bison. Back when I was a kid I distinctly remember going to Sioux/Bison football games and being devastated when the Bison would beat UND. Then, I remember watching the Bison make their inevitable deep playoff run and remember thinking it was kind of cool that a team from North Dakota was doing that well, and maybe one day UND would get to play that late in the season too. So, when they did, I knew what to expect, and I knew teams from other regions/conferences knew if they played a team from the NCC it was going to be a war.

As far as the Goofs are concerned, my brother went there and we both had friends that played both Sioux and Gopher hockey. When they play each other, sure I root for the Sioux, but after that I could really care less. And now that the Goofs are defecting to the Big 10, it won't be much of an issue.

I am fully aware that this sentiment is shared by virtually no one in my neck of the woods.

F) To compare the MIAC to  professional sports I think is colossaly misguided. I didn't play for the Twins, I didn't matriculate at Minnesota Twins University, there is one guy on the roster that's even from Minnesota. And where, "doing things the Twins way" is kitschy and adorable, any one of those guys would leave for a bigger paycheck. Secondly, if you play in the MIAC there's a better than good chance you're going to have a friend, HS teammate, relative, whatever play for a different team. I'm from Grand Forks and I had friends at St. Olaf and Concordia when I played, and we hardly have anyone play MIAC football from North Dakota (outside of Concordia I guess). So, if my friend's team makes the playoffs, and mine does not, why would I not root for him?

Finally, a rival makes you better. A rival is someone that pushes you to be your absolute best, because if you can beat that team,  you feel you can beat anyone. Thus, I feel it's much more productive to respect your rival, and keep the ribbing in context, keep it good natured. At the end of the day, it's a sporting event, yet, some people get irrational about it. They scream obscenities, fight, lose their $hit on the internet over it. I've seen fist fights at Sioux/Gopher games, I had a guy kick me at a UST/SJU game, had a college student tell me he was going beat $hit out of me when I was 10 years old at a Sioux/Bison game. I really don't get it.

Everyone involved in the Duke/Carolina rivalry knows it's serious business. But the thing the fans don't necessarily realize is that these guys play pick-up games with/against each other all summer, the coaches genuinely enjoy each other's company, and I think it's because without the other person pushing them, they wouldn't have had the success they've had.

What would be the motivation for UST to oust Roney, get a young charismatic coach and dump a whole bunch of money into the program if SJU didn't care about football? Or if Bethel was just passive about their success? If we had a pedestrian conference where anyone could win the title not because it was like the WIAC used to be, but because nobody cared, how lame would that be?

I want UST to beat SJU one time a year in football (possibly twice if it ever came to a playoff meeting). Outside of that, I prefer success for our conference. 

Personally, my feeling is if a rival/conference opponent that we played well, but ultimately lost to, goes on to great success, you get a first hand appreciation of what it takes to get to that level. Unfortunately, some people have zero ability to be objective about it, and just hate. I just think hating on a conference rival for their success in the playoffs is run-of-the-mill jealousy. No other way to explain it, justify it. I mean, it's not like someone from the UST administration came to your house and set it on fire. They just had some students that played good football for a regular season.

[faunch]

I agree with Bench and Duffman....

Since Bench and I have opposing views, I don't think you do. 

I realize that I am in the minority here.  Oh well.

I'm on your side Duff....not that my opinion helps you much. 
Did 'Bama fans cheer for Auburn last year?  Did Michigan fans pull for The Ohio State a few years back in the pretend national championship game?  Do Wayzata fans pull for Hopkins in the state basketball tournament every year?  Do Hopkins fans pull for EP or Wayzata in the state football championship every damn year?   
Call my selfish but I won't cheer for UST, BU or any other MIAC school in the playoffs. 
I would love to see somebody knock off Whitewater or Mount Union but not the Toms.  I wish them safe travels along the way but to be honest I hope they get beat.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

[badgerwarhawk]

I did see the Twins signed a shortstop who is 37 years old.  His name is Jamey Carrol!  I follow baseball quite closely and have never heard of him. 

Evidently you don't follow it close enough.   He's a 10 year veteran who's played with four or five different organizations in both the National and American Leagues mostly recently the past two years with the Dodgers.  He's hit .290-.291 with them, a career .278 hitter.  He may be old but he's a solid utility guy with a steady glove who can play short, second or third base.  He also played a few games in the outfield in LA.  He won't take a team to the World Series but he will be a decent role player.  They could have done worse.   

[USTBench]

I agree with Bench and Duffman....

