FB: Liberty League

[John McGraw]

Figured this was LLPP appropriate.

Apparently, a penalty shoot-out in collegiate field hockey is called a stroke-off. Mercifully, I did not have to say that with a straight face today while doing PA.

[Frank Rossi]

Figured this was LLPP appropriate.

Apparently, a penalty shoot-out in collegiate field hockey is called a stroke-off. Mercifully, I did not have to say that with a straight face today while doing PA.

And of course, it's a sport in which sticks are used...

[labart96]

TGP's thoughts re keys to Hobart's season (you can read more on the gobart blog if interested):

1. Reloading at QB – It is no coincidence that Hobart's success in the past 8+ seasons is based on two key elements: great defense and great QB play. Although Doyle did a solid job (and certainly earned his spot in the record books for having one of the better seasons at QB for Hobart), he wasn't the prototypical all-around-athlete Statesmen fans have grown used to after guys like Swanson '04, Mizro '07, and Strom '08). Vella showed this same athletic potential – especially against RPI – but flamed out the next week. His development, or lack thereof, will have a big impact on 2009 for Hobart. The guys waiting in the wings could be really strong as well, so we'll have to see how it plays out.

2. Improving the rush defense – The Statesmen defense was, as it almost always is for a Cragg coached team, a cornerstone to the 2008 season. That group will certainly be remembered for all-time performances such as 21 tackles by Hager against CMU. However, Hobart also gave up an average almost 150 yards rushing a game and were torched on multiple occasions for north of 200 by talented RBs and/or mobile QBs. The primary issue seemed to be weakness of pursuit off-tackle by the DE and OLB positions given the interior defense was extremely stacked. For example, Union's Coney made a living running off tackle in last year's Union game and the Wing-T (CMU) and other strong rushing teams gave Hobart fits. Still, Hobart lived, as they have for many years on their own "bend-but-don't-break" style of ball-hawking, big-play, goal-line-stand, and winning-the-turnover-battle type of play (in other words: what do I know . . . ?).

3. Developing a "feature back" – Hobart has yet to really have a true "feature back" since the graduation of Doug Blakowski '07 and have relied primarily on a "committee approach" to their rushing attack during the '07 and '08 campaigns. Although it's great for multiple guys to get touches in games, in general I'd argue most coaches would prefer to have a RB they know they can hand the ball to 15-20 times a game and get consistent yardage. Marlier has the opportunity to fill this role for the '09 edition of the Statesmen. Even after a slow start, Marlier came into his own late in 2008.

4. Improving in the red zone – Last season the Statesmen were only 55% (vs. 65% for their opponents) successful in red-zone TDs going 28 for 55 (opponents were 20 for 31). Hobart also came away with points on 36 of 51 (or 71% vs. 23 for 31 or 74% for opponents). All this analysis I have proffered here doesn't mean a thing if Hobart can't score more points than their opponents.

[labart96]

In other news, given Cassell's knee injury TGP is in need of QB stat.  Please make any and all trade offers ASAP.

[dlippiel]

Not sure about a rushing title... but he will be in the mix as one of the best backs in the LL.  Stim thinks Susq will ride Paveltz (sp?) so I assume he will get 20+ carries a game and certainly seems to be a able to consistently grind out 4+ a carry and can hurt you with a 20+ if you don't wrap him up. 

Gotta throw Union's Coney into that mix, too.  They were a hair apart in 2008 for the LL rushing title.  If Union can get clicking like they did in 2005 with Arcidiacono (who, by the way, returns to the Union sideline this season as an assistant coach) and Marotti with a quality QB/RB tandem, the offensive numbers could be through the roof in 2009.

dlippiel concurrs Frank and has been saying this all along. Coney is a stud whose potential has no ceiling at this level. dlippiel also feels the same about Connelly. He thinks this kid can really become a serious field general and just make defenses pay for the smallest mistakes. dlippiel feels it may take a couple weeks early in 09 for Andrew to get comfortable (probably by making some mistakes) but by mid-season this tandem (adding on some very athletic and dangerous recievers) could be simply nasty. If the U D can become more consistant and bring down the amount of PPG they give up the U are going to be serious LL contenders and maybe more.

