FB: Empire 8

[magicman]

Looking like they'll be 1-4 at least to start out. But yes it is very impressive. Having the E8 schedule and adding UWW, along with the two in-state rivals is about a 10.0 on the schedule scale.

Pep is hoping the Bengals go out to Perkins Stadium and knock off the Warhawks. They'll be sky high when they return to Coyer Field to face Pep's Saxons...and if AU's traveling Saxons win, that would be very impressive, indeed. 

Seriously, though, Boyes is making a statement by scheduling Whitewater. He's en route to returning the Bengal program to its previous powerful place as a perennial playoff participant. (Say that into a hot mic without popping your "P"s.)

Get the fight song ready!

Pep was thinking that during the slow months of summer, he had posted something wacky about Buffalo State knocking off Whitewater, then his Saxons beating Buffalo State the very next week. Hmmmm...looks like he did.

On Saxon Warriors!

[Nothing like tootin' one's own horn....]

Pep's prediction is very Nostradamus-like and most impressive. Tooting one's own horn in this case is quite understandable. Plus k!!!

[sjfcards]

Walk through the Fisher football office sometime and there is framed pictures of that first win against IC. That is still one of the all time wins in program history.

Is it Stepnik's "catch" or his "damn it I should have had it" reaction after he got up...

God, I don't know how I missed this when you wrote it first. Long day, and you've all made me wistful of when we were good...

I'm sorry but the picture of Stepnick slapping the ball with his hands while his head down and doesn't see the official ruling INT and the team rushing the field is still engrained in my brain...

Let me ask you this honestly: Does it bug you that Fisher's first win over Ithaca ended that way? (Yes, I know, and have pointed out, that Ithaca may have lost it anyway, and they blew a golden chance to win it in regulation and should have beaten Brockport later and rendered it moot.)

For example, in 1991, IC won a game over AIC on a very close, could go either way, touchdown near the end of regulation. They already had one loss, and with a second, may not have made the playoffs. I feel like if they had a shot of that ball hitting the ground, while it wouldn't change the history, would sort of bum me out in a weird way(especially since this was actually the winning margin)

Don't interpret this as bitterness over the game or the result. Fisher won, end of story. But I'm just curious as to the feelings of Fisher fans surrounding it. Would it feel different had it been like the Struzzi play?

Ill take it I guess. I don't love that it ended that way, and it was clearly a blown call, but it was still a great moment for Fisher.

[fisheralum91]

I wasnt at the game to see the "interception"
All i had were second hand accounts of the game.
That said, it was a good program win, but like upstate im indefferent about the play.
Would it have been better if it were a clean catch.
Yes.
I worry about what I can control in my life.
The fact that the ref ruled it an int is simply a plus

[sjfcards]

I'm indifferent about it.  I don't see it as a program defining win, I think the second half beat down of Ithaca in 2006 as the biggest win vs Ithaca (ranked #8 at the time).  From the 56 yard Robinson TD in the 2nd half of the 2006 game to now they have outscored Ithaca 195-59...

Honestly there were other great moments that overshadow the "interception" that year.  The Hail Katherine Game vs Brockport (sorry PG) and the first round ass kicking they gave to the #1 Defense in the NCAA that year.  Not to mention the Garcon Game and the Delaware Valley Debacle as moments that come to mind before the Stepnick "catch"...

I have to say that I disagree that the first IC win was not a program defining win. Yes there have been better moments than that one game, but that was the official "arrival" if you will for Fisher as a real player in the region. Any programs first win against IC is a big one (see Utica last year against a down IC team), it got Fisher into their first NCAA playoff, and at the time continued the longest win streak to open a season in Fisher history. If Fisher doesn't win that game they don't have the beat down of Muhlenberg for their first NCAA victory, or the playoff heartbreak of their first trip to Del Val.

I would not say that the first win against IC was in the top 5 Fisher wins for me,  but it is in the top 10 for sure.

[Ethelred the Unready]

Over on the basketball boards there is talk that football version of "The Belt" now resides in the E-8 thanks to Buff State.  I can only imagine how long it occupied the North Region.  Well done!

[Bombers798891]

I'm indifferent about it.  I don't see it as a program defining win, I think the second half beat down of Ithaca in 2006 as the biggest win vs Ithaca (ranked #8 at the time).  From the 56 yard Robinson TD in the 2nd half of the 2006 game to now they have outscored Ithaca 195-59...

Honestly there were other great moments that overshadow the "interception" that year.  The Hail Katherine Game vs Brockport (sorry PG) and the first round ass kicking they gave to the #1 Defense in the NCAA that year.  Not to mention the Garcon Game and the Delaware Valley Debacle as moments that come to mind before the Stepnick "catch"...

I have to say that I disagree that the first IC win was not a program defining win. Yes there have been better moments than that one game, but that was the official "arrival" if you will for Fisher as a real player in the region. Any programs first win against IC is a big one (see Utica last year against a down IC team), it got Fisher into their first NCAA playoff, and at the time continued the longest win streak to open a season in Fisher history. If Fisher doesn't win that game they don't have the beat down of Muhlenberg for their first NCAA victory, or the playoff heartbreak of their first trip to Del Val.

I would not say that the first win against IC was in the top 5 Fisher wins for me,  but it is in the top 10 for sure.

I agree. The 2006 Bombers were overrated early in the season. They were 3-0 with wins over 6-4 Huntington (who had to come up to IC from Alabama), 3-7 Buff State and 4-6 Wick. The 2004 team had more talent almost across the board. Amd honestly, that Fisher team is probably the best East team since Rowan's heyday. The Cardinals *should* have won that game by a significant margin, because they were a lot better.

That 2004 team was the best Bomber team since Butterfield was the coach. I shake my head that they managed to screw up the season and miss the playoffs...

