LFN: A Patriot League Offseason about Rams

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2009/08/sundays-word-ram.html


For those folks that don't know, every Sunday during the football regular season I write an opinion piece called "Sunday's Word" - the word that best sums up the past week. I decided to kick off my Sunday pieces tonight with the one word that has dominated the Patriot League offseason, and it should come as no surprise to anybody.

Patriot League Media day is coming up on Tuesday of this week. In years past, media day has been a way to get excited about the season - to think of what records Holy Cross senior QB Dominic Randolph might be able to shatter, say, or if senior QB John Skelton can bring Fordham back to the top of the League this year, or if senior DT B.J. Benning and the rest of the Mountain Hawks can make a run at this thing this year. But that's not the big topic of conversation this offseason.

Instead, it's focused on - you guessed it - "Rams".

It's a bit of a primer on the Patriot League offseason, but it's still relevant today 24 hours before Media Day. While Randolph might shatter all the Patriot League passing records at the end of the year, it's still all about the Rams.

[Fordham]

Again, kudos on a great write-up LFN. From a Ram fan's perspective I think you've captured it perfectly. It certainly will be an interesting year in the PL as these discussions move forward. I just hope that someday, as PL fans we all get the chance to put our money where our mouths are and see whether or not a full scholarship PL can be as competitive as we expect/hope it could/should/would be.

[DFW HOYA]

Left unsaid in this summer's debate: the Ivy-lite Academic Index. Why would Villanova or a W&M want to cut their recruiting pool by two-thirds just to play in the PL?

[RichH2]

Nice perspective , PL s/b main story I hope for this yr. HC and FU could go head to head. The irony if FU returns to 07 form and wins in their last"need" year. Gate LU and LC dogfight among all 5 . Could come down to one or more losing a game to BU or GU , adistinct possibilty.

Merit aid for the rest of us is a dead issue at least for the next yr. We all should root for the stimulus.xthumbsupx

[RichH2]

DFW offers a sobering view of the other end of the PL in his Third Rail blog. Depressingly hopeful and realistic in equal measure. Will we become more like the Ivies Y-H-P up top riding herd Penn in sight and the have nots wandering in the desert searching for salvation?

[Hate the CAA]

I am in the camp that I think it is silly to call the Patriot League system of not offering scholarships a failed model...

There have been plenty of victories and formidable teams over the years that have shown that you don't need to offer scholarships in order to compete at a high level.

I will say that as of late recruiting in the league has become increasingly more difficult. The AI standards have increased and programs such as Albany & Monmouth are stealing kids that might be playing at a Colgate.

That being said, the Patriot League has a proud long standing tradition. Great academic schools, tremendous facilities for 1AA football, history, great players and years where the league has been very good and just average. It goes in cylces.

Fordham will be the 1st test dummy for what could be...

[ngineer]

Good piece LFN. I posted a comment. It all comes down to dollars.

[Go...gate]

As always, nice work, LFN.