FB: Liberty League

[Oline89]

Wow, some news out of MIT.  Only 60% of the student body allowed back on campus.  Death blow to fall sports.  Also, from the NESCAC board, it looks bleak for Wesleyan to allow for fall sports.  Hopefully, the LL continues with slow, prudent steps towards full fall semesters.....

OLine, it is going to make a mess out of Winter sports as well as Men's and Women's Wrestling start practicing on October 1, with matches starting as early as the end of October.........and Men's and Women's Hoops start practice on October 15th and start games the first week of November. Yikes!!!

Can't you foresee a plan where they begin Jan 1?  No out of league games.  Maybe a week or two of preseason?

While there are some schedules that have been finalized (in number 3 pencil), many have not been as a result. Dave McHugh, Pat Coleman, Ryan Scott and Gordon Mann know much more about this than I do, but through some contacts, I've heard a few things. Fluidity is the name of the game. As is flexibility. As is patience. As is depression.

I could see what you mentioned as a scenario, BUT here is the other issue, or issues, (as I see it and as I've heard).

There are more schools considering the option to open up a little earlier than usual and to not have students come back for the post-Thanksgiving through pre-Christmas timeframe. For those schools that want to basically shut it all down for that approximately two month long period (call it Nov 20ish - Jan 20ish...........during this period of time, close to half of a team's games are scheduled.)..................are they really going to open things back up for a couple dozen student athletes? If not, you would need some practice and scrimmage time (last ten days of Jan) and would basically have to cram games into February. Last season's final regular season schedule ended on February 22 for most conferences, followed by the conference playoffs.

I just don't see how it all happens. I have a sick feeling in my stomach that this coming Fall's and Winter's teams will suffer the same fate as the teams from this past Spring.............with fingers crossed that we are good to go by the Spring and those student athletes don't miss two consecutive seasons.

By the way, Braveheart Highland Pub is open in Hellertown. Give it a whirl. Great food and drinks!

We know the owners of Braveheart, we are frequent visitors....For a great outdoor dining experience check out the Steel Club in Hellertown

[ITH radio]

UofR planning to reopen end of August:

https://www.rochester.edu/coronavirus-update/a-message-from-provost-rob-clark-about-our-upcoming-academic-year/

[jmcozenlaw]

Wow, some news out of MIT.  Only 60% of the student body allowed back on campus.  Death blow to fall sports.  Also, from the NESCAC board, it looks bleak for Wesleyan to allow for fall sports.  Hopefully, the LL continues with slow, prudent steps towards full fall semesters.....

OLine, it is going to make a mess out of Winter sports as well as Men's and Women's Wrestling start practicing on October 1, with matches starting as early as the end of October.........and Men's and Women's Hoops start practice on October 15th and start games the first week of November. Yikes!!!

Can't you foresee a plan where they begin Jan 1?  No out of league games.  Maybe a week or two of preseason?

While there are some schedules that have been finalized (in number 3 pencil), many have not been as a result. Dave McHugh, Pat Coleman, Ryan Scott and Gordon Mann know much more about this than I do, but through some contacts, I've heard a few things. Fluidity is the name of the game. As is flexibility. As is patience. As is depression.

I could see what you mentioned as a scenario, BUT here is the other issue, or issues, (as I see it and as I've heard).

There are more schools considering the option to open up a little earlier than usual and to not have students come back for the post-Thanksgiving through pre-Christmas timeframe. For those schools that want to basically shut it all down for that approximately two month long period (call it Nov 20ish - Jan 20ish...........during this period of time, close to half of a team's games are scheduled.)..................are they really going to open things back up for a couple dozen student athletes? If not, you would need some practice and scrimmage time (last ten days of Jan) and would basically have to cram games into February. Last season's final regular season schedule ended on February 22 for most conferences, followed by the conference playoffs.

I just don't see how it all happens. I have a sick feeling in my stomach that this coming Fall's and Winter's teams will suffer the same fate as the teams from this past Spring.............with fingers crossed that we are good to go by the Spring and those student athletes don't miss two consecutive seasons.

By the way, Braveheart Highland Pub is open in Hellertown. Give it a whirl. Great food and drinks!

We know the owners of Braveheart, we are frequent visitors....For a great outdoor dining experience check out the Steel Club in Hellertown

Thanks for the recommendation. We'll have to check it out.

[goState]

Buff State's fall plan:
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/education/buffalo-state-reveals-plans-list-of-changes-for-fall-semester/71-c5ac1fe5-719f-48e8-adef-5f866bac3ebd

[Oline89]

Buff State's fall plan:
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/education/buffalo-state-reveals-plans-list-of-changes-for-fall-semester/71-c5ac1fe5-719f-48e8-adef-5f866bac3ebd

Very good news.  Assuming the other SUNY schools in E8 have similar plans. 

[Bartman]

Bowdoin has announced that due to mostly remote learning this fall, that fall sports will not have a 2020 season. I am thinking that a number of NESCAC schools have not made a final decision about the Football season. While I believe that young athletes and their coaches/ staff should have a season ( proper face coverings and distancing for at risk/older coaches and staff should be practiced) I have to respect those that make these health decisions. That said, I'm hoping  to see some football/sports this fall and getting a little bit of "normal" back in life.

[ITH radio]

You have to expect all the NESCACs will get in line with Bowdoin. No way they made that decision in a vacuum. Wesleyan and Middlebury's recent announcements don't vary far from that as far as sports goes.

Good news out of Ithaca is their city has basically no active COVID cases (well, technically there's something like 2 - the mayor tweeted it out earlier today). Hopefully that keeps the FLX region in the green and able to reopen / get back to a new normal. Maybe the Bombers could even revisit the Oct 5th date also?

[ITH radio]

SLU reopening plans announced. Following a similar program as Hobart and others (i.e., 8/24-11/25 basically) but also unique to them in that they limiting campus population to 1,800 total and having a summer session that runs into July. 

https://www.stlawu.edu/covid-19/coronavirus-updates#June-23

"If intercollegiate varsity athletic programs are permitted this fall, the expectation for competition is a late start in September or early October in a compressed schedule. We are working closely with leadership from the Department of Athletics on how to ensure a safe return to competition and will release more information when available."

[Bob.Gregg]

Bowdoin & UMass-Boston--NO FALL Sports.

Maine's Bowdoin College and UMass Boston are canceling their fall sports schedules due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bowdoin President Clayton Rose cited limitations on campus attendance in an announcement detailing the school's plans for the fall semester. UMass Boston interim Chancellor Katherine Newman said in a memo that the school will focus on remote instruction in the fall with no on-ground student activities.

Both schools compete in Division III. Bowdoin has 31 varsity teams. UMass Boston has 18.

Rose said there may be an opportunity for the winter, spring and possibly fall athletes to participate and compete in some form after Jan. 1. But there will be no elimination of programs or furloughs or cuts to athletic administration, staff or coaches.

Newman said she is hopeful conditions will improve enough by October that the school will be able to open some on-campus programs.

[Jonny Utah]

You have to expect all the NESCACs will get in line with Bowdoin. No way they made that decision in a vacuum. Wesleyan and Middlebury's recent announcements don't vary far from that as far as sports goes.

Good news out of Ithaca is their city has basically no active COVID cases (well, technically there's something like 2 - the mayor tweeted it out earlier today). Hopefully that keeps the FLX region in the green and able to reopen / get back to a new normal. Maybe the Bombers could even revisit the Oct 5th date also?

Ithaca AD and President sent out an email yesterday (actually its on twitter too).  Nothing new in the email, only that Ithaca is meeting with LL schools multiple times a week virtually and that the league is still discussing plans for the fall sports seasons.  Does not seem like the Oct. 5th date is changing, but it also doesn't seem like that date will have any affect on athletics either.

https://twitter.com/BomberSports/status/1275468771512029184?s=20

[Oline89]

Not sure if the Bowdoin/NESCAC decision to postpone football season should have any true bearing on LL.  The NESCAC is in the unique position that they could put off the season to the Spring.  They only compete against each other, no OOC games, no playoffs.  Plus they have big enough endowments that they could weather the storm of huge drops in tuition better than any league in the country (Ivies excluded)

[Jonny Utah]

Bowdoin & UMass-Boston--NO FALL Sports.

