FB: Liberty League

[unionpalooza]

I am glad the board was down after the game or else I would have had so much harsher words to use to describe that game. All I am going to say is that is why Union is little brother and will always be little brother. The game was not nearly as close as the score indicated. Both teams were plagued by the weather and great teams (Bombers) capitalize on the mistakes of their lesser opponents. Both teams had sloppy penalties and obviously Osbourne let it get to him on his TD run that was called back for taunting.

You could tell by the reactions of players like Wingfield during the game that Union was doing some less than brotherly things in the pile and I am not saying that is what lead to the Wingfield injury but I do think their style of play towards the end of that game absolutely played a factor. Watching that game brought back a lot of great memories of beating Union and reminding them why they will never have a program like Ithaca.

I am so excited to continue to beat them year after year after year after year. Let's go win the LL next week.

Congrats on the win, but less the brotherly?  Total bullsh*t.  I have never seen a team whine after each play as much as IC. They did the same at RPI. But sure, they're special saints. 

And no, neither Union nor RPI will ever have a program like Ithaca, because neither will ever have a 73% acceptance rate.  It is what it is.

[UfanBill]

Huge +k for that post Palooza...BTW I'd like to watch a replay of the game to verify some of these Bomber fans claims but it isn't up yet. 

[Machiavelli]

Maybe this is off topic, and I feel like maybe this topic has was brought up years ago...but I just rewatched the first episode of 'Friday Night Lights'(the series), and Matt Saracen may have been the worst casting ever in a sports movie. He was goofy as sh!t, had zero throwing motion, and just no credibility, whatsoever, in a moment where real football folk watched. It's not like Bev Hills 90210 where you don't really take the sports seriously. This was the series based on one of the best Football, if not all sports movies, ever made. Varsity Blues is clearly the best. So, I urge you, can anyone give me a casting that's worse? I dare you...and don't say Adam Sandler in 'The Longest Yard', he can ball.

[Caz Bombers]

Maybe this is off topic, and I feel like maybe this topic has was brought up years ago...but I just rewatched the first episode of 'Friday Night Lights'(the series), and Matt Saracen may have been the worst casting ever in a sports movie. He was goofy as sh!t, had zero throwing motion, and just no credibility, whatsoever, in a moment where real football folk watched. It's not like Bev Hills 90210 where you don't really take the sports seriously. This was the series based on one of the best Football, if not all sports movies, ever made. Varsity Blues is clearly the best. So, I urge you, can anyone give me a casting that's worse? I dare you...and don't say Adam Sandler in 'The Longest Yard', he can ball.

Tim Robbins pitching in Bull Durham. He looked like a lefty trying to throw righty.

[IC798891]

The Union-IC game was chippy all around. Neither team was above it, and the penalties called on both teams reflected this obvious fact. There's really no need to get into this back and forth about whose behavior was worse.

To the Union guys: the acceptance rate thing, let's just not. Both Ithaca and Union have several great academic programs. This sort of barb is really 1980s

IC fans: Every program has teams that they just can't get by for whatever reason. Right now, Union can't get by Ithaca. A little more than a year ago, we were wondering if IC was going to get by the Engineers.

Ribbing each other is fun, but let's pump the breaks on this low brow trash talk. There's pretty much nowhere to discuss D3 football except here, and I really regret the times I've alienated people on the boards with vitriol. It's dumb, and no one is better for it

[unionpalooza]

The Union-IC game was chippy all around. Neither team was above it, and the penalties called on both teams reflected this obvious fact. There's really no need to get into this back and forth about whose behavior was worse.

To the Union guys: the acceptance rate thing, let's just not. Both Ithaca and Union have several great academic programs. This sort of barb is really 1980s

IC fans: Every program has teams that they just can't get by for whatever reason. Right now, Union can't get by Ithaca. A little more than a year ago, we were wondering if IC was going to get by the Engineers.

Ribbing each other is fun, but let's pump the breaks on this low brow trash talk. There's pretty much nowhere to discuss D3 football except here, and I really regret the times I've alienated people on the boards with vitriol. It's dumb, and no one is better for it

That's wise counsel, IC, and I'll take it. But FWIW the acceptance rate thing is not a barb; I don't think selectivity has anything to do with what makes a college "good" or "bad."  The best colleges provide opportunities to succeed for a reasonable price, and there lots of schools (many of them state schools) that do better than Union on that score.  Ithaca might even be one of them. But when it comes to football, acceptance rates make a huge difference; building a consistent, nationally competitive program at a 30-40% AR school is a very different exercise than at a 70-80% AR school.

[Ice Bear]

The Union-IC game was chippy all around. Neither team was above it, and the penalties called on both teams reflected this obvious fact. There's really no need to get into this back and forth about whose behavior was worse.

To the Union guys: the acceptance rate thing, let's just not. Both Ithaca and Union have several great academic programs. This sort of barb is really 1980s

IC fans: Every program has teams that they just can't get by for whatever reason. Right now, Union can't get by Ithaca. A little more than a year ago, we were wondering if IC was going to get by the Engineers.

