FB: Empire 8

[superman57]

my guess is the fisher crowd should benefit from making it to the semi's...

[AUPepBand]

As one who attended Fisher's 31-0 drubbing of Rowan, while it may not have been an exciting game, the crowd seemed somewhat lethargic (perhaps frozen from sitting in the cold). And of course, Pep's answer to that is. . .

[Sir Spiedie]

Speaking of tailgateing.....went to a Duke game this past season, and went through a parking area of serious, serious debauchery. At the game I asked a few people about it. They said, "Oh yeah, they do it every home game, most won't even go to the game."  (No Duke jokes---Thats Low Hanging Fruit) Anyway, after the game we went through the same lot, and I kid you not, you could not see the ground for the beer cans.

[JQV]

Ordered a copy of Lois Butterfield's book last night. Hope it arrives before the trip; will probably make good reading for the bus ride. Any IC fans read it? Reviews?
Was It Fun?  

I read it Pep.  It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.  A very tragic end however.  The only thing I didn't like is, she doesn't use any of the players' names.  Not sure if she was concerned about royalties or she just doesn't remember (never knew) the names.  Having worked in Sports Info and gone through the football history I could identify the players but it can be a bit troubling.  My future father in law read it and now wants to come to a Bomber game at Butterfield.  That could be as much due to the fact that Butts was a Gator Football player as anything else.

[realistic]

Ordered a copy of Lois Butterfield's book last night. Hope it arrives before the trip; will probably make good reading for the bus ride. Any IC fans read it? Reviews?
Was It Fun? 

I read it Pep.  It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.  A very tragic end however.  The only thing I didn't like is, she doesn't use any of the players' names.  Not sure if she was concerned about royalties or she just doesn't remember (never knew) the names.  Having worked in Sports Info and gone through the football history I could identify the players but it can be a bit troubling.  My future father in law read it and now wants to come to a Bomber game at Butterfield.  That could be as much due to the fact that Butts was a Gator Football player as anything else.

Agreed (though we are both probably a bit biased.  Pep - it is a good read but no where near the quality on Sweet Season.  Lois is not a trained writer, but does a good enough job.  There are some issues (as Jose mentiioned) but another good E8 note is SJF asst coach Faggiano has a number of mentions.  Good story and read though.

Well it's good to have a little interaction here. Having read "The Sweet Season," I've found more company over in the West Region on the Minnesota IAC boards. In fact, Pep is planning to make a trip out to Collegeville, MN to experience the "Stiftungsfestivies" (their tailgate) and a St. John's football game vs. Marietta (OAC) on Sept. 1. After all, St. John's led the nation in attendance. Hope to make some observations and perhaps learn how we might do things better at Alfred to draw larger crowds. (Winning a national championship would probably help).

But on second thought, there aren't too many people out here in these hills....

Tradition is probably the biggest factor in the crowds that they draw, but the alumni base is earby as well.  A lot in the immediate area and then a short 70mile drive from the Twin Cities also helps.  There aren't very many D-III schools that can even come close to drawing like SJU does.

[AUPepBand]

Ordered a copy of Lois Butterfield's book last night. Hope it arrives before the trip; will probably make good reading for the bus ride. Any IC fans read it? Reviews?
Was It Fun?  

I read it Pep.  It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.  A very tragic end however.  The only thing I didn't like is, she doesn't use any of the players' names.  Not sure if she was concerned about royalties or she just doesn't remember (never knew) the names.  Having worked in Sports Info and gone through the football history I could identify the players but it can be a bit troubling.  My future father in law read it and now wants to come to a Bomber game at Butterfield.  That could be as much due to the fact that Butts was a Gator Football player as anything else.

When you say tragic end...does she get into the Alzheimers? Pep's mother, a 30-year secretary at AU who each weekday, after a full day of typing, secretarial duties, always had an oustanding dinner on the table for the six of us at 6 p.m., then spent the rest of the evening sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking, card-playing into the wee hours, who on camping trips would prepare the same delicious dinners over a camp stove under an umbrella with a flashlight.....has Alzheimers. Pep's Pops exhibits incredible patience and loving care that elevate's Pops' status to "Hero" in Pep's book.

Mom was hospitalized recently with a serious bed sore and Pep got a rare one-on-one time with her, feeding her lunch, which takes a couple hours. While she can speak only an occasional word or two, her facial expressions communicate volumes. Pep is convinced that he's her favorite and has been since Day One but Pep's sibs no doubt beg to differ.

