Patriot League Pick 'em - Week 8

[carney2]

Bye week. Can anyone remember the last time that almost half the League was off in the middle of the season?

COLGATE @ Yale

LAFAYETTE @ Harvard

HOLY CROSS @ Dartmouth

LEHIGH @ Cornell

Bye: BUCKNELL, FORDHAM, GEORGETOWN

[Pards Rule]

C2 - you are picking the Pards in an upset? Well it was 5 years ago that we went there and kicked a$$

[Pard4Life]

Harvard 42, Lafayette 17 (garbage time points)

[Skyhawk71]

Colgate @ Yale
Lafayette @ Harvard
Holy Cross @ Dartmouth
Lehigh @ Cornell

[Bogus Megapardus]

Here's how I would set the Power Ratings this week:

Fordham
Colgate
Bucknell
Lafayette
Georgetown
Holy Cross
Lehigh

[LehighU11]

I wasn't overly impressed with Bucknell yesterday. If #18 is held in check, anyone in the PL can beat them. I'd set my Power Rankings accordingly:

Tier 1:
Fordham
Tier 2:
Colgate
Lafayette
Bucknell
Georgetown
Holy Cross: There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and HC finding a way to lose a game.
Tier 3:
Easton
Parkland
Freedom
Whitehall
Lehigh: I bet the Northampton freshman/junior high team of Konkrete Kids occupying the otherwise vacant student section at Goodman yesterday could put up 400+ yards of offense against LU.

[FordhamFan]

Bye weeks are the worst, guys

[Bogus Megapardus]

Bye weeks are the worst, guys

But nobody has to play Fordham, so . . .

[Sader87]

As I really didn't follow HC football that closely after we went non-scholly to about when Gilmore turned them around in the mid/late 00s I'm not as well versed on PL history as many here are.

My question is, what other years beside Holy Cross in 1987 and seemingly Fordham this year has there been a season with one PL team so superior to all others?

[Bogus Megapardus]

My question is, what other years beside Holy Cross in 1987 and seemingly Fordham this year has there been a season with one PL team so superior to all others?

Oh geez, I can't wait for this. I see what you're doing there, Sader87 - and it's pretty darn funny. xnodx

[Sader87]

Oh geez, I can't wait for this. I see what you're doing there, Sader87 - and it's pretty darn funny. xnodx

LOL....who, me????

In all seriousness though, I can't see any of the remaining PL opponents coming within 20 or so points of Fordham this year. Fordham is very good this year no doubt, but all the other PL teams this year are pretty much on a sliding scale of below-average to average week-to-week.

[LehighU11]

As I really didn't follow HC football that closely after we went non-scholly to about when Gilmore turned them around in the mid/late 00s I'm not as well versed on PL history as many here are.

My question is, what other years beside Holy Cross in 1987 and seemingly Fordham this year has there been a season with one PL team so superior to all others?

You could make an argument for Lehigh in 2011. Went 11-2 with a controversial loss to UNH in OT and the playoff loss at eventual champ NDSU. Beat all PL opponents by 20+ points, except HC (who they beat 14-7 2 days after the school was closed for almost a week without power).

[heath]

Lehigh at Cornell. Is someone really suppose to win this game? It will mess up one of their streaks. Lets just settle on a tie and move forward...........or backwards, not sure which is correctxrolleyesxxrolleyesx

[Pards Rule]

You could make an argument for Lehigh in 2011. Went 11-2 with a controversial loss to UNH in OT and the playoff loss at eventual champ NDSU. Beat all PL opponents by 20+ points, except HC (who they beat 14-7 2 days after the school was closed for almost a week without power).

Here, I do agree with LU11...2011 was Hurricane Irene in late August or were you referring to the pre-Halloween snow (6 inches + in Lehigh Valley - I was at that nights Bucknell-Lafayette game in Easton) on October 29th that year - ironically exactly one year before Sandy! Swamped my shore (LBI - Long Beach Island, NJ) condo with 2 feet inside - total of 5 ft outside since it was 3 foot on block!

[Bogus Megapardus]

1992 Pards would have beaten 2011 Squawkers. xthumbsupx

[LehighU11]

Here, I do agree with LU11...2011 was Hurricane Irene in late August or were you referring to the pre-Halloween snow (6 inches + in Lehigh Valley - I was at that nights Bucknell-Lafayette game in Easton) on October 29th that year - ironically exactly one year before Sandy! Swamped my shore (LBI - Long Beach Island, NJ) condo with 2 feet inside - total of 5 ft outside since it was 3 foot on block!

Yep, it was that snow storm in late October! It was also my last semester on South Mountain. I watched the LU-Colgate game in Hamilton on Service Electric and the power cut out that afternoon, right around the Bucknell-LC game at Fisher. The campus was evacuated on Sunday and power was finally restored on Wednesday night. I believe Moravian gave Lehigh access to some of their equipment/facilities to prepare for the HC game, and Lafayette may have helped in some way, too.

[crusader11]

As I really didn't follow HC football that closely after we went non-scholly to about when Gilmore turned them around in the mid/late 00s I'm not as well versed on PL history as many here are.

My question is, what other years beside Holy Cross in 1987 and seemingly Fordham this year has there been a season with one PL team so superior to all others?

I have read something about this thing called "Air Lehigh" in the past. They were good.


Those teams also knew how to play defense.

[Fordham]

I have read something about this thing called "Air Lehigh" in the past. They were good.


Those teams also knew how to play defense.if I understand the question though it's not 'who is the best PL team ever?' As much as it is "when did they PL have such a spread between the top teams and the rest?" Those Air Lehigh squads were great but they still had some decent PL squads to contend with in order to win the title.

Fwiw, I'm still very concerned about the Bucknell game as that was a throttling they gave this weekend. Save for one game with some awful turnovers I'my not convinced Bucknell is a push over by any means. Add to it another nonsense Friday night game but away this time, as well as Bucknell's history of knocking off our best squads, and I'm definitely not overconfident

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The PL has always had:

* the top 1-2 teams which are Top 25 worthy. They have given championship-caliber teams mighty scares in the playoffs, and occasionally have beat some of them. One made it all the way to the FCS NCG.

* the middle 3-4 teams that are average- to below-average that would struggle against mid-level CAA teams

* the bottom 1-2 teams that are among the worst in FCS

The top teams have not always been Lehigh and Colgate - Fordham, Lafayette, and (one season) Holy Cross have occupied that spot. Georgetown has mostly been at the bottom, but some years have made it into that middle area. Bucknell had been at the bottom, but they're making a bid to be one of those top teams, for the first time since 1997, this season.

You can set your watch by it.

[Sader87]

Outside of Fordham this year though, I would argue that the PL doesn't have another team that is really Top 50, never mind Top 25.

[RichH2]

Have little confidence in any pick this week. Oh well :)
LU someone has to win do.t they?
Gate Are Raiders for real ?
Harvard. Should win easily but dont think they will
Dartmouth. Purple guys s/b better but they're not.


28-10 in a meh season,

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Outside of Fordham this year though, I would argue that the PL doesn't have another team that is really Top 50, never mind Top 25.

Read my post again more carefully.

[carney2]

C2 - you are picking the Pards in an upset? Well it was 5 years ago that we went there and kicked a$$

If you define "upset" as getting within 21 points of them, I give us a chance. Not anywhere near a 50% chance, but a chance.

Looking forward to #150 though. A bad team vs. a terrible team. Already TVs are being turned off across America. The perfect day would be rain, snow, high winds and temperatures in the 20s. Yes, a day to look forward to - a premier sukfest.

[Pards Rule]

If you define "upset" as getting within 21 points of them, I give us a chance. Not anywhere near a 50% chance, but a chance.

Looking forward to #150 though. A bad team vs. a terrible team. Already TVs are being turned off across America. The perfect day would be rain, snow, high winds and temperatures in the 20s. Yes, a day to look forward to - a premier sukfest.

Didn't you capitalize LAFAYETTE though in the pick? For the winner?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Lehigh

LFN, that Iona avi is just wrong. I'd go with this classic Oberlin College helmet instead:





http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/Oberlin_OH_OLD1.gif



Or perhaps the Marietta College design from their classic run:





http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/Marietta_OH_OLD2.gif


But if you're really feeling that low, why not Swarthmore? An instant classic:






http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/Swarthmore_PA.gif

[Pards Rule]

LFN, that Iona avi is just wrong. I'd go with this classic Oberlin College helmet instead:




http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/Oberlin_OH_OLD1.gif





Or perhaps the Marietta College design from their classic run:




http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/Marietta_OH_OLD2.gif




I was wondering what that was!

[Bogus Megapardus]

I was wondering what that was!

The 2003 Iona Gaels would beat the 2014 Brownie Scouts.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I have to apologize for posting all those helmets and express my regret to the proud players who once wore them. I was wrong to post them here and I admit it.

The only helmet that seems appropriate in this instance would be from Miss Porter's School:





http://i58.tinypic.com/2gx2qmt.gif

[LehighU11]

Fwiw, I'm still very concerned about the Bucknell game as that was a throttling they gave this weekend. Save for one game with some awful turnovers I'my not convinced Bucknell is a push over by any means. Add to it another nonsense Friday night game but away this time, as well as Bucknell's history of knocking off our best squads, and I'm definitely not overconfident

As long as the Rams' DBs show up, Bucknell should be no tougher than any other PL foe this year. Lehigh's terrible defense didn't learn from last year's thrashing in Lewisburg, and put just one defender on the fast, but smaller WR #18. He burnt them for TD receptions of 69, 78, and 77 yards yesterday. Gotta give Bucknell credit for the win and exploiting what has been the weakest link in the LU defense since last season.

[Ivytalk]

Yale
Harvard
Dartmouth
Lehigh

[Go...gate]

Lehigh is going to have their day. I know that "you are what your record says you are", but LU is much too good to be 0-5.

[bonarae]

Colgate
Harvard
Dartmouth
Lehigh

[BucBisonAtLarge]

Colgate
Harvard
Dartmouth- I honestly want to pick HC, but 3 of my 7 losses this season have come at the expense of my New Englander/Patriot League expat heart.
Lehigh

[carney2]

Didn't you capitalize LAFAYETTE though in the pick? For the winner?

