FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Ric]

Mount Union Stadium is the oldest college football stadium in Ohio. They are proud of the history and have pictures of early games played there in the press box.  They won't be building a new stadium.  Solving the problem of 1% if the fans is the ticket, not demolishing the structure.

Having fun at a football game is encouraged.  But I cringe ever week when I hear the "Start the Bus" chant because this isn't high school and the trip isn't 35 minutes, its two to three hours during the regular season and five to six in the playoffs, and driving that far to watch your son or Alma Mater get pasted can not be easy, then hearing a group of idiots rub it in on top of that just makes it worse.  I'm waiting for the "Is that not a scoreboard" chant, I'm sure they know that one too.

They need to think of the big picture.  And I can't say for all the fans in question but I know one of the very vocal fans started coming around in the late ninties or later.  I spoke with him in Salem in '01 (the Bridgewater year) and can't remember if he told me that was his first trip or his second but it was Mount's sixth.

These guys would do very well surrounded by Mount fans.  It would all be fun and games then.  But sitting where they do they refuse to accept the way they are taken by the opposition, and at least in my case, from other Mount Union fans.

[Jonny Utah]

I think its time for a new stadium at that place and only season tickets should be given out on one side.  Since the field is level (not sunken) the stands should be a little higher on both sides.

Is section 13 the section right to the right of the press box?

That would have to be one very large side.  Season ticket holders are all over the stadium because demand for tickets is very high.  I think the stadium is in good shape, they just fixed up the press box not too long ago, and it would be wasteful to build a new stadium.  I understand that it can be frustrating as a visting fan to be surrounded by Mount fans, but I don't think there is really another logical way to do it.  The campus is relatively small, and there aren't a ton of open areas.  If they were to build a new stadium over the old site, a la John Carroll, you would need a good sized high school field to serve as Mount's home site for at least a year.  JCU had Bedford (an excellent stadium) two exits away, I don't see a viable option for Mount Union.  

and it's not the only team that uses that field...

I did not know it was one of the oldest football stadiums in Ohio.  That's pretty cool but theres going to be someday when a new stadium needs to be build there. 

[Ric]

Sportsmanship is subjective, and no one here on this board or anywhere else can define it.  To me, what those guys are doing isn't so bad.  Too you, it will cause sleepless nights.  Agree to disagree

GO RAIDERS.

Bcspiel, I know you and you're a friend. But you're wrong buddy.  Standing up and laughing and jeering when Tom Arth needed helped off the field is one of the worst things I've ever seen from fans, at any level, in any sport, period.  It got bad enough they got a letter from the college to knock it off.  They may not offend to that extent anymore, and what they do now would be fine on the other side of the field.  But sitting where they do, they look at the opposition, direct their chants at them, and exchange barbs when the visitors yell back.  It is not needed when the college does so well to otherwise have a very classy, repectful image, everywhere else from the head coach to the SID department.  They are so mindful of being respectful they wait to pass out ticket information the end of the third quarter with the score 59-7 and remind us not to use it till "late" in the game.

[Toph]

Standing up and laughing and jeering when Tom Arth needed helped off the field is one of the worst things I've ever seen from fans, at any level, in any sport, period.

That JCU/Mount game was the only contest between the two teams I watched from the stands as a student, I was a freshman.  My friends and I had more than a few heated words for some of the Mount fans that day.  A few Alliance police officers escorted many of the offending Mount Union fans out.  I remember Arth's dad being down on the sideline with the trainers...having to hear your sons' injury being cheered by some of the home crowd could not have been easy.

[bcspiel]

These guys would do very well surrounded by Mount fans.  It would all be fun and games then.  But sitting where they do they refuse to accept the way they are taken by the opposition, and at least in my case, from other Mount Union fans.

Ric, this is on the school, and I have often thought this, why punish the home fans for cheering just because the school determines putting the opposing fans next to the season ticket holders (who will traditionally be the most vocal fans)?

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.

[seventiesraider]

Remembering that in D3, fan and parent are often interchangeable and that we extol the virtues of D3 players playing for the love of the game how cool is it to verbally attack individual players in front of their folks. It's totally classless.

Sorry Spiel, I gotta to side with Ric and good taste on this one.  Maybe one of us should be the one to go get the police officer before these bozo's offend another group of visitors.

[bcspiel]

Ric,

I never once mentioned the Tom Arth situation, and if my response to the poster was speaking on the Tom Arth situation, I missed that, from what I read, it was in response to my post.  I was at that JCU game when Arth was hurt, and too was disgusted with the response from some fans, including those who are not being mentioned on here.  

