FB: Liberty League

[ITH radio]

We spoke with Hobart QB Nick Strang last night so you should check the archive if you missed it Rev.  Can clinch with a win over SLU and tie a program record of 9 wins in a season if they beat SLU.  OL is playing great as is the offense overall.  The D made a few mistakes and the Statesmen's young corners were a bit exposed by Eck and the Union offense Saturday but they can learn a lot from the film. 

Cragg is really hoping for a home playoff game(s) so we expect them to do their best to go 10-0 (another program first) and we've confirmed that ODAC Commissioner and this year's NCAA D3 Tourney Chair Brad Bankston will be on our 11/11 broadcast.  We'll ask Bankston about the bracket which should be revealed about an hour or so before we hit the airwaves.

[dlippiel]

dlip wrote about the worst ****in write-up anyone could write about the Hobart/Union game. **** was like chicken scratch from a 5 year old. It was a mess. Not that anyone really cares, but dlip fixed it so if anyone read the first write-up and was like WTF , this one is better.

[Frank Rossi]

dlip wrote about the worst ****in write-up anyone could write about the Hobart/Union game. **** was like chicken scratch from a 5 year old. It was a mess. Not that anyone really cares, but dlip fixed it so if anyone read the first write-up and was like WTF , this one is better.

Have I taught you nothing about shameless self-promotion, Dlip?!  You're supposed to say, "Go to http://dlipthedutchman.blogspot.com for the post!"

[wesleydad]

if hobart goes undefeated i expect them to get the 2 seed in the mount bracket.  that will mean 2 home games as long as they win the first one.  after seeing them last year i have a good idea how good this team is and if they make the trip to alliance i think they will acquit themselves quite well just as they did last year in dover.

[ITH radio]

dlip wrote about the worst ****in write-up anyone could write about the Hobart/Union game. **** was like chicken scratch from a 5 year old. It was a mess. Not that anyone really cares, but dlip fixed it so if anyone read the first write-up and was like WTF , this one is better.

Don't beat yourself up too much Dlip.  JB found several typos he had to fix in his Union wkd recap at gohobart.blogspot.com.

[ITH radio]

Happy for Hobart getting the #1 regional ranking but still don't see a scenario where they'd end up #1 with their own bracket.  Guessing #2 is the Statesmen's best bet, assuming they go 10-0.  Their SOS will be better than UMU but it's doubtful the #1 team and 3x national runner up wouldn't be picked as the top seed (but then again, UWW wasn't given a #1 last year as 2x defending champs so who knows?).

[dlippiel]

Happy for Hobart getting the #1 regional ranking but still don't see a scenario where they'd end up #1 with their own bracket.  Guessing #2 is the Statesmen's best bet, assuming they go 10-0.  Their SOS will be better than UMU but it's doubtful the #1 team and 3x national runner up wouldn't be picked as the top seed (but then again, UWW wasn't given a #1 last year as 2x defending champs so who knows?).

Dlip agrees that it is great to see the Statesmen get that #1 ranking but it seems highly unlikely that they would get a #1 seed in one of the Brackets. Goodness dlip would love to see it though.

[Frank Rossi]

Happy for Hobart getting the #1 regional ranking but still don't see a scenario where they'd end up #1 with their own bracket.  Guessing #2 is the Statesmen's best bet, assuming they go 10-0.  Their SOS will be better than UMU but it's doubtful the #1 team and 3x national runner up wouldn't be picked as the top seed (but then again, UWW wasn't given a #1 last year as 2x defending champs so who knows?).

A couple years ago, the NCAA approved the use of recent playoff performance to allow the Committee to differentiate undefeated teams for the purpose of bracketing/seeding.  Therefore, SOS will be minimized by a more subjective process, through the allowance by the NCAA.  Hobart's history isn't nearly as rich as UMHB's, Mount Union's, St. Thomas's, and Linfield's.  In fact, you would have assumed based on this year's stats alone, Oshkosh might deserve to be above Linfield, but Oshkosh's lack of history will keep the team below Linfield for seeding purposes going forward.

[mattvsmith]

I took a look at the new SOS numbers and SJF's was 46 while Hobart was 48. To me that seems like a negligible difference. Union was up there at 38, not far from Ithaca at 35.  The Rev now wants to do a little research on SOS. While there is the perception, not unfounded, that E8 is a more competitive/difficult league than Liberty League, I wonder if that gap is closing, or if it is more historical than current, or more perception that reality.

Thoughts?

[ITH radio]

This year I think the E8 is still a tougher league, especially top to bottom, but LL teams have acquitted themselves well / better against E8 teams than in prior years IMO.  RPI beat Alfred, Hobart beat Utica, Union had IC and UofR had SJF beat but handed them those games due to a FY punter's inexperience and FG block, respectively. 

Really the only E8-LL games that the E8 dominated were the lopsided Union and SLU losses to Utica (who has turned out to be one of the best teams in the E8) and SLU's loss to Alfred in Wk 3. 

Still, that's a 2-5 record H2H which isn't great.  I suppose you could make the argument that it easily could have been 4-3 LL if UofR and Union won those games.  Take out SLU and 2-3 or 4-1 if luck went the LL's way and it would be another story.  The Saints are just having a really rough year. 

[ITH radio]

Rev -

Saw Dave Gibbons '94 at the Hobart-Union game.  He mentioned that former classmate and Statesmen QB Chad Martinovich '94 is the HC at MIT:

http://www.mitathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/coaches/index

[mattvsmith]

Far out!
There are at least a few statesmen working in football. I think Chris Griswald was a defensive coach for the Raiders. (Correct my memory if I'm off here.) and Todd Pciobeknis a ref (libe judge?) in the OAC. I wonder who else is out there? Great for Chad!

Lacrosse also has at least a few coaches out there 

[dlippiel]

Not football related but dlip's wife successfully gave birth to our second daughter this morning. A new Union fan was born today, Olivia Maria (Garnet) Lippiello. Dlip swears she yelled "Go U," as she came out.

[pg04]

Not football related but dlip's wife successfully gave birth to our second daughter this morning. A new Union fan was born today, Olivia Maria (Garnet) Lippiello. Dlip swears she yelled "Go U," as she came out.

Congrats Dlip! Wow what dedication, back here on the boards the same day!  I actually read that initially as Anna Maria, and was going to say "Wow you must really like the ECFC! They can't even beat Norwich, though!" 

[lewdogg11]

Not football related but dlip's wife successfully gave birth to our second daughter this morning. A new Union fan was born today, Olivia Maria (Garnet) Lippiello. Dlip swears she yelled "Go U," as she came out.

Congrats Dlip! Wow what dedication, back here on the boards the same day!  I actually read that initially as Anna Maria, and was going to say "Wow you must really like the ECFC! They can't even beat Norwich, though!" 

Congrats dlip to little Mt. Ida.