FB: Empire 8

[Knightstalker]

KS likes the middle of nowhere, that is where he grew up.

[BoSox0322]

bosox- u may want to see the uc campus now.
much different than it used to be.
and what is wrong with the area?

Perhaps Bosox does not embrace the culturally and racially diverse atmosphere that we enjoy at UC, I personally welcome it.

Huh?  I am now dumber after reading that statement

[fisheralum91]

without naming names- yes there are a couple of bars they walk to.
yes the campus has grown and yes varick street attracts many of them.
and they have a larger pop of students in res halls.

man i hate when ppl dis my area

[realistic]

bosox- u may want to see the uc campus now.
much different than it used to be.
and what is wrong with the area?

I just dont see Utica as a great city/town to go to college in... i know this is a bad way to look at it but... If you live on campus and you want to go out to the bars to hang out chase tail whatever...  where do they go?  Is there bars close they can walk to?  Are they just the regular bars in Utica?  Like Verick street? do they have to take cabs constantly?

Is Utica still a big commuter school?

Yea i Havent seen UC campus in a while... It just always seemed it was in the middle of nowhere across from a big hospital

I think UC used to be a mainly commuter campus.  Don't know about it now.  I think those are fair issues though when considering schools.  One of my rreasons for going to IC was that Ithaca is a big college town.

[fisheralum91]

now that i think of it----fisher bars are a loooooooooooooooong walk.

[fisheralum91]

bosox- just because a college isnt the focal point of a community in your case otown would shut down w/o wick and suco----doesnt mean that its a bad environment

[BoSox0322]

without naming names- yes there are a couple of bars they walk to.
yes the campus has grown and yes varick street attracts many of them.
and they have a larger pop of students in res halls.

man i hate when ppl dis my area

Not dissing your area... I am from that area.

I love cavallos and verick street and saranac thursday...Fantasies, teasers...

I'm strickly talking about as a place to go to college.  "College atmosphere" if you will...

[BoSox0322]

bosox- just because a college isnt the focal point of a community in your case otown would shut down w/o wick and suco----doesnt mean that its a bad environment

I agree... thats why I'm asking

I look at schools in Albany... they are not the focal point of the community but I would say the college atmosphere there is better than at UC

[BoSox0322]

not that id let my kid go there--


cmon im kidding

you get my very first official... +k for this one

[dewcrew88]

You can never replace a Crea, but with your QB, #1WR and complete O-line returning your not going to have much if any drop-off and with that returning you have to be the number #1 contender to land whoever the regions stud coming out of HS is. I didn't say we would stop playing after the first round, but you have to admit after the last couple of years even at this point this is a great year and nobody on this team will go into the off-season (hopefully weeks away) without positive memories.

I absolutely disagree with this.

Even if we limit it just to the regional studs that fit the D-III private school profile, I still don't thin HC will be the number 1 choice.

I didn't say the number 1 choice, I said contender. If you are a back and think you can play and produce as a freshman your going to make a short list that has schools with a starter graduating. Than other factors come it to play for final selection (school size, majors, location, etc...). There are a number of current players that switched schools do to playing time.

If a player goes to Hartwick on a recruiting trip, likes to climb the hills, thinks he can get a good education for the type of major and career he's looking at and the financial aid is good, than Hartwick will be the choice. IMO, I think education and the school is a much bigger piece for recruits in DIII then anywhere else.

If he likes to climb hills I would say Ithaca was in the running also...

Do you think Utica's situation can make the next step?  I just see it always being a challenge there ... and this is completely based on opinion but... as far as a college atmosphere (socially, area, campus) it just seems like it will be tuff.

Unequivocally, yes, they can make the next step. The atmosphere is a pretty good one, IMO. I don't know about the atmospheres for other places since I haven't seen them, but I think Utica is pretty good. It's central, which helps, and even if you can't find something to do right in Utica, there is lots to do otherwise.
And even though they are trying to downplay it, there is some working together with Syracuse University.
They'll be able to recruit some good players, guys who want to succeed not only on the football field, but also in the classroom as well.

[Tags]

I don't think you can ever say any school is a guaranteed #1 choice for any athlete without knowing them individually.  Obviously there are way too many factors that should be considered.  A kid who wants to be an engineer isn't going to Ithaca, just like a kid who wants to play an instrument isn't going to RPI.

Again I never said guaranteed, just a contender and based on this year 'wick will definately get looks from kids that may have only looked at SJF, IC or AU.

One 8-2 year isn't going to win over too many studs --- put together a few in a row & you'll have a better shot at taking kids from IC, Fisher, etc...

[dewcrew88]

bosox- u may want to see the uc campus now.
much different than it used to be.
and what is wrong with the area?

Miami Beach, Maui, San Diego, St. Martin, Utica, Naples, Nassau, Myrtle Beach, Cape Cod, Orlando...........

Which one doesnt belong.....?

Utica is definitely an older city.... and the only reason it doesn't belong is because it's a cold weather city...

[Tags]

Actually, I think Utica is kind of a sh*thole.

Sorry '91, Dew.

[BoSox0322]

I don't think you can ever say any school is a guaranteed #1 choice for any athlete without knowing them individually.  Obviously there are way too many factors that should be considered.  A kid who wants to be an engineer isn't going to Ithaca, just like a kid who wants to play an instrument isn't going to RPI.

Again I never said guaranteed, just a contender and based on this year 'wick will definately get looks from kids that may have only looked at SJF, IC or AU.

One 8-2 year isn't going to win over too many studs --- put together a few in a row & you'll have a better shot at taking kids from IC, Fisher, etc...

We have had strings of winning seasons before... but right now at this point in time i see your point... plus finacial aid is a big factor in 90% of kids being recruited so lets not forget that

[dewcrew88]

funny- seriously- i have no stake in uc- but having seen the transformation the campus has made and the improvements in the entire athletic dept and academic dept---uc deserves a look

Absolutely. And if I remember correctly, I think FA91 works for a "rival" institution   (In case you don't, FA91, and my memory is bad... that's my excuse -- my memory stinks.)

UC has put a lot of money into the program. New stadium, new workout and locker room facilities (maybe it's not the Bills, but it's still REALLY nice), and an athletic department that is really forward thinking.

The president, Todd Hutton, is a big-time supporter of Utica athletics, in fact, he's the reason that football is at Utica in the first place. He attends many games in all the different varsity sports with his wife.

Academics are top quality too. It doesn't have the "name" of an Ithaca, maybe, but you definitely get the same type of education that you'd get at an Ithaca. Class sizes are small, and because of that, you're not a social security number. Most of the professors and faculty have the top degrees in their field, and I would definitely compare it favorably to any other school in the Empire 8 (if we are going by athletic conferences, in this case.)

Utica is definitely worth a look. (No, I didn't get paid for this announcement -- in fact, as a 2004 grad, I'm starting to pay THEM.