FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[batteredbard]

Kicker dad.
Here's a note to add that may raise or lower Maryville for visitors this season.

True being a long, long, long bus ride can add to its advantages as a home field in conference play.

But this year, and I'm sure Coach Sypult will do back flips to hear it, the administration had tress planted behind the far end zone (away from main gate and campus). The traditional tail gate area in the field beyond is now screened by these trees so alums who have made a drive-in type presence in the back of the pick ups and in tents etc back there will have to find a new home or invest in a new chain saw.

And weird enough it had nothing to do with attendance figures either. Word from the administration is that the insurance review made a note of it saying that folks leaving the field pulled out directly on to a busy city road and that was a concern. (Where as if they do the same thing in the campus parking lot and have to make an extra turn or two on a crowded campus post game its not a concern?)

Anyway 'the moonshine brigade" as Sypult once called them looks to be out of action.

And sadly, like most D3 schools, the stadium is probably only third or fourth best in the city. Maryville, Alcoa and arguably with the new press box remodel William Blount all have larger and more crowd friendly stadiums that are always at capacity or beyond  ... and have lights!(why is that such a rarity in D3 football? (baseball and soccer have lights at MC but not football)

[kickerdad]

Kicker dad.
Here's a note to add that may raise or lower Maryville for visitors this season.

True being a long, long, long bus ride can add to its advantages as a home field in conference play.

But this year, and I'm sure Coach Sypult will do back flips to hear it, the administration had tress planted behind the far end zone (away from main gate and campus). The traditional tail gate area in the field beyond is now screened by these trees so alums who have made a drive-in type presence in the back of the pick ups and in tents etc back there will have to find a new home or invest in a new chain saw.

And weird enough it had nothing to do with attendance figures either. Word from the administration is that the insurance review made a note of it saying that folks leaving the field pulled out directly on to a busy city road and that was a concern. (Where as if they do the same thing in the campus parking lot and have to make an extra turn or two on a crowded campus post game its not a concern?)

Anyway 'the moonshine brigade" as Sypult once called them looks to be out of action.

And sadly, like most D3 schools, the stadium is probably only third or fourth best in the city. Maryville, Alcoa and arguably with the new press box remodel William Blount all have larger and more crowd friendly stadiums that are always at capacity or beyond  ... and have lights!(why is that such a rarity in D3 football? (baseball and soccer have lights at MC but not football)

You refer to Maryville (Tenn) but refer to Methodist's Coach. was there a coaching change I missed during these past few weeks of 100 plus temp or what.

[allsky7]

Kicker dad.
Here's a note to add that may raise or lower Maryville for visitors this season.

True being a long, long, long bus ride can add to its advantages as a home field in conference play.

But this year, and I'm sure Coach Sypult will do back flips to hear it, the administration had tress planted behind the far end zone (away from main gate and campus). The traditional tail gate area in the field beyond is now screened by these trees so alums who have made a drive-in type presence in the back of the pick ups and in tents etc back there will have to find a new home or invest in a new chain saw.

And weird enough it had nothing to do with attendance figures either. Word from the administration is that the insurance review made a note of it saying that folks leaving the field pulled out directly on to a busy city road and that was a concern. (Where as if they do the same thing in the campus parking lot and have to make an extra turn or two on a crowded campus post game its not a concern?)

Anyway 'the moonshine brigade" as Sypult once called them looks to be out of action.

And sadly, like most D3 schools, the stadium is probably only third or fourth best in the city. Maryville, Alcoa and arguably with the new press box remodel William Blount all have larger and more crowd friendly stadiums that are always at capacity or beyond  ... and have lights!(why is that such a rarity in D3 football? (baseball and soccer have lights at MC but not football)

     A couple of comments:

- Have you looked at the other end of Honaker Field during a HC game? It is crowded but we can squeeze the "moonshine brigade" in. Especially if they are bringing refreshments!!   I have my chainsaw sharpened and ready to go if we need more space. 
- Tennessee Vols football is king in East TN, HS football is next with multi time state champs Alcoa and Murval Rebs, then WB and Heritage. Heritage was solid but WB was bad back in the day. Not sure if they have added any championships to Blount Co. in recent years. That order of importance isn't going to change. However, winning will  help bring out the local support.  I have only missed 2 HC's since 1983. The crowds are always good. What type of local support are the Scots getting these days for other games?
- Lights are OK I suppose. To me, college football was meant to be played on Saturday afternoon.  8)

[Highlander]

Even with the trees that have been planted in the Court St. endzone I believe that there will still be fans that park there unless the college begins to give them citations. The fan support has really started to begin to grow over the past few years. I am anxious to see what the crowd for the Home opener would be if the Fighting Scots are able to pull of two victories on the road to begin the season. Even without the ability to tailgate on one end of the field, Maryville always seems to have a nice pressence of Parents and alums who have a pretty good tailgate on the other end of the field ( Don't know if it's STone Station material or not), but they always seem eager to share great food with everyone.
P.S. I really liked the home field advantage that the tailgaters at the Court St. side gave the Scots.

