FB: Liberty League

Caz Bombers · May 21, 2024, 10:10:36 AM

Quote from: IC798891 on May 20, 2024, 08:00:17 PMSo, the Cortaca game is in NYC because about 1/3 of IC's alums live in the Tri-State area.

The thing to remember is, these were really Ithaca's show. They were kind of the ones running point on the logistics and planning. Cortland was a partner and all, but this was Ithaca's idea. Really, it came from a lot of work put in by an alumnus and former football player. Mark Hudak. He was the chair of the NYC Chapter of the NFF, and that's how the MetLife invite happened.

It's why Ithaca gave up back to back home games (Though Cortland was gracious enough to give Ithaca the home game in 2023).

The other thing I can tell you, is, you have no idea how much work goes into it. Like, you're all mostly focused on the game, but Ithaca (I can't speak to Cortland's efforts) essentially built a weekend out of it. Tons of alumni events, tons of experiential learning opportunities, a year-long communication roll out both times

IF you're curious about them, you can search
Countdown to Cortaca: Road to Metlife
Countdown to Cortaca: Bombers in the Bronx

It really takes a lot of people a lot of time and work to make it happen, and allow the college to truly leverage everything. And of course, everyone doing that work still has to do their regular, non-Cortaca related jobs.

It also, honestly, was something that, along with COVID, took Cortaca off of IC's campus from 2018-2022, and for some students, meant that they never got to experience Cortaca at Butterfield. I think it's one of the reasons there was an ask for IC to host in 2023, because it had been so long since the Bombers had hosted one on-campus.

It's funny too, because for MetLife in particular, for all the "once-in-a-lifetime" marketing, we had some players who had already played in Metlife, because NJ high school football state titles games are held there frequently. So we had some players who we interviewed for stories and they were like "Yeah I played there in HS haha"

None of this is to say it won't happen again. But it requires buy-in from a lot of stakeholders well beyond football deciding "Yeah, let's play a game in New York City".

to what extent was there a push from IC administration to avoid hosting Jug on campus in the wake of rising bad behavior on those gamedays the last couple years pre-COVID, including Cortland kids straight up rioting in their town after one of their wins?

IC798891 · May 21, 2024, 11:45:55 AM

Quote from: Caz Bombers on May 21, 2024, 10:10:36 AMto what extent was there a push from IC administration to avoid hosting Jug on campus in the wake of rising bad behavior on those gamedays the last couple years pre-COVID, including Cortland kids straight up rioting in their town after one of their wins?

Had nothing to do with it.

IC798891 · May 21, 2024, 12:18:03 PM

The part that is pure speculation on my behalf is this:

It's worth noting that the attendance at Yankee Stadium was about 5,000 less than MetLife. Now, a whole bunch of stuff happened in between 2019 and 2023 that may have impacted people's reasons for going.

But we shouldn't dismiss the idea that you can go back to the well too frequently and see diminishing returns, particularly when weighed against the workload it creates.

I would be very surprised to see it moved again in the next 10 years

Pat Coleman · May 21, 2024, 03:16:02 PM

798891 is closer to the situation than I am but I agree, I wouldn't expect another game in a big venue in the near future. The first time, you have an awesome event and a big football venue to drive the ticket sales. Second time, you have the huge marketing power of the New York Yankees and the relatively unique opportunity to see a football game in Yankee Stadium. I think if they went back to either venue any time soon, you'd probably see a drop-off since it would no longer be a shiny, new thing.

But I'm grateful as a D-III guy that these events happened, and I still mourn the loss of the final Johnnie-Tommie game that would have been in U.S. Bank Stadium in 2020.

IC798891 · June 06, 2024, 05:47:04 PM

Derek Slywka has been signed by the Colts, and will play WR

https://athletics.ithaca.edu/news/2024/6/6/football-slywka-signs-contract-with-indianapolis-colts-following-mini-camp-invite.aspx

Bartman · June 09, 2024, 08:27:08 PM

Quote from: IC798891 on June 06, 2024, 05:47:04 PMDerek Slywka has been signed by the Colts, and will play WR

https://athletics.ithaca.edu/news/2024/6/6/football-slywka-signs-contract-with-indianapolis-colts-following-mini-camp-invite.aspx

Good luck to Slywka

Bartman · June 18, 2024, 08:51:34 AM

Reviewing the 2024 Hobart roster reveals that two of our top WR from last season have transferred .Daramola and Crowell our leading yardage receivers in 2023 have evidently moved to D1 colleges. The portal strikes again.
The good news is the incoming recruiting class currently numbers 48.
Less than 3 months to opening evening against Alfred at The BOZ.

Jonny Utah · June 19, 2024, 07:58:01 AM

Quote from: Bartman on June 18, 2024, 08:51:34 AMReviewing the 2024 Hobart roster reveals that two of our top WR from last season have transferred .Daramola and Crowell our leading yardage receivers in 2023 have evidently moved to D1 colleges. The portal strikes again.
The good news is the incoming recruiting class currently numbers 48.
Less than 3 months to opening evening against Alfred at The BOZ.

This is the new football world I guess. I do wonder how many of these players end up going to d1 places but have to actually pay more money in tuition for whatever reason. Good luck to them.