[AlfredSaxon8]

I'm indifferent about it.  I don't see it as a program defining win, I think the second half beat down of Ithaca in 2006 as the biggest win vs Ithaca (ranked #8 at the time).  From the 56 yard Robinson TD in the 2nd half of the 2006 game to now they have outscored Ithaca 195-59...

Honestly there were other great moments that overshadow the "interception" that year.  The Hail Katherine Game vs Brockport (sorry PG) and the first round ass kicking they gave to the #1 Defense in the NCAA that year.  Not to mention the Garcon Game and the Delaware Valley Debacle as moments that come to mind before the Stepnick "catch"...

I have to say that I disagree that the first IC win was not a program defining win. Yes there have been better moments than that one game, but that was the official "arrival" if you will for Fisher as a real player in the region. Any programs first win against IC is a big one (see Utica last year against a down IC team), it got Fisher into their first NCAA playoff, and at the time continued the longest win streak to open a season in Fisher history. If Fisher doesn't win that game they don't have the beat down of Muhlenberg for their first NCAA victory, or the playoff heartbreak of their first trip to Del Val.

I would not say that the first win against IC was in the top 5 Fisher wins for me,  but it is in the top 10 for sure.

I agree. The 2006 Bombers were overrated early in the season. They were 3-0 with wins over 6-4 Huntington (who had to come up to IC from Alabama), 3-7 Buff State and 4-6 Wick. The 2004 team had more talent almost across the board. Amd honestly, that Fisher team is probably the best East team since Rowan's heyday. The Cardinals *should* have won that game by a significant margin, because they were a lot better.

That 2004 team was the best Bomber team since Butterfield was the coach. I shake my head that they managed to screw up the season and miss the playoffs...

I didnt play against the 2004 team, I was still in high school. But compared to the 05 team, the 06 team wasnt even close to the level of the competition. And its bizarre to me too that from the 06 teams on, I can remember maybe 5-7 Ithaca players. Yet, just from the 05 team, I can think of at least 10 players that made an impact. The depth of the old IC teams were what stood them out in my opinion. Just about any player could step up. Not unlike the Fisher teams now or AU when they won shares of the E8 title recently. Some of the 2nd or 3rd stringers on the top E8 teams are better than the starters at mid level schools. Says a lot about the level of football being played in the E8.

[Bengalsrule]

Looking like they'll be 1-4 at least to start out. But yes it is very impressive. Having the E8 schedule and adding UWW, along with the two in-state rivals is about a 10.0 on the schedule scale.

Pep is hoping the Bengals go out to Perkins Stadium and knock off the Warhawks. They'll be sky high when they return to Coyer Field to face Pep's Saxons...and if AU's traveling Saxons win, that would be very impressive, indeed. 

Seriously, though, Boyes is making a statement by scheduling Whitewater. He's en route to returning the Bengal program to its previous powerful place as a perennial playoff participant. (Say that into a hot mic without popping your "P"s.)

Get the fight song ready!

Pep was thinking that during the slow months of summer, he had posted something wacky about Buffalo State knocking off Whitewater, then his Saxons beating Buffalo State the very next week. Hmmmm...looks like he did.

On Saxon Warriors!

[Nothing like tootin' one's own horn....]

Pep's prediction is very Nostradamus-like and most impressive. Tooting one's own horn in this case is quite understandable. Plus k!!!

That Pep is something special for sure!!

magicman T-18 days until..........

[Bengalsrule]

Over on the basketball boards there is talk that football version of "The Belt" now resides in the E-8 thanks to Buff State.  I can only imagine how long it occupied the North Region.  Well done!

Ethelred the Unready and magicman on football boards? It can only mean 1 thing. 

[AlfredSaxon8]

Just turned on the TV to some UFL football and sure enough, Jason Boltus is the starting quarterback for Omaha. Pretty impressive. He's playing against Josh Johnson, former NFL QB for Tampa, and a lot of other former NFL players. Kudos to him.

Its on CBS Sports Network if anyone is interested.

[sjfcards]

Just turned on the TV to some UFL football and sure enough, Jason Boltus is the starting quarterback for Omaha. Pretty impressive. He's playing against Josh Johnson, former NFL QB for Tampa, and a lot of other former NFL players. Kudos to him.

Its on CBS Sports Network if anyone is interested.

Thanks. Now I have something to watch late on a Friday!

[dlippiel]

Just turned on the TV to some UFL football and sure enough, Jason Boltus is the starting quarterback for Omaha. Pretty impressive. He's playing against Josh Johnson, former NFL QB for Tampa, and a lot of other former NFL players. Kudos to him.

Its on CBS Sports Network if anyone is interested.

Thanks. Now I have something to watch late on a Friday!

Thats great, congrats to Jason and best of luck!

[Saxon73]

Not to go too far off discussion - but with some recent talk about Utica breaking out in the E8 I just happened to run across the UC v Spr'fld score from 2005 when UC won 34-33.  Looking back that far, it is something to notice here in 2012.

[Bengalsrule]

   My beloved BENGALS are easily handled by Salisbury 20-7. Gave up 250 yards on the ground in 68 carries, while gaining only 16yds on the ground (In 16 attempts) . So much promise. So little little positve results (lately).

   Hopefully they get it together before Utica comes to town!

Still proud of them...and I feel their pain!

[Saxon73]

Bengals,  This is not totally unlike the offense of Springfield over past years in the E8.  Option v extremely limited passing offense (although Sals lost their #1 QB today).  As AU made every mistake possible last year v Sals, hopefully it won't be repeated this year.  The Bengals were not really overwhelmed today but probably got some experience with such an offense. More opportunities are ahead for the Bengals in the E8.  Best of luck!