[dlippiel]

dlippiel hopes everyone knows he was just playing on the LLPPFFL board with MD. dlip reread the post this am and saw Dcrews curing post and was like, "maybe getting a little to raw here." You know us teachers, got to rein us in.

[PBR...]

in honor of the last friday w/o football and they tee it up for real next thursday and the start of another football season....the lamp is lit...

PBR,

In honor of the LLPP's tradition of lighting the lamp every Friday, The Rev went over to his friend's bar in Busan 13 hours ahead of Eastern time to get the weekend started.
The lamp was lit, and there was a fit bird for every light on the lamp pictured above.  The Rev's friend might be a madame.  Seriously, I don't know where she gets all these chicks that work at her bar.  All The Rev knows is that a group of guys would walk into the bar, and about a minute later, a girl that looks like she walked off a page in a magazine appears out of no where, sits down with the guys, serves drinks and helps them finish bottles of booze and they get charged about $50 an hour for her companionship at the table.  The guys stick around for a few hours.  If they sing Karaoke, she puts another $50 charge on their tab.  A table of guys might run up a tab of a thousand dollars without batting an eye.  The girls are there to help them run up the tab.  The Rev just sits back and watches in awe.

Last night started off a little slow, to The Rev got the party started by getting up to sing Karaoke.  Ended up playing role of Lounge Singer.  Got a standing lap dance from one of the fittest birds humanly imaginable (at least through the goggles) while belting out Santana's Smooth.  Said bird was with another dood, but he left her at the bar to pass out on top of The Rev at his table.  

The Rev just got a text from one of last night's birds, but can't remember now which one.

Two observations:
1. Being the bar-owner's friend is the best.  All the perks (i.e. free drinks) and none of the responsibilities (no clean up).
2.  Busan, Korea is better than Yuma, AZ.

Let's put it this way.  It's 2 am, Sunday Korea time and The Rev just woke up from his Friday-Saturday lamp lighting ceremony.  This is the time that The Rev is going to have to wake up to watch The Statesmen on ECAC TV or listen to the live broadcast on WEOS.

There can only be one meaning to this:  The Rev has received the Omen that Hobart is going to take it past the second round this year.  What other meaning could last night have?  Obviously, The Rev's adventures overseas bode well for the Statesmen.

nice...now keep those kinds of story's comin rev...maybe upload some cell fon pix of rev w/ the fit birds while your 1/2 in the bag...

[PBR...]

Figured this was LLPP appropriate.

Apparently, a penalty shoot-out in collegiate field hockey is called a stroke-off. Mercifully, I did not have to say that with a straight face today while doing PA.

And of course, it's a sport in which sticks are used...

good to see frank the tank come out of hibernation....welcome counselor how goes things  u still in fla la la land?

[SaintsFAN]

in honor of the last friday w/o football and they tee it up for real next thursday and the start of another football season....the lamp is lit...

PBR,

In honor of the LLPP's tradition of lighting the lamp every Friday, The Rev went over to his friend's bar in Busan 13 hours ahead of Eastern time to get the weekend started.
The lamp was lit, and there was a fit bird for every light on the lamp pictured above.  The Rev's friend might be a madame.  Seriously, I don't know where she gets all these chicks that work at her bar.  All The Rev knows is that a group of guys would walk into the bar, and about a minute later, a girl that looks like she walked off a page in a magazine appears out of no where, sits down with the guys, serves drinks and helps them finish bottles of booze and they get charged about $50 an hour for her companionship at the table.  The guys stick around for a few hours.  If they sing Karaoke, she puts another $50 charge on their tab.  A table of guys might run up a tab of a thousand dollars without batting an eye.  The girls are there to help them run up the tab.  The Rev just sits back and watches in awe.

