UUN says: Come see Jackson E. while you still can! (UUN #10-19)
Happy Halloween, Red-wrapped Followers —
This is the crow I thought I might have to be eating this week. Nothing went exactly the way I forecasted or mentioned last issue, except the house hamburger at Johnnie-owned Reunion — it’s still great.
First, I predicted a 48-0 win and not only did the fired-up Oles score on us, they actually led by 17-13 well into the second quarter. People in the stands were nervous, wondering what the heck was going on. As it turned out, the Johnnies righted their ship, so to speak, and sailed on to a most impressive 54-17 victory, and narrowly missed a final-minute TD by sophomore third-string quarterback Ryan Koob who scampered 57 yards and looked like he would score our final TD before tripping a few yards out and saving the Oles from losing by a score in the 60s.
Senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann set school records to passing yards and total offense in the win (courtesy of Libby Auger).
Second, I said that St. Olaf only charged seniors $2…well, now it’s up to $7 for “adults.” They’re getting smart down there…why leave money on the table?
I also mentioned that visitors should eat before coming or early at the field because the Oles (and Carleton and Augsburg) always run out of food early. Well, this time the Oles pleasantly surprised us by laying out a large amount of food that I believe was free with a cash donation accepted. It seemed plentiful. Nice touch.
Okay, so things weren’t as advertised by me. We still had another pretty fair turnout of Red supporters, probably a two-to-one ratio of fans to the Um-Yah-Yah crowd. Oh, and I suggested last issue that we wouldn’t hear their fight song at the game so readers should listen to it via the link I supplied. Well, darn it — we heard their quirky song three times! Meanwhile, across town, the Carleton Knights hosted the Tommies in a mostly empty stadium. (Photos below courtesy of Patrick Tomczik.)
Fudging the head count at the Carleton vs U$T game: The announced attendance was 973. Even if you added all the players, coaches and UST bus drivers, you'd still have difficulty arriving at more than 300.
A little hard to see but the announced attendance at the St.Olaf - St. John's contest was 2,714, with about two-thirds wearing Johnnie Red.
Our game featured some irregularities: first the Oles surprised us on defense by faking blitzes and then suddenly dropping back everyone but two or three linemen. My guess was they thought that might hinder Jackson Erdmann’s completion rate. It really didn’t that much and he put up some record-breaking passing numbers again. But the Oles stuck with that coverage option enough so that, when his receivers were blanketed, Erdmann simply took off and ran for a number of first downs. When second-string junior QB Chris Backes entered the game in the third quarter, he did the same. As did Ryan Koob on his long run late in the fourth quarter. Our QB running game was so potent (and unusual) that the three of them totaled 159 yards, eclipsing the rushing yards of SJU’s running backs who totaled 97 yards versus 113 yards for all the various Ole players. It was classic “Taking what the defense gives you.”
One of those St. Olaf players, Khayleb Willis from Florida and arguably the Oles’ best offensive player, came into the game sporting a 5.4 per carry average. He’s tiny — 5’8” — but at 180 lbs. with impressive speed and lots of spirit, he was a spark plug for the St. Olaf offense the quarter and a half he was in. He almost made his average, 5.1 a carry, before removing himself a couple times with various leg problems before finally having to sit out the rest of the game.
After the game I ran into Charlie Carr ’03, the on-field reporter for The Bear (WBHR 660 am), and asked whether he thought our team showed a first-half mental letdown after the previous two-weeks’ hard-fought victories over arch-rivals Bethel and St. Thomas, or if the Oles game plan and high-spirited play caught us off guard. “Probably a little of both,” he replied.
* *
So now we face the rugged Concordia Cobbers who, win or lose, often manage to give us all will can handle. They run a cram-it-down-your-throat offense, normally among the league leaders in rushing. So it is again this year, where they are currently third in the MIAC. But — and here’s the rub — they are ninth in both passing offense and defense. If they can’t get to Jackson in a timely fashion, he’s going to post some more incredible stats. We won’t see the likes of young Mr. Erdmann and his offensive line again for a long, long time, so please take this opportunity to see him and them in action in Collegeville while supporting the team with your presence. Just dress for it and come on up.
Concordia, along with their fine coach Terry Horan CC ’89, are favorites of mine in the MIAC. Along with the coach of Augsburg who labors under adverse conditions simply trying to field a viable team each year, Terry is facing some trying conditions of his own. Concordia has male student body recruitment situation even more acute than our own; the ratio between male and female students is widening alarmingly as the market for college-ready young men tightens and lessens. The school and particularly the football team primarily draws from northwestern Minnesota and the Fargo, ND areas much like we attract Central Minnesota lads. Over the years that has served both schools well; but times, they are a-changing, particularly up in Cobber Country. By the way, in scanning the Cobber roster I noticed a lot of Arizona kids up there — ten if I counted correctly. You gotta go where the kids are.
That Concordia has been able to field impressive teams, consistently in the top half of the MIAC, for so long in the face of a shrinking supply of players, is a credit to Terry and his staff. This year, however, Concordia has run into uncharacteristically hard times. They began the season with two very impressive preseason losses to ranked WIAC teams — by 7 points to then No 16 UW-La Crosse in overtime, and then the next week to then No. 4 UW-Whitewater only by 10 points. The Cobbers followed up those near misses with blow-outs over Augsburg (48-0) and Hamline (51-0) and many of us figured that they would be in the MIAC mix until the end. However, for three weeks in a row, they were simply over-matched, first by U$T 51 to 6, then the Gusties (35-28 that was a respectable loss) and then Bethel 31 to zip. I couldn’t have been more shocked at that turn-around…and sorry for the Cobbers' sudden descent.
