FB: Empire 8

[JQV]

he was lauded as a perfect fit for a cover 2 team and I was hoping the Bills would take him. 

I think this is why he failed.  I am not a football guy but I learned a lot about the Tampa 2 during Monte's 12 seasons and, it seems like the guys that came in as "zone" corners failed.  The Tampa 2 was built on a lot of speed and, even though the corners didn't matchup man-to-man, the guys that had the athletic ability to do so generally were better for us.

I think guys that get called "zone" corners is agent speak for "not athletic enough to cover NFL receivers" but I don't know that for sure.

[Bombers798891]

Not sure who said it but someone tell me how ithaca is staring down the barrel of 5-5? Although they will be underdogs next week @ springfield and home vs alfred (if they knock off fisher that is), they certainly won't be underdogs against a disappointing cortland team.  So two home games and a slight underdog on the road and they're supposed to end up 5-5? I give it 10% chance of 5-5 record, 40% chance of 6-4,  40% chance of 7-3, and 10% of 8-2.

And I didn't say they would go 5-5, simply that they were looking at it.

A team that had a 13-10 fourth quarter lead against Frostburg does not exactly inspire me to think great things.

I don't actually think Ithaca WILL go 5-5. Having two weeks to prepare for Springfield is always an advantage, but playing that triple option can be a disaster, especially on the road. The 2003 Bombers are a perfect example. That was one of Welch's top defenses ever. They allowed just 14.7 points a game, and only one team scored over 21 points on them. That was Springfield. They scored 51.

As for Alfred, forget it. I don't think the Bombers don't have the firepower to hang with an offense like that. I think we'll see a repeat of the Fisher game.

Cortland's a toss-up. Since they've lost their starting QB, they've struggled against good teams, scoring 10 points against Kean and 7 against Montclair. So that gives me hope.

I think they'll be 6-3 heading into Cortaca, but 5-4 wouldn't stun me  

[SJFF82]

1) Not sure how I got dragged into that argument last night but I am beginning to think Ty thinks about me too much.  I am picturing him in a room like Jack Nicholson in The Shining with my name written all over the walls.

2) I haven't said anything about Fisher's arrival that Upstate and Booby haven't said.  Turn the program over, keep giving us good games, and I will start to care.

3) Booby, I was totally kidding and had no idea that was Allen Zemaitis' brother.  Ironic.  The older Zemaitis was awful down here.  One of the worst picks in the Gruden era (and there were A LOT of terrible picks in that era).  Too slow to cover, too soft to tackle, and too injury prone to play special teams (if I remember right, he separated his shoulder about 897356987357890 times despite only being on the active roster for 3 or 4 games).  Anyway, still cool that you guys signed the brother of a former NFLer.  Somehow I am going to think of a way to connect to the two in a burn on both Fisher and the Big 10.  Give me some time.

4) Just for the record, I agree with Upstate.  If we had a back that did what Zemaitis did the last two weeks, his picture would be in my signature.  Forget Bergerstock, I was pumped about Justin Kulp when he scored all those touchdowns in part time duty.  But, I run hot and cold like that.

Yeah....this is what my walls look like:  "JQV...FORMERLY A RAYS FAN, BUT JUST IN 2008....NOW A YANKEES FAN....AND ALWAYS A TEBOW FAN BECAUSE HE WINS BUT REALLY A USF FAN BECAUSE THEY WERE SO POPULAR UNTIL THEY LOST TO CINCY" 

I am a nut-job, it takes a long time to keep spelling this out.

[dewcrew88]

1) Not sure how I got dragged into that argument last night but I am beginning to think Ty thinks about me too much.  I am picturing him in a room like Jack Nicholson in The Shining with my name written all over the walls.

2) I haven't said anything about Fisher's arrival that Upstate and Booby haven't said.  Turn the program over, keep giving us good games, and I will start to care.

3) Booby, I was totally kidding and had no idea that was Allen Zemaitis' brother.  Ironic.  The older Zemaitis was awful down here.  One of the worst picks in the Gruden era (and there were A LOT of terrible picks in that era).  Too slow to cover, too soft to tackle, and too injury prone to play special teams (if I remember right, he separated his shoulder about 897356987357890 times despite only being on the active roster for 3 or 4 games).  Anyway, still cool that you guys signed the brother of a former NFLer.  Somehow I am going to think of a way to connect to the two in a burn on both Fisher and the Big 10.  Give me some time.

4) Just for the record, I agree with Upstate.  If we had a back that did what Zemaitis did the last two weeks, his picture would be in my signature.  Forget Bergerstock, I was pumped about Justin Kulp when he scored all those touchdowns in part time duty.  But, I run hot and cold like that.

didn't kulp score like 3 tds against utica in like a quarter and a half?

