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Messages - AUPepBand

#1
Congrats to Curt FitzPatrick, Zac Boyes and all of the Red Dragons! Amazing game! A stark contrast between the first and second halves.
You've made all of New York...and the East Region proud!
#2
Quote from: UfanBill on November 03, 2023, 11:31:50 AM
Does anyone know the status of Utica's move out of D3? I have seen no updates. I wonder if they're going to play football in the E8 next season? The E8 has already added Hilbert and Alfred St.

Pep hasn't heard anything about Utica but it's my understanding that Hilbert moves into the E8 for 2024 while Alfred State joins in 2025.
Alfred will need to make room for the Hilbert addition, which jeopardizes its contracts with either Hobart and Ithaca, assuming the Landmark-Empire 8 arrangement continues with Juniata and Catholic visiting Alfred in 2024.

On Saxon Warriors!
#3
Quote from: Pat Coleman on October 11, 2023, 11:27:17 PM
So, those stadiums are .3 miles apart. Belhaven's and Millsaps's stadiums are .8 miles apart. Yunevich and Pioneer Stadium look to be about a mile. St. Olaf's and Carleton's stadiums are 1.5 miles apart. Worcester State's and WPI's stadiums are about 2.2 miles apart. Springfield's and Western New England's stadiums are about 2.5 miles apart.

Leave it to Pat Coleman to answer Pep's question...in the greatest of detail, no less! So it appears Alfred is third on the list.
Just to add a twist, the difference in elevation of Alfred University's Yunevich Stadium aka "The Pit" and Pioneer Stadium that sits atop the Alfred State campus, is guesstimated to be anywhere from 200' to 300'.
#4
Pep is wondering with the admission of Alfred State's Pioneers into the Empire 8 for football in 2025, is there anywhere in D3 a pair of football programs in closer proximity than Alfred State and Alfred University, their campuses separated only by the village's lone traffic light (currently sidelined as Pine Street bridge and its entrance to AU campus is being rebuilt)?

Pep arrived at Yunevich Stadium's Merrill Field at 11 a.m. with the pep band last Saturday to do a "walk-through" with the pep band that performed its first-ever halftime show. Kickoff was 2 p.m. with the Morrisville Mustangs (Pep's alma mater, no less) for the Homecoming game. After said walk-through, it was about 11:35 a.m. and Pep went up into the stands to put up Sound of the Saxons signs. A couple had settled into seats in front of the stadium's purple seating. The woman approached me to ask whether there was a concession stand. I told her there was but they hadn't opened yet as the game didn't start until 2 p.m.
"Oh, we thought the game started at 12 noon," she said.
"Do you have a son playing?" I inquired.
"No, our daughter's boyfriend plays for Alfred," she said.
"What's his name?"
She told me a name that didn't ring a bell.
"You know, the game at Alfred State today starts at 12 noon but they play in their stadium up on the hill," I told her.
Soon we were joined by her husband, who said the GPS kept telling him to turn right, "but it had to be wrong because I could see the field right there!"
It was 11:47 a.m. when they made their way out of the empty Yunevich Stadium and on their way to the other Alfred football game.
I hope they found a seat at Pioneer Stadium!

On Saxon Warriors!
#5
General football / Re: Best D3 Marching ?
October 09, 2023, 09:44:31 PM
Quote from: ADL70 on June 01, 2023, 02:41:49 PM
Quote from: WLCALUM83 on June 01, 2023, 01:24:21 PM
I'm surprised Fannosaurous Rex hasn't responded on this thread yet. (While WLC's band numbers aren't large enough for a marching band yet, they do have a drum-line, which I heard during the Warriors' last FB home game vs. Concordia-Chicago.)

And where's AUPepBand?

AUPepBand is busier than ever! Thanks for the shout-out. Hadn't been on here much as the Empire8 thread is dead.

Happy to report that a 15-member Pep Band played from the stands in the first half of Alfred University's Homecoming game against Pep's alma mater, Morrisville State....then at halftime, pulled off a first-ever halftime show on the field, featuring "The Seventies in Seven."

After a lackluster 2022 as Covid cut into any band transition and negated recruiting, Pep has a good nucleus of first-year players and a senior music major who's been a joy to work with. We're not officially a "marching band" but we plan to do a couple more halftime shows this season.

On Saxon Warriors!

#6
Quote from: Bartman on September 25, 2023, 07:31:48 AM
Quote from: Jonny Utah on September 24, 2023, 08:35:07 PM
So I watched some Wabash/Butler highlights on youtube from their game on 9/16.  Butler is FCS and averages about 3K fans a game or so and had 6,200 for the Wabash game.  Butler is no powerhouse but did go to Montana (ranked #15 in FCS) for the first game and played them tough. 

