[Mr. Shoes note: My sincerest apologies for not getting this up last week. I was on a deadline at the office when Bob sent it over, then had to take off for the weekend as soon as work was finished on Friday. I've been playing catch-up ever since. Look at it this way: two Undergrounds this week!]

As usual, I can always find lots of stuff to cram into the Underground, but I’m needing to show some restraint if this is to get out early enough for you to make use of the info. Here’s the situation: Tomorrow we play Augsburg, a “home game” for them at the HHH Metrodome. Certainly not our favorite venue, especially with a mild, pristine late-season Saturday outdoors in the offing. Nevertheless we shall make the best of it. I’m a bit worried about this game as I explain later on in an ‘Editor’s Note’. Therefore, I hope the team and all of you are taking this contest seriously.

First, let the team be prepared and excited about playing championship ball…it’s not going to be a cakewalk (at least I don’t think so right now. Ask me at half time.)

Second, I hope that many, many of you can (a) make the trip down/over/up to the Dome to support our lads withgreat vigaa (as they say in Baaston); and (b) join the Johnnies and Bennies of St. Cecilia’s parish for our version of the “Red Mass” and a little JohnnieBrats™ and pizza and Olde Johnnie Ale party after the game.

Re the Johnnies’ Dome Game —

* Join the Saint John’s Alumni Association and the J-Club at Hubert’s Bar and Restaurant (601 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis – across the street from the Metrodome) on Sat., Nov. 7 from 10:30am to 12:30pm for a football pep rally. [Ed's Note: I'll drink to that!] Tickets will be on sale at Hubert’s for the 1pm Johnnies vs. Augsburg MIACfootball game in the Metrodome. No advance registration is required for this event. Bring your family and head to Hubert’s to kick off a day of Johnnie football fun! This will be our tailgate this game.

— OR —

* Augsburg will begin selling tickets at Gate B (located on the northeast side of the MetroDome at 10am) Doors to the MetroDome for the game will open at 11:30am. Kick-off is at 1 p.m. Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $3 for students with ID.

* I understand there is free parking on the east end of the Dome; as is ever the case, it’s first come-first served. There’s other parking close by as well, but it may not be free.

After The Game —

You are cordially invited to the 2nd Annual St. Cecilia’s “Red Mass” and Celebration that unabashedly celebrates our Johnnie- and Bennie-ness. Mass at 5pm and reception with light meal approximately 6:15 in the church hall. It’s an easy drive from the Dome and will be a nice, friendly and hopefully ‘filling’ time, thanks to generous donations ofJohnnieBrats by John Uldrich ‘60 and Olde Johnnie Ale by Mark Selner SJP ‘68/UST ‘73 and Mick Detviler UST ‘73 of the Cold Spring Brewery.

(Editor’s Important Note: Our “Red Mass” is not to be confused with the real Red Mass offered for the intention of judges, lawyers, civic leaders and academics (all of whom need all the prayers they can muster) at St. Ben’s at Sacred Heart Chapel on November 14 at 5pm. Go here for details; it may not be too late to sign up for the awards reception honoring trial attorney Susan Holden following the Mass: http://www.csbsju.edu/news/2009/10/Red_Mass.htm )

Presider at St. C’s is Fr. J. Michael Byron ‘81 who, after Mass will entertain those attending the reception with a reprise of his talent show offering 25 years ago: the interpretation of Fr. Don (Camillus) Talafous’s warning of the scourge of the “Home Town Honeys.” Fr. Don won’t be able to attend due to some ongoing problems with his feet and all the steps at the Dome, however we hope other monks might attend. All St. John’s and St. Benedict’s students, alumni, parents, siblings, community members, staff and assorted family, friends and wannabes are cordially invited to attend both the Mass and get-together downstairs afterward. There’s no official cost but a freewill offering will be gratefully accepted for food and drink costs. The wearing of red is strongly encouraged. Tommies are also cordially invited, with purple garb charitably tolerated.

St. Cecilia’s is conveniently located near Hwy 280 and University Avenue (close to the border between St. Paul and Minneapolis), at 2357 Bayless Place, St. Paul, MN 55114. For directions go to www.stceciliaspm.org …or just go east on I-94 to the University Ave/Hwy 280 exit to the left. Take the University Avenue ramp off and proceed straight, through Franklin/University Avenues, then across Territorial Road, where you hang an oblique right and head right into the place.

* * * *

A recent grad of Augsburg College called Delta’s reservation office and ordered a ticket. The clerk asked, “How would you like to pay for that?”

“By credit card.”

“Would you please spell the name as it appears on the card, sir?”

“Uhhh … V, I, S, A.”

* * * *

From Mark Lohmann ‘58, Buffalo, MN —

Wick: Rec’d your gentle nudge to bring your book ["Coached For Life" by Jack Uldrich SJP '82] to the game Saturday….will do. A brief correction to the UUN from last week…..although we lived in Miles City [MT] for 18 years, I was neither a teacher nor a coach. (Save for some Little Guy Hockey).

See you Saturday. Wonder what the update is on [Joe] Boyle. I see the Tommies didn’t have much trouble with Augsburg. — Mark

(Editor’s Comment: I can’t believe there actually was a factual error in the Underground, of all places! But I’m gratified that Mark reads the UUN so closely that he didn’t miss the “gentle nudge.” Regarding Mark’s query about junior starting QB Joe Boyle’s bad thumb, yesterday Frank Rajkowski, in his blog in the St. Cloud Times, reported that the docs removed his cast, looked at the healing progress, shook their heads and put a new cast back on. Joe would like to play two Saturdays from now at our last regular season game against Carleton in Collegeville. Probably won’t happen, though, especially if we survive Augsburg in a healthy manner. Tomorrow it’s definitely frosh QB John Rieswho’s had some time to study film, prepare a game plan and practice with the big guys during the bye week.

About that game tomorrow…in my advanced years I’m beginning to think (and worry) about games just like John Gagliardi, a world-class worrier. First, we have a virtually untried QB making his first start going into an important game against a mid-ranked, but still dangerous MIAC team (look what happened when we played bottom dweller St. Olaf two weeks ago! On our home field! Yikes!); then we have an offense that — with a couple of exceptions againstHamline and Gustavus, okay maybe Concordia by the end — has not blown anyone away this season, in fact barely escaping most of the other games (yet we’re ranked #4 in D3…Go figure!); and then we might be going in theAugsburg game over-confident because UST beat them so soundly last Saturday (forgetting that the previous year Augsburg surprised UST and beat them). On paper we should defeat the Auggies, but throw that paper out the window — we most likely will have a very close game at the Dome. I really doubt we’re going to put on any explosive offensive display…it’ll no doubt be Jakob Reding then Kellen Blaser (and vice versa) into the middle of the line for three or four yards each carry most of the game, maybe a 13-7 ultra-conservative win for the Jays. Ho-hum. Come on, DEFENSE! Given the comfortable kicking environment inside the Dome, I wonder if Russ Gliadon will set yet another field goal record, for the third time this season — do I hear 55 yards?…he may have to for the Jays to eke out another win. To those who think I may be sounding overly pessimistic…damn right I am; we could very well lose this game. No wonder John feels like he does each week.)

