FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[BudSJU84]

Cobbers 18 Hamline 17
Tommies 33 Carleton 31

Gusties 34 Auggies 31

[OzJohnnie]

What a weekend.  Johnnies go this close to getting back on top of the conference.  Cobbers are trying their best to let us back in.  Auggies and Carls did their part however.

Sorry I slept in again, folks.  At least I caught most of the second half.

Later, dudes.

[DuffMan]

Cripes. Talk about another too close game for the Johnnies!

[Willy Wonka]

Ray Wilson? Really?

WOW.

[sju56321]

Not good news for the second place MIAC team, UWW loses to Point. So Point could get the AQ if they win out, UWW a pool C and what about UWEC, a ranked team.

[familyguyfaneightyfour]

the Oles lost the game for themselves.  They outplayed the Johnnies in my opinion, but were unable to pull the trigger when it came down to the wire.  A picture perfect tackle in OT (i can't remember the last time I saw a helmet on a ball like that), and the Johnnies win.
My jaw is still hanging down.  I can't believe the Oles let it get away from them.

[OzJohnnie]

We've got two weeks to wait now, I just realized.  What do you think about the O line getting a transfusion of execution juice over that period?  Auggies and Carls, here we come.

(Also, I figure the bandwagon is firmly with the Jays now.  Cobbers bandwagon fires up in the post season.  If they make it there...  STO will be looking for blood next weekend.)

[chewey]

God SJU sucks compared to what I've been used to.  They were again lucky to get a win today.  But for the blocked extra point, which just looked like a low, bad kick into the hands of several Johnnies, the J's would have their 3rd conference loss.  Keep in mind that Bethel needs to lose one and the Cobblers need to lose two.  I don't think the start are going to align like that for the J's.  The J's coaching staff had better get out and start seriously recruiting good players.  Evidently, St. Thomas stole two great players that were already intending to go to SJU.  I wonder who those players are and what was said to them.  I guess they are supposed to be really, really good.  I can't believe SJU lost a recruiting battle to UST.  That must mean that SJU just did not go out and sell itself enough. 

[DuffMan]

Chewey, maybe you should take care of recruiting since you seem to know everything.

[Pat Coleman]

What do you think about the O line getting a transfusion of execution juice over that period? 

I think they test for that substance.

[Redtooth]

God SJU sucks compared to what I've been used to.  They were again lucky to get a win today.  But for the blocked extra point, which just looked like a low, bad kick into the hands of several Johnnies, the J's would have their 3rd conference loss.  Keep in mind that Bethel needs to lose one and the Cobblers need to lose two.  I don't think the start are going to align like that for the J's.  The J's coaching staff had better get out and start seriously recruiting good players.  Evidently, St. Thomas stole two great players that were already intending to go to SJU.  I wonder who those players are and what was said to them.  I guess they are supposed to be really, really good.  I can't believe SJU lost a recruiting battle to UST.  That must mean that SJU just did not go out and sell itself enough. 

Chewey....before we start writing the SJU Football obituary let's take a step back and examine some history that may give the faithful some sense of perspective in terms of how and when seasons like this happen and what SJU has historically done in the seasons that follow.  My history with SJU dates back to the mid/late 80s so my examples are confined to the last 20 years.  During that time period 3 seasons would be classified as disasters; 1990 at 7-3, 1997 at 6-4 and 2004 at 7-3.  Worst case scenario this season ends at 6-4 like 1997.  To do that we have to lose to both Augsburg and Carleton to end the season.  The remains of the 97 team and its recruiting focus led to arguably the best multi-year run in SJU history 98-03....5 West Region championships in 6 years, two Stagg Bowls and one National Championship....keep in mind that many folks felt that SJU's best days were in the rearview mirror both during and after the 97 season.

In my estimation this year's team is more like 99 than 97 without the name leadership.  The offense in 99 after Linnemann's mangled ankle was challenged to say the least.  The players existed, but execution was brutal at times and OLine play was weak; much like this season.  Strong defense (like this year) ruled the day; the best example of which came in the playoffs when Beau LaBore scored more points on INT returns (14) in the game against UWSP than the offense (9).  The 99 season proved an SJU team can win/make the playoffs without scoring much.  I realize that doesn't sit well with the defense, but you work with the ingredients you have.

In terms of the UST recruiting success, this is not the first or the last time a player will pick them over SJU.  Several of UST's better players in recent memory have been picked them over SJU.  Hilliard, Barkley, Sauer and the guys this year are examples.  Hilliard was given a virtual full ride for academics, Barkley did not want to back up Chris Moore who had started as a freshman at SJU, Sauer did not want to back up Kofoed again.  For this year's reasons read the Star Trib article from this summer that clearly indicated money ($40,000 scholarship) was the factor.  The schools have very different ways of dealing with financial aid.

[snoop dawg]

Go you Gusties....Congrats to the Johnnies.

[repete]

Not good news for the second place MIAC team, UWW loses to Point. So Point could get the AQ if they win out, UWW a pool C and what about UWEC, a ranked team.

Probably not a bad thing all things considered this year. Does it sound fair to say the the top of the MIAC heap might not be as strong as usual but the middle third and perhaps even the bottom are better?

That was a pretty mediocre SJU  effort today. As much as I appreciated the Ole video, it was tough to watch the sloppy execution and uneven effort.

As for the WIAC, as huge as that Point win was, they've still got some big hurdles ahead. And that league could get nuts. LX has put together a couple of big wins over bad teams but might still spring something. If EC and LX beat SP, then EC loses its NC game to UWW, then you've got Whitewater with a the AQ and a couple of 3-loss teams on the outside.

If I were to bet, though, I think UWW will end up wth the AQ and Point gets in at 8-2. The playoff wizzes might correct me, but doesn't it look like that non-conference UWW game could really hurt the Blugolds if they can't pull the upset?

[chewey]

Chewey, maybe you should take care of recruiting since you seem to know everything.

Do I detect an interpersonal connection with the team that serves as the genesis for this sort of "help me, I broke my crayon" sentiment?  Your Kool Aid avatar is apropos in that you must be punch drunk from drinking it.  What I know is immaterial and is not at issue.  What is material and what is at issue is that what the coaching staff knows/is doing and the level the players are performing at is insufficient.   Either integral parts of the team are just not that good (my personal position) or they are not doing the basic things extraordinarily well as was formerly the case in most circumstances. 

I suppose the appropriate mindset is to coddle, be shrouded in denial, make excuses, ignore the obvious and continue course unchanged.  That is not being "supportive" of a team; that is called being a sycophant.  Every team has a down year.  Obviously, this is one of the down years for SJU.  Hopefully, they will get better and make the playoffs.  Hopefully, this year is an aberration and next year will be much better. 

The fact is that there is much more competition for good athletes.  They should actually get out and make contact with kids.  I am sure there are a lot of good athletes out there who have the "we're so great that we're st. john's" mentality about SJU and don't choose to come there because of it.  Not meeting with prospective athletes and all of the glitter that occurs before game time can only exacerbate that.  It's a matter of common sense.  I am sure that other coaches use this to their advantage in recruiting, too.  I'm as big a supporter of SJU football as any but being a supporter does not mean one can not be critical and it does not mean that one must be a blind-folded kisser of maximum SJU butt. 

[Pat Coleman]

Not as much as the loss to River Falls will hurt them.