As the disease continues to whittle away at Mom's earthly existence, we see more and more of her spirit that shines brighter and brighter with each new day.

[AUPepBand]

Agreed (though we are both probably a bit biased.  Pep - it is a good read but no where near the quality on Sweet Season.  Lois is not a trained writer, but does a good enough job.  There are some issues (as Jose mentiioned) but another good E8 note is SJF asst coach Faggiano has a number of mentions.  Good story and read though.

Well it's good to have a little interaction here. Having read "The Sweet Season," I've found more company over in the West Region on the Minnesota IAC boards. In fact, Pep is planning to make a trip out to Collegeville, MN to experience the "Stiftungsfestivies" (their tailgate) and a St. John's football game vs. Marietta (OAC) on Sept. 1. After all, St. John's led the nation in attendance. Hope to make some observations and perhaps learn how we might do things better at Alfred to draw larger crowds. (Winning a national championship would probably help).

But on second thought, there aren't too many people out here in these hills....

Tradition is probably the biggest factor in the crowds that they draw, but the alumni base is earby as well.  A lot in the immediate area and then a short 70mile drive from the Twin Cities also helps.  There aren't very many D-III schools that can even come close to drawing like SJU does.

Pep is convinced that everyone has a story to tell. Given that Alfred was often on IC's schedule during the Butterfield Era, I'm sure I will find it of great interest....to see the battles from the perspective of the opponent's camp, so to speak.

And, while the tradition is a key to the Johnnies' mammoth attendance marks, that tradition is centered around one man (Gags) running the show for 54 years. Alfred had a similar draw in the Southern Tier when Alex was at the helm. While he would be quick to dodge the spotlight and reflect it back to "his boys," Alex was the show.

Bolstered by an outstanding recruiting effort, Coach Dave Murray has fielded probably his most competitive Alfred teams these past three seasons, with no end in sight. Pep saw a lot of the "oldtime Saxon fans" in the stands at Merrill Field in 2006...folks in the Southern Tier are once again talking about AU football and Pep sees Murray, a class act, one day surpassing Alex's longevity, and perhaps even success, at Alfred.

And the AU Pep Band--with its homeless sax players, octogenarian kazoo hummmers and maybe even someday a Jimi Hendrix wannabe whalin' Purple Haze on his electric guitar--will be there supporting our Saxons.  +K to all E8 Nation posters today!

[SJFF82]

As one who attended Fisher's 31-0 drubbing of Rowan, while it may not have been an exciting game, the crowd seemed somewhat lethargic (perhaps frozen from sitting in the cold). And of course, Pep's answer to that is. . .

Pep is correct about the very lethargic crowd at the Rowan play-off game...I remember commenting on it afterwards and I believe it was a combo of the cold, the a$$-whipping 'we' gave Rowan and it even appeared that the Fisher fans just kinda expected the result and had a 'act like ya been there before attitude'

On the other hand, for those of us who made it down to Alliance....that was impressive on behalf of Fisher fans...a packed and rowdy parking lot and a packed and very loud and enthusiastic cheering section.   It seems we are far more enthusiastic on road trips than at Growney.

[AUPepBand]

Is it possible that a crowd can "sense" victory (or defeat) and responds appropriately? Pep recalls being at Growney in 2005 when Alfred stunned the Cardinals, 13-7. The Cardinal crowd, if Pep remembers correctly, seemed subdued during Fisher's last potential game-winning drive that ended in the red zone with Brenton Brady rattling the few Suchyna bones that he hadn't earlier rattled. Fisher had a great shot at pulling it off, but didn't. Pep remembers a late Saxon drive at Growney with AU trailing, 29-22 in '03 that also ended in the red zone and, once again if memory serves, the Saxon fans, like the Fisher fans in '05, seemed mildly hopeful but not convinced their team would pull it out. And they didn't.

Meanwhile, with AU trailing Rochester 34-26 at Merrill Field in the ECAC Northwest Bowl and Saxons getting the ball about 80 yards from paydirt with but two minutes remaining, there was a sense of excitement and anticipation in the crowd. Saxon fans believed AU would find a way to score, get a two-point conversion and win that crazy game. And they did!

Anyone care to shed some light on why a crowd responds as if the glass were half empty or, contrarily, is half full?

[Sir Spiedie]

Pep---Mebbe you got it backwards-----mebbe it's the team responding to the crowd.

[Tags]

Ordered a copy of Lois Butterfield's book last night. Hope it arrives before the trip; will probably make good reading for the bus ride. Any IC fans read it? Reviews?
Was It Fun?  

