FB: American Southwest Conference

[crufootball]

Perhaps naively, I expected the same for the 2019 Stagg Bowl regarding attendance by D-III football fans in Texas.  How many times do you get an NCAA National Championship event in your back yard?  Even though UMHB didn't make it to the 2019 championship game, my wife and I went.  We sat on the home side, and rooted for North Central.  What a great game!  We saw just a few other UMHB fans on the North Central side.

It was our 4th Stagg Bowl in a row - two road trips to Salem and two road trips to Shenandoah.

For me, it's not just about supporting your team, it's about supporting the event.  We found this to be true at the 2017 Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Local folks sitting behind us were there supporting the event, not because of the teams playing.

Wasn't there some question about if Shenandoah was actually going to host the Stagg bowl? I don't remember if that was 18 or 19... I think they did a piss poor job of advertising. I know I went a couple of miles down the road to find some extra clothes in 18 and everyone I talked to didn't even know there was a game just up the road.

The folks in Salem have a decades-long history of supporting Division III championships.  It takes more than a year or two of an event showing up, in an area that has virtually no Division III presence (St. Thomas [TX] is the only one, and they're just now finishing up their transition, *and* they don't do football), for people to support championships.  And in a major metro area (Shenandoah is a bedroom community for Houston) it's hard to draw interest for D3 anyway, as any D3 school located in such an area will tell you.  Salem doesn't have that problem.

Regarding support for the Shenandoah event, the council that approved the contract with the NCAA turned over and the council in place when the championship actually happened was not as committed to the event (or maybe even aware initially) and the first year was rough as they actually went back to the NCAA and asked for some changes to be made to reduce the city's costs, as I remember.  Even so, the first one in 2018 (with UMHB) drew nearly 7,000, the most for a Stagg since 2001.  With the novelty factor exhausted and no local teams, the second one with teams nobody unfamiliar with D3 had heard of, attendance was the worst in Stagg Bowl history (1,362).  It will be interesting to see what Humble can do with the Stagg in 2024.

Edit:  there is a whole thread on the Shenandoah situation here.

I have always been curious to know what the walk up crowd was in Salem on the average year because I think it may have been much higher than I would have guessed.

Clearly it was next to nothing in Shenandoah due to the low turn out but looking at it another way that means each school only brought around 650 which also surprised me, especially North Central since that was the first time they made it that far. I realize the journey was far but Naperville to Canton is 6+ hours so its not like a non die hard is going to make that drive either. 

[jknezek]

Perhaps naively, I expected the same for the 2019 Stagg Bowl regarding attendance by D-III football fans in Texas.  How many times do you get an NCAA National Championship event in your back yard?  Even though UMHB didn't make it to the 2019 championship game, my wife and I went.  We sat on the home side, and rooted for North Central.  What a great game!  We saw just a few other UMHB fans on the North Central side.

It was our 4th Stagg Bowl in a row - two road trips to Salem and two road trips to Shenandoah.

For me, it's not just about supporting your team, it's about supporting the event.  We found this to be true at the 2017 Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Local folks sitting behind us were there supporting the event, not because of the teams playing.

Wasn't there some question about if Shenandoah was actually going to host the Stagg bowl? I don't remember if that was 18 or 19... I think they did a piss poor job of advertising. I know I went a couple of miles down the road to find some extra clothes in 18 and everyone I talked to didn't even know there was a game just up the road.

The folks in Salem have a decades-long history of supporting Division III championships.  It takes more than a year or two of an event showing up, in an area that has virtually no Division III presence (St. Thomas [TX] is the only one, and they're just now finishing up their transition, *and* they don't do football), for people to support championships.  And in a major metro area (Shenandoah is a bedroom community for Houston) it's hard to draw interest for D3 anyway, as any D3 school located in such an area will tell you.  Salem doesn't have that problem.

