FB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

So, I'm curious:

When Salisbury joined the E8 in 2011 and systematically took the league apart, we kind of got into this "How does this reflect on the conference that they did this?" debate

Obviously, Ithaca is not doing that this year, because Salisbury was winning games by 40, 50 points. But, they've still got a shot to come into the LL and run the table—while losing at least two to E8 opponents. What does that mean for the perception of the LL (for this year?)

Oh, Oh Bombers.....now you've jinxed yourself.....

[Caz Bombers]

Caz has no idea what to think about RPI, smoking their first three opponents (historically awful Willy P, so-so WPI and formerly pretty good but apparently meh in '17 WNE), then melting down in the 2nd half at Buff State and pulling a Tom Coughlin Special by no-showing at Hobart off the bye week.

Until about 4 pm Saterday, however, Caz thinks it wiser to treat the Engineers like they're Mount Union. This is as close to home as the Bombers will play all season, probably, too bad Caz cannot make it to the ECAV palace in Troy.

[Bartman]

Caz has no idea what to think about RPI, smoking their first three opponents (historically awful Willy P, so-so WPI and formerly pretty good but apparently meh in '17 WNE), then melting down in the 2nd half at Buff State and pulling a Tom Coughlin Special by no-showing at Hobart off the bye week.

Until about 4 pm Saterday, however, Caz thinks it wiser to treat the Engineers like they're Mount Union. This is as close to home as the Bombers will play all season, probably, too bad Caz cannot make it to the ECAV palace in Troy.

Hey after this 0-5 Giant start....I would take Tom Coughlin back tomorrow....heck Gladney could probably play for the Giants this week after losing all those WRs

[Caz Bombers]

Caz has no idea what to think about RPI, smoking their first three opponents (historically awful Willy P, so-so WPI and formerly pretty good but apparently meh in '17 WNE), then melting down in the 2nd half at Buff State and pulling a Tom Coughlin Special by no-showing at Hobart off the bye week.

Until about 4 pm Saterday, however, Caz thinks it wiser to treat the Engineers like they're Mount Union. This is as close to home as the Bombers will play all season, probably, too bad Caz cannot make it to the ECAV palace in Troy.

Hey after this 0-5 Giant start....I would take Tom Coughlin back tomorrow....heck Gladney could probably play for the Giants this week after losing all those WRs

a Ben McAdoo Special is no-showing the entire season. Super great that both this season and probably 2018 are already in the dumpster.

[Bartman]

Caz has no idea what to think about RPI, smoking their first three opponents (historically awful Willy P, so-so WPI and formerly pretty good but apparently meh in '17 WNE), then melting down in the 2nd half at Buff State and pulling a Tom Coughlin Special by no-showing at Hobart off the bye week.

Until about 4 pm Saterday, however, Caz thinks it wiser to treat the Engineers like they're Mount Union. This is as close to home as the Bombers will play all season, probably, too bad Caz cannot make it to the ECAV palace in Troy.

Hey after this 0-5 Giant start....I would take Tom Coughlin back tomorrow....heck Gladney could probably play for the Giants this week after losing all those WRs

a Ben McAdoo Special is no-showing the entire season. Super great that both this season and probably 2018 are already in the dumpster.

Draft #1 twice....Eli Replacement and some studs on the line

[dlippiel]

Here's how dlip ranks the LL if you throw the current records out:

1.) Ithaca
2.) Hobart
3.) RPI
4.) Union
5.) SLU
6.) UofR or

Have some @#$#@ you big @#$@#!!!!!!!

+k Utah!!! If and when Union defeats and Bart, Ithaca, and/or RPI dlip may beat his chest a tad. Until then it's still uphill climbing in realistic objective land...

[Bartman]

LAST WEEK

Hobart        35(30)                      RPI                   31(0)             Looks like an even match with home field the differenceHOBART( Hobart plays like Hobart)
SLU            21(6)                      Union                17(30)             Larries go to 1-1 in league...feeling better after blowing last week(Wow..Union kicks butt)
Ithaca         42(46)                      Rochester           7(6)              Bombers are more productive in red zone , go to 3-0 in league(Bombers as expected)

THIS WEEK:
RPI         24                        Ithaca               21                  Engineers confuse Bombers with trickery to win game
Hobart    42                        Hartwick            31                  Hartwick for real, but Hobart has 500+ on offense
Union      42                        Rochacha          14                  UNION in sole possession of First Place!...no one cares about Hockey on campus
SLU        17                         Buff State         28                  Larries are really slumping, but hope I am wrong
Union ends week in first place , followed by one loss IC, RPI and Hobart....now Dutchman have target on their back

So far 20-7 on picks...not bad ,but not great at 74%...

