FB: Empire 8

[DanPadavona]

I hope we can get some of that bad blood flowing this weekend.

I'm sure some of us will.    

But DP will never say a bad thing about Alfred.  DP's brother-in-law, who he loves dearly, was a proud Saxon who is stricken with a terrible disease.  He played 4 years at Alfred, won an ECAC ring which he wore proudly, was a pre-season All-ECAC lineman, and blocked for all-time Saxon great Ray Rogers.  He went on to work as an assistant coach with the Saxons while working on his Master's.  I don't think there is anything he'd rather do next to being with his family, than be at the game on Saturday.

DP watches the Alfred scoreboard weekly, and though he bleeds Dragon Red, he supports Alfred 100%.  I'll be cheering for Cortland this Saturday, but I will be very happy for the Saxons if they move on to Alliance.  And I'll be their biggest fan on that day.

[sjfcards]

Congrats to Tim Bailey on being named the Empire 8 Offensive player of the year. He had a great career at Fisher and this year was very impressive. I didn't think he would ever surpass Rob Kramer on my QB list at Fisher, but I think he has officially earned the "Best QB in School History" title.

[Jonny Utah]

Aflred also stopped the Ithaca series in 1998.  That may have been because they joined the PAC for a few years.  Thankfully the NJAC had teams that no one wanted to play and they added TCNJ for 2 years at the last minute.

[AUPepBand]

Aflred also stopped the Ithaca series in 1998.  That may have been because they joined the PAC for a few years.  Thankfully the NJAC had teams that no one wanted to play and they added TCNJ for 2 years at the last minute.

Pep recalls that AU requested a temporary reprieve from the Alfred-Ithaca series for a few years so that Alfred could rebuild the program upon hiring Coach Dave Murray. Moretti had resigned his coaching position to accept the athletic director position and, in a budgetary move, was asked by the administration to serve in both capacities for a season, during which the Saxons finished 2-8. AU was not competitive with Ithaca in 1996 (33-3) and 1997 (52-7).

AU, indeed, was in the PAC for a couple years which, at that time included games with Washington & Jefferson (ouch), Grove City (RJ Bowers), Waynesburg, Bethany and Thiel. But that association ended as abruptly as it began and Alfred started to rebuild under Murray in 1998.

[PBR...]

I hope we can get some of that bad blood flowing this weekend.

I'm sure some of us will.    

But DP will never say a bad thing about Alfred.  DP's brother-in-law, who he loves dearly, was a proud Saxon who is stricken with a terrible disease.  He played 4 years at Alfred, won an ECAC ring which he wore proudly, was a pre-season All-ECAC lineman, and blocked for all-time Saxon great Ray Rogers.  He went on to work as an assistant coach with the Saxons while working on his Master's.  I don't think there is anything he'd rather do next to being with his family, than be at the game on Saturday.

DP watches the Alfred scoreboard weekly, and though he bleeds Dragon Red, he supports Alfred 100%.  I'll be cheering for Cortland this Saturday, but I will be very happy for the Saxons if they move on to Alliance.  And I'll be their biggest fan on that day.

you mean when the saxons move on to play DVC!!! 

[Jonny Utah]

Aflred also stopped the Ithaca series in 1998.  That may have been because they joined the PAC for a few years.  Thankfully the NJAC had teams that no one wanted to play and they added TCNJ for 2 years at the last minute.

Pep recalls that AU requested a temporary reprieve from the Alfred-Ithaca series for a few years so that Alfred could rebuild the program upon hiring Coach Dave Murray. Moretti had resigned his coaching position to accept the athletic director position and, in a budgetary move, was asked by the administration to serve in both capacities for a season, during which the Saxons finished 2-8. AU was not competitive with Ithaca in 1996 (33-3) and 1997 (52-7).

AU, indeed, was in the PAC for a couple years which, at that time included games with Washington & Jefferson (ouch), Grove City (RJ Bowers), Waynesburg, Bethany and Thiel. But that association ended as abruptly as it began and Alfred started to rebuild under Murray in 1998.

I played on both those Ithaca teams Pep.  I will have to say that the 1997 Aflred defense was maybe the worst defense I had seen in my college career.  In 1996 they had a linebacker that was very good (Will Green) and we actually lost to them in 1994.  But it seemed after 1993 they had started to go downhill and they needed to rebuild a little.  Looks like it may have worked.

[AUPepBand]

Turning to the "Irony of Ironies" Department, Pep finds it slightly amusing that the website that poked fun at Alfred folk for not initially realizing they were, as a #6 seed, actually HOSTING a first round game with East Region #3 seed SUNY-Maritime, would actually list on Alfred's team schedule that the game was played AT Maritime.

But then, more than likely, PC did that in jest.  

