FB: Empire 8

[Bombers798891]

I realize that in a way you guys are giving Mount credit......but to say there were a lot of "positives" for SJF in this game is a bit of a reach.  if SJF's goal is to be able to contend for a national championship, well......YIKES!  I know Mount is Mount....but I thought SJF's effort was feeble at best, and unathletic to say the least.  They are NOT good.  Sure....if they have a good day they can beat anyone in the E-8..but what does that mean?

As I said last year....SJF showed signs of really stepping up to be an elite team, but that has really gone away.  The D-backs for SJF seemed really slow, and weak.  Don't get me wrong....I want to see what DB or two can cover Cecil Shorts.  #33 is one tough linebacker.  If you think Bailey is a "mobile QB", you weren't watching the same game.  SJF is a decent D-III team, but nothing that would make anyone think they could contend on a national level. 

I don't think SJF has a goal, this season at least, of contending on a level with MUC.

Look, in all honesty, how many teams can say they can realistically contend for a National Championship this season? Maybe 5 or 6?

That's not meant as a knock on anyone, but it's the reality we live with in D-III. Most teams aren't talented enough to beat the UMHB's, MUC's and UW-W's. So why shouldn't their fans look at a more reasonable goal? Heck, Ithaca's had like, 38 straight winning seasons and right now, as an IC fan, what's the best-case scenario? 9-1 with a win in Cortaca and maybe a couple of playoff wins?

Keith wrote a great piece on this on the front page a few days ago.

"People do remember more than just who finished first. Especially if you were there for dramatic finishes spurred on by seniors out to extend their careers another week and buy fans a bonus week of travel and tailgating."

So if you're a SJF fan, you should look for the positives, because winning the E8 would be a great thing for them. Just like it would be for Alfred, Ithaca, or whoever. Maybe things are different elsewhere, but for a lot of us, it's not "We're either Championship contenders or it doesn't really matter"

[HHawks]

for those who seen the game, was Utica that good, or was becker just that bad?

[fisheralum91]

Skunks-
for those loyal fisher faithful- you take positives where you can.
will this team contend for the national championship-no.
can this program learn and grow into a contender- absolutely.

no need to rip a team that got smacked by your team.
is muc great- no doubt.
your attitude seems much more snide than other muc fans....
didnt seem necessary.

[dlippiel]

I realize that in a way you guys are giving Mount credit......but to say there were a lot of "positives" for SJF in this game is a bit of a reach.  if SJF's goal is to be able to contend for a national championship, well......YIKES!  I know Mount is Mount....but I thought SJF's effort was feeble at best, and unathletic to say the least.  They are NOT good.  Sure....if they have a good day they can beat anyone in the E-8..but what does that mean?

As I said last year....SJF showed signs of really stepping up to be an elite team, but that has really gone away.  The D-backs for SJF seemed really slow, and weak.  Don't get me wrong....I want to see what DB or two can cover Cecil Shorts.  #33 is one tough linebacker.  If you think Bailey is a "mobile QB", you weren't watching the same game.  SJF is a decent D-III team, but nothing that would make anyone think they could contend on a national level. 

Skunks give it a rest here. Your point makes a ton of sense  So MUC is clearly the best, year in and year out, obviously, and any team (which is every team with the exception of UWW) who gets spanked by them should just tuck tail, admit they suck, and say, "**** it, we might as well not play since we won't be contending for a national championship." Come on dude, post your gloating **** on the OAC board. In D3 football there are at most 5 teams that have a realistic shot at being very competitive and/or beating MUC out of well over 200. Hence, D3 has many NCAA calibur teams (forinstance an E8, LL, NJAC winner) who may not be able to get within 10 points of MUC but can surely take some positives away from loss against MUC. dlip was not in attendance yesterday but gives SJF, it's players, etc a ton of credit for their hard work against MUC. dlip trusts many of the E8 posters here regarding their stating of "positives" they saw (for SJF) regarding yesterdays game and feels like if one were to not find positives from a game they played against the best then over 200 ****ing D3 football teams might as well not even suit up.

[pg04]

Now let's not everyone jump on me for being a Fisher hater, but I watched the game on the video feed.  I saw very little that they would be able to build on from this game. 

I really don't think Skunks is snide or condescending, I think he's the only one on their side willing to tell the truth and not necessarily walk the PC line.

Just my opinion, though. 

[dlippiel]

Springfield gets week #1 victory with a stomping of Fitchburg. Not saying that the pride is back to it's "Sharpe days" form, but Carter's #'s look like he may bring a bit more to the table here in 09. Threw for a nice TD and ran for: Josh Carter     10  188    4  184  2 79 18.4. dlip is just high on the pride that's all. Call it a hunch. Anyway, great seeing the season begin this week, dlip cant even handle the happiness that comes with the D3football season.

