FB: Empire 8

[Upstate]

Fisher also starts a home and home with the OACs John Carroll...

[Bombers798891]

Blaise made a very deliberate move away from playing the Castletons and Beckers, scheduling LL teams as non-conference opponents the past three years, including Hobart. 
St. Lawrence subsequently backed out of their arrangement with UC, leaving them to scramble for a game with Lewis and Clark last year.
Sometimes you have to schedule whoever you can get a game with.
I don't see anyone knocking Brockport for playing Oberlin or Fisher for playing Alfred State.

Fisher playing Alfred State is disappointing, but they've earned the benefit of the doubt for one game. Utica has, as I gave them credit for, scheduled better the last few seasons. If these games are the result of last-minute scheduling issues outside of their control (and I have no reason to not believe you) okay that explains it.

When I said Utica should have put games like this in their rearview mirror, I meant that as a compliment. The Becker/Castleton State/Anna Maria games, that was another Pioneer program. Utica's taken a lot of steps forward, and that's part of why it's disappointing to see Lewis & Clark and Misericordia on the schedule.

I am of course, fully ready for karma to come and Utica to go 8-2, win the E8, and beat IC by 20.

[Saxon73]

Blaise made a very deliberate move away from playing the Castletons and Beckers, scheduling LL teams as non-conference opponents the past three years, including Hobart. 
St. Lawrence subsequently backed out of their arrangement with UC, leaving them to scramble for a game with Lewis and Clark last year.
Sometimes you have to schedule whoever you can get a game with.
I don't see anyone knocking Brockport for playing Oberlin or Fisher for playing Alfred State.

Fisher playing Alfred State is disappointing, but they've earned the benefit of the doubt for one game. Utica has, as I gave them credit for, scheduled better the last few seasons. If these games are the result of last-minute scheduling issues outside of their control (and I have no reason to not believe you) okay that explains it.

When I said Utica should have put games like this in their rearview mirror, I meant that as a compliment. The Becker/Castleton State/Anna Maria games, that was another Pioneer program. Utica's taken a lot of steps forward, and that's part of why it's disappointing to see Lewis & Clark and Misericordia on the schedule.

I am of course, fully ready for karma to come and Utica to go 8-2, win the E8, and beat IC by 20.

I wasn't looking for it, but for anyone interested, I saw that Wesley played Alfred State last year.  It would appear an extra game was needed for the end of the season. 

[fisheralum91]

The A-State game was for the lack of a better word an emergency fill in.
Fisher has proven time and time again that they have scheduled the hardest OOC games in the land.
This is merely a blip.
Not a great blip, but one nonetheless.

[D3viewer]

To Recap this weeks upcoming games :

Alfred (1-0) @ RPI (1-0) 12PM
Buff St (1-0) @ Manchester U. (Man U ? Wrong sport.) IN (1-0) 12PM
Brockport (1-0) @ Cortland (0-1) 12 PM

Utica (1-0) @ Union (0-1) 1 PM
Morrisville (1-0) @ Hartwick (1-0) 1 PM

Wesley (1-0) @ Salisbury (1-0) 6PM
Frostburg (1-0) @ Shenendoah VA (1-0) 7PM

Byes... SJF (1-0), Ithaca (1-0)

[drt]

Getting the home-and-home with JCU was another in a long history of good scheduling moves for Fisher.  JCU seems to be looking to take the next step.
OAC teams are even more constrained in scheduling OOC games (they get one per year) than E9, so there only so many opportunities
for schools like Utica or even Fisher to get a game like that on their schedule.
Unfortunately, I doubt that programs like JCU are lighting up Blaise's phone looking for a game.
If UC could ever become more competitive in the E9, that might change.
BTW Bombers, sorry, I mistook the "rear view mirror" comment as criticism.  Thanks for setting me straight.

[Upstate]

Getting the home-and-home with JCU was a good move for Fisher.  JCU seems to be looking to take the next step.
OAC teams are even more constrained in scheduling OOC games (they get one per year) than E9, so there only so many opportunities
for schools like Utica or even Fisher to get a game like that on their schedule.
Unfortunately, I doubt that programs like JCU are lighting up Blaise's phone looking for a game.
If UC could ever become more competitive in the E9, that might change.
BTW Bombers, sorry, I mistook the "rear view mirror" comment as criticism.  Thanks for setting me straight.

It's not a "good move" for Fisher. It's just business as usuall for them...

The program scheduled a home and home with UMU, scheduled a series with Salisbury well before they were going to be included into the E8, scheduled games against the PACs top two teams in W&J and TMC. You're making it sound like Fisher doesn't regularly go out and challenge themselves year to year. Scheduling LL teams isn't something to hang your hat on...

Only Buff St can say they have had the balls to do something similar...

