FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GoldandBlueBU]

Congrats to Bethel on another nice season. You had me hoping at halftime.

Me too...but I admittedly felt that it just couldn't hold up, even when they were winning 14-0...BU hasn't had the ability to fall back to a consistent ground game that could be counted on to eat up major minutes this year.

Good season overall though, even with the UST beatdown and the failure to get off the bus vs. Olaf.

They return enough guys, particularly on offense, and especially with the QB now having a season under his belt, to give me high hopes for next year...

Count me in for the UST bandwagon the rest of the way....Roll Toms Roll!

[CamCat]

Just a post from a Linfield guy chiming in late to congratulate John Gagliardi on his amazing St. Johns career. I hope your replacement coach can get the team to the top as John had done for so many years.  Who knows maybe in the future we'll have a chance to avenge our St. Johns' losses.

[DustySJU]

Just a post from a Linfield guy chiming in late to congratulate John Gagliardi on his amazing St. Johns career. I hope your replacement coach can get the team to the top as John had done for so many years.  Who knows maybe in the future we'll have a chance to avenge our St. Johns' losses.

Yes, I remember the '03 Johnnie/Cat rumble in the quarterfinals.  The Cats' came storming back late in the game and it was cold.  I miss tailgating too...   

[USTBench]

Congrats to Bethel on another nice season. You had me hoping at halftime.

Me too...but I admittedly felt that it just couldn't hold up, even when they were winning 14-0...BU hasn't had the ability to fall back to a consistent ground game that could be counted on to eat up major minutes this year.

Good season overall though, even with the UST beatdown and the failure to get off the bus vs. Olaf.

They return enough guys, particularly on offense, and especially with the QB now having a season under his belt, to give me high hopes for next year...

Count me in for the UST bandwagon the rest of the way....Roll Toms Roll!

Well, that Bethel game was, by far, the best UST has played all year. I don't expect that Coach Johnson will let that happen again.

The thing that makes me nervous for Hobart and a potential Linfield/UW-O matchup is penalties. Too many times this year, UST will be driving and then we'll see a silly block in the back, or cut block and then a great play gets negated, followed by a mental error like a false start, then a holding. So, instead of a first down, UST is looking at 3rd and 30. Those kinds of mistakes will doom them from here on out. It almost doomed them on Saturday. There was a play on Saturday where the Elmhurst punter gets a clean punt off and away. He's not in a vulnerable position, but he's clearly out of the play and the ball hadn't even been fielded yet, and someone from UST, I couldn't tell who, just laid him out flat. Such a dumb play. Unless the punter is in the play actively trying to make the tackle, there's no reason to get anywhere near him.

Anyway, I sure hope to see some smarter football this weekend.

[cobbernation]

I just had to give my congrats to Gagliardi on his stellar coaching career at SJU.  I can only hope Jimmy G can carry on the storied program! 

I am just back from a 10 day hunting trip to Montana and finally saw what I expected from Bridgewater St. in the playoffs...a big, fat loss in the 1st rd.  After looking at 1st round scores I am starting to think the whole automatic bid into the playoffs is a bit silly.  I will use st. scholastica as my example.  yes, they had a great year in their conference.  But are they better than a #2-4 team in the WIAC, MIAC or IIAC?  Probably not.  So the solution could be to compile stats based on records, SOS and wins/losses vs regionally ranked opponents and have the top 32 teams in the playoffs.  This ensures the best teams are in the playoffs.  However, I am fully aware there will never be a system to make this work.  It's just my opinion of a solution to have better teams in the playoffs and teams like, scholastica, bridge st and st. norbert out.

Hope everyone's thanksgiving was pleasant.

[Retired Old Rat]

44, Idowu made the hit.  He's a smart kid from Woodbury.  Was very surprised by the move.  He made up for it a little later.

I've noticed that ST does seem to take some silly penalties.  I've chalked it up to situations where they are frustrated that their normal physical advantage is temporarily not working for them.  Or, near the end of games when the outcome is determined, some of the guys seem to have bit of a nasty streak and take some personal foul penalties.  Not saying that is good or bad, just is.  Overall, a surprising lack of discipline, I think, from a team that seems to be well coached in every other way.

[AO]

I just had to give my congrats to Gagliardi on his stellar coaching career at SJU.  I can only hope Jimmy G can carry on the storied program! 

I am just back from a 10 day hunting trip to Montana and finally saw what I expected from Bridgewater St. in the playoffs...a big, fat loss in the 1st rd.  After looking at 1st round scores I am starting to think the whole automatic bid into the playoffs is a bit silly.  I will use st. scholastica as my example.  yes, they had a great year in their conference.  But are they better than a #2-4 team in the WIAC, MIAC or IIAC?  Probably not.  So the solution could be to compile stats based on records, SOS and wins/losses vs regionally ranked opponents and have the top 32 teams in the playoffs.  This ensures the best teams are in the playoffs.  However, I am fully aware there will never be a system to make this work.  It's just my opinion of a solution to have better teams in the playoffs and teams like, scholastica, bridge st and st. norbert out.

