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Post by HC92 on Oct 23, 2022 14:09:30 GMT -5
If the staff clearly does not want to discuss a subject publicly, I would respect their wishes and follow suit here.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Oct 23, 2022 14:36:24 GMT -5
I went to the game yesterday. Four years ago, I tailgated in the multi-level garage next to the football stadium. This year the tailgate was a block away on Bushkill street. My first time going to a Holy Cross game that parking was free. Weather was great, great people, great food, great music - just a fun time. On to the game: We had a great crowd on the visitor's side. Poor crowd on the Lafayette side for homecoming. Mid way 1Q, I'm thinking the team is a little rusty from the bye week and that they just need to turn on a switch and go. Score late in the 1Q, everything good. After 3Qs, I'm worried. We only had one sustained TD drive. In my head I'm thinking 2018 - Bucknell, 2019 - Lafayette, 2021 - Merrimack. All games we should have won, but we simply did not play well. The difference with this team is they are good enough to have a bad game and still win. Everyone knows we can't afford another game like this. I'm sure the coaches will make the proper adjustments. Lafayette had great line play on both sides of the ball, even though they came in at 2-4 (2-5 now), they have played a tough schedule. This was not the easy game that I was expecting. They have played 3 out of the 5 remaining undefeated teams left in FCS. I'm going out on a limb, but they may be the second best team in the Patriot League. Sacred Heart W - SH, even though they lost to Merrimack, can still win the NEC and go to the NCAA playoffs. Merrimack is ineligible for the conference championship Temple L FBS William and Mary L Ranked #12 Penn L undefeated Bucknell W Princeton L undefeated Holy Cross L undefeated If Lafayette got by HC and then beat Fordham they would go to the NCAA tournament and be in good position to win in the first round. The LC fans didn't seem to do this math or take into consideration the strength of their prior schedule like you just did before deciding to write this homecoming game off and not show up on a beautiful day. If Fordham beats HC, LC wins out and the Rams lose another PL game, Lafayette still gets the auto bid. I hope they are realizing they have the real deal in Coach Troxell and their team has a bright future. As much as this very much could've happened as Lafayette should have won yesterday, I'm glad it's not. Lafayette is the king of randomly winning the Patriot League out of nowhere with mediocre teams. They've gone to the playoffs with a 5-6 record twice IIRC and once at 6-5. Hopefully the program is indeed on the rise unlike the last 4 or 5 times they've had a decent season only to slink back to mediocrity late in Tavani's tenure. They do have a solid defense this year -- the only game they got truly blown out was at home against William & Mary Week 2. Speaking of W&M, the Tribe beat Lafayette 38-7 by grounding and pounding with an inside-outside running game. Not sure why we were addicted to calling pass plays on 1st down yesterday. Seems to me like we should've ridden Fuller and Oliver more given that Sluka's accuracy was off and that the Lafayette defense did a great job not letting him get outside of them when he ran the ball.
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Post by timholycross on Oct 23, 2022 16:06:49 GMT -5
The one thing I thought LC did exceptionally well was eat up the clock. Might not have been on purpose, but most likely was (there wasn't a play clock on the tv screen but it seemed like most plays they ran went off under 10 seconds).
I don't think the pace of play necessarily wore out HC's defense (in fact, the last 10 minutes, HC's D played quite well); but threw off HC's offense. Everything seemed rushed and ill-timed.
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Post by hartattack on Oct 23, 2022 16:07:01 GMT -5
Few thoughts after driving back home from Easton in the wee hours of Sunday morning:
- Listened to the first half of the Lehigh-Bucknell game on the drive in. As unlistenable as I’m sure it was unwatchable. Good to hear Coach Gilmore’s voice on the Lehigh broadcast at the half, although it sounded like the broadcast team is very much not pleased with HCTG. Clock is ticking in Bethlehem.
- Could not have asked for better weather on Saturday. Really great tailgate setup in the Bushkill lot near Fisher Stadium. Sea of purple. Easy walk up to College Hill to get to Gate 4 on the away side. Witnessed a few HC fans get their Bud Lights confiscated at the gate, but several were able to get some through. Certainly more HC fans than LC fans inside the stadium, although the home side parking deck looked full of maroon. Lafayette may be the last school in the Patriot League that sells physical football programs.
