FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Boys of Fall]

For the SJU faithful:
Sorry if I'm rehashing something previously discussed, but genuinely curious about your opinions of the blue, alternate home jersey. I know it's one of the school colors, but it hasn't really had a place in the football uniform until recently.
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I really like them as something different. Honestly, I think they are more attractive than the red jerseys. I'd like to see them at least once a year. We're not worn even once last year.
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The blue uniforms were a prominent part of the football jersey up through the 1930s and even into the 1940s. I like to see them once per year at most. They've got to be special. All of the Johnnies success (national championships) have come exclusively in the cardinal and white, and that tradition can't be casually displaced or discarded.

They've only worn the blues four times since they returned in 2021.

2025: vs. St. Scholastica
2024: None
2023: vs. St. Scholastica
2022: None
2021: vs. Martin Luther, vs. St. Scholastica

It could be fun if they used them on the road against someone like Concordia, St. Olaf, Augsburg, etc.--kind of like when USC and UCLA play.

Not a big fan myself, but I'm warming up to them.  Assuming they continue to wear the blue I would like to see them  minimize the red trim even more.
I think it will be a long time before the blues become the Notre Dame green and are worn in a big game (look at the competition when they have been worn), this might go back to the red pants fiasco.

[faunch]

Not a big fan myself, but I'm warming up to them.  Assuming they continue to wear the blue I would like to see them  minimize the red trim even more.
I think it will be a long time before the blues become the Notre Dame green and are worn in a big game (look at the competition when they have been worn), this might go back to the red pants fiasco.

I don't mind the red pants but that wide stripe that runs down the sides and expands by the knee look awful. A simple double thin white stripe would be fine. That being said it also seems stupid to order pants and jerseys that you only intend to wear one game per year.

[USee]

Bethel vs NCC in the quarters, assuming chalk holds, is a round too early as well. The biggest issue is probably that the weakest 1 and 2 seed combo statistically also got the easiest quad.

Here's the deal though, if we really think Bethel and SJU are Top 5 teams, we should expect to play top teams in the tourney at some point. If Bethel is really Top 5 or Top 3 or Top 2 (pick your metric), then we should relish the chance to prove it on the field. This is a really young team. 15 new starters IIRC at the start of the year. You get better playing elite competition. We have two good, playoff experienced teams to beat before we even get a chance to measure up against the NCC dynasty. I hope we get to see that, but until then we get to geek out over some great football and it'll all get sorted on the field. Best time of the year IMO!!

I definitely am looking forward to how the team stacks up against NCC/UMU - I just wish it were UMU first  . I hope the team and staff is as well, while also not looking ahead too much. I want nothing more than to come out of Naperville or Alliance with a W. For both teams each-other would be the toughest team they've played yet.

The more I look at our pod (or SJU's), "on paper" means very little. Bethel will have to win two very competitive games to make the quarters. Unless the MIAC is better than it appears, this will be the best we've faced since September. I'm hoping it shows that we are that good, and maybe Carleton, GAC, and the Cobbers are betting than we thought. We get to find out very soon.

The biggest bummer is the battle of attrition. It's hard to make it through the playoffs without injuries and playing higher level competition earlier increases the risk.

[Retired Old Rat]

I've been following D3 football for a long time.  I used to get all worked up about where SJU got seeded and placed in the bracket.

Theres the champ and everybody else.  No trophies for losers. 

I still love the analysis many of you do.

[DuffMan]

Actually, ROR, I have loser trophies from '00, '01, and '02.   

[RoyalsFan]

The blue uniforms were a prominent part of the football jersey up through the 1930s and even into the 1940s. I like to see them once per year at most. They've got to be special. All of the Johnnies success (national championships) have come exclusively in the cardinal and white, and that tradition can't be casually displaced or discarded.

Somehow I don't think you would be terribly upset if SJU won the Stagg Bowl using the blue uniforms. 

[sju56321]

Duff-those were halcyon days!

[BDB]

Speaking of trophies, I believe Duffman is the only one left in the open division of the "Last On Furnace" competition, and Retired Old Rat in the common wall division.

If that is the case, then the "Golden Thermostat Award" is once again presented to Duffman, and the "Golden Thermostat Jr Award" goes to ROR!

Congratulations gentlemen, and enjoy the trophies on your fireplace mantle whenever you decide to light it up. 

[DuffMan]

I gave in on 11/1--was happy to make it to November, but it was getting chilly and I was nursing a level 4 Halloween hangover.

[GoldandBlueBU]

The biggest bummer is the battle of attrition. It's hard to make it through the playoffs without injuries and playing higher level competition earlier increases the risk.

This was one reason I was happy to see the MIAC championship game go away.  It always seemed like BU came away from the "extra" game with SJU, with additional injuries right before the playoffs.

I've been following D3 football for a long time.  I used to get all worked up about where SJU got seeded and placed in the bracket.

Theres the champ and everybody else.  No trophies for losers.

I still love the analysis many of you do.

There is certainly part of me that feels this way.  I do think it is good for programs to have a positive playoff experience and win a game or two, but ultimately, whether you lose to North Central in an early round, or in the championship, being able to say you were "2nd place" by having a path that didn't cause you to face them until late in the tournament, is sort of a distinction without a real difference.

[BDB]

I gave in on 11/1--was happy to make it to November, but it was getting chilly and I was nursing a level 4 Halloween hangover.

Understood. Making it to November is a solid accomplishment.

Once Redtooth dropped out you had an open field and still ran until Xcel Energy was getting suspicious.

You and ROR are the champs once again!

[Mister36]

The biggest bummer is the battle of attrition. It's hard to make it through the playoffs without injuries and playing higher level competition earlier increases the risk.

This was one reason I was happy to see the MIAC championship game go away.  It always seemed like BU came away from the "extra" game with SJU, with additional injuries right before the playoffs.

I suppose we could have the extra game on January 4th...

[OzJohnnie]

I gave in on 11/1--was happy to make it to November, but it was getting chilly and I was nursing a level 4 Halloween hangover.

Heh. A level four. I haven't seen that used in a few years. I believe someone had published the level rules at one point. Does anybody remember what they all are?