[bomber3]

Not sure who said it but someone tell me how ithaca is staring down the barrel of 5-5? Although they will be underdogs next week @ springfield and home vs alfred (if they knock off fisher that is), they certainly won't be underdogs against a disappointing cortland team.  So two home games and a slight underdog on the road and they're supposed to end up 5-5? I give it 10% chance of 5-5 record, 40% chance of 6-4,  40% chance of 7-3, and 10% of 8-2.

Since when does being underdogs against Cortland matter?

Did it help the 1999 team when they were 7-1 and playing a 4-4 Cortland team? Nope!
How about the 2003 team, when they were 8-1 and playing a 4-4 Cortland team? Nope!

How about the 2006 team that lost to a what, 3rd string QB? 4th string?

Yeah, Ithaca's never been upset by a disappointing Cortland team before.

Regarding your "home games" theory:

1) Cortland is hardly a home game. There are thousands of Cortland fans there and it's not exactly a road trip for the team. Ithaca's 3-4 against Cortland at home under Welch.

2) Playing at home didn't save them against Fisher did it? Or Curry last season.

The Bombers (and their fans) better get over this concept that Butterfield is this impossible place to play and is somehow worth a couple of touchdowns on the scoreboard. Good teams, like Cortland and Fisher (or Buffalo State back in the day) aren't going to be quaking showing up here.

I never said playing at home would save them but it undoubtedly does help them.  And I agree the location of Cortaca doesn't matter much due to the fact both teams fans travel well (to this game) but if I had to choose where to play it certainly wouldn't be in Cortland.

Also I was at the Frostburg game and that was the best 0-6 team I've seen.  They had the best athletes I've seen this year (seen Union, Utica, and Fisher) just didn't have the depth or size on both lines.  They played Randolph Macon (5-2) to the wire as well as Geneva (5-1).  Although I have no clue the caliber of those teams all I'm saying is they play teams tough.

Also Ithaca was without all-american linebacker matt scalise for much of the season as well as drescher (2 sacks @ frostburg I believe). the bye week will help scalise more  and hopefully solidify the defense for springfield's run attack.

Also here are a few recent examples of 'talented' alfred teams losing to ithaca:

2004:  7-1 alfred loses 24-0 to 6-2 Ithaca
2005:  7-1 alfred loses 28-14 to 7-1 ithaca
2007: 7-1 alfred loses 42-25 to 6-2 ithaca
2008:  6-2 alfred loses 43-35 to 7-1 ithaca

Now alfred may be 8?-0 and ithaca 5-3 heading into the matchup but it just shows talented alfred teams have lost to ithaca before.

[JQV]

didn't kulp score like 3 tds against utica in like a quarter and a half?

I had to go back and look.

In 2006 he scored 8 TDs on just 31 catches and caught one other TD pass.  If I remember, he blew out his knee before and after.

Weird hot streak.

[BoSox0322]

Not sure who said it but someone tell me how ithaca is staring down the barrel of 5-5? Although they will be underdogs next week @ springfield and home vs alfred (if they knock off fisher that is), they certainly won't be underdogs against a disappointing cortland team.  So two home games and a slight underdog on the road and they're supposed to end up 5-5? I give it 10% chance of 5-5 record, 40% chance of 6-4,  40% chance of 7-3, and 10% of 8-2.

Since when does being underdogs against Cortland matter?

Did it help the 1999 team when they were 7-1 and playing a 4-4 Cortland team? Nope!
How about the 2003 team, when they were 8-1 and playing a 4-4 Cortland team? Nope!

How about the 2006 team that lost to a what, 3rd string QB? 4th string?

Yeah, Ithaca's never been upset by a disappointing Cortland team before.

Regarding your "home games" theory:

1) Cortland is hardly a home game. There are thousands of Cortland fans there and it's not exactly a road trip for the team. Ithaca's 3-4 against Cortland at home under Welch.

2) Playing at home didn't save them against Fisher did it? Or Curry last season.

The Bombers (and their fans) better get over this concept that Butterfield is this impossible place to play and is somehow worth a couple of touchdowns on the scoreboard. Good teams, like Cortland and Fisher (or Buffalo State back in the day) aren't going to be quaking showing up here.

Just being at home doesnt make you win the game ....

but i must say I am shocked to hear this coming from a bomber.  I think Butterfield and its fans are a great home setting for a game ... and I would say it absolutley provides a home field advantage. 

[theoriginalupstate]

This AU team is different, they are extremely talented and seem to have more depth than in the past.  Sure Manzer might play both ways at times but he's got some very talented receivers around him.  They have some big play guys in Manzer, Hendrix and Secky.  Secky is dangerous, he was only a Freshman last year and scored 35 pts vs IC.  When his career is over he is going to rival Boltus' career in terms of importance to a team and the impact he's had on the league.  He may not have those gaudy stats that Boltus put up but he's thrown 18 TDs in 5 games so far this year and threw for 2500yds and 24 TDs last year as a Freshman.  