[unionpalooza]

I would concur, too - though perhaps would place Union and RPI in a tie.  I tend to think this is the kind of year when most anyone (esp in the top 4) could beat anyone else on a good day.  Union had shown all the intangibles that win games, but it still remains to be seen how all that youth stacks up against Ithaca/Hobart level talent.

I especially love how both Ithaca and Union are getting it done with loads of talented freshman and sophomores - something tells me the Union-Ithaca game two years down the road is going to be quite the game.

Here's how dlip ranks the LL if you throw the current records out:

1.) Ithaca
2.) Hobart
3.) RPI
4.) Union
5.) SLU
6.) UofR

dlip,  this is a pretty fair assessment to date, in my opinion. The big question is how big a leap has Union made and how representative is the 30-0 loss the Engineers took last Saturday. We will know more when the Bombers visit RPI. The entire football community of both Hobart and Union should offer the Engineers any assistance and support they need for this game( I know this is really tough for Dutchmen faithful).....it will make the race much more interesting with an Engineer win....and it will set up some great games into November.....and Dutchmen vs. Statesmen on 10/21 will be awesome......

[unionpalooza]

For perspective, since I was curious, Union's 2-deep is:

6 seniors
16 juniors
10 sophomores
10 freshman

I would concur, too - though perhaps would place Union and RPI in a tie.  I tend to think this is the kind of year when most anyone (esp in the top 4) could beat anyone else on a good day.  Union had shown all the intangibles that win games, but it still remains to be seen how all that youth stacks up against Ithaca/Hobart level talent.

I especially love how both Ithaca and Union are getting it done with loads of talented freshman and sophomores - something tells me the Union-Ithaca game two years down the road is going to be quite the game.

Here's how dlip ranks the LL if you throw the current records out:

1.) Ithaca
2.) Hobart
3.) RPI
4.) Union
5.) SLU
6.) UofR

dlip,  this is a pretty fair assessment to date, in my opinion. The big question is how big a leap has Union made and how representative is the 30-0 loss the Engineers took last Saturday. We will know more when the Bombers visit RPI. The entire football community of both Hobart and Union should offer the Engineers any assistance and support they need for this game( I know this is really tough for Dutchmen faithful).....it will make the race much more interesting with an Engineer win....and it will set up some great games into November.....and Dutchmen vs. Statesmen on 10/21 will be awesome......

[UfanBill]

Here's how dlip ranks the LL if you throw the current records out:

1.) Ithaca
2.) Hobart
3.) RPI
4.) Union
5.) SLU
6.) UofR

Dlip, I'm not sure what you mean when you say "throw the current records out"? How else are you ranking the teams if not by game results? Also did you not state last week that you believed Union will win at least one game from the Hobart, Ithaca, RPI triad? I believe they will and that alone would move them into the top three. I just jumped on Frank for picking against the Dutchman now you're a doubter? Have some faith my friend.

[Boxer7806]

Here's how dlip ranks the LL if you throw the current records out:

1.) Ithaca
2.) Hobart
3.) RPI
4.) Union
5.) SLU
6.) UofR

Dlip, I'm not sure what you mean when you say "throw the current records out"? How else are you ranking the teams if not by game results? Also did you not state last week that you believed Union will win at least one game from the Hobart, Ithaca, RPI triad? I believe they will and that alone would move them into the top three. I just jumped on Frank for picking against the Dutchman now you're a doubter? Have some faith my friend.

I'm only a state school guy but I think he means, instead of judging only based on record, he is putting more emphasis on S.O.S. and the good ole' eye test.

BTW. I agree with these rankings. Union has played one solid team in Husson and lost by two scores. I know Curry is a 4-1, but lets see how that shakes out once they start playing some of the stronger teams from their conference. Also for what its worth, Husson's only lost is to WNEC which RPI beat, so by that weird logic, I'm with DLIP.

[dlippiel]

Here's how dlip ranks the LL if you throw the current records out:

1.) Ithaca
2.) Hobart
3.) RPI
4.) Union
5.) SLU
6.) UofR

Dlip, I'm not sure what you mean when you say "throw the current records out"? How else are you ranking the teams if not by game results? Also did you not state last week that you believed Union will win at least one game from the Hobart, Ithaca, RPI triad? I believe they will and that alone would move them into the top three. I just jumped on Frank for picking against the Dutchman now you're a doubter? Have some faith my friend.