I'm assuming that you are not joshing me - although that seems impossible after all these years. Therefore, and being serious, in the first post of this thread each week the Patriot League teams are capitalized to distinguish them from the lesser lights of other confeences. Therefore the upper case is a designation and not a choice of probable winners. Are we on the same page?

[Pards Rule]

I'm assuming that you are not joshing me - although that seems impossible after all these years. Therefore, and being serious, in the first post of this thread each week the Patriot League teams are capitalized to distinguish them from the lesser lights of other confeences. Therefore the upper case is a designation and not a choice of probable winners. Are we on the same page?

Gotcha - ok misread..I was wondering

[Go...gate]

Yale will be tough for Colgate, especially at the Bowl.

[jimbo65]

Colgate

Harvard

Dartmouth

Lehigh IMO the best overall team in the PL since Fordham joined. What is going on this season?

[ColgateTD]

Yale will be tough for Colgate, especially at the Bowl.

Next three games are gonna be tough for Gate. Generally we play the Eli tough but it's problematic how Jake and some of the younger players will react to that huge bowl.

[PAllen]

I'm going with an Ivy sweep this week.

Yale pulls one out at home.
Harvard wins big
Dartmouth holds off HC
Lehigh makes Cornell look good.

[PAllen]

Lehigh is going to have their day. I know that "you are what your record says you are", but LU is much too good to be 0-5.

No, we're really not. Remember that our blowout loss on Saturday was against a team missing two of it's top offensive weapons. Lehigh has a few bright sparks on the team, and most of them are underclassmen, so the future should be bright. But right now, this year, we have the worst LU team I have ever witnessed.

[PAllen]

The 2003 Iona Gaels would beat the 2014 Brownie Scouts.

There are a couple of high schools that would have a good shot. (and that's not just me being dismal).

[heath]

Lehigh is going to have their day. I know that "you are what your record says you are", but LU is much too good to be 0-5.
Hope you are right. Lehigh did start out 1-5 in 2009, finished 4-7 with the great OT win vs Laffy in Goodman. I think all LU fans are hoping for something similar. The only game with zero chance of winning is Fordham. I was thinking an Ivy sweep this week, but that would be 0-6 for LU, so why not a PL sweep?xembarrassedx

[Sader87]

Lehigh is not that bad....nearly beating JMU and Yale on the road belies the fact that are an "awful team."

They obviously aren't good either. My belief is that the 5 schools that are 50/50 schollie/financial aid are all sort of in a tough transitional phase and this has led to problems both on and off the field. Some schools have handled it bettah than others but all are sort of in that "one step forward, two steps back" season which has led to no one other than Fordham in the PL being a truly legitimate Top 25/playoff team this season.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Lehigh is not that bad....nearly beating JMU and Yale on the road belies the fact that are an "awful team."

They obviously aren't good either. My belief is that the 5 schools that are 50/50 schollie/financial aid are all sort of in a tough transitional phase and this has led to problems both on and off the field. Some schools have handled it bettah than others but all are sort of in that "one step forward, two steps back" season which has led to no one other than Fordham in the PL being a truly legitimate Top 25/playoff team this season.

Lehigh may not be an "awful" team but their defense certainly is!!

While it seems right now that Fordham's league title is set in stone, let's not forget that they still have to play Bucknell and Colgate.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Lehigh may not be an "awful" team but their defense certainly is!!

While it seems right now that Fordham's league title is set in stone, let's not forget that they still have to play Bucknell and Colgate.

They also still need to play Lehigh and Georgetown.

[Bogus Megapardus]

So . . . isn't anybody going to make the comparison that Lafayette started 1-5 last season and wound up winning the Patriot League?

[Lehigh'98]

They also still need to play Lehigh and Georgetown.

Yes, while completely unnecessary, you must play each game on your schedule to get the win.
i know you don't mean that we have any chance of beating Fordham.

[RichH2]

Done and done a coupla weeks ago. Remains to be seen whether tougher competition makes for a better team with LU. Did for Pards. We' ll see if these kids can learn how to win. One can hopexdrunkyx

[carney2]

COLGATE @ Yale - I don't know why my mind still has the 'gaters as a question mark, but so it is. Thinking that Eli beats them at home.

LAFAYETTE @ Harvard - Do the Pards last a quarter? A half? Can they get into the second half before that old scoreboard starts a-smokin'?

HOLY CROSS @ Dartmouth - Giving up on the 'saders. Wait 'til next year and all of that.

LEHIGH @ Cornell - The last best hope to avoid an Ivy sweep. Any guesstimates as to the "crowd?"

[LehighU11]

My belief is that the 5 schools that are 50/50 schollie/financial aid are all sort of in a tough transitional phase and this has led to problems both on and off the field. Some schools have handled it bettah than others but all are sort of in that "one step forward, two steps back" season which has led to no one other than Fordham in the PL being a truly legitimate Top 25/playoff team this season.

That's a very good point. Let's not forget that Fordham struggled during their first two seasons with scholarship players, finishing 5-6 (3-3) in 2010 and 1-10 (1 win over Columbia) in 2011. Hopefully, next year's PL squads will get a better return on their investment. Most teams in the League have already benefited from contributions by athletes that likely wouldn't have committed to non-scholly programs in the past.

[TheValleyRaider]

4-1 last week, 29-9 overall

Colgate at Yale Colgate 4 straight feels good, but it was at home. We took it on the chin from Eli last year, but this is definitely a better defense. Coach Hunt looks for win #1 on the road

Lafayette at Harvard Harvard The Crimson look strong as usual, plus I think it's Lafayette's week to look bad and lose. Woe unto the team they play next week, of course...

Holy Cross at Dartmouth Dartmouth Crusaders have some talent, but losing seems to be in their heads, especially away from home. Hard to see them breaking that streak here

Lehigh at Cornell Lehigh The Hawks are not very good this year. Big Red is just not good, period.

[Crimson Dad Leopard Grad]

Colgate at Yale Eli lost a tough one to a good Dartmouth team on the road but come back strong at home

Lafayette at Harvard Closer than would appear due to erratic Harvard O

Holy Cross at Dartmouth Big Green too tough at home

Lehigh at Cornell Comparative scores indicate Lehigh can score more (67 points vs 20 points combined against Yale and Bucknell)

[Crimson Dad Leopard Grad]

Colgate at Yale Eli lost a tough one to a good Dartmouth team on the road but come back strong at home

Lafayette at Harvard Closer than would appear due to erratic Harvard O

Holy Cross at Dartmouth Big Green too tough at home

Lehigh at Cornell Comparative scores indicate Lehigh can score more (67 points vs 20 points combined against Yale and Bucknell)

CORRECTION Yale lost to Dartmouth at home

[Bill]

I had a not-so-good 3-2 record last week, bringing me to 28-10 on the year. Lehigh and HC burned me...again.

COLGATE @ Yale...hmm. Yale beat Lehigh....Yale beat Army...home game at Yale...I will go with Montgomery Burns' alma mater here. Yale, 28-20

LAFAYETTE @ Harvard Sorry pards, can't do it. Harvard in a very Manly Contest, 32-16

HOLY CROSS @ Dartmouth I don't know why, just "hooked on a feeling", with all apologies due to Blue Suede. HC, 26-24

LEHIGH @ Cornell I believe one definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things while expecting a different result. Yes, I'm nuts. Lehigh, 45-43. And they block the game winning FG as time expires.

[RichH2]

Massey
Harvard 34-20
Dartmouth 28-20
Yale 35-31
LU. 31-24

Bassett
90-100
Harvard. 38.5-17.5
70-80
LU. 31.5-24.5
Yale 35-24.5
60-70
Dartmouth. 31.5-24.5

[Bogus Megapardus]

For those keeping track of such things, Lafayette @ Harvard will be on ESPN3 (in addition to the usual outlets). I don't know if ESPN3 will be the Ivy feed (presumably Eric Steckling and Scott Sudikoff) or the exponentially more talented (and modestly but appropriately biased) LSN team of Gary Laubach and Mike Joseph. Also the game will be on "ESPN Game Plan." And it seems that the game will be on NESN (http://nesn.com/nesn-channel-listings/) as well, in New England (which likely will be the Ivy feed so don't watch that one).

I keep editing this post because the TV list literally keeps growing as as I type. Why has this game suddenly become so interesting?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

For those keeping track of such things, Lafayette @ Harvard will be on ESPN3 (in addition to the usual outlets). I don't know if ESPN3 will be the Ivy feed (presumably Eric Steckling and Scott Sudikoff) or the exponentially more talented (and modestly but appropriately biased) LSN team of Gary Laubach and Mike Joseph. Also the game will be on "ESPN Game Plan." And it seems that the game will be on NESN (http://nesn.com/nesn-channel-listings/) as well, in New England (which likely will be the Ivy feed so don't watch that one).

I keep editing this post because the TV list literally keeps growing as as I type. Why has this game suddenly become so interesting?

Harvard likes cupcakes?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Harvard likes cupcakes?

Either that, of the halftime show is going to feature a series of Seinfeld-style Manly Contests. It'll be a ratings coup if they can pull off a double-bill of dwarf-throwing and caber toss. Maybe some wallaby boxing too - the Mass Ave hipsters will love it. Bare-knuckle, you know. Goes well with Phat Black Specs and PBR.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Speaking of The Ancient and Honourable Manly Competition of Caber Toss, can somebody tell me why Patriot League coaches have not been over there recruiting these fellas?



http://i59.tinypic.com/2wgi0ys.png

[BucBisonAtLarge]

Speaking of The Ancient and Honourable Manly Competition of Caber Toss, can somebody tell me why Patriot League coaches have not been over there recruiting these fellas?

http://i59.tinypic.com/2wgi0ys.png


The tartans are all wrong for the PL

[ColgateTD]

An underwhelming 27-11 so far.

Harvard
Dartmouth
Lehigh
Colgate - going to be difficult in the Bowl against a good Eli team. Strictly a homer pick.

