12th Man

[Appstrong]

I’ve purposely read a lot this week without posting because I too have been disappointed in recent results, but man I’ve got to question if some of you have anything positive to say about our team. I’ve heard complaints about coaches, players, even our uniform reveals. Fan on fan attacks as well. I thought at times I was on a Stink message board with all of this complaining.

I implore you to rise up and provide the fan support that has been such a contributing factor to APP football success over the years. Our team does not have our full backing on game days right now and we as a fan base need to get creative in finding a way to support this team. While I realize and pray the players and coaches don’t get there motivation and support from fans by reading this board, at least not this past few weeks anyway, I do believe what we choose to say and how we say it should be well thought out, constructive, and supportive so that we may maintain the right attitude and not become a divided, ineffective 12th man. Please take some time on this Thanksgiving while counting your own blessings to consider how blessed we are as a program.

If you think we have it bad, just read this article and the following comments to see how much worse it could be.

https://www.gobblercountry.com/2020/11/ ... st-end-now

[MountaineerMafia]

I’ve purposely read a lot this week without posting because I too have been disappointed in recent results, but man I’ve got to question if some of you have anything positive to say about our team. I’ve heard complaints about coaches, players, even our uniform reveals. Fan on fan attacks as well. I thought at times I was on a Stink message board with all of this complaining.

I implore you to rise up and provide the fan support that has been such a contributing factor to APP football success over the years. Our team does not have our full backing on game days right now and we as a fan base need to get creative in finding a way to support this team. While I realize and pray the players and coaches don’t get there motivation and support from fans by reading this board, at least not this past few weeks anyway, I do believe what we choose to say and how we say it should be well thought out, constructive, and supportive so that we may maintain the right attitude and not become a divided, ineffective 12th man. Please take some time on this Thanksgiving while counting your own blessings to consider how blessed we are as a program.

If you think we have it bad, just read this article and the following comments to see how much worse it could be.

https://www.gobblercountry.com/2020/11/ ... st-end-now

Great post! I'm just as crazy and irrational as most during the game and immediately after as well. That's why I stay away from the keyboard for awhile. I don't want bad takes or dumb statements to live forever online. Often times I try to watch the game back a second (or even 3rd time - as painful as that is sometimes). Typically, that takes most of the emotion out and you can see how just a few small changes or plays could have totally changed the game. The Marshall game certainly shows that. Yes, the team got beat in the trenches quite a bit but still had every opportunity to, AT LEAST, take that game to OT. I realize other people may not have that time or desire but if you do, give it a try. It will help your perspective and let you see more of the game without so much emotion attached.

One thing I can't stand is attacking players though. You can certainly point out a mistake or say, 'man, he should have made that throw/kick/catch' but we should NEVER be attacking the kids that chose to come up the mountain and make App a part of their family. It's a bad look and makes me cringe every time I see it.

[NavyApp]

I’ve purposely read a lot this week without posting because I too have been disappointed in recent results, but man I’ve got to question if some of you have anything positive to say about our team. I’ve heard complaints about coaches, players, even our uniform reveals. Fan on fan attacks as well. I thought at times I was on a Stink message board with all of this complaining.

I implore you to rise up and provide the fan support that has been such a contributing factor to APP football success over the years. Our team does not have our full backing on game days right now and we as a fan base need to get creative in finding a way to support this team. While I realize and pray the players and coaches don’t get there motivation and support from fans by reading this board, at least not this past few weeks anyway, I do believe what we choose to say and how we say it should be well thought out, constructive, and supportive so that we may maintain the right attitude and not become a divided, ineffective 12th man. Please take some time on this Thanksgiving while counting your own blessings to consider how blessed we are as a program.

If you think we have it bad, just read this article and the following comments to see how much worse it could be.

https://www.gobblercountry.com/2020/11/ ... st-end-now

Great post! I'm just as crazy and irrational as most during the game and immediately after as well. That's why I stay away from the keyboard for awhile. I don't want bad takes or dumb statements to live forever online. Often times I try to watch the game back a second (or even 3rd time - as painful as that is sometimes). Typically, that takes most of the emotion out and you can see how just a few small changes or plays could have totally changed the game. The Marshall game certainly shows that. Yes, the team got beat in the trenches quite a bit but still had every opportunity to, AT LEAST, take that game to OT. I realize other people may not have that time or desire but if you do, give it a try. It will help your perspective and let you see more of the game without so much emotion attached.

