FB: Empire 8

[lineback]

... So if you need someone to grab you at the airport or a place to stay your always welcome to stay at Mamma Orangehat's w/ me. 

mamma orangehat likes to burn

[maninorangehat]

Is Nick Gatto still out there?  I was wondering if there is any insider news from the Saxon's camp that Pep Band might not be aware of. 

Go Bombers

[the bird man]

any news out of the Fisher Camp? How do they look for this year? I know the running back situation is in good shape, but how about the defense?

Any thoughts?

[BobNapoleone]

MIOH..

[BobNapoleone]

...you're killin me.....

[Redass]

So with Utica comming off there best season to date and losing only 4 offensive and 2 defensive starters does anyone see them as a post season canidate? The team looked great during the spring practices. Anyone else have an idea??

[lewdogg11]

So with Utica comming off there best season to date and losing only 4 offensive and 2 defensive starters does anyone see them as a post season canidate? The team looked great during the spring practices. Anyone else have an idea??

A .500 team?  Maybe.  A post-season candidate?  Come on man.  Don't be that guy.

[Jonny Utah]

So with Utica comming off there best season to date and losing only 4 offensive and 2 defensive starters does anyone see them as a post season canidate? The team looked great during the spring practices. Anyone else have an idea??

I think Utica will be a real sparkplug of the empire 8 conference this year. 

[Jonny Utah]

Sorry, I meant buttplug....they're  heinous.

[Jonny Utah]

Eeriously though, here is a 90% chance that this will be the outcome of Utica's season.

Wins:
Becker
Husson
Mt. Ida
Norwich
Hartwick

Losses:
Ithaca
SJF
Alfred
Springfield
RPI

They might lose to Norwich or Hartwick but the other games are 99% final

[lewdogg11]

I got smited for saying Utica will go .500?  That's a compliment!  What's this world coming to?

[Redass]

So the idea is that Utica will not have another season above .500? They did have close games to Hartwick and Springfield, but do remember, they won.

[maninorangehat]

So the idea is that Utica will not have another season above .500? They did have close games to Hartwick and Springfield, but do remember, they won.

Redass,

Welcome to the boards.  Budcrew will be happy to see another Utica fan on here (I think he's the only other one).  Does your son play on the team or somthing?  As far as Utica this season... I would set the over-under at 4 wins.  Any word on how their class is this year? 

Mr. N - I hope your enjoying your summer

Only a few short months before we run onto fishers turf to celebrate another E8 Championship.

[lewdogg11]

So the idea is that Utica will not have another season above .500? They did have close games to Hartwick and Springfield, but do remember, they won.

That's not it at all.  I think a lot of people hope Utica continues to improve as it will help the overall competition in Upstate NY.  However, the reality of it is, they are still a young program and while having their best season last year, they still will most likely have a few more years of speed bumps before they can really contend.  They will play the role of spoiler for a couple more years, in my mind, then, if the coaching keeps up and they recruit well, maybe they'll be able to break into that upper tier group of teams.

The past has shown, for the most part, that as former doormat improves, one of the perennial winners has taken a step backward.  (i.e. - Alfred and St. John Fisher became really good teams, while Springfield and Hartwick fell off)  Hopefully that won't happen this time around and more than your typical 3 teams will have a shot at winning the conference.

Basically, before you can start talking about Utica and the postseason, you need to beat Ithaca, Fisher, and Alfred in the conference.  You proved you can contend with the middleweights, but the heavyweights are reloading each year and I just don't think the program is quite there yet.

[AUPepBand]

Both Utica and AU were fortunate to get wins over Springfield in '05. Both must travel there this year...not an easy trip at all. And, Saxons will be hard-pressed to repeat 2005's unbeaten record at Merrill Field, what with Thiel (11-1 in '05), Hobart (9-2), Ithaca (8-3) and Fisher (8-3) invading Saxonville.