FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[RoyalsFan]

1391696_10151783963132695_507795493_n by wardo78, on Flickr

Win number 409 against Bethel, 10 years ago on Friday.  I remember it like yesterday.  Three things that stuck:

1.  Scott Kirchoff being taken off the field in an ambulance
2.  Johnnies won
3.  Damn, it was cold

Notice 5 defenders converging on Blake Elliott.  He was the playmaker that took St. Johns from a "good" team to a national champion team.

I'll be dusting off the DVD of this game over the weekend.

Go Johnnies!

I was there also. Kirchoff getting hurt was a huge factor as it took the momentum away from Bethel since it took forever to get him off the field. Another huge play was a pass to Elliott on SJU's winning drive that sure appeared to be intercepted by Bethel. It looked like the defender stepped in front of the pass and had the ball first and then Elliot reached in pretty much from behind the defender and got his hands on the ball and they gave the reception to Elliot as a simultaneous catch. Still think it was a home field advantage call. That would have sealed it for Bethel. It was fun with the huge crowd, but it was cold.  I remember sitting in the parking lot for about an hour or more trying to get out. 

[hazzben]

Speaking of UST v. Concordia. Here's a little dream scenario for Bethel:

UST gets in the regional rankings this week, then loses to the Cobbers. This makes room the following week for SJU to slide into the RR in place of UST. Bethel then defeats SJU in the final week of the season. SJU drops out in the final unseen RR and Wartburg (who has won out and secured the IIAC A bid) jumps in to take the Johnnie's spot.

Wishful thinking...probably. A WHOLE lotta what-if's. But it would give Bethel a 4-0 record against RRO (Concordia, UST, SJU & Wartburg) given the once ranked always ranked criteria. If this were to happen, it'd be very hard for an unbeaten Bethel with a strong SOS not to get the #1 slot in the West. What really makes Bethel's case so strong is when you consider all the different colored uniforms they've beaten.  I think this is in the 3rd tier of criteria for Regional Rankings 

A guy can dream can't he 

So we Bethel supporters just became St. Thomas fans this week trying to get the Tommies into the Regional Rankings? 

I'm racking my brain for a way we can avoid such a distasteful occurrence. But yeah, I think a Tommie win would be most helpful.

We definitely want UWP to lose again, since they're more likely to drop out with a 2nd loss than UWO, given their weak SOS.
BVU stringing together a couple upset victories to close out the year would help the SOS.
We don't want Wartburg to lose since we'd be hurting our SOS number just to only potentially get another RRO W.
Whitworth pulling off an upset of PLU would help, but I think it's highly unlikely.

Really though, I'm not sure UST gets brought in unless multiple teams lose and drop out. Redlands has a monster SOS right now compared to UST (#2 v. #92). Granted, if UST beats C-M they'd have a win over a RRO, where Redlands can only say, 'look at who we lost to.' 1-2 v. RRO looks a lot better than 0-2.

What's hard is we have no idea how they ranked teams that didn't make the top 10. It's reasonable to assume they have a list.

On the flip side, C-M is in good shape for a Pool C slot if they win out. They might even jump UWO (SOS 143) after they get a boost from playing UST (SOS 92) and GAC (SOS 23).

[Pat Coleman]

I was at both of those games. Not the coldest I've been to.

Yeah, the press box is pretty warm. 

I was on the sidelines in 02 (ask Linneman) and btw, the SJU press box wasn't heated until sometime after 03.

[hazzben]

Another huge play was a pass to Elliott on SJU's winning drive that sure appeared to be intercepted by Bethel. It looked like the defender stepped in front of the pass and had the ball first and then Elliot reached in pretty much from behind the defender and got his hands on the ball and they gave the reception to Elliot as a simultaneous catch. Still think it was a home field advantage call. That would have sealed it for Bethel.

Jeremy Sather was the CB. On the field it looked like he made the catch and Elliot made a heads up play and jumped on him to 'get in on it.' After the game Elliot gave a 'No comment' wink and nod answer to a reporter who asked him about it. Didn't help that the play happened right in front of the Johnnie bench.

While we're showing pics from the day, they also blew the call of this fumble

Official said it was ground caused. Steve Darr and I beg to differ!! I used to have a better pic, but the photographer doesn't have it online any longer.

Kirchoff being hurt was just as big. We brought a freshman off the bench to try to respond to the score...he wasn't quite ready for prime time as they say!

In the end, coulda, woulda, shoulda...ifs and buts, candy and nuts. It was a great game to be a part of. Incredible atmosphere, huge, charged crowd. Big plays and back and forth lead changes. I remember going out on the field when the buses arrived, something like 2.5 hours before kickoff and the Bethel stands were already packed. Great memories, and the fact that it was 10 years ago has me feeling quite old 

[OzJohnnie]

There is a very long blade of grass poking up and knocking that ball loose. Only your one-eyed boosterism stops you from seeing the bleeding obvious.

