FB: Empire 8

[not so rowdy bomber]

Congrats to Ithaca and fans, have a safe trip to Alliance  I hope the Bombers put their best foot forward....D3 playoffs are the best...
Some area information:

Alliance has a Comfort Inn, and a Holiday Inn Express that are both good....Super 8 a bit seedy...Restaurants are a bit thin in Alliance..but not bad

North Canton (Belden Village Area) has all the major hotel chains and all major eating establishments with very nice shopping mall, if that is your thing.  Plus, Pro Football Hall of Fame is 5 minutes south of Belden Village area, and hope you take time to visit...a great football fan spot...

Alliance is pretty easy drive,  20-30 minutes from North Canton....

Someone asked about flying to Cleveland...if you can fly to Akron Canton, do it,  it is a great regional mini airport and easy to get into out of...security usually 10 minutes...It is also five minutes north of Belden Village (North Canton)  Cleveland airport is  at least an hour and 15 minutes from Alliance..

Tailgaters are welcome, but must be very early...main area is west lot, adjacent to stadium...
Most fans are wonderfully friendly, but we all have our "over the toppers"
There is also a buffet open to all fans in the campus center pregame...6 or eight bucks and the spread is unbeatable...plus a good place to meet and greet....bookstore is in same facility...

If you are coming down early, i would advise my friends to stay in North Canton, but you are 20-30 minutes away from Mount Union...

Local radio coverage is 1310 AM  Ric Brienza a great call, (a bit of a homer but a good guy)  College station is 91.1 FM and the kids do a good job...
Alliance Review is online and Canton Repository also covers Raiders...

Any more info can be requested on OAC board and I am sure there will be folks willing to help

Good Luck and travel safely

classy raiderpa.  very classy.

Rowdy Rowdy works for the Convention & Visitors Bureau in Syracuse, and that post was one of the greatest things Rowdy has ever seen.  We do our best during tournament time in th Cuse to welcome folks, but for a D3 poster to go out of their way to reach out to the majority of the opposing teams fans with that info and post it up on D3 E8 post patterns...  Rowdy is uber impressed.  Would like to think Rowdy would round up the FDC and motor out ot Alliance, but I dont see that happening.  So far I've been very impressed with the knowledge and courtsey of your fans.  A great reflection of a great program.  Hope it turns out to be a great game.  Glad the Bombers can get the tough game early out of the way on our march to another Nat Title.     All the best-

[Tags]

Congrats to Ithaca and fans, have a safe trip to Alliance  I hope the Bombers put their best foot forward....D3 playoffs are the best...
Some area information:

Alliance has a Comfort Inn, and a Holiday Inn Express that are both good....Super 8 a bit seedy...Restaurants are a bit thin in Alliance..but not bad

North Canton (Belden Village Area) has all the major hotel chains and all major eating establishments with very nice shopping mall, if that is your thing.  Plus, Pro Football Hall of Fame is 5 minutes south of Belden Village area, and hope you take time to visit...a great football fan spot...

Alliance is pretty easy drive,  20-30 minutes from North Canton....

Someone asked about flying to Cleveland...if you can fly to Akron Canton, do it,  it is a great regional mini airport and easy to get into out of...security usually 10 minutes...It is also five minutes north of Belden Village (North Canton)  Cleveland airport is  at least an hour and 15 minutes from Alliance..

Tailgaters are welcome, but must be very early...main area is west lot, adjacent to stadium...
Most fans are wonderfully friendly, but we all have our "over the toppers"
There is also a buffet open to all fans in the campus center pregame...6 or eight bucks and the spread is unbeatable...plus a good place to meet and greet....bookstore is in same facility...

If you are coming down early, i would advise my friends to stay in North Canton, but you are 20-30 minutes away from Mount Union...

Local radio coverage is 1310 AM  Ric Brienza a great call, (a bit of a homer but a good guy)  College station is 91.1 FM and the kids do a good job...
Alliance Review is online and Canton Repository also covers Raiders...

Any more info can be requested on OAC board and I am sure there will be folks willing to help

Good Luck and travel safely

classy raiderpa.  very classy.

