FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[ChicagoTommie]

Between CT, Doney, Maniac, Reverend, Bench, and DoubleO, it seems that there is quite the Toms smokefest going on here.    When will they ever give us the respect that we are entitled to?

Duff,

Respect is earned never entitled...and as Tommie fan why would I respect my rivals school or team or Coach for me it very perplexing???  And please don't take it personally as some of your brethren do, I really hope you lose and you suffer a tragic loss against the Tommie's, but don't get me wrong it's just a game that's why we play it!  As for me joking about old age and inconsistency, can be no way attributed to attacking somebody's religion!   I will give you this... I respect your passion as a Johnny fan and love the fact you guys can dish it out, also I do respect John G. as a coach and what he has accomplished for your university but feel free to let it fly... what's good for the goose is good for the gander...  I will never insult someone with disabilities, kids, wives and even the players for that matter. But public figures coaches and football programs and fans, (not personally) beware.  

If John G. has a Disability or a medical condition and I have unknowing insulted him... seriously didn't know he had an issue...I am not kidding!  Really please let me know I meant no disrespect!

I Will give you this I hope your program is on the rise it will only make the MIAC better and I will enjoy the Tommie Johnny game in future more!   

[tommiegun]

I can bet my karma will take a killing for this, and really I have no dog in this fight not caring about either school, but it's not ok to joke about incontinence for an ex-coach, but it is ok to joke about beating a current one to death? Interesting unwritten rules.

Two responses:

1) I didn't complain about the incontinence jokes (hell, I have even heard JG make them).
2) We're the Johnnie Smokefest.  We make our own rules.

Confirming what we at UST have been saying for years. 

[ron doney]

I can bet my karma will take a killing for this, and really I have no dog in this fight not caring about either school, but it's not ok to joke about incontinence for an ex-coach, but it is ok to joke about beating a current one to death? Interesting unwritten rules.

Two responses:

1) I didn't complain about the incontinence jokes (hell, I have even heard JG make them).
2) We're the Johnnie Smokefest.  We make our own rules.

I'm gonna go ahead and toot my own horn here, not because I'm a pompus prick, but because I just don't want your lips on my horn.  IALTO.

Nice to get a little third party affirmation on this.  Nice to get the word from Duff as well (the wishes joke was one of the funnier ones this week).

Last week I tried to highlight the interesting story that was developing in the polls for the first time since they'd been in existence.....but got bludgeoned by the clubhouse here.  But once again, was nice to get some third party affirmation from Keith when he featured an article about it last week AND again this week.   

[sfury]

For Ron:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIETlxquzY

[DuffMan]

I Will give you this I hope your program is on the rise it will only make the MIAC better and I will enjoy the Tommie Johnny game in future more! 

Buddy, John and Saint John's made the MIAC what it is.  It's going to take more than a handful of conference titles before U$T and St. Glenn are ready to put down the sippy cup and take a gulp from the big-boy cup.

[DuffMan]

Confirming what we at UST have been saying for years.

Shouldn't you get back to getting coffee for your Johnnie boss?

[sfury]

Veering away for a moment from the self-esteem of Tommie posters, I've tried coming up with scenarios for a Johnnie win and so far I haven't found a plausible one. But it is only Thursday.

Big turnovers, a special teams play, something like that, but you can say that about any game where there's a favorite.

Not that the Johnnies won't play well but if they play well and Tommies play well I still at this point can't see SJU winning. But it's also hard to tell a ton from the Johnnies because I think the rain last week sort of skewed things. Certainly think they have to keep it tight in the first quarter. Even a 14-0 lead or something early and it could turn into a steamroll on the road.

[ron doney]

From the resident MIACPP -WIAC guy, is it too hard for some posters to figure out that making fun of a wonderful man like John Gagliardi is not only completely disrespectful, but also totally unfunny and quite honestly kind of sick. Should we reach his age with the respect he has earned then we will have done something. Something to strive for as opposed to making twisted jokes about a very respected retired man on a football message board.

TDT is going to have a very large incoming group to the classless a$$hole club this year...
[/quote]

Making light of someones mistakes is a pretty common place to start when telling a joke.  There is a lot of material because no one is infallible.  Not even John.  As the Trib article from a few weeks back discussed, John arguably stuck around too long for some's liking.  That's a pretty common mistake and I'd say he has gotten a big pass on it from everyone (the UST newcomers included) for the reasons BDB highlighted.  But if there is ever a time to make light of it, Tommie Johnnie week seems fitting.  That was the start of my joke, and a funny Depends slogan fit the bill.

