Greetings to all of the Johnnie Nation! My name is Pete Hacker (a.k.a. “Johnnie Tats”) and I am proud to say that I am a JOHNNIE, class of 1988 to be exact. I live in Woodbury with my wife (Catherine CSB ’87) and our 11-year old daughter (who is already anxiously awaiting the day when her Dad and Grandfather help her move into her Freshman Dorm at CSB) . I work for Ecolab in Eagan and mange Call Centers in the Shared Financial Services Division of the Company. And yes, my office is adorned with numerous SJU items including an always updated Football schedule (with results) and my most prized item, my Dad’s SJU pennant from 1958.
It is due to a tremendous appreciation, and to be honest love of this magical place we call Collegeville that I wanted to attempt to contribute to JohnnieFootball.com. This will be my first year as a contributor to this fantastic site that our friend and fellow Johnnie Football supporter “Dusty” Wagner started and continues to keep running so that all in the Johnnie Nation can enjoy and get the real (inside) scoop on the goings on with our beloved Johnnies. My contributions will not be a technical or statistically laden as some of the current columnists. Seriously, how can one keep up with likes of DuffMan, TC or Touchdown Tommy? Instead it is my hope to post columns that effectively communicate and share all of the attributes and flavor that make the Johnnie Nation truly without compare! And as I was not an English Major please bear with me as my ramblings will most definitely not compare to that of a JF Powers or other renowned authors!
All I heard during my entire childhood was that St. John’s was the absolute greatest place on the planet.
I am actually a second generation Johnnie as my Dad; Colonel (retired) Helmut F. Hacker is SJU class of 1962. I came to Collegeville sight unseen from Northern California because all I heard during my entire childhood (from my Pops) was that St. John’s was the absolute greatest place on the planet, and all of his Johnnie buddies were simply the best damn guys anyone could count as friends. And to this day, some 46 years after his tenure as an active Johnnie, he still has the same opinion! How many alumni of other schools can say that? And it is my sincere pleasure to say that I can easily echo my dad’s sentiments with regard to my fellow Johnnie buddies.
I have been told, by my wife, that I am not a true and loyal Johnnie supporter. Rather she constantly tells me that I am actually more of a “Freaky Fan”! This is more than likely due to the fact that I have (like many of us in the Johnnie Nation) large numbers of T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, posters, banners and other SJU paraphernalia. Then one must add the SJU license plates and other assorted identifying items for your car, garage, office and den. However, I think that my wife’s opinion of my loyalty and dedication to SJU was cemented when she saw the Johnnie tattoos that adorn my arms. Yes, I have the SJU #1 logo on my left arm and the Johnnie Rat on my right arm! I cannot think of a more appropriate means of wearing your loyalties on your sleeve, as the saying goes! I always said that if I was going to get a tattoo it would represent someone or some place that was so very near and dear to me. And like all of us who make up the Johnnie Nation, what is more precious to us than Collegeville, the Football Johnnies, and of course those who we call fellow Johnnies!
So, as all of us in the Johnnie Nation ready ourselves to support the team for yet another successful campaign please continue to visit this great site for all of your Johnnie Football needs! GO JOHHINES!
