FB: Empire 8

[pg04]

Outside of the academic comparison, I really like the fit of this conference in terms of football. I think this is about as powerful and composed a conference filled with New York teams can get. I also feel like Brockport has moved so much I'd love for them to have some consistency.

[jdex]

Plattsburgh and Oswego both at onetime played football .....altogether these days with Mville, Alfred St., Bport and we'd have SUNYAC football!

Do you know of any other SUNY schools that are even in the slightest considering adding football? Pep remembers his Saxons playing Plattsburgh State. Don't recall Oswego State ever having football...at least not in Pep's lifetime.

SUNYAC Football, the way Pep figures, is just one team away from a legit seven-school football conference complete with AQ! Consider:
1) Alfred State 2) College at Brockport 3) Buffalo State 4) SUNY Cortland 5) Morrisville State 6) SUNY-Maritime and 7)______________________(fill in the blank).

Any SUNYAC school adding football would have me worried as an E8 fan obviously. I understand the draw for a SUNYAC school to add football for all the reasons discussed on this board, and wouldn't be even a little surprised if someone like Plattsburgh, Oswego, or Potsdam announced (maybe even a New Paltz).

I would still love to see an upstate football conference formed for all the private schools, but don't see why the LL teams would jump to something like that. So what do the remaining E8 schools do? Hartwick, IC, Fisher, Utica, and Alfred would have the start of a conference but adding two teams would not be easy. Alfred State would be out as an option and IC may just as well split for the LL. The NJAC is pretty set and none of the other leagues really feel like they are as exposed to me. I know it is all hypothetical at this point, but it is something the E8 commissioner should consider.

I think I remember something about Elmira adding football on here a while back, but not sure if that is accurate or not.

Good gracious!! Let's make one thing clear. SUNYAC aint headed to football. We touched on the subject rather tongue-in-cheek. Of course if Albany and UB should decide to drop down and play Alfred State et al, bring it on!!

We seem to recall it was the privates (Ithaca excluded) shunning the SUNYs that sent them to New Jersey for scheduling purposes. Then the E8 needed them for automatic qualifying purposes. Yeah Team ......some NY normalcy and sensibility at last.

[AUPepBand]

Outside of the academic comparison, I really like the fit of this conference in terms of football. I think this is about as powerful and composed a conference filled with New York teams can get. I also feel like Brockport has moved so much I'd love for them to have some consistency.

Going way back to ICAC days, some of the private schools didn't want to play the state schools, particularly Brockport and Cortland, with their heavy emphasis on physical education and less stringent admission standards. Alfred always played the state schools because it was a day trip and AU always seemed to struggle to fill its schedule. Pep is happy with it now. Alfred fans travel well but more so when the games are three hours or less away. The Empire 8 line-up fits that criterion now on all accounts....and the competition is splendid!

[pg04]

I haven't seen this posted on this forum, so if this is a repeat, my apologies. Some news about the Ithaca @ Buffalo State game:

http://www.buffalostateathletics.com/news/2015/11/5/FB_1105155408.aspx

In short: Ithaca vs. Buffalo State will now be played at UB Stadium. The game has been relocated because Buff State's women's soccer team is hosting the SUNYAC Championship game at 1 p.m. on Coyer Field.

I wonder how drastically, if at all, this will reduce the crowd. I'm not really aware of how well Buff State does in general with attendance but getting some of the students to make the effort to go from downtown to UB's north campus may be a chore.

[AUPepBand]

I haven't seen this posted on this forum, so if this is a repeat, my apologies. Some news about the Ithaca @ Buffalo State game:

http://www.buffalostateathletics.com/news/2015/11/5/FB_1105155408.aspx

In short: Ithaca vs. Buffalo State will now be played at UB Stadium. The game has been relocated because Buff State's women's soccer team is hosting the SUNYAC Championship game at 1 p.m. on Coyer Field.

I wonder how drastically, if at all, this will reduce the crowd. I'm not really aware of how well Buff State does in general with attendance but getting some of the students to make the effort to go from downtown to UB's north campus may be a chore.

Gosh, do you think Lance Leipold was in agreement with this decision after what Jerry Boyes' Bengals did out at Whitewater a few years back?

[AUPepBand]

Time for some Pep's Picks for Saterday:

Morrisville 38, Brockport 20. Curt FitzPatrick has his Mustang offense running on all cylinders, as revealed in Moo'ville's 42-28 win over Cortland State last week. Don't think Brockport has the defense to do much about it but Wayne Bonsell and Dan Andrews will keep the home team in the game for awhile.

Fisher 34, 'Wick 31. Remember the last time Fisher lost a football game in the cage? Does Boltus ring a bell? While John Garcia is not Jason Boltus, the Hawks, despite rushing for only one year, held off Buffalo State last week in the cage. This could be barn-burner or, if Fisher is now its old self and its struggles are in the rear view mirror, it could be a blowout. Either way, Pep sees the Cardinals winning.

Buffalo State 23, Ithaca 10. Both are coming off bad games. The Bengals, still hoping for a six-way tie for the Empire 8 title (would SIX schools get co-championship trophies?), must get back on track before the I90 Bowl. The Bombers can still salvage their season with a Cortaca win.