Do not think that this year's AU team is anything like the previous AU teams.

[RedDragonFan]

Jumping into the home field advantage debate, home field is a definite advantage and as Bomber stated, the impact is lessened in games with a lot of meaning like Cortaca. Doesn't necessarily even it out, but when Cortland goes to Butterfield or Ithaca to Cortland, home field is less important because the game means so much to both teams.  I agree again with Bomber that distance or more appropriately, the lack of a significant distance between the two also takes the "fan advantage" out of the equation, or again, lessens it. 

If there were 3 hours drive time between the schools, then I suspect the fan advantage would again begin to swing back toward the home team.

Hell I can remember parties on Friday nights when at home...when traveling, there's no temptation so one could argue that even comes into play...frankly, it's amazing that I can remember that far back at all!

[JQV]

I got to agree with RD and B3.  Homefield in Cortaca would matter a lot more if the schools didn't go to such lengths to give visiting fans seats.  It is more reminiscent of Florida-Georgia or Oklahoma-Texas where there is a clear dividing line down the middle between the two fan sections.

[bomber3]

This AU team is different, they are extremely talented and seem to have more depth than in the past.  Sure Manzer might play both ways at times but he's got some very talented receivers around him.  They have some big play guys in Manzer, Hendrix and Secky.  Secky is dangerous, he was only a Freshman last year and scored 35 pts vs IC.  When his career is over he is going to rival Boltus' career in terms of importance to a team and the impact he's had on the league.  He may not have those gaudy stats that Boltus put up but he's thrown 18 TDs in 5 games so far this year and threw for 2500yds and 24 TDs last year as a Freshman.  

Do not think that this year's AU team is anything like the previous AU teams.

I haven't seen alfred play this year but was rather showing for comparison purposes.

[Knightstalker]

This AU team is different, they are extremely talented and seem to have more depth than in the past.  Sure Manzer might play both ways at times but he's got some very talented receivers around him.  They have some big play guys in Manzer, Hendrix and Secky.  Secky is dangerous, he was only a Freshman last year and scored 35 pts vs IC.  When his career is over he is going to rival Boltus' career in terms of importance to a team and the impact he's had on the league.  He may not have those gaudy stats that Boltus put up but he's thrown 18 TDs in 5 games so far this year and threw for 2500yds and 24 TDs last year as a Freshman.  

Do not think that this year's AU team is anything like the previous AU teams.

I haven't seen alfred play this year but was rather showing for comparison purposes.

Showing?  Comparison? 

[theoriginalupstate]

I haven't seen alfred play this year but was rather showing for comparison purposes.

[Bombers798891]

This AU team is different, they are extremely talented and seem to have more depth than in the past.  Sure Manzer might play both ways at times but he's got some very talented receivers around him.  They have some big play guys in Manzer, Hendrix and Secky.  Secky is dangerous, he was only a Freshman last year and scored 35 pts vs IC.  When his career is over he is going to rival Boltus' career in terms of importance to a team and the impact he's had on the league.  He may not have those gaudy stats that Boltus put up but he's thrown 18 TDs in 5 games so far this year and threw for 2500yds and 24 TDs last year as a Freshman.  

Do not think that this year's AU team is anything like the previous AU teams.

Let's not forget this Bomber team is different too.

There's no great running game, for starters. They struggled against Hartwick and Utica, and aside from one long 60 yard run by Ruggerio, they struggled against Union too.

The defense has been hurt by teams with good running games, especially star backs

Coney: 33 carries, 157 yards
Zemantis: 18 carries, 178 yards (And he wasn't the only one to light them up)
Even Hartwick ran 17 times for 88 yards (a 4.9) average

Sure, they can stop Widner, St. Lawrence, and Frostburg who don't have great RB's, or a Utica, who was missing theirs I believe.

But put them against a big time back and the yards pile up. Springfield does nothing but run. Alfred's got a back who only averages 160 yards a game. Yeah, that fills me with confidence.

Who's even starting for the Bombers at RB this week? Lajara? 3.4 yards per carry. Ruggerio, who hasn't played in how long? Bergerstock? None have been great this year.

Who have the Bombers looked great against? A 3-3 Widener that still has to play the three best teams in the MAC, and a 2-4 St. Lawrence. Everything else has been a struggle. The Bombers just aren't that good this year. It happens

[sjfcards]

Overrated.

6yds a carry and 12 TDs as a freshman is overrated?

God if IC had anyone that came in and did that they would be the second coming of Christ himself...

You know, I really don't think so.

Stopped taking anything serious after you said that...

You guys were all jizzing your pants with Donovan...

And Juvan, and Felcetti, and Bergerstock, and, and, and and,

I love that Tecmo went straight to the "We have been there before so we don't get excited about big time players" argument. All of those players were really good (like Zemaitis appears to be), and IC fans were as gitty about them as Fisher fans are about Zemaitis.