FB: Empire 8

[AUPepBand]

DC...how do you pick/rank your teams each week...I mean, I know it is not an exact science...but I am curious.

I am all for another E8 team being in the top 10...and as a 'Wick fan, I have to hope Alfred beats IC...but not sure why Alfred would jump into the top 10 at #7.  Because they beat your team UC?  Alfred has 5 wins this year against teams with a combined 9-22 record (.290 winning percentage)?  Only FDU-F is .500 at 3-3.  Not really knocking Alfred here...I think they are a very tough team...as was obvious by the great game at the cage a few weeks ago.

Also, why change up the IC, Wick, and SJF rankings?  All 3 buried teams they should have last week. 

Not complaining about the rankings...none of these rankings will have any bearing on the playoff spots...just curious...and this is a really boring night...

It's not really exact at all.... The AU thing.. still in first place in the E8, they haven't been ranked all year until now. They are beating the teams they have to beat, but now the big games: IC and Fisher are still to play... we'll see what happens after that. IC, Wick and Fisher moved a little bit because of the Del Val loss.

EDIT
Re: UC pub
I do a pretty good job being fair when it comes to rankings and columns, I think people here would agree.
They were first in the conference (I know only one game, but Norwich hasn't won a conference game in almost 3 years, so doing it is pretty good). And Blaise is a new coach, so I figured I would talk to him and get his thoughts on the season so far.
Go back through the archive of columns, see how much I give UC vs. any other team.

Good explanation...I was more curious then anything else.  Alfred can still make a lot of noise in the next few weeks.  It is too bad they lost their first game against a non-conference team that they probably shouldn't have (been there with WNEC last year). 

And I am not knocking the UC pub...I grew up in the UC area, have friends that know Blaise very well, and think that UC has a real opportunity in the next few years to become a major player in the E8 (especially if they are still able to hand out FA packages like they have in the past...maybe a bit harder right now).  The column was a good one...as are most of them each week.

Yeah, that Ursinus game--freshman Tom Secky's debut as AU QB--looked a lot like Paul Keeley's first game in the AU pocket, a 36-22 loss to Washington & Lee in the heat in Lexington, VA. Pep thinks AU had six turnovers at W&L, but against Ursinus suffered through eight turnovers, two of which scored TDs for the Bears.

Pep prefers performances such as that to occur against non-conference foes early in the season, if they must occur at all. And Pep thinks most teams will have a game like that on occasion. And while out-of-region games weren't to be considered in NCAA Regional Rankings, Pep surmises that the 2005 season-opening loss at W&L kept the Saxons out of the NCAAs, even though AU was regionally ranked ahead of Wilkes that year prior to beating St. John Fisher which was ranked higher than the Saxons. Oops....let's get back to 2008.

On Saxon Warriors!

[AUKaz00]

Pep, are you still skipping out on the Bye Week BBQ?

[AUPepBand]

Kaz00: It appears that way. Will know for sure tomorrow.

[BoSox0322]

DC...how do you pick/rank your teams each week...I mean, I know it is not an exact science...but I am curious.

I am all for another E8 team being in the top 10...and as a 'Wick fan, I have to hope Alfred beats IC...but not sure why Alfred would jump into the top 10 at #7.  Because they beat your team UC?  Alfred has 5 wins this year against teams with a combined 9-22 record (.290 winning percentage)?  Only FDU-F is .500 at 3-3.  Not really knocking Alfred here...I think they are a very tough team...as was obvious by the great game at the cage a few weeks ago.

Also, why change up the IC, Wick, and SJF rankings?  All 3 buried teams they should have last week. 

Not complaining about the rankings...none of these rankings will have any bearing on the playoff spots...just curious...and this is a really boring night...

It's not really exact at all.... The AU thing.. still in first place in the E8, they haven't been ranked all year until now. They are beating the teams they have to beat, but now the big games: IC and Fisher are still to play... we'll see what happens after that. IC, Wick and Fisher moved a little bit because of the Del Val loss.

EDIT
Re: UC pub
I do a pretty good job being fair when it comes to rankings and columns, I think people here would agree.
They were first in the conference (I know only one game, but Norwich hasn't won a conference game in almost 3 years, so doing it is pretty good). And Blaise is a new coach, so I figured I would talk to him and get his thoughts on the season so far.
Go back through the archive of columns, see how much I give UC vs. any other team.

i dont agree with that at all... IC; SJF; HC all have defeated each other but HC is ranked 3rd out of the three...maybe thats correct...  but not just a coincidence...  Saying AU has beat the teams they are supposed to beat but NOW they have their big games ... SJF and IC... the game against HC wasnt a big game? that they lost by the way....Most people wouldnt notice because they dont care about hartwick but as a wick fan i notice you slighting them constantly... its not a big deal i'm used to it and somewhat understand it but call it what it is if Utica was doing what Hartwick is doing this year/last year i think you would have an article up stating how the pioneers should ranked nationally...

