Rocky: 0:32

Welcome to the Mohawk Valley Sports Watch. Thanks for making us part of your Sunday morning here. I am beyond excited this morning to talk to some local friends again. The Mohawk Valley Sports Watch is back. Um it's been a busy, uh, busy fall here for myself and my my family. Been running around um chasing the kids around. Aiden was playing football. I was coaching. My daughter's been doing uh soccer all year round, so we've been all over the place, and I'm excited to have this show back as this was the show, my favorite show to do. They're all my favorite, but this one definitely is my favorite one here to talk some local sports. So we're back. And I got a great lineup here this morning for everybody tuning in. If you're tuning in on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or LinkedIn, if you have any comments, questions uh for the show, please put them in the comment box. I'll bring as many over as I can here this morning. And uh the guest lineup today, in just a little bit, a longtime friend of the show was one of the first guests I had on on the Mohawk Valley Sports Watch. Scott Petoniak's gonna join me. At about 9.10, we'll talk Syracuse football. They lost again last night. Steve Angel went down a while ago, and it seems like the season has just spiraled downhill for the orange. So we'll talk about some Syracuse football. If we get some time with Scott, we'll talk some Buffalo Bills football uh with Scott as well. And then at about 9.30, we have friend of the show, New Hartford head football coach Jim Kramer is going to join me. We'll talk his big win over Indian River for the second time this year. They opened up with a win over Indian River the first game of the year, and now they punched their ticket to the third straight trip to the Section 3 finals for Coach Kramer. And then at about 9.50, another long friend of the show, Whitesboro head football coach Curtis Schmidt will join me as they punch their ticket as well to the Carrier Dome. So two coaches that are very familiar with playing at the Carrier Dome as they take their teams in there for another chance to win a Section 3 title. So that and more here this morning on the Mohawk Valley Sports Watch. Want to make sure I give a shout out to the Rome Free Academy field hockey team, uh, Coach McKenzie Welther. They are 18-0. They will play today in the regional final against Mamarneck. Um, that game's at noon. Um, and I believe those games are being played at VVS High School here this morning uh as well. So best of luck to the Rome Free Academy Black Knights um on chasing uh a state championship, which hasn't been done, I believe, since my sister's year. I can't remember my sister's year here in Rome, but they were 20-0 or 22-0, undefeated in state champs. And this Rome Free Academy team has a chance to do just that. Um, congratulations to New Hartford Girls Soccer. Uh, they punched their ticket as well to the regional final, I believe. I think they won yesterday. Uh a lot of um section three final games across high school football next week will be at the carry dome, the class uh double A, Liverpool and CBA will rematch. Uh CBA beat West Jenny 55-7, and then Liverpool beat CNS High School uh 22-0. So that will be the double A final. And then the Class A final again, Whitesboro will play East Syracuse Manoa. Whitesboro beat Carthage on Friday night 38-12, and then ESM beat Fateville Manlius 31-6. So Whitesboro will play ESM for the Section 3 title. As I just said, we'll talk to Coach Kramer and New Hartford as they punched their ticket to the Section 3 final. Except this year, it will not be against Indian River, which would have been the third time in the last three years for Coach Kramer. But Indian River uh fell to New Hartford 37-34. It was a classic game on Friday night. It was a great game back and forth. And then the second game on Friday night, which was played at Corcoran High School, Institute of Technology 28 VVS 21. So New Hartford will play Institute of Technology. And that Syracuse team is loaded with skilled players. So we'll talk to Coach in more in here in just a little bit. The Class C final, two familiar teams that are very familiar with each other, and I feel like they are very familiar with playing in the Section Three Finals. The top seed Kazanovia beat Skinny Atlas 28-21 on Saturday, and then General Brown beat Little Falls 63 to nothing. Um, as Little Falls had upset Marcellus to three seed earlier in the section of uh playoffs. General Brown will play Kaz. That game is scheduled for next Saturday at noon, as Cazanovia is the top seed. Two powerhouse programs that have been there for a long time. Umet for the section three finals. In Class D, Lowville beat Sandy Creek. If the stat man was on with me here this morning, he would say Sandy Creek, and he'd say we're seasons go to die. Well, Lowville, the top seed, beat Sandy Creek. That game was Saturday at Westmoreland High School on that beautiful turf statement they put in at Westmoreland. Uh Lowville, the top seed, won 30 to nothing. And then the number two seed, a little weird not seeing Dodgeville as the top seed in Class D, where they've been for so many years. They beat Cato Meridian 42 to 14. So Dodgeville and Lowville will play in the Class D championship game on Friday night. That game is also scheduled at the Carrier Dome. In the eight-man, uh, the top seed Frankfurt Schuyler, which somebody's got to explain this to me. I've said it for the last so many years. I'm not really sure why Frankfurt Schuyler is not playing regular 11-man football. I've seen this team, I've seen highlights. They do not look like they belong playing in eight-man football. It's just my opinion. Not taking anything away from the kids because they've had a good season, and last year they won a state championship. They have absolutely destroyed teams in the eight-man. But tip your hat to Sequoit Valley, uh, where I got my coaching career started as a head coach on a great run that they had this year in the eight-man. They had beaten Thousand Islands 40 to 28, and then they fell just recently here on Friday night to Frankfurt Skyler 54 to 34. And then the two-seed Morrisville Eaton, another familiar team of myself and my family. They beat Waterville 48-6. So the eight-man championship game is all set. That'll be played Friday at 2 o'clock at the Carrier Dome as well. It'll be top seed at Frankfurt Skyler, and they will play Morrisville Eaton. So that game is Friday as well. So all these sectional final games will all be played at the Carrier Dome. And hats off to all those teams for making it and having a great season this year uh around section three in class A through D. So in just a little bit, we're going to talk some Syracuse football. The Syracuse alum got on me earlier in the year when the season started. I predicted Syracuse to go four and eight, and it looks like that's what they're trending towards here is they'll play at Notre Dame next week, uh, which I do not see the Orange being able to win that game, but you never know. That's why they play the game. And then that would follow up this last game of the season, they would play Boston College, who is one for nine or one and eight, one and nine, whatever it is, and Bill O'Brien's first year as the head coach. But Syracuse should be able to compete and play with Boston College. And I know we're going to talk to Scott here in just a little bit. I know that the Steve Angeli thing, when he got hurt, things kind of spiraled downhill. But the one thing I'll say that I'm going to talk to Scott a little bit about, and people have been on me because I I don't always talk very highly of the orange, but I gave them their props last year. But I said Syracuse last year had a pretty easy schedule. This year they've had a tough schedule, but these were the games as Coach Medis's Pags and I would get on and talk every year, and we would do these predictions and pick their games, we'd say Syracuse always has to win the 50-50 games. Not knowing how good Pitts could be, how good Georgia Tech's going to be, NC State Wake. And you look across the ACC this year, and those teams are pretty good. Wake had a huge win last night on the road at Virginia, who still has a chance to play for the ACC title and get into the college football playoff. But the one common thing with a lot of these teams is to me they're getting better. Like if you look at North Carolina, I'm not a big Bill Belichick guy. You look at North Carolina where they started the year, they looked horrendous. And everybody's saying, well, Bill Belichick's gonna jump to the NFL, and this he's not meant for college. And I still don't think he's really meant for college. I still think next year, if he gets a call from an NFL team, he's gone. And don't be surprised if the Giants fire Brian Dable and Bill Belichick gets a call to go back home to New York and coach the Giants, maybe. But North Carolina has gotten a lot better. And I know people say, well, they beat Stanford, um, you know, they beat Syracuse. But when you look through the last three or four games, they were in the game against Virginia, they had a chance to win. They should have beat Cal came down to the last play. They have routinely gotten better week over week. They have a good chance because now they'll play the North Carolina teams. They'll play Wake, and I think they ended with North Carolina State, which I think are two winnable games, and Wake Force is playing a lot better this year. But they've gotten better. When I watch Syracuse play, and I know there's a lot of Syracuse faithful that are watching this show saying all he does is badmouth Syracuse. I don't always badmouth Syracuse. I'm not a Syracuse homer like a lot of people are around here. Um I'll pull for him, but I don't go crazy if they lose. But I'm more disappointed because I don't think a lot of these guys have gotten any better as the seasons went on. I think they've they've trended in the wrong direction. I think Fran Brown's a hell of a salesperson. Um I think he does a really good job talking up the program. I think he does a great job selling the program to recruits. We all know he was a really good recruiter. And it is nice to see on Twitter and social media when you see a lot of these big name players that are now saying they're gonna flip, and instead of looking at Georgia, they're gonna look at Syracuse. Or instead of looking at Florida State, they're gonna look at Syracuse. So I think that's really cool to see. But at the end of the day, I just don't know. And listen, Angeli's if Angeli's playing this, we might be saying, well, geez, Syracuse is six and two. They had the big win over Clemson, which doesn't look like too big of a win now because Clemson has looked horrendous this season, but they got the win last night over Florida State. And I like Dabble Sweeney. I think Dabble should go elsewhere. I do. I think Dabble Sweeney should go elsewhere, and I think he should start over somewhere. I think his time's kind of run dry in Clemson. Um the knock was he hadn't dipped into the transfer portal, he's not up to date with the NIL and all that stuff. I like Dabble. I've always liked Dabble Sweeney. Um I just don't know if if it's if it's meant to be right now. He stays at Clemson. All these big jobs open, go get a fresh start somewhere else. That's what I would say. Go get a fresh start somewhere else. Well, we'll see what happens with Dabbo. But again, Syracuse, we'll see. They they'll end Nordame this week, who I think is one of the hottest teams in the country. I think Marcus Freeman's a star in the coaching field. I think Marcus Freeman, if I'm all these other big schools that are open to Florida's DLSUs, I call him up and I say, How much do you want? I got put a blank check on a table and say, fill it in. It's your job to lose. He's not leaving Nord Dame. And I just saw this morning Lane Kiffin signed another extension. I think he's going to make $13 million a year to stay at Ole Miss. Good for Lane Kiffin. If you saw the um the story on Lane, personal life is in a happy place. And I think that should be noted across college football. You don't have to chase the money. These guys are all making really good money across college football. $13 million to $16 million or $13 million to $17 million, eh, $3, $4 million to you and I means a lot. To those guys that are making $13 million, why go chase another three or four start over where if you don't really win within your first two to three years, you're gone. Lane seems happy at Ole Miss. He's got Ole Miss competing to be in the playoff. He's got him competing for a national championship. I think Lane made the right decision. Um you look at Kurt Signeti and the job that he's done in Indiana in just two years. Think about this for a minute. Kurt Signeti, who coaches football at Indiana, who people will say is a basketball school, has turned down probably every job in America. He's probably turned down Indiana, or he's probably turned down Penn State, Florida, LSU, all these big jobs that are open to stay at Indiana in my lifetime. And I'm sure everybody on here would probably agree if this was 10, 20 years ago. Would you ever see a coach from Indiana turn on a chance to go coach at Penn State? Who, by the way, they just beat and I thought Penn State should have beat him, but that was a hell of a catch and a hell of a throw by a Mendoza at the end of that game to where the kid got his toe down to beat Penn State. And tip your hat to the kids at Penn State for playing hard. That stadium was 107,000 people. That stadium was full. Good for the people down at Happy Valley because that place was rocking for that game against Indiana. But tip your hat to a lot of these coaches that are staying put. I saw Matt Rule at Nebraska signed at extension. He's going to stay there. What he's built at Nebraska still hasn't won a big game, but um he was rumored to be the top candidate, played for Joe Paterno at Penn State. Um, so I I for sure thought that uh Matt Rule was going to be a candidate there. He's he decides to stay. Uh Cody's saying Dan Lannon turned down Alabama. I don't I don't doubt that. Um, but those guys are making really good money and the programs are in really good shape. Why leave? Why leave? Doesn't make any sense to me why anybody would want to chase those down. But I think when you look at guys like Signetti, you know, in the two years, and I said last year I thought Indiana had a pretty easy schedule. Now, people are gonna say, well, they almost lost to Penn State. It's still Penn State. You know, in the preseason when Penn State was number one, that would have been a monster game, but it's still Penn State to go on the road and beat them at their place in front of 107,000 people is still a big game. Indiana's gonna play Ohio State for the Big Ten title game, and we'll see how good Indiana really is. The Mendoza kid looked pretty good yesterday. I'd probably say to me, it's probably Julian Sain, the quarterback for Ohio State, who I hate to say that too loud with my wife upstairs, the Buckeye fan, but I think Julian Sain would probably be my pick right now as the Heisman Trophy winner. Mendoza would probably be right there too. But I want you to go Google a kid, and his his name is is slipping by me, and I was looking at it last night. The quarterback for UConn has thrown like 26 touchdowns and zero interceptions, and I don't think Jim Moore Jr. gets the credit he deserves. In my eyes right now, if I had a coach and a vote for a coach for coach of the year, let me see. I got a I think Scott might have been having uh let me see, it's it's not letting Scott in. Let me um Scott, if you're if you're listening, I'm gonna try to send you um send you another link here in just a minute to see if we can uh we can get you on here. Uh so bear with me. Um but I forget the kid's name. Um if you actually Google it um and you look to see the job he has done this year, um, and I again I don't think I would have ever thought um where I would see UConn. Let's see if we got Scott. There he is. I can hear, I can see you, Scott. Can you hear me?

Scott Pitoniak: 16:54

I can hear you. Yes. How are we doing, my friend? I'm doing well. Sorry about those technical glitches there. I'm I'm uh technologically challenged here. Just ask my wife.

Rocky: 17:03

You you made it on, no problem whatsoever. I appreciate it. Scott, I had to have you back as the as the first guest to back on this show because I believe you were one of the very first ones I had on many years ago. So I won't say how much I've aged over the years, but I couldn't be more excited to have you.

Scott Pitoniak: 17:20

Well, it's always a pleasure to be on with you. And anytime I told you, I'd be happy to do it. And I'm honored to be one of the original charter men.

Rocky: 17:29

So, Scott, a lot of the uh the Orange Faithful were on me before the season started because I put my predictions up, and I feel like when we talk Syracuse, we've talked a lot about the same things over the year as far as the league goes, where I would always say Syracuse would have to get the 50-50 games, right? We never knew what Georgia Tech, the NC States, the Wake, those teams are going to be. And this so happens this year. Those teams are playing really well. I had predicted Syracuse to go four and eight. Many believe, and I would probably be on that wagon if Angeli was still there this season offensively, probably would have been a lot different. But Scott, I'll ask you this question. I've been more disappointed that that the team hasn't gotten any better week over week. And that to me it falls back on the head coach, and I like Fran, but the team just hasn't gotten any better.

Scott Pitoniak: 18:17

And I think it's uh I I guess what we've discovered, Rock, is uh, as you well know, the the quarterback is such an important position in football. Um, you know, it goes beyond just the value of one position. It's uh, you know, it's disproportionate in value. And um, you know, when Anjali went down, essentially, now that you look back at it, Syracuse's season went kaput. Uh, they didn't have an adequate backup. Um, we all thought Ricky Collins, who had been a high, highly regarded recruit at LSU, and we know LSU's history, recent history of producing great quarterbacks, you know, Joe Burrow and and Jade McDaniel and so forth. But um, you know, uh it's become apparent in these six games that Ricky Collins just doesn't have what it takes um to be, you know, I think a quarterback at you know, a power four conference um, you know, um team and stuff. He doesn't process really quickly. And and I will I will cut him some slack. He was thrown in there, but he had the entire spring before Angeli. People forget Angeli was not signed by Syracuse until after spring practice. So, you know, Ricky Collins had all the reps in the offseason and and um uh you know, and then Angeli comes in af after the spring, obviously, and and then you know, we were told there was a battle, and and it's clear that Angeli was a far superior quarterback and stuff. So um the disappointment is that none of these guys, including some you know, highly regarded recruits at quarterback, um, that they were able to get them ready. Um, you know, and uh and again, Collins, I mean, I just don't see it in him, Rock. And so you don't have a quarterback, and that has a disproportionate impact on everything else. Essentially, what Syracuse has been these last six games, Rock, is um they've been, they can't play complimentary football because they really don't have an offense. Um, you know, you the defense has shown some flashes here and there, but they wear down because you can't put that kind of pressure on a young defense and stuff. So um, yeah, there's been some disappointments there. Um, you know, Fran, I cut Fran some slack. He's in his second year as a head coach.

Rocky: 20:36

Yep.

Scott Pitoniak: 20:37

Um, he made some mistakes. There's no question about it. Um and to be honest with you, most programs, whether it be college or in the NFL, you lose your starting quarterback, you're usually cooked. I mean, if the Bills lost Josh Allen, I'm sorry. You know, they go from being a Super Bowl, uh legitimate Super Bowl contender to not being one. Um, you know, to being a good team with still some very good players around, and you got Mitch Trubisky and stuff. But, you know, they're you know, so you so it's it it's unfortunate because I really think that we really saw Angeli coming on. And um, and I I you know, I was like you, I thought this is a four or five win team going in, not knowing how good Angeli would be. And then I raised my expectation level. I really believe that if Angeli had not gotten hurt with the Achilles injury, that Syracuse would have been, you know, contending for seven or eight wins this season. I really think they could have, but it's just uh it's all gone down the tubes. And now it's clear. Um, you may have seen that France sent four um uh freshmen out there as his game captains yesterday. So what does that tell you? They're in total rebuild mode right now. He's trying to, he's looking at 2026.

Rocky: 21:58

Yeah, Scott, and they've played, I believe, they've played over 30 freshmen this year, which I think is one of the most in the country. Matter of fact, I think they said third nationally, where they played 34 freshmen, 19 different players have made their first career start for Syracuse. I thought the schedule last year was set up well for Frame Brown or whoever got that Syracuse job to come in and have a really good year in year one, and then year two, we just didn't know what to expect from Angeli, like you said. But one thing I look at is, you know, I look at some of these ACC teams, and we can take Bill Belichick in North Carolina, who I thought they were an absolute disaster um throughout the season. But you look at North Carolina the last three or four weeks, they've gotten better. And I just saw where they have the 16th ranked class nationally coming in there, so it looks like they're gonna get things turned around. I'm just a little bit more disappointed in Syracuse that I haven't seen a player improvement by a lot of these guys, and maybe it's just overlooked because of the different quarterbacks that have played, and the focus has been on that position for Syracuse. But what's your thought on some of the other positions?

Scott Pitoniak: 23:03

You know, I mean, their strongest position going into the season was their wide receiving core. I mean, but if you can't give those guys the ball or whatever, um, you know, then that negates that, right? So I've been disappointed there. Um, you know, I seen some flashes on some defensive players and stuff. They were going to be in a rebuilding mode with their defense, which only exacerbates the problems that they're facing by not having an offense. Um, yeah, there's there's there's it's clear that um, you know, we didn't we didn't we didn't see improvement not only among the young players, which is understandable. If you're playing true freshman in a power four conference, you're in trouble for the most part, unless you're you know, you're Georgia or LSU or Ohio State or whatever that can reload or whatever, you know. Um, but I I still I still put you know, the onus is on Fran Brown won 10 games last year because of Kyle McCord. You know, let's let's let's be honest.

Rocky: 24:05

Yep.

Scott Pitoniak: 24:06

And again, you know, that's a quarterback. There was a quarterback who was a great college quarterback. I mean, and and Jelly was showing signs of picking up where McCord left off. And then when he went down, and you I guess my biggest big criticism would be like, again, Ricky Collins, you know, you had him, uh, you paid money for him. Uh, he was going to be your number one guy. And he's just looked dreadful. And I I a criticism I would have of Fran is that, you know, now we hear this past week saying, like, well, we didn't really do a good enough job as coaches in terms of, you know, tailoring an offense for him, because here's a guy who can move. I I didn't understand from the start. I was saying to a friend, like, I was at a couple of those games, they said, like, why is he in the pocket? Why is he? Here's a guy who should be running RPOs, who should be like, you should be rolling them out. Um, and they didn't do that from the start. So that's a that's a big mistake on his part. But again, I know a lot of people are, you know, Syracuse fans are so impatient. They were spoiled, you know, having a coach come in and win 10 games right off the bat, which hadn't been done since Pasqualone and uh Paul Pasqualone inherited Coach Max, you know, great teams that he set up. Um, and so now, you know, the fall to a nine-loss team, this very well could be. I mean, unless they beat Boston College in the battle for the basement of the ACC. Um, you know, it's it's disappointing. And Fran hasn't handled everything well. Uh, he's shifted things around his coaching staff during the season. That's never a good thing. Um, you know, so uh he made some mistakes, but again, for people who want to fire him, I mean, that's ludicrous. So you're just gonna fire him. And I mean, he's a good recruiter, he's got stuff to learn as a head coach, and and kids buy into him. He connects with kids, but um, you know, it's a very, very young team, and they have not performed well, and he's got to kind of hold it together, and there's gonna be a lot of changes that, you know, you know, you're gonna lose a bunch of kids, um, including kids from your recruiting class, and they have a very good recruiting class coming in, a top 25. So you gotta give you got to give the guys some more time. Uh, and you know, we all make mistakes early in our jobs and stuff. I mean, it's just uh, you know, it just doesn't, it's success is not linear, it's not a straight line, never has been.

Rocky: 26:34

Scott, I was just talking. I said, this coaching carousel that we have, I said, I never thought I'd see the day where the coach in Indiana probably turns down Penn State and all these big jobs. And, you know, he's he he's making good money in Indiana. But when you look at this coaching carousel, are you surprised with with all these high buyouts and you know, these big universities moving on mid-season from all these coaches?

Scott Pitoniak: 26:58

I I'm surprised and I'm not surprised because we're in a different, totally different era now. We're in we're in professional football, let's be honest with what we're seeing, you know, with college football. And um, you know, you've got kids that are not gonna stay there, you know, four years. I mean, I see kids now, you know, you're watching a college football game. They said, yeah, last year he was at this school, and the year before that he was at that school. They're on their third school. Um, you know, so I guess I'm not um surprised. I'm disappointed. I don't like the system. Um, I think it's uh it's kind of a, you know, I know it's a big business and everything. And, you know, guy, you know, you know, donors are gonna write the $76 million check or whatever it is for, you know, Jimbo Fisher or James Franklin or this and that. But I don't like it, you know, and I don't think anybody does. And I'm gonna tell you now that it's not a popular opinion, but this isn't getting resolved, this chaos of kids jumping every year and so forth, and and coaches getting bought out or whatever. This isn't gonna change until there is some rules in place. And you're not gonna do that until you have a players' union, then and then that whatever the governing body of you know college, big-time college sports is, because the NCA can't do it anymore, they're gonna have to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the players. And so then you come up with things, Rock, but like you're only allowed one transfer, let's say, within a three-year period or whatever, unless a coach leaves. If a coach leaves, all bets are off. You can go transfer to another school as a player. You know, we gotta, we gotta, we can't have this every year, like you know, like in the NCAs last year. I think we discussed this. You know, a team, a Cinderella team makes it to the Sweet 16, they lose the day after their entire roster is in the transfer portal. So we gotta we gotta bring some order to this chaos. And again, people aren't gonna like that. Whoa, you're gonna make the players like, you know, well, the players are getting paid. Let's be honest, okay? Players are getting paid and and often getting paid, you know, huge sums of money. Um, so we've got to, we've got to get, you know, it's a wild, wild west right now. We got to bring some order to this or else it's just gonna keep on.

Rocky: 29:15

Scott, who would you say right now is your favorite to uh to win the national championship? You gotta you lean in one way?

Scott Pitoniak: 29:21

It's you know, it's always tough to go against Ohio State. It really is. I mean, they're loaded. Uh they got a Heisman trophy candidate quarterback. I mean, I would like to see Indiana. I I love what what you know Signetti's done there. I would love to see them, and they're gonna meet, you know, they'll meet in the Big Ten championship game. Um, that was an incredible uh win or avoiding a loss yesterday by you know Indiana. I mean, what a catch. Maybe I don't know, one of the greatest catches I've ever seen in college football, to be honest with you. That toe tap was just unbelievable to win that game. Um, I don't know how how good. Is Texas AM? I don't know. You know, uh, they're awfully good. Notre Dame's put themselves in a position to you know be a factor again, but you know, can they really match up in a national championship game against an Alabama or uh you know an Ohio State? Do they have you know the speed and the athletes that that those programs have and the depth? They haven't proved that, right? And in other things. So I don't know. I mean, I'm it it's not a sexy pick, but Ohio State to me seems to be the you know, the team to beat, the champ to knock out.

Rocky: 30:38

Well, Scott, my wife's probably upstairs. I don't know if she's listening to me, but my wife's probably smiling ear to ear, because I think, as you know, my wife's a big Buckeye fan, and of course I'm the Michigan fan that's got that's got to live with her um listening to how good Ohio State is. But I would agree right now, the only thing I'll say, and I'll and I'll I'll end it with this, and I'll have to get you back on so we can talk bills. I know we'll talk Syracuse hoops with it throughout the year as well. I got a couple of the high school coaches coming out with me shortly, but I've I will say this. I'm not sure Ohio State played Texas that first game of the year. Now, Texas has played better. I'm not sure Ohio State's schedule has been as strong as what it's been with Penn State being down. They don't play Oregon, they'll get a chance to play Michigan at the end of the year, which Michigan's had their number, but I think this year, I think last year was a fluke that Ohio that Michigan beat Ohio State as a as a four-touchdown dog, but I don't think their schedule's been as strong as some of the others.

Scott Pitoniak: 31:32

Yeah, I agree. And and and I believe Indiana's not gonna be, you know, concerned about them. I think they'll they can go toe-to-toe with them. And then who knows? They could wind up meeting again in the playoffs, right? Because they're gonna both go. Whoever loses that game is it, you know, is going to the playoffs, I mean, as well. Um, so um, you know, and again, that would be what a Cinderella story, the job that he's done in just such a short time. You know, they're no longer a basketball school, Rock. They're a phone.

Rocky: 32:02

Unbelievable.

Scott Pitoniak: 32:03

Yeah, it is. I mean, that shows how the world is topsy turvy, right?

Rocky: 32:07

Scott, he had one of my favorite lines when he said, All I do is win, Google me. That was one of the best lines. But you know what? Good for him. He's changed that program around and he's finding a way to win games. And but I think that NIL and that transfer portal always helps. Uh, we can go get some players. So, Scott, listen, I appreciate you jumping on. We'll uh we'll do it again soon. We'll talk Bill's one segment, some Syracuse hoops. Um, but I appreciate you coming on as always. Good to see you.

Scott Pitoniak: 32:34

I love being on there with you.

Rocky: 32:36

Appreciate it, my friend. Enjoy your Sunday. Go Bills today.

Scott Pitoniak: 32:40

Yeah, yeah, should be a good one.

Rocky: 32:42

See you, Scott.

Scott Pitoniak: 32:43

Take care.

Rocky: 32:45

So that was Rome uh Sports Hall of Famer. Um Scott Petoniac, and we're gonna see if we can get Coach Kramer on here. Let's see. Coach, I think I can hear you, but I can't see you. Can you hear me? I can hear you, I can't see you, but I could hear you just fine.

Coach Jim Kramer: 33:03

Well, that's probably a good thing for the audience then.

Rocky: 33:06

So we're good to go if you're good.

Coach Jim Kramer: 33:08

Yeah, I'm good.

Rocky: 33:08

I'm good. All right, cool. Well, coach, listen, I appreciate you taking the time here this morning, and uh, congratulations on punching your ticket to uh yet again another Section 3 final against a different team this year. Um but let's talk about the game against Indian River. It's tough to beat them once, but you guys were able to get them twice in two really good games.

Coach Jim Kramer: 33:35

And Corey does a great job with them, and and their program is is top notch and they challenge you in so many ways. So obviously a great win for our program. Got to flip the script now and get ready for a very athletic ITC team. Um, you know, so we we're we've turned the page and are focused on them, but our kids are excited.

Rocky: 33:55

Coach, I was going back and I was looking at some uh some numbers for you. You were hired back in, I believe it was 2017. You took over a program that had won 13 games. And since you've since you've been there, you've now turned this thing around where you're again, I'm I'm going off some numbers here in stats, 61 and 21. You've now been in the section three finals. This will be your third consecutive year. What's been the biggest thing for you since you've been there turning this program around?

Coach Jim Kramer: 34:24

We have a great coaching staff. We've we've stayed together for a while now, so uh, you know, really proud and excited uh of the guys that I work with every day. And we got great kids that buy into what we're doing. Uh they know to be successful. You know, there's different types of the players. We got it, we got some 12-month football guys, we have some dual sport guys, and I think that's the biggest thing right now, especially in this area. Like you got to be able to work with kids that play other sports, and and you need them to be successful. And uh, you know, I think we got a good mix of kids, we got a great group of families. Uh, our lower level coaches do a nice job, our our youth coaches do a nice job. So uh it's more than just me. It takes a collective group, and uh, you know, we're excited where we are, but certainly not satisfied with where we are.

Rocky: 35:12

Coach, your your game the other night, I was actually sitting at the Alks Club having a few cocktails, and I had your game on my phone, and I was screaming and yelling at the end of the game. I'm like, all right, just run this ball, run the clock down a little bit. Let's punch one in here at the end. I almost felt like whoever had the ball last had a really good chance to win this game, but what a what a fun game to watch.

Coach Jim Kramer: 35:33

Yeah, it's back and forth. That seems to seems to have been the storyline. Uh, you know, when the two teams Indian River and New Hartford have played the last couple years, but uh you certainly did not want to leave them too much time, um, but needed to make sure we scored a touchdown. I'd be lying to say that I wasn't trying to score on first and second down. That certainly wasn't a plan. They made us pitch the third down, but um, you know, our kids were composed, our kids were uh believed in what we were doing, it went unexecuted, and and all credit to them.

Rocky: 36:05

Coach, I had to uh I had to surprise you here um with a guest because he had um a few questions for you, and he's on camera. So Nolan, you should have helped dad out a little bit of getting getting dad on camera. But uh, but coach, I had to bring Nolan on because I know it's special to have your son down there on the field with you, but I think he's got a question for you. Nolan, what do you got for your dad?

Nolan Kramer: 36:29

I prepared this yesterday with the help of Pop. Um this week, you'll game plan Frank DC for the second time this year. How does the game plan you had um the week of September 19th when you played them in week three to now two months later, assuming they've changed their stuff and you changed a lot, um does this game plan differ from the week three to the sectional finals?

Rocky: 36:52

Geez, that's a good one. That's a great question.

Coach Jim Kramer: 36:55

It is a very good question. Uh I think both teams will go back and look at that that contest at week three and pull some of the positives, but I think we struggled in some short-yarded situations. I think they did a good job of rushing our passer. Uh, we only had seven points uh till late in that third quarter. Uh, so we have we have to find more creative ways to get the the ball in our guys' hands and to run the ball a little bit more effectively than we did. They're a big team up front. Um, and then obviously on their side, very athletic quarterback, nice playmaker at wide receiver. Um, you know, it should it makes for an interesting thing. When you play a team twice, you know, I've told you this before, when you play a team twice, sometimes you have some different game plans and wrinkles that work the first time. You gotta be willing to go back and tweak them. And so that's what we're trying to do right now. And uh I think we're a better version of what we were week three, and I know they're probably saying the same thing.

Rocky: 37:49

Coach, I was gonna ask you a question with this team. It seems like you got a lot of upperclassmen with seniors and juniors, um, which always helps, and you know, with experience coming into a year and coming off the last couple years where you guys have gotten to that game and and fell short. How much does this leadership on this group help you guys out heading into this season and bringing you back to a section three finals?

Coach Jim Kramer: 38:10

Yeah, luckily for us, we've got a couple guys that have played an awful lot of football. Um, you know, so what's nice is when you play a team like Indian River, they've played them before. When you when you talk about scouting reports, they have an idea what you're talking about. It's not new to them. When we're gonna talk tomorrow in our team meeting about what you know what it's gonna be like to get off at the dome, we're gonna have guys that have gotten off the bus and gone in the dome, you know. So when we come out of the tunnel, the excitement's gonna be you know through the roof. But it's guys that have done it before, they know what to expect, they know what the logistics of the day and the week are gonna look like. Um, so it's helpful. And uh, you know, we're just gonna have a business type approach. We're gonna enjoy the moment of this week, but we have a business type approach of what we're trying to do. And uh, you know, I know our kids are eager to go out and compete.

Rocky: 38:59

Nolan, you got another, I know you got another one for dad. What do you got?

Nolan Kramer: 39:03

No, I was just asking him how important is that dofo position?

Coach Jim Kramer: 39:09

So Nol Nolan's Nolan's graduated from water boy to director of football operations this year. So, you know, I he's uh he's a big timer, and uh, you know, I know it's a it's a proud moment when you get to share it with with the family, and that's obviously important to me. And I know he enjoys being out there, our kids enjoy having him, but uh I think that speaks volumes to our program. Like our kids, our kids like to represent our community, our school, our young kids look up to them. Um, you know, our kids are the first to be at a pop warner game, our kids are the first to to make sure that they're high five in the young kids and and in the community, and that makes it important for when they go out and get cheered for and the roles reversed. So I know no one's excited to be down there, and and vice versa. The kids are excited to have them, and and uh it makes it like you said, what what what's some things that have led to our success? The culture has led to our success. People want to be there, people want to be around it, and and like to think we have a fun environment, we have a uh we have an inclusive environment. We have we have we're a place where you know I enjoy doing it. And uh, you know, our coaches come every day excited to coach, and our kids, our kids really do enjoy practicing. I think that's something that's probably lost. We practice really hard. Um, we push them to the limit in practice, but they show up every day and they want to consume more uh in all three phases of the game. And and those are kids you want to be around.

Rocky: 40:38

Coach, I want to talk to you a little bit about your senior quarterback, who I think is one of the best, if not the best, in the area, and then your senior wide receiver and Peyton Way, who is the best receiver uh in Sex and Three. Talk to us about how special those two are and the connection that both of them have on the field.

Coach Jim Kramer: 40:54

Yeah, they're they're close friends, they've played together for a long time. And and, you know, Johnny having a kid that you've you've worked with, I mean brought him up as a freshman. He was the JV quarterback, and I would bring him to the varsity games. Uh, and I remember talking to his family about this thing. I'm not gonna put him in a game, but I need him to be on the bus. I need him to be in the locker room, I need to have him see how I, you know, give corrective feedback uh during the game and how how the quarterback handles that. And uh each year he's just gotten more comfortable and better, and and he wants the ball in his hands. And I think you know what's most important in his maturation process is you know, I put the ball in his hands and and we threw an interception in overtime last year, which he made the correct read and and he threw a good ball. The other kid made a heck of a play, you know. And I think what was important, you know, this past Friday night is two minutes to go. And what's your mindset? And he's like, let's go. Like, we're ready to go. I'm ready to go win this game. So he he's got a winner's mentality, he's a competitor. Uh his relationship with Peyton uh is exceptional. Peyton's a fantastic football player. I mean, what I'm most impressed with Peyton is his buy-in to all three phases of the game. You know, he wants to play every down defensively, he wants to play offensively. We've moved him in a ton of different positions to try to get matchups for him uh over the course of the game. And uh he's a wee over me guy. He knows he is one of the better players in the area and one of the better players on the field each night, and he wants to do what's best for the team. So I think that those two and their leadership qualities just uh set the tone for everybody else in the locker room.

Rocky: 42:39

And coach, how much does I know a coach's preparation is you know, it's it's it's game to game, but being it's the game this week, is your preparation as a head coach any different this week going into this game?

Coach Jim Kramer: 42:51

No, I you know, I you know me very well. I'm pretty routine-oriented guy. Um you know, we're gonna you never look ahead, you know, you know, didn't look to Indian River until South Jeff was taken care of, didn't look to what might be the next game until that one's taken care of. And I think, you know, look at the opponent's offense on one day, look at the opponent's defense on the other day and special teams, and just try to day by day approach, try to give our kids the best game plan possible. And I mean, you know, I think what's good with our group is we we have a game plan ready for Monday. We're we're willing to make tweaks on it throughout the week, but uh it's all about teaching the kids. It's a it's that old teaching adage. And and Blaze over at Utica is really good about saying this, was saying that coaching is teaching. And it's not about it's not about what I know or someone else's knows, it's about what those kids are able to soak in and comprehend and do at full speed with confidence. And that's that's what we try to do during the course of the week is just give them as many tools in their toolbox as possible. Uh, so when they go on the field, they feel like they can run through a wall.

Rocky: 43:57

Coach, I was telling Nolan last night, I because I wanted to surprise you and bring him on, but I said we're gonna come to the game next weekend. But how do how do we get a new Hartford shirt? You got any shirts left over? I can get a new Hartford shirt for the game next week.

Coach Jim Kramer: 44:09

Yeah, yeah. I know Curtis is coming on next. He'll probably you know give you a Whitesboro one too. But we'll uh if you're sure we'll get we'll get a couple of your way. We've had we've had some nice guests throughout the year. Obviously, living in Rome, we have we have a following here too, and you're a close friend as others. We have some we have some surprise guests, and and some of them show up in those hoodies on game day. So we'll make sure we get you something for for Saturday.

Rocky: 44:32

Awesome. Well, coach, I appreciate it. I don't know if we lost Nolan. Are we the loser? We still got you, Nolan. No, I'm here. You got any parting shots for dad?

Nolan Kramer: 44:42

Gotta go win it.

Rocky: 44:45

Nolan was Nolan was one of our um guys who would give the pep talks. The kids love listening to his pep talks.

Coach Jim Kramer: 44:51

So he he doesn't hold any punches. He he he sits at the dinner table and tells you tells you how it is, and you either like it or tell him to go to his room, you know.

Nolan Kramer: 45:01

Both times it's to the room.

Rocky: 45:04

Well, Nolan, Coach Faz says that uh he's got a job for you in college, Nolan, when you're ready. So when you're ready, reach out to Coach Faz. You got a job lined up already. All right. Well, Coach, listen, congratulations. Always love having you on, and uh, we'll do it again soon and uh go win one next week.

Coach Jim Kramer: 45:20

I appreciate it. You do great things for this area in sports, so keep it up and we appreciate you. Thanks, Rock.

Rocky: 45:25

Coach, you got it.

Coach Jim Kramer: 45:26

Thanks, bye-bye.

Rocky: 45:29

So that was Coach Kramer and and Nolan Kramer. I want to surprise Coach and bring him on and uh get a question in for dad, which I think is really cool to have him on the sidelines with dad. That's kind of how I grew up, being on the sidelines with with my dad. So always special to have your son with you uh along the way. So another coach who's got a son playing, I had the I had the unfortunate um the opportunity to coach against him, um as Coach Smith's son, who has a great career ahead of him, too. And I know it's special for coach to have one of his own coming up through the program. So let's bring Coach on now. I feel like it's a family affair. I get the Kramers on. I probably should have reached out to have your son on. Um so we could have talked about how well he let my team up.

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 46:15

Yeah, he would have liked to come on, and he's out with his mom now, though.

Rocky: 46:19

So, coach, congratulations, man. Another trip to uh the section three finals and uh another, another uh another year where we're gonna be talking late in the November. Congrats. Thank you. So, coach, let's talk about this season, as we know every season's a little bit different, and your season started, which seems like it was just yesterday, how fast high school football goes. Um, you guys opened up your only loss of the season against CBA, who's um more than likely, I'll say, gonna win another sectional final and probably chase a state championship. But from where you guys were from that game against CBA to where you guys are now, how much have you guys improved?

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 46:58

I think we've improved drastically, and a lot of credit to the kid. You know, the past two seasons, we've been fortunate. We were fortunate to have some pretty dynamic teams and uh a lot of depth. And uh this year's been a little different. Um, I know I said early in the summer, what you know, everyone asked what your goal is, and that's to find your identity early. And I felt like this year um it took us a little longer than usual. We had to move kids around. Um, and we were, you know, we were being successful, but in the back of my head, like I knew we needed to make some changes and uh both offensively and defensely. We we changed our whole defense, you know, um kind of mid-season, and it was like a two or three-week process. Um, we knew where we wanted to be and how we changed it slowly, and now uh we're there defensively and then offensively. Obviously, we made some changes at the quarterback position to get kids in the right position. So this year's been a little different. Um we we had to, you know, we try we figured out our identity, and then we had we had to, you know, put in place a process to slowly change and get to where we had to be. And uh now I think we're playing our best football.

Rocky: 48:10

And Coach, similar to Coach Kramer, he was hired back in 17, and I think you were hired back in 19, uh, replaced a legend there in Whitesbrough and Coach Shane. And you know, you look at your program now, and Whitesboro, as I said in my modified game at halftime when I was ripping our kids, is you're one of the programs that um that we want to be. We want to try to be the program like Whitesbro, where you're you guys are strong every year, strong foundation. And I looked at when you first got hired, and I take a look at the last three or four years and the success that you guys have had, you guys have just built off of it. But it starts with that that pipeline of that youth level. Um, so where you're at today to where you were when you first got hired, um, is night and day different.

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 48:53

Yeah, it is. I mean, you know, I was calling the offense since 2009, and um, you know, when you're an assistant coach, you you don't you don't have as much on your shoulders, you know what I mean? And then when you take over, there's certain things you want to change, and and it is a little bit different, even though I had a lot of experience. Um, but also, you know, you got to have great kids, and it's high school football, and you dance with your date, and most of the the schools in this area don't recruit. So um, you know, you're gonna have good years and bad years, but you hope when you have those years that maybe you're not as talented. Uh, you can fall back on your culture and and your tradition and your work ethic and preparation and still be competitive. Um, and obviously, fortunately, the past three or four years, we've had some really talented groups, but um, there were some changes we made when I took over. We got really involved with the youth program, and uh I was just talking to a coach about this the other day. The biggest change we made was the way we practice and prepare. Um, our practices are are well planned. Our coaches spend a lot of time. My defensive coordinator probably for a two-hour practice spends four hours the night before um preparing for a two-hour practice, making all the look team cards, every card, every coach gets a script. So there's a lot that goes into this thing if you're gonna do it right. Um, but the way we practice, um, the amount of film we watch with our kids before practice, um, I think that's led to our success.

Rocky: 50:22

And coach, ESM, you guys will play in uh in the finals. What what challenges do they bring for you guys?

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 50:29

Yeah, so they're a team that has uh gotten dramatically better as the year went on. Um, you know, they lost to Carthage, which was kind of a lopsided game, but it the score isn't really what the game was. Um against us, we we opened up 21-0 pretty early in the first half, and then I don't know when the last time we've been shut out in a half, but they shut us out in the second half, and um they present some problems. They're mid-level athletes on defense and and the back end, they're very good. Um offensively, they have um very good skill position and uh they do what they do and they do it well. So um uh it's definitely gonna be a challenge. It's not easy to play or beat a good team twice, and um we're preparing uh extremely hard as we speak, and uh when I get off here with you, we're we're gonna go back at it. But it's gonna be a tough game, and um we'll be ready though.

Rocky: 51:23

Coach, talk to about Connor McDonald. How special. And you've had so many good special players over the years, and you got you got more than just Connor. I know as a coach you'd say it's still it takes a whole team, but I want to talk about how special of a kid is he?

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 51:36

Yeah, I mean, I've been doing this for 17 years, and um I've had a lot of good athletes. You know what I mean? Great kids. I mean, you go back to the Mike Sullivan's, Steve Allman's, Mike Bunell, um, and then more recently, obviously Kyle and Memphis, Tony Dorzinski, guys like that. And I just feel like Connor is like all of them combined. Um, he can flat out do it all. Um, you know, we line him up all over all over the field. Uh he's had games where he's had 10, 11 targets, and then against Carthage, the first time he had 27 carries. So at the end of the day, he's gonna touch the football on offense. Uh he's an IQ kid. He he knows every position. Uh, you you tell him or show him one thing once and he gets it. And then on defense, um, you know, he he he if he's on the field defensively, uh it's a problem for the for the offense. And again, he's an IQ kid, he's always in the right spot. He's only a junior, you know, he's a high-level division one recruit, and the interest is starting to pick up. Um, but he's gonna come out of Whitesboro as being the one of the best to ever play here.

Rocky: 52:49

Coach, and I I always focus on the offense, but you got a couple linebackers that are pretty good too that have played really well for you throughout the season with Joe and Jordan. Talk about those two.

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 52:59

Yeah, so you know, we we we lost some big time linebackers last year, and that kind of was a question mark for us. But Jaden Baez, uh Joe Dare, and uh Nicholas Gaspa, um they have played phenomenal. Um, they they've they've really filled some big shoes, and they are just relentless and old school tough guys. And um they they are flying around. And and yeah, everyone always talks about our offense, but really our defense, our I mean, our first group against Carthage let up two first downs, I think. Um uh last game. The first game against Carthage, they let up under 80 yards before you know we pulled them. So our defense is um putting our offense in great positions, and um our offense is doing well, but obviously we're we're not as um we're not scoring 50, 60 points at will. So we we need our defense to put us in great spots, and I think our special teams are playing great, but those three linebackers have been key to our success as as well as our frontage and our secondary is very good. So um we we have a very good defense. I we changed it a lot, the kids have adapted, and um the changes that we made I I think fit our team well.

Rocky: 54:19

Coach, how much pressure do you feel? Maybe you don't feel the pressure, but you know, as being the head coach at Whitesboro with all that rich tradition, I I feel like Whitesboro, you know, when the season starts, everybody you're expected really to be playing for a sectional you know title, and then even beyond with you know being in the state championship game, you've been there. Do you feel any extra pressure that you have to get there every year because it is Whitesboro in the tradition that you've been part of for so long?

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 54:46

Yeah, I I don't know if it's pressure, it's definitely in an expectation um uh to be there every year. You know, we work extremely hard and we prepare for this moment. Uh but we talk to our kids that the bar is way up here. And if we don't reach the bar, you know, the season's not a success. Like um, you know, we're not happy with just being there. And um I think that's because of the way this program has been built from when Coach Shane and his staff was here um to when we took over. It's uh we try to do things right, we try to do things 12 months a year. And um I think the way we prepare, we prepare like every game is a state championship game. Uh we talk to the kids that it's not about who we play, it's about how we play. And um there might be a little bit of pressure. I mean, I I put pressure on myself 100% and my staff to make sure we're doing things right. But you know, in my younger days when I was coaching, I was probably a little bit more cocky. Um you know, maybe the mentality of we're gonna go out there and win. And I'll never forget in 2011 against ESM, uh, I think we scored 15 touchdowns in the scrimmage against ESM in 2011, 15 to nothing. And uh, we were going for our third sectional championship, much like we are this year, and uh they held us to zero points, and I was the offensive coordinator, and that was probably one of our better teams. And from that day on, I said I'll never take a team for granted, and I'll never not, I'll never lose a game because we're not prepared. So um there's a lot of pressure. Um, but I think when you prepare correctly and you prepare extremely hard, um you don't feel the pressure as much more because if if you can go on the field on a Friday night and know that your team is the most prepared team, know that you did everything in your power to get your team prepared, I I I think there's not any more pressure. I think you start feeling pressure when you have questions and the kickoff is it has happened and you're still unsure if you you went over everything. Um, so we work extremely hard to prepare so we don't feel that pressure.

Rocky: 57:08

Coach, how special it is? I know just asking Coach Kramer this. I mean, he's got his son with him, and I was a coach's kid too, and was coached with my dad and we grew up on a football field. How special is it for you to have it be a family affair there in Whitesboro?

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 57:22

Oh, it's very special. I got three boys, I'll play football. Two of them will be on the sideline with me on Friday night. Uh, my middle child Cameron is finally old enough to make the ride, and I can trust him on the sideline, I think. But, you know, it it's special. Um, Carter, Carter's been with me since since he was pretty much born, and um he loves the game. He's an IQ kid, he he understands the game, and it's just cool to watch him grow, you know. And it's also tough because I missed a lot of his games. You know, I didn't get to go watch her great game. My wife, fortunately, I have a great wife who supports everything I do, but she was texting me um and sending me every clip of the game. So I'm in practice and I'm I'm looking at the game, and um, so it is tough because you do miss out on a lot of things. Um, and that's just kind of the way it's gonna be. But luckily I have a supportive family, um, a mother and father-in-law, a mother and a father that do a lot for us, and um and then obviously my wife. But yeah, that's uh you gotta have a support to do this thing the right way, you know. Like it's we don't just show up on August 20th and then finish and and and put the stuff away to next year. You know, there's weight room stuff involved in the off season. There's we're all summer, you know, a lot of people are going on vacation and stuff like that, and and we're on the football field. So it is a family affair. You have to have support, and I do have support uh from my family, and um, and then it's special to have my boys around it, and um uh they enjoy it.

Rocky: 59:00

Well, I will say this, coach. I'm a Rome guy, but the Whitesboro community's been really, really good to me. Um, and I know I know you you have as well. And I was asking Jim this. I might be able to get away with this more with with Jim because he's he's a Rome guy here, coaching at New Hartford. But I asked Coach, I said, Coach, I gotta get a new Hartford shirt to support you guys. And now I gotta say, I gotta get a Whitesboro shirt, but I can't say it too loud because Coach Nicola may kick me off the coaching staff and get rid of me, but I gotta get a Whitesboro shirt. I feel like I'm part of the Whitesboro family too here. The guys are so your community's been so good to me, Coach, and you have as well. And uh, I you know I can't thank you enough for always jumping on with me, but I might have to sneak in a shirt.

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 59:40

Yeah, we'll get you what you need. I you know what I think I think times have changed a little bit. Like there's no one cheering more for Jim, obviously his his wife and his kids, but when it when he's playing, like I'm cheering for him. And yes, I knew Hartford and Whitesboro had that rival, but you know, I want to see other people. people that do it the right way be successful. And um, you know, I got home from my game and uh I couldn't wait to talk to Jim about his. And when he finally called me at night, I I had already watched the fourth quarter on my phone. So, you know, I'm his biggest fan. I want them to be successful. We went obviously went to college together. But I I just want to support people that do it the right way. And I want to see, you know, we're not in the same league. And um you know a lot of our kids work out with their kids. Jim and I talk three times, four times a week. And um yeah we're rivals with New Harford, but at the end of the day, I want to see them I want to see them get it done. And um it's the same with Rome. We all have a good relationship and uh when if we're gonna face each other then we're gonna go at it. But after that I respect them and uh I want to see everyone around here be successful.

Rocky: 1:00:54

Well coach I won't uh you know I won't look ahead but um take care of next week and uh we'll we'll get you guys back on throughout the fall here as hopefully you guys both can punch your ticket and and keep playing here late into the season. So as always I appreciate you and I know we'll talk again soon.

Coach Curtis Schmidt: 1:01:10

Sounds good thanks for having me on.

Rocky: 1:01:12

All right coach thank you. Yep. So that was Whitesboro head coach Curtis Schmidt and and I I do mean this when I say this there's so many local coaches in this area from all sports that have been really good to me and those Coach Kramer and Coach Schmidt are just two of them. Coach Streif over a proctor has been really good to me. Coach Briggs at Helm Patton's been really good to me um all those guys Coach Fiorini at Westmoreland's been really good to me as well and there's so many more and I've built over the last probably 10 years of doing this this show that started on the radio um has carried over now into a podcast which I love because I can do it on my own time. But I think the relationships that I've built in this area from the sports side in all sports field hockey soccer you know girls basketball boys basketball is really cool um and when I I mean this from the bottom of my heart is the Whitesboro community has been really good to me. And growing up you know Coach Hoke was a Whitesboro guy. Rome Whitesboro when I was younger was always the game with with Proctor and here we are fast forward all these years later and it's like you know when if Rome's not playing Whitesboro, I poll for Coach Schmidt all the time. Same with Coach Kramer and all those guys where it's it's really a a big community of guys to do it the right way. So I can't thank um those two guys particularly um enough for uh for coming on here and talking some high school football with me. I will have um RFA field hockey um as I said they'll play today at noon against Mamarneck um at noon I believe that game is at VVS I will have coach on I I was going to reach out to her I knew they were playing this today so I didn't want to bother her uh McKenzie but um I will have her on to talk about their season as they chase not only a state championship but an undefeated state championship that has not been done since my sister played on that Rome Free Academy team that finished unbeaten in state champs. So uh best of luck to McKenzie. I'll be reaching out for her to come on and talk about her season. We'll talk more with these guys of when they win. I'm not going to jinx them when they win next week we'll have them on again to talk about their next matchup but as a head coach it's week to week. So I appreciate everybody tuning in today. It was great to be back behind the mic to talk the Mohawk Valley Sportswatch. I'll let you know when the next episode of Inside Utica University football podcast with Coach Faziano will be scheduled for next week. So I'll let you know more on that. Continue to follow me across all social media platforms and thanks for tuning in today to the Rockpile is where dreams become reality. Have a good weekend everybody