East Region Fan Poll

[AUKaz00]

So, that brings us to the common opponent theory...Utica...RPI beats Utica by 3...the masses say 'RPI sucks, they only beat them by 3'.  Then Ithaca wins by the same margin, and it turns into 'Utica must be much improved'.  

Pour me that blue kool-aid.

You may want to consider that it wasn't the fact that they did it to Ithaca, but the fact that they did it twice in a row.

Where the games were played should also factor in a little bit.  RPI pulled it out at home by 3 while Ithaca overcame their deficit in Utica and won by 3.  If I'm doing the common opponent comparison then I mentally like to arbitrarily factor in 3 points for home field.  By that logic, Utica and RPI are equal on a neutral field while Ithaca is 6 points better.  What does that tell us about the relative strength of any of those three against the rest of the East Region?  I don't really know, but time will tell.

[lewdogg11]

So, that brings us to the common opponent theory...Utica...RPI beats Utica by 3...the masses say 'RPI sucks, they only beat them by 3'.  Then Ithaca wins by the same margin, and it turns into 'Utica must be much improved'.  

Pour me that blue kool-aid.

You may want to consider that it wasn't the fact that they did it to Ithaca, but the fact that they did it twice in a row.

Where the games were played should also factor in a little bit.  RPI pulled it out at home by 3 while Ithaca overcame their deficit in Utica and won by 3.  If I'm doing the common opponent comparison then I mentally like to arbitrarily factor in 3 points for home field.  By that logic, Utica and RPI are equal on a neutral field while Ithaca is 6 points better.  What does that tell us about the relative strength of any of those three against the rest of the East Region?  I don't really know, but time will tell.

Come on, this is d3 football.  It's not like walking into the confines of USC, or Notre Dame, or Michigan.  Home Field advantage isn't that big a deal.  Especially when RPI's home field is brand new to them as well.  They don't know where the soft spots on the parquet floor are yet.

[AUPepBand]

PG04....when will you be posting this week's East Region Fan Poll?

All this chatter (like the girls at a volleyball match!) has me wondering, with a multitude of takes on the first four weeks of 2009, how it pans out in votes.

On Saxon Warriors!

*Note: Alfred is guaranteed NOT to lose this Saterday.

[AUPepBand]

So, that brings us to the common opponent theory...Utica...RPI beats Utica by 3...the masses say 'RPI sucks, they only beat them by 3'.  Then Ithaca wins by the same margin, and it turns into 'Utica must be much improved'.  

Pour me that blue kool-aid.

You may want to consider that it wasn't the fact that they did it to Ithaca, but the fact that they did it twice in a row.

Where the games were played should also factor in a little bit.  RPI pulled it out at home by 3 while Ithaca overcame their deficit in Utica and won by 3.  If I'm doing the common opponent comparison then I mentally like to arbitrarily factor in 3 points for home field.  By that logic, Utica and RPI are equal on a neutral field while Ithaca is 6 points better.  What does that tell us about the relative strength of any of those three against the rest of the East Region?  I don't really know, but time will tell.

Come on, this is d3 football.  It's not like walking into the confines of USC, or Notre Dame, or Michigan.  Home Field advantage isn't that big a deal.  Especially when RPI's home field is brand new to them as well.  They don't know where the soft spots on the parquet floor are yet.

Seriously....Springfield playing at Butterfield where they douse the "turf" with Rapid-Gro?
That's not worth something? Fans aren't of any value? Heck, AU Pep Band, according to players and coaches, is worth anywhere from 5 to 7 points for the Saxons, depending on the band's performance....

[lewdogg11]

So, that brings us to the common opponent theory...Utica...RPI beats Utica by 3...the masses say 'RPI sucks, they only beat them by 3'.  Then Ithaca wins by the same margin, and it turns into 'Utica must be much improved'.  

Pour me that blue kool-aid.

You may want to consider that it wasn't the fact that they did it to Ithaca, but the fact that they did it twice in a row.

Where the games were played should also factor in a little bit.  RPI pulled it out at home by 3 while Ithaca overcame their deficit in Utica and won by 3.  If I'm doing the common opponent comparison then I mentally like to arbitrarily factor in 3 points for home field.  By that logic, Utica and RPI are equal on a neutral field while Ithaca is 6 points better.  What does that tell us about the relative strength of any of those three against the rest of the East Region?  I don't really know, but time will tell.

