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Goings-on in the long, hot summer

I know the temptation is to spend the summer simply watching old movies, but hard as it is to believe there is some Patriot League football news that bears reporting. With all the parts of my Patriot League preview for the College Sporting News FCS Yearbook finally written, and my move coming up in a very short time, here's some of the interesting news trickling off the wires in the Patriot League these days.

First of all, can you believe that Patriot League Media day is just around the corner on July 31st?

Second of all, can you believe that the Dalai Lama will be teaching at Lehigh in a mere two weeks? (My family and I are all over this one: just a week or so after our move, four of us are going to see him in Stabler.) With Beijing hosting the 2008 Olympics, his presence at Lehigh couldn't be more timely.

Now, around the league in the world of football:

  • Lehigh alum Joe Alleva ('75) recently was interviewed by the media in Baton Rouge about his challenge in taking over the athletic director position at LSU. Not content with winning the championship in football, he says he wants to "win the championship in everything" - pretty big goals, Joe! The best part of the interview? The mention of "The Rivalry": Alleva "counts one of his fondest sports memories the touchdown passes he threw in his final game to lead Lehigh past archrival Lafayette in the most-played series in college football."
  • Fordham P Benjamin Dato unfortunately was cut by the Baltimore Ravens. That's a real shame, though I would bet that Mr. Dato should get a chance somewhere else with his tremendous leg. No word if new #1 Raven draft pick from Delaware Joe Flacco ran him out of town because Dato was his biggest competition in the "Ravens from FCS Teams' Punt, Pass and Kick competition".
  • On the plus side for the Rams, incoming OL Wes Perryman from Texas did play in the famous Texas/Oklahoma Oil Bowl All-Star game.
  • "That school in Easton" recently hosted a great even in "Lauren's First And Goal" camp, which raised over $100,000 for pediatric brain tumor research. For the complete inspiring story of Lafayette assistant coach John Loose and his daughter Lauren, click here.
  • Colgate players have been spotted all over the Pennsylvania and New Jersey all-star games: incoming RB/LB Nate Eachus in the "Big 33" game, incoming LB Andy Matz in the East-West game, and incoming QB Steve Rizzo in the Adam Talafieri All-Star Classic (NJ). As a Lehigh fan, I really hope this isn't a good sign for Colgate in the near future...
  • Holy Cross now is getting an FM Radio home. Apparently, the upgrade was warranted since the Crusaders' football and basketball games were getting pre-empted too often... by minor-league hockey.
  • Crusader LB Ryan Stewart was profiled in this article. He seems like a good bet to be one of the veteran leaders on defense for Holy Cross.
  • Finally, Georgetown rounded up one of their few seniors to detail the voluntary off-season workouts the Hoyas have been engaging in. It's interesting detail about the offseason workout programs that happen at all Patriot League schools, not just Georgetown.

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