* * * *

And speaking of Jack Uldrich, as we were before my game rant, here’s an excerpt from his e-newsletter:

To Succeed in the Future, Think Like a Child, Now!

Success Magazine recently published an article entitled “Think Like a Child” in which I was quoted extensively. I encourage you to read it because, in addition to my insights (which, not surprisingly, I believe merit your attention), it cites a number of other experts and practioners of “thinking like a child.” Here are just a few of the child-like characteristics woth emulating:

1. Children are naturally curious and open-minded;
2. Children aren’t conscious of what other people think;
3. Children don’t easily take “no” for an answer;
4. Children understand that recess can be the most important part of the day;
5. Children engage their imagination and aren’t afraid to try on new roles;
6. Children draw their inspiration from other children; and
7. Children don’t view setbacks as failures.

* * * *

A very patient teacher of remedial math at Augsburg College asked her freshman student, “If I gave you two rabbits, and another two rabbits and another two, how many would you have?”

“Seven”

“Now, listen carefully. If I gave you two rabbits, and another two rabbits and another two, how many would you have?”

“Seven.”

“Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you two apples, and another two apples and another two, how many would you have?”

“Six.”

“Good. Now if I gave you two rabbits, and another two rabbits and another two, how many would you have?”

“Seven.”

“Where do you get seven from?”

“Because I have one rabbit at home,” explained the newbie Auggie.

* * * *

From Paul Hamann ‘63, Edina, MN (for just a little bit longer, then off to Sedona, AZ) —

Hi Bob, Did you see the latest NCAA rankings? If they hold up we’ll have a few more home games this year. — Paul

WEST REGION

1. St. John’s 8-0, 8-0
2. UW-Whitewater 6-0, 8-0
3. Linfield 7-0, 8-0
4. Central 9-0, 9-0
5. Monmouth 9-0, 9-0
6. St. Thomas 7-1, 7-1
7. Coe 7-1, 7-1
8. Cal Lutheran 6-1, 6-1
9. Redlands 6-1, 6-1
10. St. Norbert 8-1, 8-1

(Editor’s Comment: Thanks, Paul. I don’t know why Whitewater’s getting all this disrespect in the West Region; they are, in my opinion, the team to beat. On the other hand, it sure would be nice to host those guys up here for a change assuming, of course, that SJU gets that far themselves. I’ve printed out below the first ten in D3Football.com’s Top 25…you can see that Whitewater still holds #2, as they have all season thus far. Mt. Onion is firmly seated in #1, where they’ve been all year also. By the way, in case you may ask about “Mt. Onion”?, I call them that because they’ve brought tears to so many eyes over the years.)

1. Mount Union
2. UW-Whitewater
3. Wesley
4. St. John’s
5. Linfield
6. Central
7. Mary Hardin-Baylor
8. Monmouth
9. Case Western Reserve
10. St. Thomas

* * * *

From Warren Janzen ‘64, retired business manager of SJU, who is hosting a little Bambi hunting extravaganza this weekend for our classmates Tom Schlough, Bill Stewart, Merlyn Jerzak and Mike Sullivan —

Bob, for the record, this week is a Spiritual Retreat — in the woods…or maybe a Family Reunion — and Bambi has now grown up. There is a contest: who will have an opportunity to give this old guy a little rest. It must be really hard to carry a bushel basket on your head for 6 months. Take care, — wj

(Editor’s Comment: They’ll no doubt be singing, “Yes, we have no bwanas”…and I know they’ll miss their women.)

* * * *

College football: Johnnies’ O-line has hit ground running

by Frank Rajkowski, St. Cloud Times

COLLEGEVILLE — When members of the St. John’s offensive line arrived for practice this preseason, they were greeted with a mission by offensive line coach Jim Mader.

“He really stressed that he wanted us to be one of the most physical lines in the conference,” senior left guard Blaine Anderson said.

“So that’s what we focused on — staying low, coming off the ball hard and knowing your assignment on every play. Because it’s hard to play intense and physical if you’re not sure of your assignment.”

The emphasis on physical and precise play was part of the Johnnies’ overall effort to shore up the running game. The team averaged just 106 yards per game on the ground in 2008 — ranking St. John’s seventh out of nine teams in the MIAC.

The Johnnies had 14 rushing touchdowns in 11 games and averaged only 2.7 yards per carry.

“We took it upon ourselves at the beginning of the year to get better,” senior right tackle Drew Percival said. “We knew we had to step up as an offensive line. We were one of the weak parts of the offense last year and that had to change. We needed to be more physical.” (Read more)

* * * *

From Mark Selner SJP ‘68/UST ‘73, Shoreview, MN (the godfather of Olde Johnnie Ale) —

Bob – Just now we received a shipment of Olde Johnnie Ale 12 PK Bottles!!! Surdyk’s EDLP will be $11.99. So, SPREAD THE WORD!!!

Also, I just talked with Mick [Detviler, UST '73] Tuesday, and he said he’d be glad to donate some of the new Olde Johnnie Ale 12pk bottles for your get-together this Saturday at St. Cecilia’s. Let me know how many you may need, or email Mick directly. I will copy him on this email so you have it.

I am really excited about this [new bottle packaging]!! It opens up a whole new avenue for placements of the beer!! Now you can BUG your favorite liquor store, AND BAR, to get it in!!! — Mark (AKA Beer King!!)

(Editor’s Enthusiastic Note: YES! Maybe now we can again find it at the La Playette and Br. Willie’s Pub, not to mention your neighborhood liquor stores and pubs. People — directly request it from your favorite suppliers. OLDE JOHNNIE ALE in bottles — 12 packs. Remember, the Prep School gets a few cents on every bottle sold.)

* * * *

From George Flynn ‘64, Minneapolis, last seen at the Dubliner Pub last Friday night —

Bob — Regarding the three-day stay [Paul] Judge, [George] McKenzie and I had at SJU and the Guesthouse: it was very different. First, I’ve probably been in hundreds of hotel rooms, but never one with no tv or radio, but with a large cross behind the bed. It’s as close as I’ll get to a monastery or Walden Pond.

We ate Friday pm in the Refectory and, while the choices are 10-fold more than we had 50 years ago, the quality isn’t much different. Saturday am Fr. Don [Talafous] said a Mass for the three of us at one of the altars in the basement of the church — it was quite intimate and moving. We then watched the Tommy game, which was a great tilt as you so loyally reported. Then we went in to St. Cloud with Fr. Don Saturday night and had a nice dinner.

All in all, very pleasant. I’d recomment the Guesthouse…its ‘away’, reflective and peaceful. — George

* * * *

Nutrition Bites

Lindsay Good, ’06, RD, LD

Caffeine Confusion

If you pay attention to health related news, caffeinated beverages are good for you one week and bad for you the next. The article this week will (hopefully) help with this confusion by taking a look at the current recommendations for caffeine, the world’s most commonly ingested drug.

Caffeine is a substance found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and certain medicines. It has many effects on the body’s metabolism, including stimulating the central nervous system which can make you more alert and give you a boost of energy. Currently, most doctors recommend limiting caffeine to 200 milligrams a day — here is a chart with a few common products and caffeine amounts.

