I like how people are giving out grades for teams so far this season and I have to say that I agree with most of what everyone has said.

I don't like that people are saying that if the Rams can play like they did at Wartburg, then they will win some ball games.  And here is where I get tough, because someone has to from inside the "family".  We still turned the ball over 4 times, including two pick 6s.  I don't think they need to play like they did at Wartburg, they need to play mistake free football and get the defensive effort that was given against Wartburg and for the portions of the game against Loras where they didn't start inside our 30.  Cornell has always had the ability to win ball games in this conference, just never taken advantage of the opportunities by either turning the ball over too much, or deciding to give up big plays on defense.  I have said this all year, for Cornell to win a ballgame, they are gonna have to play a game in which they minimize penalties, don't turn the ball over, create turnovers, and score some other way than on offense.  Now that is a lot, and most would call that the perfect game, but there is no reason why the team can't come together, each man do his job, and win a ballgame.  They've done it before against good ball teams, unfortunately those good teams haven't been in the conference the last couple of years. 

Sorry for the rant 

Quote from: 5 Words or Less on October 06, 2008, 01:17:14 PM
Any updates on Heys Jr?

I haven't heard anything, and far from providing inside information, it appeared from the video that he got his ankle rolled.  When he was walking off the field it looked like he would be able to shake it off, obviously that wasn't the case.  He is a tough kid and you know he is going to do everything he can to be on the field this weekend, especially since its homecoming weekend.  Here is to hoping it isn't too serious and he is able to play and play well, as we'll need him.  Maybe it gives a little suspense to the Simpson staff with the uncertainty of whether or not he will play, but maybe that's just wishful thinking...

Quote from: Klopenhiemer on October 01, 2008, 02:41:19 PM

Quote from: Klompen on October 01, 2008, 09:51:15 AM

Quote from: Charlie Kohawk on September 30, 2008, 11:36:18 PM

Quote from: warthog on September 30, 2008, 10:22:22 PM
So what does this economy situation do to private colleges as they attempt to recruit students at $30,000 a pop?

Great question. I guess I'll be keeping my college job (unless those same officials show up on campus again).

Private colleges are going to face a very challenging year.  Increasingly high school counselors and financial planners are telling students and parents to get the first two years at a community college.  Private colleges have done well to maintain enrollments against that environment, add the pressures of this economy and we could see financial struggles hit our alma maters like never before as more and more families will see that as the only choice and not even give our schools a fair chance to compete.  The regents will also likely see a bump from this.  Of course the flip side is that in a down economy more students opt for college when the job market is tight. 

What kind of job can one expect without a college degree?  They could go to a technical school and learn a technical trade.  They could join a union such as the carpenters, plumbers, iron workers, ect and go through their apprentiship program.  They could go to some other type of scpecialized school that might deal with fire, automotives, or anything else that does not need a tradional 4 year degree.  All of these still require some type of financing other than the Union Apprentiships.  Those guys have to buy tools so that is their cost of tuition.  With the lending markets being tight right now its going to be especially tough on everyone.  If a student does not go to college of tech school they can plan on saying would you like fries with that or paper or plastic sir for the rest of their lives. 

With a tough job market, it just makes it that much harder to get a job regardless of whether or not you have a degree.  I will disagree with you that people without degrees should plan on working fast food, as there are plenty of jobs that do not require a degree  or where a degree is just recommended.  Things being so tough puts an extra emphasis on who you know, and just getting your foot in the door.  My brother went to a technical school to become a carpenter and entered the Union as an apprentice, and still he was laid off a month ago and is currently doing odd jobs for private contractors just to bring home money.  If he didn't have contacts with these private companies, who knows what he would have to do to find work.  I also know some one who just graduated from high school, that was given a job as an administrative assistant, but only because the person who hired her was a long time family friend.  So I think with things being the way they are, it becomes even more so on who you know, rather than your qualifications.

Quote from: the_mayne_event on September 30, 2008, 02:09:41 PM

Quote from: KCDutch on September 30, 2008, 02:06:50 PM

Quote from: the_mayne_event on September 30, 2008, 01:57:53 PM

Quote from: sportsknight on September 30, 2008, 01:22:58 PM

Quote from: the_mayne_event on September 30, 2008, 01:19:42 PM

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 30, 2008, 01:04:16 PM

Quote from: Charlie Kohawk on September 30, 2008, 01:39:33 AM

Quote from: TrainsEqualCrowdNoise on September 30, 2008, 01:15:18 AM
All this talk about referee's "screwing" teams out of wins makes me think about other past instances of such occurances, first one comes to mind is the infamous 5th down in the Missouri vs Colorado game.   Any others come to mind, and can anyone think of a time when the officials seemingly tried to give the game to a team but a team still stopped them anyways?

