FB: Empire 8

[Bombers798891]

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.

Eh, that was a bad Springfield team. Much like their win over Ithaca in 2011, Utica usually picks off the low hanging fruit. They've yet to beat an E8 team that finished with a record better than 4-6.

[Bengalsrule]

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!

Experince is the best teacher Sax! Hopefully there will be some immediate benefits from yesterday's game! I wanted to catch it but the Erie County Democratic Committee had other plans (Bi annual reorg meeting lasted until 2 p.m. yesterday ).

I'll be at the Utica game next Saturday for sure. 3-3 would give me hope. 2-4 .....

Go BENGALS!!!

[Tags]

It's been so long I think I forgot how to post.

[sjfcards]

It's been so long I think I forgot how to post.

Welcome back Tags!

[drt]

Low-hanging fruit?  As opposed to Ithaca, whose wins the last three years
have been over teams with a combined record of 53-62 and a whopping total of two
teams with winning records?

[Saxon73]

Hmmm....  RPI gets beat by Merchant Marine running game -  352 yds.     5.1/carry

Are you there SaxonTad ?

[boobyhasgameyo]

Low-hanging fruit?  As opposed to Ithaca, whose wins the last three years
have been over teams with a combined record of 53-62 and a whopping total of two
teams with winning records?

Pretty sure bombers has been one of the harshest critics of Ithaca the past couple of years, he hasn't been arguing that they've been killing it.  He was also referencing the entire history of Utica's program not just the last 3 years.  If you want to look back at the entire history of Ithaca by comparison you are welcome to.

[saxontad]

Hmmm....  RPI gets beat by Merchant Marine running game -  352 yds.     5.1/carry

Are you there SaxonTad ?

I am here 73 and getting ready for Homecoming and Ithaca.  I will be there and hope it is a nice crowd.

On Saxon Warriors!!

[Bombers798891]

Low-hanging fruit?  As opposed to Ithaca, whose wins the last three years
have been over teams with a combined record of 53-62 and a whopping total of two
teams with winning records?

When did I ever imply that Ithaca's been anything but disappointing/bad over the last two seasons? Have you even been on these boards? I don't think there's a single poster who's more critical and negative of their team than me. So don't go all "As opposed to Ithaca" like I've even remotely implied anything about the Bombers with that statement. Heck, a few days ago, I think I said Utica would win by 17.

But since you brought it up....

We don't have yearly discussions about how Ithaca's "arrived" because they beat some team like Becker or St. Lawrence by 40 points, started out 2-0, and then finished 5-5 or 4-6. Utica's won ten E8 games in their history. Six of those wins have come against the team that eventually finished in last place in the conference. Two of the others came against teams that were second to last.

The combined record of every team Utica's beaten is 101-225. Just 6 of their 36 wins have come against teams with a winning record. That's equal to the number of victories they've had over winless teams. By my count, the only playoff team they've beaten was the 2010 St. Lawrence team that finished 5-6

And that's not some arbitrary two-and-a-half season sample. That's the totality of Utica's history. And yet, it seems like every season we hear about how Utica's "turning the corner" because they've either pummeled some bad teams like Becker, Castleton State, or Anna Maria, or caught RPI/Springfield/IC on a down year.

I think it's fair to say we all respect Utica on these boards, and we've all praised Blaise for the improvements he's made in the program. And I have no doubt that if Blaise sticks around, Utica will get better. But as Yanks99 said a couple of weeks ago, we spend a lot of time talking about  how Utica is arriving even though they've finished in sixth place in the conference six years in a row and have gone 10-46 all-time in the E8.

[Upstate]

Low-hanging fruit?  As opposed to Ithaca, whose wins the last three years
have been over teams with a combined record of 53-62 and a whopping total of two
teams with winning records?

When did I ever imply that Ithaca's been anything but disappointing/bad over the last two seasons? Have you even been on these boards? I don't think there's a single poster who's more critical and negative of their team than me. So don't go all "As opposed to Ithaca" like I've even remotely implied anything about the Bombers with that statement. Heck, a few days ago, I think I said Utica would win by 17.

But since you brought it up....

