FB: Liberty League

[AUPepBand]

-It appears that Union is actively trying to play better non-league teams, including state schools to fill their schedule.  I simply don't buy the idea that schools like Hobart or Alfred can't afford the 10th game.  Im just not buying it.

Pep contends that an Alfred at Hobart game on Oct. 17 would likely have paid for itself. Day trip for the Saxons, home contest for the Statesmen. But Hobart appears hell-bent on a 9-game schedule.

Pep knows that AU was looking at possibly traveling to Greencastle, IN to play DePauw on Oct. 17, which would have been a decent test and a good indicator of the strength of the Saxons versus an out-of-region opponent. Pep really doesn't know which party put the brakes on that but can only imagine AU, in trying to balance its checkbook, saw it as an unanticipated expense.

Pep also suggested the Saxons traveling to Danville, KY to play Centre College, which, had it happened, would have been a clash of unbeatens from different regions. Would have been another overnight road trip, same as DePauw. Tight purse strings....not such a bad thing.

[pumkinattack]

I was kind of surprised but Pat went through rough details on in the HuddLLe and a home game costs nearly as much or more than a road game and there are next to no revenues in Geneva (parents, students and former alums don't pay-at least I don't), which comprises 90+% of the attendance at Hobart home games.  Don't recall all the details but field maintenance, security, staffing, etc. 

[PBR...]

I was kind of surprised but Pat went through rough details on in the HuddLLe and a home game costs nearly as much or more than a road game and there are next to no revenues in Geneva (parents, students and former alums don't pay-at least I don't), which comprises 90+% of the attendance at Hobart home games.  Don't recall all the details but field maintenance, security, staffing, etc. 

yup...that is why your even seeing the big schools in div I crack down on tailgaiting....the liability and insurance is getting huge ... a lot of d3 schools dont allow tailgaiting anymore because of it plus all the expenses you listed.

[labart96]

I was kind of surprised but Pat went through rough details on in the HuddLLe and a home game costs nearly as much or more than a road game and there are next to no revenues in Geneva (parents, students and former alums don't pay-at least I don't), which comprises 90+% of the attendance at Hobart home games.  Don't recall all the details but field maintenance, security, staffing, etc. 

Yeah but Pat also indicated he felt that Hobart should have played Alfred on that open date too. 

Who knows, in the event that Bart pulled off an upset (like they did to a #22 Alfred in 2007), they probably wouldn't have gotten a Pool C (the 3 losses killed that) but it would have been the key note win this season.   

So far Bart's best win is (probably) CMU.

[union89]

Just talking about OOC wins, that's all.  Union beat us H to H and has had a better season thus far, so I wasn't going there at all.  As far as I'm concerned, Union is the best team in the LL this year and suspected that coming into the season, although I had much higher expectations for Hobart also (really was hoping for a 2005 like season except different results in that game).  All Hobart can do now is win out, maybe play an ECAC game, but otherwise improve on a 4 game winning streak to end the season. 

We played a state school in 2005 (Cortland,playoffs - is Willy P a state school?  We played them a couple of years ago)

Looks like Alfred tried to carry a tenth game, but couldn't get one, so I don't blame them. 

Having been involved with the school for a while up until the last year or two, I believe there are title IX implications to having that 10th game for Hobart.  Since Bart's gone DI in lax they've dropped at least two men's sports (Baseball and Swimming, not huge, but not minor like squash, sailing or crew) and haven't added any.  The lax program eats up huge amounts of capital with 14-15 games and a 40ish man roster. 

Like I said, this has been a tough year for the league, so I'm looking for some linings.  Union's win over IC may still be better than Bart's win over CMU, but that's two decent OOC wins.  Hell, somone over on the E8 boards was suggesting that their best OOC win was over Norwich, but SLU beat Norwich.  There's some good underclassman playing. 

Title IX is regawddamndiculous.  U89 did not realize 'Bart does not have a baseball team.  How does a school like 'Bart not have baseball? 

Did 'Gro have something to do with this decision?

[PBR...]

Just talking about OOC wins, that's all.  Union beat us H to H and has had a better season thus far, so I wasn't going there at all.  As far as I'm concerned, Union is the best team in the LL this year and suspected that coming into the season, although I had much higher expectations for Hobart also (really was hoping for a 2005 like season except different results in that game).  All Hobart can do now is win out, maybe play an ECAC game, but otherwise improve on a 4 game winning streak to end the season. 

We played a state school in 2005 (Cortland,playoffs - is Willy P a state school?  We played them a couple of years ago)

Looks like Alfred tried to carry a tenth game, but couldn't get one, so I don't blame them. 

Having been involved with the school for a while up until the last year or two, I believe there are title IX implications to having that 10th game for Hobart.  Since Bart's gone DI in lax they've dropped at least two men's sports (Baseball and Swimming, not huge, but not minor like squash, sailing or crew) and haven't added any.  The lax program eats up huge amounts of capital with 14-15 games and a 40ish man roster. 

Like I said, this has been a tough year for the league, so I'm looking for some linings.  Union's win over IC may still be better than Bart's win over CMU, but that's two decent OOC wins.  Hell, somone over on the E8 boards was suggesting that their best OOC win was over Norwich, but SLU beat Norwich.  There's some good underclassman playing. 

