Verrry Interesting

The Offshore Wise Guys have spoken and the question hanging out there is how much stock they put in this year's results (apparently a great deal) and how much they put in history (apparently not much).

Princeton is a 19-point favorite at home over Cornell
Penn is a 13.5-point favorite at Brown
Yale is a 7-point favorite at Columbia

And the one you've been waiting for . . .

Dartmouth is an 18-point favorite at home over Harvard

Elsewhere among Dartmouth opponents:

Georgetown  is a 24-point underdog at Colgate
Holy Cross is a 12.5-point favorite at home over Lehigh
Sacred Heart is an 11-point favorite at home over Bryant

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Harvard Magazine takes a look at the Crimson season to date in a story that begins this way:

IN HOPING TO REBOUND from an uncharacteristically mediocre 5-5 record in 2017, coach Tim Murphy put forth a multi-pronged plan for the 2018 Harvard football season, the Crimson’s 145th. Its major elements: First, bolster his offensive and defensive lines. “We have a saying here: It’s what’s up front that counts,” declared Murphy as he entered his twenty-fifth season on the Crimson sideline. Second, get the ball as often as possible into the hands of senior All-Ivy wideout and kick returner Justice Shelton-Mosley, whose production had dropped to a paltry 3.6 receptions a game in ’17. Third, bank on the continuing maturity of quarterback Jake Smith, who was coming off a promising freshman year.

But as that eminent pugilist Mike Tyson once observed, “Everybody has a plan—until they are punched in the mouth.”

So true.

For a fine look at this week's opponent, check out the full Harvard Magazine story here.

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Dartmouth apparently has a friend at the Ocala Star Banner in Florida. Scroll down THIS STORY for a quick mention.

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If you've been paying attention you know I think virtually any ranking of FCS recruits is ridiculous. I'm here to tell you coaches who recruit these kids sometimes struggle to rank their own recruits against each other so for someone with an internet connection who has never seen these kids play to put recruits at this level in any order is laughable.

That said, basing the top recruits on FBS offers can provide a general sense of who the cream of the crop might be.

With that warning out there, tight end recruit Jordan Kirkbride, who has tweeted his intention to commit to Dartmouth, is in the Hero Sports No. 4 recruit. (LINK) He is quoted this way:

"I take pride in the work that I have put in to be in this position. My coaches have pushed me to constantly grind and I wouldn't be who I am today without them. The FCS level has great talent and it shows every year. I'm excited to compete against some great football players." 

The Hero posting has the Ivy League with the No. 1 recruit, six of the top 20 and 12 of the top 36. It has Harvard with 15 of the top 150. Surely a national championship or two is in the cards ;-)

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Last week Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens did a phone-in interview with Jon Meterparel for his podcast, The Meter is Running. Jon's late father, Steve '52  was president of Beacon Sports, which broadcast Dartmouth football all around New England in the Big Green's heyday.

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Former Dartmouth football captain Mike Rabil '06, is the Chief Executive Officer of the new Premier Lacrosse League he has founded with his younger brother Paul, a legendary college player at Johns Hopkins. Bloomberg has a story about how the Rabils and the PLL are tapping into the sport's Wall Street connections to get the league going. (LINK) 

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Want to help a former Dartmouth football player win a contest? Rob Bathe '13, founder of Folly Coffee, is hoping the company can score a new Ford Transit Connect delivery truck in a contest called Five Pitches in Five Blocks. Watch an interview with Rob here:

Read an interview with Rob HERE and be sure to vote early and often!