Alfred 30, Utica 22. Saxons are unbeaten at home and probably put together their most complete game of the season at Brockport last week. The Moose was on the loose earlier this year but the upset of Ithaca has lost its lustre. AU stays alive in its pursuit of the E8 crown.

On Saxon Warriors!

[Bengalsrule]

IF you had planed on coming to Buffalo State this weekend to cheer on Ithaca (or Buff State) you should note the following...
The time and location has been changed due the fact our women are playing in the SUNYAC Championship vs. Oneonta. There fore the men get booted to...

Ithaca Bombers (4-4/2-4) at Buffalo St. Bengals (5-3/3-3)
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 - Noon
UB Stadium (Amherst, NY)

Busy time  at Buff State over the next 24 hours. men open up (exhibition style) at Canisius College tonight. Women's Hockey opens up at home tonight vs. Potsdam (2nd game tomorrow at 2), along side our women's soccer team having chance at their 1st SUNYAC chip and our football team, hopefully, getting back to their winning ways!!

GO BENGALS

[art76]

Outside of the academic comparison, I really like the fit of this conference in terms of football. I think this is about as powerful and composed a conference filled with New York teams can get. I also feel like Brockport has moved so much I'd love for them to have some consistency.

Going way back to ICAC days, some of the private schools didn't want to play the state schools, particularly Brockport and Cortland, with their heavy emphasis on physical education and less stringent admission standards. Alfred always played the state schools because it was a day trip and AU always seemed to struggle to fill its schedule. Pep is happy with it now. Alfred fans travel well but more so when the games are three hours or less away. The Empire 8 line-up fits that criterion now on all accounts....and the competition is splendid!

Pep,

I wonder how many private NY institutions that are moving over to D3 in other sports could be encouraged to add back football to their fall schedules. I have but a sliver of personal historical information about one school in particular that had a "club level" program that used to play some of the junior colleges in the late 60's and early 70's, if I recall correctly. The particular private institution I am talking about at that time decided to drop football because of costs. Fast forward 40 to 50 years. Football has become a "cash cow" of sorts because it gets guys on campus. This particular private institution has more than a 2 to 1 ratio of gals to guys these days. Would they ever join D3 football? Don't know. But I wonder how many other NY institutions of higher education out there used to play in the fall that might be/could be courted to field teams again.

The private institution I am referring to is Houghton College, where I attended in the late 70's and transferred to Bethel College (now University) and played 3 years of D3 football there. If Houghton had fielded a football team in any league back then, I never would have left NY State. For me, intramural flag football just wasn't enough.

[pg04]

I haven't seen this posted on this forum, so if this is a repeat, my apologies. Some news about the Ithaca @ Buffalo State game:

http://www.buffalostateathletics.com/news/2015/11/5/FB_1105155408.aspx

In short: Ithaca vs. Buffalo State will now be played at UB Stadium. The game has been relocated because Buff State's women's soccer team is hosting the SUNYAC Championship game at 1 p.m. on Coyer Field.

I wonder how drastically, if at all, this will reduce the crowd. I'm not really aware of how well Buff State does in general with attendance but getting some of the students to make the effort to go from downtown to UB's north campus may be a chore.

Gosh, do you think Lance Leipold was in agreement with this decision after what Jerry Boyes' Bengals did out at Whitewater a few years back?

Pep,

I had not even thought of this but it's funny how these coincidental type things happen so often. Maybe he was in a good mood. They did beat Kent State 18-17 last night. 

[AUPepBand]

IF you had planed on coming to Buffalo State this weekend to cheer on Ithaca (or Buff State) you should note the following...
The time and location has been changed due the fact our women are playing in the SUNYAC Championship vs. Oneonta. There fore the men get booted to...

Ithaca Bombers (4-4/2-4) at Buffalo St. Bengals (5-3/3-3)
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 - Noon
UB Stadium (Amherst, NY)

Busy time  at Buff State over the next 24 hours. men open up (exhibition style) at Canisius College tonight. Women's Hockey opens up at home tonight vs. Potsdam (2nd game tomorrow at 2), along side our women's soccer team having chance at their 1st SUNYAC chip and our football team, hopefully, getting back to their winning ways!!

GO BENGALS

+k bengalsrule lowers himself to Pep's standards and throws in a pun!

[AUPepBand]

Outside of the academic comparison, I really like the fit of this conference in terms of football. I think this is about as powerful and composed a conference filled with New York teams can get. I also feel like Brockport has moved so much I'd love for them to have some consistency.

Going way back to ICAC days, some of the private schools didn't want to play the state schools, particularly Brockport and Cortland, with their heavy emphasis on physical education and less stringent admission standards. Alfred always played the state schools because it was a day trip and AU always seemed to struggle to fill its schedule. Pep is happy with it now. Alfred fans travel well but more so when the games are three hours or less away. The Empire 8 line-up fits that criterion now on all accounts....and the competition is splendid!

