FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[OzJohnnie]

@duffman. Jet Strickenberger?

https://youtube.com/shorts/49zJrUetkGc?si=7OxtLQY_5RugVTjt

[OzJohnnie]

So, the NFL is coming to Melbourne.  It looks like the Rams will host the Eagles at the MCG in a week one contest that will fall in the bye week before the AFL Grand Final.

My mates are very excited and already planning to go.  I'll go with them, I guess, but the MCG is huge, and we'll be soooo far from the action.  Anyways, we'll see.

Saw this and thought of you Oz. But now that you say the field stuff that makes sense. Sorta like watching football games in baseball stadiums, there can be some really weird seats that are 30+ yds from the sideline.

Someone has photoshopped it up.  It will be interesting to see how they lay out the field on the day.

Click to embiggen.

[DuffMan]

@duffman. Jet Strickenberger?

It's an emotional sport, and there is a fine line between being pumped about a big win and excessive celebration--that one fully crossed it. 

[DuffMan]

Mike Heffernen stepped down as CSS's head coach to return to his alma mater.

Heffernen steps down

[SagatagSam]

Mike Heffernen stepped down as CSS's head coach to return to his alma mater.

Heffernen steps down

Hopefully they can get someone in there to take the program to the next level.
I like winning games, but we need to get the MIAC more competitive top to bottom. Watching SJU throttle CSS every year by 60+ isn't good for anyone. CSS raising their game helps the whole conference.

[DuffMan]

Amen to that.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Mike Heffernen stepped down as CSS's head coach to return to his alma mater.

Heffernen steps down

Hopefully they can get someone in there to take the program to the next level.
I like winning games, but we need to get the MIAC more competitive top to bottom. Watching SJU throttle CSS every year by 60+ isn't good for anyone. CSS raising their game helps the whole conference.

For sure that's the truth...but the extreme top-heaviness of the MIAC football has been in place for 20+ years at this point...will it ever really change?  I don't think CSS is any sort of key to that.

Save for their minor decline year or two, SJU has always been there, plus one team who can challenge them, mostly Bethel, but once in awhile another team has one good year....then the rest of the conference games are basically a waste of time with extremely lopsided scores.  It's kind of a bummer, honestly, only having a game or two during the regular season that you really look forward to watching....and then it's not like the rest are "just OK"...they're extreme yawners. 

It is hard to see that every really changing, barring some sort of real talent shift to the rest of the MIAC.

[Robert Zimmerman]

Well, maybe the new CSS football coach can at least improve the video feed.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Well, maybe the new CSS football coach can at least improve the video feed.

That seems like a more realistic goal!   

[SagatagSam]

Where I was going with my statement is that we, as a conference, want schools like CSS, Macalester, Hamline to go out and have a good non-conference showing, and then be able to hang a little bit closer in the conference games. We all poo-pooed Carleton for decades, but they have had some good seasons and played some good Johnnie teams close (See 2008, 14-10 last second Johnnie victory). That's my hope for CSS--be good enough to at least give us a scare once every decade. Don't make me wonder if I should take the Johnnies to cover when AO's line is at CSS +60.5. Let's hope CSS can get to a point where AO's line is CSS +35.5. That's at least a step in the right direction and not completely unrealistic.

*Nov. 22, 2014 Home W, 35-7 (NCAA first round)
Sept. 3, 2016 Home W, 49-7
Sept. 2, 2017 Home W, 98-0
#Oct. 30, 2021 Home W, 81-0
#Oct. 29, 2022 Away W, 56-6
#Oct. 28, 2023 Home W, 62-7
#Nov. 2, 2024 Away W, 70-0

[TheChucker]

Mike Heffernen stepped down as CSS's head coach to return to his alma mater.

Heffernen steps down

Hopefully they can get someone in there to take the program to the next level.
I like winning games, but we need to get the MIAC more competitive top to bottom. Watching SJU throttle CSS every year by 60+ isn't good for anyone. CSS raising their game helps the whole conference.

For sure that's the truth...but the extreme top-heaviness of the MIAC football has been in place for 20+ years at this point...will it ever really change?  I don't think CSS is any sort of key to that.

Save for their minor decline year or two, SJU has always been there, plus one team who can challenge them, mostly Bethel, but once in awhile another team has one good year....then the rest of the conference games are basically a waste of time with extremely lopsided scores.  It's kind of a bummer, honestly, only having a game or two during the regular season that you really look forward to watching....and then it's not like the rest are "just OK"...they're extreme yawners. 

It is hard to see that every really changing, barring some sort of real talent shift to the rest of the MIAC.

I think it's to the point in D3 where any conference that has nationally relevant teams will see extreme competitive imbalances. There's such a huge gap now between the perennial playoff contenders and non-contenders. It can't be good for conference health (see the ASC). I believe Scholastica typically had winning programs in the UMAC, but the Johnnies, Bethel, and even GAC and the Cobs are on a whole different level.

[Redtooth]

The conference (like most DIII football leagues) has been incredibly top heavy and consistent over the last nearly 40 years......dating back to 1987 when GAC won their last title only four schools not named SJU, Bethel or UST.  Hamline won in 88, Concordia won in 90, 95 and 04, Carleton won in 92 and Augsburg in 97.

The prospective student athletes being recruited today were not alive the last time the league had balance or parity......and frankly I would be shocked if it ever does again.  The commitment of time, resources and a long-term viable plan will prevent anything to exist in college football at this level that looks like balance or parity.  More likely we might see schools give up on football and conferences combine for football purposes.

[BDB]

RIP Northland College.

[AO]

RIP Northland College.

We hosted them in hoops last night, they had gotten the email their school was closing while they were on the bus. All things considered they were in good spirits. Tough days for small colleges.

[OzJohnnie]

Bartch signed a one-year contract with the 49ers.  If he can win the starting job, he'll be up for a big fat free-agency deal.  What a great opportunity.  Good luck to him.