One thing I can't stand is attacking players though. You can certainly point out a mistake or say, 'man, he should have made that throw/kick/catch' but we should NEVER be attacking the kids that chose to come up the mountain and make App a part of their family. It's a bad look and makes me cringe every time I see it.

So I keep seeing things like "attacking the players" and maybe I'm naive or blind but I don't really see that here. Can you help clarify what constitutes this to you?

[yosef69]

Look, the criticism of the team comes with the territory. Want to be a big time team? You’re going to get big time criticism. Same with being a big time player.

Blind support when things are clearly not as good as they should be is just as bad as blind criticism.

[The Rock]

Regardless of our performance on the field, which hasn’t been that bad, at least half our player aren’t in jail like Ga. Southerns. I feel like we have some outstanding men on our team. More important than the game of football.

[Appstrong]

Look, the criticism of the team comes with the territory. Want to be a big time team? You’re going to get big time criticism. Same with being a big time player.

Blind support when things are clearly not as good as they should be is just as bad as blind criticism.

I didn’t intend the thread to make anyone feel bad for being critical of recent events. Hopefully our support outweighs our criticism, otherwise all we tend to be are fair-weather fans. Success should not be the sole reason we support and I know that many on this board extending back to the Delphi board days are passionate about this program. All I’m saying is let’s not kick the players and coaches while they are down, rather let’s extend a hand to help them up. That’s the support I would want in their position. Go APP!

[MountaineerMafia]

Look, the criticism of the team comes with the territory. Want to be a big time team? You’re going to get big time criticism. Same with being a big time player.

Blind support when things are clearly not as good as they should be is just as bad as blind criticism.

Never said it had to be rainbows and butterflies but let's break it down. App has lost 2 games to UNDEFEATED teams. They were winnable games, sure, but neither game was any type of blow out. People want to question play calling but the players were put into enough positions to score on some of those plays. Sometimes players make those plays and sometimes they don't. It's college ball. These kids aren't pro's. They feel the loss worse than people on this forum but you'd think it was the other way around sometimes with what's said on the internet.

Not asking people to not have opinions, just saying some people need some perspective here.

[Blackshirt68]

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs ,even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in they gray twilight that known neither victory or defeat.”

T.R.

[AppSt94]

I think that it is important when pointing out flaws in execution, coaching, or personnel, it is important to ask yourself the profound question of, “Why?” At least five times before you can truly get to the route cause of something. There are so many factors, not excuses, that go into winning a football game. The majority of them, we as fans, don’t know. When it comes to this team, we as fans have a heightened degree of expectations for things that we don’t have control over, or don’t fully understand the reasons for the outcome. Every Coach will tell you. Winning is hard work.

[Rekdiver]

I agree. There is no need for the postmortem some are calling for. We have elevated our program and made the SunBelt relevant. “We aren’t dead yet”

[WVAPPeer]

As I have stated over the years, there is no place for calling out individual players for their play on the field (play - not stupid penalties, etc.). Our guys are still young men 18-22, not professional athletes. I don't know if this has happened in the last week since the CC game because I haven't read the threads --- I am just way beyond stomaching the bitching and moaning after every game - win or lose. As 94 stated earlier, so much goes into every play and unless you understand what was called, who did what, who didn't, what the other team did or didn't, criticizing OUR individual players is nauseating -

I watched Tom Brady throw a couple of interceptions on Monday night and because of those and other things the Bucs lost the game - Now did Brady - the GOAT - misread the defense? Did his receiver run the wrong route or incomplete route? Did the Defense know what was coming and played it perfectly? Did his OL miss blocks that caused a timing issue? Did the coach signal in the wrong play at the wrong time? --- Just something to consider

Like everyone else on here - I wish the Mountaineers were undefeated at this point and had a realistic shot at another championship - but, just like previous years APP will be playing in a 3rd rate bowl game against an uninspiring opponent (unless they do match us with Marshall again) with ZERO chance of making a NY6 game which none of us could attend??????

With that I would like to wish everyone a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING with one thanks being we actually did get to see College Football in 2020

[Blackshirt68]

Count our blessings this Thanksgiving and don’t drink too much Turkey!