Patriot League's 20th Birthday

[Go...gate]

Hard to believe where the time goes! A lot of water over the dam since 1986....

[OL FU]

And a very Happy Birthday.

SSSHHH, Don't tell anybody.
SoCon is 85 in 2005
FU and Citadel joined in '36.

[TheValleyRaider]

Wow, that means I'm as old as the conference my school plays in.

Not sure quite what to think of that. I guess it could be worse: I could be saying that as a SoCon fan.

[ngineer]

On the whole, I believe the League has held up well. Has received a lot of respect for the philosophy of stressing the student part of student-athlete, but still treating athletics as a serious part of the overall experience.

[colgate13]

I don't know if this truly qualifies... It was the "Colonial" League after all!

[ngineer]

I don't know if this truly qualifies... It was the "Colonial" League after all!

Yeah, but it's still the same 'hard core'...Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh

[blukeys]

Congrats and Happy Birthday to the PL!!! xbdayx xbdayx xbdayx

You have done an excellent job and have represented Eastern football greatly. Best of luck in the future to a host of schools trying to do it right.

[colgate13]

Yeah, but it's still the same 'hard core'...Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh

The fabulous five! :beerchug: :hurray:

[saint0917]

Happy 20th PL :hurray: :beerchug:

http://www.dfwhotbreads.com/96761sm.jpg

[Pard94]

...as close as we get to a PL Appreciation thread on this board. I'll take it! I'm feeling the love! :D

[RichH]

God I feel old I go back to the old MAc with Gettysburg et al.

[DFW HOYA]

The fabulous five!

Hey, don't forget the other two, even if the PL newspaper outlets seem to do.

Some of the past articles from the Express News and the Morning Call seem to know very little about Georgetown, even though they have now been in the league five years.

[ngineer]

I think 13 was refering to what's left of the 'original' founders. Georgetown and Fordham have become welcome additions--and hopefully the Hoyas will turn the competitive corner this year.

[blukeys]

God I feel old I go back to the old MAc with Gettysburg et al.


Yeeessss! Bring back the Bullets!!!!! :) :) :D :D :D

[breezy]

I was at the opening game of the league when Holy Cross defeated Lehigh in the first game of the 1986 season. It is a good league and it is getting better.

Holy Cross is on the rise again and will surprise people this year.

[colgate13]

Yeeessss! Bring back the Bullets!!!!! :) :) :D :D :D

Anyone else still can't believe that name has remained in our current PC environment?

[colgate13]

Holy Cross is on the rise again and will surprise people this year.

I almost spit out my drink. That's 2 Holy Cross posters now! :eek:

Welcome to the board breezy! I think our hard work on the Voy boards trying to convince PL members to visit here is working! I also think HC fans are truly excited about their program again (a good thing) and are coming out of the woodwork :).

[saint0917]

I almost spit out my drink. That's 2 Holy Cross posters now! :eek:

Welcome to the board breezy! I think our hard work on the Voy boards trying to convince PL members to visit here is working! I also think HC fans are truly excited about their program again (a good thing) and are coming out of the woodwork :).


Welcome breezy, two from Holy Cross, holy crap. What do you think your chances are of getting some one in here from San Diego or Austin Peay.

[MU Alum]

I just can't see Holy Cross making any noise in the Patriot League this year. Last year they were handled by Duquesne and San Diego and only had one win in the Patriot over Georgetown in OT. There OOC schedule is tougher this year with the addition of Delaware. I am sure they will be improved over last year, but I cant see more than 3 wins. They should beat Sacred Heart on opening day, SHU is a mid-level NEC team, but I think even that game will be close, with Sacred Heart having a legitamate chance of winning.

[Fordham]

Good to see another PL poster here! (let me add the perfunctory "there goes the neighborhood" ... gate13, your move).

Also, I agree with gate's take that HC and G-town will get more respect once they pull off a good upset and beat those teams they're supposed to; however, they seem to clearly be heading in the right direction and I wouldnt' be surprised to see them get that upset this year. Just crossing my fingers that it's not against my Rams.

I don't expect them to be in the thick of the title chase this year, but if I were rooting for HC (and you know I'm not ;) )I would hope that a bunch of those incoming frosh get some great experience and also shake up the expectations of the upperclassmen who unfortunately have grown accustomed to losing. Pulling off a good upset and winning their mid-major games would be a great base from which to build. Add another good recruiting class and I'll be pining for the days when you could chalk in a "W" at the beginning of the season for the HC game.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I just can't see Holy Cross making any noise in the Patriot League this year. Last year they were handled by Duquesne and San Diego and only had one win in the Patriot over Georgetown in OT. There OOC schedule is tougher this year with the addition of Delaware. I am sure they will be improved over last year, but I cant see more than 3 wins. They should beat Sacred Heart on opening day, SHU is a mid-level NEC team, but I think even that game will be close, with Sacred Heart having a legitamate chance of winning.

