Nostalgia/Wofford vs Citadel

[WVAPPeer]

JT - I agree with what you said about the attendance - we use to push 20k or higher when we played at The Citadel --- Yes, I try to watch some FCS games dependent upon what time APP is playing - Yes, we are at another level now, but in reality Alabama is at another level above us (not in a literal sense) and I watch as many of their games as I can --- I just don't understand some on here who continually want to knock 1-AA football - Yes, we have moved on and I am 100% on the train but we wouldn't be where we are today without our success in 1-AA ---

[JTApps1]

JT - I agree with what you said about the attendance - we use to push 20k or higher when we played at The Citadel --- Yes, I try to watch some FCS games dependent upon what time APP is playing - Yes, we are at another level now, but in reality Alabama is at another level above us (not in a literal sense) and I watch as many of their games as I can --- I just don't understand some on here who continually want to knock 1-AA football - Yes, we have moved on and I am 100% on the train but we wouldn't be where we are today without our success in 1-AA ---

I agree with most of what you're saying, but I do wonder where we would be had we never gone down to I-AA? I look at ECU who left the SoCon just before I-AA came to be. I realize their on-field performance has been below ours recently, but I also look at their fan support and overall athletic department. Maybe we would have 40,000 plus in the stadium with many P5 wins under our belt instead of only Michigan and Wake? Maybe we would have 5,000 students in the Student Yosef Club, and bring in $10 Million a year in YC donations? We just had a scare that Satterfield might leave for Cincy, but if we were in the position of ECU that would never have been discussed.

So maybe we wouldn't be here without I-AA, or maybe we would be further ahead. We will never know. I did enjoy most of our time at that level, but now I'm looking forward to being a top G5 team which is all we can do at this point in time.

[TheMoody1]

I guess posting a nostalgia thread wasn't really a good idea.

[Saint3333]

Time to move on. Come to a game or two and enjoy the ride, see you in Montgomery I hope.

[WVAPPeer]

Sorry JT I wasn't following APP closely when the split happened so I can't comment on what happened or didn't happen and why ---

[firemoose]

Saint: You've made your feelings clear about WV. Anyone can see it. If he says high you say low. If he says black you say white. So be it. That's your right, as it is for anyone else on this site to feel whatever way they want to about someone else. But as for implying or even saying outright that he longs for the old days and wants to be back in FCS is not correct. When the move up was first being discussed he approached me and asked for my opinion and for the reason why we would make the move. I walked him through the entire process and the reasons. Since that day he has not made one comment to me about being anything less than 100% on board, even when the start didn't go so well. I'm no fanboy and WV will tell you himself that if he says something wrong I'll be the first to call him out on it. Doesn't make any difference to you but just wanted to straighten this point out for others who might read this.

Which brings me to a different point. I know not a lot of members are reading this thread but for those that are I want to say that if anyone has a question for me than you need to post it in the Lodge. I rarely read any threads on this board anymore unless they are posted in the recruiting area. It used to be that we could have rational and reasoned discussions or disagreements without them winding up into kindergarten playground fights or devolving to neanderthals with clubs beating each other over the head. Most start off all right but someone says something and there it goes. My not reading threads started long before my weeks long great outdoors adventure humping the mountains but it's what I do now. If no posts are in the Lodge or there isn't a response to a thread I started myself then mark forums read is what I hit the most. Pretty sad as this is the flagship message board for all things App related and most of the time all we do is make ourselves look bad. Short point made too long, if anyone has a question for me either add it to an existing thread or start a new one in the Lodge.

[NewApp]

Of course two of those are being kicked out of the conference, and none of those team except ULL at 16K (not sure why you included them when talking about 10k at Citadel) was over .500. Still you're comparing regular season games at mostly our worst teams the past 2 years against 2nd round playoffs to decide a national champion. I think that proves the point for the other side of the arguement.

Remember the play-off games have only about a week's notice. The Sunbelt games' schedule is made out months in advance.

[NewApp]

JT - I agree with what you said about the attendance - we use to push 20k or higher when we played at The Citadel --- Yes, I try to watch some FCS games dependent upon what time APP is playing - Yes, we are at another level now, but in reality Alabama is at another level above us (not in a literal sense) and I watch as many of their games as I can --- I just don't understand some on here who continually want to knock 1-AA football - Yes, we have moved on and I am 100% on the train but we wouldn't be where we are today without our success in 1-AA ---

I agree with most of what you're saying, but I do wonder where we would be had we never gone down to I-AA? I look at ECU who left the SoCon just before I-AA came to be. I realize their on-field performance has been below ours recently, but I also look at their fan support and overall athletic department. Maybe we would have 40,000 plus in the stadium with many P5 wins under our belt instead of only Michigan and Wake? Maybe we would have 5,000 students in the Student Yosef Club, and bring in $10 Million a year in YC donations? We just had a scare that Satterfield might leave for Cincy, but if we were in the position of ECU that would never have been discussed.

So maybe we wouldn't be here without I-AA, or maybe we would be further ahead. We will never know. I did enjoy most of our time at that level, but now I'm looking forward to being a top G5 team which is all we can do at this point in time.

