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Post by DOOMS on Jan 8, 2015 11:42:15 GMT -5
North Dakota State beat Towson like a drum. I watched it. North Dakota State has won the past three and is going for a fourth against Illinois State, although I'm not sure when the game is.
I'm rare, I actually like FCS football. I grew up in Georgia when Georgia Southern first restarted their program, so I learned about I-AA way back then. It was an alternative for guys who weren't good enough to make the two-deep at UGA.
So I've known for a while that hbcus weren't on the same level, I just refused to admit it because we semed to be getting closer. But what happened after 1999 when two MEAC teams won first round games? The same thing that happened when SC Steat was winning games in the 80s, the other schools stepped their games up.
That's what I think some folks ain't understanding. NO hbcu has sustained the spending necessary to win long-term in fcs football. It's sustained just long enough to get close to winning, then the bottom falls out or the misuse of funds and shortcutting that helped the funding comes to light (ahem FAMU and SC Steat). I for one am not interested in seeing that happen at Ayantee, and for two know damn well we wouldn't get past the second round no matter what we did (and would be hard pressed to get past the first round).
Even if we put all our eggs in the basketball basket, how far are we going to get before the big boys up their basketball game? Not far at all.
I guess I'm to the point where I can't even understand the desire to not remain on this level when we're not even competitive for some chump change. Chump change that we have to add to and spend just to remain on this level in the first place.
If we're not in it to win it, why are we in it?....
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Post by marchingband1969 on Jan 8, 2015 12:09:30 GMT -5
Like I tell my friends and family all the time...I'm an A&T sports fan, not a general sports fan. I will not turn on the TV to watch any other sporting event but I will drive halfway across the country to see an A&T team play. So if A&T is playing in the FCS playoff, the "Soul Bowl" (I coined that phrase and want to get paid for it), the CIAA Championship or the Amos and Andy Bowl, I'll be there. It's my school and my team and I don't much care who's on the other side of the field.
This latest decision wasn't an easy one for the schools or the MEAC but it had to be made. We had to do something to try to generate more athletic revenue. Now I know A&T ain't broke but that's not because we have a big bag on money at our disposal. The reason we don't have the same issues some of our sister MEAC schools are face with is Dr. Martin and the A&T leadership have done a fantastic job keeping the enrollment up and managing the budget. A&T has had some significant budget cuts but the administration has made some smart decision that haven't drastically impacted the academics and athletics. That said, we are not out of the woods yet! We have to continuously find more ways to bring in more revenue. The ultimate goal is to have athletic fund themselves...but short term, athletics has got to pay for a bigger share of its operation.
So for all you guys that will boycott any games after the NCCU game, you have to do what you feel is right for you. But I will be there because I want to support the players and A&T State University.
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Post by DOOMS on Jan 8, 2015 12:14:20 GMT -5
I'm definitely going to watch if Ayantee's in it. But to be truthful, I probably won't watch if Ayantee ain't in it because frankly, black college football can be kinda hard to watch at times.
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Post by AggieGroove on Jan 8, 2015 13:15:21 GMT -5
I did not say I would not support A&T from a financial standpoint.
But to achieve greatness, you have to play against the best....and to me that is the FCS.
And BTW, I bleed A&T Blue and Gold and make it a habit on a consistent basis to give from a financial standpoint.
Like Dooms said, I will watch if we go to the Soul Bowl but would likely attend in person the team if we make it to the FCS playoffs..
My thoughts!
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Post by Aggie One on Jan 8, 2015 13:20:24 GMT -5
North Dakota State plays Illinois State for the FCS National Championship this Saturday at 1 pm. Both teams are out of the Missouri Valley Conference.
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Post by marchingband1969 on Jan 8, 2015 16:54:50 GMT -5
I'm getting my car washed Saturday and will miss that game. In fact, the only FCS game I've ever seen either A&T or SC State wasn't playing in it. We can debate the FCS playoff finances forever but unless one of the MEAC schools is in it, it's irrelevant to my world.