[Pat Coleman]

You refer to Maryville (Tenn) but refer to Methodist's Coach. was there a coaching change I missed during these past few weeks of 100 plus temp or what.

Sypult can't talk about other teams' fans?

[narch]

monarch stadium could be SO MUCH better with just a few little changes:

add bleachers to the visitor side (making more seating for home fans and getting the visitors closer to their team...also eliminate potential issues between home and visiting fans...i'm amazed that nothing has got out of hand in my 10+ years following monarch football with the fans in such close proximity...can't tell you how many times i wanted to strangle this one particular ignorant fan of a certain team that beat mu on homecoming this past year...)

expand the press box by about 20 feet on each side and put concessions on one end and restrooms on the other

put a wrought iron fence (or faux wrought iron fence) around the stadium, with a nice brick entry gate

get some tailgating going in the little parking lot across from the entrance (there have been some attempts at this, and i understand there will be a wholehearted effort to do this again this season)

make sure the pep band is ALWAYS at the game (they make a huge difference from a fans perspective...feels like college football)

make sure the monarchs win a lot

these are all changes that could be made with relative ease...if you want to go all out, build a field house in the large open area on the visitor side and tear down the old "tin gym" and make that area a practice facility

honestly, i think that facility has the potential to be an absolutely beautiful facility with just some minor changes...the location on campus, the seat back seating, the "bowl" configuration, growing crowd support...it could really be special with a little tlc

if i hit this powerball lottery, it'll happen   'narch stadium...that's got a nice ring

[AdmiralPapi]

But will you be giving out a free pair of your signature faux leather chaps at each home game? 

[narch]

But will you be giving out a free pair of your signature faux leather chaps at each home game? 

first 100 through the gate get them

i'm going to try to swing by and watch some of the monarchs scrimmage vs. louisburg today...as a junior college, lc has some talent, but i hope the monarchs handle them pretty well (although it's not like mu has that many more upperclassmen than lc does)

[batteredbard]

Sypult is always good for a comment and a side topic discussion, not to say fun tangent. He made mention of the Court Street fans, asking if they would be there with moonshine this year. They apprently made quite the impression on him over the years that he's brought teams to East Tennessee.

MC is of course the conference newbie starting year 3 in the USAC (while by far the oldest program opening its 110th season in 115 years -- no teams in 1898, 99, 1943, 44, 45) but has played Methodist 10 times since 1989. And may have good reason Methodist is 3-7 against Maryville.

[narch]

had a chance to swing by the scrimmage for a couple of series yesterday...the first teamers looked very impressive - the offense marched right down the field against probably the biggest dline they'll see this year...louisburg is HUGE on both lines (although a few of their guys looked a little sloppy big) - hill broke off a couple of really nice runs and ran hard - parks didn't make any bad decisions and completed all but one of the throws i saw him make - the 1st team defense got 2 "sacks" (they didn't allow qb's to go to the ground) on the first 2 passing plays and really collapsed the line - the 2nd team defense came in to play vs. lc's 1st team offense, and they had a hard time, though...there is a real drop-off to that 2nd team right now...didn't see the 2nd team offense as i had to leave, but overall, i was very impressed with where the monarchs are right now

[Uncle Jessie]

Here is an article in the Winchester Star this morning previewing the 2007 Hornets. I'm looking forward seeing what Richard Glick can do playing a full season. In the practices I have watched the kid has a great arm.If for some reason the link wont work for you just go to Winchesterstar.com.
http://www.winchesterstar.com/article_details.php?ArticleID=603

[CNU85]

Here is an article in the Winchester Star this morning previewing the 2007 Hornets. I'm looking forward seeing what Richard Glick can do playing a full season. In the practices I have watched the kid has a great arm.If for some reason the link wont work for you just go to Winchesterstar.com.
http://www.winchesterstar.com/article_details.php?ArticleID=603

interesting.....i love confidence in players this time of year.

[CNU85]

does anyone have any insight on the hsc/cnu scrimmage yesterday?

[Swish3]

On "The LC" forum at HRTownSquare.com, CNUFB, who's Matt and Justin Long's father, said he heard that CNU dominated on both sides of the ball.  He also mentioned that the rb transfer from Cincinnati was awesome.  As they say, the proof's in the pudding.

GO CAPS!

P.S.  I didn't even know that website existed....did you?

[Swish3]

Well, you obviously did!  I just went to the site for the first time and saw you conversing with CNUFB....I guess I'm behind the times.  The information I mentioned previously was in the DP.

Did you really have to pay $2,500 per person to go to Texas?

GO CAPS!