FB: Empire 8

[skunks_sidekick]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

Are we talking about Jasper Collins?  (Issac Collins is from Geneva Ny, but is a football coach, not a player at Mt. Union)

Correct.....I believe Isaac is his uncle?  (I think that was the story)

I think the national championship possibilities, and the chance to get a really good education at less of a cost than say Hobart really are the key factors.  I think Mount is very aggressive (within the NCAA rules) getting kids as much aid as possible, with the goal of making it as affordable to attend Mount as it would be to attend a state school in Ohio. 

[SJFF82]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

ha...this is my point in a way.  Why does a kid leave suburban Rochester with many college options and college options with very adequate football programs if as HSCoach says....he's a nobody that nobody knew about?  He was quite a talent at Webster though...

[SJFF82]

Respectfully, let's stop overvaluing the football tradition of some of these Upstate NY schools.


Ithaca has one NCAA playoff win in the last 10 seasons.
Cortland has five NCAA playoff wins in their entire history. They've advanced past the second round twice.

Alfred has qualified for the NCAA's three times and won two NCAA playoff games.

Fisher's got the best mix of recent, sustained success. Several trips into the quarters, one into the semis.

They're good programs, but if we're just talking football, I mean, it's a non-starter. Mount's probably lost 10 games since this kid was born.

All the other stuff is really speculative. Maybe he couldn't afford Hobart/IC. Maybe he realized that Mount Union offered him a better education than Cortland State (shocker) as well as the chance to not have to live in Cortland. Maybe he's just not into ceramics (kidding Pep).

[Upstate]

Do we actually know if this kid was recruited by any of the schools we're asking about? Sometimes guys slip under the radar. Look at how Michigan State accidentally found Darqueze Dennard, a kid from Georgia.

Well he likely wasn't given the time of day at Ithaca...

Right Robby???

Robby???

Bueller???

[Upstate]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

ha...this is my point in a way.  Why does a kid leave suburban Rochester with many college options and college options with very adequate football programs if as HSCoach says....he's a nobody that nobody knew about?  He was quite a talent at Webster though...

It happened a few years ago with a RB from a school in Niagara County...

He was pretty decent in HS, not All WNY but a first team All League type of player...

He went to UMU, was probably 8th on the depth chart and then transferred out and went to Brockport (Brian Wise) and played well there...

[AlfredSaxon8]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

ha...this is my point in a way.  Why does a kid leave suburban Rochester with many college options and college options with very adequate football programs if as HSCoach says....he's a nobody that nobody knew about?  He was quite a talent at Webster though...

I had a buddy that went to Alliance. He easily would have started at LB or SS if he came to Alfred. He went there, was put at TE where he was 4th string and coached by a GA, and then he transferred to UB and never played ball again. The way he put it to me was if he wanted to play at the D3 level, he wanted to play with the best. If he couldn't do that, he didn't want to play at all.

Me, I just wanted to keep playing ball. I didn't start but it didn't matter; I know I contributed and worked my butt off. I would much rather know I made an impact on a team, with the respect of my teammates and coaches, and win an ECAC championship, than be on a National Championship team where my head coach barely knew my name and the team wouldn't skip a beat without me. But, thats just me; I don't need a National Championship to legitimize my playing time at Alfred.

But, I can't argue with his logic at the same time... I guess I can see it from both sides.

[fisheralum91]

+k Saxon 8-
that seems to be the reason ANY of us played d3 sports!

[Jonny Utah]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

ha...this is my point in a way.  Why does a kid leave suburban Rochester with many college options and college options with very adequate football programs if as HSCoach says....he's a nobody that nobody knew about?  He was quite a talent at Webster though...

It happened a few years ago with a RB from a school in Niagara County...

He was pretty decent in HS, not All WNY but a first team All League type of player...

He went to UMU, was probably 8th on the depth chart and then transferred out and went to Brockport (Brian Wise) and played well there...

This is a similar story I used to get from other coaches when I was in HS.  I visited Hartwick (Steve Stetson and Paul Castonia were coaches there at the time) and I told them that I was looking at Ithaca and several other schools.  The immediately told me that I would start at Hartwick as a freshman but if I went to Ithaca I wouldn't start until I was a Jr. or Sr. This was clearly their selling point for the Hartwick program, (They ended up being right).  I was lucky enough to start at Ithaca for 2 years, but there were plenty of kids who probably thought they were going to play at IC but just didn't for all sorts of reasons.  I assume this is the case at Mt. Union as well.

[lewdogg11]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

ha...this is my point in a way.  Why does a kid leave suburban Rochester with many college options and college options with very adequate football programs if as HSCoach says....he's a nobody that nobody knew about?  He was quite a talent at Webster though...

It happened a few years ago with a RB from a school in Niagara County...

He was pretty decent in HS, not All WNY but a first team All League type of player...

He went to UMU, was probably 8th on the depth chart and then transferred out and went to Brockport (Brian Wise) and played well there...

This is a similar story I used to get from other coaches when I was in HS.  I visited Hartwick (Steve Stetson and Paul Castonia were coaches there at the time) and I told them that I was looking at Ithaca and several other schools.  The immediately told me that I would start at Hartwick as a freshman but if I went to Ithaca I wouldn't start until I was a Jr. or Sr. This was clearly their selling point for the Hartwick program, (They ended up being right).  I was lucky enough to start at Ithaca for 2 years, but there were plenty of kids who probably thought they were going to play at IC but just didn't for all sorts of reasons.  I assume this is the case at Mt. Union as well.

Oddly enough I got the same line from Stetson a few years later.  Hartwick and WPI named me a starter during 3rd period Calculus my senior year in HS.