[fisheralum91]

I would love to see some of those PAC or OAC teams come to town ans face Utica.
The problem is, until Blaise gets this program to an upper tier E8 team, I agree- his phone wont be ringing off the hook.
Until that time- I just have to wait every other year and see the alma mater win again  !

[boobyhasgameyo]

Man I hate bye weeks as a fan.  My personal game of the week will be Salisbury vs. Wesley.  What a win it would be for the steaks and the E9 if they are able to beat the Hugh Jackmans.   

[sjfcards]

I would love to see some of those PAC or OAC teams come to town ans face Utica.
The problem is, until Blaise gets this program to an upper tier E8 team, I agree- his phone wont be ringing off the hook.
Until that time- I just have to wait every other year and see the alma mater win again  !

The same thing happened to Fisher as they grew into the program they are now. As late as 2006 I think the had Kings College on the schedule. Fisher has challenged themselves out of conference, but they also get the chance to do that because.of their success.

Utica is trying (I hope) but they dint have the name recognition yet to consistently schedule top teams from the PAC and OAC.

[fisheralum91]

At first blush I thought that scheduling LL teams OOC was a good way to go.
Limit travel expense play some good teams and test the metal.
I think that Blaise has to look a little further outside of his comfort zone if he wants that team to succeed.

[Bombers798891]

Wesley is playing the College of Faith this season. There's a few College of Faiths out there, and I know Wesley aggressively schedules non-DIII schools, so is this the team that had like, -90 yards vs. Tusculum recently? Because if so...well, that's going to be an ugly game

[ECoastFootball]

Wesley is playing the College of Faith this season. There's a few College of Faiths out there, and I know Wesley aggressively schedules non-DIII schools, so is this the team that had like, -90 yards vs. Tusculum recently? Because if so...well, that's going to be an ugly game

Yes, it is the same College of Faith. That game will be in the 70s to in the 0-10s.

[Bombers798891]

Okay, so let me pose a thought experiment.

Fisher's a Top-10 program, and the "East" hasn't had a #1 seed in forever (Yes, I know they're no longer broken down regionally, but you all know what I mean.) What exactly needs to happen in the E8 for that to be a reality

Clearly, even if they go 10-0, they're going to need some help to get a region built around them, because the elite of the elite in D3 have such a strong hold on the sport. But forgetting upsets in games involving games between two teams from other regions for a second, is there a chance for a 10-0 Fisher to pass one of those elites based on the E8, even if that other squad is also 10-0?

Salisbury and Ithaca hold all the keys, IMO. The Gulls have the best chance to pick up a signature win, vaulting themselves into the national discussion by beating Wesley, and Ithaca is kind of floating around. If the Bombers can keep it together long enough and Salisbury pulls of the upset, I mean, we're at least having a debate about the Cards as a #1 seed.

Which leads me to the following question: Say Salisbury does beat Wesley, and neither the Gulls or Bombers totally fall apart. If you're Fisher, who do you root for when Salisbury plays Ithaca?

Do you want the Gulls to win, to make that victory look as good as possible? Or do you hope for another IC win, which could give the Gulls a second marquee matchup in conference?

[D3MAFAN]

Okay, so let me pose a thought experiment.

Fisher's a Top-10 program, and the "East" hasn't had a #1 seed in forever (Yes, I know they're no longer broken down regionally, but you all know what I mean.) What exactly needs to happen in the E8 for that to be a reality

Clearly, even if they go 10-0, they're going to need some help to get a region built around them, because the elite of the elite in D3 have such a strong hold on the sport. But forgetting upsets in games involving games between two teams from other regions for a second, is there a chance for a 10-0 Fisher to pass one of those elites based on the E8, even if that other squad is also 10-0?

Salisbury and Ithaca hold all the keys, IMO. The Gulls have the best chance to pick up a signature win, vaulting themselves into the national discussion by beating Wesley, and Ithaca is kind of floating around. If the Bombers can keep it together long enough and Salisbury pulls of the upset, I mean, we're at least having a debate about the Cards as a #1 seed.

Which leads me to the following question: Say Salisbury does beat Wesley, and neither the Gulls or Bombers totally fall apart. If you're Fisher, who do you root for when Salisbury plays Ithaca?

Do you want the Gulls to win, to make that victory look as good as possible? Or do you hope for another IC win, which could give the Gulls a second marquee matchup in conference?

I would think that with SJF going undefeated and either Ithaca or Salisbury going either 9-1 or 8-2 with there only losses being conference losses and a couple of other conferences having an undefeated champion, I would think a bracket would be built around SJF, especially if Otterbein steps up. However, I think it would be Ithaca that needs to go undefeated due to their OOC opponents being much more likely to have success. SJF downfall is going to be that Alfred State game. Nevertheless, that Salisbury vs. Wesley game is going to have a big impact on how the rest of the region is looked upon.  My opinion of course.