Patriot League Offseason 2008: Lafayette

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I didn't want to do it, but for carney's sake, I guess I had to. Ladies and Gents, *your* Lafayette Leopards.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2008/09/patriot-league-offseason-2008-lafayette.html

[LUHawker]

Quote from the LFN blog:


"The Rivalry" defines Lafayette fans much more than it does Lehigh fans.

When Lehigh was pounding the living tar out of Lafayette on a regular basis in the late 1990s, it was coupled with interesting runs in the FCS playoffs. Lehigh fans loved beating Lafayette, of course, but they also had an eye on the World too: beating a Delaware, say, or a Western Illinois or a Hofstra - maybe even making it all the way to Chattanooga. Many of those years, Lehigh fans saw Lafayette as an annoying stepping stone to the real games: the playoffs.


This stretch defined - ironically - Lafayette fans. Seeing Lehigh fans sample from the Bacchinalian buffet of FCS football made Leopard fans seethe with rage, and when Lafayette finally reversed a series of seven straight losses to Lehigh in 2002 it didn't matter that the Leopards didn't get to the playoffs: they simply wanted to deny Lehigh a taste of victory in everything else they had done: a Patriot League title and a potential spot in the playoffs that year. Pandemomium ensued. The spell had been broken.


Now the tables have turned. Lafayette fans have throttled Lehigh in four straight contests, but the Leopards didn't have the same success in the playoffs that Lehigh did. Sure, they played a bunch of close games against the best the CAA had to offer. But it wasn't the same. Lafayette never really had those expectations of FCS titles, and strangely, they still don't seem to be there."

LFN, I couldn't agree more and based on my conversations with older alums, this isn't a new phenomenom either. With Lehigh being a larger institution than that 'college' down the road, I think LU folks have always tended to identify more with and get excited more for the Delawares of the world when it comes to football. Lafayette is often seen as that pesky school with which we are attached at the hip. However, with four straight losses to the Pards and LC improving their facilities, I think that that trend may have turned and LU once again views Lafayette as a major marker in determining a successful season.

[Franks Tanks]

Quote from the LFN blog:


"The Rivalry" defines Lafayette fans much more than it does Lehigh fans.

When Lehigh was pounding the living tar out of Lafayette on a regular basis in the late 1990s, it was coupled with interesting runs in the FCS playoffs. Lehigh fans loved beating Lafayette, of course, but they also had an eye on the World too: beating a Delaware, say, or a Western Illinois or a Hofstra - maybe even making it all the way to Chattanooga. Many of those years, Lehigh fans saw Lafayette as an annoying stepping stone to the real games: the playoffs.


This stretch defined - ironically - Lafayette fans. Seeing Lehigh fans sample from the Bacchinalian buffet of FCS football made Leopard fans seethe with rage, and when Lafayette finally reversed a series of seven straight losses to Lehigh in 2002 it didn't matter that the Leopards didn't get to the playoffs: they simply wanted to deny Lehigh a taste of victory in everything else they had done: a Patriot League title and a potential spot in the playoffs that year. Pandemomium ensued. The spell had been broken.


Now the tables have turned. Lafayette fans have throttled Lehigh in four straight contests, but the Leopards didn't have the same success in the playoffs that Lehigh did. Sure, they played a bunch of close games against the best the CAA had to offer. But it wasn't the same. Lafayette never really had those expectations of FCS titles, and strangely, they still don't seem to be there."

LFN, I couldn't agree more and based on my conversations with older alums, this isn't a new phenomenom either. With Lehigh being a larger institution than that 'college' down the road, I think LU folks have always tended to identify more with and get excited more for the Delawares of the world when it comes to football. Lafayette is often seen as that pesky school with which we are attached at the hip. However, with four straight losses to the Pards and LC improving their facilities, I think that that trend may have turned and LU once again views Lafayette as a major marker in determining a successful season.


BS-- whenever I think you guys are alright someone spouts this junk. Have fun going 5-6 again this year and getting smashed at Fisher to end another mediocre season.

[Pard94]

Quote from the LFN blog:


"The Rivalry" defines Lafayette fans much more than it does Lehigh fans.

When Lehigh was pounding the living tar out of Lafayette on a regular basis in the late 1990s, it was coupled with interesting runs in the FCS playoffs. Lehigh fans loved beating Lafayette, of course, but they also had an eye on the World too: beating a Delaware, say, or a Western Illinois or a Hofstra - maybe even making it all the way to Chattanooga. Many of those years, Lehigh fans saw Lafayette as an annoying stepping stone to the real games: the playoffs.