We don't have yearly discussions about how Ithaca's "arrived" because they beat some team like Becker or St. Lawrence by 40 points, started out 2-0, and then finished 5-5 or 4-6. Utica's won ten E8 games in their history. Six of those wins have come against the team that eventually finished in last place in the conference. Two of the others came against teams that were second to last.

The combined record of every team Utica's beaten is 101-225. Just 6 of their 36 wins have come against teams with a winning record. That's equal to the number of victories they've had over winless teams. By my count, the only playoff team they've beaten was the 2010 St. Lawrence team that finished 5-6

And that's not some arbitrary two-and-a-half season sample. That's the totality of Utica's history. And yet, it seems like every season we hear about how Utica's "turning the corner" because they've either pummeled some bad teams like Becker, Castleton State, or Anna Maria, or caught RPI/Springfield/IC on a down year.

I think it's fair to say we all respect Utica on these boards, and we've all praised Blaise for the improvements he's made in the program. And I have no doubt that if Blaise sticks around, Utica will get better. But as Yanks99 said a couple of weeks ago, we spend a lot of time talking about  how Utica is arriving even though they've finished in sixth place in the conference six years in a row and have gone 10-46 all-time in the E8.

And boom goes the dynamite....

[fisheralum91]

Welcome back tags!

[AUPepBand]

It's been so long I think I forgot how to post.

Read that quote at the bottom of your post. It will all come back to you, Tags. Now if Superman appears out of nowhere, Pep will toss down a Dr. Pepper and turn off his spell check.

On Saxon Warriors!

[drt]

Bombers,
I'm well aware of your criticism of your team and I did note your prediction for the game this week.  I wondered at the time if it was a nod to Utica or more of your criticism of your program.  I don't wonder anymore.
And thanks for doing the research on UC's 12-year history. 
I've never said Utica has turned the corner.  I have said they're in uncharted water.  They've gone from beating traditional doormats to beating respected, or once-respected programs on the road.  That's a big step.  They've also played respectable games against nationally ranked teams.  They've also looked like crap against good teams and had their hats handed to them.
I posted last week asking what a UC win this weekend would mean and all I got was (paraphrasing), "Ithaca sucks, so it won't mean anything."  Well, I don't think your team sucks.  Its just not up to your standards at this time.
I'm just tired of hearing, "Yeah, Utica won, but the team they played sucks."  UC has moved on from Husson,Castleton, etc.

Booby,
I'm well aware of the history of Ithaca's program.  I was at Stagg Bowl III and I have followed them from a distance since then. I also saw you get your revenge on Dayton in Bradenton.  However, just a warning, I was told on here a while ago that it's bad form to bring up your program's past history because it disrespects all the others who have not been to, or won, a Stagg Bowl.

[boobyhasgameyo]

I'm not an Ithaca fan.  I was just pointing out that your post didn't make much sense because he wasn't implying Ithaca was world beating right now and also comparing a 3 year run to the history of a program is apples to oranges. 

[Bombers798891]

Bombers,

I'm just tired of hearing, "Yeah, Utica won, but the team they played sucks."  UC has moved on from Husson,Castleton, etc.

Well, the only way that's going to change is if they start beating better teams. What do you want people to do, ignore the other team's record? I think we're relatively consistent regarding SOS across the board. Alfred's been criticized for some of their recent soft scheduling, and I think I tossed a barb out of Hartwick's recent scheduling. Fisher and most recently, Buff State, have been praised for taking on Mount, Whitewater, and Salisbury. We're calling it like we see it.

Part of the reason I'm a little more critical of some of the Utica talk is that I'm not much for living off of history. I'm proud of Ithaca's success in the 70's, 80's and early 90's, but when I hear people say things like beating the Bombers matters because "Ithaca's Ithaca" I roll my eyes a bit. Ithaca (and all teams) is whatever team they put out on the field in any given year IMO.

Your point about uncharted waters is true, as well as the point about the beefing up of the OOC, but this is not the first "have Utica arrived" discussion that has taken place. It's been brought up a few times over the last couple years. And this recent mention was a bit odd--a game from 2005 is something to notice today?