Regarding support for the Shenandoah event, the council that approved the contract with the NCAA turned over and the council in place when the championship actually happened was not as committed to the event (or maybe even aware initially) and the first year was rough as they actually went back to the NCAA and asked for some changes to be made to reduce the city's costs, as I remember.  Even so, the first one in 2018 (with UMHB) drew nearly 7,000, the most for a Stagg since 2001.  With the novelty factor exhausted and no local teams, the second one with teams nobody unfamiliar with D3 had heard of, attendance was the worst in Stagg Bowl history (1,362).  It will be interesting to see what Humble can do with the Stagg in 2024.

Edit:  there is a whole thread on the Shenandoah situation here.

I have always been curious to know what the walk up crowd was in Salem on the average year because I think it may have been much higher than I would have guessed.

Clearly it was next to nothing in Shenandoah due to the low turn out but looking at it another way that means each school only brought around 650 which also surprised me, especially North Central since that was the first time they made it that far. I realize the journey was far but Naperville to Canton is 6+ hours so its not like a non die hard is going to make that drive either.

A 6+ hour drive is a lot more palatable to people on last minute notice than $500+ flights. Obviously everyone is different, but I'd drive 8-10 hours and would have over the weekend to see my Generals play in the soccer Final Four if it hadn't been my twin boys 10th birthday and my parents 50th Anniversary parties. But I wouldn't hop a $400+ flight to do the same. The money is harder to justify than the time...

[Toby Taff]

For Stagg Bowls in Texas, they'd do well to schedule the game on Saturday, especially if it's going to be held near the 4th largest city in the nation. I would have been interested in driving over from Houston to watch the 2019 Stagg Bowl even though UMHB wasn't in it, as I'm sure others would have too, but I wasn't going to sit in bumper-to-bumper Friday evening traffic on I-45 for 2+ hours to watch a couple of teams that I don't really care about.

I agree, Friday night is part of the issue for casual d3 fans. For me to go to the 2019 Stagg, I would have had to take time off from work. As a teacher that means extra work getting Sub-notes and lessons kids can do sans teacher, then I'd  have had to drive 6 hours to Houston, stay over night in the houston area, then drive back to Abilene. My other option, watch on tv gorging myself on wings and pizza. I chose option b. If it was on Saturday, I drive part way after work Friday and hang with family, and drive in for the game Saturday. In 2018, I took the day off and drove to my mom's thursday and to the game Friday. Not doing that for teams I dont follow in a place that wasn't invested. Salem as a community was invested, and all the folks that I know who went when their teams weren't in it were there for the experience. I takes serious buy in to build that. I'm going to Canton this year because HOF! Better if the Cru is there, but there is an experience outside of the game that made it worth the trip regardless.

[crufootball]

Perhaps naively, I expected the same for the 2019 Stagg Bowl regarding attendance by D-III football fans in Texas.  How many times do you get an NCAA National Championship event in your back yard?  Even though UMHB didn't make it to the 2019 championship game, my wife and I went.  We sat on the home side, and rooted for North Central.  What a great game!  We saw just a few other UMHB fans on the North Central side.

It was our 4th Stagg Bowl in a row - two road trips to Salem and two road trips to Shenandoah.

For me, it's not just about supporting your team, it's about supporting the event.  We found this to be true at the 2017 Stagg Bowl in Salem.  Local folks sitting behind us were there supporting the event, not because of the teams playing.

Wasn't there some question about if Shenandoah was actually going to host the Stagg bowl? I don't remember if that was 18 or 19... I think they did a piss poor job of advertising. I know I went a couple of miles down the road to find some extra clothes in 18 and everyone I talked to didn't even know there was a game just up the road.

The folks in Salem have a decades-long history of supporting Division III championships.  It takes more than a year or two of an event showing up, in an area that has virtually no Division III presence (St. Thomas [TX] is the only one, and they're just now finishing up their transition, *and* they don't do football), for people to support championships.  And in a major metro area (Shenandoah is a bedroom community for Houston) it's hard to draw interest for D3 anyway, as any D3 school located in such an area will tell you.  Salem doesn't have that problem.

