FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[OzJohnnie]

I believe Camelgate is the definition of a "first world problem".

I reckon it's almost a nihil world problem, meaning progressed beyond the first world to some non-existent place.  I reckon a first world problem is, "Do I drive the Ford or the Toyota to the restaurant?"  A nihil world problem is one that is made up where none exists or could possible exist, like taking offense at a camel on hump-day ("What do you mean hump-day means midweek?  And I thought Camel referred to the post-coital cigarette", the Tommie-coed said exasperatedly.)

[Boys of Fall]

I believe Camelgate is the definition of a "first world problem".

Camelgate wouldn't be considered a problem in the "third world".

[retagent]

Since OZ brought up coitus, I think the "First World" problem is "Camel Toe."

[art76]

Starting a new thread a day early, as I won't be near a computer until late tomorrow night because of travel. What are some potential "surprises" from this week's games in the MIAC?

If St. Olaf loses another game - is that really a surprise?

If Eau Claire beats the Johnnies, is it a "surprise"? I know many here might think it heresy, but is it out of the realm of possibility because of how Eau Claire played the Tommies so close last week?

I do not think that Bethel has a slam-dunk in this season opener. If they get behind and have to play catch up they could come away with a loss - but would it be a surprise? Many will be disappointed, but not surprised.

Even if Augsburg loses to Concordia (Wisc) I wouldn't be surprised because I saw them play last week, and it wasn't pretty.

Anybody got anything surprising to prognosticate?

[GoldandBlueBU]

I believe Camelgate is the definition of a "first world problem".

I reckon it's almost a nihil world problem, meaning progressed beyond the first world to some non-existent place.  I reckon a first world problem is, "Do I drive the Ford or the Toyota to the restaurant?"  A nihil world problem is one that is made up where none exists or could possible exist, like taking offense at a camel on hump-day ("What do you mean hump-day means midweek?  And I thought Camel referred to the post-coital cigarette", the Tommie-coed said exasperatedly.)

Spreading wisdom from the other side of the world...hit the nail on the head. 

If you're so concerned about the state of the world, find a cause that is worth the effort...

[GoldandBlueBU]

Starting a new thread a day early, as I won't be near a computer until late tomorrow night because of travel. What are some potential "surprises" from this week's games in the MIAC?

If St. Olaf loses another game - is that really a surprise?

If Eau Claire beats the Johnnies, is it a "surprise"? I know many here might think it heresy, but is it out of the realm of possibility because of how Eau Claire played the Tommies so close last week?

I do not think that Bethel has a slam-dunk in this season opener. If they get behind and have to play catch up they could come away with a loss - but would it be a surprise? Many will be disappointed, but not surprised.

Even if Augsburg loses to Concordia (Wisc) I wouldn't be surprised because I saw them play last week, and it wasn't pretty.

Anybody got anything surprising to prognosticate?

BU - I'd fall into the diasappointed, not surprised category.  Warty is a tough team that likely still has a bitter taste left over from last year's playoff loss to BU.  So many questions about BU at this point too...will they be able to re-load at the WR position after graduating all of their main weapons in that area?  Who steps up to take the leadership role on D with Mathis Sr. gone?  I'm hopeful that they can find positive answers to all of those questions in game 1, but holding my breath.


Auggie Doggies - I don't know what to think about that game...gut is that Auggies are able to take that one.  In the two years that BU played Cord-Wisc - they were pretty awful.  However, the way that Augsburg got so thoroughly throttled last week has to make you wonder.  Was Wartburg just that good, or is Augsburg significantly weaker than expected?

[OldAuggie]

Starting a new thread a day early, as I won't be near a computer until late tomorrow night because of travel. What are some potential "surprises" from this week's games in the MIAC?

If St. Olaf loses another game - is that really a surprise?

If Eau Claire beats the Johnnies, is it a "surprise"? I know many here might think it heresy, but is it out of the realm of possibility because of how Eau Claire played the Tommies so close last week?

I do not think that Bethel has a slam-dunk in this season opener. If they get behind and have to play catch up they could come away with a loss - but would it be a surprise? Many will be disappointed, but not surprised.

Even if Augsburg loses to Concordia (Wisc) I wouldn't be surprised because I saw them play last week, and it wasn't pretty.

Anybody got anything surprising to prognosticate?

Bethel going down to Wartburg and beating them by 10+ points would surprise me. I think it will be like the Bethel/UST game last year.

As far as Augsburg and Concordia WI I think the Auggies probably worked out some of the kinks from last week and will beat Concordia on Saturday. The Auggies have handled them each year and I don't see this year with any other outcome.   

On a positive note from last weeks game, the penalties were way down for AUG (4-37). Fewer than Wartburg (7-69) and I saw a well coached team in Wartburg. In other years, last year's UST game for example, AUG had a frustrating amount of penalties. Looks like Haege got his message across because it would have been easy to see a few more penalties last Saturday night for the Auggies. They kept their cool and their heads up in a tough loss. That game was quite the test and I would rather compete against a very good team like Wartburg than play an easy, sure win game the first week. The Wartburg game was part of the work in progress that is the Augsburg football program this year. They are not done.