[Sader87]

If we have nothing else, we do have history in the Patriot League and Ivy League. A little histoirical breakdown on the 4 PL-IL tilts this weekend:

Colgate-Yale: Yale leads the series 26-11-3. 1st game played in the series 1909. 1st game played in Hamilton not until 1991.

Lehigh-Cornell: Big Red lead the series 15-8-2. 1st game was in 1897. In 1894 Lehigh walked off the field, forfeiting the contest. (There's gotta be a story there). Lehigh went 95 years between victories: 1893-1988.

Lafayette-Harvard: Crimson lead the series 14-3. The youngest of the rivalries here, first game between these fine institutions was in 1966.

Holy Cross-Dartmouth: HC lead the series 37-36-4. 1st game in the series was 1903. The second most played HC opponent after Boston College (82), slightly eclipsing the 76 times the Crusaders have played the Red Raidahs. HC caught up in this series by winning 14 in a row against the erstwhile Indians from 1978-1991.

[Pard4Life]

Lehigh was good at walking off the field... they did so against the Pards around that time too.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Still no Sportsbook available for this week. xconfusedx

I'll check again later.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Lehigh-Cornell: Big Red lead the series 15-8-2. 1st game was in 1897. In 1894 Lehigh walked off the field, forfeiting the contest. (There's gotta be a story there). Lehigh went 95 years between victories: 1893-1988.

There is.

Up 6-4, the game almost over, the ref blew his whistle, thus stopping play. But Cornell's running back picked up the ball and ran the length of the field and scored a touchdown on the final play, making the score 10-6. Lehigh vehemently protested, and when the outrageous call was allowed to stand, they walked off the field. The student paper scores the game with Lehigh the victors, 6-4.

Worthy of mention was when Lehigh got up there, they "regretted to say" that it was an impossibility to get neutral officials for the game, so they had to settle for the captain of the 1883 Cornell team as referee and another Cornell player as umpire.

[PAllen]

There is.

Up 6-4, the game almost over, the ref blew his whistle, thus stopping play. But Cornell's running back picked up the ball and ran the length of the field and scored a touchdown on the final play, making the score 10-6. Lehigh vehemently protested, and when the outrageous call was allowed to stand, they walked off the field. The student paper scores the game with Lehigh the victors, 6-4.

Worthy of mention was when Lehigh got up there, they "regretted to say" that it was an impossibility to get neutral officials for the game, so they had to settle for the captain of the 1883 Cornell team as referee and another Cornell player as umpire.

So the refs really were against us! :)

[Bogus Megapardus]

Only two lines out so far:

Penn (-23) vs Columbia o/u 50½

Harvard (-14) vs Lafayette o/u 54

The rest will follow . . .






EDIT: Hmm . . . I can give you San Diego at Butler or Chattanooga at The Citadel, but nothing else in the Ivy/PL. Rather odd.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Week 8 Sportsbook:

Yale (-7) vs Colgate o/u 60½

Harvard (-14) vs Lafayette o/u 54

Dartmouth (-9) vs Holy Cross o/u 50½

Lehigh (-7½) at Cornell o/u 56

Penn (-23) vs Columbia o/u 50½

Princeton (-6) vs Brown o/u 51½

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Harvard (-14) vs Lafayette o/u 54

That o/u is interesting but I'm not sure Lafayette will score enough points to cover it.

The -14 is almost like money in the bank.

[Pards Rule]

That o/u is interesting but I'm not sure Lafayette will score enough points to cover it.

The -14 is almost like money in the bank.


bet...bet...bet...BET >>>BET >>>BET!!! (the Fred Flintstone gambling episode)!!

[Bogus Megapardus]

That o/u is interesting but I'm not sure Lafayette will score enough points to cover it.

The -14 is almost like money in the bank.

xblahx xblahx xblahx

Your lips are movin' but I can't hear a word, LFN.

[Bogus Megapardus]

bet...bet...bet...BET >>>BET >>>BET!!! (the Fred Flintstone gambling episode)!!





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D50bjRjwHc

[ngineer]

The futility of Cornell's offensive numbers as scary as the futility of our defensive numbers. Gotta believe Shafnisky gets back on track and we put up about 40. The D just 'has' to not allow that much...I think they can. Lehigh 41, Cornell 24...and take the 'over'.

Usual Haaavaaard team. Skilled, big and experience. Can't see the Leotards getting a 'run' in this one. Johnnies 31 Spotted Pudendums 17

Holy Cross becoming a mysterious swirl. Big Green seem to be a program on the rise. I see a Dartmouth victory 28-21

Raiders impressed with the great comeback against the Tiggers, but Eli are bulldogs and if Varga is pounding, can't see them being stopped. Yale, 32-20.

[Sader87]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D50bjRjwHc


I just told Pards Rule in a pm that the comedian Bill Burr just brought up this Flintstones ep in a recent podcast. If you wanna know what I sound like in person, listen to Burr....whaaaatttevaaaahhh.

[Ivytalk]

Usual Haaavaaard team. Skilled, big and experience. Can't see the Leotards getting a 'run' in this one. Johnnies 31 Spotted Pudendums 17

You really do hate Lafayette, don't you?xlolx

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Does a Colgate win get them in the at large DISCUSSION?

[Sader87]

Nobody is getting an at-large bid out of the PL this year....except maybe Fordham if they trip up at Bucknell and then beat Army.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Does a Colgate win get them in the at large DISCUSSION?

It should. Hurts that they lost to Delaware, but win over Albany might help. Of course, 9-2 gets them in guaranteed.

[Doc QB]

Does a Colgate win get them in the at large DISCUSSION?

NO. MUST beat an average CAA team in Delaware. Need to beat someone with a resume. At this point in season no way...wins against Princeton, a meager HC squad, and Gtwon aint gonna get you there. Now, if they beat a Yale team that keeps putting up numbers, give Fordham all they can handle, beat LU, LC, Albany, Bucknell, maybe a little noise is made. But other 9-2/8-3 teams from better conferences will have more to bark about. But go back to a 10-1 LU left at home having no quality OOC wins and second place in league, the same will assuredly happen again unless the Raiders schedule is deemed better than the one LU had in 2012.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

NO. MUST beat an average CAA team in Delaware.

If they beat an average CAA team (Albany), I think that qualifies, and unlike Delaware, Albany had a cup of coffee in the Top 25 this season. Also, they didn't get their butts handed to them in Delaware, it was a very close game. All this should play into it.

[Doc QB]

If they beat an average CAA team (Albany), I think that qualifies, and unlike Delaware, Albany had a cup of coffee in the Top 25 this season. Also, they didn't get their butts handed to them in Delaware, it was a very close game. All this should play into it.

LFN, would like to agree, but I am more pessimistic as a PL fan, especially regarding at-large bids, and even in an expanded field. We arent getting that respect yet. And we havent earned it yet. Just the way we need to beat JMU when game is in hand, 'gate needed to do it in the tub. And, Delaware was #25 when SHU beat them at the tub. Same cup, different barista. If Albany and UD were to get to 7 or so wins in the CAA, wins over BOTH would be a feather in Colgates hat. Beating only one isnt going to cut it. Beating only one or losing both, and they are .500 teams gets us no where. No value is placed on being #2 in our conference, so we MUST beat the middle of pack CAA teams OOC for consideration.

[Pard4Life]

Not even thinking about Harvard this week... looking ahead to Holy Cross... we are better off just forfeiting the game to save money and prevent any injuries. Seriously, it is a completely pointless game.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

LFN, would like to agree, but I am more pessimistic as a PL fan, especially regarding at-large bids, and even in an expanded field. We arent getting that respect yet. And we havent earned it yet. Just the way we need to beat JMU when game is in hand, 'gate needed to do it in the tub. And, Delaware was #25 when SHU beat them at the tub. Same cup, different barista. If Albany and UD were to get to 7 or so wins in the CAA, wins over BOTH would be a feather in Colgates hat. Beating only one isnt going to cut it. Beating only one or losing both, and they are .500 teams gets us no where. No value is placed on being #2 in our conference, so we MUST beat the middle of pack CAA teams OOC for consideration.

The catch is Colgate scheduled "tough" in the way the committee likes - two CAA teams plus an FBS team. Cornell and Princeton are a low- and mid- Ivy, so that won't help, but remember Fordham is there, too. Bucknell may get a ranking, too, before all is said and done.

They will get consideration for sure. Over a 7-4 MVFC team with a win over NDSU, no. But they might be an attractive add over some other schools at 8-3. We'll have to see how it plays out.

[Sader87]

Holy Cross should have beaten both Albany and Colgate on the road....and we are not good. No offense to Colgate but they really aren't that good this year.

[the last indian]

Holy Cross should have beaten both Albany and Colgate on the road....and we are not good. No offense to Colgate but they really aren't that good this year.

Would a, could a, should a? I for one thinks that the Cross is better than their record, but there does seem to be something wrong. Respect for Gilmore? I don't know, but they seem to lack grit.
Colgate is very young, but improving week by week. Princeton has talent. Good O-line and maybe the best linebackers I have seen in sometime, but their secondary sucks. Clearly, Yale will be a challenge. Vargas has driven us nuts in the past, but our defense is light years better than those of the last several years.
Tough, but that is why they play the game.

[Gate83]

Win at Yale & Albany, then maybe we can indulge in hypotheticals. What's not hypothetical is Pujols throwing INTs and Gate shoving it down the Crusaders throat for the last 7 minutes of the game... why "should" you win the game when you can't get the ball back?

[Sader87]

Because our coach is a maroon when it comes to game management.....Colgate's not bad, don't get me wrong, but I really don't think they are play-off caliber this year. No one outside of Fordham in the PL really is this year.

[Gate83]

Because our coach is a maroon when it comes to game management.....Colgate's not bad, don't get me wrong, but I really don't think they are play-off caliber this year. No one outside of Fordham in the PL really is this year.

We agree! Particularly about your coach, I've thought he's secretly maroon for the last three years.