[bennie]

1391696_10151783963132695_507795493_n by wardo78, on Flickr

Win number 409 against Bethel, 10 years ago on Friday.  I remember it like yesterday.  Three things that stuck:

1.  Scott Kirchoff being taken off the field in an ambulance
2.  Johnnies won
3.  Damn, it was cold

Notice 5 defenders converging on Blake Elliott.  He was the playmaker that took St. Johns from a "good" team to a national champion team.

I'll be dusting off the DVD of this game over the weekend.

Go Johnnies!

I was at that game too! I brought my dad (74 years old at the time) with me and he was a trooper! I thought he might want to go inside at the half or leave early, but he wanted to stay in the bleachers the whole time!

Jumping back a few pages on the board, I have always said "Yell for your team, not at them!" When I went back to Minnesota for some games back in 2003 my father came with me to the Concordia game and the Bethel game. His comment afterwards was that he didn't realize I was so loud at games. When I am at a game and my team is struggling, I firmly (and delusionally) believe that they need me to cheer harder and louder to help them rally. I never yell criticisms nor would I single out a player in a negative manner. This is small college football, for all you know that player you just blasted could have a family member sitting next to you!

[ron doney]

Any idea how Wartburg is in at 6-2? 

[02 Warhawk]

Any idea how Wartburg is in at 6-2?

Same should be asked about St. John's.

[OzJohnnie]

Might be parents right next to you...  How true that is. I'm always amazed at my daughter's gymnastics competitions to hear parents talking negatively about other children when there's nothing but parents watching the (mind numbingly boring three hours except for the three and a half minutes when your daughter is doing a routine) event.  I've got my ears open for a stray comment about #2 and there will be blood on the floor if I ever hear one. I have, much to my embarrassment, had to correct parents from our own club and remind them they are sitting with parents from other clubs. #2's team has been very dominant this year so a couple of the more competitive parents have forgotten their manners from time to time.

[AO]

I never yell criticisms nor would I single out a player in a negative manner. This is small college football, for all you know that player you just blasted could have a family member sitting next to you!

The parents likely have thinner skins than the players.  I always enjoyed playing against a hostile crowd.  If you're insulting your own teams players, you should move to the "designated idiot section", but if you're mocking the opposing team's players, blast away.  Obviously you might want to avoid profanity and other indecent unrelated remarks, but feel free to make fun of ridiculous haircuts and quarterbacks that throw like Tebow, etc....

[RoyalsFan]

Any idea how Wartburg is in at 6-2?

Same should be asked about St. John's.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me if St. Thomas is ranked 18th overall while St. John's isn't even ranked in the top 25, how is St. John's ranked in the top 10 regional rankings and not St. Thomas? I know St. John's beat St. Thomas in head to head, but that was only 1 game and it was because of a missed field goal.

[RoyalsFan]

I never yell criticisms nor would I single out a player in a negative manner. This is small college football, for all you know that player you just blasted could have a family member sitting next to you!

The parents likely have thinner skins than the players.  I always enjoyed playing against a hostile crowd.  If you're insulting your own teams players, you should move to the "designated idiot section", but if you're mocking the opposing team's players, blast away.  Obviously you might want to avoid profanity and other indecent unrelated remarks, but feel free to make fun of ridiculous haircuts and quarterbacks that throw like Tebow, etc....

Sorry, but I have to disagree. To me, that just show poor sportsmanship - I wasn't brought up that way and will never mock and opposing team's player.

[OzJohnnie]

Any idea how Wartburg is in at 6-2?

Same should be asked about St. John's.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me if St. Thomas is ranked 18th overall while St. John's isn't even ranked in the top 25, how is St. John's ranked in the top 10 regional rankings and not St. Thomas? I know St. John's beat St. Thomas in head to head, but that was only 1 game and it was because of a missed field goal.

It's because Tommies suck. Even the selection committee knows that.

UST and SJU must be in a near dead tie for 10th. They have the same record and have both dropped thier games to other regionally ranked teams. The HTH is the differentiating factor.  If UST beats CON then they move into the rankings, I would think.

[RoyalsFan]

Any idea how Wartburg is in at 6-2?

Same should be asked about St. John's.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me if St. Thomas is ranked 18th overall while St. John's isn't even ranked in the top 25, how is St. John's ranked in the top 10 regional rankings and not St. Thomas? I know St. John's beat St. Thomas in head to head, but that was only 1 game and it was because of a missed field goal.

It's because Tommies suck. Even the selection committee knows that.

UST and SJU must be in a near dead tie for 10th. They have the same record and have both dropped thier games to other regionally ranked teams. The HTH is the differentiating factor.  If UST beats CON then they move into the rankings, I would think.

So what's the justification for St. Thomas being ranked 18th overall and SJU not even being ranked?

[hazzben]

There is a very long blade of grass poking up and knocking that ball loose. Only your one-eyed boosterism stops you from seeing the bleeding obvious.

Ha! +K