FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[sjusection105]

Big fan of personal responsibility. Drove from East Coast home and back a few weeks ago and we had many choices to make. And we made them. Disagree about "media induced."

Not taking sides either way, but we have rarely gotten consistent messages out of our leaders. Experts CDC/Fauci etc. are trotted out and offer a plan, then the same pols who stood with them undercut them a day later.

Indeed, it seems some states are opening quicker than the CDC/Fauci/official WH guidelines .... then they get ripped by loyalists of the national leaders who undercut WH/CDC guidelines. Absolutely crazy.

Has there been some goofy/lame coverage? Sure. But can't blame the media primarily for inducing the choice.

Dr. Fauci now stating that schools should open in the fall. We will wait to see what the word is at the end of August.....
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/us/fauci-schools-reopening-coronavirus/index.html

[formerd3db]

Big fan of personal responsibility. Drove from East Coast home and back a few weeks ago and we had many choices to make. And we made them. Disagree about "media induced."

Not taking sides either way, but we have rarely gotten consistent messages out of our leaders. Experts CDC/Fauci etc. are trotted out and offer a plan, then the same pols who stood with them undercut them a day later.

Indeed, it seems some states are opening quicker than the CDC/Fauci/official WH guidelines .... then they get ripped by loyalists of the national leaders who undercut WH/CDC guidelines. Absolutely crazy.

Has there been some goofy/lame coverage? Sure. But can't blame the media primarily for inducing the choice.

Dr. Fauci now stating that schools should open in the fall. We will wait to see what the word is at the end of August.....
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/us/fauci-schools-reopening-coronavirus/index.html

Do you mean the word from Dr. Fauci and other "experts" or from the schools? IMO, I believe most likely the schools will make their definitive decisions well before the end of August, probably by the end of July if not slightly before. Of course, they all have contingency plans for various options

[sjusection105]

Big fan of personal responsibility. Drove from East Coast home and back a few weeks ago and we had many choices to make. And we made them. Disagree about "media induced."

Not taking sides either way, but we have rarely gotten consistent messages out of our leaders. Experts CDC/Fauci etc. are trotted out and offer a plan, then the same pols who stood with them undercut them a day later.

Indeed, it seems some states are opening quicker than the CDC/Fauci/official WH guidelines .... then they get ripped by loyalists of the national leaders who undercut WH/CDC guidelines. Absolutely crazy.

Has there been some goofy/lame coverage? Sure. But can't blame the media primarily for inducing the choice.

Dr. Fauci now stating that schools should open in the fall. We will wait to see what the word is at the end of August.....
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/us/fauci-schools-reopening-coronavirus/index.html

Do you mean the word from Dr. Fauci and other "experts" or from the schools? IMO, I believe most likely the schools will make their definitive decisions well before the end of August, probably by the end of July if not slightly before. Of course, they all have contingency plans for various options

I'm mean the "experts",example: the official stance on wearing masks has changed so many times I've lost count. So I'm sure by the end of August the "experts" will all get together and have some sort of amendment to schools opening.

[formerd3db]

Big fan of personal responsibility. Drove from East Coast home and back a few weeks ago and we had many choices to make. And we made them. Disagree about "media induced."

Not taking sides either way, but we have rarely gotten consistent messages out of our leaders. Experts CDC/Fauci etc. are trotted out and offer a plan, then the same pols who stood with them undercut them a day later.

Indeed, it seems some states are opening quicker than the CDC/Fauci/official WH guidelines .... then they get ripped by loyalists of the national leaders who undercut WH/CDC guidelines. Absolutely crazy.

Has there been some goofy/lame coverage? Sure. But can't blame the media primarily for inducing the choice.

Dr. Fauci now stating that schools should open in the fall. We will wait to see what the word is at the end of August.....
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/us/fauci-schools-reopening-coronavirus/index.html

Do you mean the word from Dr. Fauci and other "experts" or from the schools? IMO, I believe most likely the schools will make their definitive decisions well before the end of August, probably by the end of July if not slightly before. Of course, they all have contingency plans for various options

I'm mean the "experts",example: the official stance on wearing masks has changed so many times I've lost count. So I'm sure by the end of August the "experts" will all get together and have some sort of amendment to schools opening.

I believe you are right.  Just for the record, some of us in the medical field have not changed our opinions about masks and I am certainly not an expert.

[OzJohnnie]

The U comes to the party.  I can almost smell the pigskin.

https://www.startribune.com/u-president-to-recommend-in-person-classes-resume-this-fall/571050202/

[OzJohnnie]

A beautiful winters day here in Melbourne and everyone was out walking their pets, including a woman walking her parrot.  Amazingly, my dog didn't even care about the bird.

