FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

I've often wondered about the wear and tear on the field from the post game celebration.  Australian football used to have a unique solution to the crowd storming the field (now they issue $11k fines and jail sentences as the the Australian style it seems, but 15 years ago they had a different, more culture enhancing approach).  They used to have security lining the boundary as the game finished but about three or four minutes after the game and the players have cleared the field then the horn would sound and it was a crazy race from all angles of the boundary for first to the centre circle.  The crowd noise would swell in anticipation of the huge collision in the middle and then erupt as everyone crashed together.  Assuming wear and tear is ok, maybe a collision based approach like that could work.  Let them on the field but after all is clear and free to be stomped.

I don't know that it would be a big deal with turf, and regular, non-athletic shoes. More wear and tear from running down the field with shopping carts.

[DuffMan]

200+ guys practice on the turf daily, so I would imagine a couple thousand fans on the field 6x per year is no big deal.

[Texas Ole]

Not every school can have the musical talent of St. Olaf.  Some people can't carry a tune in a bucket.  I can't even carry the bucket!

[faunch]

If this had been in the UST MIAC days, I'd second mortgage my house on a bet that Faunch would be here calling for Caruso to be fired, and UST to be barred from the playoffs for that type of behavior...

In reality though - good of them to call out the crappy behavior.  Hopefully there are enough leaders in the student section to put it to an end. (the ref-shoving and taking a swing at a coach stuff - the Anthem stuff is low-class, but as Oz pointed out, to be expected from young kids making their own decisions for the first time...and the barriers getting broken should be a surprise to nobody).

U$T never had enough students in the stands, in any game other than SJU, to make running on the field an issue.

[jamtod]

If this had been in the UST MIAC days, I'd second mortgage my house on a bet that Faunch would be here calling for Caruso to be fired, and UST to be barred from the playoffs for that type of behavior...

In reality though - good of them to call out the crappy behavior.  Hopefully there are enough leaders in the student section to put it to an end. (the ref-shoving and taking a swing at a coach stuff - the Anthem stuff is low-class, but as Oz pointed out, to be expected from young kids making their own decisions for the first time...and the barriers getting broken should be a surprise to nobody).

U$T never had enough students in the stands, in any game other than SJU, to make running on the field an issue.

New phone who dis?

[SagatagSam]

Johnnie students have sung along to the national anthem at basically every game I can remember for the past several years. I don't know that it's obnoxious.

Axl Theimer used to have that choir moving along at a pretty good clip. The new director of choral activities took a more leisurely pace. Maybe if they picked up the tempo the students couldn't keep up.

My read here is that they are singing in a disrespectful manner (I'm imagining loud, intentionally out of tune, etc.).

Bingo. That was my understanding. I know a few guys that would do this after they get a few Hamm's in 'em.

[SagatagSam]

I initially clicked on this, thinking it was gonna be a bit of a "kids these days" article. But then I read this gem:

Families of our players, many with small children, almost get trampled by our own students. One of our own students shoved a referee, as the ref was trying to avoid being run over, and another took a swing at an opposing coach.

This is what I found to be the most disconcerting--especially the taking a swing at an opposing coach. Running over the ref is bad, but there is at least the possibly that it was unintentional.

Taking swings at guests on campus could put you on the expulsion train.

I know during my time the admin preached that "Johnnies don't hit Johnnies," and that to do so was automatic expulsion. I can't imagine taking an unprovoked swing at a guest would be viewed much differently.

[USTBench]

If this had been in the UST MIAC days, I'd second mortgage my house on a bet that Faunch would be here calling for Caruso to be fired, and UST to be barred from the playoffs for that type of behavior...

In reality though - good of them to call out the crappy behavior.  Hopefully there are enough leaders in the student section to put it to an end. (the ref-shoving and taking a swing at a coach stuff - the Anthem stuff is low-class, but as Oz pointed out, to be expected from young kids making their own decisions for the first time...and the barriers getting broken should be a surprise to nobody).

U$T never had enough students in the stands, in any game other than SJU, to make running on the field an issue.

Perhaps, but I think the more logical answer is we never felt the need to rush the field for a win over (*checks notes)...Aurora? SJU rushed the field for a win over Aurora?

SMH

[jamtod]

If this had been in the UST MIAC days, I'd second mortgage my house on a bet that Faunch would be here calling for Caruso to be fired, and UST to be barred from the playoffs for that type of behavior...

In reality though - good of them to call out the crappy behavior.  Hopefully there are enough leaders in the student section to put it to an end. (the ref-shoving and taking a swing at a coach stuff - the Anthem stuff is low-class, but as Oz pointed out, to be expected from young kids making their own decisions for the first time...and the barriers getting broken should be a surprise to nobody).

U$T never had enough students in the stands, in any game other than SJU, to make running on the field an issue.