[Gater]

I feel like Colgate typically leads the league in games they shouldn't have won. Seems like good things happen when you don't turn the ball over and you can run the ball in the 4th--it just doesn't look pretty. As for Princeton, their linebackers and D-line were easily the best Colgate has seen this year. #54 is the hardest hitter I have seen in years. He absolutely blew people up (and made 18 tackles--and I'm pretty sure doesn't start). That being said, Princeton's secondary is horrible. I could see Princeton losing out the rest of the way if teams abandon the run against them--I really don't know why you would even try. Opponents are averaging 1.9 yards per rush and 12.9 yards per catch (I know that's different than per throw--but it says a lot). Princeton's offense looks like a Boise State two-point conversion. Three QB's on the field at the same time. Reverses and different people throwing the ball. I feel like they run their best trick plays early and then end up with some Statue of Liberty type of plays at the end. Colgate's D looked confused in the first half and sound in the second. I like their coach but I bet they would do better with fewer plays and one more d-back.

Colgate needs to play its best game of the year to beat Yale. The D is much improved (13 fewer points per game--but they haven't played the best offensive teams yet). Colgate's O is young--seniors have accounted for 82 yards on offense through six games and there's only one senior starting on the o-line. Hopefully the D has an answer for Varga and the O keeps improving and Hunt keeps making good halftime adjustments.

As for the playoffs, a 9-3 Colgate would need a close loss to Fordham and for Albany, Ball State and Delaware to win the majority of their remaining games. Ball State's schedule gets easier but Albany's is a bear to close out the season. Hopefully Colgate keeps chugging along. It's been fun to watch a defense with some real playmakers, a field goal kicker who is 9 for 9, and a new head coach who has kept what worked and seems to be fixing what didn't.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The Colgate formula is... underestimate... underestimate... beat Lafayette regardless of record... underestimate.... win the Patriot League. They are still on track to potentially do this.

[Sader87]

Colgate's not that good this year....Yale will beat them at home easily Saturday. There, I said it.

[Gater]

That was very brave, Sader.

[Sader87]

Giving away one of my 4 PL picks this week before Friday (when I usually make my picks).....but I just don't see a case for a Red Raidah W Saturday. Yale is coming off a tough loss last week, I just don't see good things for the men from Hamilton Saturday.

[ngineer]

Holy Cross should have beaten both Albany and Colgate on the road....and we are not good. No offense to Colgate but they really aren't that good this year.

It would seem that no one is really "that good" this year but Fordham. The jump on scholarships is showing.

- - - Updated - - -


Holy Cross should have beaten both Albany and Colgate on the road....and we are not good. No offense to Colgate but they really aren't that good this year.

It would seem that no one is really "that good" this year but Fordham. The jump on scholarships is showing.

[Go...gate]

If we have nothing else, we do have history in the Patriot League and Ivy League. A little histoirical breakdown on the 4 PL-IL tilts this weekend:

Colgate-Yale: Yale leads the series 26-11-3. 1st game played in the series 1909. 1st game played in Hamilton not until 1991.

Lehigh-Cornell: Big Red lead the series 15-8-2. 1st game was in 1897. In 1894 Lehigh walked off the field, forfeiting the contest. (There's gotta be a story there). Lehigh went 95 years between victories: 1893-1988.

Lafayette-Harvard: Crimson lead the series 14-3. The youngest of the rivalries here, first game between these fine institutions was in 1966.

Holy Cross-Dartmouth: HC lead the series 37-36-4. 1st game in the series was 1903. The second most played HC opponent after Boston College (82), slightly eclipsing the 76 times the Crusaders have played the Red Raidahs. HC caught up in this series by winning 14 in a row against the erstwhile Indians from 1978-1991.

Great post, Sader87. This is what the Ivy now seems to want to give up for a passel of Brown - College of Faith matchups. xnonono2x

[Go...gate]

Giving away one of my 4 PL picks this week before Friday (when I usually make my picks).....but I just don't see a case for a Red Raidah W Saturday. Yale is coming off a tough loss last week, I just don't see good things for the men from Hamilton Saturday.

I've seen the Red Raiders defeated enough by Yale through the years, both at the Bowl and in Hamilton, to know that Saturday is an uphill climb for Colgate.

[Bogus Megapardus]

TV update for the Lafayette - Harvard game. Harvard is going the FiOS route: the ESPN3 feed will be blacked out out in New England; you can watch it on NESN (if you know somebody who knows somebody who has heard of that and/or knows what it is). Also it appears that the ESPN3 feed will feature Harvard's hack radio announcers rather than LSN's professional team (ESPN3 normally uses the LSN feed; obviously someone is on the take).

Bottom line - don't even bother with ESPN3 or NESN. Watch only the LSN feed on the Patriot League Network or on WBPH-TV/Cable/Satellite, etc.

Also non-LSN streams of Pard games do not demodulate or render properly on most equipment designed for the the North American market manufactured after 2004. Such streams can damage your equipment and void your warranty, and can result in serious harm or bodily injury. Plus non-LSN streams of Pard games are known to contain damaging scripts and rootkits that will infest your software, hold your entire system ransom, and send copies of all your naughty movies straight to your mother's neighbors (before she even has time to imagine what they must think). It's best to be safe.

[DFW HOYA]

Great post, Sader87. This is what the Ivy now seems to want to give up for a passel of Brown - College of Faith matchups. xnonono2x

The Ivy is giving up the spector of getting half a hundred run up on them. Having seen what Fordham did to Penn makes some very nervous once Colgate and Lehigh get up to speed.

With Georgetown, no such worries, which is why the Hoyas are picking up what Colgate used to get.

[Sandlapper Spike]

TV update for the Lafayette - Harvard game. Harvard is going the FiOS route: the ESPN3 feed will be blacked out out in New England; you can watch it on NESN (if you know somebody who knows somebody who has heard of that and/or knows what it is). Also it appears that the ESPN3 feed will feature Harvard's hack radio announcers rather than LSN's professional team (ESPN3 normally uses the LSN feed; obviously someone is on the take).

Bottom line - don't even bother with ESPN3 or NESN. Watch only the LSN feed on the Patriot League Network or on WBPH-TV/Cable/Satellite, etc.

Also non-LSN streams of Pard games do not demodulate or render properly on most equipment designed for the the North American market manufactured after 2004. Such streams can damage your equipment and void your warranty, and can result in serious harm or bodily injury. Plus non-LSN streams of Pard games are known to contain damaging scripts and rootkits that will infest your software, hold your entire system ransom, and send copies of all your naughty movies straight to your mother's neighbors (before she even has time to imagine what they must think). It's best to be safe.

I was told by the play-by-play man for the NESN telecast that the LSN announcers will be the ones heard on ESPN3. NESN is taking the Ivy League digital network feed (which won't be using the Harvard radio crew).

[Bogus Megapardus]

I was told by the play-by-play man for the NESN telecast that the LSN announcers will be the ones heard on ESPN3. NESN is taking the Ivy League digital network feed (which won't be using the Harvard radio crew).

Thanks for the info, Spike. Harvard is informing everyone that their guys, Scott Sudikoff and Nick Koop, will do the call on ESPN3 and NESN:

http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/20141014_Lafayette_Preview

I hope you're correct - perhaps folks at ESPN3 have decided to go with the superior product. xnodx

[Sandlapper Spike]

Sudikoff and Koop are calling the game for NESN; that part is correct. It would be a little odd if the ILDN and ESPN3 used the same feed.

[Bogus Megapardus]

It would be a little odd if the ILDN and ESPN3 used the same feed.

PLN and ESPN3 have simulcast the LSN feed a number of times. It does seem odd, but . . .

[ngineer]

Sudikoff and Koop are calling the game for NESN; that part is correct. It would be a little odd if the ILDN and ESPN3 used the same feed.

But are the 'manly'?

[Bogus Megapardus]

But are they 'manly'?


Here's LSN's color commentator, Mike Joseph, analyzing the Harvard defense. Can the Harvard broadcast team Out-Manly this?




http://youtu.be/5G-f5aRu9rY

[Sader87]

NESN is actually a pretty big station here Bogey...it's the television home of the Red Sox and Bruins.

[Bogus Megapardus]

NESN is actually a pretty big station here Bogey...it's the television home of the Red Sox and Bruins.

I believe you are mistaken, Sader87. NESN does not exist, despite recurrent rumors to the contrary from the Harvard side. Don't bother trying; it could well destroy your valuable electronics, and cause you personal injury and embarrassment.

The LSN broadcast on the Patriot League Network will satisfy even the most discerning of Lafayette - Harvard viewing needs. There's never a need to look elsewhere. http://i58.tinypic.com/2jadxr9.png

[Lehigh Football Nation]

My plan is to watch the LSN feed on PLN for, oh, about an hour, while the game is still competitive.

Then on to the ESPN 1230/1320 radio pregame from Cornell, followed by the ILDN video/ESPN Radio combo to enjoy the game. It ends up in a delay between audio and video, but it's worth it.

[BucBisonAtLarge]

I believe you are mistaken, Sader87. NESN does not exist, despite recurrent rumors to the contrary from the Harvard side. Don't bother trying; it could well destroy your valuable electronics, and cause you personal injury and embarrassment.

The LSN broadcast on the Patriot League Network will satisfy even the most discerning of Lafayette - Harvard viewing needs. There's never a need to look elsewhere. http://i58.tinypic.com/2jadxr9.png

Gee, I never knew. I better call Dad. He's been watching all those Red Sox games on NESN for years.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Need to rebound after the worst week of the year. 2-3 last week, 28-9 Overall...

Dartmouth 30 Holy Cross 20 - The Big Green are legit contenders in the IL. The Gilmore countdown continues on....

Yale 38 Colgate 27 - Colgate pulled off a great win last week at home. I don't think they'll be as fortunate on the road. This will be a great test for their improved D. A win and I'll get on the at large bandwagon...

Harvard 30 Lafayette 16 - A game that Lafayette probably could win but won't....

Lehigh 38 Cornell 27 - The "Theory of Relative Bad" will be decided here. The winner will save a little face, at least for a week while the loser makes the FCS Bottom 10 with little hope of escape....We're talking App State bad...Robert Morris and Columbia have already secured a spot...