Product                                                                           Caffeine
Coffee, 8 oz                                                                    100-125 mg
Green Tea, 8 oz                                                             30-50 mg
Lipton Brisk Iced Tea, 12 oz                                        35 mg
Diet Coke, 12 oz                                                            45 mg
Dark Chocolate, 1 oz                                                    30 mg
Excedrin, extra strength, 2 tablets                              130 mg

Those who should limit caffeine include: pregnant and nursing women, people with hypertension and those sensitive to caffeine. It has been found that more than 500 to 600 milligrams of caffeine a day, or about five to seven cups of coffee, can cause restlessness, anxiety, headaches and abnormal heart rhythms.

If you’re like most adults, caffeine is a part of your daily routine. And most often it doesn’t pose a health problem. Overall, research shows that caffeine (especially from coffee) is actually more healthful than it is harmful. But, be mindful of your total daily caffeine consumption and find non-caffeinated substitutions if you are over the recommended daily amount.

* * * *

Irreverent Quickie #1 —

Q: What do you get when you mix Holy Water and prune juice?
A: A religious movement.

* * * *

Irreverent Quickie #2 —

Did you hear about the Augsburg coed that was so dumb she saved burned-out light bulbs to use in her darkroom.

* * * *

Excerpted from a note to family and friends by Joe Rodwell SJP ‘64/Air Force Academy ‘64, Stillwater, MN. Joe was MN All-State Quarterback from tiny St. John’s Prep our senior year, then went on to AFA where he was an All-American Center before graduating and flying fighter jets —

Tomorrow Sue and I are traveling to CO Springs for the 45th reunion of the Class of 1964 from the Air Force Academy, then on to Park City, Utah, to spend a week with Sue’s sister, Jane, and her husband, Rod.

Yesterday I was asked to be an honorary captain for the Air Force / Army coin toss with two of my distinguished teammates/classmates, John Lorber and Al McArtor.

John was the starting running back (those days we called him a “halfback”) from Iowa. He scored the first TD ever in Falcon Stadium in 1962. John had an exemplary military career, with several commands along the way to becoming a Four-Star general who ultimately commanded the entire Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean. In his spare time in the military, John began painting as an “escape” from his day jobs. He is quite skilled at painting — in May I was at his house and he had a painting of the 13 homes that he and his wife have lived in. He only paints for charity and family, although I am sure his work would have significant appeal!

Al McArtor was from a suburb of St. Louis (Webster Groves), a reserve QB on our team, and during our senior year he was (I believe) our Wing Commander the 2nd semester, which meant he was in charge of the entire Cadet Wing. He later was assigned to the Air Force Thunderbird Aerial Demonstration Team (following my roommate Jerry Bolt, who was killed in a test flight while assigned to the Thunderbirds), and after leaving the Air Force, Al worked at Federal Express and was appointed as Director of the Federal Aviation Administration during (I believe) the George H.W. Bush administration. He is currently Chairman of Airbus Americas, a company that is attempting to get the aviation contract for the refueling tankers that has been in the news the past few years.

Sue and I will be attending a luncheon hosted by Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun on Friday, and Al and I will be interviewed by a local TV station that has a “Where are they now?” segment. I haven’t been on the stadium turf since last playing against the U. of Colo. In 1963, that game delayed two weeks because of the assassination of President JFK. Our Class of 1964 football teammates will be presenting a plaque to the AF Athletic Association that all 15 of us have funded. I’m looking forward to an exciting week-end. — Joe

* * * *

Ta Da Boom #1 —

Guy viewing new license to DMV clerk: “I was standing in line so long, I ended up looking pretty grouchy in this picture.”

“It’s okay, sir. That’s how you’re going to look when the police pull you over anyway.”

* * * *

Ta Da Boom #2 —

“Sir, your daughter says she loves me, and she can’t live without me, and she wants to marry me.”

“And you’re asking my permission to marry her?”

“No, I’m asking you to make her leave me alone!”

* * * *

Ta Da Boom #3 —

“You have three boys. How do you know which one to blame when something goes wrong in the house?”

“I send all three to bed without letting them watch television. In the morning I go after the one who’s got the black eye.”

* * * *

Uh-Oh…Trouble in Paradise? (Part 3) —

From Dave LeVine, an excerpt from his current sports column in the Cold Spring Record; Dave is a season ticket holder and dyed-in-the-wool SJU fan for many years —

A NOTE TO TOM STOCK, Athletic Director at St. John’s University. Tom, season ticket holders are tired of and irritated at the excess merchandising and advertising on your stadium public address system. If there are 100 plays during a game, after each comes a PA commercial or promo, not to mention the pre-game and half-time inundations. You likely derive many thousands of revenue dollars for your sports programs via this means. However, it has become so prevalent as to nearly stupefy our senses. The next thing we might hear is “Flag on the field, brought to you by Joe’s Pizza in Avon.” “The play is under review, presented by The Cup Cake Bakery.” “The penalty – ten yards, brought to you by Five Yard Realty.”

Discussion in the stands indicated that most would have no problem with ticket prices being raised a dollar or two, just to gain back the sanctity of Saturday afternoon Collegeville football. Thanks, Tom! Please consider.

The class and prestige of St. John’s seems far more important than to cheapen the event with loud, over-sold and smothering advertising.

* *

From Tom Arth ‘66, Inver Grove Heights, MN —

Bob: Another great Underground News!! Will miss football this weekend. Could you please put this note in your next issue of the Underground News:

I’m tired of hearing complaints about the loud PA system and advertisements at the football games. Tom Stock is the number one marketing person in D3 football. He has done wonders for the support of Johnnie athletics, and schools come to him all the time asking him for advice. The money raised from these great sponsors help pay for our great facilities and the 175 plus uniforms for the football team along with uniforms for the other sports teams. It also pays for transportation for the teams and ice time for the hockey team because we don’t have any big benefactors to help build our own ice arena. So my suggestion to the people who are complaining: each of you write a yearly check for $25,000 to the athletic marketing department to make up for the lost revenue of our loyal sponsors. Then you can have your silence. — Tom

P.S. Tell ‘em: If you don’t like the noise in the stadium go watch the game from the parking lot. The view is pretty good from there and it’s FREE”

(Editor’s Note: Tom and his wife Carol are great and generous supporters of Johnny Athletics and are advertisers in the program and announcements. Incidentally, Tom asked me to tell everyone that Carol will be serving her world famous chili at the tailgate before the Carleton game. Come early, get warmed. It’s g-o-o-o-d stuff.)

* *

From Bill Marrin SJP ‘61/SJU ‘65, Dallas, TX —

Re all the noise about noise: Apparently I don’t get to enough games to file a complaint. At any rate, thanks for the job you do reporting the good, the bad, and the ugly, as that is what free speech is all about, right? Say hi to John “Bede Hall” Sipe. Go Johnnies! — Bill

* *

From Tom Gottwalt ‘82, Plymouth, MN —

It was nice to see you at Bo Diddley’s after the St. Olaf game and thanks for the mention in last week’s Underground News. If you can, please add the above individuals to your distribution list for future issues if you don’t already have them on it. Dave [Anderson], Nate [Nygren] and Mark [Dobberstein] are fellow SJU ‘82 grads with me. My Dad,Louie (Lou) is SJP ‘49/SJU ‘54. Con Schmid is a friend and classmate of my Dad’s from SJP and SJU but I’m not sure of his exact grad dates [SJP ‘49/SJU ‘53].

