FB: Liberty League

[dlippiel]

Can someone let me know when it's alright to start seriously assessing the state of Union's program? And without all of the "we're all disappointed" crap, and "the kids are out there trying", and "all this negativity is hurting the team" garbage. Because a team that was expected to compete for the LL, and predicted by many to win it, is on pace to finish 2-7.

I haven't been able to see any Union games in the past several years because I live 1/2 a country away, but as Bill Parcells used to say, you are what your record says you are.

2010: 2-7
2009: 8-3
2008: 5-4
2007: 5-5
2006: 7-3               

I know (and like) almost every key player involved in this program, so this is not a pointing fingers exercise. This year they had a lot of returning talent, and fell flat. I will accept that Connolly's heartbreaking tragedy affected the team, but I'm looking at a longer period.  My question is, given the last 5 years, has something changed in the program? Is Union happy to put a team on the field that can compete every few years for a LL title? Has admissions or the financial aid office changed their policies? Is this a recruiting issue? What is going on here???

Worse yet....over the past few years, I've started to lose interest in the program.

I think that's something not isolated to Union fans right now.  Hobart, aside from the 3,900 during the one night game, hasn't had great attendances.  Neither has RPI, even with the state-of-the-art facilities.  Looking at the message boards, things are definitely more quiet than normal.

In every cloud, there is a silver lining, though.  I've never had so much outreach in my direction from alumni who want to help the program.  For as much as 10-0 woke up people in 2005, 3-6/2-7 is waking people up in 2010.  The same mistakes that were made in 2005, though, cannot be repeated now insofar as letting that interest slip away and the things that allowed the slippage to go untouched.  We're collecting names, numbers and suggestions at this point so that we prevent 25 people separately bombarding the powers that be -- and trying to get the best response possible together.  So, take heart that people do care and understand where some of the shortcomings have been.  I'm actually confident that as quickly as things turned here, they can be turned back with the right dose of school and alumni support.  Keep your interest -- that's one of the things that helps motivate the team.

To dlip, Union Football seems to be fighting a difficult battle "on campus" and "with popularity in the community." In many ways, the hockey program's new found success and prioritization by the college as a whole, has clearly hurt the football program. Even the local yocals like dlip (not dlip himself but some he knows) have begun to get very frustrated and dispondent regarding the teams record and fall from grace. To dlip, there is no reason and/or excuse this amazing program should not be getting full attention from the college as a whole. dlip hears conflicting stories around the help, or lack there of, Audino gets from the school with recruiting, support, and facility upkeep. On top of all this the tuition is absolutely out of control and through the roof.

dlip is happy to hear and confident that with the type of people around the program, things will turn around. dlip means what else can he do but be hopeful and supportive? He knows he always will be unconditionally and will support this team regardless of their success or lack there of. Yet, he also understands, that the spiral the program is currently in, is unacceptable and should be viewed as such to all who can realistically do something about it...

dlip can also say he has gone to Union hockey games since he was a boy as well and played hockey throughout junior college. Yet currently, even with the hockey teams recent success, he is getting a no so sweet taste in his mouth and becoming a bit more disinterested in the hockey program because he feels it very unfair and "full of BS" that this program, even though division 1, has taken so much focuse away from dlip's true love, Union football!

[PBR...]

ahhh yes... the good ol' s.e.c. win at all costs...cam newton to the highest bidder...well now the f.b.i. is looking into all this mess...this is gonna get ugly

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/11/report-fbi-wants-to-talk-with-john-bond-about-cam-newton-recruiting-allegations/1

I'm fine with the NCAA Compliance group investigating this, but why in the world is the FBI involved? I'm sure there are some technical violations (cross state, mail, etc.), but conceptually?

LOL...pbr's friend sent him this "bank record" that the fbi found for newton's father...

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/PIMking/camnewton.jpg


pbr's guess and hears that the reason the f.b.i. is involved is there is a lot more to this story than has surfaced already. The s.e.c. has known about this for months and has let authorities investigate this quietly behind the scenes. Newton was thrown out of univ. of florida for openly cheating on tests and stealing a laptop (knucklehead is pretty stupid as he plugged it in up in his dorm room...security activated the laptops software to let them know where it was 10 mins later they knocked at newton's door and watched him throw the laptop out his window into a dumpster) kicked out of florida and he/dad let the bidding begin for his services...

