FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Touchdown Tommy]

Chewey: Make it a priority to bring Brice and join the Stiftungsfestivities on Saturday morning at Thumper U.  Dusty has indicated to me that you fellas would be "Guests of Honor" with VIP seating and bottomless cold bevies.

Speaking of Red Hot Bennie: I wonder if the "Domanatrix" will be making the trek from Medina to Arden Hills.  My sources tell me she doesn't do weather below 40 degrees especially when a certain Dirty Deuce no longer performs magic tricks on the gridiron.

Veek: Can you pick me up Saturday morning on your way down Highway 10?

[GoldandBlueBU]

Forecast high of 55 for saturday...sounds pretty solid!

[johnnie_esq]

But suppose that BU loses by a lot to SJU, and Wartburg loses to Central, what are the Oles chances of getting into the playoffs then?  Might the 30-29 game against SJU make them look better than Bethel?  Maybe the NCAA will want to give them a shot in the playoffs as opposed to the "perennial playoff cupcake" (not my words) Bethel?

No chance at all, in my opinion.  The running up of the score against Carleton is not changing that at all.  That was pretty Bush-League but SJU has been accused of doing the same thing.  On the other hand, one can not just tell one's players to cush off a little and lose intensity.  Bethel is a playoff sausage squad but I think they still get it even if they lose to SJU.  I don't know what it is but that school can not win a playoff football game and Bethel has had some really good teams in the past. 

Remember that, should BU lose to the Johnnies this week, they are competing with approximately 300 schools for 9 at large births to the big dance.  While some of these schools have no chance to make it (e.g. Macalester is likely out of consideration), there are about 8-12 plausible 1 loss teams, and about 20-25 current or plausible 2 loss teams, all in the running for 9 pool C births.  That includes STO. 

The Oles have to be cheering for the Johnnies and the Dutch this weekend. If BU/Wartburg wins, SJU/Central will likely take up a Pool C birth themselves, thus making there be one less for STO to possibly have-- and the MIAC is not strong enough to warrant 3 of the 32 births to the dance.  But even the, Redlands still looks better than St. Olaf on paper-- they actually beat a likely playoff participant-- even if they lose to Cal Lu this weekend for their second loss on the season.

[raiderguy]

farley 101,

Thanks for the info. I'll stick with mine. Appetizers anyone?

See ya Saturday.

[bcflyguy1]

No way the MIAC gets three teams, especially if two of them are two loss teams.  Olaf being in the Top 25 is very deceiving, to say the least.  If SJU wins this Saturday, BU is a VERY long shot to get into the show and Olaf lost by 21 to BU so there's no way they could be in too.  Not enough slots to go around, and Olaf has proven that they're not ready to see that level of football anyway.  That Olaf coach's offense and a bunch of Florida kids playing in the cold and snow sounds like a monkey-stomp waiting to happen.

If BU loses and by some miracle get in at 8-2 it would almost certainly mean going on the road to Whitewater or SJU.  Does that sound like fun to anybody not from SJU or UWW?  Not this guy.  BU's playoffs start this Saturday, and assuming they win will hope they don't  get screwed in the bracket like they did last year (what a travesty that was).  Hope Flannery is a go for this Saturday too since it's going to take the best BU can muster. 

[OzJohnnie]

Thanks all for the messages reassuring me as to the safety of having a night out with tmerton.  It was a tongue-in-cheek comment.  I didn't really think he would cook me up.  Maybe drug me, but I am pretty sure he won't cook me.  Of course, with the way my fitness has fallen off the last few years there is probably some pretty good marbling in a few of my more choice cuts.  Wagyu beef has got nothing on me.

[OzJohnnie]

By the way, today was the Melbourne Cup, the world's premier (or at least the Aussies think so) race for stayers and is called The Race that Stops a Nation.  Stayers are horses that run long distances.  The Melbourne Cup is 3200 meters, which is just a few meters short of two miles.  If interested, here is last year's race with an exciting photo finish.  You can catch a bit of the crowd, which numbered 110k, in that vid.

Of course, what you really want to see at the cup are views like this:



or this:

[THE HAMMER]

After trying to get caught up on the last 15 pages or so I have a few things to say...

