FB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

I've asked Pat about who/where the pollsters are and that's not happening but I think we're correct in that they're midwest oriented.

I give the same answer every time -- there are 24 voters, four voters in each region plus myself as the 25th voter. There are eight coaches, eight SIDs and eight media members and yes, they are. Distributed. Nationally.

Pat,
   You have to understand that Union alums and fans need quite a bit of repetition for their cognitive process. Be kind , it's not UFan's fault, it's an institutional thing and why Coach Drach has had a hard time getting the Garnet Chargers to learn his very complicated playbook. Also Ufan very likely has been affected by the repeated Union cannon fire over the years, so be kind.  

[UfanBill]

I've asked Pat about who/where the pollsters are and that's not happening but I think we're correct in that they're midwest oriented.

I give the same answer every time -- there are 24 voters, four voters in each region plus myself as the 25th voter. There are eight coaches, eight SIDs and eight media members and yes, they are. Distributed. Nationally.

Pat,
  You have to understand that Union alums and fans need quite a bit of repetition for their cognitive process. Be kind , it's not UFan's fault, it's an institutional thing and why Coach Drach has had a hard time getting the Garnet Chargers to learn his very complicated playbook. Also Ufan very likely has been affected by the repeated Union cannon fire over the years, so be kind.  

OK Bartman this is the one week a year when it's hard to be friends...I've seen nothing of coach Drach's complicated playbook so far this season. If it exists I'd hope he brings it out tomorrow. BTW I've cherished every single cannon blast I've ever heard at a Union game. It's a joyous effect. I think you're the one who has it indelibly ringing in your head. Possibly causing some brain damage? Maybe I'll fire it off from here in Shocktown.  

[Machiavelli]

It's hard to turn the pages of a playbook with all the cheese residue on your hands...

[Bartman]

I've asked Pat about who/where the pollsters are and that's not happening but I think we're correct in that they're midwest oriented.

I give the same answer every time -- there are 24 voters, four voters in each region plus myself as the 25th voter. There are eight coaches, eight SIDs and eight media members and yes, they are. Distributed. Nationally.

Pat,
  You have to understand that Union alums and fans need quite a bit of repetition for their cognitive process. Be kind , it's not UFan's fault, it's an institutional thing and why Coach Drach has had a hard time getting the Garnet Chargers to learn his very complicated playbook. Also Ufan very likely has been affected by the repeated Union cannon fire over the years, so be kind.  

OK Bartman this is the one week a year when it's hard to be friends...I've seen nothing of coach Drach's complicated playbook so far this season. If it exists I'd hope he brings it out tomorrow. BTW I've cherished every single cannon blast I've ever heard at a Union game. It's a joyous effect. I think you're the one who has it indelibly ringing in your head. Possibly causing some brain damage? Maybe I'll fire it off from here in Shocktown.   

You've proven my point Ufan, Drach has shown them the playbook but they haven't reviewed it enough to sink in...it's a cognitive thing(or the cheese Mach refers to). That said, I'm expecting some good ideas/concepts tomorrow because the Chargers might have had enough review time this week and Drach now knows what he's dealing with. I also visited the Hobart coaching staff this week because I wanted to view all of their goal line stands this season(two series against Ithaca and one against R-M) , and it was during that session they revealed to me the Catch Patch defensive scheme to counter any of Drach's trickery. All in good fun, looking forward to an old school LL game tomorrow with some of the typical "love" shown by each team.

[IC798891]

Hobart 31, Union 7: Look, Ithaca needs Hobart to lose twice. I am rooting for Union. But after coming out on the other side of my personal crises last season, I also don't troll (anymore) and my belief about Union's body of work is still there. Transitive properties are a mess in sports, but the same St. Lawrence team that Union couldn't put away got boat raced by Hobart.

Ithaca 24/56, Buffalo State 3: If last week's game was an aberration, I expect a game like Rochester. But if Ithaca *did* in fact discover a QB1, it's going to be ugly.

Rochester 24, St. Lawrence 7: I think the Jackets rebound

[JacketsPride]

Rochester tied 0-0 with SLU at half.Boring game on both sides.  SLU throwing 5 yards passes and Rochester again showing they have no identity on offense.  ONLY highlight is another Jordy Tawa interception #6.  Kid is special.  Hoping the action picks up in the 2nd half...ugh!

[unionpalooza]

Union down 13-0 at halftime in a game that is pretty much a microcosm of the season.  Play has been pretty even except Union making all the mistakes - two QB fumbles that lead to Hobart points and a missed chip shot FG to waste their best drive of the game.

[UfanBill]

Union down 13-0 at halftime in a game that is pretty much a microcosm of the season.  Play has been pretty even except Union making all the mistakes - two QB fumbles that lead to Hobart points and a missed chip shot FG to waste their best drive of the game.

The Garnet are their own worst enemies again today. I'm really questioning the preparedness of the entire team. There are too many experienced players on both sides of the ball to continually look this inept. The only thing worse than how Union is playing is the constant "homer" banter by the Hobart play by play guy. He insists there's pass interference on every Hobart throw. Just call the action. 

[unionpalooza]

Union down 13-0 at halftime in a game that is pretty much a microcosm of the season.  Play has been pretty even except Union making all the mistakes - two QB fumbles that lead to Hobart points and a missed chip shot FG to waste their best drive of the game.

The Garnet are their own worst enemies again today. I'm really questioning the preparedness of the entire team. There are too many experienced players on both sides of the ball to continually look this inept. The only thing worse than how Union is playing is the constant "homer" banter by the Hobart play by play guy. He insists there's pass interference on every Hobart throw. Just call the action. 

