FB: Empire 8

[fisheralum91]

not a bad take booby.
i agree

[AUPepBand]

Yeah while I like the preseason polls they don't mean much...By the end of the year Ithaca who is ranked 10th won't be that high, Alfred who didn't record a single vote I bet will be in the top 25 and I think ahead of Ithaca in that top 25 and Fisher will probably taper off and remain in the "also receiving votes" section for most of the year...That's how I see it anyway. 

Pep likes the way booby is thinking.....
is it some purple stuff booby has been drinking?

While Pep is cautiously optimistic, he is also mildly concerned that the Saxons may spend their five home games on someone else's turf. 

[theoriginalupstate]

Pep, I agree with Boobs.  I think AU is the team to beat in the E8 this year.  They have a really good QB coming back that is coming off a great season.  No one else can say that.

[AUPepBand]

Pep, I agree with Boobs.  I think AU is the team to beat in the E8 this year.  They have a really good QB coming back that is coming off a great season.  No one else can say that.

Pep hasn't really done the research on the rest of his season, but when Juvan went down to injury at Mayberry last year, Grastorf did just fine building a big IC lead. Saxons rallied and were knocking on the door at the end but were denied in a 43-35 final. AU hasn't EVER won at Butterfield Stadium, although the Saxons did win a few on South Hill Field. 

On Saxon Warriors!

[theoriginalupstate]

Pep, I agree with Boobs.  I think AU is the team to beat in the E8 this year.  They have a really good QB coming back that is coming off a great season.  No one else can say that.

Pep hasn't really done the research on the rest of his season, but when Juvan went down to injury at Mayberry last year, Grastorf did just fine building a big IC lead. Saxons rallied and were knocking on the door at the end but were denied in a 43-35 final. AU hasn't EVER won at Butterfield Stadium, although the Saxons did win a few on South Hill Field. 

On Saxon Warriors!

Saying it now Secky will get AU that first win at IC in 2010!

[Bombers798891]

Pep, I agree with Boobs.  I think AU is the team to beat in the E8 this year.  They have a really good QB coming back that is coming off a great season.  No one else can say that.

Pep hasn't really done the research on the rest of his season, but when Juvan went down to injury at Mayberry last year, Grastorf did just fine building a big IC lead. Saxons rallied and were knocking on the door at the end but were denied in a 43-35 final. AU hasn't EVER won at Butterfield Stadium, although the Saxons did win a few on South Hill Field. 

On Saxon Warriors!

Saying it now Secky will get AU that first win at IC in 2010!

I agree. Zero love for Alfred and way too much for IC. The Saxons were probably dead even with IC and given their returning talent and IC's schedule. But maybe Alfred's lack of a marquee OOC game hurts?

By the way, with the AFL done, what's going to happen to Boltus? Or was he in the CFL? I forgot

[theoriginalupstate]

CFL

[Jonny Utah]

I thought I would take the time out to give my own opinion on the 2009 Alfred Saxons.

guys comming back
-Returning QB that may be the best in the (north)east.  This kid has the potential to be one of the top eastern QBs in a long time.
-Top WR returning
-3/5 o-linemen returning.
-Good linebacking core comming back
-A few good d-linemen comming back

holes
-Lost starting running backs (is the old 2007 RB going to be 100%?)
-Lost #2 WR (other WRs could be a question?)
-Lost entire secondary (how will that fare against passing teams?)
-Lost 2 good d-linemen

[AUPepBand]

I thought I would take the time out to give my own opinion on the 2009 Alfred Saxons.

guys comming back
-Returning QB that may be the best in the (north)east.  This kid has the potential to be one of the top eastern QBs in a long time.
-Top WR returning
-3/5 o-linemen returning.
-Good linebacking core comming back
-A few good d-linemen comming back

holes
-Lost starting running backs (is the old 2007 RB going to be 100%?)
-Lost #2 WR (other WRs could be a question?)
-Lost entire secondary (how will that fare against passing teams?)
-Lost 2 good d-linemen

Excellent analysis, JU....+K  Certainly the Saxons have some holes to fill. Time will tell whether there will be any starters among the 66 freshman recruits...or whether there are some jayvees who have put in the time to take their game to another level this season.

Seems the Saxons must play Ithaca late in the season and in the past few years, the Bombers seem to simmer and get real hot at season's end, working up to Cortaca when the Bombers are a boiling broth. Not sure why Curry spoiled the stew. Must not have been in the recipe.

[Jonny Utah]

I thought I would take the time out to give my own opinion on the 2009 Alfred Saxons.

guys comming back
-Returning QB that may be the best in the (north)east.  This kid has the potential to be one of the top eastern QBs in a long time.
-Top WR returning
-3/5 o-linemen returning.
-Good linebacking core comming back
-A few good d-linemen comming back

holes
-Lost starting running backs (is the old 2007 RB going to be 100%?)
-Lost #2 WR (other WRs could be a question?)
-Lost entire secondary (how will that fare against passing teams?)
-Lost 2 good d-linemen

Excellent analysis, JU....+K  Certainly the Saxons have some holes to fill. Time will tell whether there will be any starters among the 66 freshman recruits...or whether there are some jayvees who have put in the time to take their game to another level this season.

Seems the Saxons must play Ithaca late in the season and in the past few years, the Bombers seem to simmer and get real hot at season's end, working up to Cortaca when the Bombers are a boiling broth. Not sure why Curry spoiled the stew. Must not have been in the recipe.

