Meanwhile, Across the Street ...

When it comes to new fields, Dartmouth isn't the only game in town ;-). Some of you may have seen the old and embarrassing Hanover High School football field just across the street from Memorial Field. It's been replaced by a lighted FieldTurf surface in a gorgeous natural bowl area behind the school. With the completion of the field -- where a certain 8th grader went to football camp a few weeks back and where his sister will play field hockey this fall -- Hanover went from having probably the worst field in the state of New Hampshire to one of the best.

Given that the field is no farther from Memorial Field than the Blackman practice fields, could Dartmouth barter a few bad-weather, late-season practice sessions under the lights -- after Hanover's season ends -- in exchange for allowing a possible state playoff game to be played on Memorial Field? It makes sense but would never happen. Although the Hanover High field is as isolated as possible for a facility in town, there are severe restrictions on the use of lights, particularly by non-Hanover High teams. And while it would be neat for the town-gown relationship for a Hanover football program that has come light years in the last decade to play on the big stage, there are a lot of hurdles that would have to be cleared. Too bad.

---

According to this Yale release, the Ivy League media day festivities beginning Monday at 10 a.m., are supposed to be available via a webcast that you will be able to access here.

The Princeton media guide is now available online. Already on the 'Net are the guides from Harvard and Penn. (By the way, have I told you how annoyed I am about that Princeton video commercial that keeps popping up unbidden each time I look at their web page?)

Brown will have six home games (including all three non-conference matchups) and will play in the first-ever night game at Harvard. There's a short release about the schedule here.

Chuck Burton over at College Sporting News has an interesting column out of the Patriot League media day. He has a Q&A with Carolyn Schlie Femovich -- executive director of the Patriot League -- that touches on the league's woeful record against the Ivies last year, on the possibility of scholarships and on the Patriot League taking a hard look at its academic index. Regarding the AI, the Patriot League director said:

"I think the Academic Index in and of itself seems to be serving the league well, but I think there are some issues that need to be addressed with respect to some of the metrics and how we manage the variables. I don't think the index inself will be going away, but I think we will make some adjustments."

Green Alert Take: If Dartmouth is serious about changing the non-league schedule, the time to act is now. The Patriots realize one big reason they are losing games to the Ivies is they are losing student-athletes to the Ivies when the two conferences fish from the same pool. If the Patriots cast their net a little farther out -- which I expect -- the hammer will change hands again. Make no mistake. My former editors wouldn't appreciate the mixed metaphor, but you get the idea: The Patriot League has recognized a problem and is addressing it.

Speaking of the Patriot League, Colgate reports to camp Sunday. ... Dartmouth opens practice Aug. 22.

If Delaware Lt. Governor John Carney '78 loses the Sept. 8 primary for the Delaware gubernatorial race, it might be because he played football at Dartmouth and didn't stay home. Legendary Blue Hen coach Tubby Raymond briefly joked about Carney's decision in this story.