FB: Liberty League

[tecmobowler]

I remember about a decade ago... when the poor girl doing the halftime show said the Bombers weren't trying. She got grilled and came on here to give a public apology. They're kids.

The whole Joey G transfer thing cast a shadow over the Swanstrom era for me as well. Dude told the school newspaper he had no intention of finishing the year after the season, and was receiving financial aid! Better at least make the playoffs if you play those games.

[IC798891]

Ok I get all that and they do a good job and they are students.  99% of what they do is great. 

But on your #3 there, what do you mean it is "tired".  I've never heard it from anyone and only noticed it on my own.  Maybe I'm off here. 

Are they different than the BC broadcasters (IC grad John Meterperel) who go out of the way to "root" for BC and seem to never go against BC?  Or are the ICTV students supposed to be like ESPN and be completely unbiased and basically pretend they don't attend the school they are broadcasting for? 

1. Yes, it was a longstanding complaint going all the way back to the Welch era. I worked for the radio station when I was a student from 2001-2005. I have first-hand experience with it. Can share specifics in a DM if you want.

2. To your question, it's the latter. They're training to be professionals, and part of that is learning to be unbiased (Or, at least knowing how to do it until their boss instructs them to do otherwise, which is apparently what is happening at BC).

It rankles a lot of people who, I think, view them through a different lens. But these students aren't there to pull for IC on air. I can tell you for a fact that they are all unabashed IC *fans*, they're just taught not to show it on air.

[unionpalooza]

I remember about a decade ago... when the poor girl doing the halftime show said the Bombers weren't trying. She got grilled and came on here to give a public apology. They're kids.

The whole Joey G transfer thing cast a shadow over the Swanstrom era for me as well. Dude told the school newspaper he had no intention of finishing the year after the season, and was receiving financial aid! Better at least make the playoffs if you play those games.

I always felt especially bad for Wahid Nabi, who was a LL/ECAC Rookie of the year, turned in two solid seasons as a starter as FR and SO, and then got kicked to the curb for a shiny toy who never did anything more than take a single class at IC.  That was KC Keeler Rowan-era level shameful. 

[IC798891]

I remember about a decade ago... when the poor girl doing the halftime show said the Bombers weren't trying. She got grilled and came on here to give a public apology. They're kids.

I try to remind myself that every professional writer in the country has an editor, and writers have a lot more time to come up with the right thing to say then someone on the air.

[Jonny Utah]

I remember about a decade ago... when the poor girl doing the halftime show said the Bombers weren't trying. She got grilled and came on here to give a public apology. They're kids.

The whole Joey G transfer thing cast a shadow over the Swanstrom era for me as well. Dude told the school newspaper he had no intention of finishing the year after the season, and was receiving financial aid! Better at least make the playoffs if you play those games.

Jeeze I don't even remember the girl from the halftime show...I am getting old but maybe that's what I'm thinking about?

Yea I go both ways on Joe G.  One thing I hear from the Harvard coaches (Cornell also put out a news item on it as well) is the Ivy rule on not allowing grad transfers to play.  What happens though is that some of the Ivy's are seeing their best players leaving their Jr. year.  Harvard lost 12 last year and Cornell just stated they were losing 3 or 4 good players.  I mean imagine if Ithaca told him no and he went to Cortland instead?  As long as they aren't bending the rules too much or giving him too generous of a package, then rules are rules. 

But man I did feel bad for Nabi.  Loses his Jr year and then covid hits?  I can't imagine being in that situation.  You see it in d1 now regularly but not at the d3 level where deep down I feel players are at the school first and play the sport 2nd. 

[IC798891]

I remember about a decade ago... when the poor girl doing the halftime show said the Bombers weren't trying. She got grilled and came on here to give a public apology. They're kids.

The whole Joey G transfer thing cast a shadow over the Swanstrom era for me as well. Dude told the school newspaper he had no intention of finishing the year after the season, and was receiving financial aid! Better at least make the playoffs if you play those games.

I always felt especially bad for Wahid Nabi, who was a LL/ECAC Rookie of the year, turned in two solid seasons as a starter as FR and SO, and then got kicked to the curb for a shiny toy who never did anything more than take a single class at IC.  That was KC Keeler Rowan-era level shameful.

Yeah, I felt for Nabi.

The Swanstrom Era was a lot different than the Welch era, in part because Dan was looking to continue his career after IC, and Welch wasn't — obviously. So I think that Dan had a more ... vested interest... in seeing the offense improve in order to get his next job. Which, frankly, it did not from 2017 to 2018. That is not an excuse for bringing in Germinerio, but it was almost certainly the reason why it happened.

Like Palooza, I was not as impressed with Swanstrom as a game-day coach. His decision to onside kick against Cortland in 2021 was absolutely insane and the fact that it backfired was entirely predictable. His decision to call a trick play from the 1-foot line against RPI in 2018 was being too clever by half. Both of those decisions arguably cost IC playoff appearances. (Though, the RPI decision was at least defensible because pretty much nothing IC ran from the 2 yard line against RPI worked that year.)

[Jonny Utah]

Ok I get all that and they do a good job and they are students.  99% of what they do is great. 

But on your #3 there, what do you mean it is "tired".  I've never heard it from anyone and only noticed it on my own.  Maybe I'm off here. 

Are they different than the BC broadcasters (IC grad John Meterperel) who go out of the way to "root" for BC and seem to never go against BC?  Or are the ICTV students supposed to be like ESPN and be completely unbiased and basically pretend they don't attend the school they are broadcasting for? 