1) I'm not sure if everyone here is aware but Meidt was the O-coordinator at BU NOT the head coach so linking him to "similarities" between the play of BU and STO is a little out there if you ask me. Usually, the head coach implements their coaching philosophy into a program not an assistant.

2) The starters from STO weren't sitting by halftime like Koefed and the Johnnies because STO was only up by 1 point at halftime.

3) The pass from Penz to HG was thrown when STO was up by 4 scores at the beginning of the fourth. I don't feel the game was fully in the bag at that point. If you need proof, look at the 32 point come from behind victory STO had against Luther back in 04. That comeback didn't really begin until the end of the 3rd quarter/beginning of the 4th when Luther was still up by just over 3 scores. Given the way CC had played STO up until that point (dominated them most of the 1st half) and the quick scoring nature of the game, I don't see how the game was completely in hand for STO like everyone says. I've seen stranger things happen.

4) Still not impressed with RJ Jackson or the fact that each year his bark is bigger than his bite, but Frank is a damn good receiver. The announcer for CC made me want to cut my ears off. Listening to him was like watching a special on the A&E channel. I think it's the first time I've ever heard an announcer use metaphors to explain a football game.

5) Stanbob - yes, I do know what I'm talking about. With over 100 players on the team roster each year for the last 4 years you may want to consider the idea that perhaps it's not the same players getting in trouble over and over again. Meidt would cut a player like that faster than you could blink. I've heard him say it and seen him do it on a few occasions.

6) CC and STO have travelled all of their players for that game every year I was there in the last 4 years. I'm not sure if other schools do this but I know CC and STO did until this year. For the record being able to travel, even if it is only 2 minutes away is a BIG DEAL for many players. For some seniors, this would be the only game they'd ever get a chance to travel to so I could see how not allowing it all of a sudden could upset a few people. Meidt also had 3 QBs. Knowing him, he would bring 5 QBs to each away game if he could manage to work it out for the depth chart and travel roster.

[Rugman]

By the way, today was the Melbourne Cup, the world's premier (or at least the Aussies think so) race for stayers and is called The Race that Stops a Nation.  Stayers are horses that run long distances.  The Melbourne Cup is 3200 meters, which is just a few meters short of two miles.  If interested, here is last year's race with an exciting photo finish.  You can catch a bit of the crowd, which numbered 110k, in that vid.

Of course, what you really want to see at the cup are views like this:



or this:

The babe on the right has some pretty impressive sunglasses

[DuffMan]

...and Olaf has proven that they're not ready to see that level of football anyway. 

I'd say the same about Bethel   

[onearmedscot]

TDT--
Your sources tell you what RHB doesn't do...any sources that tell you what she does do...wink, wink, wink.

Had an interesting chat with a certain MIAC coach involved in the 85-28 game.  Some interesting comments.  Too bad it was all off the record or I'd share it .

And after countless hours of research, I have determined the winner for Saturday...it is none other than St. John's.



Go Johnnies!!

oAs.

[DuffMan]

I don't think we want you on our bandwagon, OAS.

[justadad]

...and Olaf has proven that they're not ready to see that level of football anyway. 

I'd say the same about Bethel   

Bethel has proven themselves against MIAC opponents.  They are striving for the next step.  Olaf needs to win the big ones in conference.  The Johnnies total belief that they are going to win no matter what happens is really something special.  I do not think it happens many places for the lengh of time it has in Collegeville.  I am begining to think it is part of everything at CSB/SJU.  

[TC]

...and Olaf has proven that they're not ready to see that level of football anyway. 

I'd say the same about Bethel   

St. Olaf, lifetime postseason record:  0-0.
Bethel, lifetime postseason record:  0-3.

St. Olaf may be bad, but the only thing that's been proven:  BETHEL IS BAD!!!

And after countless hours of research, I have determined the winner for Saturday...it is none other than St. John's.

Go Johnnies!!

Save it for the Stagg Bowl, OAS.

[DuffMan]

Bethel has proven themselves against MIAC opponents.  They are striving for the next step.  Olaf needs to win the big ones in conference.  

You're making me question your Johnnie-ness.

Repeat after me:

Bethel sucks, Olaf sucks, Hamline sucks, Augsburg sucks, Carleton sucks, Concordia sucks, GAC sucks, St. Thomas sucks.