FB: Empire 8

[AUPepBand]

Spiedie,
Actually, 60 seems low to Pep....it's been 75 the past two or three years. AU, thanks to a gift from the Galanis Family, has a full-time JV coach, which is necessary, given the large numbers of recruits in the past few years. Pep is estimating a pre-season camp numbering 150+ at AU. That's just a guesstimate.

Meanwhile, Pep has had a busy couple of weeks, what with books being moved back into Herrick Library....and hosting the 9th Great International Obituary Writers Conference here in Alfred! These obit writers are no deadbeats!

[Sir Spiedie]

Wow, PeP, those are big numbers, especially in light of the 85 total scholarship limit for DI.  How many will actually turn out and stick with it? How many does AU carry on the varsity roster? JV? Is the AU experience consistent with other E8 schools?

[bomber27]

From what I remember AU has always(last 7 years at least) had a lot of kids tryout.  Whether they are good enough to play is the question. 

[AUPepBand]

Wow, PeP, those are big numbers, especially in light of the 85 total scholarship limit for DI.  How many will actually turn out and stick with it? How many does AU carry on the varsity roster? JV? Is the AU experience consistent with other E8 schools?

Those big numbers are becoming more and more common among D3 schools. Pep remembers reading of some of the southern schools attracting 200 to pre-season camp. Pep believes there were still well over 100 in the program at the conclusion of the 2006 season, which started with 160 in pre-season. Obviously, there are losses to injury, there are some losses to academics, there are losses to reality that they are a small fish in a big pond, and there are losses to academics taking priority.

Perhaps this archived news story will shed some light on AU's current approach:

http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/viewrelease.cfm?ID=3422

Meanwhile, Pep has just returned from a quick trip taking Pep Jr. to the summer camp in Torrington, CT where he will teach basketball and counsel kids for the third straight summer. And, upon Pep's return, he was happy to see NPR reported on the International Obituary Writers Conference that Pep hosted here at Alfred University June 14-16. Here's the link to an interview with "The Obit Lady":

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11141325&sc=emaf

[Jonny Utah]

Whats the new (or new in the last few years) hotel downtown Ithaca.  Big name hotel across from the old American Pie bar or Maggies.  Used to be a parking garage or is next to the parking garage.  Same side and street as the shortstop?

[maxpower]

Hilton Garden Inn. Kind of expensive for average facilities though.

[Jonny Utah]

Hilton Garden Inn. Kind of expensive for average facilities though.

Thanks MP
Still cheaper than the hoiday inn though.  But I have found that if you call the holiday inn you can get a cheaper price than if you do it online.  Then when you get there you can even negotiate a better rate. 

[maninorangehat]

Hilton Garden Inn. Kind of expensive for average facilities though.

Orangehat is a fan of the Garden Inn.  The Breakfast is great (and free), they are also a few paces closer to all of the watering holes & Shortstop, not to mention there is a really hot girl that works on the catering staff there. 

[maxpower]

Funny story:

Driving east on I-490, my sister and I pass the exit that overlooks the campus of St. John Fisher. I do my customary one-fingered salute with the obligatory "**** you Fisher" that follows it, and keep driving.

Max's sister: "Does that have something to do with sports?"

Max: "Yeah."

Max's sister: "Then I don't want to know."


She's just lucky there are no "Cortland, 12 miles" signs in Rochester.

[superman57]

MP that's funny because I say F*** Ithaca when I pass the exit to Ithaca on the thruway

[maxpower]

+k for some mutual hatred solidarity. Don't care what Jose says, I care about IC-SJF almost as much as the Jug these days.

[theoriginalupstate]

For some odd reason everytime i see an IC sticker on a car I say to myself "IC U SUCK".....

[maxpower]

That reason is this:

"You are not creative."

[JQV]

+k for some mutual hatred solidarity. Don't care what Jose says, I care about IC-SJF almost as much as the Jug these days.

meh.  Everyone hates the king.  Kind of reminds me of the SEC.  Everyone wants to be Florida's rival but only a UGA and UT stick.

[bomber27]

That Cortland 12 miles sign even sucked when I was visiting a girl I dated.  I would sing SSSSTTTTAAAATTTTEEEEE SSSSCCCCHHHHHOOOOOOOOLLLLLL in my head.  Original or not it made me feel warmer inside