For our game Saturday I expect two things: first, that we will win and undoubtedly win big, given the results of two teams that we beat but who beat CC most handily; and second, that providing we don’t suffer that slow-start, emotional let-down, over-confidence malaise of last week, we should stifle the Cobbers in every aspect. The key to the Concordia offense is senior quarterback Blake Kragnes who is a pretty challenging rusher but less so a passer. Stop him and you’ve really handcuffed their offense. However, he’s not alone back there; senior fullback Logan Hatfield is also (pardon me) the real McCoy. They are the Pow-Pow boys. It will be interesting to see how our defense meets their challenge. One glaring weaknesses of the Cobbers is their propensity to lose the ball — fumbling twelve times this year so far and throwing six interceptions. They turned over the ball four times alone in last week’s loss to the Royals. On defense senior Alex Berg is a standout linebacker as well as being their punter with a pretty good kicking average.
Final words: If our defense plays up to their ability I foresee a shutout. We really have to have an impressive showing here to bolster our case of No. 1 seed in the West during the upcoming play-offs, since UW-Whitewater’s strength-of-schedule is stronger than ours for their remaining conference games. That alone should be a huge motivator this Saturday.
GO JOHNNIES!
* * * *
The Obedient Cobber —
A Concordia football player is in his dorm room getting ready to go to class. Opening his door he spies a letter lying on his doormat. It says on the envelope "DO NOT BEND.”
The Cobber spends the next two hours trying to figure out how to pick it up.
* * * *
UUN Quote of the Week —
When life isn’t going right, go left.
* * * *
About the Johnnie-St. Olaf Game —
Game Reports and Box Score:
Big Second Half, Erdmann's Career Day Carries SJU to 54-17 Win
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – No. 4 Saint John's football scored 41 unanswered points, including 34 in the second half, in a 54-17 win at St. Olaf on Saturday, Oct. 26, in Northfield.
Senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann broke his own school records for passing yards and yards of total offense in the win. He finished 25 of 36 passing for 496 yards and four touchdowns, and led the Johnnies with a career-high 67 yards on 10 carries (for 563 yards of offense). The totals surpassed his previous records (470 passing, 456 total offense) set in the 2018 Johnnie-Tommie game. (Read More:)
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Video Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feXaMJVUZJA (3:37 min.)
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Johnnie Question of the Week S2 E9 —
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1BmrtD5Ib0 (6:37 min.)
* * * *
2019 SJU Football Schedule
(All remaining games start at 1 pm.)
Date Opponent Location
September 7 UW-Stout Menomonie, WI W - 14-7
September 14 Bye —
September 21 Gustavus Collegeville W - 33-21
September 28 Carleton Northfield W - 56-10
October 5 Augsburg Collegeville W - 61-6
October 12 Bethel Collegeville W - 19-0
October 19 St. Thomas St. Paul W - 38-20
October 26 St. Olaf Northfield W - 54-17
November 2 Concordia Collegeville
November 9 Hamline St. Paul
November 16 Rose-Hulman Collegeville
* * * *
MIAC Standings, After Week 8 —
SCHOOLS MIAC ALL
Saint John’s 6-0 7-0
Bethel 4-1 6-1
St. Thomas 4-1 5-2
Gustavus 3-2 5-2
St. Olaf 3-2 5-2
Concordia 2-3 2-5
Carleton 2-4 4-4
Hamline 0-5 1-6
Augsburg 0-6 1-7
* * * *
Wick’s Picks for Week Eight—
Results From Saturday, October 26
Bethel 31 - Concordia 0 (My pick: Royals 42 - 19…but they shut ‘em down.)
Gustavus 59 - Augsburg 27 (My pick: Gusties 52-17…closer than many of my picks.)
St. Thomas 63 - Carleton 15 (My pick: Tommies 54-14…no surprise here.)
St. John’s 54 - St. Olaf 17 (My pick: Johnnies 48-0…Yikes! They scored on us.)
Hamline rested.
Bottom Line: Four-for-four.
* * * *
Around the MIAC —
9th Saturday, November 2
Hamline at Bethel — Oh, Golly…yet another one of these games! Bethel will cruise to another slaughter; Is 62-0 out of line?
Carleton at Gustavus — I really like Carleton for the moxie they showed against us, so I’m saying the Gusties will only beat them 38-17.
St. Thomas at St. Olaf — The Tommies will come in hotter than we did and will not abide the Oles’ freaky defenses; U$T 65-10.
Concordia vs St. John’s — Do I dare even suggest a shutout when Augsburg, Carleton and St. Olaf scored on us? Well, we did shut out Bethel. SJU 54-0
Augsburg enjoys a bye week.
