Have We Been Dissed?

The Yes Network, brought to you by the letter "Y"


Without fanfare, the YES Network has "announced" a three game package of Ivy games all involving Yale called "Yale on Yes".

I put the "announced" in quotes, because the release only seems to appear on the Yale Web site and even the Ivy League Sports Web page is mum about it. I'm sure it's all on the up and up, but I'm not sure why there is a general "quiet period" of some sort when it comes to announcing televised Ivy games this season. Both Yes and Versus have made limited releases and the league office seems to be worried about something. With training camp still two weeks away for most Ivy teams, we're striving for any news we can get so this gets frustrating.

There is something a little funny about "Yale on Yes," and that's the fact the color commentator is ex-PRINCETON star Ross Tucker. He did the Princeton games on the radio for the Tiger radio station last year. I briefly met Ross last year at Princeton Stadium and he was a gentleman. But I wonder who will be more angry about him working a Yale package for Yes -- the Yale fans or the Princeton fans?

Some may also wonder if Columbia should feel insulted by the fact that YES, based here in New York City, is choosing to feature Yale. Well, I would be more insulted if they weren't covering the Columbia-Yale game as part of the package. And you can understantd why YES would want to target Yale alums and their apparently bigger wallets.

I'm just always for more exposure for the league, and if they want to call this "Yale on Yes," "Bulldogs on Parade," or the "Oorim V'Toomim Tube Time", (those of you who can actually read the Yale seal below will get that one), it's okay by me.



Of course, this means Harvard will want to match this in some way. Look for the Crimson to try to work something out with NESN this year or next.

Speaking of Harvard-Yale, I found some good highlights of the historic 29-29 1968 game that I have never seen before. Make sure you watch until the end to see the ridiculous scramble by Harvard QB Frank Champi on the last TD drive.


I know it's not a Columbia game, but it was a pivotal moment in Ivy football history that every fan should be aware of.


Game of the Day (Day 46)

November 24, 1968

Columbia 46 Brown 20

On the same day that the Harvard-Yale game grabbed all the headlines, Marty Domres was making some news of his own with a stunning performance in his final game as a Lion.

When I interviewed him at halftime of the Homecoming Game last year, Domres told me that he convinced Head Coach Frank Navarro to let him loose and throw as much as possible.

The result was a cavalcade of broken Columbia and Ivy League records and some very tired defensive backs.

Brown got it started with a 70-yard drive for a TD, but a missed extra point held it at 6-0. Columbia had to punt on the ensuing drive, but the Bears fumbled the kick and the Lions recovered leading to a 23-yard Rick Rose field goal and it was 6-3.

Late in the first, Columbia took over after blocking a Brown punt and taking over at the opponents' 28-yard line. A pair of Domres passes later it was 10-6 and the touchdown parade was on.

The Lions got the ball back quickly and a pass interference call, (by the end of the game Brown would be called for a record 125-yards worth of pass interference penalties), put them on the Bear 13. Domres took it in himself from the one a few plays later and it was 20-6. Domres scored again on a scramble before the half to make it 26-6 at intermission.

The teams were scoreless in the third quarter, but it got wild again in the fourth. Domres engineered a 67-yard drive, that ended in back-to-back completions of 21 and 39 yards to Ken Alexander before Paul Burlingame ran it in from the three. Moments later Columbia recovered a Brown fumble at the Lion 48 and Domres made them pay by forcing another pass interference penalty that put the ball on the Bear 21. Domres found Kevin Brown for the 21-yard score on the next play and it was 39-6 Lions.

After Brown put together a long drive for a touchdown, Domres led Columbia back for one more drive. But once the Lions reached the Brown 21, Domres deferred to sophomore QB Robbie Wroe, who finished the drive off with a 29-yard TD pass to Jim O'Connor.

Domres finished the game by breaking the NCAA record for most plays in a 3-year career, (a total of 1,133). His career total yardage of 5,345 yards was 5th all-time in NCAA history.

He broke the Ivy and Columbia record for career passes thrown, career passes completed, career passing yardage and total offense.

He broke the single game Ivy and Columbia record for career passes thrown, career passes completed, career passing yardage and total offense.

So while the media and the Ivy League itself was obsessed with the heroics of Frank Champi and the "greatness" of Yale's Brian Dowling, the truth is Domres was the best quarterback of his era.

He just doesn't have a Doonesbury character named after him.