No

I thought the crew did a great job in the Loras win over Coe.

Signed,

Ed Hochuli

a 2nd from Don Dinkinger

That's Wartburg alum Don Denkinger to you.

neighbor don denkinger to me

Always wondered, does he use a cane or seeing eye dog to get around?

actually a really good guy, but probably not to cardinal fans

Yes probably a good guy, but a terrible umpire....

All this talk about referee's "screwing" teams out of wins makes me think about other past instances of such occurances, first one comes to mind is the infamous 5th down in the Missouri vs Colorado game.   Any others come to mind, and can anyone think of a time when the officials seemingly tried to give the game to a team but a team still stopped them anyways?

Kohawk Remedy, no matter how terrible the referee's are, they never take the game from a team.  From what many other posters have said, Coe had plenty of opportunities to stop Loras and was even given some questionable calls as well.  I think someone said they were given an INT when the ball clearly hit the ground.  Even one of Coe's defensive ends Aaron Hadenfeldt said that if they had done their jobs, Loras wouldn't of even been in that situation at the end of the game.  

I know it sucks, that your team lost on the last second of the game, but if you were in the opposite situation, say Coe would have pulled off the victory with the clock expiring, would you still be cursing the refs and blaming them?

Oh and I agree that the videos are inconclusive, too much crowd noise.  And not that it matters anyways, it is not like the IIAC is going to look at the videos and change the result of the game.  In the end, it's still a Loras victory.

Quote from: ShowMe on September 28, 2008, 11:15:03 PM

I'm not sure what you consider mistakes in the passing game. We went 3 games (89 passes) without an interception, we missed some opportunities passing and catching the ball in those 89 passes. We were passing from  multiple sets which may have had a major impact. This is the first game we turned the ball over on picks. This is also the first time we went exclusively with the spread against one of the best defense in the conference. Cornell moved the ball very effectively running and passing the against Wartburg. It was a balanced attack 187 running and 229 passing) and I would consider Saturday a dual threat game. It was an accomplishment for the team. Now what makes Wartburg a good team is they have players that can make plays. Two of the interceptions where good catches by the Wartburg defense. The two picks for points went straight to the defense and mostly due to pressure first and then the execution under pressure.  

What I mean by mistakes in the passing game, is a lack of consistency, and from what I watched over the internet, some really poor decisions when throwing the football.  Yes, there wasn't an interception thrown in the first 3 games.  However, in the first game we were 5-20 for 49 yards, followed by a better performance of 20-33 for 186.  In the third game it appears that a 16-36 for 148 is a alright day but most of those completions came when Coe had the game well in hand and was basically playing a run the clock out defense and thats still less than 50% completion percentage.  From the game I watched against Wartburg, it seemed to me that we were at times to willing to just chuck it up for grabs instead of going through a progression and finding the open receiver, or even taking the ball and running for positive yards.  These are the things I consider "mistakes" as they are either turnovers or no gains when there was a possibility of positive yards and keep drives moving.

I don't want it too seem like I am being overly critical, because I think there have been made great strides just by opening up the offense and using our QB's legs to an advantage.  We just need to see more consistency out of the passing game and then teams will really have to choose between trying to contain the run threat or trying to limit the passing game.

Quote from: ShowMe on September 28, 2008, 12:35:39 PM
my friends it's time for some straight talk

I know many think I have crash support for Cornell. I think I have some evidence now. Cornell has finally dropped the wing-t. They have moved the fullbacks to new positions. The game against Wartburg showed the talent better. All of the receivers played better and they made some difficult catches the tight coverage. Our all conference runnng back gained 80 yards as a angle back and would have had 100 yards and a chance for 2 more touchdowns had he not missed 4 offensive series in the second half due to cramps, during the 2 series that Cornell was inside wartburgs 10 and didn't score. Our quaterbacl made wartburg's defense look like cornell's defense. I see it described as missed tackles but I saw it differently. The cornell quarterback attacked defenders and either shook the defender or broke the tackle. I agree, at times he was unstoppable. Wartburg deferred and gave cornell the ball first, we felt like wartburg was walking a batter to get to thier offense. Cornell proceeded take the ball after the kick and drove wartburg's defense down the field like a pro team, the first three plays went for firstdowns. That was the first in memory I have seen cornell take the first drive for a touchdown. The cornell offense looked like a machine. Wartburg's first score took a good pass and catch because the defender was in position just missed the ball.

The cornell defense showed omprovement too. We got our first two sacks for the season. We held the wartburg offense on several occasions. We need to play tighter coverage on the short passing game.

Wartburg blitzes from 1 to 3 additional defenders which put pressure on the young offensive line and quarterback. The interceptions for touchdowns were due to pressure and communication problems with the receivers. That's something we should be able to solve. No sacks against cornell in a big surprise.