[AUPepBand]

Aflred also stopped the Ithaca series in 1998.  That may have been because they joined the PAC for a few years.  Thankfully the NJAC had teams that no one wanted to play and they added TCNJ for 2 years at the last minute.

Pep recalls that AU requested a temporary reprieve from the Alfred-Ithaca series for a few years so that Alfred could rebuild the program upon hiring Coach Dave Murray. Moretti had resigned his coaching position to accept the athletic director position and, in a budgetary move, was asked by the administration to serve in both capacities for a season, during which the Saxons finished 2-8. AU was not competitive with Ithaca in 1996 (33-3) and 1997 (52-7).

AU, indeed, was in the PAC for a couple years which, at that time included games with Washington & Jefferson (ouch), Grove City (RJ Bowers), Waynesburg, Bethany and Thiel. But that association ended as abruptly as it began and Alfred started to rebuild under Murray in 1998.

I played on both those Ithaca teams Pep.  I will have to say that the 1997 Aflred defense was maybe the worst defense I had seen in my college career.  In 1996 they had a linebacker that was very good (Will Green) and we actually lost to them in 1994.  But it seemed after 1993 they had started to go downhill and they needed to rebuild a little.  Looks like it may have worked.

Actually, it was 1995 when AU edged the Bombers, 13-12 on Merrill Field, a bright moment in an otherwise dismal 3-6 season. In 1994, the game was at Ithaca where the Bombers posted a 13-0 shutout, the Saxons otherwise finishing a promising 6-3-1 including a 35-29 dramatic come-from-behind win at Catholic (with PC giving Pep the play-by-play of the exciting final two minutes over the phone from the Catholic press box.)

On Saxon Warriors!

[Jonny Utah]

Aflred also stopped the Ithaca series in 1998.  That may have been because they joined the PAC for a few years.  Thankfully the NJAC had teams that no one wanted to play and they added TCNJ for 2 years at the last minute.

Pep recalls that AU requested a temporary reprieve from the Alfred-Ithaca series for a few years so that Alfred could rebuild the program upon hiring Coach Dave Murray. Moretti had resigned his coaching position to accept the athletic director position and, in a budgetary move, was asked by the administration to serve in both capacities for a season, during which the Saxons finished 2-8. AU was not competitive with Ithaca in 1996 (33-3) and 1997 (52-7).

AU, indeed, was in the PAC for a couple years which, at that time included games with Washington & Jefferson (ouch), Grove City (RJ Bowers), Waynesburg, Bethany and Thiel. But that association ended as abruptly as it began and Alfred started to rebuild under Murray in 1998.

I played on both those Ithaca teams Pep.  I will have to say that the 1997 Aflred defense was maybe the worst defense I had seen in my college career.  In 1996 they had a linebacker that was very good (Will Green) and we actually lost to them in 1994.  But it seemed after 1993 they had started to go downhill and they needed to rebuild a little.  Looks like it may have worked.

Actually, it was 1995 when AU edged the Bombers, 13-12 on Merrill Field, a bright moment in an otherwise dismal 3-6 season. In 1994, the game was at Ithaca where the Bombers posted a 13-0 shutout, the Saxons otherwise finishing a promising 6-3-1 including a 35-29 dramatic come-from-behind win at Catholic (with PC giving Pep the play-by-play of the exciting final two minutes over the phone from the Catholic press box.)

On Saxon Warriors!

Ah yes you are right.  I forgot about that 1995 season.  We had 3 real close losses that year where we could have won all three games.  In fact, I think we were up by 2 or 3 touchdowns against springfield that year and they came back to win it.  One play SC ran the option and the IC defensive end tipped the option and the ball bounced right into another SC players hand who scooped it up and scored on like a 3rd or 4th and long or something.  Real crappy loss.

Big win against Cortland that year though in the snow, sun and rain.

[Bombers798891]

I know this is a week or two late, but as we've discussed attendance at Cortaca, I thought it pertinent.

Oklahoma State has a ticket plan where they identify one "Premium" home game every year. In order to buy a ticket to that game, you have to buy season tickets. Apparently, it's worked well for them, and increased attendance by over 10,000 per game.

Now, obviously, since Ithaca/Cortland are not selling tickets to other games, this would have to be modified. And yes, the students would complain, since that's what students are want to do, but I'd love to see the schools adopt something similar. It would encourage people to come to other games and increase overall support for the program, and, if you're the person who just wants to show up to Cortaca wasted and whatnot, maybe you'll just drink somewhere else, watch the game on TV and make the game that much more enjoyable for people who actually follow the football team on a regular basis.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OSU/article.aspx?subjectid=93&articleid=20101119_93_B1_CUTLIN989698

[Jonny Utah]

I know this is a week or two late, but as we've discussed attendance at Cortaca, I thought it pertinent.