One final note: I’m inclined to agree with the flurry of recent comments you’ve received about the inordinate commercial announcements involving the Johnnie Game Day Program, etc. It really does interrupt the conversation during the games.

Go Johnnies. I’m looking forward to reading more Underground News in the post season. — Tom

(Editor’s Note: Tom is VP, Director of Tax for TCF Financial Corporation in Wayzata, proving that he was definitely notan English major. Re post-season Undergrounds, I’m making no promises…it’s just about killing me to get these out during football time, but I sure appreciate his support. By the way, I met his dad, Louie, yesterday at the CSB-SJU Entrepreneurial Luncheon; hope to report on that, the President’s T.C. reception last week, the crowd at the Dubliner for Tim Flynn’s PaddyWagon’s gig, and other good stuff like that.)

* *

From Pat Maurer ‘89, Woodbury, MN —

Excellent as always!

Not sure how people feel about the newer Johnnie football anthem given the discussions about PA volume and allegiances to the existing “Don’t Stop Living in the Red”, but I thought I’d pass along this nice vignette on the making of the “Johnnie Anthem” as posted on George Maurer’s (’88) website.

(Nepotism Disclaimer: I’m a fan of the anthem and NOT just because George is my brother and my daughter plays trombone on it!) — Pat

(Editor’s Note: Pat is one of several volunteer contributing photographers to JohnnieFootball.com. I recommend that you hit the link to George’s story of how the anthem was made…it’s really a kick.)

* * * *

From F.L. “Flip” Spanier SJP ‘51/SJU ‘55, Roseville, MN —

Hi Bob, Thanks for mailing me all the material, one of which was the SJU Unofficial Underground News; I couldn’t tell, but it looks like you are the editor of that news. In any event, thank you for saying the nice things about me and my family in the Editor’s Note. I did subscribe to the Health Institute news which Dave [Durenberger, Flip’s classmate] edits; thanks for giving me the info. Don’t know yet whether I willl be able to make the Red Mass this coming Saturday; my brother-in-law’s funeral (this Thursday in Greenwald, MN.) will determine that somewhat. All else is well. Thanks again and warm regards, Flip

P.S. Sure was nice to get acquainted and be involved together in SJP.

* * * *

From Wally Pattock ‘47, St. Cloud —

Hi, I bought a new computer so I am back in business. Haven’t received any of your recent messages. Would appreciate your putting my name back on your distribution list. — Wally

(Editor’s Note: Well, I’ve missed hearing from Wally and Marge too, not to mention not seeing them at the La after the games.)

* * * *

From Joe Mulheran ‘64, Deer Lake, MN (and Naples, FL any day now), this is the story told by a young woman about her father —

One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of me. I was maybe 2 1/2 years old. Someone had given me a little ‘tea set’ as a gift, and it was one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought Daddy a little cup of ‘tea’, which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.

My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was ‘just the cutest thing!’ My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy; and she watched him drink it up.

Then she said, (as only a mother would know), “‘Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?”

* * * *

MIAC Profiles of Excellence:

Nick Gunderson, Saint John’s University

by Rich Mies SJP ‘76/UST ‘80, College Sporting News’ “Mapping the MIAC” Columnist

Injuries are a part of athletics, particularly the rough-and-tumble sport of football. Players learn to carry on through nagging injuries, but a major injury, such as a torn ACL, can end a season and possibly a career. When defensive lineman Nick Gunderson tore his left ACL in the first game last fall, it looked like his playing days at Saint John’s University were through. He was able to come back this fall, but he is hobbled by another injury – a torn ACL on the right knee. While the injuries have taken a toll on his football career, they have not stopped Nick from embarking on his post-graduate career.

He started working as a Financial Analyst for United Health Care in June 2009. “I had an internship there in the summer of 2008, and they offered me a job starting in June,” he said. When he got hurt last fall, Nick was able to obtain a medical hardship, retaining his season of eligibility. He decided to add a semester and accumulate the 150 class hours needed to be able to sit for the CPA exam. His employer was able to allow Nick the freedom to return to school this fall.

Entering the season in 2008, Nick was just about everyone’s preseason All-American. He was named to the All-American teams by d3football.com, Lindy’s, Street & Smith, USA Today, The Sporting News and Consensus Draft Services. The Johnnies hosted East Texas Baptist in the season opener and Nick suffered a season-ending knee injury. “Last year, I tore my ACL and partially tore my meniscus,” Nick recalled. “It was a non-contact, freak play. An MRI confirmed the extent of the injury and a month later, after the swelling had gone down, I had surgery.” (Read more)

* * * *

‘Modern, Caring, Sensitive’ Underground Presents. . .

The great discovery: It’s a human issue, not a woman’s issue

by Sr. Joan Chittister OSB on Oct. 27, 2009

Every science student in the country knows that for every action we can expect an equal and opposite reaction. Which translated means that whatever we try to do, someone else will try to stop it. So here’s the question: Given the kind of explanatory data that is coming out of “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation” on the social condition and challenges facing women at this moment in history, what can we expect now?

Not since John F. Kennedy appointed Eleanor Roosevelt in 1961 to head his President’s Commission on the Status of Women have we ever had a complete review of the circumstances defining the lives of women in the United States. Now we do. And who, besides women, would have believed what the current research shows.

There are several figures that underlie all the rest: Half the United States workforce at this point in time are women. Over 40 percent of those are the primary breadwinners of their families. Another 23 percent are co-breadwinners of the family, meaning that the family can’t get along without their income.

For those who live on another planet, those figures point to two radical social changes that are now the fabric of this country. First, “the little woman” is not working anymore for pocket money. She’s working to survive. And second, for the sake of the country as well as for its women, other social institutions are going to have to adjust to this new reality. (Read more)

(Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister is a best-selling author and international lecturer on topics of justice, peace, human rights, women’s issues, and contemporary spirituality in the church and in society.)

* * * *

Obit: The Untimely Death of Jim Lehman ‘56 —

Rajkowski column: Lehman was true St. John’s great

by Frank Rajkowski, St. Cloud Times, November 3, 2009

John Gagliardi remembers the great plays Jim Lehman made during his time in a St. John’s uniform.

The longtime Johnnies football coach even compiled many of them in a film he used to show to his players each season.

But as special as Lehman was on the field, Gagliardi said he was just as special off it.

“He was one of the greatest players we ever had,” said Gagliardi of Lehman, who died last week at the age of 75 after complications during lung surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

“But more importantly, he was just a great guy and a great person. He was the kind of guy that every coach would love to have and I was lucky enough to have had him on my team.”

Lehman, of course, was perhaps best known as the father of Tom Lehman, the Alexandria High School graduate who played golf at the University of Minnesota before going on to years and years of success on the PGA Tour.

But longtime fans of St. John’s will remember Lehman for his own achievements in Collegeville, where he played football from 1952-55. He was part of the first three teams Gagliardi, who arrived in 1953, coached at the school.

The new head coach made him his quarterback in 1953, when the team finished 6-2 and tied with Gustavus for the MIAC title — the school’s first taste of a conference crown since 1938.

