FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Jonny Utah]

The Cortland facility looks impressive, but where's the roof?

It doesnt rain or snow in upstate ny.... 8)

[reality check]

Hearing fans of the opposing school in the middle of the stadium too nullifies the home field advantage. You do not see this practice in other stadiums.

The majority of Division III colleges (to my knowledge) don't have this problem because they have visitors sitting on the visiting sideline and home fans on the home sideline; the rare exception being the schools with one set of bleachers ala Capital, Wittenberg, etc. or those few programs that outgrow their home sidelines' stands ala MUC.  I am trying to think about schools that have lots of local support like Wabash, SJU and Linfield and know they have stands on both sides of the field but don't know if they have a good number of home fans sitting on the visiting sidelines.

Am I wrong about this one or is MUC in the minority when it comes to sitting season ticket holders on the visiting sidelines?  

[Jonny Utah]

Hearing fans of the opposing school in the middle of the stadium too nullifies the home field advantage. You do not see this practice in other stadiums.

The majority of Division III colleges (to my knowledge) don't have this problem because they have visitors sitting on the visiting sideline and home fans on the home sideline; the rare exception being the schools with one set of bleachers ala Capital, Wittenberg, etc. or those few programs that outgrow their home sidelines' stands ala MUC.  I am trying to think about schools that have lots of local support like Wabash, SJU and Linfield and know they have stands on both sides of the field but don't know if they have a good number of home fans sitting on the visiting sidelines.

Am I wrong about this one or is MUC in the minority when it comes to sitting season ticket holders on the visiting sidelines?  

How many d3 stadiums even have assigned seats though too?

[mkhp]

Just wanted to respond to the question of the few fans at the MUC- TCNJ game.  The majority 99.9% of the fans where very respectful and friendly to us TCNJ fans! The MUC coaches and players where also. The few fans that spoil the game really should be taken care of by the MUC fans in the seats. (some told me they wish they could.) The one thing that bothers most of us is they way those guys attacked the players personally. Like they have ever played organized sports in there live time. MUC fans don't let the few spoil your reputation. You all showed great class and hope we see you next year.

[runyr]

In response to the crowd on Saturday...

Being a former season ticket holder in the now infamous section 13 (where our "start the bus" crew sits) and a person who now sits in that section only during meanigful games (please save the coach speak, every game is meaningful comments for another time), I have mixed feelings on those guys.  First of all, sit down and talk to them, they are good guys, and have been fans before "Jim Ballard took a snap" days.(no offense Ric, always a big fan of your work)  

Second, they can be obnoxious, but nothing compared to local high school fans (which to me can be shameful), D1 fans, and professional fans.  Very rarely has an obscenity come out of their mouths, and yes, the "first down" cheer (which is a positive), the "punt team, get ready" and finally the "start the bus" cheers are all tame compared to other schools at different levels of play.

Although sometimes these fans can be a little juvenile, the Mount Union stands are traditionally quiet.  It always saddens me, and its good when some fans try to get loud, its football afterall.  

As for Saturday's game.  I was back in that section.  Those fans in question did nothing different.  When the trouble started, it was toward the end of 3rd quarter, and those fans that have been the target on the past few pages of this forum, WHERE NOT EVEN THERE.  They left at half time.  

As for the problems.  I was amazed when I saw a player attempt to go into the stands, and has mentioned, not one coach approached this player.  I have no idea what was said, but I was amazed by TCNJ staffs' non recognition of what had happened.

As for opposing fans.  During the 4th quarter, after the crowd cheering a good kick from #11 (Mt fans actually cheer good plays on the other side in blow outs), #11 proceeded to flip off the crowd.  I had never seen anything like this (accept when Mike Vick did the same to his own crowd.)  It was after this gesture that the fans in our section went nuts, and when a parent of the other team threatened violence.  It was classless on all fronts.  The police came over in response of the "gentleman" standing a walking toward our section.  I have a feeling he missed the one finger salute from his own team.

I will never make excuses for poor fanmanship, but, there should not even be a thought of those guys losing their season tickets.  If the rest of the fans in Mount Union stadium attempted to cheer, you would not hear them anyway.
I say this as an alumist, someone who used to work with the football program, and now a fan.

I cannot wait to mix it up with the great fans I met last year form SJF.  You guys rocked!!! Have a safe trip to Atown and GO RAIDERS!

bcspiel,
Very well stated and thanks for an eyewitness perspective. +k
I just have one question.  What's "an alumist?"  I took a couple of years of latin in high school, but I missed that one. 

[formerd3db]

Jonny:

I don't know the exact number in answer to your question re: the stadium assigned seating.  However, many of the new DIII stadiums do have assigned seating on the home side stands, with the new, individual permanent single seating; Adrian College's new stadium does.  