Last night started off a little slow, to The Rev got the party started by getting up to sing Karaoke.  Ended up playing role of Lounge Singer.  Got a standing lap dance from one of the fittest birds humanly imaginable (at least through the goggles) while belting out Santana's Smooth.  Said bird was with another dood, but he left her at the bar to pass out on top of The Rev at his table.  

The Rev just got a text from one of last night's birds, but can't remember now which one.

Two observations:
1. Being the bar-owner's friend is the best.  All the perks (i.e. free drinks) and none of the responsibilities (no clean up).
2.  Busan, Korea is better than Yuma, AZ.

Let's put it this way.  It's 2 am, Sunday Korea time and The Rev just woke up from his Friday-Saturday lamp lighting ceremony.  This is the time that The Rev is going to have to wake up to watch The Statesmen on ECAC TV or listen to the live broadcast on WEOS.

There can only be one meaning to this:  The Rev has received the Omen that Hobart is going to take it past the second round this year.  What other meaning could last night have?  Obviously, The Rev's adventures overseas bode well for the Statesmen.

nice...now keep those kinds of story's comin rev...maybe upload some cell fon pix of rev w/ the fit birds while your 1/2 in the bag...

SF seconds this... great idea, PBR.   Sounds like a LLPP field trip might be in order to Busan, Korea.  How much advance notice would the married guys need??  ----

PBR to Mrs PBR :  "Honey, I KNOW we could go to Vegas for a weekend instead, but you have to understand, its the LLPP --- its just how they roll"

[PBR...]

pbr's cousin works at a college as a counselor/job placement etc talking to her over the weekend swine flu is going to be nuts on campus this year...this is 1 time pbr is glad NOT to be back in college...she said swine flu is running rampant thru their school already...30+confirmed cases and another 15+waiting for confirmation back...quarantine areas all over the place. just saw a news article talking about how some colleges universities have already 100+ confirmed cases of it and having special buses and quanrantine areas for people w/ it....granted for most it will be no worse than having the regular flu but pbr does want to the the "1" in the odds of 1 out of every 10,000 will die from it...

[dlippiel]

pbr's cousin works at a college as a counselor/job placement etc talking to her over the weekend swine flu is going to be nuts on campus this year...this is 1 time pbr is glad NOT to be back in college...she said swine flu is running rampant thru their school already...30+confirmed cases and another 15+waiting for confirmation back...quarantine areas all over the place. just saw a news article talking about how some colleges universities have already 100+ confirmed cases of it and having special buses and quanrantine areas for people w/ it....granted for most it will be no worse than having the regular flu but pbr does want to the the "1" in the odds of 1 out of every 10,000 will die from it...

That seriously stinks!

[PBR...]

somebody pass "richard" rod the kleenex at the podium....good to see              me-cheat-again living up to their name...what a joke...the non-denial denial...

['gro]

Gro thinks that problem at Michigan exists at many DI schools... many "voluntary workouts" and whatnot.

[PBR...]

Gro thinks that problem at Michigan exists at many DI schools... many "voluntary workouts" and whatnot.

absolutely there are 'voluntary' ones however not many have the 12 hour workout on sundays attended by the coaching staff....especially when the s&c coach is the organizing and running them....hmmmmm does anyone remember when 'richard rod' left wvu the only records shredded as he left where the ones kept by their s&c coach? covering something up there as well 'rich'? well michi has sold their soul to the devil and now has to live w/ it...

[SaintsFAN]

Gro thinks that problem at Michigan exists at many DI schools... many "voluntary workouts" and whatnot.

absolutely there are 'voluntary' ones however not many have the 12 hour workout on sundays attended by the coaching staff....especially when the s&c coach is the organizing and running them....hmmmmm does anyone remember when 'richard rod' left wvu the only records shredded as he left where the ones kept by their s&c coach? covering something up there as well 'rich'? well michi has sold their soul to the devil and now has to live w/ it...

Just as long as he loses 8 games again in 2009, I hate that guy.

LD--  SF has a college buddy playing at 16 Taps tonight.  I guess they put on a good show.