Title IX is regawddamndiculous.  U89 did not realize 'Bart does not have a baseball team.  How does a school like 'Bart not have baseball? 

Did 'Gro have something to do with this decision?

true dat u89....gro' is a h8r of beisball...truth is he was never very good at it...here is a pic of him the other day still trying to hit the ball...

[JT]

BTW, Is JT out pulling an all nighter after his big win in Dirty Jersey last night?

['gro]

never played a day of organized beisbol in my life...

[labart96]

This just in:

Hobart has decided to forego the ECACs this year due to budget constraints. 

TGP is not surprised based but disappointed - especially for the SR class.

[lewdogg11]

never played a day of organized beisbol in my life...

Yeah, the kids with no coordination always skipped baseball and played Spring Soccer or threw shotput or something.

[union89]

never played a day of organized beisbol in my life...

Yeah, the kids with no coordination always skipped baseball and played Spring Soccer or threw shotput or something.

Or rode his bike through Jackson's Garden....wweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......

[Frank Rossi]

This just in:

Hobart has decided to forego the ECACs this year due to budget constraints.  

TGP is not surprised based but disappointed - especially for the SR class.

I wish these schools would adopt the RPI rule and stop treating football as if it were some sort of discretionary vehicle.  RPI offers to pay for one postseason game/tournament per team, be it ECAC, NCAA or otherwise.  Since football doesn't have a tournament, the ECAC Bowls are the way RPI caters to football under that rule.

It's upsetting from a player and fan standpoint since a winning season by these football teams (and it will be a winning season with less than four losses by the way things are shaping up this year) should be rewarded in some fashion.  TGP knows my own frustrations with Hobart this year, from no tenth game when one was available, to struggling to get interviews with coaches for "In the HuddLLe," to this ECAC issue.  I'm just a fan, but I wonder how this affects recruitment perceptions of a school when it doesn't look like the school is willing to go the extra mile for the players when the players earn a postseason bid of any sort.  Is Hobart that spoiled over the last few years that they don't see the merit of these ECAC matchups?  And I won't pick on just Hobart here -- it's any school that doesn't sign up by 5pm Thursday.  

It makes me wonder why we bother putting in the extra effort every Sunday (and Saturday night related to preparations) for "In the HuddLLe."  If the schools don't seem to care about the programs the way they should, then why should we waste our time?

[labart96]

RPI has an Billion+ dollar endowment so they can afford to do that. 

Keep in mind that all of HWS' fall programs (which along with football number ~10 other men's and women's programs - not including the "fall ball" for lax either) are all removing themselves from the ECACs (at least those that could participate in them).

The explanation on the Hobart side is the school is running a deficit this year (based on endowment losses and having come in under-yield on the fall fy class) and so all departments - athletics included - have to cut back.  It's not that they don't see the value in the ECACs, the school just simply can't afford to participate in them this season.  Yeah, kind of amazing given the $50K/yr price tag, but for tuition dependent schools like Hobart, it's the reality.

I think the decision is truly financial and has nothing to do with "not wanting to go the extra mile", but I get your point. 

I imagine other schools may decide that the extra $5, 10, or 20k (whatever a game "costs") could be better utilized on things like keeping an asst professor on staff, scholarship funds for another semester or cover other base costs of running the school vs. adding another football game.

Either way, it sucks.  Especially when the cut-backs directly affect the students.

[PBR...]

never played a day of organized beisbol in my life...

Yeah, the kids with no coordination always skipped baseball and played Spring Soccer or threw shotput or something.

[Jonny Utah]

This just in:

Hobart has decided to forego the ECACs this year due to budget constraints.  

TGP is not surprised based but disappointed - especially for the SR class.

I wish these schools would adopt the RPI rule and stop treating football as if it were some sort of discretionary vehicle.  RPI offers to pay for one postseason game/tournament per team, be it ECAC, NCAA or otherwise.  Since football doesn't have a tournament, the ECAC Bowls are the way RPI caters to football under that rule.

It's upsetting from a player and fan standpoint since a winning season by these football teams (and it will be a winning season with less than four losses by the way things are shaping up this year) should be rewarded in some fashion.  TGP knows my own frustrations with Hobart this year, from no tenth game when one was available, to struggling to get interviews with coaches for "In the HuddLLe," to this ECAC issue.  I'm just a fan, but I wonder how this affects recruitment perceptions of a school when it doesn't look like the school is willing to go the extra mile for the players when the players earn a postseason bid of any sort.  Is Hobart that spoiled over the last few years that they don't see the merit of these ECAC matchups?  And I won't pick on just Hobart here -- it's any school that doesn't sign up by 5pm Thursday.  

It makes me wonder why we bother putting in the extra effort every Sunday (and Saturday night related to preparations) for "In the HuddLLe."  If the schools don't seem to care about the programs the way they should, then why should we waste our time?

It is a good show, although I would listen more if it were an upstate football show instead of an LL show.

I guess I should say it would be more interesting to me if it were a general upstate show.  Then we could hear from a top ranked Alfred coaching staff instead of a .500 LL staff.  (You could do both of course.)

Either way you guys do a good job.