FB: Empire 8

[DanPadavona]

from John McGraw on the LL board...

Obviously the best thing, suggested by multiple people over the years and by RT this past Saturday, form a super-conference between the E8 and the LL. Of course this would never happen, but it'd solve a lot of scheduling issues.


RT's reponse..

Forget the "like-minded insitutions" rhetoric....let's get real and do something for the football fans of the state and make a super NY conference, like the SEC does...East and West. I don't give a flying shizz if RPI is in the same conf. as Cortland or Brockport....we're not going for the same student anyway and do you think 99.99% of the Pakistani's or Chinamen that go to RPI (the ones that walk past the football game on Sat, stare quizically, then head to the library) would even care (much less know) about the other teams in our conference? Let the NESCAC worry about that snobbiness.  For example, in the SEC, do you think Arkansas or Miss St. is of the same calber school as Vanderbilt?

RT's proposed "NYSAC"..NYS Athletic Conference

West                                                                     East
Alfred                                                                         RPI
Brockport St                                                               Union
St.John Fisher                                                            Harwick
Rochester                                                                  St.Lawrence
Buffalo St.                                                                  Utica
Cortland St.                                                               Ithaca
                                                                                  Kings Point

Is RT missing anyone? Then you follow a format like the SEC and do crossover games but keep traditional rivalries every year (Corica Jug, Shooz game, et) It was tough but to balance, RT split up Cortland and Ithaca. The west looks a bit loaded on paper so another reason RT put IC in the east

However, what do you gain from this?  If 14 teams can sustain two separate conferences, then they're guaranteed two Pool A slots and access to Pool C.  Under your plan, you have one Pool A and only access to Pool C.  The other idea we had discussed on the WABY broadcast was more practical:  maintain the separate conferences, but come up with an NFL-type interconference scheduling agreement by which the top E8 team plays the top LL team to open the season, etc. (based on prior year records).  This would allow the teams to maintain some semblence of a fair out-of-conference schedule, retain several playoff slots and avoid the like-minded BS.  I don't like the "Superconference" idea at all.

I agree with Frank.  I like the conference lineup.  But beyond the reality that the state schools would never be invited in with the private schools, all of them would be yielding overall playoff spots.  Consider that these schools would all represent the best competition in Eastern Region, with the exception of the NJAC.  Eastern Region would be concentrating too many of its potential playoff eggs into one basket, and I think some of the programs would ultimately suffer for it.

[FisherAlum05]

Anyone else agree with Samrov?

East Region Top 10 poll

1. Springfield
2. St. John Fisher
3. Wesley
4. Ithaca
5. RPI
6. Union
7. Hobart
8. Alfred
9. Rowan
10. Cortland State

It just caught me off guard since Fisher is ranked as one of the best in the country but he gave props to the profs.

I was a little surprised myself.  But even I can't really complain.  Springfield is very good and so is Fisher.  That game will be very tight I believe.  The rest of the poll is whats really odd.  Alfred and C-State should both be much higher in my opinion.  Union and Hobart should be down near the bottom.  My rankings to this point would look something like this:

1. Fisher
2. Springfield
3. Wesley
4. Ithaca
5. RPI
6. Alfred
7. Rowan
8. Cortland State
9. Hobart
10. Union

Week 4, September 22, will really determine alot.  A ton of good matchups will give us a better idea:

Fisher v. Ithaca
Springfield v. Alfred
RPI v. Hobart
Union v. Rochester
Rowan v. Widener
Cortland State v. Buffalo State

That should be a great weekend for D3 Football in the East Region. 

[FisherAlum05]

I know baseball talk has calmed down on here (cause of people like me) but this is pretty funny:

Earlier in the season, yankees broadcaster John Sterling made a hillarious comment pertaining to a home run hit by A-Rod off Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matzuzaka:

Sterling:  That ball is high, it is far, it is gone!!  An A-Bomb from A-Rod!!!
Sterling:  Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have said that!  (Referencing the A-Bomb dropped on Japan in WW2).

One of the funniest things I've ever heard during a baseball game.  Sorry, if anybody on here is of Japanese descent, no harm intended just funny.

[Knightstalker]

When ever Hideki Matsui comes to bat Sterling announces it as the Benny Hana at bat.

[theoriginalupstate]

Any news if UR's going to be healthy this weekend? If their RB and WR dont play it could get out of hand really quick.

[SJFF82]

This just in:  UR HC Scott Greene takes exception to a comment made by the Fisher president at a luncheon this week in support of the 'Courage Bowl'.  Dr. Bain, at the head table intros, jokes that Fisher will win this week...Greene stands up and says "keep the game comments out of this charity event"  Greene then gathers his captains and other constituents he brought and walks out of the charity luncheon. 