1. Yes, it was a longstanding complaint going all the way back to the Welch era. I worked for the radio station when I was a student from 2001-2005. I have first-hand experience with it. Can share specifics in a DM if you want.

2. To your question, it's the latter. They're training to be professionals, and part of that is learning to be unbiased (Or, at least knowing how to do it until their boss instructs them to do otherwise, which is apparently what is happening at BC).

It rankles a lot of people who, I think, view them through a different lens. But these students aren't there to pull for IC on air. I can tell you for a fact that they are all unabashed IC *fans*, they're just taught not to show it on air.

You know more than me but this happens everywhere, not just BC.  Hobart, Cortland, RPI off hand have broadcasters that want those teams to win (or passively "root" for them is the best way I can put it).  Hell I had to mute the Cortland student announcer last time they played at Cortland he was such a homer.  Granted the Hobart and BC guys aren't students learning how to broadcast (I can't think of others but it seems that RPI and Cortland had students doing their games?)

But it does seem odd as they are training in a home base and working for a home team.  Has to be tough not to just do it how local broadcasters do it for their home teams.  Then again, I guess there is a fine line there too.  The BC guys don't criticize the coaches or school ever.  The Patriots guys though?  They hammer the team, owners, players etc. 

Interesting field of work I guess.

[Bartman]

I remember about a decade ago... when the poor girl doing the halftime show said the Bombers weren't trying. She got grilled and came on here to give a public apology. They're kids.

The whole Joey G transfer thing cast a shadow over the Swanstrom era for me as well. Dude told the school newspaper he had no intention of finishing the year after the season, and was receiving financial aid! Better at least make the playoffs if you play those games.

I always felt especially bad for Wahid Nabi, who was a LL/ECAC Rookie of the year, turned in two solid seasons as a starter as FR and SO, and then got kicked to the curb for a shiny toy who never did anything more than take a single class at IC.  That was KC Keeler Rowan-era level shameful.

Nabi was a great kid that represented Ithaca well. I lost a lot of respect for Swanstrum when he accepted Joey G and left Nabi on the bench and a great career finish. I also thought Susan Bassett, AD,  should have stepped in and not approved the transfer. Of course now, my comment seems silly and "old School" since anything goes in the  NIL world.

[tecmobowler]

It was pretty odd that a team with Joey Germ and Will Gladney missed the playoffs. That was a pretty good combo. Was that the year they ran the triple reverse, flea flicker option from the RPI 1?

[UfanBill]

It was pretty odd that a team with Joey Germ and Will Gladney missed the playoffs. That was a pretty good combo. Was that the year they ran the triple reverse, flea flicker option from the RPI 1?

No that was the year they ran into a stud named Ike Irabor and a thoroughbred named Andre Ross Jr. Will Bellamy wasn't bad either. 

[IC798891]

Bellamy was hurt at the end of 2021, right? Is that what eventually came out?

[Jonny Utah]

One thing Swanstrom did do was get the bombers ready for Cortland.  Ithaca had lost to Cortland seven times in a row in Welch's last seven years and Swanstrom won 3 in a row before that odd game at Cortland in 2021. 

[unionpalooza]

Bellamy was hurt at the end of 2021, right? Is that what eventually came out?

I don't think it has become clear whether he was injured or just got the yips down the homestream.  Either way it is unfortunate that the coaching staff didn't put in Pacatte and give the team a chance.  Will was great for a while but I think Behrman let the team down not acting when he wasn't getting it done.

[IC798891]

Bellamy was hurt at the end of 2021, right? Is that what eventually came out?

I don't think it has become clear whether he was injured or just got the yips down the homestream.  Either way it is unfortunate that the coaching staff didn't put in Pacatte and give the team a chance.  Will was great for a while but I think Behrman let the team down not acting when he wasn't getting it done.

Yeah, I thought it was odd how poorly he played, though some guys just lose it. Tom Secky at Alfred had a disaster of a senior year.

[IC798891]

One thing Swanstrom did do was get the bombers ready for Cortland.  Ithaca had lost to Cortland seven times in a row in Welch's last seven years and Swanstrom won 3 in a row before that odd game at Cortland in 2021.

This strikes me as a bit unfair to Mike. The Bombers lost a lot of weird games to Cortland in that 7 game losing streak. The botched FG is the one people remember, but there was also:

The 2010 game where IC blew at 17-3 lead in part because a punter dropped to one knee to catch a snap and handed Cortland great field position
The 2012 goal line stand
Babin's catch and Boffoli's fumble in 2013
The 2015 game when Ithaca's top 17 receivers were all hurt

I don't think Mike didn't have them prepared. They lost some fluky games, and they had a few where the talent was simply not there (2011 and 2016 notably).

But his teams were always well prepared.

There are only two games in the Welch Era where I thought IC was not ready to play. The 1999 ECAC game against Union, where they no-showed and got embarrassed, and the 2008 playoff game against Curry when IC was almost certainly thinking about a Round 2 rematch with Cortland.

If Mike had a flaw as a coach, I think it was that his best teams — in terms of raw roster talent — tended to underachieve, especially late in games. And by the end, the talent was just not coming in the door.

But give him a solid yet undermanned team — his 1994 team, the 2001 team that had to go on a playoff run with its backup QB, the 2007 team that actually hung with Mount Union for a half, the 2013, and 2014 E8 champs — that was his bread and butter. It sort of made for a frustrating experience at times, but I always thought he had them ready to play