Dlip means that based upon SOS and recent year results for dlip to wholeheartedly place his beloved Garnet ahead of IC, RPI, and/or Hobart he needs to see his Dutchmen defeat one of them first. For dlip, the fall from respectability was too far and for the U to be placed with the top dogs in the league they must earn it. To their credit they've done almost everything they neeed to SO FAR. They certainly can and dlip believes will defeat at least one of the three. Until then dlip sits quietly in support of his U!

[Bombers798891]

I'm glad this has sparked discussion!

I come from the E8, where we're used to Pool A teams showing up out of nowhere—usually winning a bunch of games by the skin of the teeth which makes us wonder how good they really are—and it's all fun and games until they get the autobid. Notable examples:

2007 Hartwick: Went 4-6 the year before. Opened the year losing by 27 to 3-7 WNEC. Won four conference games by three points or less and only beat 2-8 Norwich by six.
2013 Ithaca: Went 6-4 the year before. Won four conference games by five or fewer points, scored 25 or more points three times all season
2015 Cortland: Went 5-5 the year before. Opened the season needing a Hail Mary to beat Heidelberg, and allowing 575 yards to Framingham. Won two conference games in OT, and two others by six points or less.

Also, even when the Pool A team doesn't come out of nowhere, there's often one head scratcher loss. Notable examples:

2008 Ithaca: Losses 37-6 to a Fisher team that went 6-4 and finished in 4th place.
2009 Alfred: 7-0 Saxons lose 31-10 to a 5-3 Ithaca team
2012 Salisbury: A Gulls team that had won 11 in a row in conference loses 21-14 to an Ithaca team coming off three straight losses

In short, I have post traumatic E8 disorder. I trust no one, so in my world, having conference wins in the bank and controlling your own destiny trumps everything else, even having a first team All-American at the most important position. This is why I was insisting that a 2-0 IC had the inside track last week, and why IC and Union are 1-2 this week.

[AUPepBand]

I'm glad this has sparked discussion!

I come from the E8, where we're used to Pool A teams showing up out of nowhere—usually winning a bunch of games by the skin of the teeth which makes us wonder how good they really are—and it's all fun and games until they get the autobid. Notable examples:

2007 Hartwick: Went 4-6 the year before. Opened the year losing by 27 to 3-7 WNEC. Won four conference games by three points or less and only beat 2-8 Norwich by six.
2013 Ithaca: Went 6-4 the year before. Won four conference games by five or fewer points, scored 25 or more points three times all season
2015 Cortland: Went 5-5 the year before. Opened the season needing a Hail Mary to beat Heidelberg, and allowing 575 yards to Framingham. Won two conference games in OT, and two others by six points or less.

Also, even when the Pool A team doesn't come out of nowhere, there's often one head scratcher loss. Notable examples:

2008 Ithaca: Losses 37-6 to a Fisher team that went 6-4 and finished in 4th place.
2009 Alfred: 7-0 Saxons lose 31-10 to a 5-3 Ithaca team
2012 Salisbury: A Gulls team that had won 11 in a row in conference loses 21-14 to an Ithaca team coming off three straight losses

In short, I have post traumatic E8 disorder. I trust no one, so in my world, having conference wins in the bank and controlling your own destiny trumps everything else, even having a first team All-American at the most important position. This is why I was insisting that a 2-0 IC had the inside track last week, and why IC and Union are 1-2 this week.

Then there was the 2010 Alfred team that swept through the Empire 8 with ease but fell in non-conference games to RPI (6-4)and UR (4-5).

Pep is wondering how many other D3 football fans are suffering from PTE8D but have yet to be diagnosed....certainly there must be some from Salisbury, Frostburg, perhaps Springfield or Norwich. Next year it will be Bengalsrule as he will have experienced six years of trauma with his Buffalo State team in the E8.

You are missed on the E8 boards, Bombers!

On Saxon Warriors!

[UfanBill]

There is some credence in the so called "trap game" in sports. It's when "team A" is playing a perceived inferior opponent, "team B", the week before a bigger, much more significant game against "team C' . It's thought that A has a hard time not looking past B and thus does not prepare for B or is not emotionally involved and an upset occurs.  This week Union vs Rochester would be a "trap game" for Union. The Dutchmen are flying high while they look ahead to Hobart, Ithaca and RPI with a legitimate chance to shock the Liberty League. The struggling Yellowjackets are in the way of much more challenging opportunities. Will Union be prepared? Will they be looking ahead? Based on what I've seen of the Dutchman team this year I believe coach Behrman will have them ready. They've already had long road trips and they've already learned to not discount anyone. I see a focused Union team taking care of business this Saturday at Fauver.