This stretch defined - ironically - Lafayette fans. Seeing Lehigh fans sample from the Bacchinalian buffet of FCS football made Leopard fans seethe with rage, and when Lafayette finally reversed a series of seven straight losses to Lehigh in 2002 it didn't matter that the Leopards didn't get to the playoffs: they simply wanted to deny Lehigh a taste of victory in everything else they had done: a Patriot League title and a potential spot in the playoffs that year. Pandemomium ensued. The spell had been broken.


Now the tables have turned. Lafayette fans have throttled Lehigh in four straight contests, but the Leopards didn't have the same success in the playoffs that Lehigh did. Sure, they played a bunch of close games against the best the CAA had to offer. But it wasn't the same. Lafayette never really had those expectations of FCS titles, and strangely, they still don't seem to be there."

LFN, I couldn't agree more and based on my conversations with older alums, this isn't a new phenomenom either. With Lehigh being a larger institution than that 'college' down the road, I think LU folks have always tended to identify more with and get excited more for the Delawares of the world when it comes to football. Lafayette is often seen as that pesky school with which we are attached at the hip. However, with four straight losses to the Pards and LC improving their facilities, I think that that trend may have turned and LU once again views Lafayette as a major marker in determining a successful season.

Ummm....yeah. Let me sure I have this straight. Lehigh no longer looks to the results of the Lafayette game as a measure of success. And you base this on your scary record in the playoffs. Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't your team have two career victories in the playoffs (the last of which you participated in was 2004)? I know we at Lafayette have none to speak of yet but that still only puts you ahead by two. And, if you check the facts, our loses came to the eventual National champions Appalachian State and UMASS. I know that is of no interest to you but I find that post season tidbit damned interesting.

Let's bring it back into perspective, shall we? We may simply be that "pesky little school attached to your hip" with our little enrollment of 2,500 but the fact is Lafayette owns Lehigh when it comes to football. Now, you guys may excel at track and field and fencing and I'm sure Asa Packer would be just delighted with the results of your swim team but Lafayette owns Lehigh in football. How would you like to "slice it up'? Recent history? You haven't beaten us in 4 years. Shall we look at the series on the whole? You guys are down 76-62-5. We could forfiet The Game for the next 15 years and you'd only be up by one in the lifetime record. Shall we look at facilities? That used to be an old standby for Lehigh...not so much anymore.

Yes, I will concede that you guys OWNED the early nineties. You dominated us for about 5 years while we were under the threat of having the program dropped. Well done. But guess what...it's 2008. To paraphrase Rick Petino, "Phil Stambaugh at walking through that door". Now you may not measure your success by the how well you do against Lafayette anymore. It's probably better that you don't...because you don't measure up. And if you spend even 5 minutes on your Voy board you get the sense that much of your alumni don't see that changing anytime soon.

[LUHawker]

Somehow you LC folks took this as a personal affront. In fact, I thought I was commenting that the Rivalry is becoming more important and even though I didn't spell it out, there was an implicit complement in those comments for both your program and your facilities. You're already this worked up and neither team has played a game yet! Can't wait to spar come November!xpeacex

[Pard94]

Somehow you LC folks took this as a personal affront. In fact, I thought I was commenting that the Rivalry is becoming more important and even though I didn't spell it out, there was an implicit complement in those comments for both your program and your facilities. You're already this worked up and neither team has played a game yet! Can't wait to spar come November!xpeacex

Well, I guess we were forced to swallow the whole "Lafayette is irrelevant" thing back in the early nineties and we just figured the fact that we OWN you now would have changed all of that. Don't worry though...we take solace in the fact that this just comes off as pompous, unfounded delussions of grandeur now.

As for November...I think you and LFN have pretty much guranteed a spot on the Lafayette locker room bulletin board. Thanks for contributing to the cause. See you in Novemberxthumbsupx .