Hope everyone's thanksgiving was pleasant.

You're going to have to play more than 1 or 2 non-conference games for an all at-large system to make sense.  You'd also cheapen the regular season in the process. 

Let's also face the facts of the current tier status of D3.  We're excited to get Bethel in the playoffs, but they're not going to beat Mount Union this year.  This isn't the NFL.  Bethel may improve in the future and move up a tier, but they're not going to jump from the 3rd tier to 1st tier during the playoffs.

[USTBench]

44, Idowu made the hit.   He's a smart kid from Woodbury.  Was very surprised by the move.  He made up for it a little later.

I've noticed that ST does seem to take some silly penalties.  I've chalked it up to situations where they are frustrated that their normal physical advantage is temporarily not working for them.  Or, near the end of games when the outcome is determined, some of the guys seem to have bit of a nasty streak and take some personal foul penalties.  Not saying that is good or bad, just is.  Overall, a surprising lack of discipline, I think, from a team that seems to be well coached in every other way.

i was 99% sure that it was Idowu, just didn't want to come out and say it if it wasn't.

Ayo's been so spectacular as of late, I was just kind of suprised at that. Same with the cut block by Curtis James, it was perplexing. I mean, I know you gotta do what you've gotta do when you get beat, but O'Connell is extremely mobile and didn't seem to be in any immediate danger as he was rolling to the right. Maybe it was more imminent and I have to look at it again, but at first glance it seemed avoidable.

[Chubbs]

ESPN Films is running the Alabama-Auburn rivalry documentary Roll Tide/War Eagle-this is the definition of entertainment.
The fans are "passionate" to say the least.

105,
It's amusing and even charming when observed from afar, but try living amongst them.   All fan bases can be obnoxious to one degree or another, but Alabama and Auburn have a greater percentage of fans that would be classified as "fringe lunatics" than any other schools. 

Congrats to Bethel on their season. And thanks to the seniors. You men were part of some very good Bethel teams and continued and built upon the tradition you inherited! As an alumnus, I'm grateful.

Thanks to the coaches for another excellent job. And especially for continuing your commitment to developing and discipling young men in Christ. I love seeing us win games and compete in the postseason, I'm more concerned that we remain faithful to who we are. Thanks for that faithfulness and for remaining steadfast that you can pursue both at the same time.

To the returning players, have a great offseason. You've got tons of talent returning and a great offseason program in front of you. Put in the hard work now and I look forward to even better things in 2013.

What Hazz said.  Also proud of this year's Bethel team, senior class (welcome to the has-been club!), and coaching staff.  "...on to victory as we proudly sing your name, HEY HEY HEY!"

[DoubleO]

44, Idowu made the hit.  He's a smart kid from Woodbury.  Was very surprised by the move.  He made up for it a little later.

I've noticed that ST does seem to take some silly penalties.  I've chalked it up to situations where they are frustrated that their normal physical advantage is temporarily not working for them.  Or, near the end of games when the outcome is determined, some of the guys seem to have bit of a nasty streak and take some personal foul penalties.  Not saying that is good or bad, just is.  Overall, a surprising lack of discipline, I think, from a team that seems to be well coached in every other way.

Agreed. I think the keys to this week and from here on out for them will be limiting penalties and protecting the pill. If they can play disciplined football the rest of the way it could be interesting.

[sjusection105]

I'm going to wear a Johnnie Rat T-shirt every day until the new coach is named 

[Robert Zimmerman]

First question to ask potential SJU coaching candidates:  What is your stance about video streaming home games?

[D O.C.]

Hey,St. Thomas, you better win big and hope the game is not on the West Coast.
No more LUCKY fumbles in overtime.

[sjusection105]

ESPN Films is running the Alabama-Auburn rivalry documentary Roll Tide/War Eagle-this is the definition of entertainment.
The fans are "passionate" to say the least.

105,
It's amusing and even charming when observed from afar, but try living amongst them.   All fan bases can be obnoxious to one degree or another, but Alabama and Auburn have a greater percentage of fans that would be classified as "fringe lunatics" than any other schools. 

What part of 'Bama you in?
Do you tune into to the Paul Finebaum radio show?

I'll hang up & listen.

[faunch]

First question to ask potential SJU coaching candidates:  What is your stance about video streaming home games?

On the surface thus may appear to be a silly question however it had merit in the context of promoting and increasing the visibility of the program and institution.