FB: Empire 8

[AUPepBand]

It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes,
I am getting so hot, I'm gonna take my clothes off!

[lewdogg11]

Guys, don't forget this Sunday to 'Treat Your Mother Right!!!!'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_rBidCkJxo

[FisherAlum05]

TGP thinks that with Widener, DelVal, Wilkes, and Kings that the MAC could state a solid case.

TGP,

MAC is fairly tough but I would rate it as third behind the E8 and the Libery League.  Wilkes, DelVal, Widener, and Kings doesnt compare much to SJF, IC, SC, AU.  Seems like the more talented teams come from the E8 (although DelVal has shown well in 2004 and 2005).  But I can see what you're saying cause it is a tough conference. 

[Pat Coleman]

We'll find out more, I guess, when MAC 2-7 Susquehanna joins the Liberty League this year.

[FisherAlum05]

I think it is an interesting debate though..

I see it like this:

1. E8 - with SJF, IC, SC, and AU this conference is the most top heavy.  4 NCAA quality teams.

2. LL - with Hobart, Union, and RPI this conference is also pretty heavy at the top.    A surging U of R and improving St. Lawrence make it tough.

3. MAC - DelVal and Wilkes are two very formidable squads.  Widener and Kings are decent.  

4. NJAC - Rowan and Cortland are two East powers.  Keane is an up and coming program.  

5. NEFC

6.NESCAC

[lewdogg11]

Is there any surprise that the E8 guys think the E8 is the best conference in the East?  No surprise here.  NJAC at 4th is a bit of a surprise though.  You really think the MAC is tougher than the NJAC?  That's crazy talk.

[FisherAlum05]

i just wanna throw this out there
(chummiing?)
Alfred will beat SJF OR UC
AU will beat SC
AU WILL get screwed again and not make the playoffs because they get no respect (dont call me Rodney Dangerfield, look at the last 2 years and tell me we shouldnt have made it at least one year)
Coach Murray should and will win coach of the year
Skinner will lose another weight lost contest to someone
WHAT?

Well I sure hope Alfred can beat utica because if they can't beat Utica they are screwed...Thirdly Alfred screws itself with that schedule, they need to either get rid off Hobart or move it on their schedule, that last road trip is going to be deadly for Alfred and I predict 1-2 getting one win against maybe hobart, but who knows its still to early

Superman you are definately right about the Alfred schedule.  I think it is too tough.  Playing in the E8 is tough enough.  Then to add Hobart and a usually tough Thiel team is alot.  

Although SJF has added Mt. Union for '08 and '09

[lewdogg11]

I think it is an interesting debate though..

I see it like this:

1. E8 - with SJF, IC, SC, and AU this conference is the most top heavy.  4 NCAA quality teams.

2. LL - with Hobart, Union, and RPI this conference is also pretty heavy at the top.    A surging U of R and improving St. Lawrence make it tough.

3. MAC - DelVal and Wilkes are two very formidable squads.  Widener and Kings are decent.  

4. NJAC - Rowan and Cortland are two East powers.  Keane is an up and coming program.  

5. NEFC

6.NESCAC

And while not NCAA tourney material, the NESCAC is leaps and bounds ahead of the NEFC, and their top teams would compete well with E8, LL, MAC, and NJAC top teams.  Would they win?  I don't know.  But they could definately compete talent wise.

[FisherAlum05]

I don't know much about the NESCAC.  It's hard to say when they don't compete in the NCAA tourney.  With regards to my rankings of the East region leagues, I would say the NJAC and the MAC are pretty close.  The MAC has more depth since there are more teams.  The Great Pumpkin stated that the MAC might be the toughest conference in the East.  I don't think so but I do agree its pretty tough.  But I will give you that Rowan beat DelVal in '04 and '05 so maybe you're right!

[labart96]

The reality is that the "toughest" changes every season.  NJAC posters could say that their league is the toughest b/c one of their doormats (WPU) gave Hobart (an NCAA qualifier) a run for their money.  Of course, then we saw Hobart gave Rowan all they could handle in the 1st rd of the NCAAs (which should have been a home game for Bart btw but Hanna gave it away)

Last season the argument for the E8 being the best was supported by:
SJC crushing Rowan in the NCAAs and hanging with MUC for a good portion of their game (not to mention SJC lopsided win over Union in the NCAA 2nd round)
SC beat Union to open the season and beat SJC in the reg season then lost by less than a TD in the NCAAs

Argument against:

IC - traditionally a power house, had a "down year" losing it's last 2 games to 2 teams that did not qualify for the NCAAs and split their ECAC bowls.

Alfred - a good team that beat the teams it should and lost to the teams that were better than them.  What helps the E8 in the vs. LL argument was that AU was 2-0 vs. LL teams.

[labart96]

I think it is an interesting debate though..

I see it like this:

1. E8 - with SJF, IC, SC, and AU this conference is the most top heavy.  4 NCAA quality teams.

2. LL - with Hobart, Union, and RPI this conference is also pretty heavy at the top.    A surging U of R and improving St. Lawrence make it tough.

3. MAC - DelVal and Wilkes are two very formidable squads.  Widener and Kings are decent.  

4. NJAC - Rowan and Cortland are two East powers.  Keane is an up and coming program.  

5. NEFC

6.NESCAC

TGP believes that the CC (Dickinson, Gettysburg, etc) is now associated with the East.  Based on that, TGP would add them probably in btw the NJAC and NEFC.

[Pat Coleman]

TGP's belief is not supported by any actual facts.

[AUPepBand]

Alfred - a good team that beat the teams it should and lost to the teams that were better than them.  What helps the E8 in the vs. LL argument was that AU was 2-0 vs. LL teams.

Fact is, AU was 2-1 against the LL in 2006.
AU 17, St. Lawrence 14
Hobart 21, AU 14
AU 40, UR 34 (OT)

[lewdogg11]

Alfred - a good team that beat the teams it should and lost to the teams that were better than them.  What helps the E8 in the vs. LL argument was that AU was 2-0 vs. LL teams.

Fact is, AU was 2-1 against the LL in 2006.
AU 17, St. Lawrence 14
Hobart 21, AU 14
AU 40, UR 34 (OT)

So Alfred snuck by St. Lawrence and Rochester....Yeah?  Big Deal!  If anything I would say that with that statement, one of the E8's mid-upper echelon teams is barely better than the LL's mid-lower echelon teams, and a touchdown worse than the LL's uper-echelon teams. 

That argument doesn't hold much water.

Again, the hamster wheel spins and spins.  RPI lost to St. Lawrence and UR 42-38 and 30-23 respectively, but beat Cortland 26-7, who beat Ithaca 23-20, who lost to Alfred 28-17, who lost to Hobart 21-14, who beat RPI 24-17, but lost to Union 31-14, who lost to RPI 24-19.

It's a rhetorical never ending debate.

I think the best argument for last year is that SJF was the best team in the East, followed by probably Rowan, followed by probably Springfield and Wilkes, then a tight billing for DVC, RPI, Union, Alfred, and Hobart and MAYBE Cortland. 

Each year now, the BEST team seems to be coming from a different conference.  I think all the conferences are pretty equal.  The MAC and NJAC may be a little deeper than the E8 and LL, but that is debatable.  I think if you took the top 3 or 4 teams in each of those leagues, it would be relatively even.

[labart96]

TGP's belief is not supported by any actual facts.

TGP believes you are correct.  TGP does swear though the last time he checked this link (about 20 mins ago), there were some CC teams mixed in the East Region page.

http://www.d3football.com/regions.php?region=east