FB: Liberty League

[PBR...]

excellent .....the beers on you   

[JT]

frank let me know if your coming down the muhlenberg game as its only about 40 mins from pbr's house and pbr might try and take in the game...of course thats if dvc is playing away that weekend....

It's looking like Carm and I are doing the games again next season, so I likely will be there...Long story.  Station to be determined.

This is almost as good as when Keith Jackson unretired a few years back.  JT getting a little verklempt.

[labart96]

Frank has inspired TGP to do a quick Bart 2007 sked break down. 

The first thing TGP will mention is that it is great that Bart FINALLY will have a 10 game regular season schedule again.  These 9 regular season game schedules for the past few years have been a load of crap if you ask TGP.

Anyway, here's the run down:

Sep. 8 at Dickinson - Bart starts off their 2007 much as they have since 1992 - playing the Red Devils of "Dickerson" (as the late, great Bill Maxwell would say) College.  It's a long trip to Carlisle, PA and it will likely be SR Andy Strom's (from Novato, CA dude!) first start at QB for the Statesmen.  Dickerson comes off a solid 8-2 2006 campaign as the defending CC champs (although they were monkeystomped in the first round by Wesley).  Dickerson gave Bart a great game last year and will likely be looking to avenge last year's 31-28 loss (Bart needed a TD pass with 1:06 remaining to come back and win the game).

Sep. 15 Carnegie Mellon - Bart opens up at the Boz with a new non-conference foe with a great mascot name - the "Tartans" (Tuna tartar any one?).  However, CMU is not to be taken lightly.  CMU finished 2006 undefeated and won its first NCAA playoff game since 1979 with a 21-0 decision over Millsaps (CMU was also monkeystomped out of the NCAAs by Wesley).

Sep. 22 *Rensselaer - Bart goes for 6 straight (!) over the Engineers.  This will be a very tall task with RPI JR QB Jimmy Robertson and RPI looking to atone for 2006's 4 turnover game vs. Bart.  Depending on how Bart rebuilds after graduating some significant class of 2006 talent, Bart could very easily be 0-3 after this game (but TGP will keep the faith/hope for 3-0).

Sep. 29 at *WPI - The Bizarroneers gave Bart a good run for their money last season.  Bart went up 13-0, then had to comeback from a 14-13 deficit to take the lead 19-14 in the 4th qtr including a game saving goal line stand as time expired to preserve the victory.  Bart will be looking to have a game in Woostah dood like they did in 2005 (a 24-7 victory).  Wicked cool!

Oct. 6 at *Susquehanna - New LL member (TGP wonders if any Susquehanna posters will join the LLPP this fall)?  Don't know much about these guys used to be in the MAC, they upset Del Val last season and they haven't had a winning record since 2000.

Oct. 13  *Merchant Marine - The M&Ms make the trek upstate to Geneva for what likely will be Bart's Homecoming game (after 2 long roadies and the start of a 3 game homestand).
 
Oct 20 *St. Lawrence - Who dat?  Who dat?  Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?  Hobart goes for 16 in a row vs. former OC Chris Phelps and the Larries.

Oct. 27 Alfred - The Anglo-Saxons and the Pep Band roll up to Seneca Lake for the final installment of this briefly renewed upstate rivalry.  Based on last season's game, TGP expects quagmire like conditions at the Boz and a very defensive game likely decided by a TD or less.
 
Nov. 3 at *Union - The first of two very tough road games to close out the 07 season.  As usual, should have LL and AQ implications for several LL squads.  TGP hopes Coach Cragg will force Bart to re-watch last season's Union game in order to remind the Statesmen you need to actually show up to play to avoid being absolutely humiliated and disgraced by one of your biggest league rivals.

Nov. 10 at *Rochester - By this stage we should all know whether or not UofR will have fulfilled it's 07 preseason hype and be in the hunt for the LL title.  They gave Bart a real tough time in the '06 game until Bart's D clamped down in the 2nd half to lead Bart to a 31-21 win and a "share" (whatever) of the LL title. 

If Bart makes it back to the NCAA field this season, they'll have definitely earned it (but with all the question marks going into the season, anything over 6 or 7 wins would be a big accomplishment if you ask TGP).

[PBR...]

tgp re: susquehanna posters.....notta, zilch, zero....every once in a blue moon you would have 1 or 2 people chime in for a post or two then disappear completely. even this year when they beat my dvc aggies the week leading up to the game maybe 1 person showed up and left a short post and after they beat us not a word out of their camp, it was always very quiet out of selinsgrove, pa.....

[labart96]

tgp re: susquehanna posters.....notta, zilch, zero....every once in a blue moon you would have 1 or 2 people chime in for a post or two then disappear completely. even this year when they beat my dvc aggies the week leading up to the game maybe 1 person showed up and left a short post and after they beat us not a word out of their camp, it was always very quiet out of selinsgrove, pa.....

too bad.  the regular llpp crowd is a great one, but it's always interesting to hear perspectives from alumni/fans/etc from those other than the usual (bart, union, rpi, slu) suspects.