Oklahoma State has a ticket plan where they identify one "Premium" home game every year. In order to buy a ticket to that game, you have to buy season tickets. Apparently, it's worked well for them, and increased attendance by over 10,000 per game.

Now, obviously, since Ithaca/Cortland are not selling tickets to other games, this would have to be modified. And yes, the students would complain, since that's what students are want to do, but I'd love to see the schools adopt something similar. It would encourage people to come to other games and increase overall support for the program, and, if you're the person who just wants to show up to Cortaca wasted and whatnot, maybe you'll just drink somewhere else, watch the game on TV and make the game that much more enjoyable for people who actually follow the football team on a regular basis.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OSU/article.aspx?subjectid=93&articleid=20101119_93_B1_CUTLIN989698

bombers I believe a lot of schools do that.  Boston College will not sell individual games until people buy the season ticket packages (since everyone would just buy the Notre Dame or other big game )

You could do the same for Ithaca but students get in for free anyway.  I'm not sure if it would work or not since they probably just make ok money on concessions and stuff.  I'm not sure they would go if they had to prepay for a season ticket.  At BC they actually throw you out of the tailgating spots because the ACC doesn't want to see empty seats on TV.

Good theory though.  I always thought they should give away a raffle at each game where one student could win a semester free of books from the bookstore.

[Bombers798891]

I know this is a week or two late, but as we've discussed attendance at Cortaca, I thought it pertinent.

Oklahoma State has a ticket plan where they identify one "Premium" home game every year. In order to buy a ticket to that game, you have to buy season tickets. Apparently, it's worked well for them, and increased attendance by over 10,000 per game.

Now, obviously, since Ithaca/Cortland are not selling tickets to other games, this would have to be modified. And yes, the students would complain, since that's what students are want to do, but I'd love to see the schools adopt something similar. It would encourage people to come to other games and increase overall support for the program, and, if you're the person who just wants to show up to Cortaca wasted and whatnot, maybe you'll just drink somewhere else, watch the game on TV and make the game that much more enjoyable for people who actually follow the football team on a regular basis.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OSU/article.aspx?subjectid=93&articleid=20101119_93_B1_CUTLIN989698

bombers I believe a lot of schools do that.  Boston College will not sell individual games until people buy the season ticket packages (since everyone would just buy the Notre Dame or other big game )

You could do the same for Ithaca but students get in for free anyway.  I'm not sure if it would work or not since they probably just make ok money on concessions and stuff.  I'm not sure they would go if they had to prepay for a season ticket.  At BC they actually throw you out of the tailgating spots because the ACC doesn't want to see empty seats on TV.

Good theory though.  I always thought they should give away a raffle at each game where one student could win a semester free of books from the bookstore.

What about a reverse plan?

Here's my thought: Cortaca is free. Require a pass to get into the game, but charge the students for the other games. So a student has to go to the stadium each week and buy a ticket, or purchase season tickets. In order to get a Cortaca pass, you have to present the tickets showing you've been to the other games. You could keep the cost relatively the same (depending on the number of home games) and encourage people to make a weekly commitment to the football team. Another possibility is allowing students who go to more games to purchase more Cortaca tickets. They're limited to two per ID now, but what about telling kids that if you go to zero games, you get zero tickets (unless there are leftovers), one gets you one, two gets you two...?

There are probably logistical issues there too, but I'd just like to see Cortaca used as a way to get more people to other games, and not encourage one and dones. Using Cortaca as a "reward" for supporting the team during the season would be nice. I mean, it's not like we'd charge 30 bucks a ticket, so the overall cost could be kept low.

[Jonny Utah]

I know this is a week or two late, but as we've discussed attendance at Cortaca, I thought it pertinent.

Oklahoma State has a ticket plan where they identify one "Premium" home game every year. In order to buy a ticket to that game, you have to buy season tickets. Apparently, it's worked well for them, and increased attendance by over 10,000 per game.

Now, obviously, since Ithaca/Cortland are not selling tickets to other games, this would have to be modified. And yes, the students would complain, since that's what students are want to do, but I'd love to see the schools adopt something similar. It would encourage people to come to other games and increase overall support for the program, and, if you're the person who just wants to show up to Cortaca wasted and whatnot, maybe you'll just drink somewhere else, watch the game on TV and make the game that much more enjoyable for people who actually follow the football team on a regular basis.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OSU/article.aspx?subjectid=93&articleid=20101119_93_B1_CUTLIN989698

bombers I believe a lot of schools do that.  Boston College will not sell individual games until people buy the season ticket packages (since everyone would just buy the Notre Dame or other big game )

You could do the same for Ithaca but students get in for free anyway.  I'm not sure if it would work or not since they probably just make ok money on concessions and stuff.  I'm not sure they would go if they had to prepay for a season ticket.  At BC they actually throw you out of the tailgating spots because the ACC doesn't want to see empty seats on TV.

