FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GoldandBlueBU]

So what justifies St. Thomas for getting a number one seed. I think Bethel has more justification than they do.

U$T = 10-0
Bethel = 7-2

Yeah, I'm not sure where you're coming from either.  UST is the top dog in the MIAC this year without a doubt.  As much as it might be convenient for BU if the committee looked as last year's performance, this season is what matters.  Bethel put it on cruise control against St. Olaf and didn't close out the game, and that will be what keeps them out of getting an at large bid. 

[57Johnnie]

I only go to church about once a year now when we're visiting the parents, but sounds like there will be a lot of confusion at Mass.

http://news.yahoo.com/american-catholics-prep-mass-translation-230512232.html

A Johnnie mention in the above story, FYI.

This is nothing. Think of us old timers that 35+ years ago had to switch from Latin. I'm not sure my parents were convinced it was the same church. There were some cruel revisionists that tried to convince them that what they had participated in all their life was wrong. Sad but true.

[DuffMan]

Hamline has laid six goose eggs thus far this season...kind of sad

Here's hoping for another this Saturday

[WashedUp]

I believe that because they move Mount Union East and Whitewater north protects not only Whitewater from play Mount Union early (granted they are the top 2 teams), but protecting St. Thomas...can't fatham it.

It isn't just UST, the last 4 teams not named UW-Whitewater or Mount Union to win a national championship coming from the West.  Linfield and Cal Lutheran will be in the West, both of which are ranked higher than any team in the East, so it's not like the West is a cakewalk without UWW.

[USTBench]

So what justifies St. Thomas for getting a number one seed. I think Bethel has more justification than they do. They beat Bethel every year and when playoffs come around Bethel takes care of business. I never heard of St. Thomas until a couple years ago. I always heard of Delaware Valley. I am not taking anything away from St. Thomas, they have had good teams these last couple years, but historically Bethel along with St. Johns have been the top dogs of that conference and when it comes to playoffs, Bethel & St. Johns has been the winning teams. I believe that because they move Mount Union East and Whitewater north protects not only Whitewater from play Mount Union early (granted they are the top 2 teams), but protecting St. Thomas...can't fatham it. St. Thomas would never be in the discussion if Whitewater stayed in the West and Mount Union in the North. What would have occured is a 'East Team making it to the semi-finals each year and the everyone saying the east is very competitive, but since Mount Union is moved East, they say the East has no teams, but the North has no teams, Mount Union would dominate the North in similar fashion, the same way Whitewater has.

Just wanted to stir some things up...

I'll try not to jump on you a la Johnnie fans on Mr. MIAC...but are you being serious?

The MIAC is a very strong conference. That said, I'd like to think the selection committee picks teams on what they've done this year. How would a two loss team, who not only lost to UST, but also lost to a team UST beat 49 - 14, be more deserving of a #1 seed? The only team that could possibly make an argument for a #1 if UWW gets bumped to a different region is Linfield.

And Delaware Valley? The team that ends their season in a blowout every year? Whether it's Rowan, Albright or Mount Union, you can bet Delaware Valley will make the NCAAs, and get killed by someone from a much stronger conference.

[sfury]

So what justifies St. Thomas for getting a number one seed. I think Bethel has more justification than they do. They beat Bethel every year and when playoffs come around Bethel takes care of business. I never heard of St. Thomas until a couple years ago. I always heard of Delaware Valley. I am not taking anything away from St. Thomas, they have had good teams these last couple years, but historically Bethel along with St. Johns have been the top dogs of that conference and when it comes to playoffs, Bethel & St. Johns has been the winning teams. I believe that because they move Mount Union East and Whitewater north protects not only Whitewater from play Mount Union early (granted they are the top 2 teams), but protecting St. Thomas...can't fatham it. St. Thomas would never be in the discussion if Whitewater stayed in the West and Mount Union in the North. What would have occured is a 'East Team making it to the semi-finals each year and the everyone saying the east is very competitive, but since Mount Union is moved East, they say the East has no teams, but the North has no teams, Mount Union would dominate the North in similar fashion, the same way Whitewater has.