* * * *
d3Football Top 25 —
https://www.d3football.com/top25/2019/week8
As we near the final third of the 2019 regular season, it’s apparently not just wins but by how much one wins that adds and subtracts points. The No. 3 through No. 12 teams remained the same this week, although SJU lost one point, I suppose because of the first half showing at St. Olaf — the blow-out nature of the game later didn’t have as great a bearing on the vote. Still, St. John’s remains at No. 4 as it has for many weeks. The shocker, if that’s the right word, is that Mary Hardin-Baylor was removed from No. 1 all the way down to No. 2, switching places with Mount “Onion” because of their last-second FG win over No. 17 Hardin-Simmons (who was No. 15 last week). Scrolling down, it was most interesting to read some of the fan comments below the Top 25 rankings; seems there are a lot of people asking the same question I have been for the past few weeks: Why, given strength of schedule and handily defeating two top-ranked teams in subsequent weeks, is UW-Whitewater ranked over SJU? I’m more sanguine about it now. Que sera, sera.
(Ed’s Note: This just in from Larry Haeg ’63/’67, who watches this stuff like a hawk: “Notice the “mock” regional rankings now put SJU first in our region. And Whitewater still has to face La Crosse and Oshkosh.” https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2019/mock-regional-ranking )
* * * *
About The Concordia Game —
Listening To/Watching The Game:
Radio Network:
The Bear 660 AM WBHR
-Sauk Rapids
*Covering central and northern Minnesota
KDIZ-1570 AM
*Covering the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin
1170 AM KOWZ
-Waseca
*Covering southern Minnesota and northern Iowa
Listening via Internet:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/csbsju/
(Coverage begins at 11 am)
Live Streaming:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/csbsju/
(Note: There is a $10 charge for Live Streaming this game.)
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Tailgating, SJU vs. Concordia —
Outside:
Yes, indeed. The weather forecast calls for temps in the low- to mid-30s throughout the day with mostly cloudy skies. However, they will be there: bundled up and visiting each other through clouds of exhaled breaths, the Forever Faithful Johnnie-Bennie-Parent-Cobber Guest Tailgaters will be present Saturday, only perhaps starting a little later (9 a.m. at the earliest) and most likely in fewer numbers than found during warmer game days. Dress accordingly and you should be fine. Tailgaters might look over the blog entry below about this week from Adam Herbst ‘99 for some other specifics: https://www.sjujohnnietailgatingblog.com
Inside:
Of course, for the more sedate fans who’d like to visit/eat without the specter of frostbite and not have to stand for two hours, there’s the indoor “tailgating” equivalent combo of the Sexton Commons cafeteria and adjoining Br. Willie’s Pub.
A Little Bit of Both:
Finally, this Saturday, being All Souls Day as well as a big game day, there is a prayer service at the Saint John’s Cemetery at which we will remember our deceased loved ones, family, friends and classmates approximately at noon, following the 11:15 a.m. Mass in the Abbey Church. The service will be held in the monastic cemetery section near the large granite-pillared cross. Abbot John will read aloud the names of those who have passed away/been buried here since last November 2nd, followed by the opportunity for everyone attending to also speak aloud the names of their deceased family members and friends. Everyone is welcome.
NOTE: Parking will be tight near the Church, due to the craft sale in the Great Hall and the home football game. As in years past, a light lunch of soup is planned at the Emmaus Hall Dining Room at the School of Theology following the prayer service. Josie Stang, Abbey Cemetery manager, reminds us that the prayer service usually takes about 20 minutes, leaving time to attend both the prayer service AND get to the game on time. Here is Josie’s contact info for any questions about the event or for information about burial/inurnment at the Abbey’s Alumni Cemetery: jstang@csbsju.edu; 320-363-3434
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Let’s talk Johnnie Football —
From Jeff Norman ’78, New Brighton, MN —
Just want to let everyone know that we had a good time at the first TC Johnnie Weekly - “Red Talk”.
(New Location: We’re meeting again next Wednesday at the Local, near 394 & Hwy 100. Address below. Everyone is welcome!
We met for about 2 hours and had some fun discussions, mostly about Johnnie football, but some World Series talk too.
The question of the week was: .Where do you think next year’s Johnnie vs Tommie game should be played?
The assumptions and thoughts were;
At US Bank —
- Attendance would be 50,000+ at USBank (reestablishing the D3 attendance record)
- Possibly generate $250,000 for the program. (50,000 x &5 = $250,000)
- Give the chance for 50,000+ to see and be part of this great rivalry.
- Huge PR for SJU, MIAC, etc
On Campus —
- Its our Home! The great field, campus and atmosphere would be amazing
- Home field advantage. WE DO WANT TO WIN
- It just feels right
- Coach Fasching wants to play on campus (he’s the man)
So the vote was approximately 70% USBank, 30% campus. However, a couple of people wanted to give it more thought and reserved the right to change their votes. To be continued.
We also discussed:
- Personnel, especially how great the wide receivers have become and have stepped up after the loss of senior Andrew Van Erp #7. Of course, Jackson’s great play, the awesome offensive linemen and the tough defensive cadre with fast linebackers making plays all over the place...it was a positive group, the kicking game was hardly mentioned.
- D3 playoffs rankings, we should be sitting at #3. There should be a D4 - in order to eliminate some of the automatic bids that ALWAYS get beat by 40 points in the first round. And allow at-least most of the best 32 teams to get into the playoffs.
- Various other topics
*Next week’s question of the week will be published after the Cobber game.
TC Johnnie Weekly - November 6 (Next Wednesday)
5:30 or when you can get there. Everyone is very welcome.
The Local
1607 Park Place Blvd
Minneapolis, MN 55416
* * * *
A Cobber Goes To Trial —
A Thirty-Something Concordia College graduate has run afoul of the law up in Moorhead and is brought to court to plead her case. What follows are a few of her replies taken from the official trial transcript.