As I have said before, wartburg is overrated. They are a good team but not in a class by themselves. I believe Cornell has exposed wartburg to even more challenges. I hope wartburg can won out and make a solid run in the playoff but I think it will be imporant for wartburg to recognize how they need to improve. I know some will say wartburg was not motivated to play cornell but if you saw what I saw wartburg was at times was embarassed.

With the spread offense, I see the potential of Cornell like I described in the preseason. The line is still critical to cornell. Coe beat cornell in the trenches on both sides on the ball. Coe is not as impressive on offense, cornell just didn't have enough offense with the wing-t against the Coe defense . The problem with the wing-t is the Only player the defense had to worry about was #25, the dual threat quarterback good not get loose with 8 and 9 in the box, you stop the running game and it's hard to win and the defense T's off on the passing game with a developing offensive line.

I will definitely agree with you that it was nice to see that the Wing-T was scrapped and a more spread attack was featured against Wartburg.  Unfortunately we aren't to the point yet where there is a dual threat of a passing and running attack.  Teams are still going to force us to throw the ball, because we are still making mistakes in that facet of the game that has led to big points for opponents.  One big plus in the passing game was big #12, and he needs to be on the field all the time.  I agree with PH that its tough for him to be split out in 4 WR sets, but no matter what he needs to be the go to guy, all the time.  And just because you run the spread doesn't mean that you can't run primarily out of 1 TE, 3 WR sets or even 1 TE, 2 RB sets.

I was encouraged to see the improvements on offense, but still a little ways to go.  The defense also made great strides, and if they can continue to improve this season, there are still some winnable ball games still left on the schedule.  If 6 unranked teams can take down top 25 teams in D1 FBS, then there is no reason that the Rams can't come out and play mistake free football and beat someone in the league.

Quote from: du-sz on September 28, 2008, 12:47:13 PM

CR Gazette writers can complain all they want, but I have audio/video evidence that Loras got the snap off in time. That article is trash!! Its sick that a guy can get a reporting job and write a story without facts to back it up (unless this is some kind of opinoin piece, but I don't think it is).  Sorry for the rant, just thought I'd throw that out there.

Thus is the status of journalism in America.  Few seem to want to provide articles that contain just the facts and unbiased representation of what happened.  Seems almost everyone who writes an article these days wants to tell you what to think instead of just reporting and letting you make up your own mind.

So finally get to see Cornell play, and I think I'm gonna go watch the Michigan game instead.....as maybe me watching Cornell is making them nervous or something 

Quote from: doolittledog on September 24, 2008, 02:02:17 PM
While not football related.  Here is a Dubuque Telegraph-Herald article noting that UD has a goal of competing in the future for the IIAC all-sports trophy. 

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=216928

Nice to see that is a goal of theirs.  From listening to their football webcasts, they interview UD head coaches during half-time and it is interesting to hear them talk of going on recruiting trips.  When I was in school, for sports like tennis or golf they would just post a notice in the cafeteria asking if anybody wanted to go out for a certain team to show up for a preseason meeting at so and so time.  The UD pastor was made the tennis coach while I was there, not because he knew much about tennis, it's just he was available and cheap.  I only went out for the team because a friend of mine that wanted to play wanted someone he knew to be on the team.  Next thing we knew he was #3 singles and I was #5. 

Makes me wonder, how many of the positions of coaches of any sport, league wide are filled by people who were "available and cheap"?  I've seen that happen a few times while I was at Cornell.  I don't think this is the case with football, but I wonder about the other sports around the conference.

I'll have to agree with both Ash and Speed here even though they are arguing two differing view points.  The majority of students at Cornell are more concerned with which piece of the human chess board they will get to be this week or what type of protest against society they can make than the outcomes of the athletic teams.  The administration is much the same, and does not seem to feel that athletics are as important to the success of the college.  Cornell does not need to lower its academic standards in order for there to be success produced throughout the athletic department.  What needs to be done is a commitment towards athletics in the ways of funding and general awareness throughout campus.  I would not be shocked to hear that there is a rather large groups of staff and students that don't even know which athletic teams Cornell actually fields.

Speed is right, that those who are apart of the athletic community are far from complacent with losing.  The athletes at Cornell are just as determined and dedicated as any in the conference.    However, these athletes only make up a small percentage of the population of the student body, and the most of the rest could care less.  I don't have much first hand knowledge about how this is at other schools, but what I can tell from fan support and attendance, this doesn't seem to occur at the other schools in the conference.  So in essence both of you fellas are correct.