[ngineer]

Wow, very surprised at the 'pards reaction...I thought the LFN article was quite complimentary. Fact is, back in the 1990's Lehigh fans did view games with Delaware, Colgate and playoff teams with more interest than Lafayette. I think one has to agree the Leopards were in a sorry state. Now that LC has been able to turn their program around, Lehigh people have to 'refocus' on "The Rivalry". Living in Easton, I know a good many 'Marooners' who 10 years ago were talking about even dropping the series. To LC's credit they bit the bullet and poured resources into building the program back up, but it was also explainable that Lehigh's focus during that stretch was toward the I-AA playoffs and the chance of winning a NC. (Something Lafayette as never done ;) ) And something that I suspect sits in Lafayette's crawl.
Oh, BTW, Lehigh, since 1998 won THREE first round I-AA playoff games versus Richmond, Hofstra and Western Illinois as well as losing to NC Massachusetts by 6 in 1998, and NC James Madison by 1 in 2004(on a very questionable call). Five out of ten years in the playoffs aint too shabby. Yes, the past couple years we have been down from our annual expectations, but show me a program that hasn't had such a cycle.
Bottom line is that LFN has called upon Lehigh to refocus on the "The Rivalry" the way Lafayette has. Let's face it, for the longest time, it was all Lafayette had to look forward to. Now, they have achieved long awaited success, and we need to step it up.
"The worm turns"..."The pendulum swings"..."What goes around comes around"...(insert cliche here)...;) xpeacex

[Franks Tanks]

Wow, very surprised at the 'pards reaction...I thought the LFN article was quite complimentary. Fact is, back in the 1990's Lehigh fans did view games with Delaware, Colgate and playoff teams with more interest than Lafayette. I think one has to agree the Leopards were in a sorry state. Now that LC has been able to turn their program around, Lehigh people have to 'refocus' on "The Rivalry". Living in Easton, I know a good many 'Marooners' who 10 years ago were talking about even dropping the series. To LC's credit they bit the bullet and poured resources into building the program back up, but it was also explainable that Lehigh's focus during that stretch was toward the I-AA playoffs and the chance of winning a NC. (Something Lafayette as never done ;) ) And something that I suspect sits in Lafayette's crawl.
Oh, BTW, Lehigh, since 1998 won THREE first round I-AA playoff games versus Richmond, Hofstra and Western Illinois as well as losing to NC Massachusetts by 6 in 1998, and NC James Madison by 1 in 2004(on a very questionable call). Five out of ten years in the playoffs aint too shabby. Yes, the past couple years we have been down from our annual expectations, but show me a program that hasn't had such a cycle.
Bottom line is that LFN has called upon Lehigh to refocus on the "The Rivalry" the way Lafayette has. Let's face it, for the longest time, it was all Lafayette had to look forward to. Now, they have achieved long awaited success, and we need to step it up.
"The worm turns"..."The pendulum swings"..."What goes around comes around"...(insert cliche here)...;) xpeacex


1995 Lehigh 37-30
1996 Lehigh 23-19
1997 Lehigh 43-31
1998 Lehigh 31-7
1999 Lehigh 14-12
2000 Lehigh 31-17
2001 Lehigh 41-6

There are some lop

[Franks Tanks]

Wow, very surprised at the 'pards reaction...I thought the LFN article was quite complimentary. Fact is, back in the 1990's Lehigh fans did view games with Delaware, Colgate and playoff teams with more interest than Lafayette. I think one has to agree the Leopards were in a sorry state. Now that LC has been able to turn their program around, Lehigh people have to 'refocus' on "The Rivalry". Living in Easton, I know a good many 'Marooners' who 10 years ago were talking about even dropping the series. To LC's credit they bit the bullet and poured resources into building the program back up, but it was also explainable that Lehigh's focus during that stretch was toward the I-AA playoffs and the chance of winning a NC. (Something Lafayette as never done ;) ) And something that I suspect sits in Lafayette's crawl.
Oh, BTW, Lehigh, since 1998 won THREE first round I-AA playoff games versus Richmond, Hofstra and Western Illinois as well as losing to NC Massachusetts by 6 in 1998, and NC James Madison by 1 in 2004(on a very questionable call). Five out of ten years in the playoffs aint too shabby. Yes, the past couple years we have been down from our annual expectations, but show me a program that hasn't had such a cycle.
Bottom line is that LFN has called upon Lehigh to refocus on the "The Rivalry" the way Lafayette has. Let's face it, for the longest time, it was all Lafayette had to look forward to. Now, they have achieved long awaited success, and we need to step it up.
"The worm turns"..."The pendulum swings"..."What goes around comes around"...(insert cliche here)...;) xpeacex

1995 Lehigh 37-30
1996 Lehigh 23-19
1997 Lehigh 43-31
1998 Lehigh 31-7
1999 Lehigh 14-12
2000 Lehigh 31-17
2001 Lehigh 41-6

There are some lopsided games here, but to assert the series should have been aborted was just plain stupis. The first 3 years were very close and Lafayette was winning late in the game is 95 and 96. I believe 96 was the game we were up 3 td's and 95 was the catch in the gloaming. 97 and 99 were also competitive games. Only 3 of the games were blowouts and they were in the heart of your run. Overall yes Lehigh has had more overall post season sucess but not so much that Lafayette is still the most important game 95% of seasons.