I read it Pep.  It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.  A very tragic end however.  The only thing I didn't like is, she doesn't use any of the players' names.  Not sure if she was concerned about royalties or she just doesn't remember (never knew) the names.  Having worked in Sports Info and gone through the football history I could identify the players but it can be a bit troubling.  My future father in law read it and now wants to come to a Bomber game at Butterfield.  That could be as much due to the fact that Butts was a Gator Football player as anything else.

When you say tragic end...does she get into the Alzheimers? Pep's mother, a 30-year secretary at AU who each weekday, after a full day of typing, secretarial duties, always had an oustanding dinner on the table for the six of us at 6 p.m., then spent the rest of the evening sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking, card-playing into the wee hours, who on camping trips would prepare the same delicious dinners over a camp stove under an umbrella with a flashlight.....has Alzheimers. Pep's Pops exhibits incredible patience and loving care that elevate's Pops' status to "Hero" in Pep's book.

Mom was hospitalized recently with a serious bed sore and Pep got a rare one-on-one time with her, feeding her lunch, which takes a couple hours. While she can speak only an occasional word or two, her facial expressions communicate volumes. Pep is convinced that he's her favorite and has been since Day One but Pep's sibs no doubt beg to differ.

As the disease continues to whittle away at Mom's earthly existence, we see more and more of her spirit that shines brighter and brighter with each new day.

I'm sure it's trying during these times Pep, but stay positive. We all wish you & your family well.

[realistic]

Well, it's not new news by any means...but, personally, I love it when there are others who find out about and persue their love of D-III athletics with this site.

http://theithacan.org/blogs/hattrick/2007/02/17/its-finally-time-to-play-ball/

It was nice to see an Ithacan reporter (blogger, I guess in this case) find a world beyond the halls of the Park School.

Anyway - at the very least, another nice little shout out to Pat and the crew.

[AUPepBand]

Ordered a copy of Lois Butterfield's book last night. Hope it arrives before the trip; will probably make good reading for the bus ride. Any IC fans read it? Reviews?
Was It Fun?  

I read it Pep.  It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.  A very tragic end however.  The only thing I didn't like is, she doesn't use any of the players' names.  Not sure if she was concerned about royalties or she just doesn't remember (never knew) the names.  Having worked in Sports Info and gone through the football history I could identify the players but it can be a bit troubling.  My future father in law read it and now wants to come to a Bomber game at Butterfield.  That could be as much due to the fact that Butts was a Gator Football player as anything else.

Has the Chairman set a date? Will impending marriage jeopardize JoseQ's ability to lead the E8 Nation? Does the future Mrs. Q know of the Chairman's mob boss status with this D3 mafia? E8 Nation wants to know...

BTW, Ithaca Books has shipped Lois' book....should I get it in the next five business days, I'll have a good read for the March 3-4 bus trip to Deland. 

[JQV]

Ordered a copy of Lois Butterfield's book last night. Hope it arrives before the trip; will probably make good reading for the bus ride. Any IC fans read it? Reviews?
Was It Fun?  

I read it Pep.  It was an easy read and I enjoyed it.  A very tragic end however.  The only thing I didn't like is, she doesn't use any of the players' names.  Not sure if she was concerned about royalties or she just doesn't remember (never knew) the names.  Having worked in Sports Info and gone through the football history I could identify the players but it can be a bit troubling.  My future father in law read it and now wants to come to a Bomber game at Butterfield.  That could be as much due to the fact that Butts was a Gator Football player as anything else.

Has the Chairman set a date? Will impending marriage jeopardize JoseQ's ability to lead the E8 Nation? Does the future Mrs. Q know of the Chairman's mob boss status with this D3 mafia? E8 Nation wants to know...

BTW, Ithaca Books has shipped Lois' book....should I get it in the next five business days, I'll have a good read for the March 3-4 bus trip to Deland. 

E8Nation will gain a first lady July 28, 2007.  As realistic alluded to in a previous post, said First Lady has already shot down any possibility that the honeymoon will be in the Southern Tier so the Chairman can take in some of the Bombers camp.  Nevertheless, the Chairman has already blocked out the dates on his calendar for the inaugural E8 Tailgate Party and for The Biggest Little Game.  The E8's First Lady will most likely be in attendance for The Biggest Little Game...

[Sir Spiedie]

http://www.wnbc.com/news/11089614/detail.html?dl=mainclick

Now boys, we all know how easy it is to pick low hanging fruit, therefore, "tastes like chicken" jokes are discouraged. Exert yourselves.