[art76]

A beautiful winters day here in Melbourne and everyone was out walking their pets, including a woman walking her parrot.  Amazingly, my dog didn't even care about the bird.

They're predicting 96F here in the twin cities today - oof-da!

[ChicagoTommie]

If anyone is in the know or has an opinoion on how well did UST did in recrutment for the rhe incoming class???>?>

[GoldandBlueBU]

A beautiful winters day here in Melbourne and everyone was out walking their pets, including a woman walking her parrot.  Amazingly, my dog didn't even care about the bird.

I bet it brings you right back to the winters of your youth in GR.

I'm working from cabin today up at my parent's place in Wabana township...one upside of the pandemic has been that my office's of "never work from home" culture will shift a bit as people are proving that we're productive regardless of where we sit.

[SagatagSam]

I'm mean the "experts",example: the official stance on wearing masks has changed so many times I've lost count. So I'm sure by the end of August the "experts" will all get together and have some sort of amendment to schools opening.

The back and forth on masks makes me think of the Lewis Black stand-up bit about eggs being good/bad/good/bad:

https://youtu.be/iRsTtzYhTxk?t=333

[faunch]

A beautiful winters day here in Melbourne and everyone was out walking their pets, including a woman walking her parrot.  Amazingly, my dog didn't even care about the bird.

They're predicting 96F here in the twin cities today - oof-da!

Phone is showing 97F in St. Paul right non and 30% humidity....f-ing gross for June 8!!!

[OzJohnnie]

I bet it brings you right back to the winters of your youth in GR.

I'm working from cabin today up at my parent's place in Wabana township...one upside of the pandemic has been that my office's of "never work from home" culture will shift a bit as people are proving that we're productive regardless of where we sit.

You would be suprised how quickly your blood thins and every winter becomes cold.  I am soft.

As for working from home, it's wearing me down.  I need to meet with other people in the flesh and have interactions.  I much, much, muchly prefer the office.

[jamtod]

I bet it brings you right back to the winters of your youth in GR.

I'm working from cabin today up at my parent's place in Wabana township...one upside of the pandemic has been that my office's of "never work from home" culture will shift a bit as people are proving that we're productive regardless of where we sit.

You would be suprised how quickly your blood thins and every winter becomes cold.  I am soft.

As for working from home, it's wearing me down.  I need to meet with other people in the flesh and have interactions.  I much, much, muchly prefer the office.

I generally consider myself an extrovert, so I've been surprised how much I've enjoyed working from home and basically not going anywhere. With 4 young kids, we've actually been able to put the simplicity of life to good use, and I guess I've found social outlets in various ways that satisfy that side of me (arguing on the internet doesn't really count, but I've gotten together with some good friends for outdoor bonfires or beers here and there). Kids are going crazy though, about time to send 8 year old son to Iowa again for a few weeks with my parents where life is a little more free.

[OzJohnnie]

Oddly, I'm an introvert.  But you need social interaction to bond with people.  Video and phone don't enable any emotional team building.  No opportunity to go have a coffee or beer and shoot the s*** with your work colleagues makes work a robotic transaction.  And when the only thing that holds an employee to his job is a paycheck and the fact that he can't leave his house then good luck holding a business together when he can leave.

At seeming odds with that is that my part of the business had the biggest local month ever in May and by a long way.  In fact, I've set three consecutive months of best performance ever (and in May perhaps my little corner of the business was the highest performing on the planet).  Of course, I'm selling it as my unique talents but it's not that (or overwhelmingly not that although I'm sure it helps a little ).  The real cause is work from home and the travel ban.  None of my consultants can leave the country (or even travel interstate for a long weekend, or even locally as overnight stays for pleasure are still banned).  Sick leave is meaningless because unless you're almost dead then you may as well get out of bed and click on the keyboard.  The gov't assist on eliminating vacation time and sick leave alone has given my performance a 10% free kick right off the bat.  So much for work/life balance anymore, eh?

But it will come back to haunt me and everyone else.  When travel bans lift then watch my untilization numbers plummet.  And when recruiters can meet candidates again watch my retention fall through the floor, particularly since the only way I've interacted with any of my staff is over video.  They have been cooped up at home, working long hours because travel time at a minimum has just naturally worked it's way into the workday.  There is an insane amount of steam building up which needs to be blown off somehow and it will come like a hurricane when the labor market is freed up again, I'm afraid.

[SagatagSam]

Just saw that Frank Berres '57 passed away. Here's the story from Frank Rajkowski:



A list of the most fervent fans of Saint John's University athletics over the years would certainly take up a lot of space.