Maine's Bowdoin College and UMass Boston are canceling their fall sports schedules due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bowdoin President Clayton Rose cited limitations on campus attendance in an announcement detailing the school's plans for the fall semester. UMass Boston interim Chancellor Katherine Newman said in a memo that the school will focus on remote instruction in the fall with no on-ground student activities.

Both schools compete in Division III. Bowdoin has 31 varsity teams. UMass Boston has 18.

Rose said there may be an opportunity for the winter, spring and possibly fall athletes to participate and compete in some form after Jan. 1. But there will be no elimination of programs or furloughs or cuts to athletic administration, staff or coaches.

Newman said she is hopeful conditions will improve enough by October that the school will be able to open some on-campus programs.

Umass Boston is a commuter school with no dorms that I know of (I know there was a plan to add some housing).  Bowdoin is obviously a different story, although Maine has some of the strictest Covid quarantine rules so far in New England.  That is going to affect all Maine schools.

[NED3Guy]

I'd like to think you could read into what one school decides and think it might impact other schools, but I'm really starting to think school presidents are making things up as they go.

The same day Bowdoin makes their decision to not have sports this fall; Husson (also in Maine) AD says they plan to have sports as long as students are coming back. (per Andrew Badillo tweet: https://twitter.com/andrewbadillo99/status/1275118507978567682?s=20)

UMass Boston (A vastly different school from any in the LL, with over 15,000 students but only 1,000 living on campus) has said they're going fully remote for the fall; while Tufts (just a day later and a few miles away from Boston) said they plan to be back on campus in the fall.

I think the most telling thing is the SUNYAC's decision to split their league in half this year (they used I81 as the East / West divider) and limit long trips. As of now, teams will play each team in their division twice and then they'll have a Championship somehow when it's all said and done.

Upstate NY football (LL and E8) should come together and do the same thing:

East- Union, RPI, SLU, Utica, Morrisville, Hartwick, Cortland
West- Brockport, Alfred, Fisher, Hobart, U of R, Buff State, Ithaca
(tried to find a way to keep Ithaca and Cortland together, but didn't see an easy option...maybe Hobart in the East and Ithaca in the West?)

Could be some good football games played, without having to travel too far. Play 6 games against the division, then maybe have a championship game. With the late start dates some schools are reporting 6-7 games might fit nicely.

[Oline89]

I'd like to think you could read into what one school decides and think it might impact other schools, but I'm really starting to think school presidents are making things up as they go.

The same day Bowdoin makes their decision to not have sports this fall; Husson (also in Maine) AD says they plan to have sports as long as students are coming back. (per Andrew Badillo tweet: https://twitter.com/andrewbadillo99/status/1275118507978567682?s=20)

UMass Boston (A vastly different school from any in the LL, with over 15,000 students but only 1,000 living on campus) has said they're going fully remote for the fall; while Tufts (just a day later and a few miles away from Boston) said they plan to be back on campus in the fall.

I think the most telling thing is the SUNYAC's decision to split their league in half this year (they used I81 as the East / West divider) and limit long trips. As of now, teams will play each team in their division twice and then they'll have a Championship somehow when it's all said and done.

Upstate NY football (LL and E8) should come together and do the same thing:

East- Union, RPI, SLU, Utica, Morrisville, Hartwick, Cortland
West- Brockport, Alfred, Fisher, Hobart, U of R, Buff State, Ithaca
(tried to find a way to keep Ithaca and Cortland together, but didn't see an easy option...maybe Hobart in the East and Ithaca in the West?)

Could be some good football games played, without having to travel too far. Play 6 games against the division, then maybe have a championship game. With the late start dates some schools are reporting 6-7 games might fit nicely.

It's not a bad idea, but why not just keep the leagues intact, and formulate a plan where all the OOC games are against each other.  No Rowan or Keystone for Hobart, but rather two other E8 teams....

[Oline89]

Looking through LL schedules, I picked out games that might be at risk due to travel:

Buff St v Judson
Hobart v Rowan
IC v John Carroll
UR v Case Western
RPI v Montclair St and Stevenson
SLU v Norwich

All the rest seem to be either NY state games, or Mass.  Thoughts?