FB: Empire 8

[boobyhasgameyo]

Just to clarify I meant Kings and U of R were the ok opponents, nobody can make the argument Mount Ida is even remotely decent.  Poor whatever team lost to Mount Ida......poor whatever team

[gobombers15]

Just to catch up with some things...

1) In regards to the 3-4 comments, I won't purport to be an expert, but I think the obvious keys are to have athletic LB's who can also rush the passer and a very good, two-gap nose tackle. If you look at the teams in the NFL that run it well, you will see both of those things. The Cowboys have Jason Ferguson and the Chargers have Jamal Williams...two of the better DT's in the NFL. Both teams have fast linebackers, as well (James, Ayodele for Dallas and Edwards, Foley, Godfrey for the Bolts). New England also has a pretty good 3-4, as well, with Bruschi and Vrabel running around and making plays. I think another big key is to utilize those linebackers as pass rushers. It goes without saying that DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys and Shawne Merriman are two of the league's premier pass rushers. Also, in New England, Willie McGinest made a ton of big plays in that role as a standup OLB in passing situations. Finally, since I'm playing a franchise on Madden with the Bolts, whenever I make a big play on defense, Madden talks about the biggest difficulty with the 3-4 is that offense just never knows where the blitzers may be coming from. So that must be a big advantage, too. Who am I to argue with John Madden.

2) I think this is less like the "E8 Championship" than in years past. Last year we knew Alfred was a year or two away from competing for the auto bid and Springfield was rebuilding. This year, theoretically, I think it's possible for the top four teams to finish within a game of each other. It will come down to who is going to have the best record against the other three teams. Last year, we knew Fisher/Ithaca was likely going to decide everything.

3) Great poll, Jose. One thing you can say about Fisher fans is they're realistic. They're just counting the days to basketball season this year in Pittsford.

4) Fisher guys, stop playing up the UR win. Sure, you won the game by 20 points, congrats. However, from all accounts (D&C, mainly), Fisher looked extremely sloppy for most of that game. Let's be real here. Fisher was losing 7-6 at half. In fact, Fisher was only winning that game 16-10 halfway through the 4th quarter. That game was far closer than it looked.

5) Man, I love when Saxon73 and AUPepBand start posting. I turn the color off on my laptop just to make it seem more realistic during the Alex Yunevich stories. Just kidding, guys, keep up the good work.

Final Prediction:

Ithaca 23
Fisher 17

Fisher's defense is much improved from last year. They held UR to 10 points just a week before the Yellow Jackets broke out for 54 against Gettysburg. I think the Cards D will come out flying and make a strong early showing. However, Welch will stay the course as he always does, good or bad. I think IC will score a TD on either special teams or defense this year. The Bombers have scored a defensive TD against the Cards each of the last two years. I think it'll be 23-10 with about 4 minutes left, Fisher will score a late TD, the Bombers recover the onside kick and run the clock out.

Good luck to both teams.

[JQV]

Anyone who so wishes may send cards/letters/e-mails of encouragement to Julio Fuentes:

Sophomore Julio Fuentes, who was injured during an AU football game against Thiel College Sept. 9, continues to recover at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. Rest is essential to his recovery, so his family has requested that we limit visitors as much as possible and send cards, letters and e-mails instead.

Cards and letters may be addressed to Julio Fuentes in care of Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642

E-mails, which are delivered to paitents by the staff, may be sent to: https://www.stronghealth.com/patientsvisitors/secure/frmEmailPatient.cfm

If you do plan to visit Julio, his family has asked that we limit our visits to between 5 and 7 p.m. so that he can undergo treatments and get the rest he needs. Thank you.

This is a great thing PepBand.  Thanks for posting it.

[AUPepBand]

5) Man, I love when Saxon73 and AUPepBand start posting. I turn the color off on my laptop just to make it seem more realistic during the Alex Yunevich stories. Just kidding, guys, keep up the good work.

GB15:
I should upload some old B&W Yunevich photos here so you won't need to turn off your color. Guess you could say AUPepBand and Saxon 73 are "proud of AU's past, pleased with AU's present, and 'exited' about AU's future."

While on the subject of B&W, AUPepBand has acquired AU 16mm game films and videos going back as far as 1949 for the AU Archives (AUPepBand works in AU's library in access services and special collections). Plan is to have games converted to DVD format. "Pilot project" is the undefeated 1981 team's 17-13 win over Ithaca at Merrill Field. Thought is that AU football alumni might be interested in owning DVDs of their games. Could be a fund-raiser for AU Athletic Department and AU Archives.

GO SAXONS!!!
We love you Julio...prayers for Julio!!!

[lineback]

He does have a point-
What i can say is that the winner of this game is certainly in the drivers seat with the pedal down...

I agree fisheralum, and I drew a picture on Microsoft Paint to show it. (click on the thumbnail)

[boobyhasgameyo]

Yes the U of R game was pretty sloppy, I cannot argue with that.  But just so we are clear, the sloppy play is the reason why it wasn't a complete blowout.  That also gives credence to the earlier statement of why those first 3 games are useful to Fisher, even if we shoot ourselves in the foot we can still win the game and gain confidence while also working out the kinks.  That's all I was saying, not trying to make U of R look like a powerhouse team. 

[fisheralum91]

Lineback-
Please tell me that you arent or werent a Graphic Design major......

Funny - ill give you the creative nod....

[boobyhasgameyo]

By the way lineback, nice icon and caption about King22.  But must give him credit, King took his verbal bashing and he hasn't been a jerk since (cross your fingers)

[fisheralum91]

i thought that it was new school that apologized...

[JQV]

Lineback-
Please tell me that you arent or werent a Graphic Design major......

Funny - ill give you the creative nod....

I wasn't a graphic desing major but I whipped a little something up in Microsoft Paint to:



Although, I suppose no one from Fisher would really know what this looks like from the front.  Maybe if I had drawn the back of Struzzi's jersey getting smaller and smaller you would know what it was....

[fisheralum91]

Man!
I thought the trash talking was done and over....

Now its put up or shut up time...

You guys may want to take a pic of the two r's, and use high speed film as they will be blowing through your line too fast for the human eye...

[maxpower]

Fisheralum91,

Here's two "Rs" for you to look at:

1) Reason

and

2) DAN JUVAN

Yes the U of R game was pretty sloppy, I cannot argue with that.  But just so we are clear, the sloppy play is the reason why it wasn't a complete blowout.  That also gives credence to the earlier statement of why those first 3 games are useful to Fisher, even if we shoot ourselves in the foot we can still win the game and gain confidence while also working out the kinks.  That's all I was saying, not trying to make U of R look like a powerhouse team. 

Booby, stop flip-flopping on U of R. They suck, and nothing that happened in that game is evidence that Fisher will win Saterday. Jose is right, U of R = Hartwick, and that game ain't exactly comforting me....

[JQV]

Fisheralum91,

Here's two "Rs" for you to look at:

1) Reason

and

2) DAN JUVAN

How exactly is Dan Juvan an R? 

[lineback]

hahahahahaha, nice one joseQ

no, I was a colorblind politics major, I got an A- in Intro to Painting because the teacher felt bad for me.

edit: I was laughing at your "drawing", not your most recent post.

[fisheralum91]

Glad to see that at least the politics thing is going well.....