Just wanted to stir some things up...

Trying to decipher that second-to-last sentence. What I've come up with, is St. John's should get in as well. Provided they beat Hamline, of course.

[badgerwarhawk]

The selection committee did formalize the factor of a program's previous post season performance as a criteria they can consider in selection and seeding though in theory, if my memory serves me correctly, it's to be used to break an impasse between two teams.  That being said I'm not sure it does Bethel any good this year.   I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I call it the UW-WHITEWATER rule as it was done in part due to our seeding fiasco last year.   

[Mr. Ypsi]

The selection committee did formalize the factor of a program's previous post season performance as a criteria they can consider in selection and seeding though in theory, if my memory serves me correctly, it's to be used to break an impasse between two teams.  That being said I'm not sure it does Bethel any good this year.   I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I call it the UW-WHITEWATER rule as it was done in part due to our seeding fiasco last year.

And if I'm not mistaken the rule only applies to 2 undefeated teams.

[Pat Coleman]

If UST makes it out of the West Regional Final it appears as though  I will be stuck in Brainerd with fiancee lady's family for what traditionally seems to be, a football free early Christmas/late Thanksgiving (December 10).

A few questions:

1) Is it rude to have my earphones in and my phone tuned to WCCO from 1pm to 4pm, should UST be fortunate enough to play that day?
2) If I am completely engaged in whatever uninteresting things these people have to say for those 3 hours, does that buy me enough karma to go to the Stagg Bowl, should UST pull off the impossible and break up the UWW/Mt. Union love fest?

Yes, I know this is putting the cart before the horse, but I feel I should be prepared just in case.

Noon to 3. All playoff games start at noon ... although for the semifinals there might be some float time because there's talk of television coverage.

[USTBench]

SUADC in his incoherent rambling about how sweet Delaware Valley is, managed to muse a rather interesting thought.

If someone were to break up the seemingly inevitable UWW/Mt. Union reunion at the Stagg Bowl I just don't see that team coming out of the East.

Maybe it's talent saturation, maybe it's too many helicopter moms making their kids play soccer, but with a billion schools crammed into a very small geographical area and the East Coast culture of crabcakes and sailing, I doubt we'll see anyone from the East not ending its playoff run in a blowout for awhile.

[OzJohnnie]

If UST makes it out of the West Regional Final it appears as though  I will be stuck in Brainerd with fiancee lady's family for what traditionally seems to be, a football free early Christmas/late Thanksgiving (December 10).

A few questions:

1) Is it rude to have my earphones in and my phone tuned to WCCO from 1pm to 4pm, should UST be fortunate enough to play that day?
2) If I am completely engaged in whatever uninteresting things these people have to say for those 3 hours, does that buy me enough karma to go to the Stagg Bowl, should UST pull off the impossible and break up the UWW/Mt. Union love fest?

Yes, I know this is putting the cart before the horse, but I feel I should be prepared just in case.

1. No
2. Yes (I also assume you're pretty certain the future in-laws will never read these boards...)

Lastly, thanks for clarifying that bolded part.  I know it can get pretty lonely in North Dakota.

[OzJohnnie]

So what justifies St. Thomas for getting a number one seed. I think Bethel has more justification than they do. They beat Bethel every year and when playoffs come around Bethel takes care of business. I never heard of St. Thomas until a couple years ago. I always heard of Delaware Valley. I am not taking anything away from St. Thomas, they have had good teams these last couple years, but historically Bethel along with St. Johns have been the top dogs of that conference and when it comes to playoffs, Bethel & St. Johns has been the winning teams. I believe that because they move Mount Union East and Whitewater north protects not only Whitewater from play Mount Union early (granted they are the top 2 teams), but protecting St. Thomas...can't fatham it. St. Thomas would never be in the discussion if Whitewater stayed in the West and Mount Union in the North. What would have occured is a 'East Team making it to the semi-finals each year and the everyone saying the east is very competitive, but since Mount Union is moved East, they say the East has no teams, but the North has no teams, Mount Union would dominate the North in similar fashion, the same way Whitewater has.

