FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[DustySJU]

Why is it that Bethel alums are too afraid to predict a royal victory?  St. John's is far from invincible this season, as they were only able to beat a 2-7 Eau Claire team by 4, and a 3-6 concordia team by 2.  The ranking may be high, but they show serious signs of weakness.  I wouldn't be too worried about porta fumbling when Kofoed had serious trouble holding on against st. thomas.  Bethel has the talent to win the game, even the most hardcore johnnie faithful understand this and realize that losing to Bethel is a possibility.

You Mr. Olson, as a graduate of the vaunted learning institution known as Long Prairie Grey Eagle , having grown up just minutes from the vortex of higher learning, spiritualism and football, should be aware enough to realize the Johnnies will win this weekend and win convincingly.

Losing to Bethel is not a possibility because no one, and I mean NO ONE comes into our house and pushes us around... (ask Dan Devine).  The J's may occassionally sleep walk through a lesser opponent but never at home vs a respectable team in an important situation has any coach or player on the squad ever failed.  It won't happen this weekend and it won't happen in the postseason.  It can't.  No one will let it happen.

AO, if you're brave enough to make the trip Saturday and yell your lungs out for your neighbors you'll see my comments confirmed.

The Johnnies are in a prime positon to perform in the playoffs.  Whereas last season's finale included 2 cupcakes and then a concrete wall, this season's opponents include 2 teams that actually took time to prepare for the game.  Unfortunatley for Bethel they had a breeze this weekend with Augie and will run into the steel mill at St. John's Saturday.  UWW is pitted in the same scenario as SJU saw last season finishing up with the dregs of the WIAC.

"...even the most hardcore johnnie faithful understand this and realize that losing to Bethel is a possibility."

AO, That's the difference between SJU and the rest of the world... we know we will always win.

Stay tuned AO... it's just starting to get fun.

Developing...

[Johnnie Red]

piperinsider, I did not go to high school in Glencoe. While I did date a lot of babes from Glencoe, including a foreign exchange student from Sweden (can you say HOT!), I went to Norwood Young America Central High School.

My connections with Glencoe developed my senior year. NYA did not have a cross country team. I got permission in the fall of `70 from my AD and the AD at Glencoe to drive to Glencoe every day after school and practice with their cross country team and go to all their meets. Unbelievable experience and I made so many friends from Glencoe that I will have forever. My brother Jim, who you mentioned, did go to Glencoe HS as a special ed student.

Little story to share from the Glencoe days and then I will shutup. My toughest competitor in cross-country in the district and region was a Glencoe runner by the name of Pat Feehan, who was a junior. At the district track meet in the spring of `71, which was at Glencoe, Pat and I were competing in the two mile run. Top two went on to region. We were far ahead of the pack. At about the mile mark, I told Pat that we should tie. He agreed and we crossed the finish line holding hands. Spectators were cheering and crying because they knew of our rivalry and friendship. I told Pat that I would take the gold medal for first since he would get it the next year when he was a senior, which he did. The following week, our respective ADs approached us in school and admonished us for intentionally tying and accused us of unsportmanship conduct.

The following Saturday at the Region meet in Winthrop the meet director warned all the runners in the two mile that any intentionally touching of an opponent was grounds for disqualification. I won the race and Pat was second. At the state meet the following week at Macalester Pat finished ahead of me.

My friend came to SJU for two years after he graduated from Glencoe and ran cross-country and track with me. We were groomsmen in each other's weddings and he is my son's godfather and I have the same honor for his daughter.

Royalachilles and BUdefense, if you are going to make the trip to Collegeville this Saturday, please join us for the Stiftungsfestivities. The grills will be fired up around 10:00 a.m. We are located in the parking lot above the scoreboard end of the field. Bring a culinary delight to share if you like. This invitation is extended to all Bethel fans.

[DuffMan]

My apologies to KR, SJU, Ritz and anyone else I am forgetting, there are a lot of you guys with a lot of class.  I am not a BU poster coming out of the woodwork, I have not posted on the BU SJU game for a while, and I will officially end my year win or lose with this post.  The one thing I will say about you boys including your poster chilld TDT is you suport your team even after many of you have graduated years ago. I have one year left,( yeah, sorry TDT,) but, you johnnie fans continue to follow your team year in and year out.  BU and the rest of the MIAC dosen't  have that passion.  That is why you put `10,0o00 in the stands every weekend. And that in my opinion is your biggest advantage.  It is you .....Your team should be proud, and I am excited as the underdog to bring my family from many miles to see this last game for the MIAC chamionship.  I am really proud to be a part of this weekend, and I hope in some small way you are too.  


AC

RoyalAchilles,

I hope you swing by for a burger and beer before the game. 

[Kilted Rat]

.....

Hey AO,
How did that game against Macalaster turn out for your boys at Crown? 

Let's start with the 5th best team in the MIAC then.  Who is it and why would Northwestern not even come close?

As of right now, Gustavus.