[bcspiel]

Seventies,

What player was verbally attacked by the fans in section 13 before those fans where flipped off by #11.  Not saying an eye for an eye is right.  But I am sure that parent of fan that threatened Mount fans did not see one of their own flip off the crowd.

[kickerdad]

To All Mt. Union Fans,

I have been reading the past 10 or so pages and for what it is worth I will repeat what I said back after Sept. 1st. Mount Union was a "Class Act" from it's coaches, players and fans. You treated the Averett folks with up most respect. Yes, you kicked the living s_ _ _ out of us but not once did I hear an unkind or rude remark made towards any of the players or the fans (Parents). Matter of fact a lot of us parents were not aware until almost the end of the game that we were sitting in Mt. Union reserved seats (on the 50 yard line on the visitor side). And I know for a fact that Mt. fans were sitting behind us. But not once did anyone tell us to move, hollow at us or make rude and abnoxious remarks. I met some really great people there as did a lot of the other parents. If the "Start the Bus" was yelled or sung or what ever it is you do with that comment, it either wasn't heard or ignored. We played as poorly as any team will ever play in your back yard; yet not once did you be little our players. So for what it is worth, you can know that at least one of your opponents this year didn't go away with a bad taste in their mouth. Again, I wish your organization the best this year. I am 99.999% sure you will be National Champions again.

Prof, hope you are doing well.

[bcspiel]

Met to say, "parent of the player" my bad. 

Final word. I was at the game, and witnessed most of the negativity coming from a beaten, upset NJ crowd and team.

Anyway, heading to bed, the flu has beat me like a Raider's opponent.  Good talking to you guys.  See some of you Saturday.  GO RAIDERS!!!

[Ajwassup]

What MUC has done on the field is reason for respect, and for the biggest part MUC players are classy. Some of us have young kids and really don't appriciate the poor manner that some choose..I SECOND THE VOTE THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS THROW THE BUMS OUT. it gives an otherwise classy program a blackeye.
Go MUC

I agree, if they are thrown out, then it sends a message to everyone else (not saying that anyone else would do it), but the message would get across.  When there are little kids around and they see that, some will start to think that this is an acceptable behavior and perhaps try to follow along.  

[kickerdad]

P.S.

You want to see real unsportsman like fan conduct......go to Virginia Tech. I had the chance to go there and see VT play William & Mary this year. They put the visitors almost behind the endzone on the side, surrounded by VT folks. There were at least 3 VT fans removed by police for being disruptive and making rude remarks and sign language towards W&M parents when they cheered for W&M making a good play. Pretty nasty scene. And when they were removed, other VT fans cheered for them like they were heros.

[section13raiderfan]

WOW!  MUC has won 9 national titles, had winning streaks of 54 and 55 (not to mention that the current one is envious in itself), LK has a winning percentage that only GOD can smirk at.....and you guys want to build a new stadium for the purpose of quieting some fans???  Talk about going off the deep end! Maybe MUC should DOWNSIZE the stadium so only a select few can witness the proceedings.

Get a grip, and focus on the team. Feel free to ignor anyone you feel is ingnorant.

[Jonny Utah]

WOW!  MUC has won 9 national titles, had winning streaks of 54 and 55 (not to mention that the current one is envious in itself), LK has a winning percentage that only GOD can smirk at.....and you guys want to build a new stadium for the purpose of quieting some fans???  Talk about going off the deep end! Maybe MUC should DOWNSIZE the stadium so only a select few can witness the proceedings.

Get a grip, and focus on the team. Feel free to ignor anyone you feel is ingnorant.

No I didnt think about the fans.  But someday they are going to need a new stadium there.  How long have they had turf?

[raiderpa]

The athletic department at MUC controls the season tickets.....all seats at MUC are reserved....you know who these guys are...Encourage MUC to put their seats up in the corner of the visitors section, or at least away from the back of the team....I think the top rows in the south end of the visitors bleachers is a great place for them...they can swear, holler, chant, whatever....It's not like those seats are that far off the field, and the visitors and players (and you Mounties that are upset) would be less likely to be insulted by their actions..

Money talks....if Mount alums and start talking about withholding annual fund contributions because of the embarrassment, something will be done....guaranteed....

for me the "first down" stuff is fun.....the "start the bus" is juvenile and very UNcreative you should lose it....now, the BEEP BEEP BEEP backup warning for yards lost is really  creative and I had to laugh....