Ribbing each other is fun, but let's pump the breaks on this low brow trash talk. There's pretty much nowhere to discuss D3 football except here, and I really regret the times I've alienated people on the boards with vitriol. It's dumb, and no one is better for it

+k

[IC798891]

when it comes to football, acceptance rates make a huge difference; building a consistent, nationally competitive program at a 30-40% AR school is a very different exercise than at a 70-80% AR school.

When it comes to football, acceptance rates make a huge difference; building a consistent, nationally competitive program at a 30-40% AR school is a very different exercise than at a 70-80% AR school.

Per the Princeton Review, here's the acceptance rate for Union's OOC opponents this year

Worchester State: 88%
Hilbert College: 85%
Montclair State: 91%
I could not locate Springfield on the Princeton Review site, though various other places put it between 62 and 76%

Apparently, when given the choice, Union's got no problem playing schools with much higher acceptance rates. And Union scheduled IC before they became an LL member. Union is playing Ithaca despite whatever differences exist. So let's not start trotting it out when we're in a back and forth after a chippy game. Again, this isn't the 1980s.

[Jonny Utah]

General acceptance rates don't mean much without knowing the schools athletic support or SAT/ACT range.  Who applies from where is key, as well as the SAT/ACT range with GPA.  This does help larger schools (Ithaca) but also doesn't factor in the location of the applicants.  The type of school is probably the biggest factor.  Union is a Nationally ranked college that can recruit from all over.  Buffalo State with its 99% acceptance rate cannot.  Hell look at JHU with their acceptance rate that isn't in the same universe with any LL school.  It's a large school with a national base.  I will say I was surprised to see the lack of diversity on JHU.  Not good or bad just something that stood out for me.  Hell when I went to Ithaca we had 3 black kids on the team.  Now it's close to half.  It's a good thing to see though as when I was at IC friends/recruits of mine from HS (black) would come to visit and ask me where all the black students were and I didn't have an answer.  Anyway just another thing to factor in as schools (Ithaca especially) are doing better in that regard.

I'll come clean and say my boss is a Union grad! So keep the jokes coming!

[jmcozenlaw]

I'm still waiting for the first funeral that I attend or cemetery that I walk around where I hear the Priest mention 'Acceptance Rate' or the tombstone displays it prominently.

In life, it matters nothing..........in death, when we are returned to dust.........even less so.

Go Football!!!!

[ICAlum16]

I am glad the board was down after the game or else I would have had so much harsher words to use to describe that game. All I am going to say is that is why Union is little brother and will always be little brother. The game was not nearly as close as the score indicated. Both teams were plagued by the weather and great teams (Bombers) capitalize on the mistakes of their lesser opponents. Both teams had sloppy penalties and obviously Osbourne let it get to him on his TD run that was called back for taunting.

You could tell by the reactions of players like Wingfield during the game that Union was doing some less than brotherly things in the pile and I am not saying that is what lead to the Wingfield injury but I do think their style of play towards the end of that game absolutely played a factor. Watching that game brought back a lot of great memories of beating Union and reminding them why they will never have a program like Ithaca.

I am so excited to continue to beat them year after year after year after year. Let's go win the LL next week.

Congrats on the win, but less the brotherly?  Total bullsh*t.  I have never seen a team whine after each play as much as IC. They did the same at RPI. But sure, they're special saints. 

And no, neither Union nor RPI will ever have a program like Ithaca, because neither will ever have a 73% acceptance rate.  It is what it is.

Geez, I didn't realize the Union fans on the board were so sensitive. The acceptance rate comment is saying like my dad can beat up your dad. Ice Bear where did your comment go? We're playing football here guys with two historic rivals. Of course a chippy game is going to bring out some trash talk. This is a football forum fulll of passionate and biased fans, not a PTA meeting. I stand by what I said when it comes to the Union football team and wouldn't take back a thing. The reason I never had this kind of vitriol for RPI is because they are a clean program and won games with class and lost with class. Plus you never saw IC take cheap shots as RPI or Hopkins or NCC were kneeling the ball out to end the game. Things like that separate good from great.

With that I move on and focus on what is going to be a tough test with Rochester. I really don't know much about the YellowJackets but I am sure Coach Toerp will make sure that they are not being overlooked or taken lightly. This is where having an experienced and battled tested team really shows what they are all about... Union should take notes. Ok fine, I couldn't help myself from taking one more shot at the Garnett Chargers.

[IC798891]

Philosophical question:

If a team receives second place votes from every voter in the poll, but through some weird coincidence, still winds up as the #1 team due to having the most points (which is technically possible) would you consider that team to be the #1 team in the country?

[Jonny Utah]

I am glad the board was down after the game or else I would have had so much harsher words to use to describe that game. All I am going to say is that is why Union is little brother and will always be little brother. The game was not nearly as close as the score indicated. Both teams were plagued by the weather and great teams (Bombers) capitalize on the mistakes of their lesser opponents. Both teams had sloppy penalties and obviously Osbourne let it get to him on his TD run that was called back for taunting.

