FB: Empire 8

[HSCTiger74]

Pep knows there's no one reading the Empire 8 boards right now and, quite understandably, few if any care much about the Sports Illustrated's Campus Rush Mascot Tournament. Nevertheless, the Saxons, one of the 32 mascots who were selected from Division III on the basis of their having no other mascot by that name, who had been seeded #6 in the Midwest Region, have now advanced to the Final Four!

To date:
MIDWEST DIVISION
#6 Saxons defeated #3 Coe College Kohawks
#6 Saxons defeated #2 Webster University Gorlocks
#6 Saxons defeated #5 Concordia Cobbers for North Regional title

FINAL FOUR:
#6 Alfred Saxons vs. #1 Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels
#1 UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs vs. #2 Sweet Briar College Vixens

Saxons are the lowest seeded team to advance to the Final Four. Voting has now begun and ends Monday, June 20 at justrivals.com, although at present Pep is unable to access the ballot(?).

On Saxon Warriors!

   I'll try to throw some votes your way Pep, but that's some tough competition. Still, once you get past "Gorlocks" I guess anything is possible.

[Bartman]

Pep knows there's no one reading the Empire 8 boards right now and, quite understandably, few if any care much about the Sports Illustrated's Campus Rush Mascot Tournament. Nevertheless, the Saxons, one of the 32 mascots who were selected from Division III on the basis of their having no other mascot by that name, who had been seeded #6 in the Midwest Region, have now advanced to the Final Four!

To date:
MIDWEST DIVISION
#6 Saxons defeated #3 Coe College Kohawks
#6 Saxons defeated #2 Webster University Gorlocks
#6 Saxons defeated #5 Concordia Cobbers for North Regional title

FINAL FOUR:
#6 Alfred Saxons vs. #1 Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels
#1 UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs vs. #2 Sweet Briar College Vixens

Saxons are the lowest seeded team to advance to the Final Four. Voting has now begun and ends Monday, June 20 at justrivals.com, although at present Pep is unable to access the ballot(?).

On Saxon Warriors!

Predicting a Saxons vs. Vixens final ....on upset minded Saxons

[jknezek]

It is interesting that 3 of the 4 finalists are DIII.

As an ODAC member alumnus, I need to support Sweet Briar. Not sure I could turn my back on the Vixens anyway. I mean, the actual definition is either a female fox, or, according to the Old English Dictionary, "an ill-tempered quarrelsome woman; a shrew, a termagant." Only later did we add some different connotations and denotations like flirty, fun, sexy, or attractive.

It should be noted the Vixens' website touts "quarrelsome", but for some reason stays away from "shrew" and "flirty." Can't imagine why.

Regardless, need to support the ODAC women!

[amh63]

Interesting topic on this board.   Had to comment.  Was just up in the Saxon  area....visiting Corning Museum.  One former Saxon was given a sort of Shout Outduring a glass blowing show
If I were to vote, I would support Sweet Briar for several reasons.....my younger brother is married to a " vixen" and the fact that the school could use the positive Publicity?.  It just barely survived a closing of it's doors due to a lack of students/ funds.

[AUPepBand]

It is interesting that 3 of the 4 finalists are DIII.

As an ODAC member alumnus, I need to support Sweet Briar. Not sure I could turn my back on the Vixens anyway. I mean, the actual definition is either a female fox, or, according to the Old English Dictionary, "an ill-tempered quarrelsome woman; a shrew, a termagant." Only later did we add some different connotations and denotations like flirty, fun, sexy, or attractive.

It should be noted the Vixens' website touts "quarrelsome", but for some reason stays away from "shrew" and "flirty." Can't imagine why.

Regardless, need to support the ODAC women!

It's Pep's understanding that all of the original 32 in the contest are DIII schools. Which one is NOT DIII?

[jknezek]

It is interesting that 3 of the 4 finalists are DIII.

As an ODAC member alumnus, I need to support Sweet Briar. Not sure I could turn my back on the Vixens anyway. I mean, the actual definition is either a female fox, or, according to the Old English Dictionary, "an ill-tempered quarrelsome woman; a shrew, a termagant." Only later did we add some different connotations and denotations like flirty, fun, sexy, or attractive.

It should be noted the Vixens' website touts "quarrelsome", but for some reason stays away from "shrew" and "flirty." Can't imagine why.

Regardless, need to support the ODAC women!

It's Pep's understanding that all of the original 32 in the contest are DIII schools. Which one is NOT DIII?

ha. I didn't pay that much attention! I didn't think UC Santa Cruz was, but apparently they are. My mistake!

[D3viewer]

Those names look like more like a lineup  from a Renaissance Fair.

[fisheralum91]

Any word on a D Coordinator for Fisher this year?
I see Fox went to Bport.

[AUPepBand]

Voting in the Final Four of Sports Illustrated's Campus Rush Best Mascot Tournament has just concluded and it will be the Saxons vs. the Vixens for the national championship!

East Region #2 seed Sweet Briar College Vixens defeated the West Region #1 seed UC-Santa Clara Banana Slugs, 54% to 46%
Alfred University's North Region #6 seeded Saxons edged the South Region #1 seed Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels, 52% to 48%

The Saxons will now face the Vixens!!

On Saxon Warriors!

[Bartman]

Having predicted the Saxon  v. Vixen final, I am afraid that the Saxons will yield to the Vixens based on a large Vixen sympathy vote

[D3viewer]

fisheralum91..this one's for you...

"St. John Fisher has hired Salve Regina (D-III – RI) defensive backs coach Chris Keyes as their defensive coordinator."

http://www.salveathletics.com/sports/fball/coaches/20150805_keyes?view=bio

Played at Fisher..coached at UR.

[Upstate]

fisheralum91..this one's for you...

"St. John Fisher has hired Salve Regina (D-III – RI) defensive backs coach Chris Keyes as their defensive coordinator."

http://www.salveathletics.com/sports/fball/coaches/20150805_keyes?view=bio

Played at Fisher..coached at UR.

He's a really bright guy and a fantastic person.

Really hoping the best for him!

[fisheralum91]

Thanks for the info- Lets hope he shores up the d a bit!

"You always go home"

[AUPepBand]

Having predicted the Saxon  v. Vixen final, I am afraid that the Saxons will yield to the Vixens based on a large Vixen sympathy vote

The Vixens certainly provides a formidable foe for Pep's Saxons. Pep thinks it ironic that both mascots have the "X" in their names and each has six letters and ends with "ns."

Where the Vixens have the edge is the fact that the tiny women's college has a "big brother" school in Hampden-Sydney from which Pep is convinced a good chunk of the voters originate.

Both colleges have historic campuses seated in the foothills of mountains...Sweet Briar near the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, Alfred near the Allegheny Mountains in Western New York's Southern Tier. SB was founded in 1901, AU founded in 1836. SB was founded as an all-women's college before women could vote. AU enrolled women from its inception.

Pep isn't sure what factors prompted Sports Illustrated to seed the 32-mascot field but the #6 seed Saxons have four "upsets" to their credit in advancing to the finals. The Vixens are a #2 seed.

Pep will post again when the voting begins.

On Saxon Warriors!

[ITH radio]

So who won?

Vixens?