[Jonny Utah]

  I don't have anything to add concerning how he got to Alliance, but I find it interesting that your discussing a back-up sophomore receiver that had ZERO catches in his Mount career prior to 2 weeks ago when the sophomore starter got hurt.    When he came into the game, we had no idea who it was.    Not to say he hasn't played well, especially his blocking,  but he isn't a difference maker.   Yet.

ha...this is my point in a way.  Why does a kid leave suburban Rochester with many college options and college options with very adequate football programs if as HSCoach says....he's a nobody that nobody knew about?  He was quite a talent at Webster though...

It happened a few years ago with a RB from a school in Niagara County...

He was pretty decent in HS, not All WNY but a first team All League type of player...

He went to UMU, was probably 8th on the depth chart and then transferred out and went to Brockport (Brian Wise) and played well there...

This is a similar story I used to get from other coaches when I was in HS.  I visited Hartwick (Steve Stetson and Paul Castonia were coaches there at the time) and I told them that I was looking at Ithaca and several other schools.  The immediately told me that I would start at Hartwick as a freshman but if I went to Ithaca I wouldn't start until I was a Jr. or Sr. This was clearly their selling point for the Hartwick program, (They ended up being right).  I was lucky enough to start at Ithaca for 2 years, but there were plenty of kids who probably thought they were going to play at IC but just didn't for all sorts of reasons.  I assume this is the case at Mt. Union as well.

Oddly enough I got the same line from Stetson a few years later.  Hartwick and WPI named me a starter during 3rd period Calculus my senior year in HS.

It does make you think though.  There was a UMaine coach who was calling me for a while and eventually told me that he would like me to walk on, but they couldn't give me any type of scholarship.  I don't think I would trade my experience at Ithaca for potentially sitting on the bench at Maine, but it still makes you think what could have happened.

[AUPepBand]

Respectfully, let's stop overvaluing the football tradition of some of these Upstate NY schools.

Ithaca has one NCAA playoff win in the last 10 seasons.

Cortland has five NCAA playoff wins in their entire history. They've advanced past the second round twice.

Alfred has qualified for the NCAA's three times and won two NCAA playoff games.

Fisher's got the best mix of recent, sustained success. Several trips into the quarters, one into the semis.

They're good programs, but if we're just talking football, I mean, it's a non-starter. Mount's probably lost 10 games since this kid was born.

All the other stuff is really speculative. Maybe he couldn't afford Hobart/IC. Maybe he realized that Mount Union offered him a better education than Cortland State (shocker) as well as the chance to not have to live in Cortland. Maybe he's just not into ceramics (kidding Pep).

+K for the dig....always glad to have posters bust my (ceramic) pots.

To misquote It's A Wonderful Life, "There's a future in plastics ceramics" and it's "The opportunity of a lifetime." Just ask Scotty Tuba, a materials science engineering senior who Pep is attempting to persuade (with little difficulty, Pep may add) to stick around to earn a master's or maybe a doctorate so he can continue his promising tuba career with the AU Pep Band!

It pleases Pep to get to know these fine AU student-athletes and see how their proficiency of play on the football field is equally matched by their proficiency in their studies and in life. AlfredSaxon8 was a criminal justice major and now works border patrol in Arizona. Pep got better acquainted with 8 on a Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Collegiate Challenge trip to Florida. AS8 is the real deal...and it's fun to stay in touch on the boards.

For Pep, an Alfred University national championship will always be the ultimate dream but Pep is perfectly content getting acquainted with and supporting these fine young men both on the field and in their studies and careers. There's joy in the journey.

On Saxon Warriors!

[sjfcards]

Hey guys, sorry I may be a little late to the conversation, but I love what everyone is talking about re: the decision to play a large role at a lesser program, or sit at a top program. I understand the pull to try and play for a UMU even if the playing time isn't a given. And, who honestly doesn't think they can make it coming out of high school.

With that being said, I agree with Saxon8. I was a good high school soccer and hockey player and by the end of my Junior year I had narrowed my college decision to play soccer at Fisher, or Hockey at Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac had just (the year earlier) made the transition to a division I hockey program, and Fisher is what they are now in soccer. I knew I would be a walk on at Quinnipiac, and that I could play a larger part of the picture for Fisher in soccer. Ultimately I chose to be a part of the Fisher program because I could have a bigger impact. I didn't need the Division I program, or more to the context of this discussion a national championship (I had a chance to play hockey at Plattsburgh which is a top 5 program traditionally), to make it worth while.

I was a part of maybe the only senior class at Fisher that had a winning season in all 4 years of soccer, and I played a bigger part of those teams than I ever would have played on Quinnipiac or Plattsburgh. I am more proud of the 4 consecutive winning seasons than a national championship due to the fact that it may not have happened without me (maybe, but maybe not). I am sure Quinnipiac and Plattsburgh would have been just as good without me.

I respect kids that decide to go to the top level they get a chance to play at, and work their tail off to get some time, but for me I appreciated the opportunity to contribute in a more significant way to a smaller accomplishment.

[fisheralum91]

Cards-
Look at Fisher soccer from 87-91.
Your winning seasons were the ENVY of my teams....
Hell we went 1-18 my freshman year and were put on NCAA probation for numerous bench clearers..
Tho- I can always say I was a part of those teams that "tried".........

[sjfcards]

Cards-
Look at Fisher soccer from 87-91.
Your winning seasons were the ENVY of my teams....
Hell we went 1-18 my freshman year and were put on NCAA probation for numerous bench clearers..
Tho- I can always say I was a part of those teams that "tried".........

I had heard stories about the "bad boys of Fisher Soccer" in years past. Was that the Coach Smith days?

[fisheralum91]

and coach Savidis behind him....
we were bad