Rowdy Rowdy works for the Convention & Visitors Bureau in Syracuse, and that post was one of the greatest things Rowdy has ever seen.  We do our best during tournament time in th Cuse to welcome folks, but for a D3 poster to go out of their way to reach out to the majority of the opposing teams fans with that info and post it up on D3 E8 post patterns...  Rowdy is uber impressed.  Would like to think Rowdy would round up the FDC and motor out ot Alliance, but I dont see that happening.  So far I've been very impressed with the knowledge and courtsey of your fans.  A great reflection of a great program.  Hope it turns out to be a great game.  Glad the Bombers can get the tough game early out of the way on our march to another Nat Title.     All the best-

They had the same courtesy last year when Fisher went down - They're a good bunch. Hopefully we can return the favor when they come here to Pittsford next year.

[lumpy]

I would like to give the bombers a great big congrats!! this is the way it should be, not only did we get in, we get to go head to head with the #1 program in the country, personally i wouldnt have it any other way, buck up boys, this is your chance to show the rest of the country just how good you really are !!

Raiderpa, as a bomber parent, i would truly like to thank you for your hopitality, look forward to meeting new friends in Alliance !!

GO BOMBERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AUPepBand]

I would like to give the bombers a great big congrats!! this is the way it should be, not only did we get in, we get to go head to head with the #1 program in the country, personally i wouldnt have it any other way, buck up boys, this is your chance to show the rest of the country just how good you really are !!

Raiderpa, as a bomber parent, i would truly like to thank you for your hopitality, look forward to meeting new friends in Alliance !!

GO BOMBERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lumpy....Pep is of the mind that Mount Union will have its hands full with the Bombers. While the Bombers had two early season losses, the team has improved with each game and is peaking at playoff time.

[HScoach]

Before the Love Fest ends, I strongly recommend hitting the pre-game buffet in the Hoover Price Campus Center.  Best $8 lunch you'll ever have.

[Ric]

This post is for the Ithaca student radio station that follows the football team.  I am the pbp guy for the commercial station that does Purple Raider football.  First off let me say I listened to your show tonight over the net and I thought the three of you did a very fine job!  Also, it was a very nice effort in getting the guests you had on.  Anyone can fill an hour but making an effort to get experts shows the job you do.

Anyway I just wanted to offer my help in anything you might want to know or need in terms of your preparation for Saturday's game.  If I can help in any way, IM me here.  If not prior to the game I will see you Saturday morning.  Safe travels to all making the trip to Alliance, Ohio this weekend.

[Toph]

After watching Ithaca absolutely own Cortland, I have no doubt that they will take care of Mt. Union.  I predict a 21-7 victory by Ithaca.

This is a joke, right? Mount is averaging 54.2 points per game, and giving up 2.4.  The first team defense has yet to give up a touchdown, but Ithaca is going to score 21.  The offense has yet to be held under 35 points, but Ithaca is going to hold them to 7.  The defense has scored more points (34) than they've given up (24), but you're right, Ithaca is going to dominate them.  

How, exactly, is Ithaca, who has lost two games, and whose defense has allowed 17 ppg to teams not named Mount Union, going to stop Mount Union?

Have you been following Division III football for the last...oh, 14 years?

[boobyhasgameyo]

Yes it clearly was a joke and it's sad that you didn't get it....

[runyr]

If IC gives MUC any sort of game....and I believe they will, SJF and co. will have immediate confidence.  MUC, at a minimum, is going to have a mental and physical challenge every rd, that they don't get every week.  If the brackets stay true, MUC will have to go through IC, RPI and SJF...not exactly the substantially overrated OAC is it MUC? ?  ? ?

First of all, I agree with the bulk of what you said in this post, and I think your attitude as a fan of all D-3 and schools in the East is commendable.  I also think that the competition between the E-8 and LL schools is underrated in D-3.  The schools are pretty evenly matched and it leads to some terrific games.

That said - I'm sorry, SJFF82, but I think your statement that the road MUC will have to travel is much more difficult than the "substantially overrated OAC" is very naive.  Check out the playoff records of the "OAC #2" since the playoff field expanded:

2006 - Capital easily defeates Wittenberg and North Central before falling by a FG at Mount

2005 - Capital beats North Central and Wabash before falling by a FG at Mount

In 2004 the OAC did not have a second playoff rep.