[Bogus Megapardus]

Then on to the ESPN 1230/1320 radio

You have to be the only one who can tolerate that color guy - seriously. Or am I thinking of the SE2 guy? The one who mumbles incoherently.

[Sader87]

LSN does a tremendous job....the gold-standard of PL broadcast teams.

Than again, we have Bob "Mr Entertainment" Fouracre......19875

[van]

after a terrible week, 26-12 on the year

COLGATE @ Yale, Gate keeps surprising, but Eli is pretty good and at home

LAFAYETTE @ Harvard, Pards are not surprising and Crimson is pretty good at home

HOLY CROSS @ Dartmouth, can't figure crossers out and Green Mtn boys seem to be pretty good this year

LEHIGH @ Cornell, figure 'nells are really badder than us

[PAllen]

after a terrible week, 26-12 on the year

COLGATE @ Yale, Gate keeps surprising, but Eli is pretty good and at home

LAFAYETTE @ Harvard, Pards are not surprising and Crimson is pretty good at home

HOLY CROSS @ Dartmouth, can't figure crossers out and Green Mtn boys seem to be pretty good this year

LEHIGH @ Cornell, figure 'nells are really badder than us

Wouldn't that be the "Green" White Mountain Boys?

[Bogus Megapardus]

More Manly analysis of Harvard by the LSN broadcast team. These Joyously Manly Men could Contest the Crimson broadcast team unscented, and without weapons. Caution: Don't watch if you're faint of heart or are a Holy Cross fan.




http://youtu.be/XVyp_gQ_orc

[Gate83]

[QUOTE=Bogus Megapardus;2161746]More Manly analysis of Harvard by the LSN broadcast team. These Joyously Manly Men could Contest the Crimson broadcast team unscented, and without weapons. Caution: Don't watch if you're faint of heart or are a Holy Cross fan.

Holy Cross is not that good this year....Dartmouth will beat them at home easily Saturday. There, I said it.

[van]

Wouldn't that be the "Green" White Mountain Boys?

home team wears dark

[Pard4Life]

Yeah yeah Lafayette plays Harvard blah blah who cares...

Let's talk about Lafayette-HC instead... I can't put my finger on the Saders... poor line play?

[KPSUL]

​Colgate @ Yale
Lafayette @ Harvard
Holy Cross @ Dartmouth
Lehigh @ Cornell

[Go...gate]

The Ivy is giving up the spector of getting half a hundred run up on them. Having seen what Fordham did to Penn makes some very nervous once Colgate and Lehigh get up to speed.

With Georgetown, no such worries, which is why the Hoyas are picking up what Colgate used to get.

I think you are underselling GU. They have a stronger program than the Pioneer, which is where the IL is heading for games.

[PAllen]

home team wears dark

Yes, but the Big Green play in the White Mountains. The Green Mountains are the domain of the now extinct Catamounts.

[Sader87]

[QUOTE=Bogus Megapardus;2161746]More Manly analysis of Harvard by the LSN broadcast team. These Joyously Manly Men could Contest the Crimson broadcast team unscented, and without weapons. Caution: Don't watch if you're faint of heart or are a Holy Cross fan.

Holy Cross is not that good this year....Dartmouth will beat them at home easily Saturday. There, I said it.
You can't beat up on our team, only we can beat up on our team.....xdrunkyx

[Sader87]

Tough week last week 2-3....30-8 on the year. C&P'd from CROSSPORTS:

The HAL9000 is in a foul mood being knocked from the top of the standings. He's clearly puzzled how such an all knowing being of intelligence could trail what he (not me) calls "beings a half-step away from one could see in a zoo."

Yale 38 Colgate 21 Eli rebound at home against a valiant but ultimately undermanned Red Raidah squad.

Harvard 31 Lafayette 21 If Hempel plays it may be more decisive.

Lehigh 28 Cornell 24 Engineers win this year's version of the PL-IL Stupor Bowl.

Dartmouth 34 Holy Cross 16 Big Green are due to put a beating on us. They may have the second best offense we'll see all year.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Week 8 Sportsbook:

Yale (-7) vs Colgate o/u 60½

Harvard (-14) vs Lafayette o/u 54

Dartmouth (-9) vs Holy Cross o/u 50½

Lehigh (-7½) at Cornell o/u 56

Penn (-23) vs Columbia o/u 50½

Princeton (-6) vs Brown o/u 51½


Week 8 Sportsbook line movement since Wednesday - changes are in BOLD

Yale (-7) vs Colgate o/u 60½

Harvard (-18) vs Lafayette o/u 54

Dartmouth (-12) vs Holy Cross o/u 50½

Lehigh (-7½) at Cornell o/u 56

Penn (-21) vs Columbia o/u 50½

Princeton (-6) vs Brown o/u 51½

[Sandlapper Spike]

Colgate @ Yale
Lafayette @ Harvard
Holy Cross @ Dartmouth
Lehigh @ Cornell

[Leopard Loyalist]

29-9 on the year. This week's picks are pretty conventional.

Colgate @ Yale
Lafayette @ Harvard
Holy Cross @ Dartmouth
Lehigh @ Cornell

[bison137]

31-7 overall record

Yale
Harvard
Dartmouth
Lehigh

[Pard4Life]

I don't remember my record... but...

Middlebury 28, Bates 21

Williams 17, Tufts 14...

Oh wait... sorry... I forgot... Patriot and Ivy are not DIII and are in fact DI... but who can tell?

Yale 51, Colgate 31

Harvard 42, Lafayette 17

Dartmouth 34, Holy Cross 23

Lehigh 45, Cornell 35

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Game Breakdown and Fearless Prediction of Lehigh at Cornell:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2014/10/game-breakdown-lehigh-vs-cornell.html

And in case you wanted to learn how to make (Big) Red Death, check my game preview as well:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2014/10/game-preview-lehigh-at-cornell-10182014.html

[The Boogie Down]

Yale big
Harvard big
Dartmouth big
Lehigh big
But in the biggest blowout of them all, FORDHAM making Bye go buh-bye by six touchdowns and two 2 point conversions.

[Bogus Megapardus]

MANLY CONTEST PREDICTIONS, DE OCTAVAE HEBDOMADIS.

Colgate at Yale - Bowling for a win, are the Red Raiders. On a four game streak and 2-0 in league play, Gate is not-so-quietly sneaking up as the "other" team to beat. I'm going to reverse a weeks-ago prediction to say that Colgate will lasso an at-large if they run the table . . . but for an other-to-Fordham loss somewhere. In fact I'm certain of it. Yes, the Elohim downed Army and appeared unbeatable but that was before the Keggers came to call. Can the Hamiltonians' Thirteen best the New Haven Eleven? It's a numbers game, I suppose, and it's gonna be very close. I'll side with the good guys, who won't call this one an other-to-Fordham loss. Colgate 28-27

Lafayette at Harvard - Forget Penn. Forget Princeton. (RIP Columbia). Harvard is the team we've really wanted to be since we've wanted to be a team. I recall one Joyously Manly Contest on those elysian plains abut the Charles, 'neath the celebrated and manly engraving, way back in 2009. In a game dedicated by the Leopard players to fullback Pete Bross, Lafayette trounced Johnnie Harvard, 35-18, en route to a 4-0 Ivy sweep. That was the way it all was supposed to turn out for my Pugnacious Pardsvillians. Now we're lucky if we can tackle a Boston Cream Pie parked at scrimmage thumbing its nose in our general direction. Harvard 34-21

Holy Cross at Dartmouth - The Infidels have a solid team with skill at every position. But for whatever reason they cannot finish a freakin' game. I watched Albany, Harvard, Colgate and Brown. Opportunity upon opportunity to put the game away, every time. But noooo . . . . there's something about the Holy Cross football mindset this season that stops them from finishing the job. I've seen more Crusader football than any team other than the Pards this season, and I have no explanation for it. It's not the OL and it's not a failure to bring more than four defensively on passing downs. Maybe it's Pujals' decisions or maybe it's the plays he's told to run. I just can't tell. I say put the ball (and the game) completely in Pujals' hands or else it will be . . . Dartmouth 27-24

Lehigh at Cornell - Heh. Someone has to lose here. The South Mountain Sphinctereens had their chance versus the Orange Buffalodeoes. We all saw how that turned out. Last week Cornell held Harvard to a scoreless tie until about five minutes left in the third quarter. Yes, Big Red is on something like their eleventh quarterback this season but that won't matter. This will be like shooting Tompkins Kings in a barrel. Plus the First Lady says this one is a sure thing. Cornell 38-24

[Go...gate]

Tough Manly Act to follow....

Yale 26, Colgate 20

Harvard 33, Lafayette 22

Lehigh 44, Cornell 13

Dartmouth 28, Holy Cross 14

Bonus Pick: Princeton 33, Brown 31

[Bogus Megapardus]

Bonus Pick: Princeton 33, Brown 31

That's a very Manly and Joyous selection, Go...gate. I'm thinking that our tiggers beat the spread (-6) and win by ten or more. Bruno hasn't the wherewithal to contest that fast paced no-huddle through four quarters.

[Go...gate]

That's a very Manly and Joyous selection, Go...gate. I'm thinking that our tiggers beat the spread (-6) and win by ten or more. Bruno hasn't the wherewithal to contest that fast paced no-huddle through four quarters.

If Princeton has successfully worked on the pass defense, this game could be much easier for the Tigers. I have tix but tomorrow is a crazy day and I have a cemetery to visit. However, Mom and Dad were among the Tiger and Red Raider (not to mention RU and ND) faithful, so I'm sure there will be some lively conversation about how all the "good guys" are faring (or will fare) aganst their respective opponents.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I am just hoping Lehigh is more Manly than Cornell

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Last week I was an awful 2-3.

Lehigh 36, Cornell 19 (game breakdown (http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2014/10/game-breakdown-lehigh-vs-cornell.html))
Harvard 40 Lafayette 10
Yale 49 Colgate 20
Dartmouth 50 Holy Cross 13

[Sader87]

Last week I was an awful 2-3.