Attorney: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
Cobbette: Oral...
Attorney: What is your date of birth?
Cobbette: July 18th.
Attorney: What year?
Cobbette: Every year.
Attorney: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
Cobbette: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
Attorney: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
Cobbette: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
Attorney: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
Cobbette: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
Attorney: And why did that upset you?
Cobbette: My name is Susan!
Attorney: Are you sexually active?
Cobbette: No, I just lie there.
Attorney: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
Cobbette: Yes.
Attorney: And what were you doing at that time?
Cobbette: Getting laid
Attorney: How old is your son, the one living with you?
Cobbette: Eight or nine, I can't remember which.
Attorney: How long has he lived with you?
Cobbette: Twelve years.
* * * *
The Uncasual Fan —
Review of the 54-17 victory over St. Olaf on Saturday October 26th, 2019
First, I would like to start this week’s letter by thanking all the young men on the Johnnie football team. For about three hours (more for those of us that attend pre-game and postgame festivities) just about every Saturday in September, October and November you allow us to forget about the week gone by or the plans for the upcoming week. We get to see a high caliber of football played in its purest form, with no TV timeouts or interruptions. On top of all this it is played by young men who love to play football, that try to play to the best of their abilities, and are a credit to their school, team and community. And they do all of this while trying to balance their faith, their education, practice, schoolwork and whatever else they have going on in their lives. Job well done and thank you so very much. Thanks also to the parents and families for supporting them in their activities.
Sometimes some of us Johnnie faithful get so wrapped up in wins, losses, scores and expectations that we forget that we are dealing with young men in their late teens and early twenties where anything can and usually does happen. Sometimes expectations are so high that there is no chance to meet them. Sometimes the fans in the stands just expect things to go perfect from the opening kickoff until the final gun.
After last week’s emotionally charged victory over UST some people expected SJU to mow right through the Oles and not break a sweat. However - Things do not always go according to plan. Emotions are a difficult thing to manage and sometimes an emotional and physical game from the prior week can have an impact on the outcome and especially the start of the game the following week.
We saw a little of that at St. Olaf, especially in the first half (we were behind at one point 17-13) but the team and coaches persevered, took over and took control in the second half. It really was a tale of two halves. The SJU team and coaches make some of the best halftime adjustments in the entire Div III if not all of college football and it was certainly evident down in Northfield.
Those of us present did get to see one of the strangest things I have ever seen in any football game anywhere (grade school, high school, college, or professional) and it was not just for a majority of the plays. It was for the entire game. For a majority of the game St. Olaf rushed only two defensive lineman and dropped 9 men into pass coverage. Sometime the two guys on the line did not even try to rush. They just stood there and watched. Many times we had five men blocking the two guys rushing the passer.
In the end we scored a lot of points and gained a lot of yards and won 54-17. There were some great plays by a lot of extraordinary young men. We have Concordia at home this Saturday. It is supposed to be a little cool but so far they are predicting it to be dry. Concordia seems to be struggling this year but SJU needs to be ready and be prepared and take care of business.
See you in Collegeville. I am looking forward to some good pregame burgers and chili.
— The Uncasual Fan
* * * *
Jackson Erdmann, son of Ruth and Jeff Erdmann, was born January 20, 1997 in Northfield, Minnesota. The doctor who delivered him that day is Tim Hogan, retired after thirty years as a medical doctor in Northfield, and a 1971 graduate of Saint John’s. Here they are reunited for the first time since Jackson’s birth, on the field after the Johnnies’ victory over Saint Olaf last Saturday afternoon. We all thank God for Dr. Hogan’s sure hands. (Photo and notes by Larry Haeg ’63/’67, brother-in-law to Tim Hogan '71.)
* * * *
The Helpful Cobber —
It was a cold winter day and the Red River flowing between Fargo and Moorhead was completely frozen. An old man walked out onto the river, cut a hole in the ice and dropped in his fishing line. He was there for almost an hour, without even a nibble, when a young man wearing a Concordia College stocking cap and a snowmobile suit walked out onto the ice, cut a hole in the ice not far from him. The Concordia student dropped his fishing line and minutes later he hooked a Largemouth Bass.
The old man couldn't believe his eyes but chalked it up to plain luck. But, shortly thereafter, the young man pulled in another large catch.
The Concordia guy kept catching fish after fish. Finally, the old man couldn't take it any longer. "Son, I've been here for over an hour without even a nibble. You've been here only a few minutes and have caught a half dozen fish! How do you do it?"
The Cobber responded, "Roo raf roo reep ra rums rrarm."
"What was that?" the old man asked.
Again the young college student responded, "Roo raf roo reep ra rums rarrm."
"Look," said the old man, "I can't understand a word you're saying."
The Cobber spit the contents of his mouth into his hand and said, "You have to keep the worms warm!”
* * * *
From Our Readers —
From Paul Capecchi ‘77, Inver Grove Heights, MN —
Thanks for the great issue, Rob. I was so proud of our SJU players, coaches and fans. I do think that SJU out-coached UST too. Their amazing running back Josh Parks averaged over 11 yards per carry, but they only gave him the ball 13 times all game. Also, most of the game UST dropped everyone back in coverage with very few blitzes, and that gave Erdmann plenty of time to pick them apart. — Paul
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From Tom Troskey ’67, St. Paul, MN —
Hi Bob, Week in and week out you just do a terrific job! Thanks — Tom
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From Tom Mahowald ’77, Arden Hills, MN —
Hi Wick. Your note in last week’s edition from Chuck Achter ‘69 regarding his friend Joe Pilon [SJP ‘62, SJU ’66], who died far too early several years back, rekindled fond memories of the positive influences that SJU grads can have on high school students.
Joe Pilon was my high school basketball coach at St. Agnes HS in St. Paul for three years in the early 70’s. He was a tough and excellent coach who bled Johnnie red. He and his friend Jim Mohan ‘69, who was the guidance counselor at St. Agnes, were the first men who served as positive SJU role models and informal recruiters for those of us exploring various college options. It also helped that we made an annual sojourn to play the Prep School in Old gym every winter.
Interestingly, in my senior year, the great Paul Bernabei ‘69 became the basketball coach at St. Agnes. Paul would frequently bring his pal Chuck Achter to practice to help coach and toughen up the troops.
Four great Johnnie mentors. What more could a young guy ask for! — Tom
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From Larry Haeg SJP ’63/SJP ’67, St. Paul, MN —
Good morning, Bob: What a great edition of the UUN. Your vision of Fathers Lew and Nick holding up the arms of Moses-Father Wilfred priceless.
So grateful for your many contributions to Saint John's. Mary and I plan to be at the game tomorrow and look forward to seeing you at the Reunion before kickoff. — Larry
P.S. - Here is a short video showing the Johnnies during spring practice. As they say, practice makes perfect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POt45ik88Ik (1:03 min.)
* *
From Tim McNamara ’77, Farmington,MN —
Hi, Rob! Thanks again for another great newsletter. Last Saturday was, as John Gagliardi was fond of saying, MAGNIFICENT!!
I'm hoping to attend the pregame at Reunion tomorrow! Our daughter, Erin, played hockey for St. Olaf, so "Um-Yah-Yah" is quite familiar. A number of years ago, when SJU football lost at St. Olaf, their fans were insufferably singing Um-Yah-Yah over and over. I was so incensed, I went home and composed my own version. In light of recent events, I have modified the lyrics slightly. A copy is attached. Perhaps the Reunion Pre-Game Crowd can learn it Saturday?
Go, Johnnies!! — Tim
Ole Fight Song Parody
By Tim McNamara
[Ed’s Note: First, listen to the original again. Go here and then scroll down to hear it: https://wp.stolaf.edu/about/history/umyahyah/ ]
Our team is da Johnnies, we come from da woods.
It isn’t our fault dat your team AIN’T TOO GOOD!
If you can’t compete in da M-I-A-C,
Kick out da good teams and GO HUG A TREE!
Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies!
Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies, GO!
Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies!
Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies! Go, Johnnies, GO!
[Then, after the game, Tim wrote:]
Great to see you Saturday at Reunion! It was a good win... a very good win... maybe not a great win...the stats were certainly one-sided, but St. Ole was competitive for a half.... which is an improvement.
I didn't think it appropriate to serenade the Oles with our satirical, sarcastic version of Um-Yah-Yah....as much as I had hoped for a complete smackdown (like 58-0), then it would have been appropriate... maybe if Koob scores on his run (you have to feel bad for the guy....), perhaps then it would been OK with a 61-17 score.
As I listened to today's Gospel, my decision to not "rub it in" was reinforced. We didn't need to gloat — let the scoreboard do the talking "for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Speaking of "talking".... there was an unusual amount of woofing and yapping on the field.... Erdmann, Deters, Borgeson - all were exchanging pleasantries with the Oles. I think when you know you can't complete athletically, you resort to taunting...the "walkaway" drill should be practiced!!
I believe a Johnnie victory would clinch the MIAC title since the only teams with a chance to finish with 1 loss are St. Thomas and Bethel and we beat them both and thus own the tiebreaker. I expect our team will come ready to stymie the Concordia ground game and force the Cobbers to play catchup, which they struggle to do! Hope to see you Saturday in Collegeville! — Tim
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From Peg Marrin ’65, Dallas, TX —
Dear Rob and Chris, Thank you for filling me in on the game I missed. The UUN is a wonderful read. You know if you keep raising the bar, it means more work for the next issue. It was so nice to see our tight group of friends in this issue. It reminded me of a really pleasant evening.
Your website looks great too. Thank your technical assistant. You mentioned that Chris wrote a poem. Can you share it with me?
An English Major and Appreciative Friend — Peg
********
(Editor’s Preface: My companion Chris, mother of a 1997 Bennie, enjoys writing ditties [short, light-hearted poems] using the A-B-C-B rhyme format. This one tells of her proudest sport moment that she’ll share at Peg’s request.)
That Glorious Day
Please sit back and listen up.
I have a story to tell
About a game of long ago
That was …just swell!
We were one run ahead
The bottom of the 9th inning.
But they had two on and no outs;
Maybe we won’t be winning.
A high one-hopper to short —
It didn’t get through.
In just a split second
I knew what to do.
Off to my right
I heard the the third baseman shout,
“Throw it to me,
We’ll get the lead runner out.”
But I looked square at first base,
And I faked the throw
That made the 2nd base runner
Start to go.
With the ball tucked in my glove
I surprised her with the tag —
Then I ran quickly to second
My foot touching the bag.
Spinning fast around,
I threw the ball away.
“Batter out at first”…
I’d made a triple play!
After nearly fifty years
I still fondly recall
My most exciting day
Playing women’s softball.
* * * *
The Dedicated Tommie Worker —
A UST grad's boss asked him go into the office on Labor Day. Halfway through the day, the manager came in to check up on the Tommie and caught him having a beer.
The boss said to him, "You can't drink while you're working."
And the Tom replied, "Oh, don't worry - I'm not working."
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From Colleen Lilly ’81, Minneapolis, MN —
Thank you, Wicker! Outstanding UUN once again! Love how you have adjusted to MailChimp so easily and with such outstanding pictures of a fabulous victory last week over the Tommies! I only disagree with you on the venue. I thought the venue was outstanding and only enhanced the amazing experience of the day. We all experienced college football utopia last Saturday!! See you at Bunnys! —
Colleen
(Editor’s Response: I’d liked the stadium, just don’t like the prices and hassle of the venue.)
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From Scott Edstrom ’77, Edina, MN —
If you are talking about the [Johnnie-Tommie] game in 2020 there is no doubt that it should be in Collegeville.
I think that the next game after that (if there is one) should be played at TCF Stadium. Great place for a tailgate and we would put more people in the stands than the Gophers so people could see what real football is all about. — Scott
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From Paul Hamann ’63, Edina, MN —
Hi Bob, I told you, at the Lunch Bunch, I was looking forward to UUN #9-19 and once again you didn't disappoint. But, about the SJU win:.."Swell"..:-) .It was Bloody Awesome. [Ed’s Note: That’s what swell” means when said the way I tried to do in print. See Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou for context.]
Especially enjoyed the story about the freshman kicker from Hawaii #90 and his family. Will look for him tomorrow at St. Olaf. How did he find his way to SJU? Also thought St. Ben's dance line invitation to perform at halftime was classy of UST. Finally the link to the history of the Oles' Um yah yah fight song was great journalistic research and a very interesting story. Thanks for all your work, it's “Swell.” Go Johnnies — Paul
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From Vince Kinney ’63, Golden Valley, MN & Surprise, AZ —
Since I'm now in AZ for the winter, I must rely on video coverage to follow the Johnnies. St Olaf's coverage today was great. The picture quality was excellent. They have an end zone camera for extra point and field goal kicks, which I haven't seen from other conference schools.
Did the Johnnies have a bit of a letdown following the emotional Tommie game? I doubt the players would admit to it, but it seemed like it. Thankfully, there was no carry-over into the second half. Or maybe the Oles just ran out of trick plays. The Oles certainly had an unconventional defensive alignment. Go Johnnies!
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From Bill McBride ’62, Waco, TX —
Hey - Rob, Good to be getting the UUN again. I missed a couple and this week it did show up in my "Clutter" E-Mail. Needless to say - it was really missed. It is great to see that the Johnnies may be heading to Belton again. However, I am not sure how strong UMHB really is since they barely won at home. Their opponents claimed that time had expired when they kicked the winning field goal. But it still goes as a win. The Johnnies really should be moving up in the D3 polls.
It is great to see that both the Gophers and the BU Bears [Baylor University] are still undefeated. For at least this week BU is no. 1 in the BIG 12. We play West Virginia here on Halloween. It should be a win for the Bears but we will wait and see. We play Oklahoma and Texas in a few weeks. At least these two games will be in Waco. Thanks so much for your great newsletter. — Bill
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From Tom Weiss SJP ’66/SJU ’70, River Falls, WI —
Bob, We had a great time at the Johnnie-Tommie game last week. What a sea of Red. Seven or eight of my SJP classmates sat together on the second deck on about the 45 yard line. Again, it was great! We brought along our daughter Rachael Wachlarowicz ’97, her husband Aaron, nephew of Frank Wachlarowicz, their three children and our son Josh ’03. We cheered ourselves hoarse, as usual!
Josh used to get the UUN but when he moved from the southern WI area to Hudson, he fell off the list. Please add him to the list and then I can quit forwarding it to him! — Tom
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From Jim Conn ’64, Alexandria, MN —
Bob - reflecting over coffee Sunday morning with a niggling thought gnawing at my subconscious, it suddenly dawned on me that the UUN that you should have penned after the Tommie game had not appeared in my email inbox. Alas - I found that it had been diverted to the Junk section which has never happened prior to this occurrence.
So the good news is that I will have a delayed but leisurely read of UUN 9-19 this Sunday morning but hopefully no bad news regarding the quality of UUN 9-19 as having been mysteriously diverted into my Junk mail in the same company as “Hard Wood Firming Fruits” and “Limp Noodle” secrets. Friend & Classmate always, — Jim
(Editor’s Suspicious Nature: I wondering if those two other spam items were cleverly-named promos for male enhancement pharmaceuticals?)
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From Pete Hill ’76, Naperville, IL —
As always, Rob, this is great and erudite account of the game and surrounding events. After the Irish bar [Dubliner], I talked a long time with Jolynn (Joanne Jaeger Haugen’s ’77 friend from North Dakota) at the bar back at the Graduate, then got her to drop me at the Fulton Brewery. Alas, there was nobody left there that I knew, so I was one and done and on my way home. Now is my busy season, but I hope to catch up with you and Chris sometime down that (hopefully) long and red, red Johnnie road! Best regards, — Pete
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‘Write a Caption’ Contest —
(Editor’s Introduction: At the Graduate Hotel “Red Reign” party the evening before the Johnnie-Tommie game Gary Tomczik ’67 of Santa Barbara, CA visited with Alumni Chaplain Fr. Don Talafous. Gary knelt so as to help Fr. Don communicate without having to look up from his walker seat. The ensuing photo invited a caption and last issue we invited readers to suggest some. Here they are below:)
"Forgive me Father, for I know not what I do.”
John Chromy ’64, Washington, DC —
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned …"
Jim Kearney ’64, Milwaukee, WI; Gary Kordosky ’64, Tucson, AZ; Bill Marrin ’61/’65, Dallas, TX (Ed’s Note: All great minds think alike.)
“Can I give you the short version? My knee is killing me.”
Chris Scholl, St. Paul, MN
“Odd place for confession; it must have been an emergency.”
Gary Kordosky ’64, Tucson, AZ
“…And my most grievous sin is naming our son ‘Thomas.’”
Anonymous
“Really?!? They won’t let you wear red vestments even on game days?”
Conrad Macina, Landing, NJ
“And for your penance I’d like an all-expenses-paid trip to San Francisco.”
Anonymous
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Johnnies Hockey Blog —
Junior goaltender Mac Berglove (courtesy of Jennifer McNelly)
Getting to know the New Guys
http://www.sjujohnnieshockeyblog.com
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Johnnies Basketball Blog —
A Weekly Message from Coach Pat McKenzie ‘0
Start of the Season
Welcome to the 2019-2020 SJU basketball season! We are a week into practice and excited about the potential of this year’s group. A year ago – the NCAA moved up the D3 start date for basketball. So, this year, we play our first game on Friday, November 8th. Because of that, we lose an extra week of practice that we have normally had prior to our first game. That, combined with five freshmen on the roster, has placed a new sense of urgency on our practices and ensuring we are making the appropriate progress leading up to opening night. (Read more: https://www.sjujohnniesbasketballblog.com )
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Senior wing Jubie Alade (courtesy of Sean Donohue). Football is not the only sport that draws a crowd.
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SJU Basketball Ranked No. 12 in D3hoops.com Preseason Poll —
St. John’s basketball team was ranked No. 12 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 poll released Tuesday, Oct. 29. Two other MIAC schools were ranked in the top 25, St. Thomas at No. 15 and Augsburg at No. 23.
The Johnnies were ranked No. 3 nationally by Street & Smith's magazine earlier this fall.
SJU (23-5, 17-3 MIAC) won its sixth MIAC Playoff championship in program history (first since 2001) and made its second consecutive national tournament appearance in 2018-19, ending the season ranked No. 23 nationally. The Johnnies ended the 2018-19 season as the Division III statistical leader in shooting percentage (.536), second in rebound margin (+12.6 rpg.), third in scoring margin (+18.0 ppg.) and eighth in three-point percentage (.407).
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Second Notice: Give SJU Day Nov. 13 —
How it works
• SJU’s goal is for 1,300 donors to stand up and give to the Saint John’s Student Fund on November 13
• 100% of your gift supports Student Fund Scholarships
• Every gift to the Student Fund—every size—will receive a $100 matching gift up to $130,000.
How to help on Give SJU Day
• Create a matching gift (some amount for every donor in your class) or personal plea video on GiveCampus
• Call, text, or email donors in your class to invite them to give or thank them for giving. Need help breaking the ice (or don’t feel like writing)? We’ve got templates.
• Wear your Give SJU Day shirt and post a selfie wearing it with hashtag #giveSJUday
• Show students some love on SJU’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
Every gift to the Student Fund — every size — makes a difference
https://www.givecampus.com/schools/SaintJohnsUniversity/give-sju-day-2019/?a=3134804#updates
(Editor’s Comment: Even if you are already giving regularly through a sustaining contribution, or have already made a donation this year, please consider adding to the scholarship cause a bit more, so we can be sure to reach all the challenge grant gift limits and to get the total amount and number of donors up to surpass the goal. You don’t have to wait until Give SJU Day on November 13 — Heck, give something now while you’re thinking about it. Use the link above.)
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Battle Between The Sexes,
Male Sensitivity Department —
(Contributed by Tommy Cebulla ’58, Andover, MN)
The room was full of pregnant women with their husbands. The instructor said, "Ladies, remember that exercise is good for you. Walking is especially beneficial. It strengthens the pelvic muscles and will make delivery that much easier. Just pace yourself, make plenty of stops, and try to stay on a soft surface like grass or a path."
The instructor went on to say, "Gentlemen, remember - you're in this together. It wouldn't hurt you to go walking with her. In fact, that shared experience would be good for you both."
The room suddenly became very quiet as it takes a while for men to absorb information. After a few moments a man at the back of the room, slowly raised his hand.
"Yes?" said the Instructor.
"I was just wondering if it would be all right if she carries a golf bag while we walk?”
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NCAA clears way for athletes to profit from names, images and likenesses —
The NCAA decision Tuesday probably ends the safe haven for fans. Now the politicians want the college athletes to join unions, tax their income, etc. Not that the almighty dollar wasn't already in college sports, but now it’s in your face, much like the Olympics.
In two years, SJU athletes will probably be advertising in the game programs.
(Editor’s Attribution: This link plus the above comments are compliments of Bob Neis ’65, St. Louis Park, MN. What follows is SJU athletic director Bob Alper’s '82 response to Bob Neis’ email:)
This is from our conference commissioner: “Currently we have no idea what the impact will be on Division III.” However, I spoke with Dan Dutcher (NCAA Vice President of Division III) last week and he wasn't sure Division III would be making large changes (it is likely each Division will make varying changes).
As I assess the situation, my initial thoughts would be that Division III could make changes to allow for student-athletes to be identified as such when writing books/publications, requesting funds for health situations, YouTube and social media platforms, modeling, and using student-athletes name when conducting their own camp/clinics. It appears the impact on D3 will be minor.
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Random Quote Department —
My ability to remember song lyrics from the ‘60s far exceeds my ability to remember why I walked into the kitchen.
(Contributed by Thom Woodward ’70, Sartell, MN)
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Aging Johnnies Segment —
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Pat McDonnell ’67, Lilydale, MN; Owen Krueger, grandfather of Dusty Krueger ‘18; Vince Kinney ’63, Golden Valley, MN & Surprise, AZ; and Ev Weber ’68, St. Cloud, MN all contributed the item below within a couple days. Must be spreading like wildfire across the internet. But, if you haven’t seen it yet, here it is, thanks to these connected UUN readers.
Men's Simplified Urine Test
A simplified urine test that may be relevant for you! First, Go outside and pee in the garden:
If ants gather: Diabetes.
If you pee on your feet: Prostate.
If it smells like a barbecue: Cholesterol.
If, when you shake it, your wrist hurts: Osteoarthritis.
If you return to your room with your willy outside your pants: Alzheimer’s.
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Communication in Older Marriages —
Contributed by Anonymous —
Sven and Ole are at da Sidetrack Tap. Sven asks,” How’s it goin, Ole?”
Ole says “Okay, ‘cept getting old is for dah burns.”
“Vaht's wrong?” asks Sven.
Ole replies, “Lena is gettin' deaf on me.”
Sven replies, “I read in dah almanac about a hearing test. Ven dah wife is at dah stove stand 50 feet in backa her ‘n ask her ‘Vat's fir dinner?’ If she does not answer, move five feet closer and ask again and repeat dat until she answers.”
Ole does that and gets no answer til he is right behind her and she turns and says, “I told you ten times already, it’s chicken!”
(Wick, Dat yoke tickle dah gurls pink—- it's a feminist yoke.)
(Editor’s Retort: Oh, dat’s great! Now ve have a nu-ah cat-E-gory in da Yu-Yu-ENN called “Battle Between Da Sexes, Scandinavian Old Farts Division.”)
Then Anonymous added: This is true. My wife cannot hear well but gets along with a cochlear implant. A relative said of us that we have a serious problem because she cannot hear and I cannot listen. Men often have a listening problem and it gets worse with years. I, on the other hand, think of myself as a young man that just has a lot of things wrong with him.
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The Old Smooth Operator —
A rather elderly gentleman in his eighties walks into an upscale hotel cocktail lounge. He is very well-dressed, smelling slightly of an expensive after-shave, hair well-groomed, great-looking suit, flower in his lapel. He presents a suave, well-looked-after image.
Seated at the bar is an elderly fine-looking lady in her mid-seventies. The gentleman walks over, sits down next to her, and orders a drink.
He takes a sip then turns to her and says, “So tell me, good looking, do I come here often?”
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Fake News? Baby, You Ain’t Seen Nuttin’ Yet —
Ted Talk: Fake videos of real people -- and how to spot them | by Supasorn Suwajanakorn — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2DDU4g0PRo (7:15 min.)
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What's That I Hear Under the Hood...?
Black walnuts?!? A CSB student wondered about the strange noise when she tried starting her truck! Squirrels winter storage! (Sent in by Sister Lois Wedl, OSB)
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A Nod To Halloween —
Three vampires walk into the La Playette and sit down at a table. The Bennie waitress comes over and asks the first vampire what he would like. The first vampire responds, "I vould like some blood."
The waitress turns to the second vampire and asks what he would like. The vampire responds, "I vould like some blood."
The waitress turns to the third vampire and asks what he would like. The vampire responds, "I vould like some plasma."
The Bennie looks up and says, "Let me see if I have this order correct. You want two bloods and a blood light?"
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The Last Word —
Harry is getting along in years and finds that he is unable to perform in bed. He finally goes to his doctor who tries a few things, but nothing seems to work. So the doctor refers him to an American Indian medicine man.
The medicine man says, "I can cure this." That said, he throws a white powder in a flame, and there is a flash with billowing blue smoke.
Then he says, "This is powerful medicine. You can only use it once a year. All you have to do is say '123'"
The guy then asks, "What happens when I want the effect to go away."
The medicine man replies: "All you or your partner has to say is 1234. But be warned - it will not work again for another year."
Harry rushes home, eager to try out his new powers.
That night he is ready to surprise Joyce. He showers, shaves, and puts on his best shaving lotion. He gets into bed, and lying next to her says, "123." It works better than he thought.
Joyce, who had been facing away, turns over and asks, "What did you say 123 for?"
And now you know why you shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition.
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GO JOHNNIES! Shuck the Cobbers! (Or something like that.)
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Carelessly submitted by your rapidly aging editor:
R. L. Wicker SJP ’60/SJU ’64
theowick@aol.com ; 651-699-4697
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