FB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

Congratulations to Hobart's Kyle Hackett on being selected to the pre-season D3.com All American team. In his first two seasons, Kyle is 19-19 on FGs and 80-82 on PATs. I think he will be an important factor in a few of the games this year .
Practices were underway yesterday and only 22 days before the season opener against Brockport!

[UfanBill]

Union's 2019 roster is out. The first thing I look for is, who didn't return? I'm pleased to find that answer seems to be no one. Union's dynamic skill position foursome. QB Will Bellamy, RB Ike Irabor and WRs Griffin Beal and Andre Ross Jr. are ALL in place. The O-line returns 4 starters and the Defense returns 5 with strong, experienced replacements. The biggest graduation losses were All American LB Jack Reilly and  DB Tucker Newman but experienced George Reed, Reilly's backup, is back for a 5th year (he lost a season to injury) and former RB Travis Demby has been moved to the D to help in Newman's old spot.
Union doesn't get many D1 transfers so seeing former Holy Cross recruit WR Will Sirmon in camp is interesting. Sirmon is from Louisiana like QB Bellamy so there may be some dynamic chemistry there. I can't wait to get it going.     

[Garnet]

Union should bring Dutch back

[Bartman]

Union should bring Dutch back

Now that's a great Mascot! I heard Dutch has to keep his finger in the dike until another LL Football title returns to Schenectedy(it has been a while).... could it be this year??

[Caz Bombers]

gaaaahhh whatever that eldritch abomination was supposed to be, it can stay dead please.

[Oline89]

Union should bring Dutch back

Now that's a great Mascot! I heard Dutch has to keep his finger in the dike until another LL Football title returns to Schenectedy(it has been a while).... could it be this year??

+K Bartman, I have been trying to figure out what a Dutchman is, now there is video confirmation.  Now, if we can just nail down exactly what a "Bomber" looks like.....

[Caz Bombers]

well based on the failed re-branding initiative back towards the beginning of this decade, a Bomber almost looked like a flying squirrel or a lake monster or (I forget what Door #3 was). When I was in school there was a ragged looking old-timey flying ace type costume, but I never saw it anywhere but football games so maybe it was an unofficial mascot.

As the years have passed I find myself more receptive to the Flying Squirrel concept logo and a little bummed it didn't get more positive traction. A little minor league baseball-esque, but it was unique and well-drawn.

Ultimately, however, I am in pre-acceptance that the Bombers name is going to change at some point. It survived 9/11, but perhaps our culture was not then what it is now. Really surprised it made it past the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy without being mothballed. Eventually something else terrible will happen, Bombers will make people think of the incident and folks will get uncomfortable, and the name will be retired. It is absolutely inevitable IMO.

[Oline89]

well based on the failed re-branding initiative back towards the beginning of this decade, a Bomber almost looked like a flying squirrel or a lake monster or (I forget what Door #3 was). When I was in school there was a ragged looking old-timey flying ace type costume, but I never saw it anywhere but football games so maybe it was an unofficial mascot.

As the years have passed I find myself more receptive to the Flying Squirrel concept logo and a little bummed it didn't get more positive traction. A little minor league baseball-esque, but it was unique and well-drawn.

Ultimately, however, I am in pre-acceptance that the Bombers name is going to change at some point. It survived 9/11, but perhaps our culture was not then what it is now. Really surprised it made it past the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy without being mothballed. Eventually something else terrible will happen, Bombers will make people think of the incident and folks will get uncomfortable, and the name will be retired. It is absolutely inevitable IMO.

Proof of my ignorance toward these PC times, I would never make the connection between the IC Bombers and anything 9/11 (or similar) related. 

[Caz Bombers]

you wouldn't, and I don't, but a lot of people in the community and new to the IC community probably would.

It's going to become untenable at some point. You don't want people in the stands cringing and tugging their collars when the PA announcer says "first down Bombers" or "(NAME) checks into the game for the Bombers" - I get it. Honestly, I do.

[Pat Coleman]

well based on the failed re-branding initiative back towards the beginning of this decade, a Bomber almost looked like a flying squirrel or a lake monster or (I forget what Door #3 was). When I was in school there was a ragged looking old-timey flying ace type costume, but I never saw it anywhere but football games so maybe it was an unofficial mascot.

As the years have passed I find myself more receptive to the Flying Squirrel concept logo and a little bummed it didn't get more positive traction. A little minor league baseball-esque, but it was unique and well-drawn.

Ultimately, however, I am in pre-acceptance that the Bombers name is going to change at some point. It survived 9/11, but perhaps our culture was not then what it is now. Really surprised it made it past the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy without being mothballed. Eventually something else terrible will happen, Bombers will make people think of the incident and folks will get uncomfortable, and the name will be retired. It is absolutely inevitable IMO.

Proof of my ignorance toward these PC times, I would never make the connection between the IC Bombers and anything 9/11 (or similar) related.

In 2001, I ran the USA Today NFL suicide pool. (Later rebranded survivor pool.) Lots of people maintained multiple entries and used different handles to distinguish them. As you know, the NFL season starts a little bit before the 11th of September, and one of the people who entered had one entry labeled "Bombers" and another labeled "Terror". Sometime after that fateful Tuesday morning, I looked at that list and did a double-take, and asked him how they hell he knew.

Turned out he had two buddies who wanted to enter. One was an Ithaca grad (Bombers) and the other was a Western Maryland grad -- that school is now McDaniel (Green Terror).

Bizarre.

[NYfootball]

Any word on the pecking order of the QB group at Ithaca?

[AUPepBand]

Any word on the pecking order of the QB group at Ithaca?

....of course you mean Bomber QB1, Bomber QB2, BomberQB3, etal?

[Ice Bear]

Union's 2019 roster is out. The first thing I look for is, who didn't return? I'm pleased to find that answer seems to be no one. Union's dynamic skill position foursome. QB Will Bellamy, RB Ike Irabor and WRs Griffin Beal and Andre Ross Jr. are ALL in place. The O-line returns 4 starters and the Defense returns 5 with strong, experienced replacements. The biggest graduation losses were All American LB Jack Reilly and  DB Tucker Newman but experienced George Reed, Reilly's backup, is back for a 5th year (he lost a season to injury) and former RB Travis Demby has been moved to the D to help in Newman's old spot.
Union doesn't get many D1 transfers so seeing former Holy Cross recruit WR Will Sirmon in camp is interesting. Sirmon is from Louisiana like QB Bellamy so there may be some dynamic chemistry there. I can't wait to get it going.     

The Dutchmen look pretty good on paper Bill. Dlip sees some potential Freshman that may make some noise and certainly credits Coach B for moving a very athletic and strong Travis Demby to CB. Putting some of our best athletes on D is one of the moves that has lead to the change in culture on D. Overall dlip figures U to be right in the hunt for the title. The D will be inexperienced in spots so that will be interesting to watch. Looking forward to 6 home games this season!

[Ice Bear]

Union should bring Dutch back

The yellow bowl cut has always been a favorite of dlip's since childhood. To be able to pull that ****ing style off says a lot.

[UfanBill]

The real Union Dutchman...

From an article entitled "The Tradition of Traditions...Union College, March 6, 2003

"When the College's athletic teams began in the 1800s, they were called "The Garnet." The nickname "Dutchmen" was coined by twentieth-century sportswriters, and the Dutchman insignia was conceived by the manager of the Union Bookstore sometime in the 1940s. The late Bob Ridings, longtime equipment manager for the Athletic Department, regularly donned Dutchman garb at sports events and fired a small cannon to celebrate a Union score."

From 1956-91, Athletic Equipment Manager Bob Ridings dressed as the Dutchman to assist in cheerleading at home football and basketball games and to salute Union touchdowns by firing a small cannon. He is memorialized with a plaque at "The Cage" in Alumni Gym. On the plaque, the inscription reads "A very special person and a valued member of the Union College Athletic Staff for 48 years. Bob enhanced the lives of Union students, faculy, staff and alumni with his wit, warm personality, and love for people of all ages. Bob will always be remembered in the hearts and minds of the "Union Family" who had the privilege to know him." He received Union's Alumni Award for Meritorious Service in 1975. Bob died in 1998. His funeral was held on campus. It included a final blast from his cannon.

I knew Bob Ridings. Every athlete at Union knew Bob Ridings. When I first came to campus in the fall of 1968 the first person I saw was Bob at his equipment "cage". He asked me "what size cleats do you wear son"? I said 9...he gave me a 8 wide...they fit perfectly.