Come on, this is d3 football.  It's not like walking into the confines of USC, or Notre Dame, or Michigan.  Home Field advantage isn't that big a deal.  Especially when RPI's home field is brand new to them as well.  They don't know where the soft spots on the parquet floor are yet.

Seriously....Springfield playing at Butterfield where they douse the "turf" with Rapid-Gro?
That's not worth something? Fans aren't of any value? Heck, AU Pep Band, according to players and coaches, is worth anywhere from 5 to 7 points for the Saxons, depending on the band's performance....

Springfield and Hartwick not playing on their turf are the only 2 i'd let slide.

[AUPepBand]

Dr. Lew: What about playing in the cage at Hartwick? That's not been a kind place for Ithaca and St. John Fisher of late.

Pep will give you the point on the new digs at RPI being somewhat new to the Engineers, albeit they've no doubt had plenty of practice there. 'Tis a far cry from the frozen cat turd surface of Ye Olde '86 Field where AU's cleats never broke the surface in the field's last hurrah, a hard-fought 3-pt. RPI win, attended arguably by as many Saxon fans as folks dressed in red.

Pep is also aware of one RPI fan who despite the sub-freezing temperatures, shed his RPI red jacket to reveal his true colors as a Saxon fan, wearing purple closest to his heart and joining the AU Pep Band in the second half of a fabulous football finale! Sadly, the homestanding RPI Pep Band chose to depart, ne'r to be seen in the second half. Has the band been thawed out yet so they can participate in 2009? Do the new digs include a heated balcony for the band?   

[lewdogg11]

Dr. Lew: What about playing in the cage at Hartwick? That's not been a kind place for Ithaca and St. John Fisher of late.

Read.  Above.  Post.

[AUKaz00]

So, that brings us to the common opponent theory...Utica...RPI beats Utica by 3...the masses say 'RPI sucks, they only beat them by 3'.  Then Ithaca wins by the same margin, and it turns into 'Utica must be much improved'.  

Pour me that blue kool-aid.

You may want to consider that it wasn't the fact that they did it to Ithaca, but the fact that they did it twice in a row.

Where the games were played should also factor in a little bit.  RPI pulled it out at home by 3 while Ithaca overcame their deficit in Utica and won by 3.  If I'm doing the common opponent comparison then I mentally like to arbitrarily factor in 3 points for home field.  By that logic, Utica and RPI are equal on a neutral field while Ithaca is 6 points better.  What does that tell us about the relative strength of any of those three against the rest of the East Region?  I don't really know, but time will tell.

Come on, this is d3 football.  It's not like walking into the confines of USC, or Notre Dame, or Michigan.  Home Field advantage isn't that big a deal.  Especially when RPI's home field is brand new to them as well.  They don't know where the soft spots on the parquet floor are yet.

Seriously....Springfield playing at Butterfield where they douse the "turf" with Rapid-Gro?
That's not worth something? Fans aren't of any value? Heck, AU Pep Band, according to players and coaches, is worth anywhere from 5 to 7 points for the Saxons, depending on the band's performance....

Springfield and Hartwick not playing on their turf are the only 2 i'd let slide.

While the venues aren't as big as D-I, the athletes aren't as polished either.  Regardless of whether home field advantage is more or less pronounced at this level than another, the home team doesn't have to stay in a hotel the night before or travel the day of plus they are playing in front of the bigger crowd while the visiting team is supported by the parents and girlfriends that choose to travel.  There has to be some effect and I don't claim to know the extent, so using 3 points is just as arbitrary as anything in my mind.

[fisheralum91]

upstate- i hate to even ask- but who is down??
that many starters?

[theoriginalupstate]

upstate- i hate to even ask- but who is down??
that many starters?

Check your inbox...

[AUPepBand]

upstate- i hate to even ask- but who is down??
that many starters?

Check your inbox...

Send me a PM, too! 

[JQV]

While the venues aren't as big as D-I, the athletes aren't as polished either.  Regardless of whether home field advantage is more or less pronounced at this level than another, the home team doesn't have to stay in a hotel the night before or travel the day of plus they are playing in front of the bigger crowd while the visiting team is supported by the parents and girlfriends that choose to travel.  There has to be some effect and I don't claim to know the extent, so using 3 points is just as arbitrary as anything in my mind.