[runyr]

Just wanted to respond to the question of the few fans at the MUC- TCNJ game.  The majority 99.9% of the fans where very respectful and friendly to us TCNJ fans! The MUC coaches and players where also. The few fans that spoil the game really should be taken care of by the MUC fans in the seats. (some told me they wish they could.) The one thing that bothers most of us is they way those guys attacked the players personally. Like they have ever played organized sports in there live time. MUC fans don't let the few spoil your reputation. You all showed great class and hope we see you next year.

+k for your comment.  Thanks.

[Jonny Utah]

Jonny:

I don't know the exact number in answer to your question re: the stadium assigned seating.  However, many of the new DIII stadiums do have assigned seating on the home side stands, with the new, individual permanent single seating; Adrian College's new stadium does.  

Yea Ive seen a few stadiums like that your right (Even small ones)

[Tags]

What would be the benefit of assigned seats?

[formerd3db]

Tags:

In the case of Adrian, this is what some alumni fans have told us:  The administration just spent big $ for the on-campus stadium (and adjacent ice hockey arena) for football and soccer teams, and the newly promoted lacrosse teams (men's and women's) from club to varsity status.  By having assigned seating via permanent seats (all the home side does, but in the middle sections providing the best views as usualy), this section costs more and is for season-ticket holders (it is my understanding), thereby was "supposedly" to increase interest and thus attendance which would then bring in more $ as well as promote more interest in the team.  I do not know the #'s as to how this has worked out since Adrian's stadium opened last year in 2006.  On the other side of the equation, while students at the school get in free, the new facilities haven't really increased interest as far as attendance - still seems to be some student apathy on campus as far as that, so we're told by some of our Adrian colleagues/sources, which is too bad.

[skunks_sidekick]

As someone that sits once section over from Hammer and the Reknowns, I find their act to be occasionally funny, mildly amusing at other times, and rather juvenile and irritating when they go into "start the bus" in the 2nd quarter. 

Let's be honest......MOST of the issues over the years at Mount games have been caused by the STUDENTS, and not the Hammer gang.  College kids.......fervor.....alcohol....enough said.  The creative T-shirts from the JCU and B-W kids.  The Wabash striped pants guys coming down in front of Mount's stands to "do a cheer", and then the Mount students running down in front of the visiting stands to mouth off.  Many times that side of the stands gets fired up when an opposing player yells over to the crowd, or makes a gesture. 

Give Hammer and the boys a pre-game warning (they tailgate in the same place in the parking lot every week) and I would guess they will be good little boys and curtail their shenanigans to good-natured cheering.  Rowdy fans are everywhere, it's just a little more unseamly because these guys are older adults for the most part.

Oh and Frank Rossi.......did I read your post correctly over on the E-8 board where you basically said that Garcon came to Mount because some "agent type" advised him to do so?  PLEASE tell me you said this in jest.  That is a claim that is irresponsible, and totally without merit.  Your bias against Garcon is showing through there Mr. Supposed To Be Objective.  Give me a break!   

[Frank Rossi]

Oh and Frank Rossi.......did I read your post correctly over on the E-8 board where you basically said that Garcon came to Mount because some "agent type" advised him to do so?  PLEASE tell me you said this in jest.  That is a claim that is irresponsible, and totally without merit.  Your bias against Garcon is showing through there Mr. Supposed To Be Objective.  Give me a break!   

Ummmm...That's a pretty interesting soundbyte there, skunk...

The topic discussed was whether going from Norwich to MUC instead of Norwich to a I-AA school (such as UMass-Amherst) was a wise move once I put up a website link that projects Garcon to be a 7th-Round Draft pick currently.  My statements suggested that it was a good move under his circumstances.  An "agent-type" is, in this context, another word for an advisor.  If he didn't seek the advice of somebody in the know of these sorts of things (and I think we're all pretty sure that he's had some idea of the NFL on his mind for some time), then I'd be disappointed in him.  MUC provided a number of things from which, if his M.O. was the NFL Draft eventually, he could benefit (playing time, exposure, statistic potential, etc.).  During that entire conversation, I stated that it was a GOOD move on his part since starting from Norwich made has battle an uphill one -- and that I-AA schools didn't provide him the opportunity for exposure and playing time guarantees that he would have needed to become the 37th top WR on the NFL Draft board currently.

I've said that I wasn't a fan of how Garcon carried himself toward the end of the Stagg Bowl last year, but I've never denied his talent, his speed and his future that he's earned.  If I wasn't objective, I wouldn't even pay attention to or talk about the player in the first place -- the least objective people are the ones who choose ignorance over information so they can assume things about players and teams instead of learning from others during civilized debate and discussion.

[mtfan]

It doesnt rain or snow in upstate ny.... 8)

LOL,....one word....Buffalo  

[Olinemom]

When is the "start the bus" chant not funny?