Pep,

I wonder how many private NY institutions that are moving over to D3 in other sports could be encouraged to add back football to their fall schedules. I have but a sliver of personal historical information about one school in particular that had a "club level" program that used to play some of the junior colleges in the late 60's and early 70's, if I recall correctly. The particular private institution I am talking about at that time decided to drop football because of costs. Fast forward 40 to 50 years. Football has become a "cash cow" of sorts because it gets guys on campus. This particular private institution has more than a 2 to 1 ratio of gals to guys these days. Would they ever join D3 football? Don't know. But I wonder how many other NY institutions of higher education out there used to play in the fall that might be/could be courted to field teams again.

The private institution I am referring to is Houghton College, where I attended in the late 70's and transferred to Bethel College (now University) and played 3 years of D3 football there. If Houghton had fielded a football team in any league back then, I never would have left NY State. For me, intramural flag football just wasn't enough.

Pep had no idea Houghton had offered football. Empire 8 football would welcome the Highlanders with open arms since they're already a member institution. Pep happened to personally attend President Shirley Mullen's wedding reception on the quad on campus and was tickled when the "young couple" visited all of the tables. Of course, Pep explained that he and Mrs. Pep (then a student at Houghton) were from Alfred, which stirred memories for her husband, Dr. Paul Mills, who said he remembers attending Alfred University football games at one time when he was residing in the Houghton area.

Perhaps the Pegulas could build a nice facility at Houghton and move the Buffalo Bills Training Camp there (what a boost that would be for Allegany County's economy!) and jump-start a football program! 

[Bengalsrule]

IF you had planed on coming to Buffalo State this weekend to cheer on Ithaca (or Buff State) you should note the following...
The time and location has been changed due the fact our women are playing in the SUNYAC Championship vs. Oneonta. There fore the men get booted to...

Ithaca Bombers (4-4/2-4) at Buffalo St. Bengals (5-3/3-3)
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 - Noon
UB Stadium (Amherst, NY)

Busy time  at Buff State over the next 24 hours. men open up (exhibition style) at Canisius College tonight. Women's Hockey opens up at home tonight vs. Potsdam (2nd game tomorrow at 2), along side our women's soccer team having chance at their 1st SUNYAC chip and our football team, hopefully, getting back to their winning ways!!

GO BENGALS

+k bengalsrule lowers himself to Pep's standards and throws in a pun!

I've been taking notes!!

[art76]

Pep,

I wonder how many private NY institutions that are moving over to D3 in other sports could be encouraged to add back football to their fall schedules. I have but a sliver of personal historical information about one school in particular that had a "club level" program that used to play some of the junior colleges in the late 60's and early 70's, if I recall correctly. The particular private institution I am talking about at that time decided to drop football because of costs. Fast forward 40 to 50 years. Football has become a "cash cow" of sorts because it gets guys on campus. This particular private institution has more than a 2 to 1 ratio of gals to guys these days. Would they ever join D3 football? Don't know. But I wonder how many other NY institutions of higher education out there used to play in the fall that might be/could be courted to field teams again.

The private institution I am referring to is Houghton College, where I attended in the late 70's and transferred to Bethel College (now University) and played 3 years of D3 football there. If Houghton had fielded a football team in any league back then, I never would have left NY State. For me, intramural flag football just wasn't enough.

Pep had no idea Houghton had offered football. Empire 8 football would welcome the Highlanders with open arms since they're already a member institution. Pep happened to personally attend President Shirley Mullen's wedding reception on the quad on campus and was tickled when the "young couple" visited all of the tables. Of course, Pep explained that he and Mrs. Pep (then a student at Houghton) were from Alfred, which stirred memories for her husband, Dr. Paul Mills, who said he remembers attending Alfred University football games at one time when he was residing in the Houghton area.

Perhaps the Pegulas could build a nice facility at Houghton and move the Buffalo Bills Training Camp there (what a boost that would be for Allegany County's economy!) and jump-start a football program! 

As a student that wanted so desperately to play ball "way back when" I asked enough questions about it around campus I was finally afforded the opportunity to see the old pads and gear all piled up collecting dust. Once I realized there was no hope of playing there in the near future, I transferred. Frankly, I'm not sure the administration would be open to it even now - but you never know with the right kind of presentation.

[pg04]

This is related, but also unrelated. How does (or does it at all?) the perceived increased danger of playing football factor into the schools' decisions (and as a corollary, a possible decline in the pool)?

[Bombers798891]

This is related, but also unrelated. How does (or does it at all?) the perceived increased danger of playing football factor into the schools' decisions (and as a corollary, a possible decline in the pool)?

Eh...my guess is, not a lot. Small sample size alert, but I wrote an article on The Future of Football for my company and interviewed about half a dozen coaches for the story. Obviously, one big component was safety, and when I asked the coaches about it, every one (naturally) stated that they emphasized safety. They then all said some version of the following:

"I mean, more teenage boys are going to suffer a head injury in a car accident than playing football, so are we going to ban driving?"

There are so many issues with this statement it wasn't worth arguing with them, but it was staggering to hear that every coach I spoke to said some version of it. Agian, it was a sample of like, six, so I'm not trying to paint with too broad a brush here, but my guess is, they are not alone in this type of thinking