FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[miac952]

Bethel reminds me of SJU four or five years ago.  We were 6-4 in 2011 and 5-5 in 2012.  But we hung in there (I always looked to Linfield for inspiration as they made in through their dark days a few years earlier).

BU won't be down long.  And then I'll really resent this little pep talk.

Bethel recruits a certain type of player that may not be on the radar of other MIAC coaches,because other MIAC coaches don't recruit those areas. I'm just wondering if there will ever come a day when a kid decides to go somewhere else in the MIAC because of the lack of facilities at Bethel? Let's just use Becker as an example. Dwight Linden,one of the nicest coaches in the MSHSL and very successful. This is going against my initial premise but a lot of kids from Becker go to Bethel and a lot go to SJU. Would there ever be a time when the facilities of SJU close the deal for the kid not going to Bethel and instead going to SJU. Dwight's own kids went to Bethel & he has a strong relationship with Steve Johnson,but SJU has Brandon Novak...it's all hypothetical but it does make you wonder when a Bethel will get a major donor for facility upgrades.

They recently built a new weight room, new locker rooms and did a major reno of the athletic dept (meeting rooms, etc.). The next step would definitely be the stadium itself. All that to say, it's not UST or UMHB Taj Mahal-esq, but they are really significant upgrades.

The AARC is nice, the jumbotron is cool - as are the new bleachers affixed to the AARC, but the grandstand itself is a dive. Not sure what they could do to improve it outside of tearing up the track or temporarily tearing up a part of Cretin, so it's probably stuck like that, but it'd be nice to make some improvements.

FWIW Bench I like that old stadium feel that you have at UST. Sure the grandstand could use a minor upgrade here and there but I would hope if they fix it up they leave the old time ambiance as is. I say take advantage of it, that is hard to find.

Would never want the old grandstand look to disappear, but some upgrades are needed there, especially above, in the press box, and underneath with bathrooms, concessions, etc. There have been a few wayward students throughout the years caught behind hurdles and high jump mats behaving in un-catholic manner. 

I think some of the problem is that when they touch it there will be some significant ADA compliant costs that come with it. I have heard rumors that it will be part of the next capital campaign to make the updates with an expanded pressbox and possibly a a couple suites on each end as well.

The track and field turf have hit their useful life and are up for replacement next offseason I believe.

I got a sneak peek at the new upgraded stadium plans and took a pic.

Well done.

I do like football stadiums without 8-9 track lanes around the outside of the field (see Gustavus and Augustana (SD) recently for a job well done), but something tells me there might be an uproar with your design to raze the church to make it happen. Maybe, no priest as President was just the first step though?

[AO]

Bethel reminds me of SJU four or five years ago.  We were 6-4 in 2011 and 5-5 in 2012.  But we hung in there (I always looked to Linfield for inspiration as they made in through their dark days a few years earlier).

BU won't be down long.  And then I'll really resent this little pep talk.

Bethel recruits a certain type of player that may not be on the radar of other MIAC coaches,because other MIAC coaches don't recruit those areas. I'm just wondering if there will ever come a day when a kid decides to go somewhere else in the MIAC because of the lack of facilities at Bethel? Let's just use Becker as an example. Dwight Linden,one of the nicest coaches in the MSHSL and very successful. This is going against my initial premise but a lot of kids from Becker go to Bethel and a lot go to SJU. Would there ever be a time when the facilities of SJU close the deal for the kid not going to Bethel and instead going to SJU. Dwight's own kids went to Bethel & he has a strong relationship with Steve Johnson,but SJU has Brandon Novak...it's all hypothetical but it does make you wonder when a Bethel will get a major donor for facility upgrades.

They recently built a new weight room, new locker rooms and did a major reno of the athletic dept (meeting rooms, etc.). The next step would definitely be the stadium itself. All that to say, it's not UST or UMHB Taj Mahal-esq, but they are really significant upgrades.

