ECACs

[AUKaz00]

Pep band update: we currently have confirmations from 2 trumpets, a sousaphone, bass drum and kazoo.  We're hoping to convince another handful of musicians to make the trip, but we'll be there making noise regardless of our size.

On Saxon Warriors!

[SJFF82]

By the way, don't think I haven't forgotten about your nice little "Some of us have higher expectations than losing to Cortland and going to the ECAC's every year" comment about Ithaca. We'll be thinking of you as we host an NCAA game. Enjoy Maine

Actually, that was "SJF Fan" who said that....not "fishfan"  BTW....stop responding to this clown called "fishfan"....he is clearly feeding off of the reponses he is getting.  He has nothing to say and will stop posting when people stop responding..

[Frank Rossi]

OK...OK...I'm going to ask it once and for all...

Please, somebody, explain to me the history of the Alfred Pep Band that makes it an annual discussion point.  I'm not dissing it -- I'm just trying to understand the history of it all!

[SJFF82]

OK...OK...I'm going to ask it once and for all...

Please, somebody, explain to me the history of the Alfred Pep Band that makes it an annual discussion point.  I'm not dissing it -- I'm just trying to understand the history of it all!

And you stop taking "fishfan"'s posts and attributing them to the whole program

[Frank Rossi]

OK...OK...I'm going to ask it once and for all...

Please, somebody, explain to me the history of the Alfred Pep Band that makes it an annual discussion point.  I'm not dissing it -- I'm just trying to understand the history of it all!

And you stop taking "fishfan"'s posts and attributing them to the whole program

As I said, I don't "hate" all Fisher fans... I've called enough of your games over the past 3 years to have a certain fondness.  Robby has been a friend over that time, and I've gotten close to others in that time, too.  The issue is the persistence of the Pearl Harboring going on here.  It's one thing if the AD were tearing your program apart or diverting resources to other sports in the name of self-promotion.  It's another thing if the players and coaches are simply having a tougher time on the field since there's a big bullseye on them every time they play now.  SJF's commitment to their football program internally is very strong.  People's comments should mirror that support -- not run counter to it.

[Senor RedTackle]

"Robby"?? Ugh...a little too familiar for RT

[fisheralum91]

wow- miss a day and i miss all this?
sheesh.
fish fan- dont know who ya are but the slammin has to stop.

you sound like a sci fi movie "help me obi ROB you're my only hope"

oh- no offense btw rob-  :Pits all good

[Senor RedTackle]

Btw, the only thing that got RT through these last couple of weeks of RPI losses is Sirius's "Hairnation" channel (now on XM as well)

How can Brittney Fox NOT make things right in the world??

[Bombers798891]

Btw, the only thing that got RT through these last couple of weeks of RPI losses is Sirius's "Hairnation" channel (now on XM as well)

How can Brittney Fox NOT make things right in the world??

it's Britny Fox but K+ anyway for the reference

[Senor RedTackle]

You get the point..which is "at the girls' school, my baby broke all the rules"

[theoriginalupstate]

As I said, I don't "hate" all Fisher fans... I've called enough of your games over the past 3 years to have a certain fondness.  Robby has been a friend over that time, and I've gotten close to others in that time, too.  The issue is the persistence of the Pearl Harboring going on here.  It's one thing if the AD were tearing your program apart or diverting resources to other sports in the name of self-promotion.  It's another thing if the players and coaches are simply having a tougher time on the field since there's a big bullseye on them every time they play now.  SJF's commitment to their football program internally is very strong.  People's comments should mirror that support -- not run counter to it.

Ok Frank, while I very much respect your contributions on here I think that you may be off on this one.  SJF put themselves in this mess, with the super aggressive schedule, the installation of the new offense and having a first year starting QB.  It was destined for failure.  How much of their own Kool Aid must the be drinking if they expect to be successful playing this schedule while installing a new offensive scheme suited for speed and athleticism by a first year QB and RB that do not posess those traits??  They bit off way more than they can chew this year.  SJF tried walking the walk and talking the talk this year and ended up on crutches talking out of a small hole in their throat with a voice box. 

I dont understand why they didnt simplify the playbook this year to cut back on their mistakes by a new QB.  They tried to hard to out think the other coaches in the conference, to be honest I really think they just ended up outsmarting themselves this year.  If your going to go out and try to be the big bad bully of the east only to have it horrificly blow up in your face there is going to be some sort of critizism from outside and inside of the program. 

I am very passionate about that team and that school.  I blew out my knee there, I got many turf burns there before they switched surfaces there, I was there when they went 6-4 and then 8-3 and knew how important it was to the program to go to the ECAC's for the first time.  I still get physically sick to my stomach when this team loses and even struggles to win, do I go overboard?? No question about it but with their recent success comes expectations from Alumni, the parents, the fans and even other teams from the conference and region. 

[lewdogg11]

As I said, I don't "hate" all Fisher fans... I've called enough of your games over the past 3 years to have a certain fondness.  Robby has been a friend over that time, and I've gotten close to others in that time, too.  The issue is the persistence of the Pearl Harboring going on here.  It's one thing if the AD were tearing your program apart or diverting resources to other sports in the name of self-promotion.  It's another thing if the players and coaches are simply having a tougher time on the field since there's a big bullseye on them every time they play now.  SJF's commitment to their football program internally is very strong.  People's comments should mirror that support -- not run counter to it.

Ok Frank, while I very much respect your contributions on here I think that you may be off on this one.  SJF put themselves in this mess, with the super aggressive schedule, the installation of the new offense and having a first year starting QB.  It was destined for failure.  How much of their own Kool Aid must the be drinking if they expect to be successful playing this schedule while installing a new offensive scheme suited for speed and athleticism by a first year QB and RB that do not posess those traits??  They bit off way more than they can chew this year.  SJF tried walking the walk and talking the talk this year and ended up on crutches talking out of a small hole in their throat with a voice box. 

