FB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

After SJF got creamed by Thomas More( weakening E8 and Eastern football)and then the two top LL teams lose to the E8 ,SLU  to Morrisville State and Hobart to Ithaca, post season for the LL league champ  will be lucky to get to a one and done. I think it is a season to enjoy the competition amongst ourselves because the perception of our league and the East(excluding Wesley) has already taken a hit this season that we cannot shake by league play. So let's enjoy the LL season as I think Hobart and St. Lawrence are still the top teams but RPI, Rochester , WPI and Springfield look like they will play very competitively this year, with Union and MM cast in the spoiler roles that may surprise the unprepared. I am going to enjoy the week to week competition and hope these teams improve significantly as the season progresses in preparation for the playoffs.

[AUPepBand]

After SJF got creamed by Thomas More( weakening E8 and Eastern football)and then the two top LL teams lose to the E8 ,SLU  to Morrisville State and Hobart to Ithaca, post season for the LL league champ  will be lucky to get to a one and done. I think it is a season to enjoy the competition amongst ourselves because the perception of our league and the East(excluding Wesley) has already taken a hit this season that we cannot shake by league play. So let's enjoy the LL season as I think Hobart and St. Lawrence are still the top teams but RPI, Rochester , WPI and Springfield look like they will play very competitively this year, with Union and MM cast in the spoiler roles that may surprise the unprepared. I am going to enjoy the week to week competition and hope these teams improve significantly as the season progresses in preparation for the playoffs.

Pep believes the jury is still out on the so-called "weakening of E8 and Eastern Region football" that is perceived with SJF falling victim of a monkey-stomp in Kentucky. Perhaps SJF is not as good this season. The loss to Cortland State supports that notion. And maybe the Saints of Thomas More have had their rosary prayers answered and are moving closer to the D3 elite. We'll know more about Fisher after the Courage Bowl Saterday against the 2-0 Brockport State Golden Eagles. And we'll know MORE about Thomas MORE after they meet W&J on Oct. 3.

[lewdogg11]

After SJF got creamed by Thomas More( weakening E8 and Eastern football)and then the two top LL teams lose to the E8 ,SLU  to Morrisville State and Hobart to Ithaca, post season for the LL league champ  will be lucky to get to a one and done. I think it is a season to enjoy the competition amongst ourselves because the perception of our league and the East(excluding Wesley) has already taken a hit this season that we cannot shake by league play. So let's enjoy the LL season as I think Hobart and St. Lawrence are still the top teams but RPI, Rochester , WPI and Springfield look like they will play very competitively this year, with Union and MM cast in the spoiler roles that may surprise the unprepared. I am going to enjoy the week to week competition and hope these teams improve significantly as the season progresses in preparation for the playoffs.

I'm just not ready to make this leap yet this early on in the season.  Your reasoning assumes St. John Fisher is not as dreadful as they've appeared to be.  I think Fisher will be very lucky to have a winning season and I don't think they will.  It assumes Ithaca is not a fantastic team which, thus far, I can't make that judgement.  I do agree that St. Lawrence probably isn't as good as some expected.  I really can't take them seriously and never have been able to.  They would have to prove otherwise for me to think they are anything more than a flash in the pan.  It assumes Alfred isn't pretty darn good this year which I can't commit to yet.  And then there is RPI who is a question mark.  The Alfred/RPI game had like 47 safeties and was so sloppy due to the weather so at the moment, i'm throwing that game out for both teams.  Then you have Hobart, who may have lost to a great Ithaca team.  We don't know that yet.  From those who watched that game, it sounds like both are a pretty good teams, Hobart just got beat on that day by a team who played better.

Outside of drawing Wesley or Mount Union, the LL could pull ECFC, NEFC, MASCAC, or MAC champs in the tournament, which all should be beatable.  And if it's outside the standard East teams, I think they can compete, especially by the end of the year when they are more battle tested.  Time will tell, I just think it's too early to write off this league.

[Bombers798891]

After SJF got creamed by Thomas More( weakening E8 and Eastern football)and then the two top LL teams lose to the E8 ,SLU  to Morrisville State and Hobart to Ithaca, post season for the LL league champ  will be lucky to get to a one and done. I think it is a season to enjoy the competition amongst ourselves because the perception of our league and the East(excluding Wesley) has already taken a hit this season that we cannot shake by league play. So let's enjoy the LL season as I think Hobart and St. Lawrence are still the top teams but RPI, Rochester , WPI and Springfield look like they will play very competitively this year, with Union and MM cast in the spoiler roles that may surprise the unprepared. I am going to enjoy the week to week competition and hope these teams improve significantly as the season progresses in preparation for the playoffs.

Yeah, ultimately, nothing will change for the East anyway unless they get a team to the national semis by beating one of the big 5 or 6 teams. I mean, Fisher beat Thomas More in 2012, and Hobart runs the table three years in a row in the LL and it didn't change anything. We've got to get a team to make a postseason mark.

[Bombers798891]

It assumes Ithaca is not a fantastic team which, thus far, I can't make that judgement. 

Ithaca's got two fantastic units, but I've seen nothing to suggest they're not the same offensively limited team that's going to lose multiple games in the regular season.

