Brackett, Gross Sweep Awards!!!
QB Sean Brackett has been named Ivy Offensive Player of the Week and LB Alex Gross is Ivy Defensive Player of the Week by the league office.
Full release is here.
posted by Jake @ 12:13:00 AM
17 comments
17 Comments:
Has this ever happened before for Columbia to have both with no co-player of the week?
there is a nice Spectator article about the game pointing out that it has been 13 YEARS since we won three in a row!
Jock/doc
Spectator article!
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2010/10/09/football-trounces-lafayette-42-28-first-three-game-win-streak-13-years
The AD's article about the game said not only has it been 13 years since we've won three in a row, but this is the most points we scored in two games since 1946!
Not to be greedy, Jake, but Columbia's senior cornerback/kicoff returner Craig Hamilton deserved the Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week more than the Harvard punter. Hamilton had four kickoff returns against Lafayette for a total of 135 yards. His returns gave Columbia outstanding field position, and prevented Lafayette from gaining momentum after their scores. Certainly, the folks in the Lehigh Valley would agree. In fact, sportswriter Brad Wilson penned a terrific article on Hamilton's feats that was published yesterday in the Lehigh Valley Express-Times. The article can be read by going to the Lafayette College Athletics Website and clicking on the word "Newstand."
Spec has some solid sportswriters this year. Look to Spec to generate interest in this Saturday's huge game with Penn and the Homeocoming Game with Dartmouth the following weekend. There's plenty to write about with a team that scored 42 points in each of its last two games.
Clarification on how to get the Hamilton article in The Lehigh Valley Express Times. Once you log in to the Lafayette Athletics website, you need first to click on "Football" before clicking on "Newstand."
I am sure the Ivy League office feels it needs to spread around the joy...which makes getting the two top weekly awards even more the feat.
Anyway, I care much more about wins than about awards. Wins mean the team played well and I am sure that neither Brackett nor Gross would trade a "W" for an individual award.
We are winning not through trick plays or luck but rather by strong play across most facets of our game. Brackett seems so poised and confident as the leader of the offense (I worry about a cheap shot from Penn) something that I have never seen in my Columbia era ('82). He beats Witkowski hands down in my view as so many of John's stats came late in the game while behind.
I don't know how to cope with winning....#@!
The closest comparison to Brackett is the great Archie Roberts. domres and Witkowski were excellent passers, but Brackett is already a better all around QB with excellent field presence. As far as a cheap shot from Penn, while I thoroughly dislike Penn, its HC, its assistants, and its looud mouth and obnoxious fan base, I think htat Brackett knows how to protect himself and the football. He seems to be able to make himself small before getting hit, he is very elusive and thus hard to hit squarely, he knows when to go out of bounds, and he learned form last year's Yale game when to fall down. PS, his QB rating BEFORE yesteray's game was something like 186. After Lafayette it has to be off the charts.
not to be greedy but Harvard's Graeff probably should have been defensive player of the week. four sacks.
Just saying... Picking awards is not easy.
We also rated a mention today in Phil Mushnick's column in the post. Just a notation that we're now 3-1 for the first time in many a year, but still, nice to have. (Mushnick is ALWAYS the world's fiercest critic of ESPN's many outrages and excesses.) The Post in its own odd way pays far more attention to Columbia sports than the Times.
But then, if anyone remembers the years when Columbia alum James Wechsler was editor of the then very-liberal Post (it was owned by Mrs. Dorothy Schiff at the time), he always wrote at least one lengthy column per season specifically about Columbia football, his love and hopes for it. It's hard to imagine the Sulzbergers or the many J-School grads at the Times ever doing anything similar.
On to Penn!
Is there any visible support for the team in the Administration? Gross is featured in the WSJ. He and Brackett are voted Players of the Week. The team is 5-1 in its last 6 games and just surpassed a mark not seen in 13 years. When is someone going to show some leadership and try to get this team some student body support?
Congrats to Brackett and Gross. Do you know whats up with Gerst. The kid looks to be a big time tailback who jump started the whole season..We are going to need him to keep the defense honest.
I agree with the last poster that it is time for some creative souls at Columbia to step up and make a mark for themselves by proposing and implementing a plan for immediately increasing student support and attendance. For a start, why not schedule a free round-trip bus ride from the Columbia campus to this Saturday's Penn game in Philly? Throw in free food and beverages, and do whatever else that might be necessary to fill an early morning bus.
Harvard's Graeff did have an excellent game, with 4 sacks 7 solo tackless, to Gross' 6 solos. He didn't have any assists, while Alex had five.
But, there was that interception and 69-hard run for a TD!
> When is someone going to show some leadership and try to get this team some student body support?
AMEN!
With all of the Columbia students and alums (all schools) in NYC alone...attendance should be a A LOT higher at the games. Someone within the administrative ranks needs to put a some effort in here. Mailings/emails/social media groups/corporate outings/whatever could go a long way to increasing the attendance. Get creative. Step up. Make an effort. Spend a little dough if you have to. Keep these games fresh in every person's mind. Fill those stands!
Attendance will increase as the team wins. Defeat Penn and watch what happens. Then put Brackett and Gross on the Today show and let NYC know the best keep secret in sports is big time college football at beautiful Wien Stadium. The place will be rockin. Keep up the pace Lions.
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