When it comes to telling jokes and staying classy I'd say your environment is a good rule of thumb.  You can't tell the same jokes at the White House cocktail party that you use in the locker room.  I get that.  My jokes/comments are consistent with how I see this board, namely along the same lines as having a few beers after the game at Tiff's or Sal's. 

[AO]

When it comes to telling jokes and staying classy I'd say your environment is a good rule of thumb.  You can't tell the same jokes at the White House cocktail party that you use in the locker room. 

Depends on who is in the White House.

[finsleft]

I found myself deep in the YouTube abyss last night and came across an interesting, if not well produced, video about John. Most of the clips in the video were from the 1990 season but there were also some black and white clips from his early days at SJU mixed in. I have a feeling the great Jim Lehman was running the ball in some of them.

I remember hearing after I graduated that John would show Lehman highlights in his Theory of Football class. I don't have many regrets from my days at SJU but not taking that class is near the top.

While watching the video one thing that stood out to me that I'd forgotten was the way John introduced the starters by position before each game inside the McNeely Spectrum. In general everyone knew who the starters were going to be but on occasion there was some doubt. I was someone well down the depth chart but I remember getting excited hearing the names of my teammates called as they went up to shake John's hand. The ritual wasn't flashy, it was done behind closed doors but I always thought it was a real cool and special moment. You can see and sort of hear the announcement in this clip. Since this was 1990 the team held their pregame in the old Palestra.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=e2FLPmQqMcg#t=116

For SJU supporters there are a lot of great moments in the video. How can you not love John's non-branded turquoise coat? As someone who works in advertising I have no problem saying marketing has ruined many things, most notably sports. We won't ever see another like John. Even he succumbed to logo shirts and hats his last few years on the sideline.

Good find, Rube. That was cool to watch. Interesting notes below, John,Jr. says he made the video.

[ron doney]

....I'd forgotten to ask during camp, but anyone have a view on how LaPanta's kid looked up in Collegeville?

[Capn34]

I Will give you this I hope your program is on the rise it will only make the MIAC better and I will enjoy the Tommie Johnny game in future more! 

Buddy, John and Saint John's made the MIAC what it is.  It's going to take more than a handful of conference titles before U$T and St. Glenn are ready to put down the sippy cup and take a gulp from the big-boy cup.

CT already said he doesn't care about the past we Johnnies are living in.  Because of that I say SJU has the winningest by percentage coach in MIAC and NCAA history.  Becasue the past doesn't matter according to some.

[SJUrube]

Offered without comment, an article from Pat Borzi at MinnPost:

St. John's athletics perseveres — without embracing sports' 'economic arms race' http://bit.ly/17MC8DJ

[AO]

I Will give you this I hope your program is on the rise it will only make the MIAC better and I will enjoy the Tommie Johnny game in future more! 

Buddy, John and Saint John's made the MIAC what it is.  It's going to take more than a handful of conference titles before U$T and St. Glenn are ready to put down the sippy cup and take a gulp from the big-boy cup.

CT already said he doesn't care about the past we Johnnies are living in.  Because of that I say SJU has the winningest by percentage coach in MIAC and NCAA history.  Becasue the past doesn't matter according to some.

Kehres has him beat by a pretty large margin if you're going by percentage.  10th in win pct. among coaches with 200 wins. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_football_coaches_with_200_wins

[sfury]

I Will give you this I hope your program is on the rise it will only make the MIAC better and I will enjoy the Tommie Johnny game in future more! 

Buddy, John and Saint John's made the MIAC what it is.  It's going to take more than a handful of conference titles before U$T and St. Glenn are ready to put down the sippy cup and take a gulp from the big-boy cup.

CT already said he doesn't care about the past we Johnnies are living in.  Because of that I say SJU has the winningest by percentage coach in MIAC and NCAA history.  Becasue the past doesn't matter according to some.

Kehres has him beat by a pretty large margin if you're going by percentage.  10th in win pct. among coaches with 200 wins. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_football_coaches_with_200_wins

I think he meant Fasching, who does have a pretty good winning percentage.