Anyway I was wondering what kind of crowd you would get if Ithaca or Hobart played at Cornell.  I bet you would have a lot of alumni come up to watch that game.  Oddly enough, Ithaca/Hobart football games get 5x-10x the amount of fans that Cornell/Hobart Lax games get (at either venue).  A quick glance on their site it appears that Hobart football does better with attendance than Hobart lax does.

We could substitute these games with Union at Colgate (or IC/RPI/Hobart) at Colgate too.  I dunno.  I think it would be cool to see a d3/FCS matchup in upstate.
Interesting topic. I noticed that when Hobart last played Ithaca at Butterfield there were 3800 in attendance .....beware of rounded number which are often the SID "guesses" as to attendance at D3 games. I don't think Hobart fan attendance would increase at Shoelkolpf Field......but if you said the Syracuse Dome, I think that could attract a crowd of Hobart alumni for a promoted Bomber game. Now, Ithaca has about three times the alumni base, so I think it would favor the Bombers on attendance , but Hobart Alums might go for quite a few luxury suites if offered as part of the promotion. A Colgate game vs. Hobart at Syracuse could get a crowd, but I doubt Colgate would agree.
  You are right that football gets more attendance than D1 lacrosse in general at Hobart with the exception of the Syracuse game.  In the 1970's  Hobart packed the old Boswell Bowl for football, especially against rival Alfred with 5k++ crowds , and Hobart Lax spilled over with 10k plus against Syracuse, Cornell or Cortland at the old Boswell Bowl in the center of campus. For Cornell lax games even a few freshly caught trophy sized Lake Trout from Seneca Lake  watched the game from the Cornell bench ;D
   Unfortunately, attendance in general in the Northeast has plummeted over the years. My first college football game was going with my Father to the Princeton-Rutgers game(first game played in 1869) in 1964 at old Palmer Stadium to an almost sold out crowd of 40,000....of course Princeton was nationally ranked(#10 , I think) and recruited sons of coal miners from Pennsylvania instead of sons of investment bankers from New Canaan. Princeton now is lucky to get over 5000 as an FCS team.

Dem were the days, Bartman! +K AU had more than 6,000 in attendance at little Merrill Field in 1972 for "Super Bowl East" as George Davis' unbeaten Hobart Statesmen (Pumpkinheads) invaded "The Pit" to tackle ol' Alex Yunevich's unbeaten Saxons a year after the "Miracle at Geneva." Games at the old Boswell Field were treated like a home game to Saxon faithful, who loved the autumn drive through Naples, Middlesex, Rushville and Gorham to Geneva.

Pep is thinking maybe the largest crowd he's ever seen at Merrill Field was the 1973 season opener when the Saxons hosted Bridgeport University, the 8-1 program that had been selected over the 8-0 Saxons in 1971 for the Knute Rockne Bowl. Who knows how many were really there but standing room only with estimates of more than 7,000...saw the Saxons score a TD in the final minute followed by a two-point conversion for an 8-7 lead, only to see Bridgeport, thanks to an unflagged offensive pass interference, score a TD and take a 14-8 win.

That was a time when all of Alfred attended games for lack of anything better to do in this isolated educational oasis.

On Saxon Warriors!
#7
Proud of the Saxons, particularly the defense, in keeping a potent Catholic passing attack out of the end zone for a hard-fought 9-6 win Saterday, thanks also to Ophelia's horrible rainy/windy conditions in which many snaps went awry. AU's two scores came as a result of bad snaps...the first over the head of the QB and out of the back of the end zone for a safety; the other bad snap recovered by the Saxons at the CUA 18-yard-line, after which the AU offense scored the game's only TD. AU also had its snap problems, hindering the offensive effort.

To their credit, the Cardinals drove deep into Saxon territory late in the game and had the distance on a game-tying 35-yard field goal but it drifted left. Pat Coleman was not in the press box yesterday as he was in 1994 when he personally gave Pep an over-the-phone play-by-play of the crazy final minutes of Alfred's 35-29 win over Catholic that denied the Cardinals a playoff berth. Yet, in a way, Pat was providing the play-by-play through all the connections through d3football.com. Thanks, Mr. Coleman!
#8
So, Alfred University football will be playing at Catholic University of America this Saturday. Pep probably not making the trip. There was a day not too long ago when the Saxons were in the nation's capital for the final game of its season facing a talented Catholic squad hellbent on making the playoffs.