[fisheralum91]

pg- i was there and there really were some positives to take away from that game.

D looked very good at times- while ultimately giving up tds- they held them to numerous 3rd downs
special team coverage was good
line play was good- comparitively speaking.
baily looked good- no pick sixes--

while not a glowing review--i do think that skunks was off base.
lets see how fisher competes in the E8--then you can start your assesments-
hard to judge when you go up against muc

[dlippiel]

dlip has to give some credit here to Wick for putting up some points this week. dlip questioned whether Wick would be able to muster some O with the loss of Phelan/Boltus. Regardless of the strength of the opponent this week, Wick did answer some questions dlip had. Best of luck to them.

[sjfcards]

I watched the game on the video feed as well. I thought Fisher showed some good things in the game against MUC. I actually feel better about the season after losing 52-10, than losing 33-3 last year. I feel like Fisher could win out and go 8-1 if they play well. I also think they could lose a game or two, but I don't think looking for some positives when you play a rediculously good team is not a bad thing.

As far as skunk is concerned, I just don't think some MUC fans get it. Not all of us can win the national championship every year. Fisher is rebuilding toward the team that went to MUC and hung in there for 4 quarters. It would be awesome if we could just go into every season knowing the elite athletes in DIII would be coming into replace past all americans. But, Fisher fans, and most other fans in the country, have questions about incoming players and how players have developed over the summer.

The big thing that I saw yesterday for Fisher was limiting the turnovers. They have to snapping the ball over the punters head, but not fumbles, no int's. That was the major problem last year. If fisher can limit tunrnovers this season I think they can be a good team (for us low level DIII teams out there)

[AUKaz00]

Wow, it was officially Monkey Stomp Saterday in the E8 yesterday.  Every E8 team won by a stomp aside from Fisher who understandably got stomped by the MUC.  Well done everyone; the E8 may turn out to be like the NFC North!

[boobyhasgameyo]

I watched the game on the video feed as well. I thought Fisher showed some good things in the game against MUC. I actually feel better about the season after losing 52-10, than losing 33-3 last year. I feel like Fisher could win out and go 8-1 if they play well. I also think they could lose a game or two, but I don't think looking for some positives when you play a rediculously good team is not a bad thing.

As far as skunk is concerned, I just don't think some MUC fans get it. Not all of us can win the national championship every year. Fisher is rebuilding toward the team that went to MUC and hung in there for 4 quarters. It would be awesome if we could just go into every season knowing the elite athletes in DIII would be coming into replace past all americans. But, Fisher fans, and most other fans in the country, have questions about incoming players and how players have developed over the summer.

The big thing that I saw yesterday for Fisher was limiting the turnovers. They have to snapping the ball over the punters head, but not fumbles, no int's. That was the major problem last year. If fisher can limit tunrnovers this season I think they can be a good team (for us low level DIII teams out there)

sjfcards i couldn't agree more....I watched all 4 Mount Union games in person and I feel better about Fisher after this game than the 33-3 loss last year.  Our offense will no doubt move the ball against every other team we face this year, and I loved how we defended against the run.  You are spot on when you said not every team can win the national championship every year, and we are rebuilding towards the team that went to Mount Union in 2006 because that was the type of team that could hang with anybody and therefore could have a chance at winning it all on a given year.  I really believe Fisher has a legit shot at winning all of their remaining games despite the drubbing.  Our obvious glaring weakness was not being able to stay with Cecil's elite speed in the secondary but I don't think we will face another receiver like him for the rest of the year.

[fisheralum91]

booby-very well said!!!
+k

[sjfcards]

Our obvious glaring weakness was not being able to stay with Cecil's elite speed in the secondary but I don't think we will face another receiver like him for the rest of the year.

God I hope not. That dude is unreal.

[Jonny Utah]

How was MUCs running back and running game?

[PrideFan1]

Springfield gets week #1 victory with a stomping of Fitchburg. Not saying that the pride is back to it's "Sharpe days" form, but Carter's #'s look like he may bring a bit more to the table here in 09. Threw for a nice TD and ran for: Josh Carter     10  188    4  184  2 79 18.4. dlip is just high on the pride that's all. Call it a hunch. Anyway, great seeing the season begin this week, dlip cant even handle the happiness that comes with the D3football season.

I couldnt agree with you more. I think we'll really know that we have something if we can beat up on king's this week.