Agree on the homer announcers.  Disagree on the rest. More than half the starters on both sides of the ball, plus the kicker, are first year starters.  And this team has much less senior/returning talent that any team since the early Behrman years.  The big mistakes (a FG and two fumbles) have nothing to do with preparation.

[JacketsPride]

Jackets play a much better 2nd half led by their defense.  LB Luke Herter (12 tackles) started things off with Pick 6. LB Joe DeBonis was outstanding as well with 2 sacks and 8 tackles.  Offensively, Daniel Papantonis had a great game with 194 yards and a touchdown. Only bad news is that Papantonis got tackled on a 63 yard run that ended on the SLU 1 yard line.  He was down for a long time and then was eventually taken off in an ambulance.  No news yet...time will tell.  We host Buff St next Saturday for Senior Day.

[UfanBill]

Final Hobart 27 - Union 0...That was painful. Boy was I wrong about Union gaining any momentum from last week. Hobart dominated and Statesman head coach Kevin Dewall schooled his former assistant Jon Drach. With Halloween week coming up sadly this conjures up the horrors of Union football from a decade ago. Like the Garnet, I've got nothing else.   

[unionpalooza]

Final Hobart 27 - Union 0...That was painful. Boy was I wrong about Union gaining any momentum from last week. Hobart dominated and Statesman head coach Kevin Dewall schooled his former assistant Jon Drach. With Halloween week coming up sadly this conjures up the horrors of Union football from a decade ago. Like the Garnet, I've got nothing else.   

There was no schooling; Hobart is just flat out a more talented team.  I actually thought that the Union defense played well and hung in there; if the Union offense had scored just a few times and not turned the ball over four times, this would have been a real game in the fourth. You've got to adjust your expectations; there is a major talent hole that will take a year or two to fill.  Talent-wise, with the exception of a half-dozen returning players and the punter, Union is worse at every position than they were last year.  Fortunately, most of these new guys are freshmen and sophomores, and they will get bigger and better over time.  I think Drach will have the program back to form pretty quickly.  The only thing I really question is continuing to go with Flanagan at QB; he's probably the toughest QB Union has had in two decades, but he's just not accurate with any consistency, and he can't throw the ball down the field. I'd still like to see whether either of the back-ups can bring something to the table to spark the offense.  It's clear by now that Patch cannot.

[Bartman]

I was happy with the final outcome of the Hobart Union game. It was another boring yet efficient offensive performance and the Defense got their first shutout of the season. Frankly, Union is not that bad , I was concerned a number of times when Hobart had less than a two touchdown lead that one score and Union was back in it. In comparison, I was more concerned with the SLU passing game and its potential than Patch and the disappearing Union rush game from last year. The Union defense was providing some good resistance for most of the game but EJ Taylor wore them down and Johnny C. made some timely throws.
    Hobart is a good team that has a defense that bends but does not break and the offense is solid and complements the defense enough that we should be able to hang with anybody in the east with exception of Cortland. I think the coaching staff has matured very well , especially Mike Green and all of his DC Coordinators and called a great game today including a "Catch Patch" scheme that was used to contain a very dangerous runner. Hobart has two games left against RPI and the Yellowjackets, both are capable of a win if Hobart doesn't bring its best game. It ain't over yet but I like Hobart's position.
    PS, I was happy for Alfred ,our first opponent, beating Utica today in a high scoring  affair. I think Alfred is better than people give them credit for and will give Brockport a good fight. 

[IC798891]

I've seen enough. Hobart's going to win the LL. There's no world in which Rochester — who couldn't even score on offense against St. Lawrence until the second half — is going to put up points on them. And they don't even need a muffed punt anymore.

Here's all I'm going to say about Ithaca and Buff State: Nobody needs a hold called with a minute to go in a 49-14 game. Put your flags away, refs. You've already called 21 penalties.

The last drive before the end of the first half was unwatchable.

1. IC gets a 15 yard unsportsmanlike
2. Buff State called for hold
3. IC called for roughing the passer
4. IC called for illegal use of hands
5. Buff State called for a hold
6. Buff State called for a personal foul

There was clearly a lot of chippiness in the game — it started with back-to-back roughing the passer calls against BSU, so the refs had to keep things under control. But Jesus guys, let some stuff go.

[Ice Bear]

As a Union fan I expected everything that happened yesterday out in Geneva. Ted Baker (Hobart commentator) may be one of the biggest homers  going but for some reason I like him. Obviously there are times when Hobart plays Union that he annoys me, but overall I get a kick out of him. If he could be more objective I think he could be one of the best going in D3, but I don't think he really gives a **** as he bleeds Hobart Statesmen athletics through and through. Personally, I enjoy that, especially at the D3 level.

Union couldn't muster any offense against a very good Pumpkin D yesterday. Maybe some momentum here and there but overall, not much. IMHO this shouldn't have surprised anyone. Union played hard and I do think the youth and inexperience they have will continue to grow. I do agree with Palooza that I think this program will be back on track within a couple years. Tough defensive effort yesterday and I was pleased with that.

In regard to the QB situation I am thinking that Flanagan must be, by far, the best option the Garnet have. I too love the his toughness and fight. I like having him on the field. However, at this level no matter how tough you are inconsistent accuracy that impedes basic and necessary pass plays kills an offense and makes the job of the defense much easier. I'm guessing no QB on the depth chart is anywhere near ready or we would have seen them already. Who knows?

Either way, congrats to the Pumpkins on the big W and I am in full agreement that they are the class of the league so far. If that will translate into one, maybe two wins in the NCAAS has yet to be seen. I am rooting for them!