FB: Liberty League

[Bombers798891]

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Agreed 100%. Look, there are programs that build themselves by scheduling anyone and everyone, taking their lumps and playing the long game. Buffalo State comes to mind.

But culture change can be achieved in more than one way. Winning feels good. It's fun for players, and fans. I think a large portion of fans (read: students) aren't all that aware of the quality of competition.

I was at an IC game a few years ago, and a group of students was sitting next to me, discussing their plans for the evening. One of them said: "Yeah, we should go out. We're winning, so the football guys are going to be in a good mood and want to party."

Those of us on this board, we follow this stuff a lot because we care deeply. But we're in the minority. A lot of people want to go to the game to hang out with friends—or watch their friends play—and if winning puts people in a good mood, that's great for everyone. Union's focus should be on winning football games, period. Good for them

[dlippiel]

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Lots of teams would win five of the games on Union's schedule. Not sure how surprising that would be.

dlip concurs 100%. Having been around the program (that he can remember) since 82-83 dlip never imagined the U would fall so far. That's fine, things happen. With that being said this program is in need of building itself back up and working toward consistency and success. IDHO that success needs to be felt by players (most importantly), staff, alumni, and fans. There is really only one way to do that after going 0-10, that's to generate some wins. ****, last season felt great to be honest.

dlip feels it also important to keep in mind exactly how far the U did fall and to keep that in perspective as the U rebuilds. This is no knock in any way against anyone, but dlip feels the U will end up 4-6, 5-5, 6-4 at best. To dlip that's great. There is growth going on within the program as well as the feeling of hope and excitement felt by all. dlip for one is very excited about the 2017 season!

[dlippiel]

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Agreed 100%. Look, there are programs that build themselves by scheduling anyone and everyone, taking their lumps and playing the long game. Buffalo State comes to mind.

But culture change can be achieved in more than one way. Winning feels good. It's fun for players, and fans. I think a large portion of fans (read: students) aren't all that aware of the quality of competition.

I was at an IC game a few years ago, and a group of students was sitting next to me, discussing their plans for the evening. One of them said: "Yeah, we should go out. We're winning, so the football guys are going to be in a good mood and want to party."

Those of us on this board, we follow this stuff a lot because we care deeply. But we're in the minority. A lot of people want to go to the game to hang out with friends—or watch their friends play—and if winning puts people in a good mood, that's great for everyone. Union's focus should be on winning football games, period. Good for them

Bombers dlip saw some video on youtube (through twitter) generated by students of some Bomber practice highlights. They were short but really cool and well done. The students there do such a great job supporting and working with the program. What a valuable asset. dlip loves it!

[Bombers798891]

Bombers dlip saw some video on youtube (through twitter) generated by students of some Bomber practice highlights. They were short but really cool and well done. The students there do such a great job supporting and working with the program. What a valuable asset. dlip loves it!

Yeah, there's a new look to the program thanks to stuff like this. It's not that they didn't have any of this under Welch, but Mike was who he was. He's not on Twitter. He doesn't have a YouTube channel. This is just the way the sport is moving now. I spent a long time writing for a trade magazine for HS and college coaches, and you talk to them and you realize that this is the kind of stuff the kids gravitate to, because it's something that indicates some level of excitement and passion. There are plenty of ways to show that, but increasingly, this type of stuff is what kids want to see. Ithaca's got a great athletic communications department, and a top-flight communications school housing the sport media majors. This kind of stuff is the natural result, and it's great to see

[unionpalooza]

Second that - don't take it for granted, Bombers!  I think it's been 15 years since Union could field a college student to do radio play-by-play.  That always amazed me, and struck me as a pretty could measure of how less-rounded the Union student body has gotten over time -- you have a thousand 18-22-year old males on campus, and not one wants to play sportscaster on the weekend?

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Agreed 100%. Look, there are programs that build themselves by scheduling anyone and everyone, taking their lumps and playing the long game. Buffalo State comes to mind.

But culture change can be achieved in more than one way. Winning feels good. It's fun for players, and fans. I think a large portion of fans (read: students) aren't all that aware of the quality of competition.

I was at an IC game a few years ago, and a group of students was sitting next to me, discussing their plans for the evening. One of them said: "Yeah, we should go out. We're winning, so the football guys are going to be in a good mood and want to party."

Those of us on this board, we follow this stuff a lot because we care deeply. But we're in the minority. A lot of people want to go to the game to hang out with friends—or watch their friends play—and if winning puts people in a good mood, that's great for everyone. Union's focus should be on winning football games, period. Good for them

Bombers dlip saw some video on youtube (through twitter) generated by students of some Bomber practice highlights. They were short but really cool and well done. The students there do such a great job supporting and working with the program. What a valuable asset. dlip loves it!

[ITH radio]

It's interesting to me that Hobart, which has historically been dreadful at Ithaca, will play their first road game of the season in Week 5 against the Bombers. Not that I think it's going to leave the Statesman quaking, but if the Bombers want to pull off the upset, every little bit helps

Yeah, the Statesmen coaches (and by extension, players) are well aware Hobart has never won at Butterfield. That'll be a big story leading up to that one.

[ITH radio]

Gotta love Kickoff and all its little nuggets.  Sweeney seriously spent the summer before his senior year of college working for the Hobart ground crew?