MU (welcome BTW), hate to disagree with you but I'm with the Holy Cross guys. HC is definitely improving with Tom Gilmore as head coach and 11 returning starters on offense. They are not in the upper echelon yet, but they are improving rapidly and I wouldn't be surprised to see a winning record. Challenging for the title - maybe not yet. But this is not the same team from 2 years ago.

[colgate13]

If Bucknell and Fordham hadn't improved so much in the past few years, I'd think HC could make more noise then I do. Lehigh, Lafayette, Colgate, Bucknell and Fordham all have legitimate shots at taking the title this year. I just don't think this is the year that HC pulls out a winning PL record. Maybe a winning record overall... (short break to check schedule)... hmm... yea, I don't think they're having a winning record this year.

OOC they have to play Harvard and Delaware. A win there is a SERIOUS upset. Yale won't be a pushover and Dartmouth is looking to right their ship too. I just don't see it. IMO a big step forward for HC this year will be a 4 win season; 5-6 and they've come a long way, baby.

Not that it can't be done - Harvard and UD that early will certainly season them for the PL and maybe get them some experience. It's just the HC I saw in person last year had a long way to go before I thought they could turn their fortunes around.

[MU Alum]

I at first agreed with Colgate 13 about the middle patriots, mainly Bucknell and Fordham, being much improved over H.C., but when I looked at their recaps from last years games I saw that they were close to Fordham, and did give Bucknell a decent game. I would say that they could have a shot at knocking of one of those teams, Probably Fordham. But I dont see any DEFINITE wins on thier schedule. I was on a team at Monmouth that went from 2-8 on 2002 to 10-2 in 03 so I know turn arounds can be done in a year, but we were very competitive in 2002 losing 3 games by 1 pt. and leading in most games at the half. Holy Cross didnt seem to be in too many games last year, and they have stepped up their OOC schedule so I just can't see more than 3-4 wins, including a possible upset over Fordham.

[Fordham]

yeah, other than Lafayette really, all of our games were pretty close to the end. We really tended to play to the level of our opponents last year. I just went back for a reminder on how that one played out via the game notes and the only thing that kept us from getting beat was probably their lack of knowing how to win in a crucial spot. Given that game last year, I can't argue with us being most likely to get "upset" but the optimist in me is hoping that it just means that we'll be the least likely of the "top 5" to take them lightly.

[Go...gate]

It's great to have another growing athletic program in the great State of New Jersey :) , and especially one within minutes of Spring Lake, NJ, one of my favorite places in the world :) :) !!!

[colgate13]

It's great to have another growing athletic program in the great State of New Jersey :) , and especially one within minutes of Spring Lake, NJ, one of my favorite places in the world :) :) !!!

Spring Lake? C'mon - you know it's Belmar that you really love. ;)

[MU Alum]

BAR A

[JoltinJoe]

Spring Lake? C'mon - you know it's Belmar that you really love. ;)

After college, a bunch of us rented in Belmar for a number of years.

When the girls in the bars asked us where our house was, we'd say, "North Spring Lake." :)

[colgate13]

BAR A

Dee Jay's was my preference.

[colgate13]

After college, a bunch of us rented in Belmar for a number of years.


How long ago? I was doing the same thing in the late 90's. :)

[Go...gate]

I'm too old for these places :eek: ! I still remember Rod's, owned by former NYG Coach Alex Webster in Sea Girt, and a few old bars in Belmar, where you would grab your beer and watch hoops on the BB court (one of the predecessors to the present-day Jersey Shore BB League) in front of a place called Reggie's.

[colgate13]

a place called Reggie's.

Reggie's was still there in the late 90's, so you're not as old as you think! :nod:

[LBPop]

Also, I agree with gate's take that HC and G-town will get more respect once they pull off a good upset and beat those teams they're supposed to; however, they seem to clearly be heading in the right direction and I wouldnt' be surprised to see them get that upset this year. Just crossing my fingers that it's not against my Rams.