But near the top would have to be the name of Frank Berres '57, who died Friday, June 5 at age 85.

The Escanaba, Michigan resident was a 1953 graduate of Le Sueur (Minnesota) High School who went on to enroll at SJU that fall.

During his time on campus, Berres founded a cheering section that would go on to become a legendary and colorful part of Johnnie lore and is still going strong today ...

The Rat Pack.

"The fact that the Rat has survived 50 years at Saint John's is really exciting to me," Berres said in an article in the autumn 2004 edition of the SJU Magazine. "It appears to have enough momentum to survive the test of time.

"The Johnnie Rat began with me and I am proud of it."

According to the article, Berres picked up the nickname "The Rat" because his room in Benet Hall was so messy it resembled a rat's nest.

He was also a regular attendee at SJU athletic events, becoming a vocal supporter of the Johnnies – especially during basketball games in the Old Gym (Guild Hall).

"It was entertainment on the weekends, so students went to Johnnie basketball games," he said.

The section where Berres and his friends sat – on the north end of the gym closest to the door – soon became known as the "Rat Section." And Berres laid claim to being the original Rat.

Among the first to experience the Rats' needling of the opposition was Evelyn Young, the wife of then-Gustavus coach Gus Young. She was known for cheering on her husband's team loudly and waving her fur coat, sometimes even throwing it to the floor.

Berres began mimicking her actions with a coat of his own and a long tradition of trying to get under the skin of the opposing team and its followers was born.

The reputation of the Rats eventually began to spread, even beyond the MIAC. By the mid-1990s, Sports Illustrated named the group the zaniest cheering section in all of college sports.

"On behalf of Johnnie Rats everywhere, I'd like to express my sincere condolences to the Berres family," said SJU athletic director Bob Alpers, a 'proud Rat from the class of '82.'

"I think every student that has attended a game and cheered for Saint John's has been proud to be a member of the Rat Pack. I wish I had the chance to meet Frank and thank him for founding one of the greatest fan traditions in all of college sports. Rest in peace."

According to his obituary, Berres and his wife Jean moved from Minnesota to Escanaba in the 1960s and raised five children there. He was employed as a social worker with the State of Michigan for 25 years before retiring in 1992. He then worked for Qwest Diagnostic.

He was also active in the community, starting a local softball league that grew as large as 50 teams. He was a prominent member of his Elks Lodge, earning Michigan's Elk of the Year award in 2002-03.

His love for the local teams extended to Escanaba High School, where he became a regular presence at athletic events – especially football, basketball and softball games. He was named the Escanaba Fan Club's "Fan of the Year" and to the Escanaba Quarterback Club's "Wall of Fame."

But his original love was the Johnnies, and he returned to watch SJU play numerous times over the years. That included being on hand to see John Gagliardi set the all-time collegiate victory record with a win over Bethel at Clemens Stadium in 2003, and a trip to Roanoke, Virginia to see the Johnnies beat Mount Union (Ohio) for the Division III national title that same year.

"It's just a thrill to be here and it's a thrill to be a Johnnie fan," he told the St. Cloud Times that day.

"It's awesome to be here, especially being married to the original Rat," added Jean Berres. "Forty-four years I've been following them around, and it's been great. This is unbelievable."

Berres was also on hand for Homecoming in 2007 – the 50th anniversary of his graduation.

It was on that afternoon that he visited that year's Rat Pack in the north end zone and helped them cheer on the Johnnies to a 30-29 comeback win over St. Olaf.

"On the campus, the football game and seeing the Rat Pack members made it seem like it was just yesterday," he wrote in a letter to The Record recounting his experience.

"The first half of the game between two outstanding teams was most intense. At the half, the Johnnies held the lead 17-16 over St. Olaf. Early in the third quarter, the Oles scored on a field goal to make the score 19-17.

"The Old Rat in me felt it was time to go to the North End Zone to help the 'Rat Pack.' Walking down the steps, the Johnnie crowd uttered some moans as the Oles forced a fumble off the Johnnie kickoff return. More gloom set in when the Oles scored again, making it 26-17. Got to the Pack and told them they just had pizza, but had not done anything yet. Did my only thing, asking them to give me a J-O-H-N-N-I-E-S. They were noisy.

"Soon we scored to make it Oles 26 and Johnnies 24. Another 'JOHNNIE' yell even noisier. We go ahead 30-26. Soon the Oles hit a field goal. Now Johnnies 30-Oles 29. After the Oles kickoff, decided it was time for a 'JOHNNIE' yell. Told "Rat Pack" it would be my last one at the 5:29 mark because it was time for my medications.

"At age 72, leading cheers for 20-year-olds is not easy!"

[story by Frank Rajkowski]