Lehigh 36, Cornell 19 (game breakdown (http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2014/10/game-breakdown-lehigh-vs-cornell.html))
Harvard 40 Lafayette 10
Yale 49 Colgate 20
Dartmouth 50 Holy Cross 13

Jesus and the Patriot League wept.....xbawlingx

[Bogus Megapardus]

Brutal picks, LFN. Manly, yes, but brutal.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Last week I was an awful 2-3.

Lehigh 36, Cornell 19 (game breakdown (http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2014/10/game-breakdown-lehigh-vs-cornell.html))
Harvard 40 Lafayette 10
Yale 49 Colgate 20
Dartmouth 50 Holy Cross 13

Wow...that's ugly...

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The one where I hesitated was Yale over Colgate, but when they played Lehigh, Yale was really strong. If they bring a similarly strong game to Colgate I think they romp.

The other two I've got high confidence. Harvard and Dartmouth are the two strongest teams in the IL.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

One things for sure. There are far worse places to spend a October Saturday than Ithaca, NY, Hanover, NH, Cambridge, MA or the Yale Bowl. (Notice I didn't say New Haven :p)

[aceinthehole]

One things for sure. There are far worse places to spend a October Saturday than Ithaca, NY, Hanover, NH, Cambridge, MA or the Yale Bowl. (Notice I didn't say New Haven :p)

Hey - a nice day on the Green, on campus, or in Westville is a great place to spend a Saturday in October.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Searfoss playing QB for Lafayette....down 3-0...

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Harvard 10 Lafayette 0 2Q

[TheValleyRaider]

Colgate 10
Yale 10
Halftime

Story in pregame: Melville out with an "upper-body" injury, Bret Mooney gets the start at QB. I've only got radio, but he sounds alright for a first start, a few overthrows. Demetrius Russell has 61 yards on the ground, Varga currently has 16 yards on 7 carries

One big pass play for Eli set up their TD. Bowman missed FG in the 1st, but otherwise given how we've dominated TOP, lots of missed opportunities

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lafayette misses a 38 yard or so FG. Their offense is tough to watch.....

Harvard has about 2 minutes left in the half to do something....

[bulldog10jw]

Colgate 10
Yale 10
Halftime

Story in pregame: Melville out with an "upper-body" injury, Bret Mooney gets the start at QB. I've only got radio, but he sounds alright for a first start, a few overthrows. Demetrius Russell has 61 yards on the ground, Varga currently has 16 yards on 7 carries

One big pass play for Eli set up their TD. Bowman missed FG in the 1st, but otherwise given how we've dominated TOP, lots of missed opportunities

No doubt Colgate has outplayed Yale so far. Yale is lucky the game is tied.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Harvard 17-0

Lafayette might be as bad or worse than Lehigh when it's all said and done. They have no offense and a pretty bad defense..

[Gater]

Mooney is playing very well for Colgate. Has made some really impressive throws. There have been a few drops for Colgate, including a TD. Colgate has stalled deep in Yale territory a few times with a missed field goal (first of the year). Varga is a monster. Surprised he doesn't have more yards. He runs really tough.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lafayette had 4th and 2 from the Harvard 48 with 12 second left in the half and decided not to go for it. At that point it was probably worth a shot....

Harvard 17-0 Half...

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Dartmouth 10 HC 6 Half

[Sader87]

HC, typically, has played just well enough to be behind. Dartmouth gets the ball to start 2nd H.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

TD Harvard...

24-0 Crimson...

[TheValleyRaider]

Colgate 24
Yale 24
End 3rd

Yale got 2 TDs in the quarter, but the 'gate responded both times, the latter a kick-return for a score. Defense forced a 3-and-out right after that, and the Raiders are driving to start the 4th.

Should be an interesting finish...

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lafayette with a pick 6....

Harvard 24-7

Lehigh with a FG on their first drive...

LU 3-0

[TheValleyRaider]

31-24 Colgate
12:51 4th

Varga has turned it on the 2nd half, just punched in his 3rd TD. Play set up by another big pass play. Other than that one 3-and-out, the Bulldogs are moving the ball well, and scoring quickly while still controlling the clock

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

TD Lehigh! The Hawks have 2 three and outs on defense and two scores on offense to start the game....

10-0 Lehigh 4:58 1Q

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Cornell fumbles the ensuing KO, LU with the scoop and score....

17-0 Lehigh 4:49 1Q

[TheValleyRaider]

Colgate forced to punt, but on the second play of the drive, Keys stripped and Colgate has it at the 19!

31-24 Yale
9:34 4th

[TheValleyRaider]

Travellin TD! Tie game!

31-31
8:20 4th

[bulldog10jw]

Colgate forced to punt, but on the second play of the drive, Keys stripped and Colgate has it at the 19!

31-24 Yale
9:34 4th

Why Keyes is carrying the ball in the 4th quarter of a close game is a mystery.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lafayette had a nice drive but the kicker misses a chippie FG....

24-7 Harvard 0:29 3Q

[TheValleyRaider]

Yale comes right back, 68 yard pass for the score

38-31 Yale
7:17 4th

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Dartmouth 24 HC 6 End 3Q

The end has to be near for Gilmore....

[TheValleyRaider]

The offense goes nowhere, then Varga goes 69 yards and this one got out of reach in a hurry

45-31 Yale
4:42 4th

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

The offense goes nowhere, then Varga goes 69 yards and this one got out of reach in a hurry

45-31 Yale
4:42 4th

Yale's offense is silly good....

Top to bottom, the IL is clearly better than the PL this year...

[TheValleyRaider]

4th and goal for the Raiders on the 7, probably the last chance, pass incomplete to Greenawalt in the end zone. Yale takes over with 2:33 to go. Not officially over, but probably over

[LehighU11]

Yale's offense is silly good....

Top to bottom, the IL is clearly better than the PL this year...

Ehh, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Princeton are certainly better than the top four PL teams collectively, and probably all stronger than the 2nd best PL team. Columbia, Penn, Cornell, and arguably Brown all appear worse than the every team in the PL. Just look at how Lehigh's pathetic D is handling Cornell today.

[bulldog10jw]

4th and goal for the Raiders on the 7, probably the last chance, pass incomplete to Greenawalt in the end zone. Yale takes over with 2:33 to go. Not officially over, but probably over

Nice win for Yale. Colgate is a very good team. Good luck to the Raiders the rest of the way.

[TheValleyRaider]

Colgate 31
Yale 45
Final

A few missed opportunities throughout, and Yale turned on the jets to pull away in the 4th. Yale's a good offense, but it stings after we held them to 10 at the half. Gotta get set for Albany next week

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Fightin Gilmore's are not done yet!

24-21 Dartmouth....late in the game

[aceinthehole]

Ehh, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Princeton are certainly better than the top four PL teams collectively, and probably all stronger than the 2nd best PL team. Columbia, Penn, Cornell, and arguably Brown all appear worse than the every team in the PL. Just look at how Lehigh's pathetic D is handling Cornell today.

Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale are good teams this year - probably just below Fordham this season.

Penn, Cornell, and Columbia could be 3 of the worst teams in all FCS. Not sure they are better than anyone in the Patriot.

Princeton and Brown are not very good either, but are better than the hot mess at the bottom of the Ivy.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Cornell offense making LU D look like '85 Bears. On the flip side, Lehigh OL not giving Shaf any time to throw. Sodeke having a good game and Parrish made a nice catch but not much else on "O". LU intercepted the ball around mid field with a minute left and decided to run out the clock?? Lehigh up 17-0 but it has not been pretty. It should be much worse....

Lehigh 17-0 Half...

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Harvard 24 Lafayette 14 Final

Sheuerman is a heckuva player. But he's all LC has on that side of the ball....

[Gater]

Colgate was a little better in the first half but didn't convert on scoring opportunities. Yale was a lot better in the 4th. Varga had 16 yards in first half 184 for the game. Colgate had 1st and goal with just under three left but couldn't score and that was all she wrote. Colgate's freshman QB played well for the most part--there were four drops that really would have helped Colgate. I think Colgate will be surprised to see the box score and how well the two Colgate running backs ran and how few carries they got. The freshman QB throws a good ball and I think Colgate got a little bit out of its game plan because of it. Good luck the rest of the way to Yale. They are a fun team to watch. They're tough to tackle and play good, sound football.

[Ivytalk]

Harvard 24 Lafayette 14 Final

Sheuerman is a heckuva player. But he's all LC has on that side of the ball....

Harvard needs to get Hempel back at QB pronto. Its offense is horrible on third downs, and was outgained by Lafayette today by 70 yards. Hosch threw a pick six today but that was Harvard's only turnover. Gotta play better than that if they hope to have a prayer against Princeton and Yale. Defense is "bend don't break" and has played well on the whole.

[bulldog10jw]

Harvard needs to get Hempel back at QB pronto. Its offense is horrible on third downs, and was outgained by Lafayette today by 70 yards. Hosch threw a pick six today but that was Harvard's only turnover. Gotta play better than that if they hope to have a prayer against Princeton and Yale. Defense is "bend don't break" and has played well on the whole.

I watched most of the first half, IT. Harvard looked, for the most part, like it was on cruise control and could step on the accelerator if needed. Don't forget about Dartmouth, though. Two big road games coming up for Harvard.

[Ivytalk]

I watched most of the first half, IT. Harvard looked, for the most part, like it was on cruise control and could step on the accelerator if needed. Don't forget about Dartmouth, though. Two big road games coming up for Harvard.

That's right, bulldog. Congrats on the Colgate win!

[Bogus Megapardus]

Given today's scores, Ivy's decision to nominate the Pioneer League as its favored opponents going forward seems wholly warranted. We wish you Manly and Joyous thrills against Morehead State and Campbell, fellas, and we'll miss ya. But we understand . . . it is they for whom your fans clamor.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

TD Cornell on a heave and prayer that bounces off of a LU defender and into a Big Red WR's hands. Lehigh has had multiple chances to end this game but they haven't.

17-7 Lehigh 3:42 3Q....

[Bogus Megapardus]

TD Cornell on a heave and prayer that bounces off of a LU defender and into a Big Red WR's hands. Lehigh has had multiple chances to end this game but they haven't.