No way the Hoyas will do anything this year. They even lost last season to HC despite going into the fourth quarter up by 14 points. If I were an opposing coach in the PL, I would take off the week before the Georgetown game. Heck, rest your starters, save the money on video tapes, and heal your injuries. Might even be fun to see how your kids do with only the assistants on the bench during the game. Georgetown??? No Problem! :rolleyes:

[RichH]

Nice try Pop but GU has recruited some very good talent the last 2 years. It should start bearing fruit this year with GU being more competitive each week with an upset or 2. Now if you want to volunteer your fellows taking the week off and resting starters we can talk. :)

[Go...gate]

Many thanks, 13. You have a generous soul!

[Fordham]

No way the Hoyas will do anything this year. They even lost last season to HC despite going into the fourth quarter up by 14 points. If I were an opposing coach in the PL, I would take off the week before the Georgetown game. Heck, rest your starters, save the money on video tapes, and heal your injuries. Might even be fun to see how your kids do with only the assistants on the bench during the game. Georgetown??? No Problem! :rolleyes:
Hey Pop, not sure by the roll eyes if I touched a nerve or if RichH's interpretation that you were trying to make sure that everyone overlooks you guys is right, but just wanted to make sure that you didn't think that was a knock at G-town (or HC for that matter), because that wasn't the intention of the post at all.

Just checking.

[JoltinJoe]

How long ago? I was doing the same thing in the late 90's. :)

Missed you by a few years. We were early 1990s types in Belmar. We later went upscale to Bayhead when we became rich and successful within few years. We stopped altogether when we got married and were suddenly poor again.

[Go...gate]

Funny how marriage and abject poverty are often linked. :bang:

[LBPop]

Hey Pop, not sure by the roll eyes if I touched a nerve or if RichH's interpretation that you were trying to make sure that everyone overlooks you guys is right, but just wanted to make sure that you didn't think that was a knock at G-town (or HC for that matter), because that wasn't the intention of the post at all.

Just checking.

Thanks for your concern, but you were right on in your assessment of the Hoyas. I am close enough to the program now that I see some positive things in their future, but if I were on the outside looking in, I would not expect them to do anything this season. I was having a little fun with my tongue-in-cheek little tirade about how terrible Georgetown will be this season. But, looking at it objectively, they have done nothing to earn any pre-season capital. I am convinced that there is enough talent to win and ordinarily that would be a knock on the coaching. Instead, it's a challenge to the players to take the responsibility to do what is necessary to win. Sure, I'm really optimistic, but I'm a Dad and right now the Hoyas are undefeated in 2005.

[ngineer]

I agree that it will be a few years before the Hoyas will be viewed as a contender, but the way they kept after Lehigh last year was admirable. I saw no quit in them, and their offense moved the ball.

[ngineer]

I at first agreed with Colgate 13 about the middle patriots, mainly Bucknell and Fordham, being much improved over H.C., but when I looked at their recaps from last years games I saw that they were close to Fordham, and did give Bucknell a decent game. I would say that they could have a shot at knocking of one of those teams, Probably Fordham. But I dont see any DEFINITE wins on thier schedule. I was on a team at Monmouth that went from 2-8 on 2002 to 10-2 in 03 so I know turn arounds can be done in a year, but we were very competitive in 2002 losing 3 games by 1 pt. and leading in most games at the half. Holy Cross didnt seem to be in too many games last year, and they have stepped up their OOC schedule so I just can't see more than 3-4 wins, including a possible upset over Fordham.

Welcome to a newbie! All we're hearing down this way is not to overlook you guys on September 3. Sounds like you have a little juggernaut goin' on up there. From what I hear, MU is primarily a pass oriented offense. If so that will be a good test for our revamped secondary which lost some to graduation. Hope you enjoy the hospitality at Goodman!

[MU Alum]

Glad to be here. Monmouth has what I think is its best team all around in the last 3 years. We have one of the best Wide Recievers in I-AA, not just my opinion, the scouts ranked him as draftedable in the 5th round from some post I saw on here, and a very good QB along Defense should be better than last year. Hopefully MU gives you a good game. We have a pretty solid history against Patriots since 2000, just not the elite like Lehigh. The Lafayette team we played in 02 def. overlooked us and had ZERO respect for us, we should have won that game, but lost 30-29 on a missed FG as time ran out. We beat Towson at Towson on Homecoming in 01, and Georgetown the last 2 years, with this years game not even being that close. I am excited about the game.

[ngineer]

MU--If you're planning on attending the opener at Goodman, remember your sunglasses and sunscreen if the weather is sunny--the visitors stands look into the sun. However, it's a preferred seat in chilly November.