[00:00:03] Speaker A: The following program is brought to you in living color on dailyGazette.com or wherever you get your podcast.
The Daily Gazette Company presents the parting Shots podcast. Now here's your host, Daily Gazette sports editor Ken shot. Thank you, Scott Kesey, and welcome to the Parting Shots podcast, available wherever you get your podcast. Subscribe today. Thanks for joining me from the parting Shots podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. Taping this podcast on October 24. And know what that means. It's my 61st birthday. How about that? I made it to 61.
Well, it's gonna be good. Good year. Appreciate everybody out there listening to this podcast. That's a great birthday present to me and keep up everything. I hope you keep listening. We have a lot of great things in store for you on this podcast. And down the road, of course, a lot of Union hockey talk. And we're getting ready this weekend for the union RPI two game series in ECAC hockey players. Both teams start conference action.
Friday's game will be at Houston Field House and Saturday's matchup is at messering. Both games starting at 07:00 p.m.
you heard from Josh Halgey, the Garner Chargers head coach. On Wednesday's podcast, we have player interviews with union's Josh Nixon, Cullen Ferguson and John Prokop. I made the truck over to RPI on Wednesday and talked with head coach Dave Smith and team captain Jake Gang Gangon. Still hear from them as well. The Union women are also opening EC hockey play this weekend. They will be home for Harvard and Dartmouth 03:00 games both days.
So we'll talk with assistant head coach or assistant coach Sean Skelly and players Maddie Souter and Emma Aber about that coming up. And also, Adam Schindler, my gazette colleague, will be on talking about Union college and U Albany football. Finally, Union gets a win and U Albany suffered a tough loss to Elon last Saturday. We'll preview this weekend's game. So coming up, it's Union college hockey talk, both men and women. Union RPI men like this weekend, and Union women with Harvard and Dartmouth. You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast.
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[00:03:05] Speaker B: Hi, this is Daily Gazette reporter Tyler A. McNeil. You're listening to the parting shots podcast with Daily Gazette sports editor Ken Schott.
[00:03:16] Speaker A: Welcome back to the podcast, and it's time to talk some college hockey. We'll start with the union and RPI men's matchup this weekend. It's Friday night at Houston Field House at 07:00 and the rematch is Saturday at seven at Messer Rank and bar. Any postseason matchups between these teams, it's possible that the Union RPI game at Mesa will be the final matchup between those two at that facility. Of course, the union moving to Mohawk Harbor arena next season.
We talked with Union men's head coach Josh, how you on Wednesday's podcast about the matchup? So on Tuesday, we had a chance to talk to the players, and we had talked to Josh Alge as well. But you heard more exclusive details from Josh on the podcast. He's featured here every week during the season. So we talked with Colin Ferguson, the team captain and alternate captains Josh Nixon and John Prokop, and they gave their thoughts about this match. Of course, all the games will decide the Capital stick skates trophy. Trophy that's been in the possession of RPI since 2018.
Union hasn't seen it since 2017. RPI swept the games in 2018 and since then they've split the season series with RPI winning the opening game each each time and union winning the second game. So of course, the union has had dominated the mayor's cup, winning the last three. So union would like to bring that capital skate trophy back to Mesa one last time and maybe have it over in the new facility next season. So let's hear the union side of things. Let's start with Colin Ferguson, John Prokop and Josh Nixon.
Well, guys, here we are. It's now, I guess the real season begins this weekend. The EC hockey play against your capital region rival. How excited are you for this? We'll start with Josh.
[00:05:13] Speaker C: I think we're pretty fired up. And the years that I've been here, we have never swept RPI. So I'm sure Colin and John are the same. But yeah, we're definitely fired up. It's gonna be a good weekend. Yeah, I mean, he said it best. We won two wins this weekend to get the Capital skates. I haven't won them since I've been here. Yeah.
Some new mark on your calendar for sure and you know looking forward to this weekend.
[00:05:40] Speaker A: Let me get back to the Capital skates. Now this team hasn't won it since the 20 1718 season but you've won three straight mares cups against RPI so what's going to take to get the trophy back here and is that, is that good motivation enough to try to beat RPI twice this weekend?
[00:05:57] Speaker C: Yeah I mean we want the. We want the capital skates and I think most importantly we want six points in the ECAC conference so sweeping isn't an easy thing in college hockey so I think just taking it one shift at a time is the most important thing and then honing in on our structures and our systems that our coaches have implemented for this and the rest will take care of itself for Josh.
[00:06:21] Speaker A: Do you like opening league play against RPI or doesn't it matter an opponent?
[00:06:26] Speaker C: I don't think it really matters but I think that it being RPI gives a little more motivation for us so like we said we haven't, we haven't swept these guys so we're definitely going to get bring our best this weekend. It's going to be real fun for sure.
[00:06:39] Speaker B: Colin for you.
[00:06:40] Speaker C: Just you guys have been here for a couple years and gotten you know, some time in this rivalry. What does this rivalry mean to you? And then also how do you kind of prepare some of the guys who don't know what this is about to be ready to for what they're going to see this weekend? Yeah I mean we've already prepared the guys let them know what it means.
It's more of just pride every time you put on that jersey for the people that have gotten you here and the people that brought you in, people that believe in you, you're fighting for them and you're fighting against the people who, you know, disrespect that jersey and there's been things over the years that build up and you let them know that this is personal and you want to take care of business.
[00:07:19] Speaker A: John, you guys are four and one sweet from mercy or so over the weekend. Do you guys like the way you're playing heading into this matchup?
[00:07:26] Speaker C: Yeah I mean we keep getting better and better each weekend and you know going into our first conference play I'm really happy where we're at but there's still what's exciting about our team. There's still a lot to improve and you know starting off with RPI and it being a big game starting Friday I think it's really exciting.
[00:07:44] Speaker A: Of course they have the blackout there. His fans gonna be rowdy. Me. How do you quiet the crowd?
[00:07:50] Speaker C: I mean, you're just playing the same game you've been playing since you were three years old and you're playing it with your buddies. So it's just like any other game. You just. I guess this one just means a little more. But you just stick with the guys in the locker room and you stick with each other and you help each other up when they're down and you keep them grounded when it's high. So, yeah, you just stick with each other.
[00:08:09] Speaker A: Barring a postseason match up here with RPI, this would be the last time RPI will be in this building.
Your thoughts about that is that make this maybe weekend extra special?
[00:08:20] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, every game is going to be that special this year because it's everyone's last game here. So I think it's just important that we take care of, we take care of business and we provide for the MSA faithful who show up every night for us.
Well, I think we got pretty diss this year, the beginning of the preseason polls. So I think that this being our first league game, a couple league games, I think that we're going to definitely use that as motivation. So you're going to see a couple of good games out of us for sure.
[00:08:52] Speaker A: The RPI men are off to a two one on one start. They won their opening two games at Canisius two weekends ago, scoring 14 goals in the two and combined in those games. Last week, they tied and lost to Niagara at Houstone. The loss was in overtime.
Engineers trying to rebound from last year's last place finish, the first time that RPI finished in last in the current setup of the EC hockey standings when several teams left to form hockey east back after the 83 84 season. So RPI looking to, like said, looking to rebound and of course they want to keep the Capital Skates trophy. I made the trip over to Troy on Wednesday and had a chance to talk with head coach Dave Smith and team captain Jake Gagnon. So let's start with Dave Smith and then followed by Jake Gagnon.
Dave, it's weekend to start the conference play. How excited are you guys to get ready to start EC hockey play?
[00:09:54] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, it's a big time of the year. Kick it off with union and block out at home here on Friday night. So very excited.
[00:10:00] Speaker A: How big is this rivalry you guys have held on to? The Capitol skates trophy, the last since 2018.
How important is it for the team.
[00:10:09] Speaker C: To keep that, well, really important because it means you, you know, you win or tie the series. And, you know, we put those, we put those skates, we put that trophy in the locker room, you know, early in the week to signify the importance of it. So, yeah, it's really important.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: What have you seen of union so far in table? We're off to a 401 start that's coming off the sweep of mercenaries last week. What do you, have you seen about, what do you like about their game?
[00:10:31] Speaker C: Another good team they've got. You know, some of their newcomers have contributed right away. And, you know, the returning guys are very good. I mean, they're well coached. They take pucks to the net, they defend hard and good hockey team.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: What do you like about your team so far?
[00:10:44] Speaker C: I like our. I like our depth, I like our offense. I like our goaltending. You know, I think that, you know, we get Mazati back in the lineup, which is a different feeling than we've had.
I like lots of things.
[00:10:57] Speaker A: Are you happy with the start? I mean, you won your first two games on the road. Time lost here. What do you like? What have you seen positive about your team so far?
[00:11:06] Speaker C: Well, again, it starts in the locker room. It starts. The guys are committed to what we're doing. The guys want to learn and want to get better every week and every game and every shift. And, you know, while the Niagara game, the second one in particular, didn't go, there was a lot of adversity that our guys could have folded in that game, come back from two down to tie it and get it into overtime. But we'd like to clean up the things before that and have our heart and desperation get us to a win, not to a tie or a loss.
[00:11:33] Speaker A: Barring a post season matchup, this is probably the final game. You guys play at Mesa on Saturday.
How much you want to maybe ruin that last game for union at Mesa?
[00:11:44] Speaker C: I'm not really worried about that. I mean, that's, that's.
It's a game in their rink, and wherever they're playing, that's what we'll play. And, you know, it's, it's nostalgic for them. It's a road game for us.
[00:11:55] Speaker A: What is it about that rink that makes it tough to play in?
[00:11:59] Speaker C: Well, it's the team. I mean, it's. The rink itself is a rink. It's. It's tough playing on the road everywhere. I mean, union is good at home the same as everybody wants to be good at home. And, you know, they play hard there and they know the dimensions. They know they're comfortable in the routine. So it's hard to win on the road. It's hard to win anywhere on the road.
[00:12:20] Speaker A: Jake, how much you looking forward to finally getting league play going here?
[00:12:23] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, it's the most exciting time of the year.
Had a couple tune up weekends out of conference games, but ultimately this is why we play for in conference stuff. So, yeah, we're pretty excited.
[00:12:34] Speaker A: And it's across area rival and union. Show me how ranch left even more. You think? Excitement?
[00:12:40] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. I mean, it means a lot to us. It means a lot to the school. So everybody's pretty excited. The new guys get their first game against union and the older guys as well. It's always a fun game.
[00:12:49] Speaker A: Of course, you guys have held onto the Capital Shades classic trophy since 2018.
How important is it you have it for so long? How important is it to keep it going?
[00:13:00] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's also a tempo setter weekend for in conference play for us and ultimately it opportunity for us to get off to a good start in conference, like I just said. So, yeah, it's important to us, for sure.
[00:13:12] Speaker A: Union, obviously off of four and one start. What do you know about them?
[00:13:17] Speaker C: Same thing as our past years about them. They play hard. So we got to be ready. We know what we have to do and yeah, we'll be ready to go Friday and Saturday.
[00:13:25] Speaker A: What do you like about your team so far?
[00:13:27] Speaker C: I like our camaraderie. For starters, our buy in from all the guys. Our chemistry off the ice is definitely going to lead to something on the ice and we play with a lot of speed. So yeah, it's fun.
[00:13:38] Speaker A: How important? Two, one, one right now? I mean, how important is it to get off to a good start this year after what happened last year? I know that it was a little bit better in the post season with being Clarkson, but finishing last year was kind of tough. How important is it for you guys to get off to a good start this season?
[00:13:52] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. It's very important. I mean, it's important every year, but especially this year, we want to get off to a good start, feel good about ourselves, have some confidence and yeah, this weekend, first conference weekend, like I said, it's an opportunity to do that. So, yeah, we're excited.
[00:14:07] Speaker A: Yeah, you guys have won the first game in each of the last few years here in this rivalry. How important is it to get the jump early on on union?
[00:14:14] Speaker C: Yeah, it's an emotional weekend for sure, just because of the rivalry, like you just said. So definitely want to get off to.
[00:14:20] Speaker A: A hot start now you're two time captain. It's been a while since RPI's had a two time captain. How honored do you feel to serving as captain again this year?
[00:14:28] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm very honored and to be the captain of such a historic program and yeah, all I can say is I'm honored for sure.
[00:14:37] Speaker A: Now let's turn our attention to the Union college women's hockey team. They're coming off a pair of losses at New Hampshire last weekend by scores of two, one and one nothing. The first really struggling offensive wise this season. The Garner charges have lost five straight and they begin EC hockey play Friday afternoon at 03:00 against Harvard and followed by Saturday three p one game against Dart with a doubleheader on Saturday. So if want to catch some women and men, that'd be a good idea. I'm probably, I'm going to be over there to catch both games on Saturday.
I think one of the reasons why the Union women's hockey team ended up in 11th place last year and of course that 13 game losing streak to close out the season was their inability to, you know, beat teams around their level. I don't expect them to, you know, challenge Clarkson, St. Lawrence Colgate. The top teams in the AC hockey right now, they're not that close to at all. But yeah, the teams like Harvard and Dartmouth who struggled last year, those two teams came to Mesa last year and they beat union and that was really, I think it's really what cost of a chance of getting home ice in the first 1st round game. So for union wants to really get home ice and be taken seriously this league, they got to beat teams like Harvard and Dartmouth. So it's an important weekend. Get off to a good start in the EC hockey play.
So on Tuesday I had a chance to talk to assistant coach Sean Skelly, who was filling in for head coach Tony Macy, and also players Emma Abair and Maddie Souter.
Sean, this starts the real, real seasonal with ECAC play. How much? You guys looking forward to it?
[00:16:21] Speaker C: Yeah, I think obviously the non conference games so far have gotten us ready to go for this weekend.
You know, trying to dial up our game plan through the week here and excited to finally get into conference play and two very good opponents and six points up for grabs.
[00:16:39] Speaker A: Emma?
[00:16:41] Speaker C: Yeah, I think Skells said it well. I think our out of conference games have really set us up well. Really showing us what we need to work on and what we need to do to get to the competitive ECAC. So I'm excited for the weekend and I think we'll shock some faces for sure.
[00:16:55] Speaker A: Maddie.
[00:16:56] Speaker C: I mean, they both said it. I know the girls are really excited and, you know, going to my last year as a senior, I'm very excited to start UCAC.
[00:17:05] Speaker A: Now, last year, you guys were in a position to get home ice, and you guys went on that long losing streak. You lost the games here to Dartmouth and Harvard that probably should have won. So you're looking back on it. What do you have to do to get over that hump and beat teams around your level? And what's it going to take?
[00:17:26] Speaker C: I think we just need to stick to the game plan and move our feet, execute, and not let the game get away from us like we did this past weekend. So I think that just sticking to the game plan be fine.
Yeah, I mean, I think with that experience, you just have to really focus on your own game and not kind.
[00:17:44] Speaker B: Of play down to levels and just.
[00:17:45] Speaker C: Make sure that you're playing to your level and keep pushing that pace. And I think that's. That's what we need to focus on. And we need to keep our game simple and keep, keep doing that and it'll go our way.
Is how important is it to get out to a fast start conference play and not kind of let that snowball a little bit, especially, you know, dropping the five in a row? Yeah, I think right now we got to right the shift. We got to end this little skid. We're on no better way than Friday afternoon here at home to get the first three points in conference play. I think it just. We got to worry about ourselves right now. Details within our game. I think we've been playing really well at times and average at times, and it's up to our group to come in Friday afternoon and play a solid 60 minutes and get us up off on the right foot.
[00:18:32] Speaker A: The key in the hedge may have been the first one where you struggle to score goals. You got one and then shut out. What do you have to do to get back on track?
[00:18:40] Speaker C: Yeah, I think we got to get more pucks through from the point. That was something that we talked about yesterday, and we need our forwards to start attacking the net and hold on to pucks a little bit more and a little bit better puck management.
I think there's a lot of different details that we're talking about right now that I think if we put it all together again, I think you're going to be able to see, see some high flying offense finally clicking.
[00:19:07] Speaker A: We're heading out of the ice rink and heading to the football field. We're going to talk Union College and uality football with the Gazette's Adam Schinder. You're listening to the parting shots podcast.
[00:19:25] Speaker C: Speed, skill, physicality. Home to college hockey's elite teams, coaches and student athletes. ECAC hockey, twelve programs competing at the highest level. A league where champions are born and world class professionals are trained, where history is abundant and a commitment to the cutting edge is unrivaled. The best facilities, the fiercest competition.
ECAC hockey, there's no experience like it.
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[00:20:27] Speaker C: Hi, this is Daily Gazette sports writer Mike McAdam.
[00:20:30] Speaker B: You're listening to the parting shots podcast.
[00:20:32] Speaker C: With Daily Gazette sports editor Ken Schott.
[00:20:35] Speaker A: Welcome back to the podcast. We're done talking. Hockey is now to talk college football with Adam Schindler of the Gazette. And Adam, we finally get to talk about a union victory, a 31 ten beat win over Buffalo State last Saturday homecoming game. And I watched a little bit and I thought you probably played their best game of the year.
[00:20:53] Speaker B: Oh, easily their best performance of the year for, especially for a full 60 minutes, they'd, they'd really struggled to put a whole game together. And outside of one touchdown drive from Buffalo State in the second half, this team really looked like itself.
For the first time all year, defense forced four turnovers, three sacks, and then they just controlled the game. On offense.
[00:21:12] Speaker A: What was the key way? I mean, the buyer, you think now helped him a little bit.
[00:21:16] Speaker B: I think the buy helped him. And I just think this was them playing the, this was them playing smart, efficient, balanced football. You look, you win a four, you win the turnover battle for to nothing, you're in a good, you're in a good position. Obviously, one of those was at the very, very end of the game, but this was, they got there, they got pressure on the quarterback. They gave up some yards in the passing game, but they controlled Buffalo State's running game and they spread the ball around in their running game and really, really looked good for the first time all year.
[00:21:48] Speaker A: Look like a balanced offensive attack of patch Flanagan. Nine to 16, 139 yards passing, two touchdowns, no interceptions, was not sacked rushing wise yet. Three guys over 70 yards, including Flanagan at 66 yards, Jonathan Anderson with 83 yards on twelve carries and Michael Fiori at 72 yards and 16 carries. So, I mean, how important was that balance offense?
[00:22:10] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, this was what this was their formula last year was fury and Anderson averaging 90 to 100 yards each between them. Flanagan's a little bit more of a regular running threat, it seems, than Donovan Piketty was last year in that they're calling a few more designed runs and he's a little bit more of an explosive runner and he's able to. He's really been their best big play guy in the run game. And then the past game, you know, they didn't have to do much in the second half. Made two real nice throws for touchdowns in the first half that really sort of put this game out of reach. And then that's all you want from this team. They're not going to be a team. They don't have the downfield receivers that they've had the last couple of years, the likes of Andre Ross and Nick Dunneman and Landers Green last year. But they've got a bunch of possession guys. They made some nice intermediate plays, made some smart plays, some really smart reads. A great little look to adjust to get the ball to go. Rivera, for one on one coverage for a touchdown right before halftime was probably the best throw patch Flanagans made all year.
[00:23:16] Speaker A: You look at the receiving yards, not overly impressive, but it was balanced again. Gil Rivera, 43 yards, Robbie Tolbert, 42 yards. Tommy Leonard, one catch, 29 yards and Jonathan Anson, one catch, 15 yards. He had five guys with double digits in yards. So that's another good sign of a balance attack.
[00:23:35] Speaker B: Yeah, there's not a number, a true number one receiver on this team. Tolbert is, is the most experienced guy, very much a possession move. The sticks kind of receiver receiver. Gil Rivera and Tommy Leonard have kind of emerged as slot guys.
Dan Quinn, the Niski unit has worked in there a little bit. Isaiah Russell gets used. They use six, seven wide receivers.
Flanagan doesn't favor one guy. You'd still like to see them really try and push the ball down the field or maybe use the advantage, try and use the tight ends, the running backs in the middle of the field a little bit more. It's not a big play passing offense, but this was the efficient passing offense they need to be to keep teams off of the run game?
[00:24:17] Speaker A: Well, I think they were trying to run the ball or at least try to move, get some yards here at the end of the game. It is. I thought, why not take a knee? Let's get out of here.
[00:24:24] Speaker B: Yeah, that was just getting some guys, some reps. You know, this. You know, if you look at the last couple of years, union had a lot of blowouts early in their non conference season, which meant a lot of chances for. For the second and third string guys to get in games. This year, they hadn't had that at all. So, you know, I can't totally fault them for saying, okay, these guys who are going to get maybe one or two more chances all year, get out there, get a couple of plays. But they also have been one of those teams that does kneel downs from the shotgun in the past, which I've always found hilarious. I've never understood it, but, no, this was just. They got Cole Brisson and Max Cho, two different quarterbacks. At least a small sampling out there. And that's all they want to do. They want to get those guys experience taking snaps in a live game.
[00:25:09] Speaker A: Well, they probably want to have backups in this. This week. They have to go to Hobart. How critical is this game coming up?
[00:25:15] Speaker B: I mean, this game essentially determines what November is going to look like for this team. If union wins this game, then they are going into November with everything to play for. They're going to have the chance. You know, St. Lawrence is not a team. You know, they lost to St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence is not a team that's going to be in contention for a Liberty League championship at the end of the year. So if they're on momentum and Hobarthe, Hobart, Rochester, RPI, Ithaca and Union are the teams that are at the. That are the top of this league.
If they win at Hobart, there's no reason to think that they can't make, you know, make the plays down the stretch of the season and somehow be in contention for a Liberty League championship.
[00:25:55] Speaker A: Yeah. Looking at that score last week at St. Lawrence, 39 and three, and it goes a week before against Buffalo State, 31 three. And the previous week they beat Ithaca 16 to seven. So right now, would you say they're the team to beat?
[00:26:05] Speaker B: Hobart and Rochester are the two teams to beat at the top of this league. Rochester's had a really, really impressive season.
They come to Union for their senior day in a few weeks, but Hobart's a tough, tough team. And talk to John drock a little bit about this today. Union's media availability. He spent a decade, eleven years as a quarterbacks coach and later offensive coordinator at Hobart. So he's obviously familiar with the program. He knows a lot of people there, but he's really kind. He said, this game's not about me. We're focused on Hobart.
[00:26:39] Speaker A: What's going to be the key, you think, to pulling off the upset?
[00:26:44] Speaker B: You have to play a clean football game. It's really, really simple. They can't turn the ball over. They have to win the turnover battle. They have to score, which is something that very few teams have done against Hobart. They're allowing less than eight points a game and then Hobart's a team that they are. They're extremely balanced. You know, 1300 yards through the air, 1000 yards on the ground.
They can grind you down all game long. They've done it a lot of times where they've, you know, in the past they've been a team that's just power run, power run, power run. This year they're a little bit more explosive through the air and that has been kind of the Achilles heel of this union defense. They've got a very good front seven, but if they don't get home with their pass rush, they've kind of tended to struggle covering some, some extended and broken plays. And I mean, Johnny Columbia, the Hobart quarterback, is 1000 yards through the air, ten touchdowns, three interceptions. He's a guy who can make things happen.
[00:27:44] Speaker A: Let's move over to you. Albany and the great Dane suffered a 3014 home loss to Elon University in a game where Elon University returned not one, but two kickoffs for touchdowns.
[00:27:56] Speaker B: Yeah, you already scored two touchdowns in this game and they gave those points back within 15 seconds both times. All but one. Elon did miss the extra point after the second kickoff return. But, you know, special teams are, you know, uality has been pretty good on special teams in recent years. They've been pretty good at defending, you know, the return game in the last few years and they just got absolutely shredded twice, which will happen when you're a team that's putting in eleven new starters on defense. You're putting in guys even further down the roster on special teams. And Chandler Brayboy, the kick returner for Elon, made him pay.
And then with Elon up 30 to 14, they held the ball for the last twelve and a half minutes of that game and you all. But he never got it back with a chance to even make it a one score game.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: Yeah, look, reading the quote from Greg to. So it's out on the Albany football website. He says, very disappointed in the outcome of the game. I gave them three points before the half, two kickoff touchdown returns. It's very difficult to win a football game like that. Very disappointing in front of a great crowd for homecoming who came out to see us play.
What are your thoughts about that?
[00:29:05] Speaker B: Yeah, you look at that, that's, you know, they lose 30 to 14 and that's 16 Ualbany gave them right there as Elon was able to get a field goal right as time expired in the first half. And this was the game Ualbany needed to win this game if they wanted to head into November with a chance to make some noise in the CAA. This probably with two league losses is going to make things really, really difficult. That said, the CAA is nuts. Villanova was the number five team in the country last week and they got a absolutely taken to the woodshed by Maine. So you can't say you all, but he's not going to go to a very good Delaware team.
Delaware team this weekend and do something similar. This team, when they've played well, has looked very, very good, but they haven't had consistency. And now this was a team that the last couple of years, even when they weren't playing their best football, they were a fortress at home. And that's two straight league home losses and that's tough to come back from.
[00:30:01] Speaker A: What do you think, what do you think they have to do to pull off that upset down or be delta down there?
[00:30:06] Speaker B: They have to put, they have to play clean football. They have to not give up two kick returns for a touchdown. And, you know, they have to be, they have to be efficient and they have not been even in their wins, they have not been an efficient offense. They've been an offense that has hit some big plays and is, you know, they'll bog down, bogged down, bogged down, big play. And then their defense has made some big plays and they found some, some ways to do it. But yeah, I, it's standard, it's standard recipe. It's turnovers, it's game flipping plays. In special teams, it's controlling the clock.
[00:30:34] Speaker A: Including the Delaware game. Three of their final five games are on the road, including back to back at Stony Brook on November 9 and Rhode Island November 16. So they really put themselves behind the eight ball here.
[00:30:44] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, the CAA is chaos. And Stony Brooks team, that's really, really good. New Hampshire is a team that they've struggled against at many points over the years. That was the one CAA team to beat them this year. So this realistically over the back half of this season is a build for the future year for you Albany. But there's plenty of chances for signature wins.
[00:31:04] Speaker A: How about our Eagles on Sunday against the Giants? I mean that was a stress free victory.
[00:31:08] Speaker B: Yeah, for the first time in about two years, the Eagles won a game like a normal football team wins a game.
[00:31:14] Speaker A: Saint Quan Barkley was magnificent. His return to MetLife Stadium.
[00:31:17] Speaker B: Very, very good at this thing, isn't he?
[00:31:20] Speaker A: You think Jack to regretting letting him go?
[00:31:22] Speaker B: I think John Mara certainly did lose plenty of sleep. And I think Joe Shane probably wants to throw his phone in the river or, or have it, or have it buried at the old Meadowlands. Wherever. Jimmy. Next to Jimmy.
[00:31:34] Speaker A: Oh, wait, wait just a minute. I'm sorry. Daniel Jones just got sacked again.
Yeah, Giants are in trouble.
[00:31:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:31:43] Speaker A: So madam, appreciate, we'll do this again next week. All right, that's Adam Schindler. We'll come back while the final winners, not the final winners, will have the winners in the last you pick them football contest and the auto racing contest. You're listening to the parting shots podcast.
[00:32:10] Speaker B: Man, I loved playing high school sports growing up and it's fun being a fan.
[00:32:14] Speaker C: Now don't get me wrong, but sitting.
[00:32:17] Speaker B: In the stands feels like I'm missing out on all the action, you know?
[00:32:20] Speaker C: I wanted to get back in the.
[00:32:22] Speaker B: Game, so I signed up to be a high school official.
[00:32:26] Speaker C: It takes me back to my playing days.
[00:32:28] Speaker B: I'm supporting students and I get paid to make the big calls. Do you want to see the game up close? Sign up to become an official in New
[email protected].
[00:32:40] Speaker A: Explore the benefits of subscribing to the Daily Gazette like our convenient edition app, personalized newsletters and unique reader rewards. When you join, start your membership today offers redeemable at www.dailygazette.com.
hi, this is Andrew Cattelon of CB's.
[00:33:00] Speaker B: Force and formerly of news Channel 13 WNYTA.
[00:33:03] Speaker A: You're listening to the parting shots podcast with Daily Gazette sports editor Ken Sh.
Back to wrap up the podcast, the week seven winner in the Daily Gazette's you pick them football contest was Mike vine of Schenectady with a 14 one record. Mike wins a $100 Hannaford gift card. Congratulations, Mike. The vip winner was by way of a tiebreaker, Nick Playtel, grand premier tire with a twelve and three record. I was also twelve and three while my Gazette colleague Adam Schrner was eleven and four. We are both 69 and 38. I'll announce the Upickham football contest winner's name and that winner's name will appear in Thursday's Daily Gazette. To play, go to dailygazette.com and click on the you pick em football banner.
The week 33 winner in the Daily Gazettes auto racing contest was Pat combly of Schenectady with 40 points. Pat wins a dollar 50 gift card. Congratulations, Pat. The vip winner was me. I had 45 points. I got lucky. I'll announce the auto racing contest winner's name and that winner's name will appear in Saturday's Daily Gazette. To play, go to dailyGazette.com and click on the auto racing contest banner.
Just because Covid-19 mandates are easing, that does not mean you should relax. Be vigilant. If you have not gotten vaccinated or received a booster shot, please do so. Do it for yourself, do it for your family, and do it for your friends. Don't forget to download the Daily Gazette app and sign up for our e edition so you never miss a headline. Subscribe today at ww dot dailygazette.com. we have a lot of great specials going on when credibility matters, trust the Daily Gazette. That wraps up another edition of the parting Shots podcast. I want to thank members of the Union College men's and women's hockey teams, RPI head coach Dave Smith and team captain Jake Gagnon and Adam Schinder, and for being a part of the show. If you have questions or comments about the podcast, email to me at shot. That's sch o t tailygazette.com. follow me on x and threads at Slap Shots the views expressed on the parting shots podcast are not necessarily those of the Daily Gazette Company. The Parting Shots podcast is a yeah production of the Daily Gazette Company. I'm Daily Gazette sports editor Ken Schott. Thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time from the Parting Shots podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. Good day. Good sports.