[fisheralum91]

and so sums up the reason that i dont get along with 90% of hartwick fans

[pg04]

and so sums up the reason that i dont get along with 90% of hartwick fans

Don't worry, there aren't enough of them in the world to constitute percentages. 

[fisheralum91]

i was at a benefit last evening and  hartwick parent who i know pretty well--went out of his way to let the entire crowd know that his sons school beat fisher for the 2nd year in a row..
needles to say ---he lost our college as an account

[Bombers798891]

DC...how do you pick/rank your teams each week...I mean, I know it is not an exact science...but I am curious.

I am all for another E8 team being in the top 10...and as a 'Wick fan, I have to hope Alfred beats IC...but not sure why Alfred would jump into the top 10 at #7.  Because they beat your team UC?  Alfred has 5 wins this year against teams with a combined 9-22 record (.290 winning percentage)?  Only FDU-F is .500 at 3-3.  Not really knocking Alfred here...I think they are a very tough team...as was obvious by the great game at the cage a few weeks ago.

Also, why change up the IC, Wick, and SJF rankings?  All 3 buried teams they should have last week. 

Not complaining about the rankings...none of these rankings will have any bearing on the playoff spots...just curious...and this is a really boring night...

It's not really exact at all.... The AU thing.. still in first place in the E8, they haven't been ranked all year until now. They are beating the teams they have to beat, but now the big games: IC and Fisher are still to play... we'll see what happens after that. IC, Wick and Fisher moved a little bit because of the Del Val loss.

EDIT
Re: UC pub
I do a pretty good job being fair when it comes to rankings and columns, I think people here would agree.
They were first in the conference (I know only one game, but Norwich hasn't won a conference game in almost 3 years, so doing it is pretty good). And Blaise is a new coach, so I figured I would talk to him and get his thoughts on the season so far.
Go back through the archive of columns, see how much I give UC vs. any other team.

i dont agree with that at all... IC; SJF; HC all have defeated each other but HC is ranked 3rd out of the three...maybe thats correct...  but not just a coincidence...  Saying AU has beat the teams they are supposed to beat but NOW they have their big games ... SJF and IC... the game against HC wasnt a big game? that they lost by the way....Most people wouldnt notice because they dont care about hartwick but as a wick fan i notice you slighting them constantly... its not a big deal i'm used to it and somewhat understand it but call it what it is if Utica was doing what Hartwick is doing this year/last year i think you would have an article up stating how the pioneers should ranked nationally...

Hartwick gets ranked lower for a few reasons in my own, internal, ranking system.

1) A Hartwick fan talking about SOS is the pot calling the kettle black. Are we supposed to be impressed by your wins over Becker and Western New England? You've got Mt. Ida this week, another great challenge. Schedule someone out of conference that finishes above .500, then whine about schedules
2) Fisher and Alfred aren't exactly the best teams. Neither are ranked in the Top 25. They've got five losses between them, and there's probably 2 more coming.
3) Allowing 69 points to the highest ranked team on your schedule is always a great way to endear yourself to the people making the rankings.
4) Fans who complain about rankings that have no bearing on reality need to just calm down

[dewcrew88]

DC...how do you pick/rank your teams each week...I mean, I know it is not an exact science...but I am curious.

I am all for another E8 team being in the top 10...and as a 'Wick fan, I have to hope Alfred beats IC...but not sure why Alfred would jump into the top 10 at #7.  Because they beat your team UC?  Alfred has 5 wins this year against teams with a combined 9-22 record (.290 winning percentage)?  Only FDU-F is .500 at 3-3.  Not really knocking Alfred here...I think they are a very tough team...as was obvious by the great game at the cage a few weeks ago.

Also, why change up the IC, Wick, and SJF rankings?  All 3 buried teams they should have last week. 

Not complaining about the rankings...none of these rankings will have any bearing on the playoff spots...just curious...and this is a really boring night...

It's not really exact at all.... The AU thing.. still in first place in the E8, they haven't been ranked all year until now. They are beating the teams they have to beat, but now the big games: IC and Fisher are still to play... we'll see what happens after that. IC, Wick and Fisher moved a little bit because of the Del Val loss.