“When I came back to fall practice, I was second or third string,” Lehman recalled in a 2002 interview. “After about the second scrimmage, John walked up to me and said, ‘I want you to know that you’re going to be my No. 1 quarterback. Now relax and enjoy yourself out there.’

“That eased the pressure and made me work a lot harder. It taught me a lot about life.”

Lehman switched to halfback beginning in 1954 and Gagliardi said an injury he suffered helped convince him to phase out full contact in his practices — a philosophy that has continued to this day.

“When your star players get hurt, boy, you’re in trouble,” Gagliardi said in 2002. “I was trying to survive here. Why take chances like that.”

Lehman recovered enough to score 13 touchdowns in 1954 and 16 in 1955, finishing among the nation’s leaders in scoring and earning MIAC MVP honors in the process.

After graduation, he had the chance to play professionally for the Baltimore Colts, but injuries ended those hopes.

“He was truly one of the best we ever had,” remembers Gagliardi, whose 469 career victories are the most in college football history.

“For years, we had a highlight film of him that we’d show to our players. There were some great runs in there. Just dazzling stuff. He was amazing to watch. Those runs were classics.

“I’ve told a story at nearly every banquet that I’ve ever been asked to speak at. I talked about the great Jim Lehman. How he played both offense and defense in the days before face masks when backs didn’t carry the ball as much as our guys do now. And people often asked me how I thought he’d do now, when he could carry the ball more and he wouldn’t have to play defense.

“I always said I thought he could still get at least seven or eight touchdowns. And they’d ask me ‘Why only seven or eight?’ I’d say ‘You have to remember, Jim is 70 years old now.’”

Lehman remained in contact with his old head coach over the years and it was clear he still felt close ties to the school when he spoke of Clemens Stadium in 2008.

“I think it’s probably one of the most naturally beautiful stadiums in the country,” he said. “You walk in and that setting just hits you. The trees and the fall colors, the way it sits in that bowl — it’s just a really special place.”

A story on the PGA Web site after Lehman’s death noted that in lieu of flowers, his family was requesting donations be made to the SJU/Jim Lehman Athletic Fund.

But even those close ties to the school were not enough to persuade his son Tom to play for the Johnnies, though it almost happened.

“That’s the other story I like to tell,” Gagliardi said. “Tom was all set to come to St. John’s, just like his Dad and his brother and uncle did. They were all St. John’s guys and Tom was a great quarterback up at Alexandria.

“But about a week before the start of the season his freshman year, I got a call from his Dad saying he was going to the University of Minnesota. ‘To play football,’ I asked him. ‘No, to play golf,’ he said. I said ‘Geez Jim, what kind of future do you think he’s going to have in golf?’”

Gagliardi said Jim Lehman’s presence on the roster during his first few seasons in Collegeville made a big difference in getting him started on the right foot.

“He was a great ballplayer and a good guy,” Gagliardi said. “You need those kind of guys around.

“He’ll really be missed.”

* * * *

Saint John’s Bible included in Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit

by David Unze, St. Cloud Times

Original folios of The Saint John’s Bible will be included in a gallery at the Science Museum of Minnesota next year when an exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls is presented.

The inclusion of the Bible folios with the scrolls combines the oldest and newest hand-scribed biblical manuscripts.

The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition opens March 12. Included in that exhibit will be original folios of the Saint John’s Bible, which was commissioned by St. John’s Abbey, and is being created by artistic director Donald Jackson.

The pages that will be included in the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit have not been seen previously in the Twin Cities. (Read more)

* * * *

Yep, It’s That Little Johnny —

Scoutmaster to troop: “Name three things you should bring with you in case you get lost in the forest.”

Little Johnny answered, “A compass, a canteen of water and a deck of Playing cards.”

“Why’s that?”

“The compass is to find the right direction, the water is to prevent dehydration…”

“And what’s the deck of cards for?”

“You take them out and start playing Solitaire. Once you do that, some a**hole is going to come up behind you and say, ‘Put that red nine on top of the black ten!’”

* * * *

The Last Word —

Sure Not Your Mother’s Nursery Rhymes

Mary had a little pig,
She kept it fat and plastered;
And when the price of pork went up,
She shot the little bastard.

* *

Mary had a little lamb.
Her father shot it dead.
Now it goes to school with her,
Between two hunks of bread.

* *

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To have a little fun.
Stupid Jill forgot the pill
And now they have a son.

* *

Simple Simon met a pie man going to the fair.
Said Simple Simon to the pie man,
‘What have you got there?’
Said the pie man unto Simon,
‘Pies, you dumb ass!’

* *

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the kings’ horses,
And all the kings’ men.
Had scrambled eggs,
For breakfast again.

* *

Hey diddle, diddle, the cat took a piddle,
All over the bedside clock.
The little dog laughed to see such fun.
Then died of electric shock.

* *

Georgie Porgy pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
And when the boys came out to play,
He kissed them too ’cause he was gay.

* *

There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good, she was very, very good.
But when she was bad……..
She got a fur coat, jewels, a waterfront condo, and a sports car.

* * * *

That’s It, Folks… G O J O H N N I E S ! ! Turn those guys into Auggahyde (or something like that.)

Best wishes to you all,

Bob Wicker SJP ‘60/SJU ‘64, St. Paul
theowick@aol.com; 651-699-4697

Photo by Sowden

This past weekend was perhaps some of the most spectacular weather in all of 2009 here locally in the state of Minnesota.  For those of you who lamented a summer in which temperatures were unpredictable, your reward was 3 consecutive days of autumn bliss and excess.

Minnesotans this weekend selected from traditional and timely activities such as bagging fallen leaves beaten down earlier in the month by wind and rain, northerly treks to family hunting shacks for the stalking of white tail deer and of course high school and college football.

On Friday evening here in the western suburbs the best high school football team in the state, The Eden Prairie HS Eagles, manhandled and dominated their way thumping Minnetonka 38 – 7 in weather conditions that normally only appear on fall Saturdays in Collegeville.  A packed crowd with more rug rats milling about than what you’d find in a certain west suburban household added to the bountiful harvest that was in full gear on the green synthetic field.

With rumors of EP head coach Mike Grant heading to Collegeville next fall here’s one Johnnie fan who hopes he packs his trailer and saves room to bring along a few of his football playing graduates.

There are Eagle players so dominating from Friday’s game that with the arrival of the Grant household in Collegeville next fall including ’83 CSB grad Colleen Remitz – Grant, the cross-town and suddenly resurgent UST Tommies would sniff no better than second place the next 4 years.  Perhaps coach Gagliardi could also make room for Colleen’s son and seldom used Gopher backup linebacker Ryan Grant.

And with Saturday morning temperatures perhaps too warm for a thoroughly enjoyable deer hunt, the other half of Minnesota moved over to TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis to continue bathing and lavishing themselves in stunning southern California like weather. 

Stunning too was the Division I University of Minnesota Golden Gopher performance who were equally amazed with the glorious morning as they stood by amidst spectacular surroundings watching The Big Ten’s Fighting Illini rake them for a 28 – 7 halftime lead and early afternoon victory.

Traveling west from the U of M on Washington Avenue on this splendid day the elite of Minnesota’s small college football fraternity found themselves in the most undesirable environment of any indigenous football fan – indoors.