[Reno Hightower]

Wow, football talk in January:
The league loses A LOT of great players. It will be a very interesting season in the LL.
RPI-loses Bernardo and Branche
Hobart-loses Mizro and (I believe) Blakowski
Union-loses Marotti, Arcidiacano and Angiletta

Who is slotted to take the spots of these players on these teams? Will it be the "Big 3" again in the LL?

As a staunch Union supporter, Reno simply does not know the answer.

His gut tells him that Rochester should be the LL Favorite going into the 07' Season led by the LL's best returning player the RB whose names escapes me! If you are reading this UR RB, this is not a slight, I am simply terrible with names!!!!

['gro]

this site started in 1999, which means there are 5 classes of kids (2002-06) who spent their entire careers with D3.com as their one stop info shop... and there still isn't at least one regular poster from each school. Add in the parents and its even more rediculas.   It boggles the mind.

[Frank Rossi]

this site started in 1999, which means there are 5 classes of kids (2002-06) who spent their entire careers with D3.com as their one stop info shop... and there still isn't at least one regular poster from each school. Add in the parents and its even more rediculas.   It boggles the mind.

It always amazes me the number of parents, coaches and students who come up to me to tell me how much they get a kick out of what I post during the season on here.  It's like I'm a Post Positions guy first, commentator second.  Trust me, this site is observed by a silent many.

['gro]

RPI damn near lost "big 3" status last year if it wasn't for the shoes win.

For next year losing bernardo and brache will hurt, but at least there won't be a change at QB. McGowan and Silvase (sp?) are good WR's so RB will be the real question at least at the skill position.  Spread offense or not, gro would like to see RPI bring in some bigger lineman like the good ole days of the 90's. Where are these big engineers hiding?


Hobart on a 5 game winning streak vs. RPI... unacceptable!!!!

[labart96]

Wow, football talk in January:
The league loses A LOT of great players. It will be a very interesting season in the LL.
RPI-loses Bernardo and Branche
Hobart-loses Mizro and (I believe) Blakowski
Union-loses Marotti, Arcidiacano and Angiletta

Who is slotted to take the spots of these players on these teams? Will it be the "Big 3" again in the LL?

As a staunch Union supporter, Reno simply does not know the answer.

His gut tells him that Rochester should be the LL Favorite going into the 07' Season led by the LL's best returning player the RB whose names escapes me! If you are reading this UR RB, this is not a slight, I am simply terrible with names!!!!

Aside from Mizro and Blakowski Bart also loses pretty much its entire OL, its 2 leading tacklers on defense (Hoffman and Robinson), sack leader (Purdie), and ILB (Mason).

If TGP had to handicap the LL this early in the year, TGP would rank them as follows:

1.  RPI (Branche is a big loss, but Robinson is poised to have a big year in his 3rd campaign as RPI's starting QB).
2.  UofR
3.  Union/Hobart - might give the edge to Bart b/c Union's losing a trio of the some of best skill position players they have had in recent years while Mizro is really the only true "all-time career leading" type of player Bart is losing.
4.  SLU - could move into position as a 3rd place team this season depending on how Bart or Union rebuilds (or fails to reload).
5.  WPI
6.  MM/Susquenna

['gro]

bad news: I think my company just started to block youtube. hours of procrastination no more.

[Garnet]

Heading back to football for a minute...

Was just looking at Union's 2007 schedule, and it's an interesting one.  Yes, it's much like the last couple years, but I think it's an appropriate schedule for a team experiencing a "rebuilding year" like the Dutchmen likely will be.  Here's my commentary next to each game:

9/8/2007 Springfield -- Dutchmen will likely be out-matched against a Pride team that's coming off a great season.  This will be more a great test for Union's defense since Springfield is a true threat...but the Pride probably will need to throw the ball more than they did last season in order to cause a rout in this game.  For Union's offense, it's a chance to play with a "nothing to lose" attitude in their first game back with a new crux.  This should be a good gauge as to what the Dutchmen can do against the heavier teams on their schedule later in the season.

9/15/2007 @ Muhlenberg -- Here's another non-league game, but this one is a more nuts-and-bolts type of team -- probably the better of the two non-league tests for the Dutchmen at the top of its schedule.  Union's secondary will show whether it has the gusto that it seemed to find around the middle of last season until the SJF Playoff game.  For the offense, Muhlenberg has provided a much bigger threat defensively than Springfield for the Dutchmen over the past couple seasons.  Union has played well against the Mules in all conditions (day/night/home/away/rebuilding/returning) over the last five years, so this looks to be a real highlight for both teams' schedules.