You could tell by the reactions of players like Wingfield during the game that Union was doing some less than brotherly things in the pile and I am not saying that is what lead to the Wingfield injury but I do think their style of play towards the end of that game absolutely played a factor. Watching that game brought back a lot of great memories of beating Union and reminding them why they will never have a program like Ithaca.

I am so excited to continue to beat them year after year after year after year. Let's go win the LL next week.

Congrats on the win, but less the brotherly?  Total bullsh*t.  I have never seen a team whine after each play as much as IC. They did the same at RPI. But sure, they're special saints. 

And no, neither Union nor RPI will ever have a program like Ithaca, because neither will ever have a 73% acceptance rate.  It is what it is.

Geez, I didn't realize the Union fans on the board were so sensitive. The acceptance rate comment is saying like my dad can beat up your dad. Ice Bear where did your comment go? We're playing football here guys with two historic rivals. Of course a chippy game is going to bring out some trash talk. This is a football forum fulll of passionate and biased fans, not a PTA meeting. I stand by what I said when it comes to the Union football team and wouldn't take back a thing. The reason I never had this kind of vitriol for RPI is because they are a clean program and won games with class and lost with class. Plus you never saw IC take cheap shots as RPI or Hopkins or NCC were kneeling the ball out to end the game. Things like that separate good from great.

With that I move on and focus on what is going to be a tough test with Rochester. I really don't know much about the YellowJackets but I am sure Coach Toerp will make sure that they are not being overlooked or taken lightly. This is where having an experienced and battled tested team really shows what they are all about... Union should take notes. Ok fine, I couldn't help myself from taking one more shot at the Garnett Chargers.

I agree the acceptance rate thing is lame (and not relevant) but you were a tad off base ICAlum16.  Granted I wasn't there but teams will have individual players that do stupid things that don't represent programs as a whole.  We had a few (not many) Union guys start to defend that play in the Salisbury game a few years back but in the end it was one Union player who acted on his own and was 100% his fault.  Once the scuffle starts both teams are the same and those things just naturally happen and are basically impossible to stop.  Hell you had an Ithaca player lose a TD because he wanted to taunt Union defenders on a long run.  That is not Ithaca football and you know that.  When you do stuff like that teams are going to get fired up and it just isn't needed.  Coach Poppe is a class act and does not run a dirty program.  He can't control every player (as Coach Toerper can't) but both coaches are trying to do the right thing.  This all being said I wasn't there and didn't see anything close up.  Sometimes teams can be dirty and in general can look to harm other players.  I'm giving Union (and Ithaca) the benefit of the doubt that they are not one of those teams until I see otherwise.

[Jonny Utah]

Philosophical question:

If a team receives second place votes from every voter in the poll, but through some weird coincidence, still winds up as the #1 team due to having the most points (which is technically possible) would you consider that team to be the #1 team in the country?

Yes.  It sounds like you are talking about pollsters all voting the team #2 at #2, but the #1 team and #3 team are splitting votes at #1 and #3?

Like if there were 100 voters.  50 voters had Georgia at #1, 50 voters had Washington at #1, and all 100 voters had Michigan at #2, with the same 50/50 split having Georgia and Washington at #3?

[IC798891]

For fun, I looked at the most recent times IC had to make a midseason QB switch, for any reason. Not a "We've got two QBs and no one has won the job", but a permanent switch.

2017:
Out: Adam Fron
In: Wahid Nabi

Nabi game in during the second game of the season and helped provide a spark to IC's offense, with a school-record six TD passes against Cortland.

2013
Out: Phil Neumann
In: Tom Dempsey

Neumann, a senior, had thrown for 4 TD and 4 INT with a 56% completion rate when Tom Dempsey stepped in — I believe due to an injury. Dempsey finished the year with a 14/8 TD/INT rate and a 61% completion percentage, guiding the Bombers to their first playoff win in a decade

2008:
Out: Dan Juvan
In: Brian Grastorf

Also a senior, Juvan was injured in the second to last game of the season. In stepped Grastorf, who helped finish off Alfred, and hung 5 TDs on Cortland. The Bombers would lose in the opening round of the NCAAS

2002:
Out: Ryan Steenberg
In: Josh Felicetti

The GOAT QB1 in Ithaca history came off the bench as a freshman in Week 2 and sparked a comeback win over Hartwick. Briefly injured midseason, when he returned, he kept the job for good, and re-wrote IC's record book.

2001:
Out: Brian Young
In: Greg Sheeler

Probably the closest to what they are dealing with today. Young, who had been QB1 for nearly three years, was injured in Ithaca's opening round playoff game. Greg Sheeler, a senior who had started zero games in his career, stepped in, and finished off Montclair. He then guided the Bombers to what I still consider Mike Welch's greatest game ever. With Sheeler making his first ever start, on the road, against an undefeated RPI, Sheeler throws for an IC-playoff record 268 yards, IC wins the the TOP battle by having the ball for 22 minutes in the second half