FB: Empire 8

[AUPepBand]

By the way, welcome aboard, Sarge! Saw your dad at the SLU game. Whereabouts are you located? Start paying off those student loans yet?

[AUPepBand]

Pep - even if AU wins out, they still need a lot of help from others.  If they finish 9-1, they easily spoil Hobarts season but still will be on the outside looking in for the NCAAs.

So you're saying that if AU finishes 9-1, and by doing so, beats both Fisher and IC; Fisher finishes 8-2, Ithaca (even with a win over Springfield and Cortland) finishes 8-2...that AU would not be selected as a Pool C over Fisher and IC?

Oh wait....that's sort of what happened to AU last year, in that the NCAA "Regional Rankings" had AU ahead of Wilkes; AU beat Fisher, which was ranked AHEAD of AU and Wilkes, yet Wilkes hurdled AU and into the playoffs.

Never mind, you are right. AU does NOT stand a chance. NCAA politics have already decided.

[fisheralum91]

well at least you are a realist

[JQV]

Max

Cant help but think your attack on the sc article is a lowly attempt to try to bring down chris sharpe and the pride?  Is it that big of a deal to you that the word LIVE is capitalized? If i remember correctly, when espn news airs something they show the word in the top right corner capitalized LIVE.  In any event, the argument about a wet rainy game, with grass is a little bit silly don't you think? Don't you think that SC would be practicing on a grass field in preparation? Doesn't Ithaca have to to play on that same wet field?? Is that the same REAL defense that gave up thirty five points to SJF? ? I understand if you're nervous about the game but isn't it a little juvenile to take it out on some college student who is probably writing that blurb about sharpe?  Either way its great for D3 that he will be on ESPN and I just hope for your sake that he doesnt throw up 5 or 6 TD's again.  Speaking of real defenses, doesn't AU have the 16th ranked defense in the country? How many yards and TD's did Sharpe have against them?

Hey guys, we're 7-0, think it is safe to come out and admit we like SC?

P.S. The fact that IC has to play on the grass too is an original analysis.  What next, going to tell us that the game won't be over until it is over?

Let's not forget that AU beat Fisher last year, was up 14-13 on Ithaca going into the 4th, and this year have come the closest to beating an unbeaten Springfield.

14-13 going into the 4th Quarter and yet, down 28-14 going into the lockerroom after the game.  Too bad we didn't use hockey rules and just stop after 3.

Pep/Kaz/73 get some order in your house.  If we have to shout down the lunatic Bomber posters, you guys have to regulate the (first) lunatic Saxon poster...

[superman57]

what are the chances that AU Knocks of Ithaca, Fisher, and Hobart in consecutive weeks

and congrats to Chris Sharpe he deserves it.  Ithaca don't hate, just hope the players use it as motivation to stop him

[realistic]

I don't think anyone has hated on Sharpe, the kid is amazing.  And yes, I think they'll use it as motivation.

[JQV]

I don't think anyone has hated on Sharpe, the kid is amazing.  And yes, I think they'll use it as motivation.

We're not hating on Sharpe.  The kid is obviously a stud.  Max was just making fun of whomever wrote that ridiculous release.  Sorta like the way we made fun of Fisher's webmaster.

[realistic]

haha - I love this karma stuff...I simply stated that AU needed a lot of help to make the NCAAs and I get smited, nice.

FA 91 - I got clarification of the Cortaca on TWS.  It is going to be live on Time Warner Sports in Ithaca, Cortland and Syracuse and on tape delay in all the rest of CNY around 4:30-5:00.  You can either watch it on delay or catch in live streaming on the Cortland website.

[JQV]

haha - I love this karma stuff...I simply stated that AU needed a lot of help to make the NCAAs and I get smited, nice.

FA 91 - I got clarification of the Cortaca on TWS.  It is going to be live on Time Warner Sports in Ithaca, Cortland and Syracuse and on tape delay in all the rest of CNY around 4:30-5:00.  You can either watch it on delay or catch in live streaming on the Cortland website.

I got your +k.  Deserving or not, it is hard to see a way for AU to get in.

[chris7sarge]

Man  I didnt realize how hard it would be considering Ithaca's schedule.  
As for my predictions- I'm going to go against popular opinion and say that AU wins 2 out of the next 3.  I think that Hobart and Fisher are the most beatable of the 3, and if they get past those two, confidence with a young team like most of the offensive skill positions, can go a long way.  Even if my prediction falls short, I feel as though they are going to affect the playoffs somehow.
As for the Fisher game, I'd say that Fisher is probably -4 in Vegas right now.  No need to tease this bet.  I always go for the hometeam underdog in a situation like this.  You heard that band!?!?  Too much defense.  Too much Keeley.  Too many sober, yet still obnoxious, fans.
Which brings me to my next point.  Is AU the only venue where the homecrowd is taken out of the equation as an advantage by the athletic director and a couple of podunk cops searching every other student's mountain dew bottle for liquor?  Its like the secret police there.  As for the visiting side...yes you can bring whatever beverage you want.  Does this make sense to anyone else?  Ithaca- how would your crowd react to being hunted down and searched?  Fisher?  Is this not a joke?  