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DECKS
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Post by DECKS on Jan 9, 2015 12:29:22 GMT -5
I'm with my groove brother on this one.....well said Decks! I cannot say I agree with those sentiments...if this gives the Aggies another opportunity to go out and play, if I can, I will be there. If not, I will definitely watch it on TV. I can understand not being in agreement of this move/venture but, why hurt your own school or self by showing your disagreement. I liken that to the Republican lady in Congress...cannot remember her name but, Obama wanted to fight for women to get equal pay as their male counterparts in the same position or jobs. She voted it down just because....it's Obama and she's republican. It's like cannot see the forest for the trees. Cut your nose off to spite your face. How does this give A&T another chance for post season play? We basically have one opportunity now and will still have one opportunity when this event is installed. The irony is this bowl game would indeed be a value add for the conference if our runner up was allowed to participate. Then we'd consistently have at least two teams participating in post season play. Besides the payout for participating teams is not going to net them anything once unsold tickets & expenses are factored in. If we'd all take the time to educate ourselves on this issue we'd see the conferences will be the winner and not individual teams. Most bowl teams outside of the Power 5 do not make any money and a few even lose money. What makes you think that's going to change for us? Never follow the herd when they are headed for a pack of lions!
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Post by ohsixrain on Jan 9, 2015 12:56:27 GMT -5
I cannot say I agree with those sentiments...if this gives the Aggies another opportunity to go out and play, if I can, I will be there. If not, I will definitely watch it on TV. I can understand not being in agreement of this move/venture but, why hurt your own school or self by showing your disagreement. I liken that to the Republican lady in Congress...cannot remember her name but, Obama wanted to fight for women to get equal pay as their male counterparts in the same position or jobs. She voted it down just because....it's Obama and she's republican. It's like cannot see the forest for the trees. Cut your nose off to spite your face. How does this give A&T another chance for post season play? We basically have one opportunity now and will still have one opportunity when this event is installed. The irony is this bowl game would indeed be a value add for the conference if our runner up was allowed to participate. Then we'd consistently have at least two teams participating in post season play. Besides the payout for participating teams is not going to net them anything once unsold tickets & expenses are factored in. If we'd all take the time to educate ourselves on this issue we'd see the conferences will be the winner and not individual teams. Most bowl teams outside of the Power 5 do not make any money and a few even lose money. What makes you think that's going to change for us? Never follow the herd when they are headed for a pack of lions! So, I guess you are saying throw all the chips in the playoff basket...? To be honest, I really don't care but, I'd rather see a competitive post season game from our conference winner and just saying we have to do better isn't enough. We've said that for how many years now? Then, there's the giving thread that everyone agrees with but, when you don't know folks financial status or situation, it comes across as if we are blaming alums that don't give for the current state of the program....that's not fair either. Again, ideally, I'd like to see us compete against teams with like financial resources in the post-season. I'm no longer fooling myself to believe we can compete with a N. Dakota State whose financial resources probably double ours and if that's the cool-aid you all are drinking with this playoff system then, help yourself. At some point, you should recognize it for what it is...non-sense. While we are taking the proper steps to get better, the competition is doing the same thing and I'm not talking conference competition. But, you still haven't answered why you'd be so opposed to seeing the best of the SWAC vs. MEAC? In my humbled opinion, the Heritage bowl went down when we started sending our 2nd and 3rd place teams to play their conference winner. Now, I can understand NOT supporting that...I wouldn't either. That's a waste of time. But, both conference champions playing each other is not THAT bad...especially if it comes with a decent payday.
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Post by thefriscotxaggie on Jan 9, 2015 14:55:35 GMT -5
Decks,
We have been saying the same thing.
Let the non playoffs teams go to the bowl game; resulting in multiple oportunities for post season play for MEAC schools. The BCS has 4 playoff teams and past that there are multiple bowl game opportunities all the way down to teams with 500 records. During the bowl game season America is starved for football. This game can be marketed like any other game. From a National perspective whether the MEAC represnative is 9-2 or 8-4 it really makes no difference.
The SWAC does not participate in playoffs so they dont care who they would play from the MEAC.
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Post by Aggie Monster on Jan 9, 2015 15:15:46 GMT -5
Decks, We have been saying the same thing. Let the non playoffs teams go to the bowl game; resulting in multiple oportunities for post season play for MEAC schools. The BCS has 4 playoff teams and past that there are multiple bowl game opportunities all the way down to teams with 500 records. During the bowl game season America is starved for football. This game can be marketed like any other game. From a National perspective whether the MEAC represnative is 9-2 or 8-4 it really makes no difference. The SWAC does not participate in playoffs so they dont care who they would play from the MEAC. Thats been done before. Didn't work. The 2nd place MEAC team just wasn't a good draw. Everyone knew they were 2nd place or "not really the best" the MEAC had to offer.