Thanks to an Alfred University media guide (haven't seen one of those in years!), Pep had a phone number for the CUA press box at Cardinal Stadium. Someone was kind enough to answer and gave a very entertaining personalized play-by-play over the final wild minutes of the Saxons' 35-29 crazy win over the home team. Later...much later, Pep will add, learned that it was none other than the D3football.com guru himself, Pat Coleman! Pat's description of the plays was just enough to paint the picture in Pep's mind.

Pat, will you be in the press box at CUA this Saturday? If not, I'll go to the back-up plan of watching from home on FloSports. The times they are a changin'!

Thanks, Mr. Coleman, for all you've done for small college football and bringing it altogether into an amazing package.

On Saxon Warriors!

#9
Quote from: JT2 on September 14, 2023, 10:57:42 PM
Quote from: jmcozenlaw on September 12, 2023, 09:47:37 AM
Quote from: JT2 on September 11, 2023, 09:53:59 PM
Quote from: phil on September 11, 2023, 10:53:46 AM

Now that I live in SW Ohio, catching Mount Union on the road is more likely than seeing a Rowan game. The Profs played well on both sides of the ball this week, so that was nice... caught the game on the web.
After all these years, ironically, I have a daughter attending college and playing softball in northeast Ohio.

Wife got promoted and transferred. I do marketing from home. My son will be 8 in November. We visted the Cincinnati area a few times because her boss wanted to see if we'd like it. The people are so nice and the city is so clean. There's plenty to do. Tennessee is on the potential retirement living list. My son is still young enough that he hasn't developed those life long relationships. So we decided to go for it. And for a bourbon drinker like me, the good small batch KY and TN stuff is significantly cheaper.

We are living in between Dayton and Cincinnati. Son is getting busy... he's got BJJ, drum lessons, and catechism.  There's indoor kiddie flag fb in January, if he's interested.

I haven't touched a golf club in about 20 years. Got a nice public 9 hole executive course 3 miles from the house, and a 36 hole 5 miles from the house. Feeling the tingle. Gonna work at the indoor and outdoor ranges in the offseason.

Homecoming at the high school is on Oct 6. The locals have told me that on Friday night, the town basically stops for football, and homecoming is even larger. Planning on taking the kid and the wife to feel the energy.

Quote
Catechism..................love it. Churches are so devoid of young people these days. You are doing a great job and teaching him, by far, what is the most important in the very brief time that we are here. God Bless you for it!!

I'm been very fortunate to be an older Dad with a 7-8 year old. I am able to experience all these great things as my son goes through them for the first time. I did my 14 hr work days before he came around. Bus stop waiting in the AM is great. Yesterday, he explained to me why farts make noise. Good times. Every morning it's something interesting.

Farts are fun. While drum lessons are promising, a good pep band, in addition to a kazoo, needs a trumpet. Air being pumped through a narrow opening results in a glorious sound! Let me be the first Pep Band recruiter to reach out to JT2 Jr. He would be most welcome at Alfred University....an easy 8 hour drive from Cincy...to add to our amazing glorified flatulence.

On Saxon Warriors!
#10
Saxons had such good success in Ottawa that rumor has it that they plan to use 12 players throughout their 2023 season!!

Saxons, sporting white helmets, had the Saxon logo on one side, the American flag on the other.

On Saxon Warriors!
#11
Pep's Saxons are in Ottawa for a spring exhibition FOOTBALL game at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 12 against the Ottawa Sooners.

An online promo says: We are calling out to Ottawa locals, Sooners supporters and all football fanatics to come out and enjoy this highly anticipated Canada vs USA showdown. The energy will be electric as we take the field and give it our all in this thrilling matchup.This is a game for the books and a chance to shine on our home turf. Let's show the Saxons what we're made of and give them a warm Ottawa welcome. The Ottawa Sooners are ready to go, are you? Don't miss out on the action and grab your tickets now!

They'll be playing Canadian rules.

On Saxon Warriors!
#12
Quote from: Jonny Utah on November 01, 2022, 01:26:16 PM
Quote from: UfanBill on November 01, 2022, 01:05:20 PM
Quote from: Pat Coleman on November 01, 2022, 10:25:20 AM
Quote from: Jonny Utah on November 01, 2022, 08:58:41 AM
Quote from: jmcozenlaw on October 30, 2022, 06:14:15 PM
Quote from: Jonny Utah on October 29, 2022, 04:20:41 PM
Hopkins losing might but a wrench in the LL 2 berths.  But Susquehanna is also a top 25 team.  Frank R. mentioned some controversy at the end of that game but I don't see any comments about it here.