EDIT
Re: UC pub
I do a pretty good job being fair when it comes to rankings and columns, I think people here would agree.
They were first in the conference (I know only one game, but Norwich hasn't won a conference game in almost 3 years, so doing it is pretty good). And Blaise is a new coach, so I figured I would talk to him and get his thoughts on the season so far.
Go back through the archive of columns, see how much I give UC vs. any other team.

i dont agree with that at all... IC; SJF; HC all have defeated each other but HC is ranked 3rd out of the three...maybe thats correct...  but not just a coincidence...  Saying AU has beat the teams they are supposed to beat but NOW they have their big games ... SJF and IC... the game against HC wasnt a big game? that they lost by the way....Most people wouldnt notice because they dont care about hartwick but as a wick fan i notice you slighting them constantly... its not a big deal i'm used to it and somewhat understand it but call it what it is if Utica was doing what Hartwick is doing this year/last year i think you would have an article up stating how the pioneers should ranked nationally...

What?!?! You show me where I'm slighting Hartwick. Really. I'm pretty fair with them, they are ranked 3rd in my east region poll, and I've featured Jason Boltus and his accomplishments before.

EDIT: For example http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/east/2008/New+York+shootout+defies+words

Double EDIT: I probably would have an article if UC was doing what Hartwick was doing... but it's a little different... a relatively new program (compared to the others) playing with the big boys. It would be interesting.

Another example (from 11/13/07):

Yup, Utica did it. With their opponent, Hartwick, needing to beat them to secure the automatic qualifier for the Empire 8, the Pioneers would not go quietly. After ending regulation tied at 49, the most points Utica scored all year, neither team scored in the first overtime, as Utica missed a field goal. Both teams scored in the second overtime, tying the score at 64.

In the third overtime, Hartwick scored on the second play from scrimmage and then made the two-point conversion to go up by eight, 72-64. Utica came back and scored in the possession to come within two, 72-70. On the two-point conversion, Utica false-started on its first play, then Hartwick came up with a defensive stop to win the game and the automatic qualifier.

The two teams set an NCAA record for most combined points in a game, breaking the record by one by Weber State and Portland State, who scored 141 combined earlier this year.

Utica set a record by scoring 70 points in a loss, the record was set by Division II's Western New Mexico.

Hartwick quarterback Jason Boltus threw for 420 yards and six touchdowns and Utica quarterback Alex Conlon completed 13 passes for 216 touchdowns and four touchdowns.
Hartwick's Jack Phelan caught 11 passes for 240 yards in the offensive showdown that featured 52 first downs by both teams.

In the nine games previously this season, Utica only scored 129 total, and scored 70 against the Hawks.

[maxpower]

I think anyone accusing dewcrew of being a homer, or anything like that, hasn't been paying much attention to his column or these boards.

And the truth is nobody REALLY knows who the best team is of IC-SJF-HC. They're all incredibly inconsistent. We're not going to know for a couple weeks yet either, so let's sit back and watch the games.

[boobyhasgameyo]

I think anyone accusing dewcrew of being a homer, or anything like that, hasn't been paying much attention to his column or these boards.

And the truth is nobody REALLY knows who the best team is of IC-SJF-HC. They're all incredibly inconsistent. We're not going to know for a couple weeks yet either, so let's sit back and watch the games.

Oh that's an easy one...It's Fisher.   






homer what?   

[pg04]

.... J. Simpson...  Oh no let's not start that again. 

[JQV]

.... J. Simpson... 

I'm a grown man and I deserve a middle name.

Ahh.  That small bush is hiding my middle name.  From this day forward, Homer J. Simpson will forever be known as Homer ... Jay Simpson.

[Frank Rossi]

I think anyone accusing dewcrew of being a homer, or anything like that, hasn't been paying much attention to his column or these boards.

And the truth is nobody REALLY knows who the best team is of IC-SJF-HC. They're all incredibly inconsistent. We're not going to know for a couple weeks yet either, so let's sit back and watch the games.

Let's be honest:  dewcrew is a homer as much as I'm a Union guy and RT is an RPI guy and JU is an Ithaca guy at heart.  However, we all try beyond what is necessary to remove the appearance of that bias when we are doing broader jobs that don't focus on those schools specifically (well, JU hasn't impressed me much on that one yet -- he's still Ithaca-centric to the max ).  But my earlier post was a joke about Utica -- if he were writing about Utica in the final week of the season, there'd be an issue there.  However, what else should he have written about last week?  The endless three-way tie in the E8?  That's a bridge to cross later in the season.  In other words, back off Dewcrew -- he's doing a good job removing his appearance of bias.  'nuff said on this one.

[John McGraw]

Go apple! (Ithaca)

Go orange! (Fisher)

Go banana! (Hartwick)