Good theory though.  I always thought they should give away a raffle at each game where one student could win a semester free of books from the bookstore.

What about a reverse plan?

Here's my thought: Cortaca is free. Require a pass to get into the game, but charge the students for the other games. So a student has to go to the stadium each week and buy a ticket, or purchase season tickets. In order to get a Cortaca pass, you have to present the tickets showing you've been to the other games. You could keep the cost relatively the same (depending on the number of home games) and encourage people to make a weekly commitment to the football team. Another possibility is allowing students who go to more games to purchase more Cortaca tickets. They're limited to two per ID now, but what about telling kids that if you go to zero games, you get zero tickets (unless there are leftovers), one gets you one, two gets you two...?

There are probably logistical issues there too, but I'd just like to see Cortaca used as a way to get more people to other games, and not encourage one and dones. Using Cortaca as a "reward" for supporting the team during the season would be nice. I mean, it's not like we'd charge 30 bucks a ticket, so the overall cost could be kept low.

Yea I think kids are just too lazy for that too.

what about my plan for having a book lottery at halftime?  Or how about 1K off tuition for the next year or something?  Free meal plan?

[Bombers798891]

Yea I think kids are just too lazy for that too.

what about my plan for having a book lottery at halftime?  Or how about 1K off tuition for the next year or something?  Free meal plan?

I like your idea, but with two caveats:

1) If the raffle is held before the last non-Cortaca game, people won't go to any other games, but if you make it obvious it will be held in the last one, people will only show up for that.

2) Would that, from a cost perspective, help the school and would they sign off on it otherwise? If the tickets are free, does a free meal plan, free books drive the expense up? How can we get seniors/those living off campus involved if the prize is for next year or for an on campus only thing?

I tried to actually come up with the logistics for my idea, and here's how I would do it. Assume, if you would, a $10 Cortaca ticket and four non-cortaca home games.

Zero games = No tickets

One game = One ticket for half-price

Two or three games = One ticket for free or two tickets for half-price, their choice

Four games = Two tickets for free

Sell tickets at the gate only. This way, students have to go to the stadium, which encourages them to stay. Also, it allows for two weeks where, if you have a group meeting or work, you can still buy two tickets. If students are too lazy to do that, that's fine, because that's sort of the point. The student who doesn't care enough about the team to go doesn't get rewarded with Cortaca tickets, or only gets one for themselves and not their friend. The students who go to more games get Cortaca tix.

See, my goal isn't so much to raise money for the school (Honestly, at $50,000 a year, money from football tix will get lost in the rounding). It's to increase overall football support and make the crowd at Cortaca less of a "It's Cortacaaaaaaaa!! We're so waaaaasteeedddd!" and more of a "Oh man, it's Cortaca! Biggest game of the season. Go Bombers!"

[Jonny Utah]

Yea I think kids are just too lazy for that too.

what about my plan for having a book lottery at halftime?  Or how about 1K off tuition for the next year or something?  Free meal plan?

I like your idea, but with two caveats:

1) If the raffle is held before the last non-Cortaca game, people won't go to any other games, but if you make it obvious it will be held in the last one, people will only show up for that.

2) Would that, from a cost perspective, help the school and would they sign off on it otherwise? If the tickets are free, does a free meal plan, free books drive the expense up? How can we get seniors/those living off campus involved if the prize is for next year or for an on campus only thing?

I tried to actually come up with the logistics for my idea, and here's how I would do it. Assume, if you would, a $10 Cortaca ticket and four non-cortaca home games.

Zero games = No tickets

One game = One ticket for half-price

Two or three games = One ticket for free or two tickets for half-price, their choice

Four games = Two tickets for free

Sell tickets at the gate only. This way, students have to go to the stadium, which encourages them to stay. Also, it allows for two weeks where, if you have a group meeting or work, you can still buy two tickets. If students are too lazy to do that, that's fine, because that's sort of the point. The student who doesn't care enough about the team to go doesn't get rewarded with Cortaca tickets, or only gets one for themselves and not their friend. The students who go to more games get Cortaca tix.

See, my goal isn't so much to raise money for the school (Honestly, at $50,000 a year, money from football tix will get lost in the rounding). It's to increase overall football support and make the crowd at Cortaca less of a "It's Cortacaaaaaaaa!! We're so waaaaasteeedddd!" and more of a "Oh man, it's Cortaca! Biggest game of the season. Go Bombers!"

It sounds like a good idea, but I simply don't see students going to games just to get Cortland tickets.  Maybe it is just my theory of American youth and how lazy they are these days.