There has to be a reason that programs that are consistently in the top of the conference do so well, and not just in football but all sports.  That reason is that these schools give their athletic programs the funding and tools to be the best.  Wartburg just created a new "multi" center.  Central just upgraded its field.  Their athletes have the equipment and support they need to maximize their potential.  I remember the first time we played at Luther and traveled from the locker rooms to the field.  We passed by the weight room and looked in and I thought to myself, "Wow, that place is huge.  Why is our weight room so tiny?"  Cornell has made a small attempt to remodel its facilities, but by no means has it taken the type of commitment that other schools have made.

Basically, I think it all comes down to priorities.  Until the school's administration decides to see athletics as a way to increase enrollment and as a cheap way to advertise, the athletics at Cornell will never consistently be good.  We may have our All-american wrestlers, or all conference performers, but we will never consistently year to year have them.  But in the end, the thing that matters most is that we received an education and that we received our degrees.  This athletic success would just have been icing on the cake.

I apologize for being so long winded....

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 21, 2008, 05:37:58 PM
I guess I am not sure if it comes down to a simple matter of playing harder.

The Rams mental outlook is critical at this point.  In the past 2 years, they have at least had non-conference success.  With that blown out the window, given the past several years, this team is staring the prospect of a 0-fer season...with what we all thought could be an improved team.  But all of that does not matter.  They need to stay focused on the game in front of them from here on out.  Their biggest opponent is their own self-doubt.

But it comes down to a matter of perserverance.  With Wartburg upcoming and the obvious difficulties awaiting, the Rams have to fight the battle of themselves and their own personal committment.  They need to break it down to 1 guy, 1 job.  You do your job and the guy next to you does his and we'll take the result win or lose.  This isn't offense vs. defense....and these are times when that kind of anti-team crap begins.

The coaches have duty to make sure this doesn't happen...but the players have the responsibility to do it.  Get back to work, keep chopping wood, or whatever cliche' floats your boat, but don't frickin' give up.  Giving up is what true losers do.

I, for one, don't believe they are losers.

Definitely not losers, the areas of where the team has come up short glare in my mind (Opponent and our own 3rd down conversions), and it is on both the responsibility of the players and the coaches.  It is disappointing to not have a victory yet, but there are still 7 games to go.  The players need to do a better job executing, and the coaches need to obviously put their players in better situations.  I have long said that I believe that last statement is what needs to change at Cornell.  There is obvious talent on the team, and on lookers such as Doolittle have noticed that the players aren't always put in the position to make plays for the team.  I know the players need to execute, and agree with this 100%.  But it goes both ways, you can give it all but you still can't force a square peg through a round hole.

Quote from: the_mayne_event on September 16, 2008, 02:32:21 PM

Quote from: TrainsEqualCrowdNoise on September 16, 2008, 02:07:50 PM
I'm not concerned with the quotes made by Bush, and I know all about leading questions and journalistic omission.  I have my own reasons for why I said what I did, and they don't all stem from this one article.  I did state that I hope that I am wrong, because I still have hope that the program can be "righted" and I sincerely hope that it does as Cornell is my school and who doesn't want their school to succeed.  I was happy to see that there seemed to be a change in play calling that hopefully better used the skill set of one Mr. Bush.  I think he has an opportunity to be a top performer in the conference, but unlike what was stated in the article, I don't think one performance makes him one of those players just yet.  Big week ahead of us, a lot riding on this game.  I hope we come to play and that we minimize mistakes (penalties and turnovers).

he had an average game.  nothing to write home about... averaging 9 yards per pass isnt anything spactacular.

man, i would be pissed if i had to wear those purple and white striped socks teh cornell players wear

That's what I was trying to get across, that the comments by Dillon didn't really seem to fit the situation.  I was saying the performance was a decent one, that he had a much better completion percentage and didn't throw any interceptions.  Hopefully, he continues to improve and can maintain that completion percentage then things should improve.  And yes, regardless if either Dillon or Bush was misquoted, I agree that there needs to realization that it is always a possibility when talking to the media and watch was being said.  Something the head coach should know, and all the more reason that there are things that make me wonder....

And why does everyone diss the socks? I happen to like them, and think the new home uniforms, minus the purple pants, are pretty cool.

I'm not concerned with the quotes made by Bush, and I know all about leading questions and journalistic omission.  I have my own reasons for why I said what I did, and they don't all stem from this one article.  I did state that I hope that I am wrong, because I still have hope that the program can be "righted" and I sincerely hope that it does as Cornell is my school and who doesn't want their school to succeed.  I was happy to see that there seemed to be a change in play calling that hopefully better used the skill set of one Mr. Bush.  I think he has an opportunity to be a top performer in the conference, but unlike what was stated in the article, I don't think one performance makes him one of those players just yet.  Big week ahead of us, a lot riding on this game.  I hope we come to play and that we minimize mistakes (penalties and turnovers).