-HC offense could not find rhythm the entire day. Sluka was under duress from bell to bell. Four positive plays stand out the entire afternoon: Sluka-to-Coker pass to set up the Fuller TD, 20+ yard Sluka slither in the first half, Sluka screen to Fuller to pick up a critical first down in the fourth and the Sluka-to-Shorter TD pass to seal it. Something tells me we didn’t open the entire playbook. LC defense is as good as advertised. Hamm and Olivas are legit prospects. That being said, it was pretty chippy out there. Witnesses at least two LU personal fouls not called, including an LC player who kicked up at Sluka from the ground after the whistle.
- LC really - and I mean really - benefited from penalties and patient running. Credit the LC coach for smart clock management and to LC offense for keeping its composure for most of the game. We had field possession all game, but LC had sustained drives. Their offense will catch up to their juggernaut D at some point. Their mistakes were notable though: The final three or so minutes of the first half were questionable. The LC offensive lineman who tossed one of our linemen on the final drive to the tune of an unsportsmanlike penalty also has to be kicking himself this morning.
-Hope TE Sean Morris is ok. He seemed to hurt his lower back on a chop block that he was also flagged for. From my vantage point, it was a legal chop block in the box - literally added insult to injury at that point in the game.
- Found it laughable that the LC public address announcer announced several times in the fourth quarter that no fans were to enter the playing field at the conclusion of the game, alluding to the possibility of fans storming the field. With all due respect, there were more people at the Easton Book Festival than on the home side of the field. Curiously did not hear an announcement for that after about the four minute mark of the fourth.
- The pass to Jalen Coker on the sideline is ruled incomplete 9 times out of 10. It was our only break of the day, and a critical one at that.
-The feeling in the stands at the end was of relief. Have to hand it to Lafayette - they played tough and we’re killed by their special teams. Haskins was the hands down MVP of this one.
- We’re on to Jesuit Armageddon. Say your Hail Marys/Our Fathers/Glory Bes and light an extra candle this week. TPTB should grant students indulgences for showing up to Fitton early and making a lot of noise. To paraphrase the late, great Mr. Entertainment, this will be a good old-fashioned rock fight at Fitton Field. May we come out on the winning end!
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Post by hchoops on Oct 23, 2022 16:24:20 GMT -5
Attendances - 4363 Pretty pathetic
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Post by gks on Oct 23, 2022 16:37:35 GMT -5
When you win clunkers it's a good thing. When you win on the road against anyone it's a good thing.
Not every game can be a blowout.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 23, 2022 16:38:54 GMT -5
Pard nation hasn't woken up to the fact their new coach can actually coach.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 23, 2022 16:44:44 GMT -5
If Fordham sneaks by HC it sets up a second PL super bowl in the Bronx when the Pards come to Coffey Field. Who wins the auto bid tie breaker if LC wins that game and the Rams, Pards and Saders all finish 6-1 in the league?
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Post by cruskater31 on Oct 23, 2022 17:55:20 GMT -5
If Fordham sneaks by HC it sets up a second PL super bowl in the Bronx when the Pards come to Coffey Field. Who wins the auto bid tie breaker if LC wins that game and the Rams, Pards and Saders all finish 6-1 in the league? rather just win it outright! From the PL website: Football Tiebreaker Information a. If a tie exists, the higher seed will go to the team that won the most head-to-head League contest(s) played against the other team(s) involved in the tie. b. If a tie still exists, a comparison of League records will be made between the tied institutions starting at the highest seed and continuing through the lowest seed, if necessary. c. If a tie still exists, a comparison of records against common out-of-league opponents will be made.
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Post by hcgrad94 on Oct 23, 2022 17:59:00 GMT -5
Attendances - 4363 Pretty pathetic Sadly, pretty standard for Northeast FCS football in 2022.