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Post by ohsixrain on Jan 9, 2015 15:54:58 GMT -5
Decks, We have been saying the same thing. Let the non playoffs teams go to the bowl game; resulting in multiple oportunities for post season play for MEAC schools. The BCS has 4 playoff teams and past that there are multiple bowl game opportunities all the way down to teams with 500 records. During the bowl game season America is starved for football. This game can be marketed like any other game. From a National perspective whether the MEAC represnative is 9-2 or 8-4 it really makes no difference. The SWAC does not participate in playoffs so they dont care who they would play from the MEAC. Thats been done before. Didn't work. The 2nd place MEAC team just wasn't a good draw. Everyone knew they were 2nd place or "not really the best" the MEAC had to offer. Absolutely, Monster...however, I attended a couple of Heritage Bowls and they were well attended but, when we sent a 3rd place team (Hampton) to play their champion '99, that's when it started downhill and never recovered.
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DECKS
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Post by DECKS on Jan 10, 2015 2:50:21 GMT -5
Decks, We have been saying the same thing. Let the non playoffs teams go to the bowl game; resulting in multiple oportunities for post season play for MEAC schools. The BCS has 4 playoff teams and past that there are multiple bowl game opportunities all the way down to teams with 500 records. During the bowl game season America is starved for football. This game can be marketed like any other game. From a National perspective whether the MEAC represnative is 9-2 or 8-4 it really makes no difference. The SWAC does not participate in playoffs so they dont care who they would play from the MEAC. Thats been done before. Didn't work. The 2nd place MEAC team just wasn't a good draw. Everyone knew they were 2nd place or "not really the best" the MEAC had to offer. Sorry Monster but that's not correct. Look at these attendance numbers and tell me what you see as the key to success for the HB? 1991Alabama St. s A&T.................7,7241992- GSU vs FAMU...................... 11,273 1993- Southern vs SCSU................. 36,128 1994 -GSU vs SCSU.........................22,179 1995 - Southern vs FAMU................25,164 1996 -Southern vs Howard................18,126 1997-Southern vs SCSU ....................32,629 1998 -Southern vs BCU......................32,955 1999 -Southern vs Hampton................29,561 14 MEAC/SWAC Challenge AAMU vs A&T........................8,700Obviously A&T's performance in these SWAC vsMEAC matchups doesn't excite our fans based on the two games we've participated in. That's important because each participating school will be required to sell an allotment of tickets. If we have 5,000 unsold tickets from our allotment guess who has to eat that cost? Based on historical performance we should be the last ones wanting to participate in this game.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 6:07:07 GMT -5
Thats been done before. Didn't work. The 2nd place MEAC team just wasn't a good draw. Everyone knew they were 2nd place or "not really the best" the MEAC had to offer. Sorry Monster but that's not correct. Look at these attendance numbers and tell me what you see as the key to success for the HB? 1991Alabama St. s A&T.................7,7241992- GSU vs FAMU...................... 11,273 1993- Southern vs SCSU................. 36,128 1994 -GSU vs SCSU.........................22,179 1995 - Southern vs FAMU................25,164 1996 -Southern vs Howard................18,126 1997-Southern vs SCSU ....................32,629 1998 -Southern vs BCU......................32,955 1999 -Southern vs Hampton................29,561 14 MEAC/SWAC Challenge AAMU vs A&T........................8,700Obviously A&T's performance in these SWAC vsMEAC matchups doesn't excite our fans based on the two games we've participated in. That's important because each participating school will be required to sell an allotment of tickets. If we have 5,000 unsold tickets from our allotment guess who has to eat that cost? Based on historical performance we should be the last ones wanting to participate in this game. The only assumption that can be made after reading the attendance numbers is that the Networks and sponsors didn't like the MEAC sending its number 2 or 3 team to play the SWAC Champ. If they were going to keep kicking out the money for the game, they probably wanted both champs, period. Also, both of our classic/bowl games were played against a SWAC East team from Alabama in Florida. We would do better if we played a bowl game in Atlanta.
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Post by bluehaze on Jan 10, 2015 9:16:11 GMT -5
Thanks west coast Aggie, I was going to post the same thing. The first game was in Miami and the second was in the Labor Day heat of Orlando. Apples and oranges comparison.
31k average over the last three years is not a bad number.
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Post by numberonebrave on Jan 10, 2015 10:08:55 GMT -5
Yea, can not put the Orlando game in. Who saw 8,700 people at the game? I do not think there were half that many. Setting the VCR for the Championship game today. Washed my car yesterday but the aggies play at 4 pm today
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