Johnnie fans accustomed to the spiritual surroundings and mystical Collegeville grounds were instead covered in Teflon and seated among blue plastic seats in distances so far from Coach John Gagliardi it was difficult to tell how steamed he was at freshman quarterback John Ries for giving up 7 points on a 93 yard pass interception.

Fortunately for SJU, defense will advance them in the upcoming DIII playoffs and on Saturday linebackers, tackles and corners limited the top rated MIAC passing attack to a mere 100 yards.  No yards rushing and no fun for anyone as both the Auggie and Johnnie fans were wishing they were somewhere else on Saturday.

Adding at least some entertainment to Saturday’s victory was Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse leaping to the Tommie bandwagon and inaccurately announcing in his Sunday morning column the possibility of a first round match up with the third ranked(regionally) Johnnies. 

The Johnnies, actually ranked #1 regionally, will enter the final game of the season this coming Saturday with a perfect record, their 31st conference championship secured and a likely shot at a number one seed in the DIII playoffs. 

We’ll see if the UST Tommies can hang on long enough to make their way back to St. John’s for a more likely third round rematch and playing conditions much different than the sun bath most college football fans enjoyed on Saturday.

In predictalbe fashion..... Johnnie Defense

Click HERE to view full screen images as a slide show.

From the opening kick off the Johnnie fans inside the H.H.H. Metrodome knew this would be a game the Johnnies would not take lightly. Augsburg received the opening kick from the Johnnies and put on a fake reverse. The player who fielded the ball faked to his teammate, but he ball slipped out of his hands and bounced on the turf to the waiting arms of pursuing Johnnie special teams ace Kevin Wenner, who sprinted to the end zone with a touchdown, 7 seconds into the contest! Russell Gliadon kicked the PAT and the Johnnies were up 7-0 and would never trail in this contest.

Kevin Wenner TD/Photo courtsey of GoJohnnies.com

This opening play surely had to help calm the nerves of Freshman QB John Ries who was waiting to take the field in his first collegiate start for the Johnnies. With starting QB Joe Boyle sidelined with a thumb injury on his throwing hand, Reis had two full weeks to prepare with the first unit offense for this game.  If the coaching staff put together a game plan that involved eating time from the clock with the running game and  putting Augsburg in difficult down and distance situations with the Johnnie defense, then both sides of the ball performed well for the Johnnies. The Johnnies controlled the ball 38 minutes 51 seconds compared to Augsburg 21 minutes 9 seconds.

After the initial score on the kick off, the Johnnies Kellen Blaser finished off a 7 play 59 yard drive with a 2 yard run at 6:49 of the 1st quarter.

The Johnnies next score was late in the 2nd quarter as they traveled 98 yards in 18 plays and ate up 10:28 from the clock. Blaser scored on a 21 yard pass play from Ries making the score at halftime 21-0 in favor of the Johnnies.

The Auggies got on the board mid-way through the 4th quarter as Ries threw an interception as the Johnnies were knocking on the door once again. The interception was returned 93 yards by the Augsburg defender for their only scoring for the day.

With 58 seconds remaining in the contest, the Johnnies scored their final points as Kerry Daigs lowered his shoulders and scored from 3-yards out. The Gliadon PAT made the final SJU 28- Augsburg 7.

Ries was 8 of 15 for 91 yards passing. He threw one TD for the Johnnies and threw one interception that was returned for a TD by Augsburg.

The running game was shared evenly by Jakob Reding who had 10 carried for 69 yards before leaving the game in the 4th quarter with a leg injury. Reding’s status for next week is unknown at this time. Stephen Johnson carried the ball 15 times for 65 yards and Kellen Blaser carried 15 times for 59 yards and a rushing TD.

Through the air Josh Overman caught 2 balls for 29 yards and Sam Pederson also had 2 receptions for a total of 10 yards.

The Johnnie defense was again led by John Stanton who had 5 tackles and an interception. Mike Bonynge, Billy Lawrence and Ethan Eid also had 5 tackles. Eid and Griffin Hayes had 1.5 sacks each.Noel Meyer had a fumble recovery and a sack. As mentioned earlier, Kevin Wenner started the scoring with a fumble recovery that he turned into a TD on the opening kick off.

Next week is the final MIAC game of the season back in Collegeville against the Carleton Knights. The Johnnies will need to continue to focus as they will most likely be without Joe Boyle and the status of Jakob Reding is unknown at the time of this writing. Of course the X-factor with the Knights is head coach Kurt Rambler and his roots as a standout player and later an assistant coach for the Johnnies. The bottom line is, the Johnnies need to win and if they do, they’ll most likely get a #1 or #2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Division III Play-offs. If the unthinkable happens, the Johnnies still get into the play-offs, as they defeated UST head to head,but would most likely be on the road for the play-off run.

For coaches, players, medical staff and fans it time to Johnnie up!

For 4 years, #44 Ryan Wimmer has led the Johnnie "middle"

This week the Johnnies and its Nation that is unrivaled leave the friendly confines of the Natural Bowl and travel to Minneapolis to take on the Auggies in the Dome. Which has got be one worse sports venues in this Country!  And as with many US Cities it is highly recommended that when travelling to Minneapolis (yet American City strife with Crime) you take every precaution to ensure your personal safety.  Well at SJU we will be bringing our own protection, in the form of one Ryan Wimmer, the hardest hitting and smartest Middle Linebacker in the MIAC!

The last four years has seen our own #44 prowl the middle  with his crew cut , classic black cleats, quiet demeanor and limited uniform accessories to such an extent that most opponents attempt to avoid this area of the field. A closer look at #44 reveals that he eerily resembles one Dick Butkus. And from the on field reports received most opponents are well aware that he not only resembles the great #51 but sure as heck hits like him!

The Middle Backer position is commonly referred to as the leader of the defense. And as with all of our Johnnies our own #44 not only performs and leads with intelligence, but with a passion and level of effort that is beyond compare. It goes without saying that Ryan leaves everything on the Field (hey it is a by product of that Stearns County upbringing, where thank God the bar’s open early!).

Johnnie Nation, we have yet another young man among us who believes being a Student/Athlete is vital to their future success and who understands all that being a Johnnie entails. He is dedicated to his studies and appreciates the privilege of playing in front of the most loyal fan bases College Football has ever seen, all while embracing a self-depreciating and humble attitude. Obviously Mr. and Mrs. Wimmer have given our own #44 a very stable foundation to build off of as he embarks on his post SJU life.   

So as we (unfortunately) come to the end of Mr. Wimmer’s active Johnnie career let’s all take a moment or two during the remaining games and appreciate what he brings to the field, Collegeville and the Johnnie Nation.

Ryan, the Nation that is unrivaled thanks you for your play on the field, and for your citizenship off of it. We welcome you to our ranks and are very proud to call you one of us. And let’s not forget a big “thank you “ to the Wimmers for their tremendous support( nothing makes me more pleased than seeing them drive into the Science Center Lot on Johnnie Football Saturdays with their D-fence sign) and for sending Ryan to Collegeville!

Time to roll into the Dome and take down the Auggies! Bring your green hat Snoop a Loop and let’s go 9-0!