When you turn 13.   

I would have said maybe 6.  I have bad memories of those obnoxious people on the visitor side.  Everything else (well, except the game, of course) was quite nice.  We were well received.  Everybody was very hospitable.  But those people were, what is the word I'm looking for?  dispicable (sp) and that's putting it mildly.  A real shame.  They should have to watch with a set of binoculars from the outside limits of town.

[Frank Rossi]

I know I'll call out the fans and the area in which they are sitting if I even sense something like that is going on during the game.

You all represent your school by hosting these events, so act like you've been here before (here, meaning hosting playoff games).  With the publicity your school will be receiving for the, up to, next three games, keep that in mind and be supportive of your own team instead of antagonistic of the other team.

Frank, I do the play-by-play for the commercial station for Mount Union games.  On a professional level, I'm not quite sure why you would say something like that.  I have never gone to a game, even a rival game at the college or high school level, where there were problems in the past, looking to call someone out.

This Mount Union football program has built its reputation by the way it has conducted itself over the past 22 years that Larry Kehres has been head coach. 

There really is no need, by you, to tell anyone at Mount Union what actions may or may not do to the program.  I kinda take offense that someone that I believe has never seen Mount Union play in person or been to Alliance would make comments like that, speaking honestly.  Maybe I took your post in a way you didn't intend it, but to me, you come across like a Dad berating a little boy and Mount Union certainly doesn't need someone else to watch over its ship.

I was preparing to send you an IM telling you that if there is any information or help that you need in preparation before you get to Alliance, or prior to the game Saturday morning, I would be willing to help any way I can.  And that offer is still open, but I gotta be honest with you on how your post made me feel.

Ric -

My first attempt to respond got nixed due to a network error, and it's getting late, so I'm going to try to be thorough, though I might ramble a bit.

My point was that if things carry out in a way that affects the gameplay in some way, it's fair game for a broadcaster to discuss.  For instance, if a home crowd is silent, that fact could minimize home-field advantage and is a reasonable topic for broadcasters who are trying to convey, through a spoken medium, the excitement level and activity in the game, to discuss.

On top of this, for 13 years, I've called Union College's football games (or done a website for them) for one simple reason -- for the promotion of the student-athlete in a situation where 99% of them will have no further organized football experiences after they graduate.  This is still the purest remaining form of the sport in my mind, and that's why I drive from NYC to wherever Union plays its games -- every one of those games for the last seven years -- as those players deserve to be spotlighted in such a way.  Fans should be secondary -- this isn't a D-I game where cameras make the game a sideshow at times with crowd shots and the such.

When you merge the duties of a broadcaster with why I do this job in the first place, I refuse to ignore abnormal crowd activities when they become apparent and detrimental to the players and/or the game.  Such ignorance would indicate a LACK of objectivity, as I described in my previous post here about our Garcon discussion on the E8PP.  Your own comments here indicate that the activity spilled out into the game last weekend and that you're upset and angry about such activity.  My point in my earlier message was that a national broadcast can be a PR department's best friend or worst nightmare depending on how all parties involved behave.

Case in point:  there used to be fans behind the visitors' bench area at Union on the hill who would insult the opposing team in ways similar to what people here have accused the Press-Box side MUC fans of doing.  I used to bring up this fact back then because it didn't belong at Union and was giving our reputation a black eye -- even with just local broadcasts, let alone national broadcasts.  Those mentions eventually helped to clean up that scenario.

The thing you really misunderstand is my intent.  My intent is to go and call an exciting college football game for the reasons I discussed earlier in this message.  My intent is not to call a boxing match or x-rated comedy club show.  Those are the aspects I've grown to despise over the years.  I've been really looking forward to, and excited about calling a game at Mt. Union since the prospect became clear a couple weeks ago.  Everyone used to tell me what a great college football atmosphere it is in Alliance, and I WANT EVERYBODY INVOLVED TO ENJOY THE GAME SATURDAY.  At the pace that everyone here is trying to undermine my credibility, this could be my last game call in Alliance, so I really want to have some great memories and make some friends along the way. 

The comments I made earlier were intended to buffet what you said earlier, Ric, concerning your upset over Saturday's behavior and the ramifications such behavior could have.  My comment, "I know I'll call out the fans and the area in which they are sitting if I even sense something like that is going on during the game," meant that I've faced these scenarios before and know my duty as a broadcaster -- and I hope that nothing even close to those scenarios occur to force me to mute my crowd microphone throughout Saturday afternoon.  I'm not taking days out of my weekend to go play father and chide the MUC fans -- I'd be really upset if anything close to that even came close to playing out for some reason Saturday since I'm looking to cherish the memories with which I leave.

Here is to fair play and an exciting football game Saturday...and to friendships and respect throughout the day surrounding the game.

- Frank