Since Bench and I have opposing views, I don't think you do. 

I realize that I am in the minority here.  Oh well.

I'm on your side Duff....not that my opinion helps you much. 
Did 'Bama fans cheer for Auburn last year?  Did Michigan fans pull for The Ohio State a few years back in the pretend national championship game?  Do Wayzata fans pull for Hopkins in the state basketball tournament every year?  Do Hopkins fans pull for EP or Wayzata in the state football championship every damn year?   
Call my selfish but I won't cheer for UST, BU or any other MIAC school in the playoffs. 
I would love to see somebody knock off Whitewater or Mount Union but not the Toms.  I wish them safe travels along the way but to be honest I hope they get beat.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Nope, an Alabama fan poisoned a bunch of trees on Auburn's campus. And this is what Penn St. fans do to fans from visiting schools: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDiRPUiQZHc

I should hope the MIAC doesn't turn into that. Why would anyone want our conference to resemble that in any way?

[finsleft]

Well for my dinero there's no sport like beisbol. And yes, the Twins will have to pay Nishi $3 million to play AA ball the next 2 years, but that's easier to take knowing Bill Smith will be dispatched to watch his every game. As for hockey, when my kids were younger we were Husky fans because we knew some of the players. Now more of a Sioux fan because I know the coach and some other great people with the school. Really have a hard time cheering for the Golden Chokers for reasons I can't quite articulate.
And now that football season is over (yes folks, after SJU is done playing, football season is over!) will I cheer for the Tommies? After giving it some thought I've decided I only want them to beat UWW or Mt. Union. Is that doable?

Bench- what a disgusting video, it's sad to see people behave like that, even drunk people. No excuse.

Funny how sports affects people. Even when I coached youth baseball I would have to occasionally remind someone that it's just a game we're playing. It's supposed to be fun.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

I'm torn.  For the sake of USTBench and MIACManic, I hope U$T can win at least one game, but I would also like to see U$T drop their first game to spite Dr. U$T Ph.D Mr. MIAC. 

Well, there were a lot of SJU fans that had me torn over who to root for in the '03 National Championship. But I have to admit I did smile when Mike Zauhar took one to the house.

I know not everyone feels the same way, but it's more of MIAC thing for me at this point. Cheered for Bethel after they ground one out against us last year. That's just me I guess.

I'm with you, Bench. I was pulling for Keating & Co. in '03 & Bethel to beat Mt. Union last year (after the disappointment subsided). Any MIAC team's post season success is good for the conference regardless of who it is. I've questioned it before on this board and have come to the realization that it is just too painful for most Johns to watch The Tommies succeed. Can't say I get it, but knowing that it causes them agony makes it all the more enjoyable for me!

Same here. I think I cheered as loudly as anyone when Zauhar took that pick back.

Naturally, I want my alma mater to be the one that reps the MIAC and goes deep in any and all national tourneys. But if it is another MIAC school, I'm rooting for them-- SJU/CORD/BETH in football, GAC on its 2nd place runs in hoops and hockey, even CSB when they made the final 8 in volleyball (which started a 3-and-going string of Finals appearances for the MIAC).

[retagent]

I'm not a psychologist, nor do I play one on TV, but Mr MIAC seems to be trying so hard to display a superior intellect, he must have deficiencies in other areas. Now, I will leave to determine just what they are.

By the way, you don't make someone richer by making someone else poorer.

[DuffMan]

Unfortunately, some people have zero ability to be objective about it, and just hate. I just think hating on a conference rival for their success in the playoffs is run-of-the-mill jealousy. No other way to explain it, justify it.

I wouldn't say that I hate.  I just really have no interest.  Since I have no horse in the race, I could care less.  I've met some great folks from Linfield, so I support them.  I've played against MUC and have a tremendous amount of respect for them, so I support them.  I can definitely respect what UST has done this year, but I see no reason that I should cheer for them.

[AO]

I agree with Bench and Duffman....

Since Bench and I have opposing views, I don't think you do. 

I realize that I am in the minority here.  Oh well.

Do Wayzata fans pull for Hopkins in the state basketball tournament every year?  Do Hopkins fans pull for EP or Wayzata in the state football championship every damn year?   
Call my selfish but I won't cheer for UST, BU or any other MIAC school in the playoffs. 

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

This Wayzata fan likes watching Hopkins play basketball.  Wayzata and EP fans know best about dealing with people who make BS recruiting/cheating complaints.

The friendly rivalries do not extend to D-1 football or the NFL.  Too many bridges have been burned on the eastern border.