17-7 Lehigh 3:42 3Q....

I'm watching it now. Engineers are redeeming themselves, nonetheless.

[Ivytalk]

Given today's scores, Ivy's decision to nominate the Pioneer League as its favored opponents going forward seems wholly warranted. We wish you Manly and Joyous thrills against Morehead State and Campbell, fellas, and we'll miss ya. But we understand . . . it is they for whom your fans clamor.

Shut your Manly pie-hole, you miscreant. Three out of four IL-PL games today went to the venerable Ancient 7.5. The only loss will be incurred by the Ithacans, who will not be mistaken for the Athenians or the Spartans.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I'm watching it now. Engineers are redeeming themselves, nonetheless.

Shaf, Sodeke and Parrish have played well on offense. The OL has struggled all game picking up the constant Cornell blitz....

[Bogus Megapardus]

Ithacans, who will not be mistaken for the Athenians or the Spartans.

I had delusions of them masquerading as gift-bearing Trojans, however.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lehigh 17 Cornell 7 End 3Q....

Lehigh D has played awesome all game. Part of that is a poor Big Red offense obviously. I like #52 at DT for Lehigh. He's a bigger guy that has done a nice job holding down the middle. The biggest complaint has been an erratic offense that has been bogged down in large part to spotty pass protection....

The Lehigh punter has been awesome today. Cornell's average field position has been dreadful....

[bulldog10jw]

Given today's scores, Ivy's decision to nominate the Pioneer League as its favored opponents going forward seems wholly warranted. We wish you Manly and Joyous thrills against Morehead State and Campbell, fellas, and we'll miss ya. But we understand . . . it is they for whom your fans clamor.

Since both Yale and Harvard have long term agreements with Holy Cross, they won't miss us.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lehigh has a great chance of blowing this. After a terrible snap to the punter Cornell got the ball inside LU territory. Cornell QB heaves another prayer that's answered at the LU 1. Cornell TD on 3rd and goal...

Lehigh 17-14 8:31 4Q.....

[Bogus Megapardus]

Since both Yale and Harvard have long term agreements with Holy Cross, they won't miss us.

I'm selfish and I want Penn and Princeton back on our schedule. And yeah, Harvard as well. And we haven't played Columbia since 2010. Seriously? A series that began in 1889?

[Pards Rule]

I'm selfish and I want Penn and Princeton back on our schedule. And yeah, Harvard as well. And we haven't played Columbia since 2010. Seriously? A series that began in 1889?

IM WITH YOU!! Want to match up with these guys even up!! Put them back on!

[Bogus Megapardus]

IM WITH YOU!! Want to match up with these guys even up!! Put them back on!

And after ninety-plus games vs. Penn since 1882, suddenly we're not worthy? Shame on you, Ivy. Shame on you, Robin Harris. What say you, Grace Calhoun?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

TD Lehigh! The offense needed a drive and they managed to put one together! Sodeke and OL did their job. Shaf made a nice play too...

24-14 Lehigh 3:21 4Q

[bulldog10jw]

I'm selfish and I want Penn and Princeton back on our schedule. And yeah, Harvard as well. And we haven't played Columbia since 2010. Seriously? A series that began in 1889?

But isn't it in the best interests of the PL to play more teams from conferences that go to the playoffs? I can't imagine that playing IL teams helps when it comes to At Large playoff berths. Not that I think games between the IL and the PL will ever end, because I don't think they will and I certainly hope they never do. But, going forward the PL should be welcoming more games with the big boys.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Engineers now look to win by the same score as Pards lost to Johnnie H.

[Ivytalk]

Engineers now look to win by the same score as Pards lost to Johnnie H.

So, are you going to Harvard-Princeton next week?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lehigh's D ends all hope for Cornell as they get a big sack on 4th down. Overall, the D played a really good game. The DL, with #52 was a lot more physical up front. Obviously, Cornell is a poor team but LU D dominated. The two Cornell TD's were off of fluke type plays, especially the first one...

- - - Updated - - -


Engineers now look to win by the same score as Pards lost to Johnnie H.

Not quite....31-14 Lehigh...xthumbsupx

[Bogus Megapardus]

But isn't it in the best interests of the PL to play more teams from conferences that go to the playoffs? I can't imagine that playing IL teams helps when it comes to At Large playoff berths. Not that I think games between the IL and the PL will ever end, because I don't think they will and I certainly hope they never do. But, going forward the PL should be welcoming more games with the big boys.

No. Playoffs are best left to the playoff-oriented. We instituted scholarships to keep pace with Ivy and to avoid serious injury to our players.

[Bogus Megapardus]

So, are you going to Harvard-Princeton next week?

Lafayette - Holy Cross takes precedence. It's a question making the 1:00 PM start in Princeton and hauling tail to Easton for a 3:30 PM kickoff. I'll be lead-blocking in the Chevy 2500 bare-bones.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Lehigh wins! 31-14 Final...

Cavenas got in at the end on D. He's a big boy..

Some good and some bad today. The long snapping was poor as was the blitz pick up on O. Sodeki, Parrish, run blocking, punting and Shaf's decision making were all positives. The defense, in general, played great....

[RichH2]

Nice to win. We played an entire game. A note ,Kelsey finally made he field. He will be special.

[Lehigh'98]

But isn't it in the best interests of the PL to play more teams from conferences that go to the playoffs? I can't imagine that playing IL teams helps when it comes to At Large playoff berths. Not that I think games between the IL and the PL will ever end, because I don't think they will and I certainly hope they never do. But, going forward the PL should be welcoming more games with the big boys.
Enough OOC games to go around. We can play CAA, NEC and Ivy in same season. Even the occasional FBS.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

The group of Lehigh, Lafayette, Georgetown and HC are all very evenly matched imo. It'll be interesting to see how that group of games will play out over the second half of the season. Two coaches, Tavani and Gilmore, would be fighting for their jobs at most schools imo.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Shut your Manly pie-hole, you miscreant. Three out of four IL-PL games today went to the venerable Ancient 7.5. The only loss will be incurred by the Ithacans, who will not be mistaken for the Athenians or the Spartans.

Post of the year. Incidentally, I went 4-0.

[bulldog10jw]

No. Playoffs are best left to the playoff-oriented. We instituted scholarships to keep pace with Ivy and to avoid serious injury to our players.

Weren't you, I mean the PL as a league, winning or at least splitting most games with the IL each year?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Shut your Manly pie-hole, you miscreant. Three out of four IL-PL games today went to the venerable Ancient 7.5. The only loss will be incurred by the Ithacans, who will not be mistaken for the Athenians or the Spartans.


Post of the year. Incidentally, I went 4-0.

I consider all my miscreanting to be thoroughly researched and well-grounded. And indeed you did go 4-0, LFN. Quite Manly. https://s.yimg.com/lq/i/mesg/emoticons7/77.gif

[Bogus Megapardus]

Weren't you, I mean the PL as a league, winning or at least splitting most games with the IL each year?

No. And only H-Y-P-P count anyhow.

[DFW HOYA]

No. And only H-Y-P-P count anyhow.

Just like only L-C-L counts in the Patriot League. They run the show. The others? Well..

Holy Cross is the PL's version of Dartmouth--way up north, somewhere, a great (if fading) old tradition, lurking in the wings. Fortunately for HC, the political correctness folks haven't noticed and dubbed them the Big Purple just yet.

Bucknell is a smaller version of Cornell--rural, not as distinguished as L-C-L, a trusted ally on all needed legislation but not a threat on the gridiron.

Fordham is the PL's Pennsylvania--a little too urban, a little too big for the model, but no one confuses them academically with the key players.

Georgetown: "Are they still here? Didn't Dan Weiss deliver the memo? Oh, wait..."

Seriously, the PL can't have it both ways. Either your'e an ally with the Ancient Eight or you're not, and adding scholarships is the PL's way of telling H-Y-P and Friends it wants to move on. So when the Ivy begins to drop schedules, the correct answer is not "How dare they!" but a realization that times have changed.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Just like only L-C-L counts in the Patriot League. They run the show. The others? Well..

Holy Cross is the PL's version of Dartmouth--way up north, somewhere, a great (if fading) old tradition, lurking in the wings. Fortunately for HC, the political correctness folks haven't noticed and dubbed them the Big Purple just yet.

Bucknell is a smaller version of Cornell--rural, not as distinguished as L-C-L, a trusted ally on all needed legislation but not a threat on the gridiron.

Fordham is the PL's Pennsylvania--a little too urban, a little too big for the model, but no one confuses them academically with the key players.

Georgetown: "Are they still here? Didn't Dan Weiss deliver the memo? Oh, wait..."

Seriously, the PL can't have it both ways. Either your'e an ally with the Ancient Eight or you're not, and adding scholarships is the PL's way of telling H-Y-P and Friends it wants to move on. So when the Ivy begins to drop schedules, the correct answer is not "How dare they!" but a realization that times have changed.

Man, I'm glad you aren't/weren't an A10 hoops fan. What you could have drawn up with the Big 3 (TU, LU, SJU), and Temple specifically, would have been epic....

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

14,333 in Ithaca to see a battle of winless teams. The crowd was legitimately impressive during the first half...

[Bogus Megapardus]

Just like only L-C-L counts in the Patriot League. They run the show. The others? Well..

Holy Cross is the PL's version of Dartmouth--way up north, somewhere, a great (if fading) old tradition, lurking in the wings. Fortunately for HC, the political correctness folks haven't noticed and dubbed them the Big Purple just yet.

Bucknell is a smaller version of Cornell--rural, not as distinguished as L-C-L, a trusted ally on all needed legislation but not a threat on the gridiron.

Fordham is the PL's Pennsylvania--a little too urban, a little too big for the model, but no one confuses them academically with the key players.

Georgetown: "Are they still here? Didn't Dan Weiss deliver the memo? Oh, wait..."

Seriously, the PL can't have it both ways. Either your'e an ally with the A ncient Eight or you're not, and adding scholarships is the PL's way of telling H-Y-P and Friends it wants to move on. So when the Ivy begins to drop schedules, the correct answer is not "How dare they!" but a realization that times have changed.