Josh Overman and Ben Vanderheyden

On any given Saturday afternoon the Johnnies entertain and create excitement on both sides of the ball.  An integral part of the Johnnie offensive attack is their passing game featuring seniors Josh Overman (3) and Ben Vanderheyden (89).

Tight end and wide-out Josh Overman hails from Albany, where the Johnnie offensive line coach Jim Mader had a successful high school coaching career, (228-64 over 24 years). ” I never played for Jim Mader.” Josh explained, “He asked me to go out for football my freshman year, but I had no plans to play football. I played basketball and golf.  Mader retired from Albany before my sophomore year when I actually did go out for football.  I didn’t get to play that year, but my junior year I played tight end and safety, and when I was a senior I played tight end and linebacker.”

Wide receiver Ben Vanderheyden went to Wayzata High School, playing receiver on two state tournament teams – winning the state championship his senior year. “Ben Dimond and I talk about the Wayzata-Minnetonka state championship game when I was a junior.  Ben played for Minnetonka and they won that year (2004).  My senior year we beat Cretin-Derham Hall 28-24 for the championship.  Some say it was the greatest high school game ever played.”

Vandy #83 in the 2005 title game

Why St. Johns?  “I visited some DII schools, Winona, North Dakota, and UMD”, recalled Ben, “The people at St. Johns were so welcoming and hospitable, I just fell in love with the place.  And game day at St. Johns?  There is no comparison”. Overman had a similar experience.  ” I visited DII schools also, but I thought there was no point in working that hard.  Besides, it is every kids dream from Albany and other schools in the area to play for St. Johns.  I came here hoping to play receiver, but I found out I was too slow and couldn’t run routes, so I went back to tight end.”  Vandy replied, “What does that say about me?, we have the same 40 time.”  “Well, its the routes, then”, quipped Overman.

When asked about the difference between high school football and the college game, Ben quickly answered, “Here, the coaches rely on you much more.  You’re expected to give feedback on what you are seeing on the field, and be ready to answer questions the coaches may have regarding the defense.”  Overman added that he is “..having more fun than high school.  I mean, I enjoyed the experience, but I don’t remember it as being fun.  Now, I realize what a big deal it is to play for John, and I am having a great time.”

Mention John Gagliardi and both of these fellows light up. “John is an icon.” says Overman. ” He commands so much respect. He is Johnnie Football. He sees stuff no one else sees.  John watches tons of film and has a big role in how we approach an opponent.”  It is the lighter side of the famous coach that gets Josh animated. “He watches so much film, and he doesn’t miss anything. I remember one time he came up to me, and says ‘hi, how’s it going?’, I said ‘..fine, John.’, and he looked at me and said, ‘then why the hell did you miss that block on that D Back?.’”

“John recognizes when you are going to make a mistake.” Offered Vandy, “he is very observant, and has a full picture in his head of what is going on.”

Being a Johnnie starter can come with a little fame attached. Josh tells of a recent encounter: “I am talking to some random kid, and we start talking about football, and Vandy’s name came up. I told him that I knew Vandy and this kid says, ‘You know Vandy, really?. you know Vandy?’ Everybody thinks he is such a big deal. Nobody knows who the hell I am.”

There is an obvious difference in the offense of this year compared to last year. “Many times it was 3 and out last year, now we are having long drives, running and passing the ball”, said Vandy.  “We are much more confident and Joe (Boyle) has a great command of the schemes.  He knows what and when to call, whether to go left or right.  He pretty much calls the plays.  Sometimes he will see something, and just tell me what direction to run and he will throw the ball downfield.”  Overman sees a much more aggressive team this year.  “The offense and defense are just hitting harder.  Last year, we just didn’t seem to hit very hard, this year we are challenging people and hitting much harder.  When you hit somebody, things happen.”

Overman scores at Concordia

With the obvious improvement of the offense this year, and the ever-present stingy defense, the success of both efforts has resulted in a much greater sense of team unity. “I remember late in the St. Thomas game, we were going on the field and needed to score. Stanton came up to me and said, ‘believe it, we are gong to win.’ When the defense has faith in you, that really helps.”

Watching fine young men like Josh and Ben, we can enjoy Saturday afternoons with confidence in the future. Their parents, coaches and school can be very proud of these boys, and I appreciate what they deliver to us each week.

Yea, I know Vandy…and Josh.

Despite missing their offensive leader Joe B. Quarterback with a right thumb injury, the Johnnies should prove dominating with their run game and also certainly on the defensive side of the ball.  Freshman quarterback John Ries will be making the start for St. John’s after filling in for the injured Joe Boyle in a game two weeks ago against St. Olaf College.

No stranger to the newly named “Mall of America Field” having won a state title for Wayzata High School in 2008, Ries will merely be counted on to hand the ball off to jumbo backs Jake “Red Dog” Reding and KB-34, Kellen Blaser.

The defense?  Need I say more…. Defensive Coordinator Jerry Haugen is celebrating his 55th birthday this week, rumors are he’ll honor himself with his newly designed 5 – 5 defense.  Jerry’s version of the cover 2!

As for Saturday’s game, free parking will be available in the Metrodome upper lot, adjacent to the Vikings’ ticket office. The entrance is off of 11th Avenue South near the intersection with 5th Street South.

Tickets, which cost $7 for adults and $3 for students, will be sold at Gate B (adjacent to the North end of the parking lot) beginning at 10 a.m. Tickets will also be sold at the Johnnie Pregame Event at Hubert’s which opens at 11:00am.

The pass gate and will call tickets will he handled at Gate D (adjacent to the South end of the parking lot above the loading dock entrance). Entry gates will open at 11:30 a.m. St. John’s seating will be in Sections 104-108.

Victory dance begins about 3:30pm.

Go Johnnies!

A pre-game meeting commenced at The Nook (corner of Hamline and Randolph Ave in St. Paul) where I was joined by the venerable Adam Johnson of D3 Around the West fame.  I quickly snagged a spot at the small bar where a Casburger (Cheese, Green Pepper Wheel, and Crispy Bacon) and Flat Earth Brewery Porter were devoured.  We talked a little pigskin and headed our separate ways (me to UST and Adam with a busy day of Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Halloween costume hunting, and wedding invitations).

I didn’t quite make it to St. Thomas before the game started.  In fact, as I was leisurely walking up Summit Ave towards O’Shaughnessy Stadium I heard “Touchdown Fritz Waldvogel” and quickly realized that the speedy little devil had returned the opening kickoff of the game for a TD.  This should tell you plenty about the Auggies special teams play.

After assuming my position around the 20 yard line, I settled in for a blowout as the weather deteriorated from sunny and comfortable to cold and windy (making me question my sanity for leaving the cozy confines of the couch for St. Thomas).  The Tommies were able to do literally anything they wanted against the Auggies.  Run, pass, trick plays, interceptions, fumble recoveries.  You name it and it happened on Saturday at UST.

I was eager to see Auggie QB Marcus Brumm (who transferred in from D-2 Mankato State before the season) and he was less than impressive.  There were five interceptions and numerous “wounded ducks” to WRs who were open.  He had guys open at times, but too often threw the ball behind guys.  Brumm left them “hung out to dry” susceptible to being in an unprotected position leaving them open to take a big hit from a UST DB.  You could try to lay the blame on the cold weather, but St. Thomas’ Dakota Tracy had no issues throwing a tight spiral all over the field.

