The arch-rival Tommies come to Collegeville this week. I’ve noticed less and less anticipation for the Tommie/Johnnie game in recent years. The outcome of the game appears to be a foregone conclusion and the predictions are not who will win but rather how many points the Johnnies will put up. This raises an important question that I’ve been pondering since the J’s polished off the Pipers on Saturday. What makes a rivalry game?
If one team always wins, is it still a rivalry? If the fans seem to care more about the rivalry than the players is it still a genuine rivalry? If you feel more “nervous” before the matchups with St. Olaf and Bethel than the Tommies, is it still a rivalry? If the obscene t-shirts and various tomfoolery on Friday/Saturday night is more important to the students than the outcome of the game, is it still a rivalry?
It truly saddens me how far St. Thomas has fallen in football. They’ve become a borderline mockery around the MIAC. It baffles the mind to think of all the advantages they have at Cretin and Summit in St. Paul.
Among them:
- Gorgeous, picturesque campus nestled in a historic neighborhood exuding character
- Reputation for especially pretty co-eds
- Excellent academics with the chance for a smooth transition to numerous UST graduate school programs
- Great location within the fertile recruiting grounds of the Twin Cities
- Other top MIAC programs in hockey, basketball, track, and baseball to draw more top Div. 3 athletes
Honorary Johnnie, Don Roney
All those factors should create the “Perfect Storm” for success at St. Thomas in football. And they have in numerous other men’s and women’s programs there. The common denominator of the recent demise of Tommie football has to be traced to the top and head coach Don Roney. The Toms had some real good teams in the early 2000s with Jake Barkley, Andrew Hilliard, and the Kaiser boys. They haven’t been able to get over the top and win the big games.
I propose that all Johnnie fans owe thanks to Tommie Athletic Director Steve Fritz for keeping Don around even with the incredible mediocrity in recent years. The cardinal and blue is forever grateful.