The end of the game was a clock management/timeouts/screwed up play clock disaster!!!

Ahh ok I didn't see anymore on this though.

I have no insight on the play clock -- the clock on the broadcast was managed remotely and notoriously just wrong all day and the broadcasters didn't relay the time from the scoreboard clock at all. But apparently a player's helmet came off on one of Susquehanna's final plays and that stops the clock when under a minute?

Helmet comes off?...I had to look at this and discovered a heads up play so to speak. On 2nd and 7 the Susquehanna RB runs up the middle and at the bottom of the ensuing pile #31 for JHU discretely comes out with the ball carrier's helmet thus stopping the clock. I'm wondering if this ploy was done purposely? Pull a helmet off to stop the clock? If so it's a way to get a free time out I had never seen before and obviously should not have been allowed. With an extra clock stoppage JHU gains a late possession they shouldn't of had.

Ha.  I mean you could also take off your own helmet too right?  Is it a penalty to take off your helmet to "fix it" or is it just a stoppage of play and that player has to sit out a play?  I'm guessing the refs can call a penalty for a delay of game, and taking off an opponents helmet would be a penalty anyway 99% of the time.

Had a freakish play on a kickoff return at Yunevich Stadium. Opposing returner successfully broke a tackle near midfield but in doing so, his helmet came off. Had never seen that before. The player went the remaining 50 yards for an apparent TD but it was called back because a player becomes ineligible when his helmet is removed.
#13
Quote from: XREDDRAGON77 on October 29, 2022, 02:42:26 PM
Dragons and Saxons in a close one from I've seen! Keep grinding! Morrisville leading Utica...didn't think that would happen but there is still lots left to play!

Let Pep be the first to congratulate Coach Curt FitzPatrick (you still reading these posts, pal?) and the Red Dragons of SUNY Cortland for clinching the Empire 8 Championship Saterday at Merrill Field in Yunevich Stadium. Pep has been told that the band is always good for 7 points for the Saxons....well, on Saterday, the band was so good we ended up with 8! And I couldn't be prouder of the Saxons and the fight put up against Cortland. Keep working, keep fighting on, Saxon Warriors!

Wishing the Red Dragons all the best the rest of the way. Have fun in Yankee Stadium....and take it deep into the NCAA Tournament.



#14
Quote from: XREDDRAGON77 on October 22, 2022, 10:36:29 PM
Dragons did it with style points to add on! Never thought I'd see the day where Fisher and Alfred would be games on the schedule that would be considered gimmes! Stay focused and get it done next week! Then the week after!

Pep has compared all the Cortland-Alfred season stats and it appears that the Red Dragons, averaging 52 points per game and yielding just 14 points a game, are clear favorites at Yunevich Stadium Saturday, as the Saxons are averaging just 15 points per game and yielding 31. Hoping the Saxons will rise to the occasion, sharpen their swords, and slay those nasty Red Dragons!

While Pep, unable to confirm whether Cortland actually has one, will go out on a limb and suggest that Alfred University, even in this rebuilding season, has the better pep band!  :-\

On Saxon Warriors!

#15
Quote from: Bartman on September 02, 2022, 11:49:32 AM
Season #128 for the Hobart Statesmen being played during the bicentennial of Hobart College( what did they do for the first 72 years without football????) against an old rival that has provided some of the best games in the history of Western NY small college football. Will the Saxon Warriors improve on their 5-5 season by shocking the Statesmen in tonight's opener under the lights at the Boz? It will take some trickery from the Alfred coaching staff to get the Statesmen off balance. The Statesmen should be workman like on Offense and let the returning Hogs do their job as the best 1-2 rushing duo in league Denham/Boswell (and maybe in the country by the end of the year) looks to improve on their 2021 combined 2,102 rushing yards and 27 TDs. Boswell is also a pass threat with 19 catches for 272 yards and 3 TDs. Hobart defense loses 6 regular starters including an All American LB(Forde) and a top corner that got a look by the Giants(Leake) , so lots of opportunity for the new starters to fill some big shoes. I'm thinking the offense should roll and Hobart wins 42-13 as the defense gets some needed experience. Go Bart Team # 128 .

Just hoping the Saxons, clear underdogs, give it their best shot at the Boswell tonight. From what Pep has seen, if the Saxon offense takes care of the rock, the defense could keep the visitors in the game. Will know more tonight. On Saxon Warriors! Win one for #10!