1. Harvard
The slow start the Crimson endured in the first half of the season opener seems like a very distant memory right now. Harvard is running on all cylinders now and no one really seems close to that level of talent and execution right now. Am I missing something?
2. Cornell
Stumbled offensively at Bucknell and came away with a squeaker win, but looked like a team that knows how to win no matter what. And yet, it's hard to believe they have a serious chance to beat Harvard in Cambridge this Saturday.
3. Brown
I liked the bounce back from the Harvard loss with the real pounding of Georgetown Saturday. Brown's offense will keep it in every game as per usual.
4. Penn
Billy Ragone and the Quaker offense looked a lot better in Hanover Saturday, why? Because Ragone is a running QB and he does everything better when he's allowed to run and that's what he did against Dartmouth. I wonder if there's ANOTHER school in the Ivies that may learn from this?
5. Dartmouth
Losing a close game to Penn is just in the Big Green DNA in recent years. So is losing big to Yale, but I think at least that part of the equation will change this coming weekend.
6. Princeton
Maybe I'm being a grump, but I'm far from sold on the Tigers despite their impressive thrashing of Columbia. But if Princeton beats Lafayette this coming Saturday I will really reconsider.
7. Yale
The Elis are showing some good offensive prowess, but just from the run. The defense seems weaker than I can ever remember in New Haven.
8. Columbia
After losing by four TD's to the team predicted to come in last in the Ivies, where would YOU rank the Lions? Columbia needs to prove everyone wrong before it gets out of this hole.
12 comments:
To All of the "arm chair" quarterbacks on this site.Where is your sense of loyalty. It has been 3 games and you are already giving up on the team and the coaches.I agree changes have to be made after the embarassment on saturday. Do you not think the coaches saw that? This is what they do, this is what they put time into everyday.Do you think these kids get up every am at 5:00 to stink it up out there? I truely doubt that.I am pretty sure that we will see some of the comments we have seen here ,be put into play this sat. Which brings me to another point. We as fans have a responsibility to be just that...great fans. I observed about 100 people cheering for our lions,a group of parents and a group of students. When you can hear a pindrop in a stadium at a college football game, something is wrong. Either you have given up on them or you are just too lazy to show support. I have been at peewee games with 50 people that cheered and showed more support than this crowd.The cheerleaders tried and got nowhere, even the (sorry) band tried by playing music to liven up the crowd and got the same results.Come on people lets show some support, if you think the team does not hear the silence you are dead wrong.They don't put in a morning of football practice,grab dinner go to classes and study the whloe night to loose, but if we as students , parents and alums don't cheer them on we are not doing our part. I might get a little "back lash about this but I'm just saying...it is what I observed and I think with ALL those people at the game we did a POOR job showing support. I still believe in Coach M and his staff and I would bet money that we will see a better team this saturday, and remember they want to win for each other, and they want to win for you.
Anonymous (above), whoever you are, you are my new favorite person. THANK YOU for saying that! I cannot agree more. The team can tell when the fans have given up and it makes it that much harder for them to keep their heads up. The team has put in the time and work, and they are working their behinds off. It's time for fans to start doing their part. Don't give up on the team... They need their fans more than ever...
I thought the fans at the game on Saturday were very supportive of the Lions. Sure, I wish Columbia fans were a more vocal bunch, but they are, in general, diehard fans with a decent knowledge of football. If we want more noise on our side, it is really not very difficult to do. Just a matter of a few take charge Columbia fans who are willing to stand up and lead. Anyway, I view the Princeton game as a learning experience for everyone, and despite the score, I still believe totally in this Lion team.
I mean no dis-respect but we must have been sitting very FAR apart.People around me even commented on how there is no spirit shown by the fans. I agree with you about a few to get it going and I think that is so much easier said than done.I have witnessed it. The parents try so hard to stand and motivate the crowd with no success.Seriously wish there was a way to at least get a cheering section together, and maybe others will follow.
"Arm chair quarterbacks"
exist everywhere where sports are played and it is to Columbia's credit that it has its share of arm chair quarterbacks interested enough to make comments and suggestions. If anyone is bothered by the few comments and suggestions made on this Board, they probably have not attended a Monday Rotary Luncheon in Columbus, Ohio or hundreds of other football hotbeds in America. Try explaining to hundreds of rabid fans why you called this or that play. Not easy.
The whole point of this blog is to let armchair QBs vent! I love this team, embrace the new coach and screamed till my voice got hoarse on Sat. However, I will not give the Coach and his staff a break. They did a crap job preparing for Princeton and the team has not shown significant progression over the first three games which is very alarming. We got outcoached in every facet of play and got outmaned on the line. I feel for the players! They want to be competetive. There is talent on this team. We need to support the players but there should always be an outlet to vent.
I don't think anyone is bothered by the comments,everyone has their opinion about what should be done in order to improve. What IS bothersome? Sounds like some have given up and I ams sure anyone would agree (even the monday rotary group in Columbus)that , that is not going to help the team.
I love this team and have loved Columbia football for half a century. I sometimes am critical about what I see because I care about it. If a requirement of this blog is unstinting praise, then I guess I have been off base. But I cannot accept that premise. I have no idea if the coaches and players read this blog or not. But I think most of the comments here has been in the nature of constructive criticism. I really think we were out coached and outplayed on Saturday, and that we did not face a team with more talent. We had a poor offensive game plan, we are not properly using Brackett, our kick coverage was poor, and we are experiencing too many lapses on pass coverage. But as far as support goes, I can tell you that I was giving it my all on Saturday afternoon. What we need is better attendance, but we have to earn it the old fashioned way, by winning more games.
Pete wrote a letter that urges all to believe, keep the faith. It also appreciates those who came to games and made their presence, loyalty felt.
Old Lion,if you read the first post above, he or she is not saying anything about constructive criticism, they are not saying you should not vent. That is normal and it is what this blog has been about. What the poster is referring to is how it sounds as if some are giving up.He is also venting about fan support, cheering,standing etc.letting the team feel you are behind them whether they are winning or loosing.When a player turns to the audience and gestures them to stand (which a couple did in the Marist game), stand and be loud and proud.
The person who wrote the first post is likely a parent, not someone who has been cheering for CU for 30 years. CU fans, and especially Jake, are diehards. Jake says he's been to 125 games. I'll bet he's watched 100 losses. It hurts and after awhile you get angry seeing the same mistakes over and over. You want to know why attendance is poor? Because we've lost too many football games over the years and people don't want to invest their time in losing. It will take time and quite a few wins before the Lions earn fans. Attendance won't go up just because the kids wake up early for practice.
Pete took the job promising many things, but mainly that the team would show up on Saturdays ready to play. No one on this blog expected miracles this season, but we did expect better preparation and better execution, especially vs. our arch rival.
After a major step backward, Pete's being held accountable by the people who have cared the longest, the alumni. I doubt he has a problem with that.
We went through this same thing on the Big Green Alert blog a few years ago. Yet another loss (and a bad one) and an alum expressed frustration. A parent of a current player took exception and a flame war broke out. Moderator shut down the comments... Funny thing is that I think the team won the next week (or at least the week after).
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