[OldAuggie]

Starting a new thread a day early, as I won't be near a computer until late tomorrow night because of travel. What are some potential "surprises" from this week's games in the MIAC?

If St. Olaf loses another game - is that really a surprise?

If Eau Claire beats the Johnnies, is it a "surprise"? I know many here might think it heresy, but is it out of the realm of possibility because of how Eau Claire played the Tommies so close last week?

I do not think that Bethel has a slam-dunk in this season opener. If they get behind and have to play catch up they could come away with a loss - but would it be a surprise? Many will be disappointed, but not surprised.

Even if Augsburg loses to Concordia (Wisc) I wouldn't be surprised because I saw them play last week, and it wasn't pretty.

Anybody got anything surprising to prognosticate?

BU - I'd fall into the diasappointed, not surprised category.  Warty is a tough team that likely still has a bitter taste left over from last year's playoff loss to BU.  So many questions about BU at this point too...will they be able to re-load at the WR position after graduating all of their main weapons in that area?  Who steps up to take the leadership role on D with Mathis Sr. gone?  I'm hopeful that they can find positive answers to all of those questions in game 1, but holding my breath.


Auggie Doggies - I don't know what to think about that game...gut is that Auggies are able to take that one.  In the two years that BU played Cord-Wisc - they were pretty awful.  However, the way that Augsburg got so thoroughly throttled last week has to make you wonder.  Was Wartburg just that good, or is Augsburg significantly weaker than expected?

I think Bethel will find out that Wartburg is just that good. I think Wartburg surprised the Auggies a bit and took them out of their game. Augsburg is playing with some new guys that need some time to get on the same page. No doubt they miss Center Chad Thompson, TE Adam Carl and FS Hakeem Bourne-MacFarlane. All three  of those guys would have made a huge difference in the game last week but I still think the team will play at a much higher level this week.

[DuffMan]

If Eau Claire beats the Johnnies, is it a "surprise"? I know many here might think it heresy, but is it out of the realm of possibility because of how Eau Claire played the Tommies so close last week?

I could see this game going either way.  While UW-EC isn't usually atop the WIAC, they're always a solid team, and they usually give the Johnnies all they can handle.  I think the outcome of this game will tell us a lot about the potential of the '14 Johnnie squad.

[badgerwarhawk]

In three of the last five meetings the game has been decided by three points.  One other game in that span was decided by eight points.  During that time only one game (2009) wasn't close with Eau  Claire winning 47-19. 

[Boys of Fall]

What surprised me most about the Auggie game last week wasn't giving up 40 (you knew the defense wasn't the strength of the team), it was that they could only put up one field goal.  With Scott, Sonnenfeld, and company coming back that must be the biggest disappointment at this point.  We probably won't learn much this weekend as they'll beat WI-CO by 20+ even if they play poorly.  But you need to give Wartburg some credit, they look for real - based on one week.

That Bethel/Wartburg game will be interesting as we should learn more about both teams.  If Wartburg has another solid game they could make some noise this year.  With a win Bethel can probably establish themselves as the team to beat in the MIAC.  With Peterson and Marquardt back, along with an always big OL their offense shuld be solid again.  Mathis was an outstanding player, but Johnson always seems to come up with top level LB's and a hard to score on defense.

[57Johnnie]

Let's all take a moment to remember 9/11 

[Mr.MIAC]

So I've been fortunate enough to secure tickets to the USA Eagles v. NZ All Blacks rugby match at Soldier Field on 1 November.

Link: http://usarugby.org/mens-eagles-news/item/usa-eagles-to-take-on-new-zealand-all-blacks-in-chicago

We're staying downtown, not too far from Millennium Park.  Any Chicagoland folks have recommendations on good pizza places in that area?

Also, UST President Julie Sullivan recently gave the annual academic convocation and it sounds like the new strategic plan might impact UST football in the future. I pulled the excerpt below where she says "no" to DI athletics and "yes" to aggressive national recruiting. Football recruiting isn't mentioned, but it seems safe to say Caruso would take advantage of the expanded recruiting platform. 

What does it mean to be known nationally for academic excellence?

Does this mean we must move to Division I athletics? No. Does this mean we must create more research-based doctoral programs? No. This does mean we want to be more visible to prospective students, high school counselors, alumni, and employers beyond Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. We want our reputation for academic excellence to continue to strengthen and extend beyond these geographic boundaries.

This will require clarifying our messaging to students, employers, alumni, and donors about the value of a St. Thomas education and the value of investing in St. Thomas. We will need to invest in marketing and branding; leverage the energy, enthusiasm, and connections of our 100,000+ living alumni; and expand our resources devoted to student recruiting in strategic national and international locations. This also will require a change in our thinking of who we compare ourselves to for benchmarking purposes. We must consider as our peer schools other similar national universities, such as other comprehensive Catholic universities with national visibility and strong teaching missions.