Because GAC beat NWC 51-0, and because you were Augsburg's closest road game of the year.
I'll admit NWC beat Auggie Tech this year, but 7 other teams did so as well in more convincing fashion.

[Touchdown Tommy]

Laying it on thick this morning.  Nicely done DSJU and KR.  5 Star posts...


fins: Are you still out for this weekend?  Biggest regular season game of the year....

[sju56321]

MR-you can wake up now-that was some kind of dream. Name calling is always the hallmark of class individual. Just go watch Air Force and leave the beat down to SJU. The only thing being worked on Saturday will be the Hamms and the Royals. (Notice I omitted the name calling).

[sju56321]

MR-no problem-but the smite? Might be others lurking out there.
BTW: TDT has posted worse-but everyone knows the title he holds.
Nice edit, you really are a class guy.

[Touchdown Tommy]

Oh come on....I have heard way worse from SJU posters to BU fans/players....it's just friendly trash talk....relax, guy!

Thanks for the smite by the way!  My goal is to get it down this week!

Mighty Royal

I'll be glad to oblige you each day this week with -K.  See I am in an enviable position.  I can say whatever I want and know that my Karma rating will stay the same.  Feast your hearts out biches...MR like you said you are partaking in "friendly trash talk", because you couldn't possibly be serious.  There is NO precedent for Bethel beating SJU in Collegeville.  This is probably the worst Johnnie team since 1997 and they will still Monkey Stomp BU without a problem.

[57Johnnie]

Chuck Norris Fact of the Day:

Chuck Norris has never been outcoached in football, not even by that head coach from SJU!!!!!!!!!!!

Mighty Royal

Neither has Rosie O'Donnell.  

[sju56321]

I like trash talking that actually uses objective criteria to back up the talk. For example, Bethel has a better statistical defense, so SJU won't score. Or Bethel played CC, UST and STO at home and SJU played them on the road, so SJU is battle tested, and it is easier to pad the stats with tough games at home, than on the road.
I will let TDT handle the psychological trash talk.

[DuffMan]

Steve Johnson will make some boneheaded decisions and screw his team like he always seems to do in big games.  I just hope the Johnnies don't open with the same play they did in '03! 

[sju56321]

What, with the WR pass?? I hope SJU is going to practice defending the fake punt this week.

[Retired Old Rat]

Bethel will not have a chance if they think they can win the game by running on the Johnnies.  The run defense has gotten better every game.  Gunderson is an animal and will really clog up the middle.  Single him, he'll be in the backfield.  Double him, the DE and linebackers will clean up.

[Touchdown Tommy]

Yep Duffman nailed it.  Bethel not only has to beat the Johnnies they have to beat Steve Johnson as well.

ROR: I was getting a little worried about you.  Thought you must be nervous about tomorrow...  8)

There is NO precedent for Bethel beating SJU in Collegeville.  This is probably the worst Johnnie team since 1997 and they will still Monkey Stomp BU without a problem.

Worst, team since '97?  Then you are saying BU has a chance, but before you gave them no chance...you speak out of 2 sides of your mouth!!!  BU, beat them twice since '97! 


MR: Note the bold.  You need to read more carefully.  Where did I give an inkling they have a "chance"?  It is science.  Bethel always shats themselves in Cville.

[johnnie_esq]

Speaking of old coaches, JoePa will be laid up for a while but isn't slowing down. Wonder if he'll get a golf cart too?

I have just scanned the stat sheet and I tenatively like the Jays' chances. 

AO, you are quite the rabble rouser.  You forget that Bethel lost to a 2-5 (MIAC) Carleton team, whose only other win was against a team that even your beloved Northwestern beat.  Bethel escaped Arden Hills with a win against St. Olaf as well.  Remember rivalry games?  SJU has them with, well, pretty much everybody circles that date, so every team gets up to play the Johnnies.  We're not complaining, but that will explain how a "weak" team can play the Johnnies close.  And keep in mind that Bethel didn't exactly blow out IIAC powerhouses Simpson or BV, who also aren't in the top half of the IIAC, which hasn't exactly set the world on fire in the playoffs recently.

BU and SJU are numbers one and two respectively for defenses in the conference.  The interesting stat I saw was that BU gave up 280 yards to STO through the air, and only got 60 yards through the air themselves.  SJU torched the Oles pretty good through the air, so I like that a lot.  SJU has shown they can stop the run-- they've done it to Porta the past few years, and did a pretty good job containing 2 of the WIAC's top seven rushers. 

The bye came at a good time for the Johnnies, who now have had two weeks to watch film on the Royals and let their players heal.  Given that Bethel has now shown  at least one trick play which the Jays can scheme against, I hope (for their sake) they have another one ready to go...

IMO the game will come down to turnovers and special teams.  The kickers (surprise!) are about even, as are the return teams, but SJU has a marked advantage in kickoff coverage and punt coverage.  So if it comes down to field position, a head coach with a habit of going for it on 4th and 2 from the SJU 45 and who loses the coverage game could give the edge to the Jays.