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Post by HC92 on Oct 23, 2022 18:16:51 GMT -5
It was interesting on the disputed sideline catch that the ref announced the call was confirmed which means they saw it clearly on the replay as a catch. I wonder what other angle(s) they had because it didn’t look like a catch on the one replay they showed once or twice on the broadcast.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Oct 23, 2022 18:58:33 GMT -5
If Fordham sneaks by HC it sets up a second PL super bowl in the Bronx when the Pards come to Coffey Field. Who wins the auto bid tie breaker if LC wins that game and the Rams, Pards and Saders all finish 6-1 in the league? I know Lafayette played exceptionally well yesterday and they may appear to be world-beaters to us but it will be a very tall order for them to beat Colgate, Fordham AND rival Lehigh (anything can happen in that game). Let's see how they respond following such a tough loss with Georgetown coming into Easton next week. That could be THEIR trap game. So I just don't really see a three-way tie materializing. Colgate probably has a better chance to pull off the three-way tie with HC and Fordham given that they already proved they can beat Fordham as they did just that last year.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Oct 23, 2022 18:59:40 GMT -5
Attendances - 4363 Pretty pathetic Sadly, pretty standard for Northeast FCS football in 2022. Competing with the Phillies and Yankees games may not have helped.
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Post by DFW HOYA on Oct 23, 2022 19:33:53 GMT -5
Attendances - 4363 Pretty pathetic Average attendance per school as of Oct. 22: Holy Cross: 10,752 Lafayette: 4,541 Lehigh: 3,976 Fordham: 3,777 Colgate: 3,547 Georgetown: 2,138 Bucknell: 1,659
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Post by hchoops on Oct 23, 2022 20:08:56 GMT -5
Interesting that as the top opponent HC would draw below average attendance on a beautiful Homecoming day.
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Post by cruskater31 on Oct 23, 2022 20:26:03 GMT -5
Attendances - 4363 Pretty pathetic Average attendance per school as of Oct. 22: Holy Cross: 10,752 Lafayette: 4,541 Lehigh: 3,976 Fordham: 3,777 Colgate: 3,547 Georgetown: 2,138 Bucknell: 1,659 Thanks for putting this together DFW!
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Post by lou on Oct 23, 2022 20:29:03 GMT -5
Colgate probably has a better chance to pull off the three-way tie with HC and Fordham given that they already proved they can beat Fordham as they did just that last year. And Lafayette was close last year Fordham 42 Lafayette 41
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Post by newfieguy74 on Oct 23, 2022 20:32:29 GMT -5
If the staff clearly does not want to discuss a subject publicly, I would respect their wishes and follow suit here. I have no idea what the staff clearly wants, and don't know what their wishes are. I don't know what Dobbs's injury is. But our best player has missed several games and I think it's ok to discuss whether he''s going to play again.
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Post by hc87 on Oct 23, 2022 20:51:44 GMT -5
The chatter at the Harvard game, whilst sitting amongst many players families, was that Dobbs was probably out for the year. No real details on the exact injury/status etc. Just telling you what we heard then.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Oct 23, 2022 20:52:35 GMT -5
Interesting that as the top opponent HC would draw below average attendance on a beautiful Homecoming day. I think 2 ALCS games being held within 90 miles of the campus on the same evening didn't help.
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Post by hchoops on Oct 23, 2022 21:31:52 GMT -5
Interesting that as the top opponent HC would draw below average attendance on a beautiful Homecoming day. I think 2 ALCS games being held within 90 miles of the campus on the same evening didn't help. So what is your top estimate of fans lost to baseball ?
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Post by cruskater31 on Oct 23, 2022 21:43:23 GMT -5
I remember having a conversation on here a while back about game start times and the need to push them back to accommodate youth sports games in the morning, fall activities, etc. I guess the 3:30 start didn't help! I do think the Yale start time at our Homecoming made a difference. Too bad we couldn't put the Fordham and Lehigh games later especially since daylight savings isn't until Nov. 6th this year.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Oct 24, 2022 7:08:03 GMT -5
I think 2 ALCS games being held within 90 miles of the campus on the same evening didn't help. So what is your top estimate of fans lost to baseball ? 1,918
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Post by hchoops on Oct 24, 2022 7:35:57 GMT -5
So what is your top estimate of fans lost to baseball ? 1,918 1918. 😋😋
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Post by cruskater31 on Oct 24, 2022 8:29:35 GMT -5
So Fordham fans don't have to worry about the Yankees playoff games now, hope they make the trek up for a good atmosphere on Saturday.
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