D3 football has become in a sense a stepping stone for the next level. FWIW the Ivy's and other FCS programs also lose a bunch of players to the next level as well.

unionpalooza · June 19, 2024, 03:27:53 PM

Quote from: Jonny Utah on June 19, 2024, 07:58:01 AM
Quote from: Bartman on June 18, 2024, 08:51:34 AMReviewing the 2024 Hobart roster reveals that two of our top WR from last season have transferred .Daramola and Crowell our leading yardage receivers in 2023 have evidently moved to D1 colleges. The portal strikes again.
The good news is the incoming recruiting class currently numbers 48.
Less than 3 months to opening evening against Alfred at The BOZ.

This is the new football world I guess. I do wonder how many of these players end up going to d1 places but have to actually pay more money in tuition for whatever reason. Good luck to them.

D3 football has become in a sense a stepping stone for the next level. FWIW the Ivy's and other FCS programs also lose a bunch of players to the next level as well.

Yeah, I think this is just how things will be. But it won't surprise me if things eventually balance out, with some losses of decent players to D2/FCS schools but some transfers in from the same places.

Union lost four guys to transfer at the end of 2022 - freshman WR Nick Dunneman went to be an impact WR at Georgetown, two starting DBs went to D2/FCS places (neither saw the field much at all), and a backup WR went to a D2 school and finished the year with 7 catches. Dunneman was a real loss (and a smart move for him), but I think the others were more about school/team fit, such that their transfer was probably best for everyone. This year, Union is a net winner in the transfer stakes, losing no one and gaining an impact player on offense. (Jimaar Edwards and Dionis Polanco both transferred out, but they are both graduating and looking for a place to play for another year while getting another degree; Union has no graduate programs.)

I do get the sense that D3 coaches are starting to recruit with the transfer portal in mind, looking for guys who are really strong cultural/school fits and probably less inclined to reach for kids that would likely jump for greener pastures at the first opportunity. The best D3 kids tend to be those who had FCS/D2 opportunities but chose D3 anyway because of the fit, and those kids are not likely to transfer even after making a name for themselves. It's the kids who begrudgingly go D3 because they think they got passed over that are likely to bigger transfer risks.

Bartman · June 20, 2024, 09:53:47 AM

Unionpalooza,
Good summary. Dunneman was definitely a good move for him, but I noticed that Georgetown is the only Patriot League team that does not offer scholarships, similar to the FCS Pioneer League teams. I think finding players that are the right "fit" is the key. I wonder whether Ali Marpet would have stayed at Hobart after his Sophomore year, because it was evident that he was not really challenged at the D3 level after he worked his way into an NFL body in 2 years( gained 60 pounds and worked out like a crazy man in the weight room).I'm just happy for the competition with athletes that just love to play the game.

Caz Bombers · June 20, 2024, 11:32:56 AM

This sucks! Thanks, I hate it!

https://twitter.com/LLAthletics/status/1803806594662096991?t=UAr47ZlVP3yKTijcyWVY1Q&s=19

IC798891 · June 20, 2024, 01:51:08 PM

Quote from: Caz Bombers on June 20, 2024, 11:32:56 AMThis sucks! Thanks, I hate it!

https://twitter.com/LLAthletics/status/1803806594662096991?t=UAr47ZlVP3yKTijcyWVY1Q&s=19

Agreed completely. In fairness, the agreement impacts Ithaca less than everyone else, since the Bombers play Cortland regardless. But I hate schedules that are the same year after year with little variety. And I like seeing teams from other areas of the country

Oline89 · June 20, 2024, 06:33:20 PM

7 in league games, plus 2 cross league games. Still allows for scheduling one "wildcard game". Hilbert joining LL for 8 teams in each league makes sense. I kinda like the concept.

UfanBill · June 20, 2024, 08:08:20 PM

Quote from: Oline89 on June 20, 2024, 06:33:20 PM7 in league games, plus 2 cross league games. Still allows for scheduling one "wildcard game". Hilbert joining LL for 8 teams in each league makes sense. I kinda like the concept.

Adding Hilbert to the Empire 8 was done in anticipation of Utica leaving...Not happening...They're going to take a long time to be relevant and now they're going to be the Liberty League's doormat. I don't like it.

Actually the 2 cross league games concept has been encouraged for years under a gentleman's agreement though in practice it wasn't adhered to. After Ithaca moved from the E8 to the LL and with the idea of a NYS Bowl it seemed natural that league rivalry would fall into place. In fact most teams scheduled the other conference. In 2022 Buffalo St. played all 4 of their non-league games against the E8. Scheduling is hard and ADs want to make it easy. Problem is with Cortland's championship NYS football has gained much credibility and this idea is going to surely kill stepping up the schedule.

Why?...It's definitely going to hurt some teams more than others. RPI has a rivalry game against WPI, the Transit Trophy, that they've played for 40+ years. Will that continue? Union has a rivalry against Springfield that I know they'd both like to continue. St. Lawrence plays Norwich every year. These games are key for recruiting in New England but if they play those games they have no room for anything else...And what about their SOS for teams which will be playing struggling Hilbert instead of a strong OOC team? Sounds like it's a done deal for 2025 and 2026 but I don't think it'll last.

unionpalooza · June 20, 2024, 10:22:37 PM

I don't mind the scheduling agreement - makes the program's lives easier, and it will be fun to see Union play Cortland and Brockport at some point in the rotation.

Can't stand adding Hilbert; zero in common with the core LL schools, and a major drag on everyone's SOS. It almost look like they were trying to correct the mismatch in E8/LL overall league strength.