Perhaps, but I think the more logical answer is we never felt the need to rush the field for a win over (*checks notes)...Aurora? SJU rushed the field for a win over Aurora?

SMH

Aurora, whatever. Close game, some history with a previous close game, a long time since the previous on campus game.

But Martin frickin' Luther?

[OzJohnnie]

As Queen Gertrude once said...

[faunch]

If this had been in the UST MIAC days, I'd second mortgage my house on a bet that Faunch would be here calling for Caruso to be fired, and UST to be barred from the playoffs for that type of behavior...

In reality though - good of them to call out the crappy behavior.  Hopefully there are enough leaders in the student section to put it to an end. (the ref-shoving and taking a swing at a coach stuff - the Anthem stuff is low-class, but as Oz pointed out, to be expected from young kids making their own decisions for the first time...and the barriers getting broken should be a surprise to nobody).

U$T never had enough students in the stands, in any game other than SJU, to make running on the field an issue.

Perhaps, but I think the more logical answer is we never felt the need to rush the field for a win over (*checks notes)...Aurora? SJU rushed the field for a win over Aurora?

SMH

How many times did UST open a season against a ranked team?
Remember the Aurora game was the 1st game on campus in almost two years versus a top 20 team that we hosted in the 2019 playoffs...remember the playoffs??? (If you all recall UST was at home for the playoffs in 2019  ).

It was seesaw affair in front of over 8,500 fans in which SJU reclaimed the lead late in the fourth quarter. (FWIW the Tommies drew a paltry 5,000 in their D1 home opening romp versus hoops powerhouse Butler)

Leading 39-33 the game came down to final seconds and a 4th and goal from inside the 1 yard line. The Johnnies D blew up the play and got the strip and fumble recovery, followed by taking a knee to secure the win.
Frankly i don't have a problem with students rushing the field following under those circumstances...I may have hugged half a dozen people in the stands myself.
https://twitter.com/ccarrIX/status/1434264831079731200?s=20

Rushing the field after the Martin Luther and Bethel game was stupid and possibly brought on by excessive consumption of spirits. Any kid that took a swing at a visiting coach should be kicked out of school. I'm concerned that a negative light could shine on pregame tailgating if these behaviors continue. My impression is that there may be a fair amount consumption by students under the age of 21.

Anyway...have fun watching 1-4 Valpo this weekend...should be compelling. They hung with Dartmouth. https://www.valpoathletics.com/football/schedule/

[SagatagSam]

Leading 39-33 the game came down to final seconds and a 4th and goal from inside the 1 yard line. The Johnnies D blew up the play and got the strip and fumble recovery, followed by taking a knee to secure the win.

You forgot to mention the guy the Johnnie D tracked down and forced to fumble wasn't just some random guy Don Beebe pulled out of the corridor. It was a 2019 Gagliardi Trophy finalist.

People can talk down Aurora all they want, but talk is cheap against a QB like Zimbleman. Take them lightly at your own peril.

[RoyalsFan]

So, I went back to the archives to do something I haven't done in many years: read the CSB-SJU Record. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I really just wanted to see how much has changed and stayed the same.

Then this headline in the opinion section jumped out from the October 1, 2021:

"Respect needs to come first for football fans"

The piece was authored by Athletic Director Bob Alpers, Gary Fasching, and the SJU football players and coaching staff.

They wrote to address (read: put an end to) a few things:
1) The students have been a little rowdy during the Star Spangled Banner, obnoxiously singing along apparently.
2) The students have been (deliberately?) breaking apart/knocking over the temporary barriers in the end zone after almost every score.
3) They want the students to stop storming the field as a matter of habit after every game--they did so after the Martin Luther and Bethel wins.

You can read for yourself here: https://cdm.csbsju.edu/digital/collection/CSBArchNews/id/44363/rec/2287

(just click on the image of the page and it will allow you to zoom in on the text)

One thing that wasn't addressed, is some of the student section will come over to the visitor stands and run up and down in front of the crowd and taunt the crowd, normally late in the game when they think that SJU has an insurmountable lead. This has happened about every time I have been to a SJU/Bethel game, dating back to the early 2000's. IMO, it is just bad sportsmanship and I don't see it happen at any other school.

[carletonknights]

Was it poor sportsmanship or just pure idiocy when some Oles dug a rather large image of an ejaculating male penis (did I just violate the rules by typing that?) into the field around the 40 yard line in the wee hours of the morning of the Carleton - St. Olaf game in 2018? Thankfully, no one twisted an ankle in the trench.

[OzJohnnie]

Was it poor sportsmanship or just pure idiocy when some Oles dug a rather large image of an ejaculating male penis (did I just violate the rules by typing that?) into the field around the 40 yard line in the wee hours of the morning of the Carleton - St. Olaf game in 2018? Thankfully, no one twisted an ankle in the trench.

STO?  To be fair it would a have been small and unlikely to cause an ankle twist.  Don't be so dramatic.