[Garnet]

TGP...LOL funny 'ish...great cartoon check it out when u have a second...

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/i-trade-size

Looks like the cartoonist had a hidden video camera in my house and captured a  conversation with my wife that seems to take place every other week.

+K

[PBR...]

btw anyone see univ of oregons new hoops floor? wild crazy 'ish!!

http://www.wired.com/playbook/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/oregon-floor-660x361.jpg

[Pat Coleman]

I saw this NFL story today and it made me think of you guys, for some reason.

Raiders Ford has more than ...

[SaintsFAN]

ahhh yes... the good ol' s.e.c. win at all costs...cam newton to the highest bidder...well now the f.b.i. is looking into all this mess...this is gonna get ugly

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/11/report-fbi-wants-to-talk-with-john-bond-about-cam-newton-recruiting-allegations/1

I'm fine with the NCAA Compliance group investigating this, but why in the world is the FBI involved? I'm sure there are some technical violations (cross state, mail, etc.), but conceptually?

LOL...pbr's friend sent him this "bank record" that the fbi found for newton's father...

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg232/PIMking/camnewton.jpg


pbr's guess and hears that the reason the f.b.i. is involved is there is a lot more to this story than has surfaced already. The s.e.c. has known about this for months and has let authorities investigate this quietly behind the scenes. Newton was thrown out of univ. of florida for openly cheating on tests and stealing a laptop (knucklehead is pretty stupid as he plugged it in up in his dorm room...security activated the laptops software to let them know where it was 10 mins later they knocked at newton's door and watched him throw the laptop out his window into a dumpster) kicked out of florida and he/dad let the bidding begin for his services...

I hear that too, pbr... FBI doesn't get involved unless there are tracks of doo doo going places..

[Knightstalker]

The Stalkerette came home from school today with a note from the nurse.  The kid took a floor hockey stick to the cheek and she has a bruise.  KS asked the kid if she cried, when she said no, KS said, good job and gave her a high five.

[PBR...]

I saw this NFL story today and it made me think of you guys, for some reason.

Raiders Ford has more than ...

LOL...nice one guru...have to been on this board for a couple of years to get it

[lewdogg11]

I saw this NFL story today and it made me think of you guys, for some reason.

Raiders Ford has more than ...

No way he has blazing speed.  He went to Clemson not somewhere in the NESCAC!!! 

[union89]

I saw this NFL story today and it made me think of you guys, for some reason.

Raiders Ford has more than ...

No way he has blazing speed.  He went to Clemson not somewhere in the NESCAC!!! 

Ha....I thought that one originated in the NESCAC as well.

[maxpower]

LD, is your avatar pic attempting to assassinate your signature pic?

[labart96]

God bless all the active, retired and all veterans today.  Our country owes you the ultimate debt of gratitude!

[labart96]

TGP's Centennial Cup Preview is up

[TheGrove]

God bless all the active, retired and all veterans today.  Our country owes you the ultimate debt of gratitude!

Agreed.

[JT]

I saw this NFL story today and it made me think of you guys, for some reason.

Raiders Ford has more than ...

LOL...nice one guru...have to been on this board for a couple of years to get it

Reminds JT of something that happened to JT's Dad.  Dad is a Pennsylvania Military grad (now Widener).  Widener scheduled a regular season game against Rowan a few years ago.  We went.

We ran into a Widener player's Dad in the parking lot.  The kid was a sophomore WR 5' 9" and 180lb.  Dad proudly said that kid ran a 4.25 40.  I guess most people went WOW!!!

JT's Dad: What is he doing at Widener if he runs a 4.25?

Player's Dad harrumphed away.

JT Dad to JT:  It was an obvious question.  A 4.25 is DI stuff.  You'd think someone would have asked before me.

Anyway the 4.25 kid didn't start.  He was on the punt team.  No way was he close to a 4.25.  Decent player, but not great.