Regarding support for the Shenandoah event, the council that approved the contract with the NCAA turned over and the council in place when the championship actually happened was not as committed to the event (or maybe even aware initially) and the first year was rough as they actually went back to the NCAA and asked for some changes to be made to reduce the city's costs, as I remember.  Even so, the first one in 2018 (with UMHB) drew nearly 7,000, the most for a Stagg since 2001.  With the novelty factor exhausted and no local teams, the second one with teams nobody unfamiliar with D3 had heard of, attendance was the worst in Stagg Bowl history (1,362).  It will be interesting to see what Humble can do with the Stagg in 2024.

Edit:  there is a whole thread on the Shenandoah situation here.

I have always been curious to know what the walk up crowd was in Salem on the average year because I think it may have been much higher than I would have guessed.

Clearly it was next to nothing in Shenandoah due to the low turn out but looking at it another way that means each school only brought around 650 which also surprised me, especially North Central since that was the first time they made it that far. I realize the journey was far but Naperville to Canton is 6+ hours so its not like a non die hard is going to make that drive either.

A 6+ hour drive is a lot more palatable to people on last minute notice than $500+ flights. Obviously everyone is different, but I'd drive 8-10 hours and would have over the weekend to see my Generals play in the soccer Final Four if it hadn't been my twin boys 10th birthday and my parents 50th Anniversary parties. But I wouldn't hop a $400+ flight to do the same. The money is harder to justify than the time...

I agree that 6+ hours is a lot more palatable but I also think neither of us is normal since according to D3Boards.com you are an All American poster with over 5,000 post and I am a lowly All Region member haha. I could be wrong but I just don't think even the average fan is going to drive around 15 hours total, 7 days before Christmas when they could easily watch on TV.

I say all of this not to criticize any fan base but to commend the fans that weren't associated with either team but found their way to Salem. Since Canton is more in D3 country than Texas I will be interested to see the attendance if Mount Union is not involved. 

[Etchglow]

Yeah, I stayed home in 2019. Didn't feel like being cold for two teams I had no vested interest in lol. I split my time watching that and hs football. I have to wonder how much of the reason high school championship games are held in Jerry world is because of people not wanting to freeze lol...

[Toby Taff]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

[justafan12]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

I was at the game and saw #9 on the sideline after he was injured.  He walked off the field after the injury on his on power and seemed okay.  A few minute later I saw him on the sideline and it was not looking good.  Prays for him.

[Ron Boerger]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

I was at the game and saw #9 on the sideline after he was injured.  He walked off the field after the injury on his on power and seem okay.  A few minute later I saw him on the sideline and it was not looking good.  Prays for him.

From the GoFundMe (which has already exceeded its goal, happily):

Upon admitting Brock to the ER, they determined he had multiple internal injuries including contusions to his heart, lungs and kidneys as well as a hemorrhaging adrenal gland. His stats were low, he was not getting enough oxygen with his lungs filling with fluid and his heart rate and blood pressure were extremely low as well. Within a short time, Brock was intubated and headed to the ICU.

In the three days he has been in the ICU, there have been highs and lows. His blood pressure and heart rate have been worrisome, but are finally beginning to improve. However, he has now developed an infection in his lungs and the fluid that had been draining returned. Brock is a fighter and the cardio doctors are pleased with the improvement in his heart and his fever from the infection appears to have broken today. Hopefully, they will move him out of ICU to a regular bed in the hospital in the next day or so.

[BSCpanthers]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

I was at the game and saw #9 on the sideline after he was injured.  He walked off the field after the injury on his on power and seem okay.  A few minute later I saw him on the sideline and it was not looking good.  Prays for him.

From the GoFundMe (which has already exceeded its goal, happily):

Upon admitting Brock to the ER, they determined he had multiple internal injuries including contusions to his heart, lungs and kidneys as well as a hemorrhaging adrenal gland. His stats were low, he was not getting enough oxygen with his lungs filling with fluid and his heart rate and blood pressure were extremely low as well. Within a short time, Brock was intubated and headed to the ICU.

In the three days he has been in the ICU, there have been highs and lows. His blood pressure and heart rate have been worrisome, but are finally beginning to improve. However, he has now developed an infection in his lungs and the fluid that had been draining returned. Brock is a fighter and the cardio doctors are pleased with the improvement in his heart and his fever from the infection appears to have broken today. Hopefully, they will move him out of ICU to a regular bed in the hospital in the next day or so.

Something you never want to see happen to anyone playing a game for our entertainment.  Pray his improvement continues and he gets home soon. 

[Riley Zayas]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

I was at the game and saw #9 on the sideline after he was injured.  He walked off the field after the injury on his on power and seem okay.  A few minute later I saw him on the sideline and it was not looking good.  Prays for him.

From the GoFundMe (which has already exceeded its goal, happily):

Upon admitting Brock to the ER, they determined he had multiple internal injuries including contusions to his heart, lungs and kidneys as well as a hemorrhaging adrenal gland. His stats were low, he was not getting enough oxygen with his lungs filling with fluid and his heart rate and blood pressure were extremely low as well. Within a short time, Brock was intubated and headed to the ICU.

In the three days he has been in the ICU, there have been highs and lows. His blood pressure and heart rate have been worrisome, but are finally beginning to improve. However, he has now developed an infection in his lungs and the fluid that had been draining returned. Brock is a fighter and the cardio doctors are pleased with the improvement in his heart and his fever from the infection appears to have broken today. Hopefully, they will move him out of ICU to a regular bed in the hospital in the next day or so.

Something you never want to see happen to anyone playing a game for our entertainment.  Pray his improvement continues and he gets home soon.

Very tough to see this. Definitely keeping him in our thoughts and prayers. This is never something you want to see occur.

[FarAwayCat]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

Incredible outpouring of support by the CRU. That's true class and powerful.  Thanks to all of you

[Ron Boerger]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

Incredible outpouring of support by the CRU. That's true class and powerful.  Thanks to all of you

The most recent update from the GoFundMe organizer:

Yesterday
by Mindi Person, Organizer
We can't possibly thank all of you enough for your generosity!! Not only have you shown you care with your donations, but with your messages which Brock, Fritz and Erin are reading and with your hearts and prayers!!

We have already had a handful of people in the Temple area reach out, including the sports department at UMHB, to offer up help and offers of meals, coffee, blankets, laundry and places to sleep! You all are wonderful and again, saying "Thank You" doesn't seem nearly enough!!!

[George Thompson]

Wildcat11 shared this on the NWC boards. Apparently a Linfield LB was pretty seriously hurt in the game Saturday and remains in Texas. Probably @ BS&W. Check out the Go fund me and help if you can
https://gofund.me/43543c72

Incredible outpouring of support by the CRU. That's true class and powerful.  Thanks to all of you

Agree 100%.  Mary Harden-Baylor supporters are truly first rate people.      Thank you so much for encouraging our injured Linfield player.     God Bless all of you.

George

[Reverendbiker]

[/quote]

Incredible outpouring of support by the CRU. That's true class and powerful.  Thanks to all of you
[/quote]

Agree 100%.  Mary Harden-Baylor supporters are truly first rate people.      Thank you so much for encouraging our injured Linfield player.     God Bless all of you.

George
[/quote]

I have attended two games at Linfield and was always treated wonderfully by their fans and the people of McMinnville.  I have no doubt that if the roles were reverse we'd see the same display of love and generosity.  I'm a die-hard Crusader fan, but I sure can't throw any rocks at you guys.

[Riley Zayas]

Just wanted to share this recent feature...Aphonso Thomas is truly one of UMHB's leaders on and off the field...a high-character guy who has really found a great fit in Belton...started his college career at SMU at a three-star recruit in 2016, before transferring to Trinity Valley CC...after one year there, he hung up the cleats, and did not expect to return to football. But UMHB came calling, and Thomas answered. After his return to games was delayed due to an Achilles tear last spring, he has established himself as a solid force at RB for the Cru this fall. What a journey.

https://truetothecru.com/2021/12/09/unfinished-umhb-leading-rusher-aphonso-thomas-making-the-most-of-second-collegiate-stint/