2003 - Baldwin-Wallace wins their first round game before losing to Wheaton

2002 - John Carroll moved to East Region and wins three games before falling in semifinals to Mount

In 2001 the OAC did not have a second playoff rep.

2000 - Ohio Northern wins their first two playoff games before losing to Mount

1999 - Ohio Northern wins their first two playoff games before losing to Mount

See a pattern here?  Over the last eight years, the OAC runner-up has earned a playoff bid six times.  ONCE they were defeated by an opponent other than Mt. Union.  Five times, they won multiple playoff games against other quality opponents before losing to Mount.  One other point worth noting - it's not always the same team as the OAC #2.  It's actually been 4 different OAC runner-ups that have acheived this, which to me is evidence of terrific depth of quality teams.

This evidence makes a pretty compelling case for the OAC as an unbelievably strong conference, not a substantially overrated one.  The OAC runner-up is 12-6 in the playoffs since 1999.  Discount the losses to Mount Union and they are 12-1.

Please tell me how you can regard this conference as "substantially overrated" given the outstanding playoff success of their teams other than Mount Union.

TartanP,  Outstanding summation!  I hope you're headed for law school because you could win over a lot of juries. 

[TecmoYellowHat]

After watching Ithaca absolutely own Cortland, I have no doubt that they will take care of Mt. Union.  I predict a 21-7 victory by Ithaca.

This is a joke, right? Mount is averaging 54.2 points per game, and giving up 2.4.  The first team defense has yet to give up a touchdown, but Ithaca is going to score 21.  The offense has yet to be held under 35 points, but Ithaca is going to hold them to 7.  The defense has scored more points (34) than they've given up (24), but you're right, Ithaca is going to dominate them. 

How, exactly, is Ithaca, who has lost two games, and whose defense has allowed 17 ppg to teams not named Mount Union, going to stop Mount Union?

Have you been following Division III football for the last...oh, 14 years?

Yes, I have been following Ithaca.  They got off to a slow start on purpose and I hate to give away their game plan, but they did this to have the mental advantage over every other team in the nation because other teams will come in thinking it is an easy win and will then get beaten by Ithaca.  So get ready Mt. Union, because stats can be deceiving...and when we come to your house and win...Ithaca will be on their way to Salem...and you will wish you practiced a little harder for this game.

[boobyhasgameyo]

haha tecmo they will probably think you are again being serious and that Ithaca throws their games early

[runyr]

Ithaca Fans with Money:
There's a 5-star resort you can stay less than 34 miles from Alliance.  8)
http://www.waldenco.com/index.cfm?section=countryinn&page=homepage

[TecmoYellowHat]

haha tecmo they will probably think you are again being serious and that Ithaca throws their games early

haha!  I felt like I was back to being 14 again and teasing my little brothers with made up stories.  They would buy it, then I would continue.

I just want to see an Ithaca win, that is all!

[sjfcards]

I am glad the E8 got three teams into the tournament, however, I think that they kind of got a raw deal. IC has to go to MUC. You have to play them sometime, but you hate to have to.

Hartwick has to go to Curry, who is probably not as good as Hobart, or RPI, but still an undefeated team on the road.

Fisher the 2 seed has to play Hobart the 5 seed? A game that the bart fans can all make the drive to, against a team that has won 7 games in a row, and has a lot of similar opponents to watch film against and all that.

Tough draw for every team in the conference. I hope they can all win at least the first round games but I don't think it is at all possible.
Early prediction, Fisher beats Hobart by a score or two, Hartwick loses in overtime, and IC loses by 100 to MUC. I hope IC can at least score on them, no one else has been able to this season.

[sjfcards]

haha tecmo they will probably think you are again being serious and that Ithaca throws their games early

haha!  I felt like I was back to being 14 again and teasing my little brothers with made up stories.  They would buy it, then I would continue.

I just want to see an Ithaca win, that is all!

as we all do. GO IC, Hartwick and Fisher.