Sure did. Glad you enjoyed the article.

[unionpalooza]

I'm not sure that's exactly the wisest long-term career move, but you gotta respect the commitment...

Gotta love Kickoff and all its little nuggets.  Sweeney seriously spent the summer before his senior year of college working for the Hobart ground crew?

Sure did. Glad you enjoyed the article.

[ITH radio]

He's focused on FB and staying around campus is facilitating that. It didn't make the final cut, but Sweeney will probably pursue pro-football, in some form, after his senior year of college.

[Pat Coleman]

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Lots of teams would win five of the games on Union's schedule. Not sure how surprising that would be.

I'd rather go 4-6 against a representative schedule than 6-4 against a creampuff schedule. Maybe just me 

[Frank Rossi]

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Lots of teams would win five of the games on Union's schedule. Not sure how surprising that would be.

I'd rather go 4-6 against a representative schedule than 6-4 against a creampuff schedule. Maybe just me

Not just you, Pat.  People seem to forgot how Fisher got to the heights they reached, especially last decade -- they scheduled extremely aggressively, and they got better from it consistently.  I'm a little surprised that fans of a school with a similar football tradition -- namely, Ithaca -- would back an underwhelming OOC schedule.  I've had multiple Union alumni reach out and ask me why the schedule is so underwhelming in disappointed tones.  All I could tell them is to wait until Buffalo State joins the LL and a co-scheduling agreement exists between the LL and E8.  In other words, this, too, shall pass.

[unionpalooza]

Do folks really think Fisher or anyone's path to success was paved with tough OOC scheduling, as opposed to improved recruiting and coaching?  (And I'm pretty sure the Book of Winning Recruiting Pitches does not include "we go 2-8 against some really good teams!") To be honest, I don't think OOc scheduling really matters one whit for anyone other than a playoff contender.

I for one am a big fan of this year's Union schedule.  Given how off track the program had become, a major priority at this point ought to be restoring a culture of winning, and a gentler SoS certainly helps there.  Folks may knock it, but I'm not sure why anyone would prefer going 3-7 against a tough schedule to going 6-4 against an easier one.

Lots of teams would win five of the games on Union's schedule. Not sure how surprising that would be.

I'd rather go 4-6 against a representative schedule than 6-4 against a creampuff schedule. Maybe just me

Not just you, Pat.  People seem to forgot how Fisher got to the heights they reached, especially last decade -- they scheduled extremely aggressively, and they got better from it consistently.  I'm a little surprised that fans of a school with a similar football tradition -- namely, Ithaca -- would back an underwhelming OOC schedule.  I've had multiple Union alumni reach out and ask me why the schedule is so underwhelming in disappointed tones.  All I could tell them is to wait until Buffalo State joins the LL and a co-scheduling agreement exists between the LL and E8.  In other words, this, too, shall pass.

[Frank Rossi]

One led to the other, in Fisher's case.  ITH had Vosburgh on to discuss that a number of years back.  It's an important factor, indeed.

[Bombers798891]

One led to the other, in Fisher's case.  ITH had Vosburgh on to discuss that a number of years back.  It's an important factor, indeed.

You know what nobody brings up though Frank, when we talk about East teams that scheduled tough? Teams like the Independent 2001 Buffalo State squad that played:

Two non D-III schools (Robert Morris, Mansfield)
8-2 Albion
5-5 Cortland
11-2 Rowan
11-2 Ithaca
11-1 Washington and Jefferson
9-2 Montclair
9-2 Brockport

Easily one of the toughest schedules you'll EVER see a team play. Five schools that made the NCAAs. Three that won a game when they were there. But they had gone 7-4 the year before, so why not.

They went 1-8 that season, followed by 1-9, 2-8, 4-6, 3-6, 3-7, 2-8, 1-9, 2-8, 4-6...

Now, I'm not advocating for Union to take on that kind of a schedule. But this idea that tough scheduling is going to bring about a better program down the line always seems to whistle past teams like Buff State, that didn't get better. Even when they picked off a big boy (like the Bengals beating W&J in 2003), it wasn't some springboard to greater things.

I'm not saying that the creampuff schedule needs to be Union's new normal. But they're a struggling program, and in the short term, it might be better to take it easier

[Upstate]

One led to the other, in Fisher's case.  ITH had Vosburgh on to discuss that a number of years back.  It's an important factor, indeed.

Fisher is a case of everything coming together at once.

They had a huge boost from the administration and boosters with improved athletic facilities and dorm rooms so the Bills could have their training camp at Fisher around 1998-2000.

Around that time they also started scheduling top local teams (Buff St, Hobart, RPI, Ithaca, Brockport, Cortland) to test themselves vs the best teams in NY. The could have easily filled up a schedule with teams from the New England area and cake NY schools to get 6 wins.

They started attracting better recruits because of the facilities and those players went against the best in NY and understood what it took to be at their level.

Then they started going up against teams from the MAC, PAC and the OAC in addition to the LL teams to give them a test.

However this season I'd gladly take a cake schedule with Fisher not having anyone who has thrown a pass in college starting this year. Going up against W&J, Hobart, Brockport and Alfred the first 5 games is going to be brutal in terms of total wins.

But hey at least Hobart is going to get their first win at home vs Fisher since 2001.