My "H-Y-P-P" compartmentalization was meant to be tongue-in-cheek but you raise a valid point, DFW. I think in the PL every school is viewed as seriously as every other school. At the same time each is taken on its individual merits as each tends to adopt a signature "style" requiring a discrete approach. Actually (and historically) Lafayette is the one (as much as other) to be viewed as a "likely win" in most people's pre-season prediction tallies given the size of the school and its well-known faculty/football animosity.

There's no question that Lafayette and Lehigh fans view their rivalry as distinct and apart from other games, however.

From a Georgetown standpoint it might be worth considering how the "core" PL rivalries carry over to sports other than football. Each school has an intrinsic "identity" that is understood and respected by each other. There isn't at all a clear boundary between football and other sports. The schools love to hate one another; there's an unusually tight camaraderie among them that leads both to exceptionally spirited competition on the field and to extraordinary fellowship off the field.

Does this make us different or special? I suppose we think is does to some extent but no more so than in any other conference with foes of similar ilk who've been facing one another for a long, long time. My view (and it's only my view) is that Georgetown fans in general do not (and prefer not to) share in that camaraderie because most seem to have no particular regard for the PL "core" institutions and do not in any sense consider us as peers. That's a function of history, institutional inertia, geography and a host of other factors. Everyone in the PL wants Georgetown to be our pals - of this I have no doubt. The trouble seems to arise when we dare look at you that way. If that's an issue that needs resolution, I have no idea how to do it.

[Lehigh'98]

Trying to think of a worse year for the PL off the top of my head... Teams 3-7 are just bad ( Colgate probably best of lot). Bucknell a solid 2, Fordham an easy 1. Actually I guess it's not much different from most years, just swap some teams.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Holy Cross is the PL's version of Dartmouth--way up north, somewhere, a great (if fading) old tradition, lurking in the wings. Fortunately for HC, the political correctness folks haven't noticed and dubbed them the Big Purple just yet.

Also - and you'll just have to trust me on this - no one attending next Saturday's Holy Cross - Lafayette game ever will have shared that view. This one has been circled on Lafayette calendars for months. While I cannot write for Holy Cross fans, my impression is that they look at this weekend much the same way.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Trying to think of a worse year for the PL off the top of my head... Teams 3-7 are just bad ( Colgate probably best of lot). Bucknell a solid 2, Fordham an easy 1. Actually I guess it's not much different from most years, just swap some teams.

Put them in a dice cup and shake.http://www.forum-auto.com/static/images/perso/2/delph_gre.gif

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I don't understand how Tavani and Gilmore can keep their jobs. It's hard to take Lafayette's and HC's commitment to football seriously when you have two long tenured coaches with below .500 career records. That alone should be UNACCEPTABLE. When you factor in both are facing multiple losing seasons in a row there is no doubt they need to be fired imo. I simply don't understand how they can keep their job at a D1 football program.

These two programs are in desperate need of change. For the sake of the two schools and the league hopefully the alums/fans really start pressuring their respective schools....

[Sader87]

If this were 1964, 1974 or 1984, Gilmore would be a dead man walking at HC. Holy Cross is a different place today in the Patriot League.

That being said, if we were to lose out this year, he may not be back next year.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

If this were 1964, 1974 or 1984, Gilmore would be a dead man walking at HC. Holy Cross is a different place today in the Patriot League.

That being said, if we were to lose out this year, he may not be back next year.

Which is an administrative/athletic department problem. HC has finished at or near the bottom of the PL president's standings every year for the last decade. That is terrible. If the Crusaders want to move forward a change needs to be made.

For the sake of the league it's time for these guys to move on imo. They simply lose more than they win and the trend is only getting worse....

[Sader87]

Historically HC was never big in the Olympic sports....it was basically a football/basketball/baseball school and the other sports (outside of maybe track) got short shrift.

I like the PL in football for HC, but it's always been and continues to be an awkward fit athletically for Holy Cross in toto.

Change is occurring at HC.....new AD etc but the administration has been less than helpful (to put it kindly) for athletics ovah the last 35 years or so.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Historically HC was never big in the Olympic sports....it was basically a football/basketball/baseball school and the other sports (outside of maybe track) got short shrift.

I like the PL in football for HC, but it's always been and continues to be an awkward fit athletically for Holy Cross in toto.

Change is occurring at HC.....new AD etc but the administration has been less than helpful (to put it kindly) for athletics ovah the last 35 years or so.

The culture at LC and HC needs to change if the league is going to take the next step. Tavani and Gilmore are not the guys, imo, this league needs to get to the next level overall. Allowing these guys to continue on at this point is no different than GTown's indifference to facilities......

[bison137]

Which is an administrative/athletic department problem. HC has finished at or near the bottom of the PL president's standings every year for the last decade. That is terrible. If the Crusaders want to move forward a change needs to be made.




Not only the last decade - but the last 24 years, i.e. since the day the league was formed.

[Sader87]

If Holy Cross still had the influential alumni base and big hittahs that cared (ala Edward Bennett Williams) changes would be made at HC football....unfortunately HC football is viewed like HC volleyball these days.....there simply isn't a core/influential group that cares anymore sadly.

[carney2]

The culture at LC and HC needs to change if the league is going to take the next step. Tavani and Gilmore are not the guys, imo, this league needs to get to the next level overall. Allowing these guys to continue on at this point is no different than GTown's indifference to facilities......

You are probably correct about Holy Cross and Lafayette holding the League back. Focusing on Gilmore and Tavani misses the point however. I'm not "in" on the Cross situation, but at Lafayette, Tavani is merely a good soldier doing the best he can with the scraps he is thrown. The problem lies with everyone from AD Bruce McCutcheon, the poster boy for sycophants everywhere, right up to the president's office. Former coach Bill Russo was supposedly told that his job was to win, but not win too many. That still appears to be the policy. About 7 years ago Tavani seemed to be violating it so President Weiss took a big batch of equivalencies and gave them to violinists and computer geeks. For the past 20 years or more the institution has been run out of the faculty lounge where an anti-athletics sentiment is not only accepted, it is demanded.

[bulldog10jw]

job was to win, but not win too many. That still appears to be the policy. About 7 years ago Tavani seemed to be violating it so President Weiss took a big batch of equivalencies and gave them to violinists and computer geeks. For the past 20 years or more the institution has been run out of the faculty lounge where an anti-athletics sentiment is not only accepted, it is demanded.

Sounds a lot like Yale, except at Yale it was 30+ years ago.

Sorry for the hijack, but this struck home for me.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Much of the fear about "athletic culture" seems to be centered about something unreasonable, i.e. Holy Cross will become Auburn if people care too much about athletics. Football is always ground zero for this debate because it's a male, violent sport, plus it's become even more Southern and Red-State based, which doesn't help. Other violent sports, such as hockey and lacrosse, don't get nearly the same level of hatred and vitriol. Why? Because they're whiter and more Blue-state based.

Someday these culture wars will end, or at least subside a lot. Faculty will become more broad-minded and diversity-minded, and start to understand that not everyone is White or English majors or Buddhist Studies majors or non-athletic people. Maybe, like desegregation, it will take fifty more years. But it will happen.

[Pards Rule]

14,333 in Ithaca to see a battle of winless teams. The crowd was legitimately impressive during the first half...

Homecoming and Family Weekend (known back in my time as Parents Day) rolled up into one?? Can't imagine a crowd like that turning out to see who wins its first game!

[Pards Rule]

The group of Lehigh, Lafayette, Georgetown and HC are all very evenly matched imo. It'll be interesting to see how that group of games will play out over the second half of the season. Two coaches, Tavani and Gilmore, would be fighting for their jobs at most schools imo.

Cannot dispute that observation. Things are a little different in Easton. Not sure about Worcester...

[Pards Rule]

But isn't it in the best interests of the PL to play more teams from conferences that go to the playoffs? I can't imagine that playing IL teams helps when it comes to At Large playoff berths. Not that I think games between the IL and the PL will ever end, because I don't think they will and I certainly hope they never do. But, going forward the PL should be welcoming more games with the big boys.

I want to continue playing Ivies.

[jimbo65]

Which is an administrative/athletic department problem. HC has finished at or near the bottom of the PL president's standings every year for the last decade. That is terrible. If the Crusaders want to move forward a change needs to be made.

For the sake of the league it's time for these guys to move on imo. They simply lose more than they win and the trend is only getting worse....

I defer to the HC fans but suspect the poor results are the legacy of Fr. Brooks. I recall going to a HC v Ram game in the Bx. Fr. Brook's contributions to athletics were noted as part of a ceremony of some sort. Attended with a fellow ram whose kids are HC grads, all three of them. He could not believe it either. Now I may be off a few years so was Fr. Brooks responsible for the current difficulties or was he out of the picture before the current problem.

[Sader87]

I defer to the HC fans but suspect the poor results are the legacy of Fr. Brooks. I recall going to a HC v Ram game in the Bx. Fr. Brook's contributions to athletics were noted as part of a ceremony of some sort. Attended with a fellow ram whose kids are HC grads, all three of them. He could not believe it either. Now I may be off a few years so was Fr. Brooks responsible for the current difficulties or was he out of the picture before the current problem.

Father Brooks was a tremendous Prexy in many ways at HC: brought more diversity to the school (see the book: "Fraternity"), brought coeducation to HC, the endowment soared under his watch, took ovah during a very difficult tiime in higher education across all of America in 1970 etc etc etc The school improved in many ways under his watch long story short.

He was somewhat myopic and stubborn when it came to athletics sadly. His philosophy is not wrong per se....but I think HC could have bettah balanced the school's academic and athletic excellence.

[Go...gate]

I want to continue playing Ivies.

+1

[ngineer]

Homecoming and Family Weekend (known back in my time as Parents Day) rolled up into one?? Can't imagine a crowd like that turning out to see who wins its first game!

That was tickets sold. I was there and doubt there were more than 6,000. The threat of rain, only a few sprinkles showed up, held down the crowd. The Stadium seats 25,000 and the entire press box side was off limits, so only the 'Cresent' side was open, and that was only 1/3 full.