This is my full post--sorry pre-mature posting.

[MDFAN]

I'm no Lafayette fan but..........................OUCH!!!!!!!!!

[carney2]

A very nice article, LFN. I can't believe that it has unleashed this "who hates who more" discussion. Some people have far too much time on their hands, I guess. As for me, I once again wish the Squawks a marvelous 10-1 season and an at-large bid to the playoffs. See you in Easton for number 144 and, wouldn't it be grand, in Chattanooga for 145.

[Pard94]

Wow, very surprised at the 'pards reaction...I thought the LFN article was quite complimentary. Fact is, back in the 1990's Lehigh fans did view games with Delaware, Colgate and playoff teams with more interest than Lafayette. I think one has to agree the Leopards were in a sorry state. Now that LC has been able to turn their program around, Lehigh people have to 'refocus' on "The Rivalry". Living in Easton, I know a good many 'Marooners' who 10 years ago were talking about even dropping the series. To LC's credit they bit the bullet and poured resources into building the program back up, but it was also explainable that Lehigh's focus during that stretch was toward the I-AA playoffs and the chance of winning a NC. (Something Lafayette as never done ;) ) And something that I suspect sits in Lafayette's crawl.
Oh, BTW, Lehigh, since 1998 won THREE first round I-AA playoff games versus Richmond, Hofstra and Western Illinois as well as losing to NC Massachusetts by 6 in 1998, and NC James Madison by 1 in 2004(on a very questionable call). Five out of ten years in the playoffs aint too shabby. Yes, the past couple years we have been down from our annual expectations, but show me a program that hasn't had such a cycle.
Bottom line is that LFN has called upon Lehigh to refocus on the "The Rivalry" the way Lafayette has. Let's face it, for the longest time, it was all Lafayette had to look forward to. Now, they have achieved long awaited success, and we need to step it up.
"The worm turns"..."The pendulum swings"..."What goes around comes around"...(insert cliche here)...;) xpeacex

Well excuse us if we didn't take the back handed, patronizing compliments with the aplomb you would have hoped for. I'm still trying to figure out how long Lehigh fans can carve out the early nineties and point to it as evidence of their program's superiority. It would be better for you guys if you would just let it go. Let it go like you let go coaches who don't measure up to your delusions of grandeur. It would be better for you in the long run if you would. And please...let us not forget that you exacted your dominance upon Lafayette during the very darkest days of our history. Our entire program was threatened. Bravo...excellent job. We have exacted our dominance over you, well...simply becasue when the playing field is level...we're better than you.

Here is one of many differences between Lehigh fans and Lafayette fans...as Lafayette continues towards its goal of hosting a playoff game and eventually contending for a National Championship, we as fans will always relish beating Lehigh...no matter how easy and predictable it gets. In the meanwhile I will enjoy reading about how your alumni long for the Coen days long after you have run him out of town. Great little cycle you have gotten yourselves into.

[Pard94]

A very nice article, LFN. I can't believe that it has unleashed this "who hates who more" discussion. Some people have far too much time on their hands, I guess. As for me, I once again wish the Squawks a marvelous 10-1 season and an at-large bid to the playoffs. See you in Easton for number 144 and, wouldn't it be grand, in Chattanooga for 145.


Carney, you are a Lafayette fan like john McCain is a conservative. xrolleyesx

[Lafalumni29]

Well excuse us if we didn't take the back handed, patronizing compliments with the aplomb you would have hoped for. I'm still trying to figure out how long Lehigh fans can carve out the early nineties and point to it as evidence of their program's superiority. It would be better for you guys if you would just let it go. Let it go like you let go coaches who don't measure up to your delusions of grandeur. It would be better for you in the long run if you would. And please...let us not forget that you exacted your dominance upon Lafayette during the very darkest days of our history. Our entire program was threatened. Bravo...excellent job. We have exacted our dominance over you, well...simply becasue when the playing field is level...we're better than you.

Here is one of many differences between Lehigh fans and Lafayette fans...as Lafayette continues towards its goal of hosting a playoff game and eventually contending for a National Championship, we as fans will always relish beating Lehigh...no matter how easy and predictable it gets. In the meanwhile I will enjoy reading about how your alumni long for the Coen days long after you have run him out of town. Great little cycle you have gotten yourselves into.

Wow! I had to come out of hiding for that one. Well said '94

xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx