A PL/Ivy Doubleheader

[DFW HOYA]

Heading on a Southwest Airlines flight to Hartford Friday afternoon en route to the Georgetown-Yale game, the line item under USA Today's list of football games caught my eye..."Holy Cross at Harvard, 7". And so began an unexpected ride east along I-90 to catch two games in two of American's great stadia.

I arrived at Harvard just after kickoff, with a large, and I mean LARGE contingent of students making its way down from campus. One girl in gthe group remarked she hadn't been to a football game before, but was going to be there this evening. In a town where evenings are for events and Saturday afternoons are for sleep, this was an event. Harvard filled the old stadium from the 10 yard line right to the other 10--a great turnout on a Friday night. Holy Cross was well represented as well, and the total attendance was around 22,000 in a 33,000 seat stadium. One person remarked it was the largest non-Yale turnout in years.

Halftime was also good. Holy Cross' band did their best, but they marched only 22, and Harvard marched 90 onto the field, well attired in crimson blazers for a scramble band, or what passes for music at the Ivies outside the great Cornell marching band. I've seen some of the lame attempts at humor from Columbia and Brown's band, so I can give the HUB credit for focusing more on the music and less on the left of center social commentary.

And, of course, a great finish, Harvard 25-24. I know somewhere there are some brahmin deriding an evening game aside Soldiers Field and harkening back to the days when games were played in the early afternoon as it has always been, but Harvard ought to have one or two night games a year, if for no other reason but to get people interested about the team earlier in the season. (An 11th game wouldn't hurt either, but this is only the 21st century we're talking about, not the 22nd...xlolx )

Saturday was Georgetown at Yale. The Yale turnout was small (maybe 10,000) on a 70 degree day in New Haven, I frankly had expected a big turnout. This message board may not be big enough to hold the level of irritation and frustration with the game, which can be boiled down to one concept: how remarkably hamstrung Georgetown recruiting has now become within the confimes of the Pennsylvania...er, Patriot League and how it translates on the field. Yale was pushing the small Georgetown line up and down and sideways all afternoon picking up 498 total yards against a small (that phrase, again...) but eager Georgetown defense. Good intentions only takes you so far.

With no line after three weeks, Georgetown has almost no rushing game left (Charlie Houghton has 98 yards in THREE games) and maybe a two second pocket for passing. The Hoyas punted on all six first half drives, many three and out. The starting QB was 4-6 for 43 yards. The defense is slow in the secondary and Yale was all over that. Now averaging 8 points a game, Georgetown won't be within three TD's of any other team left on the schedule this season at this rate.

[bulldog10jw]

You may be the only person ever to see games at Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl the same weekend.

[Franks Tanks]

Heading on a Southwest Airlines flight to Hartford Friday afternoon en route to the Georgetown-Yale game, the line item under USA Today's list of football games caught my eye..."Holy Cross at Harvard, 7". And so began an unexpected ride east along I-90 to catch two games in two of American's great stadia.

I arrived at Harvard just after kickoff, with a large, and I mean LARGE contingent of students making its way down from campus. One girl in gthe group remarked she hadn't been to a football game before, but was going to be there this evening. In a town where evenings are for events and Saturday afternoons are for sleep, this was an event. Harvard filled the old stadium from the 10 yard line right to the other 10--a great turnout on a Friday night. Holy Cross was well represented as well, and the total attendance was around 22,000 in a 33,000 seat stadium. One person remarked it was the largest non-Yale turnout in years.

Halftime was also good. Holy Cross' band did their best, but they marched only 22, and Harvard marched 90 onto the field, well attired in crimson blazers for a scramble band, or what passes for music at the Ivies outside the great Cornell marching band. I've seen some of the lame attempts at humor from Columbia and Brown's band, so I can give the HUB credit for focusing more on the music and less on the left of center social commentary.

And, of course, a great finish, Harvard 25-24. I know somewhere there are some brahmin deriding an evening game aside Soldiers Field and harkening back to the days when games were played in the early afternoon as it has always been, but Harvard ought to have one or two night games a year, if for no other reason but to get people interested about the team earlier in the season. (An 11th game wouldn't hurt either, but this is only the 21st century we're talking about, not the 22nd...xlolx )

Saturday was Georgetown at Yale. The Yale turnout was small (maybe 10,000) on a 70 degree day in New Haven, I frankly had expected a big turnout. This message board may not be big enough to hold the level of irritation and frustration with the game, which can be boiled down to one concept: how remarkably hamstrung Georgetown recruiting has now become within the confimes of the Pennsylvania...er, Patriot League and how it translates on the field. Yale was pushing the small Georgetown line up and down and sideways all afternoon picking up 498 total yards against a small (that phrase, again...) but eager Georgetown defense. Good intentions only takes you so far.

With no line after three weeks, Georgetown has almost no rushing game left (Charlie Houghton has 98 yards in THREE games) and maybe a two second pocket for passing. The Hoyas punted on all six first half drives, many three and out. The starting QB was 4-6 for 43 yards. The defense is slow in the secondary and Yale was all over that. Now averaging 8 points a game, Georgetown won't be within three TD's of any other team left on the schedule this season at this rate.


Georgetown was aware of the deal when they entered the PL. It is easy to blame league rules for lack of wins, when the finger needs to be pointed right at the athletic department and coaching staff. The Hoyas were more competitive with PL before the entered the league. I doubt you had lower admission standards for FB players before you entered the league.

[PantherRob82]

Good trip!

[DFW HOYA]

It is easy to blame league rules for lack of wins, when the finger needs to be pointed right at the athletic department and coaching staff.

It's not the league rules per se, but the bands have become skewed to the point that HC and Fordham recruit impact players on the lower end that Georgetown (and to a degree Colgate) can't even look at, and it shows. I have long argued for a league-wide number so that everyone has the same pool to work with.

You could also make a argument to throw out the AI altogether and establish broader requirements (e.g., top 20% of high school class, etc.) in its place.

If you want to point a finger, go ahead, but it's not a level playing field and that's a fact.

[Franks Tanks]

It's not the league rules per se, but the bands have become skewed to the point that HC and Fordham recruit impact players on the lower end that Georgetown (and to a degree Colgate) can't even look at, and it shows. I have long argued for a league-wide number so that everyone has the same pool to work with.

You could also make a argument to throw out the AI altogether and establish broader requirements (e.g., top 20% of high school class, etc.) in its place.

If you want to point a finger, go ahead, but it's not a level playing field and that's a fact.

I understand the Band issue, but would G-town really lower the admissions standards anyway to have a better team. In other words if we lowerd the criteria to a league wide standard would Georgetown even choose to follow the new lower criteria?

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Maybe if Georgetown showed they actually cared about football things might get a little better. No kid wants to play at their sorry excuse for a stadium in front of 900 people each week. Georgetown should either ***** or get off the pot i.e drop football or go to the PFL. This is their 8 season in the league and they haven't improved even a little bit. I have zero sympathy for the Hoyas because they have done nothing to help themselves attract better athletes.

[Harvard Worship]

You may be the only person ever to see games at Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl the same weekend.

Ha! That's probably true!

[bonarae]

I know somewhere there are some brahmin deriding an evening game aside Soldiers Field and harkening back to the days when games were played in the early afternoon as it has always been, but Harvard ought to have one or two night games a year, if for no other reason but to get people interested about the team earlier in the season. (An 11th game wouldn't hurt either, but this is only the 21st century we're talking about, not the 22nd...xlolx )

True. Night games were sometimes intended to increase the team's exposure to fans.
11th game - yes! we really need one! even an option for the 12th after the 11th is implemented! (to compete with the likes of JMU, App State, Montana, PL, etc.)


You may be the only person ever to see games at Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl the same weekend.

Oh. Unbelievable! xthumbsupx

[colorless raider]

Heading on a Southwest Airlines flight to Hartford Friday afternoon en route to the Georgetown-Yale game, the line item under USA Today's list of football games caught my eye..."Holy Cross at Harvard, 7". And so began an unexpected ride east along I-90 to catch two games in two of American's great stadia.

I arrived at Harvard just after kickoff, with a large, and I mean LARGE contingent of students making its way down from campus. One girl in gthe group remarked she hadn't been to a football game before, but was going to be there this evening. In a town where evenings are for events and Saturday afternoons are for sleep, this was an event. Harvard filled the old stadium from the 10 yard line right to the other 10--a great turnout on a Friday night. Holy Cross was well represented as well, and the total attendance was around 22,000 in a 33,000 seat stadium. One person remarked it was the largest non-Yale turnout in years.

Halftime was also good. Holy Cross' band did their best, but they marched only 22, and Harvard marched 90 onto the field, well attired in crimson blazers for a scramble band, or what passes for music at the Ivies outside the great Cornell marching band. I've seen some of the lame attempts at humor from Columbia and Brown's band, so I can give the HUB credit for focusing more on the music and less on the left of center social commentary.

And, of course, a great finish, Harvard 25-24. I know somewhere there are some brahmin deriding an evening game aside Soldiers Field and harkening back to the days when games were played in the early afternoon as it has always been, but Harvard ought to have one or two night games a year, if for no other reason but to get people interested about the team earlier in the season. (An 11th game wouldn't hurt either, but this is only the 21st century we're talking about, not the 22nd...xlolx )

Saturday was Georgetown at Yale. The Yale turnout was small (maybe 10,000) on a 70 degree day in New Haven, I frankly had expected a big turnout. This message board may not be big enough to hold the level of irritation and frustration with the game, which can be boiled down to one concept: how remarkably hamstrung Georgetown recruiting has now become within the confimes of the Pennsylvania...er, Patriot League and how it translates on the field. Yale was pushing the small Georgetown line up and down and sideways all afternoon picking up 498 total yards against a small (that phrase, again...) but eager Georgetown defense. Good intentions only takes you so far.

With no line after three weeks, Georgetown has almost no rushing game left (Charlie Houghton has 98 yards in THREE games) and maybe a two second pocket for passing. The Hoyas punted on all six first half drives, many three and out. The starting QB was 4-6 for 43 yards. The defense is slow in the secondary and Yale was all over that. Now averaging 8 points a game, Georgetown won't be within three TD's of any other team left on the schedule this season at this rate.

DFW- You have to question your coach for not giving the ball to Charlie Houghton who I thought last year was one of your real quality players. His agenda to always play the young guys is very questionable and no doubt the reason you have so many kids quit the team.
As for an AI single standard I am all for it.:D

[Fordham]

It's not the league rules per se, but the bands have become skewed to the point that HC and Fordham recruit impact players on the lower end that Georgetown (and to a degree Colgate) can't even look at, and it shows. I have long argued for a league-wide number so that everyone has the same pool to work with.



I've tried asking this previously several times when this topic has come up and haven't seen a reply yet. How is it more fair, or an improvement of the current system, to have it so that Fordham's players must be better academically versus their peers than other PL schools player's must be to their peers?

I understand the advantage it provides to us but from a fairness standpoint it makes sense to me that players at school x should be on par with students from school x, as opposed to a composite of several schools.

Any attempt at this is going to have its inequities. Going to a league wide AI is picking one that has even more inequities to it than the current one does imo.

Thoughts?

[the last indian]

DFW has a point. The current school to school system is too wide in that there is a very significant disparity between the student/athlete that Georgetown and Colgate at the top and Fordham at the other end can admit. Though I think Fordham has a point in being able to match their criteria to the rest of the student body. Maybe some blended system.

The more serious problem is the ability of the entire league to recruit vis a vis other very selective schools, and to remedy that we will need football scholarships. Not sure if Georgetown would be willing to go that route, but as the PL record with past weekend illustrated, we are slipping badly.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I agree that the AI deal is rediculous and should either be eliminated or their be a universal requirement that everyone has to follow. With that said Georgetown's problems run way deeper than the leagues AI rules.

[LBPop]

DFW- You have to question your coach for not giving the ball to Charlie Houghton who I thought last year was one of your real quality players. His agenda to always play the young guys is very questionable and no doubt the reason you have so many kids quit the team.

xsmileyclapx xsmileyclapx xsmileyclapx xsmileyclapx
You speak the truth.