The AARC is nice, the jumbotron is cool - as are the new bleachers affixed to the AARC, but the grandstand itself is a dive. Not sure what they could do to improve it outside of tearing up the track or temporarily tearing up a part of Cretin, so it's probably stuck like that, but it'd be nice to make some improvements.

FWIW Bench I like that old stadium feel that you have at UST. Sure the grandstand could use a minor upgrade here and there but I would hope if they fix it up they leave the old time ambiance as is. I say take advantage of it, that is hard to find.

Would never want the old grandstand look to disappear, but some upgrades are needed there, especially above, in the press box, and underneath with bathrooms, concessions, etc. There have been a few wayward students throughout the years caught behind hurdles and high jump mats behaving in un-catholic manner. 

I think some of the problem is that when they touch it there will be some significant ADA compliant costs that come with it. I have heard rumors that it will be part of the next capital campaign to make the updates with an expanded pressbox and possibly a a couple suites on each end as well.

The track and field turf have hit their useful life and are up for replacement next offseason I believe.

I got a sneak peek at the new upgraded stadium plans and took a pic.

Well done.

I do like football stadiums without 8-9 track lanes around the outside of the field (see Gustavus and Augustana (SD) recently for a job well done), but something tells me there might be an uproar with your design to raze the church to make it happen. Maybe, no priest as President was just the first step though?

It's a tight squeeze, a couple of those dorms on the north end seem like they might be ready for the wrecking ball?  Might as well make new luxury dorms to match the luxury student center.  Or you could go with a non-traditional track.  This one at Cambridge produced a gold medal winner.

[Boys of Fall]

I do like football stadiums without 8-9 track lanes around the outside of the field (see Gustavus and Augustana (SD) recently for a job well done), but something tells me there might be an uproar with your design to raze the church to make it happen. Maybe, no priest as President was just the first step though?
[/quote]
It's a tight squeeze, a couple of those dorms on the north end seem like they might be ready for the wrecking ball?  Might as well make new luxury dorms to match the luxury student center.  Or you could go with a non-traditional track.  This one at Cambridge produced a gold medal winner.
[/quote]
I thought those dorms on the north end had already been converted to suites for the football field.

[OldAuggie]

It's a tight squeeze, a couple of those dorms on the north end seem like they might be ready for the wrecking ball?  Might as well make new luxury dorms to match the luxury student center.  Or you could go with a non-traditional track.  This one at Cambridge produced a gold medal winner.

Better expand/update the AM 830 WCCO broadcast booth while they are making these improvements.

[OzJohnnie]

What's museum-asmat mean?

Edit: I just looked it up and it's dedicated to items from the Asmats, a native tribe in the Indonesian islands.  Its so obvious I can't fathom how that slipped by me.

[faunch]

I do like football stadiums without 8-9 track lanes around the outside of the field (see Gustavus and Augustana (SD) recently for a job well done), but something tells me there might be an uproar with your design to raze the church to make it happen. Maybe, no priest as President was just the first step though?

It's a tight squeeze, a couple of those dorms on the north end seem like they might be ready for the wrecking ball?  Might as well make new luxury dorms to match the luxury student center.  Or you could go with a non-traditional track.  This one at Cambridge produced a gold medal winner.
[/quote]
I thought those dorms on the north end had already been converted to suites for the football field.
[/quote]

Fire bomb the entire campus...problem solved!!!   

[faunch]

I do like football stadiums without 8-9 track lanes around the outside of the field (see Gustavus and Augustana (SD) recently for a job well done), but something tells me there might be an uproar with your design to raze the church to make it happen. Maybe, no priest as President was just the first step though?

It's a tight squeeze, a couple of those dorms on the north end seem like they might be ready for the wrecking ball?  Might as well make new luxury dorms to match the luxury student center.  Or you could go with a non-traditional track.  This one at Cambridge produced a gold medal winner.

I thought those dorms on the north end had already been converted to suites for the football field.
[/quote]

Fire bomb the entire campus...problem solved!!!   
[/quote]

I was joking by the way...In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large.  Maybe they could figure out a way to retrofit a dome over the football or soccer / softball field?   