Just wanted to stir some things up...

I'll try not to jump on you a la Johnnie fans on Mr. MIAC...but are you being serious?

The MIAC is a very strong conference. That said, I'd like to think the selection committee picks teams on what they've done this year. How would a two loss team, who not only lost to UST, but also lost to a team UST beat 49 - 14, be more deserving of a #1 seed? The only team that could possibly make an argument for a #1 if UWW gets bumped to a different region is Linfield.

And Delaware Valley? The team that ends their season in a blowout every year? Whether it's Rowan, Albright or Mount Union, you can bet Delaware Valley will make the NCAAs, and get killed by someone from a much stronger conference.

I reckon it was a hamfisted attempt to light up the boards.  I almost jumped because it was so tempting and I have next to no self-control.

In your indictment of the East teams, bench, you neglected to mention that the starting kickers and punters for most teams from that region are at #OWS picking headlice, so they really don't have much special teams play.  And special teams are very important to the postseason, so the East is screwed pretty much every way.

[SagatagSam]

Maybe it's talent saturation, maybe it's too many helicopter moms making their kids play soccer, but with a billion schools crammed into a very small geographical area and the East Coast culture of crabcakes and sailing, I doubt we'll see anyone from the East not ending its playoff run in a blowout for awhile.

Crabcakes and football, that's what Maryland does!

[sfury]

The great Ryan Klinkner came through on my question about whether the 17-point comeback was the biggest in school history for the Johnnies. No. He'll have a fuller list in the game notes this week. But the biggest ever, which resulted in a victory?

Against Macelester. Trailed 18-0 with 14:08 to go in the 3rd in 1975. Won 38-25.

The 17 is the second-best, matched by their comeback against River-Falls in 2007.

In the semis in 2002, the Johnnies rallied from 22 down to tie it against Trinity, only to lose 41-34. There are some others where the Johnnies rallied from more than 17 down to tie, but eventually lost the game or it ended in a tie.

On a sidenote, god that 2002 team was good. Still not sure how they lost to Eau-Claire in that first game, but they were pretty much a machine from then on, even - and especially - after Denne took over for the injured Keating.

http://gojohnnies.com/schedule.aspx?path=football&schedule=29

How about the games against the Tommies and Oles? 709 yards against Tommies. 638 against Oles. Offensively they were even better than the 2003 team, with Crowley becoming a dominant force. Then they gave up 34 in first half against Trinity. Agh.

But yeah, Saturday...nice comeback.

[Retired Old Rat]

Against Macelester. Trailed 18-0 with 14:08 to go in the 3rd in 1975. Won 38-25.

The 17 is the second-best, matched by their comeback against River-Falls in 2007.

In the semis in 2002, the Johnnies rallied from 22 down to tie it against Trinity, only to lose 41-34. There are some others where the Johnnies rallied from more than 17 down to tie, but eventually lost the game or it ended in a tie.

On a sidenote, god that 2002 team was good. Still not sure how they lost to Eau-Claire in that first game, but they were pretty much a machine from then on, even - and especially - after Denne took over for the injured Keating.

http://gojohnnies.com/schedule.aspx?path=football&schedule=29

How about the games against the Tommies and Oles? 709 yards against Tommies. 638 against Oles. Offensively they were even better than the 2003 team, with Crowley becoming a dominant force. Then they gave up 34 in first half against Trinity. Agh.

But yeah, Saturday...nice comeback.

I was at the '75 game against Mac.  Don't really remember it.  I was also at the River Falls game and the game on Saturday.  I must be some kind of good luck charm.   

Ron Groce, who was on the Viking's roster for one year, was a running back for Mac in '75.

Saturday was a really nice comeback.  It salvages this season in a lot of ways and provides a lot of hope for next year.  A lot of young guys playing this year, experience should really show next year.