FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[faunch]

GAC / Concordia game summary and video montage. 
Gusty two point attempt by Gusties that failed was followed up a by a meaningful onside kick recovery with 28 seconds left on the clock.  Gusties scored the game winner w/ 14 seconds to play.

https://athletics.blog.gustavus.edu/2015/11/07/football-last-minute-heroics-lead-to-41-34-comeback-victory-over-concordia/

[OzJohnnie]

I'm burning off some nervous energy by prowling around Johnnie information.  I just found this tidbit from the Johnnie game review.  It's been a good two years for the Johnnie program against Bethel.  Signs are all around that Fasching has the team on the upswing.

SJU has now out-scored Bethel 52-8 the last two seasons, its largest margin of back-to-back wins since 2004-05 (67-9)…the shutout of BU is the first for the Johnnies since 2004 (37-0) and the first in Arden Hills since 1984 (42-0)…the last time SJU recorded two shutouts in the same season was 2011, when it book-ended its season with shutouts against Northwestern (34-0) in the season opener and Hamline (61-0) in the season finale.

[retagent]

That's no longer how they compose the brackets. They don't us N,S,E,W for the tournament. They only use the regions for the regional rankings to rank the teams in each region for the field. Then the national committee picks the field (Pool B and C), they then pick the top 4 seeds and build a bracket around those teas based on geography. So it's not out of the question that the 4 top seeds could be Mt Union and 3 West teams. Since the south usually has to have a flight eventually they could make Linfield #1 and build the southern teams into a bracket that includes them, make St thomas #1 and build a west centered bracket around them, UWO #1 and build a north centered bracket around them and Mt Union with an east oriented bracket. 

Keep an eye on the Pool C board this week as there will be much discussion around this on that board, particularly after the RR come out on Wednesday
[/quote]

I think we all know that, and use geographical labels due to convenience. We also know that there are considerations based on cost of travel, which means they try to group teams geographically as much as possible to minimize travel. Call it what you will, but we use the shorthand for brevity sake.

[OzJohnnie]

Call it what you will, but we use the shorthand for brevity sake.

[OzJohnnie]

I am continually amazed how you can find everything on the internet.

[art76]

Art, if you're looking for a much better game of footy, the semi-final between Hawthorn and Freemantle was a hard fought affair from beginning to end. Not the blowout of the Grand Final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtDfEVDSnh0

Thanx Oz, just finished watching it - it was good.

[ChicagoTommie]

The thing is, 105, that UST would never use that play against a high caliber DIII team. It's only safe to do that sort of thing when you don't fear the opponent. It's like being on the beach kicking in the face of the skinny guy.

I'm none too shy about my support for UST. I don't hold back about giving the football coaching staff kudos for turning the program around and mentoring young Tommies. It's great to be part of the F.A.M.I.L.Y and it will be exciting to witness the growth UST is about to undergo.

That being said, even I was a little put off by all the trickery against Carleton. Two two-point conversions, including a behind the back pass. A successful onside kick, whilst we're up by 40 points or so. A successful drop kick point after attempt when we're up by at least 60 points. I understand the benefit of trying out trick plays in a live game, as well as the need to get lots of stuff on tape. One or two trick plays would have been no big deal. However, all of this in a single game we won 80-3 rubbed me the wrong way.

At the end of the day it's all about turning young men into leaders. Leadership involves respecting yourself and your opponent. I don't think the coaching staff intended to show Carleton disrespect, but it sure came off that way. Okay, I'm off my soapbox...

The U$T coaches have been around the block enough times to know better.  Which tells me they don't care about how about this looks and if it's interpreted as disrespectful.  Three 2 pt conversions (at least one a fake), an onside kick when up 30-3 in the second quarter, and a drop kick point against the bottom dweller in the conference is poor form and in this case there really isn't a fine line.  Trying out a few gimmicks is one thing but this demonstrates a lack of respect and sportsmanship toward an opponent, intention doesn't matter.  If this had been a televised D1 FBS or FCS level game it would have been news and not just because of one goofy albeit stupid two point conversion.

At the same time maybe the U$T coaches might have something here.  Maybe I'll alter my philosophy when coaching my daughter's 12U fast pitch team this summer.  If we get up by 10 or 15 in a game we probably should work on some "trick" plays in game situations.  Behind the back throws around the infield.  Throw in a few delayed steals, a suicide squeeze or two and maybe try to pull of a hidden ball trick...not sure how that would work in fast pitch???  Who cares if it comes off as arrogant and bush league?  Problem is that I would expect the opposing coach would probably want to give me a softball bat enema.


Give me a break buddy😂 the Tommy's are doing what they supposed to do🙈 win and dominate...
Are we supposed too tell our freshmen to slow down and not embarrass the other team?  we pulled the starters in the 2nd quarter and empted our bench and played mostly underclassmen...

[bennie]

Back when I was in grad school I had a classmate that played football for Grinnell. His senior year Grinnell and Coe tied as conference champs, but Coe ended up getting the playoff bid. He and a bunch of his teammates listened to the playoff game between St. John's and Coe. They consoled themselves with the thought that they wouldn't have done any worse than Coe because they didn't think there was even enough time in a game to score more than 75 points (we won 75-2). I remember joking with him later that you can score more points than that in a game when we beat Bethel 77-12. Were there trick plays? I don't remember and to a degree that is splitting hairs. I am the last person to defend UST or their coaching staff, but glass houses boys...glass houses.

I also had a classmate that had played for and at the time was an assistant coach for the Gusties. He hated Gags with a passion. The fact that I was such a diehard fan did not make me a favorite either!

[Mr.MIAC]

The thing is, 105, that UST would never use that play against a high caliber DIII team. It's only safe to do that sort of thing when you don't fear the opponent. It's like being on the beach kicking in the face of the skinny guy.

I'm none too shy about my support for UST. I don't hold back about giving the football coaching staff kudos for turning the program around and mentoring young Tommies. It's great to be part of the F.A.M.I.L.Y and it will be exciting to witness the growth UST is about to undergo.

That being said, even I was a little put off by all the trickery against Carleton. Two two-point conversions, including a behind the back pass. A successful onside kick, whilst we're up by 40 points or so. A successful drop kick point after attempt when we're up by at least 60 points. I understand the benefit of trying out trick plays in a live game, as well as the need to get lots of stuff on tape. One or two trick plays would have been no big deal. However, all of this in a single game we won 80-3 rubbed me the wrong way.

At the end of the day it's all about turning young men into leaders. Leadership involves respecting yourself and your opponent. I don't think the coaching staff intended to show Carleton disrespect, but it sure came off that way. Okay, I'm off my soapbox...

The U$T coaches have been around the block enough times to know better.  Which tells me they don't care about how about this looks and if it's interpreted as disrespectful.  Three 2 pt conversions (at least one a fake), an onside kick when up 30-3 in the second quarter, and a drop kick point against the bottom dweller in the conference is poor form and in this case there really isn't a fine line.  Trying out a few gimmicks is one thing but this demonstrates a lack of respect and sportsmanship toward an opponent, intention doesn't matter.  If this had been a televised D1 FBS or FCS level game it would have been news and not just because of one goofy albeit stupid two point conversion.

At the same time maybe the U$T coaches might have something here.  Maybe I'll alter my philosophy when coaching my daughter's 12U fast pitch team this summer.  If we get up by 10 or 15 in a game we probably should work on some "trick" plays in game situations.  Behind the back throws around the infield.  Throw in a few delayed steals, a suicide squeeze or two and maybe try to pull of a hidden ball trick...not sure how that would work in fast pitch???  Who cares if it comes off as arrogant and bush league?  Problem is that I would expect the opposing coach would probably want to give me a softball bat enema.


Give me a break buddy😂 the Tommy's are doing what they supposed to do🙈 win and dominate...
Are we supposed too tell our freshmen to slow down and not embarrass the other team?  we pulled the starters in the 2nd quarter and empted our bench and played mostly underclassmen...

To be clear, I'm totally fine with going deep into the bench and still running up the score. I'm simply pointing out that, in my view, running nearly a half dozen trick plays was a bit much for one (embarrassingly lopsided) game. I'm not sure the nominal benefits outweigh the costs associated with making the Carleton players look foolish.

[OzJohnnie]

You make a strong argument, Bernie, and in his own unique way CT makes the same argument.  Unfortunately it does not apply here. Running up the score, particularly by second and third teamers is a long and accepted tradition in the MIAC. It's something I personally find refreshing. We shouldn't discourage players from playing thier best game.

This, however, is completely different and I don't think we bear the stain of hypocrisy. Turning a game into trick-play practice is something all together different. Particularly when that novelty practice is against a perennial cellar dweller and after the game is well, well in hand. Check out that YouTube clip and have another think.

In the end I don't particularly want to discourage UST from doing this. I think the effort wasted by players thinking about these nonesense plays instead of focusing on doing the bread and butter stuff extremely well is good for everyone else and bad for them.

[bennie]

Going for a two point conversion with a straightforward play or going for a two point conversion with a trick play? When you are already up by a double monkey stomp, I am not sure it matters all that much to the other team on the field. It is just a little more insult to injury.

That being said, do we know if Glen bused his team down to Northfield after the game to get their picture taken on their 50 yard line?

[art76]

Is the Tommie coaching staff intentionally putting stuff on tape going into the playoffs to keep their potential playoff game adversaries on their toes? If I remember correctly, I think teams swap tape for the previous three weeks of play. Are the Tommies simply trying to make their potential playoff opponents think twice about things when they line up against them?

Hear me carefully, I'm not defending them or what they did in their game against Carleton - just wondering out loud.

[art76]

We're down to one more week of games, except for the Cobbers who are putting away their gear today, having lost a heart-breaker in Gustavus and knocking them out of any post-season play.

The first game for the last week of MIAC play is St. Olaf going up to Collegeville to take on the Johnnies. For St. John's this game is a bit of a breather, not that they'll take the game for granted. I would be very surprised to see any shenanigans pulled, as the Johnnies can play conservatively and still control the game and will come away with a win to finish their season at 7 and 1 in conference and 9 and 1 overall. This would put the Oles  at 1 and 7 in conference and 2 and 8 overall.

The next game in week 11 is  St. Thomas going down to Gustavus to attempt to come away as the undefeated MIAC Champion. As much as the Gusties would like to re-live this past week's upset against the Cobbers, it seems highly unlikely to happen. They'll end their season at 5 and 3 and 7 and 3 overall.

The third game for this week is Bethel going down to Augsburg to try to erase memories of last year's ice-bowl loss in double overtime. If BU's young quarterback is out for the season from last week's injury, then this will be another nail biter for Royals fans. However, if the Royals are hitting on all cylinders they should win their final game of the season on the road. If they win they end the season with a 5 and 3 conference record and a 6 and 4 overall record. If Augsburg can find a way to win, then they end the season at 4 and 4 and overall record of 5 and 5. Also, if the Auggies win, that would put them ahead of Bethel in the conference rankings because of the head to head results.

The game of the week, at least to me, in the MIAC is Hamline travelling down to Carleton. Hamline wants the win to differentiate itself from the two Northfield teams at the bottom of the MIAC.  Meanwhile, Carleton is wanting to have folks take them seriously, and if they can find the muster they showed against Concordia earlier in the year, with a win then they can force a three way tie at the bottom of the MIAC at 1 and 7 in conference play. I think this game could be the closest of the week which is why I have it as the game of the week.

A little post season chatter now - if all goes as expected in the first two games in the MIAC above, I think that St. Thomas will be a number one seed in a "West" bracket of 8. St. John's will be a # 2 or #3 team and I won't be surprised if they get shipped to the "North" bracket. The last two weeks of play around the nation have shown us that anything is possible and the North is a bit weak. There could be a realistic possibility that three of the final four teams in the playoffs being from the West, and as many as 5 of the final 8 if St. Thomas, St. John's, Linfield, Oshkosh and Whitewater all make the initial cut and get bracketed in such a way as they don't meet until the quarter final games. If the selection committee sees the West region as having the stronger teams and sets the brackets so that they don't face one another too early, it could be a real wild ride for the MIAC, WIAC and NWC this year.

[DuffMan]

Bummed to see Trey Anderson go down with another torn ACL (what I heard).

Has this been confirmed?  What a shame.  I hope for the best.

[DuffMan]

Hopefully Dzurick can move the offense enough to take down the Auggies next week, though I don't think the Augsburg and SJU defenses are all that comparable... 

He threw a few nice balls against the Johnnies, but when he was off target, he was really off target.  I don't know if it was the situation or what, but he seemed flustered.  Numerous times, the Bethel backfield seemed to be telling him what to do.