The Auggies ran their wide open Arena League spread offense all day long.  The key targets in the offensive scheme are Muneer Al-Hameed and Mike Nourie.  They definitely moved the ball at times, but turned the ball over several times deep in Tommie territory.  Turnovers were critical on Saturday as they tend to be in any football game.  You just can’t fumble the ball going into the endzone for a touchdown and expect to be competitive.  I was completely unimpressed by their dedication to the run.  Now this had a lot to do with being behind literally from the get-go, but the Auggies were abysmal with the running game.

On defense, the Auggies appear to be undersized, outcoached, and lacking in talent to compete with UST.  The Tommies ran for 308 yards and were breaking off huge chunks of yardage at a time.  This should be interesting on Saturday at the Metrodome as running the ball is clearly the Johnnies’ bread & butter in 2009.  Augsburg is definitely susceptible to trick plays and were often caught out of position (stay in your lanes, pursue the ball, and don’t get knocked down).

In summation, this is your typical Augsburg Auggie squad.  All offense, no defense.  They want to win 49-45 every week.

Thanks for reading.  Email me at touchdowntommy@johnniefootball.com with questions/comments/concerns/hate mail etc.

Block by Greg Sowden. Photo courtesy of Jeff Sowden.

The Augsburg Auggies took a gigantic leap forward on the football field in 2007, finishing the season 5-5 after winning a total of 4 games the previous 3 seasons. But the proverbial rising tide didn’t lift all boats for the Auggies—they lost their 10th straight matchup with the St. John’s Johnnies by an embarrassing 62-7 margin.

Still, Augsburg entered 2008 with high hopes: they returned the dynamic Jordan Berg-to-Royce Winford pitch-and-catch combo, received consideration in the preseason Top 25 by D3Football.com, and knew that another step forward this season could put them in contention for the MIAC championship. While the Auggies will need to beat Bethel in their season finale to finish with a winning record and improve on their 2007 mark, the program’s continued progress showed up on the scoreboard as they narrowed the margin against the Johnnies to 28-21.

Here’s a look at some of the numbers from that cold, windy contest in Collegeville:

A Good Run: The typical Johnnie offense is a portrait of balance, mixing nearly equal parts strong running game with explosive passing attack. The 2008 season, however, has seen a dramatic departure from the balance of recent teams; the Johnnies have run the ball 369 times while attempting only 233 passes (a run percentage of 61.2%). To put that total in perspective, since 2001 the Johnnies have never had a season where they ran more than 58.5% of the time (2004) and have a cumulative run percentage of 53.9%.

Even more shocking are the games that the Johnnies virtually abandon the passing game altogether. Against the Auggies, the Johnnies passed the ball 16 times and ran it 48 times, a staggering 75% run percentage. That’s four opponents, and 3 of the last 4, that the Johnnies ran against more than 73% of the offensive plays: UW-River Falls (73.0%), Hamline (74.1%), St. Thomas (81.0%) and Augsburg. If you eliminate an uncharacteristic three game run against Concordia, Gustavus, and Bethel, during which the Johnnies ran the ball only 45% of the time and lost two of three games, the Johnnies have run the ball an astonishing 71% of the time in their other six games.

There are a myriad of factors for this discrepancy. In addition to the Johnnies’ unsettled quarterback situation, St. John’s fell behind Bethel and Concordia early and were forced to throw the ball to try to regain the lead and the windy and/or cold weather against UW-River Falls, St. Thomas, and Augsburg, especially, favored running the ball over the pass. With another cold and potentially wet day expected this Saturday in Northfield, expect the Johnnies to keep the ball on the ground almost exclusively.

Getting Their Kicks: Speaking of the weather, the Johnnies and Auggies battled a stiff 20 MPH wind out of the north (almost directly from the end zone near the Palaestra to the end zone near the scoreboard). Not only did this force St. John’s to ground their air attack, it also led to John Gagliardi pulling one of his old tricks: taking the wind and kicking off to start both halves. (Those with a sharp memory will remember that the Johnnies have successfully used the same strategy a few times, most notably in the 2003 Stagg Bowl win over Mount Union.)

The strategy seemed to pay off both times–on defense, at least. The Auggies started at their own 25 yard line, gained 11 yards in 4 plays, and punted back to the Johnnies in the first quarter and began the second half at their own 30, totaling 3 plays and 9 yards before punting to start the third quarter. While the Johnnies got the ball back in decent field position on their first offensive drive of both halves, they squandered any opportunity to convert that field position into points by giving the ball back to Augsburg via turnovers.

Jimmy Gagliardi was more willing to pass the ball with the wind at his offense’s backs. In the first and third quarters, the Johnnies attempted 11 passes, completing 5 of them for 77 yards and an interception. While the passes into the wind were less frequent, the Johnnies did have some success on them: Joe Boyle completed 4 of his 5 second and fourth quarter attempts for 24 yards and a score. Boyle’s one incompletion into the wind may or may not have been attributable to the weather—he missed a wide open Bryan Busack in the end zone in the second quarter one play before connecting with him for a 15-yard touchdown pass.

Nowhere to Run: Fortunately for the Auggies, they don’t mind passing and passing often because the Johnnie defense completely shut down the Augsburg running game. The St. John’s defense had begun to show some uncharacteristic cracks in its run prevention in previous games, allowing four straight opponents (Bethel, Hamline, St. Thomas, and St. Olaf) to gain over 100 yards on the ground. They responded by holding the Auggies to 14 rushing yards on 15 attempts, both season lows and the first time St. John’s held an opponent to less than a yard per carry in 2008 after turning the trick twice last season (Marietta, 35 carries for 26 yards, and Carleton, 28 carries for no yards).

While they were stymied on the ground, Augsburg was still able to achieve new highs for St. John’s opponents this year in pass completions (30), passing yards (328), passing touchdowns (3), and points scored (21). This is a concern entering Saturday’s title match with Carleton as the Knights are the only MIAC offense with a passing attack that approximates Augsburg’s. This weekend’s game likely will come down to the Johnnies’ ability to match Carleton passing touchdowns with scores of their own on the ground.

Quick Hits: Defensive end/strong safety John Stanton marked his first collegiate start by causing a sack on Augsburg’s first drive and recording his first career interception… Punter Russell Gliadon appeared unaffected by the windy conditions as he landed three of his five punts inside the Augsburg 20-yard line, converted all four of his extra points without issue, and booted a 55-yard punt… Quarterback Joe Boyle’s 2 rushing touchdowns give him a team-leading 4 on the season. His 16 rushing attempts led all ballcarriers… Ben Vanderheyden managed only 32 receiving yards (compared to his per-game average of 87 yards entering the day), but it was good enough to make him the St. John’s receiving leader for the fifth straight week… Defensive tackle Kyle Schroeder recorded his first two quarterback sacks on the season… The announced attendance of 4,169 was the smallest crowd at Clemens Stadium for an MIAC game since 2,847 saw the Johnnies beat the Cobbers 35-14 in the 2000 finale.

I hope there’s room left on the Bandwagon for me.