FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[faunch]

Something about this photo from the SCTimes made me chuckle but I just don't think their caption captures the true essence of the photo.



SCTimes caption: University of St. Thomas fans leave the field after Saturday's game against St. John's at O'Shaughnessy Stadium in St. Paul.

Any creative types out there got any thoughts on a catchy quip for it?

Those are the guys from the seminary.

So they should have no trouble forgiving us for our mockery and ridicule. 

[AO]

My thoughts on SJU, UST and BU going 9-1 and all making the playoffs is not going to happen.

Going back to last season before my cobbers were left out of the playoffs (which they should have been included in), there is zero chance 3 teams from the same conference get in the bracket.  The NCAA probably doesn't want this to happen.  They don't want to foot the bill for having teams travel at D3 level.

I still don't understand how BU made it in front of Concordia last season.  Both teams were 8-2.  Yes, I understand BU beat CC 15-14 and UST beat CC 21-7.  However, CC beat STO (which beat BU by 7) and BU lost to UST by 37.

I don't understand the logic and most likely I never will.  Don't count my cobbers out of the playoff conversation yet, it remains to be seen what happens in Collegeville this weekend.

The NCAA (selection committee) doesn't consider travel costs or number of teams from the same conference when picking teams.

[ron doney]

Where is that poster from the other conference....could use his unbiased take on slandering an opponents head coach after you've beaten them.  I'm sure at least he'd take the suicide comments to task .... you loose a few friends to suicide and you stop using it as a joke. 

As far as Caruso is concerned.  My current thinking is this....

Character: He is a Greenwich CT guy threw and threw.  If you don't like it, take it up with society in general. The fact is he came to the lowly old prairie that we so feverishly protect and won a head coaching job at 33(?) - a spot we generally save for 40/50 something's in our culture.  He then went on to out recruit and out coach most of his peers in the area - with the CT attitude.  It's worked for him....and I don't see him changing anytime soon. I think it is a little petty for folks in our community to try and run some smear campaign in the meantime. 

Future: As long as the Tommie's are winning I'm not going to get terribly upset about who the coach is (will still criticize decisions).Personally I like what happened at Gonzaga basketball with Few taking over after Monson left and would be delighted to see that unfold at UST.  So if GC leaves that's fine, but I'm not going to push him out. In the meantime the only way he gets the call from his dream school is with more winning - which is good for UST. 

[USTBench]

AO, there are only five Pool C bids this year. There's no way two from one conference can be considered locks in that way, not before we know the rest of the contenders.

Especially with the way the WIAC might play out this season. Three teams in the top 12 right now (which...I know...has nothing to do when picking Pool C teams). And there's no clear cut favorite this year.

It's quite possible the WIAC will go back to its old ways of cannibalizing itself. Same could be true for the MIAC. Where there could be multiple 2 or even 3 loss teams tied for the conference lead. Unlikely that Linfield will lose in the regular season this year, possibly leaving a strong #2 out of the NWC. Might not be many at-large bids left over. I doubt the IIAC, SCIAC, MWC or UMAC will get one. I could see maybe 3 at most 4 teams from the WIAC/MIAC getting in, with another 1 or 2 squads from those conferences feeling very bitter.

I'm suddenly very interested in what everyone is doing in the West this year.

[Retired Old Rat]

Where is that poster from the other conference....could use his unbiased take on slandering an opponents head coach after you've beaten them.  I'm sure at least he'd take the suicide comments to task .... you loose a few friends to suicide and you stop using it as a joke. 

As far as Caruso is concerned.  My current thinking is this....

Character: He is a Greenwich CT guy threw and threw.  If you don't like it, take it up with society in general. The fact is he came to the lowly old prairie that we so feverishly protect and won a head coaching job at 33(?) - a spot we generally save for 40/50 something's in our culture.  He then went on to out recruit and out coach most of his peers in the area - with the CT attitude.  It's worked for him....and I don't see him changing anytime soon. I think it is a little petty for folks in our community to try and run some smear campaign in the meantime. 

Future: As long as the Tommie's are winning I'm not going to get terribly upset about who the coach is (will still criticize decisions).Personally I like what happened at Gonzaga basketball with Few taking over after Monson left and would be delighted to see that unfold at UST.  So if GC leaves that's fine, but I'm not going to push him out. In the meantime the only way he gets the call from his dream school is with more winning - which is good for UST.

Ron, this is an honest question.  I don't have time to go back and read all the posts.  What post(s) do you think rise to the level of slander?

[SagatagSam]

Ron, I don't have the patience to read the lengthy posts you put up analyzing the poll positioning last week.

What I reacted to, as I'm certain my friend Sam is, was the obsessive nature of your posts.  There were several horses beat dead by that thread.

Sure, but in my defense I'd say that y'all are like trying to argue with a politician. I try to be precise and nuanced in my points...and all I get back is a cliches on football and polls.  I try sticking to the point asking the question a second and third time, like a journalist questioning a politician, but to no avail.  That's why it looks like the dead horse is beaten.

... obsessive over a useless damn poll in week two of the regular season.
There is a time and place to launch precise and nuanced arguments over the way voters view your team. The appropriateness grows week by week after a more complete body of work can be evaluated. I'm thinking poll hashing can start in earnest sometime around week 7 or 8--at that point in time, most of the conference schedule has been covered and we can see how the non-conference games stack up.

Until then, we'll keep the dead horse around for ron doney's amusement:

[ron doney]

Tip of the cap to Fasching for giving some sound bites to the UST student run rag this week....

http://www.tommiemedia.com/featured-news/football-brings-focus-to-tommie-johnnie-clash/

"Sure, there might be a few more fans than other games, but they are all equally important," Braddock said. "If we lose one game then we are on the road for the playoffs, so they're all big."

Did you notice this quote?  It's telling that Braddock overlooked the more immediate impact of an in-conference loss--the possibility of not making the playoffs!

Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill here, but this quote might beat the heart of UST's lackadaisical start.  Over confidence, looking ahead, etc.....the opposite of taking one game at a time. Achilles heal of good teams. Lacking some senior leadership.  Hoping this loss what the cold water bath they needed.

[ron doney]

Ron, I don't have the patience to read the lengthy posts you put up analyzing the poll positioning last week.

What I reacted to, as I'm certain my friend Sam is, was the obsessive nature of your posts.  There were several horses beat dead by that thread.

Sure, but in my defense I'd say that y'all are like trying to argue with a politician. I try to be precise and nuanced in my points...and all I get back is a cliches on football and polls.  I try sticking to the point asking the question a second and third time, like a journalist questioning a politician, but to no avail.  That's why it looks like the dead horse is beaten.

... obsessive over a useless damn poll in week two of the regular season.
There is a time and place to launch precise and nuanced arguments over the way voters view your team. The appropriateness grows week by week after a more complete body of work can be evaluated. I'm thinking poll hashing can start in earnest sometime around week 7 or 8--at that point in time, most of the conference schedule has been covered and we can see how the non-conference games stack up.

Until then, we'll keep the dead horse around for ron doney's amusement:

To the Senator from Collegeville....it was the first time in the polls history that a clear favorite wasn't at the top. That's a point outside of week to week relevance.....it's a year to year, decade to decade type fact. Read Keith's article already, geez.

[ron doney]

Still just mostly Johnnies here.  You don't think there was a mass suicide pact or anything, do you?

No, I don't think so. Just bandwagon difficulties.



Or

Where were all the Johnnies last week?  Bandwagons don't have sleeper cars on them fellas. 

[Pat Coleman]

AO, there are only five Pool C bids this year. There's no way two from one conference can be considered locks in that way, not before we know the rest of the contenders.

You picked 3 from the MIAC last year, and Concordia was only 8-2.  The SOS will be similarly high this year.  Buena Vista and Wartburg are going to win games this year and as you mentioned, St. Thomas' WIAC non-conference opponents boosts the OOWP. 

Especially with the way the WIAC might play out this season. Three teams in the top 12 right now (which...I know...has nothing to do when picking Pool C teams). And there's no clear cut favorite this year.

It's close, but I don't see how the 2nd place WIAC team jumps ahead of a 1 loss St. Thomas or Bethel.

Two at-large teams out of seven on Selection Sunday eve is not the same as calling two out of five a lock on Sept. 23, AO.

[AO]

AO, there are only five Pool C bids this year. There's no way two from one conference can be considered locks in that way, not before we know the rest of the contenders.

You picked 3 from the MIAC last year, and Concordia was only 8-2.  The SOS will be similarly high this year.  Buena Vista and Wartburg are going to win games this year and as you mentioned, St. Thomas' WIAC non-conference opponents boosts the OOWP. 

Especially with the way the WIAC might play out this season. Three teams in the top 12 right now (which...I know...has nothing to do when picking Pool C teams). And there's no clear cut favorite this year.

It's close, but I don't see how the 2nd place WIAC team jumps ahead of a 1 loss St. Thomas or Bethel.

Two at-large teams out of seven on Selection Sunday eve is not the same as calling two out of five a lock on Sept. 23, AO.

Maybe not a lock, but leaving out 9-1 Bethel or St. Thomas would have to be one of the biggest snubs in recent history.   How far would Bethel drop after a close St. Thomas loss?   They would gain some of that back with the regular season finale win over a highly ranked 9-0 St. John's.

[OzJohnnie]

Really, AO?  It's the opening round of conference play. You're trying to turn a hypothetical into a factual debate. It can't go much further than, "yeah, it could happen." And it's already been there.

[AO]

Really, AO?  It's the opening round of conference play. You're trying to turn a hypothetical into a factual debate. It can't go much further than, "yeah, it could happen." And it's already been the

I didn't start this idea, and admitted it's not likely to happen, but I believe all three teams do "control their own destinies".

[OzJohnnie]

Also, you heard it here first.  The 9-1 Johnnies, 9-1 Royals, and 9-1 Tommies will be going dancing this year.

Talk about counting chickens ... I suspect the Cobbers and Auggies will have something to say about this, especially as it relates to SJU.  The Cobbers always seem to play well at Collegeville, so let's first see if the Jays can get by them this weekend.

The beacon of reasonableness shinning brightly out of Marin County. Pay attention Johnnie fans.

[OzJohnnie]

Really, AO?  It's the opening round of conference play. You're trying to turn a hypothetical into a factual debate. It can't go much further than, "yeah, it could happen." And it's already been the

I didn't start this idea, and admitted it's not likely to happen, but I believe all three teams do "control their own destinies".

But it's not going to happen. We have this debate every time the MIAC favorite drops an early game to a potential rival. But teams always drop more and we don't get the three way tie. I bet BU wins the title and UST gets a pool C barely at 8-2.

I also by the Jays finish 7-3 and we cheer mightily.