[AUPepBand]

D3Keith Says:

The 25th of October, 2006 at 2:12 am

The Empire 8 has four legitimate contenders and a lot left to settle, so who knows about Fisher. They could still be Pool A if a three-way tie scenario that they could win exists. SJF has the head-to-head over Ithaca. Springfield has it over Alfred and SJF.

Alfred must play Hobart, Ithaca and SJF still.
Ithaca must play Springfield, Alfred and Cortland State.

Either of those two would be a Pool C lock if it managed to sweep its slate and finish second. One of those two will definitely lose and knock the other out when they play each other.

Apparently I'm not alone in my thinking.

[AUKaz00]

Lot of talk on the boards; should be a great Saterday!

First off, we're all lunatics waiting to explode.  Up to this point in the season Alfred hasn't shown any reason to be considered inferior to SJF or IC, but starting now it needs to be proven on the field against 3 ranked teams.  AU beat Thiel when they were #25 and played Springfield close when they were just outside the rankings.  If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how the 2006 Saxons stack up against 3 nationally ranked teams.  

The defense has been very good (aside from the Springfield game) and I think that's mostly attributable to returning everyone except Brady.  Obviously the defense would be even better with him, but I think everyone else has developed since last year and the net effect is another solid Saxon defense.

I don't think Alfred is going to win out, but I'm going to root for it.  However, I can see scenarios where a 2 loss AU might make the tourney.  If Alfred loses a close one to Hobart and wins the next two weeks or if Springfield beats Ithaca soundly, Alfred beats Hobart and Fisher but loses to Ithaca in a tight game.  Those seem like the only scenarios in my mind and since I'm most leery of the Saxons' chances against the Cardinals after a bye, I don't see Alfred in the tournament.  Though I DESPERATELY want to be proved wrong.

[fisheralum91]

AU guys,
In all reality- winning those three games is tough enough for the best teams...
That being said, IF that were to be accomplished- AU goes.
Likely- no.
Probable- no
Possible- yes

[maxpower]

Max

Cant help but think your attack on the sc article is a lowly attempt to try to bring down chris sharpe and the pride?  Is it that big of a deal to you that the word LIVE is capitalized? If i remember correctly, when espn news airs something they show the word in the top right corner capitalized LIVE.  In any event, the argument about a wet rainy game, with grass is a little bit silly don't you think? Don't you think that SC would be practicing on a grass field in preparation? Doesn't Ithaca have to to play on that same wet field?? Is that the same REAL defense that gave up thirty five points to SJF? ? I understand if you're nervous about the game but isn't it a little juvenile to take it out on some college student who is probably writing that blurb about sharpe?  Either way its great for D3 that he will be on ESPN and I just hope for your sake that he doesnt throw up 5 or 6 TD's again.  Speaking of real defenses, doesn't AU have the 16th ranked defense in the country? How many yards and TD's did Sharpe have against them?

fan of springfield... i mean d3-

If you had been reading the boards for more than the four days since you decided it was safe to come out of the woodwork, you would notice that I have been labeled the "naysayer" and "pessimist" by other IC fans because I give Sharpe and SC so much credit going into this weekend. All this was was, as Jose said, making fun of WHOEVER wrote that release (because it sucked), mixed in with a little trash talking at the end. You know, for once, I wish that when I made fun of something in an overtly annoying way, people would respond in kind and start a fun little back-and-forth, instead of the whine-fest that usually happens. fan of d3, let me introduce you to winmag......

Is AU the only venue where the homecrowd is taken out of the equation as an advantage by the athletic director and a couple of podunk cops searching every other student's mountain dew bottle for liquor?  Its like the secret police there.  As for the visiting side...yes you can bring whatever beverage you want.  Does this make sense to anyone else?  Ithaca- how would your crowd react to being hunted down and searched?  Fisher?  Is this not a joke? 

Due to a measly record of support by IC students, the only time it would ever really come into play would be Cortaca... and then the cops would be too wasted to figure out what was Mountain Dew and what wasn't anyway....

Apparently I'm not alone in my thinking.

Nope, that makes three or four of you! You know I love ya AUPep, and of course it's not impossible for AU to get in... no one has said that. But a LOT needs to happen first. Just don't start Rilin' prematurely. Even IC can't start looking towards NCAAs until at least Sunday... if then....

[maxpower]

Jose, message.