Yea I guess its not really an analysis but more of a personel roundup.  The key for Alfreds offense might be if that RB can come back from that injury last year.  On the other side of the ball they will have to stop some high powered passing offenses (IC, Hartwick, SJF).  Ok, well only Hartwick is a passing offense by design but IC and SJF can throw the ball with ease against poor defenses.

[AUPepBand]

Yea I guess its not really an analysis but more of a personel roundup.  The key for Alfreds offense might be if that RB can come back from that injury last year.  On the other side of the ball they will have to stop some high powered passing offenses (IC, Hartwick, SJF).  Ok, well only Hartwick is a passing offense by design but IC and SJF can throw the ball with ease against poor defenses.

More than likely, Hartwick will have a good passing attack. True, it won't be Jason Boltus, but the Hawks will find a QB to air it out. That RB you speak of is Vinson Hendrix, who darted for a record 1400+ yards his sophomore season...he's helped Pep build a couple of houses in Florida on Spring Break with Habitat for Humanity. Just a great kid. Pep wishes him the best and am hopeful that he's 100% this season. His pre-injury strength was his agility, which was hindered greatly by a knee injury.

Hope to see JU @ North Dartmouth come Sept. 5!

[HHawks]

I thought I would take the time out to give my own opinion on the 2009 Alfred Saxons.

guys comming back
-Returning QB that may be the best in the (north)east.  This kid has the potential to be one of the top eastern QBs in a long time.
-Top WR returning
-3/5 o-linemen returning.
-Good linebacking core comming back
-A few good d-linemen comming back

holes
-Lost starting running backs (is the old 2007 RB going to be 100%?)
-Lost #2 WR (other WRs could be a question?)
-Lost entire secondary (how will that fare against passing teams?)
-Lost 2 good d-linemen

Now let me break down the Hawks for ya.

Strenghts
-Returning a WR who is a big time playmaker and maybe one of best in east.
-Returning RB is a big time playmaker and is very effective when ball is put in his hands. I see him as a big time difference maker this year
-Almost entire offensive line returning
-Almost entire Defense returning

Weakness
-Losing Jason Boltus (Duhhh)
-Losing All American WR Jack Phelan
-Losing WR Dan Gill who was very big on 3rd downs last year.
-Losing starting safety on defense who was heart and soul of defense.
-Has tough games late in season so upsets will have to kome in crucial weeks (Fisher last week of regular season at Hartwick)

[John McGraw]

Keep in mind that a preseason poll is just a preseason poll. It's often hard to gauge, aside from your Mount Union-level squads, what a team is going to do based on what they're showing on paper.

As a voter, one simply has to make his best guess as to how a team is going to do, based on various information, including that which is provided to him/her by the poll collector.

Right now, based on what I know, I think that Ithaca and Hobart will be the best squads in upstate New York. I don't think Cortland will be up there with them given their losses, which includes a senior quarterback, a power running back and an entire offensive line. Knowing the program, I think they'll be competitive but I don't see them as a top 25 team. Other people do.

I do think Alfred will be around in the end though do I think they're one of the 25 best teams in the country at this juncture, I'm not sure. I would say they're fairly close and would definitely be in a top 35 or 40.  And country, that's the other thing to remember too. While the Alfred's, RPI's and Union's of the world will be extremely competitive against upstate New York teams, how do they stack up against other teams nationally?

Recently, Fisher and Cortland most notably have done very well in postseason play though the strength of the region I'm sure nationally was questioned when a very good Ithaca team lost at home to Curry.

Alright, I'm done bloviating for now. I'll more than likely be heading to Pittsfield to get a glimpse of St. John Fisher in a couple of weeks, and oh yeah, that other team too I guess from Alliance.

[AUPepBand]

Keep in mind that a preseason poll is just a preseason poll. It's often hard to gauge, aside from your Mount Union-level squads, what a team is going to do based on what they're showing on paper.

As a voter, one simply has to make his best guess as to how a team is going to do, based on various information, including that which is provided to him/her by the poll collector.

Right now, based on what I know, I think that Ithaca and Hobart will be the best squads in upstate New York. I don't think Cortland will be up there with them given their losses, which includes a senior quarterback, a power running back and an entire offensive line. Knowing the program, I think they'll be competitive but I don't see them as a top 25 team. Other people do.

I do think Alfred will be around in the end though do I think they're one of the 25 best teams in the country at this juncture, I'm not sure. I would say they're fairly close and would definitely be in a top 35 or 40.  And country, that's the other thing to remember too. While the Alfred's, RPI's and Union's of the world will be extremely competitive against upstate New York teams, how do they stack up against other teams nationally?

Recently, Fisher and Cortland most notably have done very well in postseason play though the strength of the region I'm sure nationally was questioned when a very good Ithaca team lost at home to Curry.

Alright, I'm done bloviating for now. I'll more than likely be heading to Pittsfield to get a glimpse of St. John Fisher in a couple of weeks, and oh yeah, that other team too I guess from Alliance.

If you end up in Massachusetts looking for Mount Union vs. Fisher, you will be sorely disappointed.   

St. John Fisher College is located in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester, but you knew that, John. 

[theoriginalupstate]

If you end up in Massachusetts looking for Mount Union vs. Fisher, you will be sorely disappointed.   

St. John Fisher College is located in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester, but you knew that, John. 

To be fair to John, Pittsford can often be confused or merged with nearby Penfield thus getting Pittsfield...