I gotta agree.  I think it is the travel that gives a homefield advantage in D3.  The swamp is a tough place to play but at least you get to fly in on a charter Thursday night, spend Friday in Tampa or Ocala, then drive up an hour for the game.  No long bus rides. (Plus, if you have the resources UF has, you can take two separate charters so your healthy players don't catch the respiratory infection your sick players have during the flight)

Plus, if homefield advantage doesn't exist, why does IC have a winning percentage in the .900s at Butterfield Stadium and why did they go 20 or so years between losses to a private school there?

[redswarm81]

Come on, this is d3 football.  It's not like walking into the confines of USC, or Notre Dame, or Michigan.  Home Field advantage isn't that big a deal.  Especially when RPI's home field is brand new to them as well.  They don't know where the soft spots on the parquet floor are yet.

Seriously....Springfield playing at Butterfield where they douse the "turf" with Rapid-Gro?
That's not worth something? Fans aren't of any value? Heck, AU Pep Band, according to players and coaches, is worth anywhere from 5 to 7 points for the Saxons, depending on the band's performance....

Springfield and Hartwick not playing on their turf are the only 2 i'd let slide.

Dr. Lew: What about playing in the cage at Hartwick? That's not been a kind place for Ithaca and St. John Fisher of late.

Pep will give you the point on the new digs at RPI being somewhat new to the Engineers, albeit they've no doubt had plenty of practice there. 'Tis a far cry from the frozen cat turd surface of Ye Olde '86 Field where AU's cleats never broke the surface in the field's last hurrah, a hard-fought 3-pt. RPI win, attended arguably by as many Saxon fans as folks dressed in red.

While the venues aren't as big as D-I, the athletes aren't as polished either.  Regardless of whether home field advantage is more or less pronounced at this level than another, the home team doesn't have to stay in a hotel the night before or travel the day of plus they are playing in front of the bigger crowd while the visiting team is supported by the parents and girlfriends that choose to travel.  There has to be some effect and I don't claim to know the extent, so using 3 points is just as arbitrary as anything in my mind.

I'm with the Doc on this one.  I certainly never noticed any home field advantage when I was playing.  If anything, I might have detected an away field advantage, for at least a couple of reasons that I noticed:

• 
  The entire team together in one location, despite the fact that it was an out of town hotel, minimized the distractions and uncertainty of the night before and pre-game prep;
• Playing at another field minimized the frustration and disappointment felt over the lack of fans at '86 Field.

[lewdogg11]

While the venues aren't as big as D-I, the athletes aren't as polished either.  Regardless of whether home field advantage is more or less pronounced at this level than another, the home team doesn't have to stay in a hotel the night before or travel the day of plus they are playing in front of the bigger crowd while the visiting team is supported by the parents and girlfriends that choose to travel.  There has to be some effect and I don't claim to know the extent, so using 3 points is just as arbitrary as anything in my mind.

I gotta agree.  I think it is the travel that gives a homefield advantage in D3.  The swamp is a tough place to play but at least you get to fly in on a charter Thursday night, spend Friday in Tampa or Ocala, then drive up an hour for the game.  No long bus rides. (Plus, if you have the resources UF has, you can take two separate charters so your healthy players don't catch the respiratory infection your sick players have during the flight)

Plus, if homefield advantage doesn't exist, why does IC have a winning percentage in the .900s at Butterfield Stadium and why did they go 20 or so years between losses to a private school there?

What is there overall winning percentage through those years?  This is a question that I don't know the answer to.  just curious.

[JQV]

While the venues aren't as big as D-I, the athletes aren't as polished either.  Regardless of whether home field advantage is more or less pronounced at this level than another, the home team doesn't have to stay in a hotel the night before or travel the day of plus they are playing in front of the bigger crowd while the visiting team is supported by the parents and girlfriends that choose to travel.  There has to be some effect and I don't claim to know the extent, so using 3 points is just as arbitrary as anything in my mind.

I gotta agree.  I think it is the travel that gives a homefield advantage in D3.  The swamp is a tough place to play but at least you get to fly in on a charter Thursday night, spend Friday in Tampa or Ocala, then drive up an hour for the game.  No long bus rides. (Plus, if you have the resources UF has, you can take two separate charters so your healthy players don't catch the respiratory infection your sick players have during the flight)

Plus, if homefield advantage doesn't exist, why does IC have a winning percentage in the .900s at Butterfield Stadium and why did they go 20 or so years between losses to a private school there?

What is there overall winning percentage through those years?  This is a question that I don't know the answer to.  just curious.

Without looking it up, I'd guess it is in the .870s or .880s.