I dont understand why they didnt simplify the playbook this year to cut back on their mistakes by a new QB.  They tried to hard to out think the other coaches in the conference, to be honest I really think they just ended up outsmarting themselves this year.  If your going to go out and try to be the big bad bully of the east only to have it horrificly blow up in your face there is going to be some sort of critizism from outside and inside of the program. 

I am very passionate about that team and that school.  I blew out my knee there, I got many turf burns there before they switched surfaces there, I was there when they went 6-4 and then 8-3 and knew how important it was to the program to go to the ECAC's for the first time.  I still get physically sick to my stomach when this team loses and even struggles to win, do I go overboard?? No question about it but with their recent success comes expectations from Alumni, the parents, the fans and even other teams from the conference and region. 

Frank has a hard time criticizing the team he is devoted to if they are 'committed' to football.  It doesn't matter if the coaches are making poor decisions, can't get the kids motivated, or just aren't good enough coaches to get them to the next level.  As long as they are committed, you aren't allowed to criticize them.

Let's face it, Fisher, Ithaca, RPI, Hobart, Union, and even Hartwick, ALL have bullseyes on their backs.  Who cares.  As fans, we expect them to win every game, every year, leave the excuses at the door.  If a coaching staff isn't getting it done, or has maxed out with just how far they can bring them, I think fans are MORE than entitled to make any comments they want to.

Just beware the wrath of Frank.

[Frank Rossi]

Frank has a hard time criticizing the team he is devoted to if they are 'committed' to football.  It doesn't matter if the coaches are making poor decisions, can't get the kids motivated, or just aren't good enough coaches to get them to the next level.  As long as they are committed, you aren't allowed to criticize them.

Let's face it, Fisher, Ithaca, RPI, Hobart, Union, and even Hartwick, ALL have bullseyes on their backs.  Who cares.  As fans, we expect them to win every game, every year, leave the excuses at the door.  If a coaching staff isn't getting it done, or has maxed out with just how far they can bring them, I think fans are MORE than entitled to make any comments they want to.

Just beware the wrath of Frank.

A commitment to a program is the willingness to pay for an away game to Mount Union and to Salisbury. 

A commitment to a program is to know there could be ramifications to those actions but to understand that ultimately, those ramifications could actually make that team better over time.

A commitment to a program is the investment of a great deal of money to prop up your facilities to make the comfort of your student-athletes improve and to induce high-quality players to make a trek to attend your school.

The points that are being discussed here about what has led to the "downfall" of SJF this year is actually the exact process that got the team to the heights they saw over the past few years.  SJF's schedule ranked as one of the most potent schedules around in the early 2000s -- while slowly creating a buildup of wins and dropoff in losses.  One season does not a trend make -- especially a season that was technically 6-3 when you toss out their warm-up game at Mt. Union.  It's simple to throw stones at these guys, LD, but to criticize at this point would be to show naivity as to the history of the SJF program and their buildup.

Just because it doesn't work the way we all "expect" in 2008 doesn't make the "Kool-Aid" bad.  It means that perhaps the team had an experience drop-off that festered upon itself throughout the year.  How do you build experience?  You play games against teams that may be better than you.  You're speaking out of both sides of your mouth since you're the RPI guy who frequently condemns the RPI out-of-conference schedule.  So, which is it?  Do you favor a tougher or an easier schedule?  Be consistent.

Remember something:  SJF was an extra point away from its third consecutive trip to the NCAAs this year.  Is that truly underperformance?  Is 6-4 (or 6-3) really worth condemning and criticizing the coaches and players to THIS degree?  The administration, coaches and even players are angst-ridden enough about their own performance -- they don't basque in these results.  They don't need fans to take pot-shots at them on a daily basis.  Their success buildup over the past decade should perhaps give the team a free pass for a year before Chicken Little runs around declaring that the sky is falling.

There's a difference between bringing up points for improvement and simple destructive commentary that bases itself on things that cannot be changed instantaneously.  That's where a lot of the SJF criticism has gone, though, and that's my issue.  We all Monday-morning quarterback.  However, your comments seem to suggest that calling for people's heads for one fair year is acceptable.  Well, my suggestion is to follow my own example at Union -- ask questions first, form your own opinions based on available information, wait to see if a trend is truly present and still try to accentuate the strengths of players while discussing the negatives you might see.  It took me three years to call for some focus to be placed at the top of the Union Athletics food chain based on a trend I found and that was confirmed by other Union fans.  It wasn't based on ONE SEASON. 

These are people's livelihoods, LD.  It's easy to act like this is Madden '08 and say that heads must roll.  This is real life, though, and one year of below-expected performance is not what should allow that discussion to manifest.  If that were the case, then John Audino's and Joe King's heads should have rolled a long time ago.  And neither of us believe for one second that such a move would've been a positive move for either program.  Again, be consistent and watch what you wish for here.

[Senor RedTackle]

Lots of passion today. Maybe we need a timeout. Does anyone else like white cheddar Cheez Its? Damn those are awesome and now they have Parmesian and Garlic, can you believe that?? I can eat a whole box of that shiz...

[Frank Rossi]

Lots of passion today. Maybe we need a timeout. Does anyone else like white cheddar Cheez Its? Damn those are awesome and now they have Parmesian and Garlic, can you believe that?? I can eat a whole box of that shiz...

Maybe we can get them as an ITH sponsor???



"This is Senor RT -- and I don't agree with Golic. 
Screw Nutri-System, I'm on the Cheez-It diet!"