[sjusection105]

Archer looks to be the starter at Gustavus now. He had started for Princeton for 2 years and did very well. I believe he is more athletic than Veldman, and has great arm strength.

A capable back up is essential, injuries occur all the time. It appears that GAC has the cupboard stacked. Time will tell,but kudos to the coaching staff for having options...

[sjusection105]

In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large. 

Off campus football stadium....? UST gets their students to turn out only when SJU comes to town & that's it. I don't think they'd get them off campus even to see the Johnnies......

[jamtod]

In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large. 

Off campus football stadium....? UST gets their students to turn out only when SJU comes to town & that's it. I don't think they'd get them off campus even to see the Johnnies......

The home game turnout is much much better than it used to be. The home stands were relatively full last week. Much moreso than they would have been when I was in school. But off-campus stadium is a very bad, no good idea. And Domed stadium might be an even sillier idea for a D3 team.

[faunch]

In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large. 

Off campus football stadium....? UST gets their students to turn out only when SJU comes to town & that's it. I don't think they'd get them off campus even to see the Johnnies......

The home game turnout is much much better than it used to be. The home stands were relatively full last week. Much moreso than they would have been when I was in school. But off-campus stadium is a very bad, no good idea. And Domed stadium might be an even sillier idea for a D3 team.

I don't believe I said domed stadium or off campus stadium...but rather another a turf and domed facility similar to what SJU is building.  SJU / CSB will have a huge advantage when football, soccer, baseball and softball teams can train and practice indoors in the winter. 

[faunch]

In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large. 

Off campus football stadium....? UST gets their students to turn out only when SJU comes to town & that's it. I don't think they'd get them off campus even to see the Johnnies......

The home game turnout is much much better than it used to be. The home stands were relatively full last week. Much moreso than they would have been when I was in school. But off-campus stadium is a very bad, no good idea. And Domed stadium might be an even sillier idea for a D3 team.

4300 fans for the opener onprobably the most gorgeous weekend of the fall...that's so cute!!!  Probably could have squeezed all of them in at Highland Park High School.   

[jamtod]

In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large. 

Off campus football stadium....? UST gets their students to turn out only when SJU comes to town & that's it. I don't think they'd get them off campus even to see the Johnnies......

The home game turnout is much much better than it used to be. The home stands were relatively full last week. Much moreso than they would have been when I was in school. But off-campus stadium is a very bad, no good idea. And Domed stadium might be an even sillier idea for a D3 team.

4300 fans for the opener on a probably the most gorgeous weekend of the fall...that's so cute!!!  Probably could have squeezed all of them in at Highland Park High School.   

It's all relative man. (is there a sarcasm tag here?)

Perhaps with years of sustained success, we can mirror the kind of regular crowds y'all get. What's average attendance for a non Tommie-Johnnie game up there?

[OzJohnnie]

The Johnnies averaged between 8k and 8.5k in home attendance over the last four years, regardless of where they played the Tommies.  2007 was a very big year with an average attendance of 9.9k.

http://gojohnnies.com/documents/2009/1/19/Football%20Home%20Attendance%20Figures.pdf?id=203

St Scholastica drew 8.3k on the opening weekend.

[sjusection105]

In all seriousness I could foresee U$T finding / getting $$$ from some wealthy alums to buy a parcel of land at the old Ford Motor plant and build a turf /dome facility.  SJU will soon have one and U$T doesn't really have enough space to build something that large. 

Off campus football stadium....? UST gets their students to turn out only when SJU comes to town & that's it. I don't think they'd get them off campus even to see the Johnnies......

The home game turnout is much much better than it used to be. The home stands were relatively full last week. Much moreso than they would have been when I was in school. But off-campus stadium is a very bad, no good idea. And Domed stadium might be an even sillier idea for a D3 team.

I don't believe I said domed stadium or off campus stadium...but rather another a turf and domed facility similar to what SJU is building.  SJU / CSB will have a huge advantage when football, soccer, baseball and softball teams can train and practice indoors in the winter.

The last I checked, the old Ford plant wasn't on the UST campus.