9/22/2007 @ Rochester -- Well, we're gonna find out early what Union is made of, as the Yellowjackets, who were poised for a potential Liberty League championship last season all the way toward the end of the season, look ready to take a shot for the whole thing.  This game being played at Rochester obviously benefits the Yellowjackets -- and it's good that Union has a tough road game in Pennsylvania already under its belt at that point.  Again, Union's secondary will be tested.  It probably stands to reason, though, that Union's offense must score the most points so far in this young season to win this game.

9/29/2007 @ King's Point -- It's a majestic setting, and King's Point has had its chances against the Dutchmen in the last two years since joining the Liberty League.  Two years ago, the Mariners took the eventual 10-0 Dutchmen to overtime, missing a field goal from long distance before Union scored in their opportunity.  Last year, the Dutchmen struggled at home in trying to put the Mariners away, with Kings Point coming within a possession of knocking off the Dutchmen.  The story of this game will likely be two offenses both looking to settle themselves down -- probably both having had struggles so far.  This game may very well be an elimination game for the loser in terms of potential Liberty League Championship implications.

10/6/2007 WPI -- "...and the Engineers are going for the win."  Doug Davis's interception of WPI's two-point conversion opportunity at the end of WPI's Homecoming game sealed the deal, but the Engineers were within a whisper of completing an amazing comeback victory -- and don't think that they have forgotten the taste in their mouths after that game.  What is important here, in part, is location -- the Dutchmen complete a three-game road trip before returning to face WPI at home.  The Dutchmen could be somewhat leg-weary, but this is another game that has "elimination game" written all over it for the loser.

10/13/2007 Susquehanna -- Welcome to the league, Susquehanna.  The Crusaders had trouble on offense this past year, managing only 12.1 points per game (vs. 22.4 points defensively).  However, the team did upset 2005 Elite 8 contender Delaware Valley late in the season, causing playoff implications for DV.  It's a long trip for the Crusaders and may be Union's best opportunity to regain footing, should the Dutchmen have dropped a couple games to this point.  This game has "Homecoming" written all over it for Union -- College of New Jersey was in this slot a few years back and Union chose that game for Homecoming weekend, even though the teams had no real history against each other.

10/27/2007 @ St. Lawrence -- Following the bye week, Union has its final road game of the regular season, and it's no gimme.  St. Lawrence, which built a hefty resume mid-season only to falter a bit at the end of the year, will host the Dutchmen during what may be a cold time of year (of course, that assumption was pre-global-warming, etc.).  Regardless, St. Lawrence could very well have more to play for in this game than the Dutchmen, especially if the Saints can pull another early upset against the likes of RPI and/or Rochester this year.  Union's secondary will have been tested well by this point, and any adjustments will likely have taken hold -- making this a great game on paper, at least nine months before it's played.

11/3/2007 Hobart -- For three straight years, this game has had some sort of Liberty League Championship implications hanging over it...will it be four in a row?  My gut says yes, but only for one of the teams.  Hobart tends to front-load its Liberty League schedule in a way similar to Union -- if it can beat RPI, it should have no trouble maintaining a something-and-oh or something-and-one record coming into this game.  However, both teams are missing key parts, assuming Mizro doesn't come back for his 18th season of eligibility next year (couldn't resist).  This will be a close game, and currently, I'd say Hobart comes in as a slight favorite...with a good chance of an upset.

11/10/2007 Rensselaer -- If I hear about the turf last year at RPI one more time, I think I might puke...however, if I puke on RPI's turf during a Union game, you'd never be able to tell the difference.  Well, that home-team advantage this year belongs to Union...and strange things have happened in this game when it's been played at Union during what was supposed to be a "rebuilding year" for the Dutchmen (Freshman Ryan Perry with the victory, Late Heroics to Bryan Slekes, etc.).  I foresee an Arena Football-type scoring, assuming the weather holds out for the game, akin to what we saw in 2005.  This year, it may very well be "RPI beware," coming in as a probable favorite.  Of course, there may be a Liberty League bid within RPI's grasp, making this game even more exciting.

It's very early, and there's a lot of pre-season to be prepped.  However, this could be an interesting year for the Dutchmen.

Looks like Mr. Rossi received a diploma from the Lou Holtz School of Sandbagging.   

[Frank Rossi]

bad news: I think my company just started to block youtube. hours of procrastination no more.

Get even.  Start going onto xtube.

[dewcrew88]

His gut tells him that Rochester should be the LL Favorite going into the 07' Season led by the LL's best returning player the RB whose names escapes me! If you are reading this UR RB, this is not a slight, I am simply terrible with names!!!!

The name that you have forgotten is Matt Bielecki, a Burnt Hills grad.

[Jonny Utah]

this site started in 1999, which means there are 5 classes of kids (2002-06) who spent their entire careers with D3.com as their one stop info shop... and there still isn't at least one regular poster from each school. Add in the parents and its even more rediculas.   It boggles the mind.

Its funny, I think I spend about 2 years looking at news, scores and the like on this site (1999-2001?) before I even knew there was a message board.