Later Coach Vosburgh, who feels saddened and embarrased by the incident, decides to spot UR 21 1st quarter points this Saterday.   

Final score:  SJF 55
                    UR  20  (Green and UR were fined one point for Green's behavior at the luncheon)

[theoriginalupstate]

Since Mrs Upstate was given a 46% raise by the hospital she works at (in the lab), Mr. Upstate is getting a flat panel TV.  Any suggestions and/or warnings about flat panels?

[SJFF82]

Good question...I purchased one last year.  I paid 1700 for the TV, but the expense of cables, surround sound, mounting bracket and install added up to almost 2k.  The HI-DEF cables alone that the guy at Circuit City sold me were over 650.  I felt like I got thrown under the bus, so I asked around and ended up returning all the high cost accessories and replacing them with 'regular' cables and connectors that I got at Wal-Mart for a total of 39.99!!!   

Bottom line....dont get sold on all the bs about "you NEED these $600 cables or your picture will suck"  My Samsung flat-panel pic is nice.

[SJFF82]

Oh and dont buy any "Accurian" line of products...namely DVD player....at Radio Shack.  It has 'died' twice, they have fixed it twice and it has lousy pic quality.  I'll sell it to you for $5.00

[Frank Rossi]

Since Mrs Upstate was given a 46% raise by the hospital she works at (in the lab), Mr. Upstate is getting a flat panel TV.  Any suggestions and/or warnings about flat panels?

1) Don't get a 1080p television if you're getting anything under 42" -- it's overkill.  42"-50" is a pretty negligible difference, but more and more, people say it's worth it for PS3/Blu-Ray/HD-DVD reasons.  50" or over, go for 1080p to stay in the ballgame for a few years.

2) Make sure your TV has at least 2 HDMI connectors.  It's not worth buying an HDMI splitter unless you're splitting the signal that isn't your main signal (i.e., from your cable box or DirecTV receiver).

3) Don't run away from plasma.  Panasonic is putting out some quality 1080p plasma TVs right now.  It's an old wives tale about plasmas dying in 5 years - they're guaranteed for 25+ years now.

4) Use a credit card like AMEX Gold for an extra year of warranty.  That way, you don't need to buy a ridiculous length service contract.

5) Brand matters.  If you were looking to get a bedroom TV or something, then a brand like Olevia would be fine.  But if this is your main TV, then seriously, look to the upper-tiered brands, no less than Panasonic...Sharp Aquos TVs are tremendous, but very expensive...as are the Sony TVs.  The difference is that Sharp actually surpasses the minimum standards when it comes to making their TVs.  As for a brand like Phillips, it's hit or miss with their TVs -- but whatever you do, avoid the ambilight technology - TRAINWRECK approaching.

6) DO NOT BUY YOUR CABLES FROM THE STORE.  Proceed directly to eBay and get your PayPal account going.  The cables there are generally 80% cheaper and just as good.  Try sorting by location for quick shipping on eBay.  This is something you might want to do now -- but make sure you have at least one HDMI cable ready to go since composite cables just don't cut it.

7) Measure your walls before heading to the store.  The biggest mistake is assuming the length and width based on the screen size -- speakers and bezels can cause ugly overhangs more than you realize.  

8) Don't buy the bracket from the store.  Same rule as the wires -- use eBay.  There's no shame in not mounting the TV at all, remember.  It saves you the bother of marking up the walls and risking the possibility that few studs exist on the wall of choice.

That's about all the advice I can provide.  There's no harm in standing in the store BY YOURSELF and playing with the menus to optimize colors, etc. to compare the TVs.  Don't be swayed by a sales rep too much -- you know your own eyes better than they do.

- Frank

[theoriginalupstate]

awesome advice frank, thanks!!!

+K

[Caz Bombers]

As a general rule, Caz does not bash women's basketball  (why be hostile? If you don't like it, just shut up and watch something else) but this picture found on the blog AwfulAnnouncing.com was just too funny not to share....just the link b/c the pic just gives me a red X when I hit preview post.

Anyone remember Chris Andersen from the NBA Slam Dunk contest a few years back? "Birdmaaan's gotta fly!!!!"  I like to imagine this player said something similar a few seconds before this picture was taken.  May I get you a stepladder, ma'am?

http://bp2.blogger.com/_1OMiSrEJXnY/RulrGDFnokI/AAAAAAAAD0E/BM3e16dlaUk/s1600-h/wnba+dunk.jpg

[superman57]

ok first of +k to frank for actually being knowladgable (just kidding frank) on sumthing secondly I wonder what the rest of the play looks like

[pg04]

Not to be mean, but I would say that Frank adds a lot more knowledgeable content than most run of the mill posters..

that just sounded harsh what you said. 

[superman57]

happy father (pg) I changed it...


though I would be quite disturbed if Pg was in fact my father