FB: Empire 8

[Pat Coleman]

So yes, Kickoff 2011 has been released and is already getting rave reviews:

• "An amazing amount of super intriguing stories- how will I work the rest of the day!!!!"
• "I think it's easier to navigate ... there seems to be a bunch more photographs than in the past."
• "Well done- you should charge more $$$$."
• "The product keeps getting better every year.  Tons of fantastic content as always."

Kickoff supports the operations of all of our sites. It's the only content we charge for all season. Thousands of fans over the past seven years have recognized this and we hope you will agree:

Get Kickoff 2011!

[pg04]

Kick. Off.  Thanks for ruining my productivity, D3Sports!

And is there any chance PG04 will be at Alfred-Port scrimmage on Saturday?

I wish!!  I live in the south now, so my D3 viewing is contained to anything that shows up online!  (or, driving 3 hours I could get to Lagrange).  Will you be there? 

[AUKaz00]

And is there any chance PG04 will be at Alfred-Port scrimmage on Saturday?

I wish!!  I live in the south now, so my D3 viewing is contained to anything that shows up online!  (or, driving 3 hours I could get to Lagrange).  Will you be there? 

I'm thinking about it.  Can't seem to recruit any band members to join me (classes don't start until the 29th, so that's a big move-in day).  I'll probably take the boys and give MKaz a day to herself (it is our anniversary, after all).

[tecmobowler]

Since Brian Delaney's move to radio there's been a lot more local coverage on WPIE 1160 in Ithaca.... caught a quick snippet with coach welch this morning.  The usual rhetoric, but an interesting note that the fact QB is still up for grabs between Hendel and Phil Neumann of Burnt Hills. He sounded frustrated Hendel hasn't locked it up.

[Bombers798891]

Since Brian Delaney's move to radio there's been a lot more local coverage on WPIE 1160 in Ithaca.... caught a quick snippet with coach welch this morning.  The usual rhetoric, but an interesting note that the fact QB is still up for grabs between Hendel and Phil Neumann of Burnt Hills. He sounded frustrated Hendel hasn't locked it up.

I'd imagine I'd be frustrated too. Hendel's been #2 on the depth chart to a couple of different QB's already. I don't know much about Neumann--maybe he's a flat out stud in the making--but if Hendel's still battling, it just makes me wonder if he's not improving as a player. But hey, if the Bombers are undergoing a youth movement on offense, why not go all out?

Delaney knows IC well, and as an alum, has always worked to get the Bombers on more equal footing in the community sports scene. Now that he's got the ability to do more than he did at the Journal, I suspect you'll get a lot more good stuff from him.

[Frank Rossi]

Remember, though, that's as much a motivational tool as anything.  I've had many more coaches tell me that the QB position was still open in camp over the years than those that told me, "X is our man."  I wouldn't read too much into the hedging aside from the Coach making sure that the likely starter didn't get complacent about being awarded the starter job.  Welch has been doing this long enough to know how to get the most out of his specialist players, especially the QBs he has had.

[Bombers798891]

Remember, though, that's as much a motivational tool as anything.  I've had many more coaches tell me that the QB position was still open in camp over the years than those that told me, "X is our man."  I wouldn't read too much into the hedging aside from the Coach making sure that the likely starter didn't get complacent about being awarded the starter job.  Welch has been doing this long enough to know how to get the most out of his specialist players, especially the QBs he has had.

Frank, I think you may be right in some cases, but even before I'd heard this latest, I've been hearing that Hendel was not distinguishing himself. And he had, according to what I've heard, earned the #2 job behind Grastorf in 2009 over Zappia and well, clearly that didn't carry over to 2010.

I mean, Welch sometimes slow-plays things, but we're a week and a half away from the season starting. I've not heard anything from anyone to indicate Hendel's got the job. I think Welch is being entirely truthful here and this position is up for grabs, which is discouraging

[Touch The Rock]

Hey fellas...good to be back.  Looking forward to what should be a great year out of the E8.  Great to hear that Ruff is going to be back, he's a huge weapon for the Bombers and will be a big asset to Hendel/Neumann/Griffin (please, someone, step up).  I'm excited to hear that the o-line came to camp "beefed" up.  The run game is going to need to be much better this year.

Anyways, can't wait to get to Butterfield Stadium next weekend and see some football - I feel like it's been forever.

Go Bombers.

[AUKaz00]

Just printed out the Alfred roster to take with me to the scrimmage on saterday and one name jumped out at me: Mark(ell) Ingram.  I love Dwyer, but if you can put a former Heisman winner in the backfield, you gotta do it!

[saxontad]

Wow.  So great to be this close to kickoff!! Kaz, when is AU's scrimmage on saterday?

[saxontad]

I just noticed that was my 200th post.  I still am such a youngster on these boards.  ;-)

[dlippiel]

Since Brian Delaney's move to radio there's been a lot more local coverage on WPIE 1160 in Ithaca.... caught a quick snippet with coach welch this morning.  The usual rhetoric, but an interesting note that the fact QB is still up for grabs between Hendel and Phil Neumann of Burnt Hills. He sounded frustrated Hendel hasn't locked it up.

As a Capital Region resident dlip would like nothing more than to see a young Phil Neumann win the job. Grastorf ripped up the Suburban Council in high school and didn't get the job until his senior year. It will be interesting to see who Welch goes with.

[Pat Coleman]

I just noticed that was my 200th post.  I still am such a youngster on these boards.  ;-)

Now that you have 200 posts, you can do the karma thing. You will see Applaud and Smite links under a poster's name and you can applaud to add +1 to their karma, smite to subtract 1.

You can only do that to a particular person once every 24 hours.

[AUKaz00]

Wow.  So great to be this close to kickoff!! Kaz, when is AU's scrimmage on saterday?

1pm at Brockport.  I presume that means next year Port will come down to Mayberry for a scrimmage similar to our home-and-home scrimmages with Susquehanna the past 2 years.

[saxontad]

Thanks for the update from both Pat and Kaz!!