As we become better known for academic excellence and the rigor and robustness of our programs, our students' academic profile will be stronger and their demographics will reflect more diversity, with both becoming more comparable to our benchmark schools. We will be actively committed to attracting the most talented students and increasing the socioeconomic, racial and ethnic diversity of our student body. For undergraduate students, in particular, this will require more applications, lower admit rates or higher selectivity, and strategic use of financial aid. It also will require a five-year enrollment management plan with specific academic and demographic enrollment targets against which we annually measure our progress.

We furthermore must be ardently committed to nourishing and sustaining a vibrant culture of inclusivity leading to consistently high retention and graduation rates across all student demographic groups.

Link: http://www.stthomas.edu/news/sullivan-urges-boldness-culture-innovation/
   

[hazzben]

If Eau Claire beats the Johnnies, is it a "surprise"? I know many here might think it heresy, but is it out of the realm of possibility because of how Eau Claire played the Tommies so close last week?

I could see this game going either way.  While UW-EC isn't usually atop the WIAC, they're always a solid team, and they usually give the Johnnies all they can handle.  I think the outcome of this game will tell us a lot about the potential of the '14 Johnnie squad.

Couldn't agree more. UWEC and SJU historically play each other tough. Given they just gave UST about all they could handle, I'd reason we'll see a similar tough battle this weekend.

If SJU wins by 10+ I'd say it's a pretty good statement about their direction. On the flip side, a close loss wouldn't be nearly as apocalyptic as the initial hair pulling on here might seem to suggest. I definitely think they'll have to be more balanced offensively, but there's not reason to believe they can't be. Why not keep pounding the rock when UWRF hasn't shown they can stop it?

What surprised me most about the Auggie game last week wasn't giving up 40 (you knew the defense wasn't the strength of the team), it was that they could only put up one field goal.  With Scott, Sonnenfeld, and company coming back that must be the biggest disappointment at this point.  We probably won't learn much this weekend as they'll beat WI-CO by 20+ even if they play poorly.  But you need to give Wartburg some credit, they look for real - based on one week.

Exactly. Wartburg looked legit (as I expected they would). They're always well coached. They also have a physical D and a lot of experience returning at the skill positions. Not to mention they have a clear #1 at QB, which they didn't have this time last year.

The shocker was definitely the Auggies inability to put up points or pressure the Knights D. Wartburg brought pressure and Augsburg looked helpless to pick it up and Scott was never comfortable. Other MIAC teams should have taken note.

That Bethel/Wartburg game will be interesting as we should learn more about both teams.  If Wartburg has another solid game they could make some noise this year.  With a win Bethel can probably establish themselves as the team to beat in the MIAC.  With Peterson and Marquardt back, along with an always big OL their offense shuld be solid again.  Mathis was an outstanding player, but Johnson always seems to come up with top level LB's and a hard to score on defense.

I think it's too early to say what a Bethel win means regarding the MIAC race. But a Wartburg win is a big statement for them and the IIAC. 2-0 against the MIAC and a win against a current Top 10 is legit.

I hate Wartburg having a game under their belts (yes, I've said the exact same thing the last two years), but especially against a quality opponent like Augsburg. Compared to some of the last few years, when Wartburg faced little to no resistance in MacMurray. Those 58-7 and 73-0 results didn't really serve the Knights in prep for Bethel. Augsburg was at least a little more of a test. Which is why it makes me more nervous than in the past.

On the flip side, Bethel also has some good film from last week. Though with as much as both teams have played each other over the past several years in regular and post-season match-ups, there's plenty of familiarity.

This is the best game of the week in DIII. Should be fun!

Go Royals!!

[hazzben]

What does it mean to be known nationally for academic excellence?

Does this mean we must move to Division I athletics? No. Does this mean we must create more research-based doctoral programs? No. This does mean we want to be more visible to prospective students, high school counselors, alumni, and employers beyond Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. We want our reputation for academic excellence to continue to strengthen and extend beyond these geographic boundaries.

This will require clarifying our messaging to students, employers, alumni, and donors about the value of a St. Thomas education and the value of investing in St. Thomas. We will need to invest in marketing and branding; leverage the energy, enthusiasm, and connections of our 100,000+ living alumni; and expand our resources devoted to student recruiting in strategic national and international locations. This also will require a change in our thinking of who we compare ourselves to for benchmarking purposes. We must consider as our peer schools other similar national universities, such as other comprehensive Catholic universities with national visibility and strong teaching missions.

As we become better known for academic excellence and the rigor and robustness of our programs, our students' academic profile will be stronger and their demographics will reflect more diversity, with both becoming more comparable to our benchmark schools. We will be actively committed to attracting the most talented students and increasing the socioeconomic, racial and ethnic diversity of our student body. For undergraduate students, in particular, this will require more applications, lower admit rates or higher selectivity, and strategic use of financial aid. It also will require a five-year enrollment management plan with specific academic and demographic enrollment targets against which we annually measure our progress.

We furthermore must be ardently committed to nourishing and sustaining a vibrant culture of inclusivity leading to consistently high retention and graduation rates across all student demographic groups.   

Wow, was camelgate so serious that it needed an extensive statement from the President herself!?!