FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

When we played at Linfield in 2002, I like to think that we won because Lewis & Clark let us practice at their facility. 

In 2002, you probably won DESPITE practicing at L&C's facility.

[faunch]

When we played at Linfield in 2002, I like to think that we won because Lewis & Clark let us practice at their facility. 

In 2002, you probably won DESPITE practicing at L&C's facility.

Well they have a basketball facility that seats over 2,3000.   
http://www.lcpioneers.com/about/sportsfacilities/pamplin

And the football team plays at Griswold Stadium???  Have to check that out on my next drive to Wally World.
http://www.lcpioneers.com/about/sportsfacilities/griswold

[DuffMan]

In 2002, you probably won DESPITE practicing at L&C's facility.

So true, although the setting was beautiful.

[Redtooth]

In 2002, you probably won DESPITE practicing at L&C's facility.

So true, although the setting was beautiful.

While the setting was beautiful, I don't know that I would call what we put you all through as practice that day.....

[SagatagSam]

I think faunch made a comment about the SJU basketball webcast having a couple camera angles. I watched the game tonight against St. Olaf and thought the webcast was pretty good--minus the constant buffering I experienced in the second half.

I hope they incorporate some more camera angles into the football broadcast next year.

[hazzben]

I hope they incorporate some more camera angles into the football broadcast next year.

Bethel uses a couple angles. And to be honest, it can both blessing and curse. If used well, it makes for great replays and you get a different perspective on scores and insight into flags that are thrown. But you've got to make sure the people running the broadcast don't get 'angle happy' and start missing plays because they're trying to be all cinematic with a cool sideline shot that prevents anyone from actually seeing the play develop.

That said, we are really living in the golden age of following D3 sports. As much as we (myself included) whine when the tech goes down, we're really got some ridiculous options.

[OzJohnnie]

I passed this truck on the freeway the other week. I'm not sure what relevance their tag line has to an energy-efficiency-in-the-home company, but I thought the line "Suck it up Princess!" Deserved a photo.

[BDB]

Thinking about getting my kids a dog. Not sure what kind of lab to choose.. (click to embiggen)

[OzJohnnie]

Ha!

[faunch]

I hope they incorporate some more camera angles into the football broadcast next year.

Bethel uses a couple angles. And to be honest, it can both blessing and curse. If used well, it makes for great replays and you get a different perspective on scores and insight into flags that are thrown. But you've got to make sure the people running the broadcast don't get 'angle happy' and start missing plays because they're trying to be all cinematic with a cool sideline shot that prevents anyone from actually seeing the play develop.

That said, we are really living in the golden age of following D3 sports. As much as we (myself included) whine when the tech goes down, we're really got some ridiculous options.

Totally agree...for replays, crowd shots and such the field camera would be great.  For live action the sideline pressbox angle is the best.  An endzone option would be nice too.  Anybody know of any football webcasts that have shoots video on a moving cart...like on television broadcasts?

[art76]

"And now, we hope this is something you'll really like!" - Rocket J. Squirrel

Before the end of the season I mentioned on this board that I sure wish the MIAC would "rotate" the next season's schedule based on previous season's results. Basically, in the 11 weeks leading up to the playoffs make the games at the end of the season mean more and to hopefully better determine who represents the conference in the playoffs.

So the suggested following schedule is "set" for any conference that has 9 teams playing in it. It was set up with the intention that the best team from the previous year played through the conference in reverse order from worst to best. Then I did the same for the number two team, then the number three team and so on. The last three weeks of the season all four of the top four teams see each other. All teams have three bye weeks in which to schedule non-conference games.

MIAC Yearly Schedule

Week 11
1vs 2
3 vs 4
5 vs 6
7 vs 8
9 bye

Week 10
1 vs 3
2 vs 4
5 vs 7
6 vs 9
8 bye

Week 9
1 vs 4
2 vs 3
5 vs 9
6 vs 8
7 bye

Week 8
1 vs 5
2 vs 7
3 vs 8
4 vs 9
6 bye

Week 7
1 vs 6
2 vs 8
3 vs 9
4 vs 7
5 bye

Week 6
1 vs 7
2 vs 5
3 vs 6
8 vs 9
4 bye

Week 5
1 vs 8
2 vs 6
4 vs 5
7 vs 9
3 bye

Week 4
1 vs 9
3 vs 5
4 vs 8
6 vs 7
2 bye

Week 3
2 vs 9
3 vs 7
4 vs 6
5 vs 8
1 bye

Week 2
All byes

Week 1
All byes

So ranking of teams at the end of the season is important because it sets the conference schedule for the following year. At the end of the 2014 regular season this is the order I come up with:

1. St. John's
2. Bethel
3. St. Thomas
4. Concordia
5. Gustavus
6. Augsburg
7. Hamline
8. Carleton
9. St. Olaf

So, for example in 2015, if the MIAC were to take me up on this, the games would be scheduled thus:

Week three:
St. John's bye
Bethel v. St. Olaf
St. Thomas vs. Hamline
Concordia vs Augsburg
Gustavus vs. Carleton

Week four:
Bethel bye
St. John's vs St. Olaf
St. Thomas vs Gustavus
Concordia vs Carleton
Augsburg vs. Hamline

Week five:
St. Thomas bye
St. John's vs Carleton
Bethel vs. Augsburg
Concordia vs. Gustavus
Hamline vs. St. Olaf

Week six:
Concordia bye
St. John's vs Hamline
Bethel vs. Gustavus
St. Thomas vs. Augsburg
Carleton vs. St. Olaf

Week seven:
Gustavus bye
St. John's vs. Augsburg
Bethel vs. Carleton
St. Thomas vs. St. Olaf
Concordia vs. Hamline

Week eight:
Augsburg bye
St. John's vs. Gustavus
Bethel vs. Hamline
St. Thomas vs. Carleton
Concordia vs. St. Olaf

Week nine:
Hamline bye
St. John's vs Concordia
Bethel vs. St. Thomas
Gustavus vs. St. Olaf
Augsburg vs. Carleton

Week ten:
Carleton bye:
St. John's vs. St. Thomas
Bethel vs. Concordia
Gustavus vs. Hamline
Augsburg vs. St. Olaf

Week 11:
St. Olaf bye
St. John's vs. Bethel
St. Thomas vs. Concordia
Gustavus vs. Augsburg
Hamline vs. Carleton

Lastly, teams would simply flip-flop from year to year on where they played, whether home or away with each opponent. This gives each team four home and four away games within the conference. I'll concede that this is the fly in the ointment as it could happen that a team gets four straight away games and then four straight home games, or just the opposite, as the schedule above is set on ranking not a calendar of home versus away on alternating weeks. Not to mention homecoming games and parent's weekends and everything else schools put on their calendars, one of which is a football game.

I think as football aficionados we on this board would want to see something more akin to this kind of a schedule than what has been happening the last few years within the MIAC. Does anyone have any connections or pull to see something like this get presented to those who make these kinds of decisions? I think I saw earlier where someone has already mentioned that next year's schedule as already being posted someplace, or am I remembering incorrectly?

[OzJohnnie]

Nice work, art, but I don't agree with the system even though I am sympathetic to the intent.  I think the longer-than-one season consequence of this approach would be to keep the strong strong and the weak weak.

My question is: How's a bottom team ever going to climb up?  Their season would be over by the fifth round every year as they are slaughtered by the powerhouses. There is no chance to recruit in that environment, either players or coaches.

So, as much as I would like to see SJU get a system that supports their post season position, I think trying to gear that outcome would be bad overall for MIAC football.  You have to be the best to be the winner however they are scheduled.  The current approach manages to offer a glimmer of opportunity to the cellar dwellers while we've done alright in the post season despite the system.  It's hard for me to believe I'm saying this, but I prefer the current system.

[SagatagSam]

If I were going to tinker with the schedule, I would make it so the bigger rivalry games don't happen until after the halfway point in the season.

As you all can probably guess, I have hated watching the Johnnie-Tommie game take place in September. But, I think all of the conferences rivalries would be best to have late in the season.

Speaking of the Johnnie-Tommie game taking place in September, here is a couple not-so-fun facts: (1) the last time the Johnnie-Tommie occurred later than September 30 was 2011 (when it was played on October 1 that year); (2) the Johnnie-Tommie game is scheduled to happen in September every year until at least 2018 (the conference has released the season schedules up to 2017.)

http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/fball/future_schedules

[sjusection105]

Speaking of the Johnnie-Tommie game taking place in September, here is a couple not-so-fun facts: (1) the last time the Johnnie-Tommie occurred later than September 30 was 2011 (when it was played on October 1 that year); (2) the Johnnie-Tommie game is scheduled to happen in September every year until at least 2018 (the conference has released the season schedules up to 2017.)

http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/fball/future_schedules

This is by design. How else would crowds of 12K-15K be accomplished if not for beautiful autumn afternoon where uninterested Tommie fans can come out to a social event. There is no way the crowds would come out in November during inclement weather. Hummmm,that may be a way to keep the opportunistic politicians from making a stop at the game...schedule it after an election.

[OldAuggie]

I agree. It benefits the conference to have those big marquee games early so they can draw the largest attendance possible. SJU v Bethel, Bethel v UST, SJU v UST. Those matchups should all be scheduled early and at a time to draw the largest crowds IMO.

The 2011 SJU v AUG had an announced crowd of 12,000+ in September. The Miracle in Collegeville game. I was there and it was a glorious afternoon. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgfzDemuLFE