Columbia News: New Commits, Plus Lions and Ivy League History

Nick Gerst

NorthJersey.com is reporting that Bergen Catholic running back Nick Gerst is coming to Columbia.

You can see Gerst's highlight video here.

The PA Football News Web site reports that a good-sized tight end from the Wilmington-area school, Dallas Hartman, is also in his way to Morningside Heights.

Here's a little more info about Hartman from a local publication.

Another player on our radar, but also a lot of other schools' radars, is Brent Caprio from Mainland High School in South Jersey.

In Case You Missed it...

Former Columbia halfback, and favorite target for Archie Roberts, Roger Dennis, made a comment this weekend on a post I wrote over the summer. To save you some clicking time, here's what he said about his career with Roberts:

Many thanks for the kind comments; I sure enjoyed teaming up with Archie and wish Coach (Buff) Donelli would have allowed me to play receiver in my Senior year, the year following Archie's graduation. Coach felt we were no longer a passing team. In my opinion we would have had a more successful season if I had stayed at receiver.

Archie was from Holyoke, Mass., and attended Deerfield Academy. BTW, he was also an outstanding basketball player, and if I remember correctly he played one season of B-Ball at Columbia too, probably as a frosh.

Enjoyed reading all this; thanks much.

Roger Dennis '66

Hopefully, we'll hear more from Mr. Dennis in the future.

I also just found this link to a great Sports Illustrated article about Roberts where Dennis is also mentioned.

Movie Magic

Erik Greenberg Anjou, the director of 8: Ivy League Football and America, was a guest at Chez Novak this Friday night. He was kind enough to drop off my copy of the just-released movie DVD.

In the bonus section, there's a great speech given by Brian Dennehy, who also narrates the film, that at first brings laughs and then some tears. It's a great, great speech and should be required viewing for all Columbia fans.

I also have to say that watching the film again in the comfort of my own home, as opposed to the uncomfortable grand ballroom of the Yale Club where the film premiered, was much, much better. I think documentaries shown in traditional movie theaters may also be a bad mix, and showing them in non-theater settings is tougher.

I'm grateful the folks at the Yale Club were nice enough to host the event last spring, but for those of you who were there, I suggest buying the DVD and watching it in your living room.

Click here to order your copy of 8.