[dlippiel]

dlip agrees with much of what has been said. The LL is hard to read right now. dlip's guess would be, based upon SLU's loss to the Mo'ville Horsies (and that's really all he has to go on) is that the LL is down. WPI is back to their old ways going 3-0 OOC, however we will see if that has any bearing on their play within the league (which it never used to). dlip agrees with Lew's assessment of Bart's loss, that the game was played by what seems to be two good squads with the one who played better coming out on top. Is Ithaca good? dlip thinkgs so, however he must see what they do against the E8 to really know. He also agrees that the RPI/Alfred game is a tough one to weigh because of the weather and the aforementioned craziness of it (however the Saxons still deserve credit for the win).

What the **** is going on? Maybe this weekend we will get some clarity on the following:

-If SLU doesn't handily beat the Union they certainly aren't going anywhere this year (no offense Union, dlip loves you)
-If RPI beats WPI than it's what dlip expects...if WPI wins than IDHO they will be able to beat almost anyone in the league minus Bart/SLU
-Springfield...who the **** knows?
-Bart will/should take care of buisness...if they don't then they have officially landed back on earth
-Rochester has played no one...so if they defeat Springfield well they may be able to surprise Bart and SLU on the back of a great young QB
-MMA is MMA and dlip always hopes they do well. He is happy with the W over CG but was sad after last week's result 
-RPI (even though dlip already mentioned them) looks pretty decent to dlip. He watched some of the Norwich game and MIT game and liked what he saw
-Union there is talent there and spoiler is a good role for them this season, however if they somehow defeat SLU (which dlip thinks there is about a 20% chance of that happening) then they will be back in business (as far as 2015 goes) even after the start they have had

Crazy start to the season...

[D3pc]

Forgot about Framingham there for a second and MASCACs AQ now. Yes, it is early and lets just enjoy the season and hope it is competitive and when playoff time comes...pray for no trip to Mt Union or Wesley in the first round. You're right, if the LL winner can draw the NEFC, ECFC, MASCAC, even E8 winner i think there is a shot. A potential SLU Ithaca matchup would be awesome considering the coaching ties and that they scrimmage at the beginning of the year. Remember, word was SLU was the clear winner there, but it was just a scrimmage and teams change drastically over the course of a season which has seemed to favor Ithaca. Plus, that is assuming a lot of things to fall into place.

Any word on the QB situation in Geneva?

[dlippiel]

Read www.dlipthedutchman.blogspot.com for George Cuttita's second installment of Union Football's "Where Are They Now?" This week's feature is on Union graduate and Stagg Bowl participant Roger Harris '85. George does an awesome job with this!

[lewdogg11]

Let's not get too amped up or confused on WPI's 3-0 record.  I'll predict RPI wins this one by 21+.  I have a quick minute for an installment of LD11's BOLD Predictions:

RPI - 42
WPI - 17
WPI is still WPI.  Second rate school(to RPI), second rate program(to RPI), second rate slummy city(to Troy).

Rochester - 38
Springfield - 31
Roch-Vegas looks to be half decent this year.  Springfield...meh

St. Lawrence - 49
Union - 20
Unlike Dlip, I don't think this makes SLU legit.  I just think Union is that bad.  Surprise!

Hobart - 31
MMA - 0
Hobart will pull their starters by the 3rd.

Ithaca - 21
Alfred - 17
Ithaca in a Nailbiter.

Cortland St. - 56
Utica - 49
Utica could make this one close.  Cortland's D is hot right now. 

[dlippiel]

St. Lawrence - 49
Union - 20
Unlike Dlip, I don't think this makes SLU legit.  I just think Union is that bad.  Surprise!

Anything less than a dominating win by SLU here will tell dlip (even more than the loss to Mo'ville) that they are not what many, including dlip, thought they were. A win honestly doesn't tell dlip a lot. They should win, they better win, if they think they have a shot at the title...ya know.

Lew,  The only thing to dlip that will make him forget the loss to Morrisville is, at the very least, if they run the table (MAYBE minus LOSING Bart).

[Bartman]

I am interested to see the RPI result because RPI could be fighting for the crown this year if they handle WPI as predicted  by LD11. I have already said I think Union may, that is may, scare the "I still call them Larries" in Canton.... Agree with Dlip that SLU loss to  Morrisville can only be shaken by some dominating wins by the Larries. I also think Alfred beating Ithaca is VERY possible, throwing E8 into disarray .  I want to catch that Ithaca halftime show analysis as I am hooked on it since the Hobart game last week

[NED3Guy]

Saints win in a low scoring, but never in question game.

Union fans will react buy saying how close the game was. SLU fans will react by saying that with a few plays here or there it could have been a blow out; and we still won't have any idea who the Larries really are.

Fast forward to next weekend, and I think Rochester beats them in Canton.

[dlippiel]

Hoping for the best today.

[Bartman]

1-0 Teams:
    -Hobart wins today 30-15, but Offense still struggles as Sydeski starts (assume Sweeney still hurt) although throws his first 2 TD passes , Hobart needed a special teams touchdown and decent defense today to beat the feisty Mariners as QB McDaniels runs for 103 yards
   ~ Larries take care of business as Union plays tough and puts a scare in them until the last 7 minutes when Larries pulled away with 2 late scores 42-23. Larries and their coach do not blink under pressure but Lefflebine throws 3 INT's and Larries defense looks vulnerable
   ~ RPI rolls over WPI 28-0 to start the game but WPI rolls back and falls short 28-21
   ~Rochester wins 29-3 over Springfield with a rubber band defense as The Pride has more yards than the Yellowjackets
From what I see, this league will be very competitive

[Div3Fan]

Looking forward to Rochester vs SLU next week.

If U of R gets the win, I see them running the tables this year in the LL - even against RPI in Troy and at home against Hobart.