At the time of the split, we didn't meet the minimum stadium requirements the NCAA had specified.

[bcoach]

It is sad that we have to keep fighting over this FCS/FBS situation. Some just wait for the chance to pounce on another about it. I am also not referring to any one person as there are plenty. I am going to state my position on it and then will not respond or bring it up again but I know for a fact there are those that feel the same as I do.
I did not want to leave FCS for a number of reasons but playoffs and the chance at a NC being the number one. Well the landscape has changed and FCS is not what it once was, especially the SOCON. I am forced to accept we probably did need to move on if not now at some point. I still mourn that though. There is nothing wrong with that. I will always mourn that. We all have our likes and preferences. To me a bowl is an extra game that will enable 40 teams to get rings and trophies. An extra game is ALWAYS good but to me it just isn't a National Championship where there is one winner. I understand the national recognition argument but to me it doesn't matter. I have enjoyed every single game we have played and just don't care if folks in California even knew we were playing. That is me and that is some others I know. It does not make us bad it just makes us different. I also know folks who do want the national recognition. They love the bowls and everything about them. They want to be FBS period. That does not make them bad. What I do know is that everyone I know is on board with the move even if it is begrudgingly. So why don't we put the fight behind us. It is over. I will ALWAYS miss the days in the SOCON and the playoffs and so do many but I and the others are still a season ticket holders who enjoys the games in the best stadium in the country. Merry Christmas

[appst89]

Sorry bcoach, no pleasant memories of anything that ever happened in the past are allowed. To even mention them must surely mean that you aren't a real fan. Heaven forbid that you remember them fondly. You must be browbeaten every time you dare to wax nostalgic about a past event. It is the only way to guarantee your continued loyalty to the cause.

[NewApp]

It is sad that we have to keep fighting over this FCS/FBS situation. Some just wait for the chance to pounce on another about it. I am also not referring to any one person as there are plenty. I am going to state my position on it and then will not respond or bring it up again but I know for a fact there are those that feel the same as I do.
I did not want to leave FCS for a number of reasons but playoffs and the chance at a NC being the number one. Well the landscape has changed and FCS is not what it once was, especially the SOCON. I am forced to accept we probably did need to move on if not now at some point. I still mourn that though. There is nothing wrong with that. I will always mourn that. We all have our likes and preferences. To me a bowl is an extra game that will enable 40 teams to get rings and trophies. An extra game is ALWAYS good but to me it just isn't a National Championship where there is one winner. I understand the national recognition argument but to me it doesn't matter. I have enjoyed every single game we have played and just don't care if folks in California even knew we were playing. That is me and that is some others I know. It does not make us bad it just makes us different. I also know folks who do want the national recognition. They love the bowls and everything about them. They want to be FBS period. That does not make them bad. What I do know is that everyone I know is on board with the move even if it is begrudgingly. So why don't we put the fight behind us. It is over. I will ALWAYS miss the days in the SOCON and the playoffs and so do many but I and the others are still a season ticket holders who enjoys the games in the best stadium in the country. Merry Christmas

Good post and it sums up my feelings pretty well. I doubt people in California know we won the Camelia Bowl last year anymore than they would have if we won another NC in I-AA.

[Saint3333]

It is worth noting that sharing fond App memories can be done without degrading the current conference and the progress the program has made since those days.

I'd love to share those memories over a beverage with any App fan next weekend at the Avaitor Bar in Montgomery, just like we did in Chattanooga.

[Gonzo]

Sorry bcoach, no pleasant memories of anything that ever happened in the past are allowed. To even mention them must surely mean that you aren't a real fan. Heaven forbid that you remember them fondly. You must be browbeaten every time you dare to wax nostalgic about a past event. It is the only way to guarantee your continued loyalty to the cause.

There's obviously a tone of "those were the days" in those posts. I'm just as annoyed as Saint with this thread.

Side note: El Cid would be LAST PLACE in 2016 average Sun Belt football attendance.

[WVAPPeer]

Time to move on. Come to a game or twoand enjoy the ride, see you in Montgomery I hope.

Again, another snide comment --- from 2000 until the playoff game with Illinois State I missed no APP home games regular season and playoffs - I missed the ISU playoff for a funeral ---
Now when you are pushing 70 I really hope you can attend every game --- Some on MMB have some serious issues that keep them from attending games, luckily, I am not in that group, but it doesn't mean that they aren't knowledgeable about what they observe ---

[WVAPPeer]

Hey Gonzo remember the good old days when you were just a kid enjoying APP State football? You remember - Richie Williams was the QB --- Oops, that's probably before your time --- Sorry, you don't remember, because "those were the days!!!" ---

[Gonzo]

Hey Gonzo remember the good old days when you were just a kid enjoying APP State football? You remember - Richie Williams was the QB --- Oops, that's probably before your time --- Sorry, you don't remember, because "those were the days!!!" ---

I was under the impression you were not a fan of snide remarks.

[WVAPPeer]

yeah but you and I have exchanged snide remarks for years ---

[appst89]

Sorry bcoach, no pleasant memories of anything that ever happened in the past are allowed. To even mention them must surely mean that you aren't a real fan. Heaven forbid that you remember them fondly. You must be browbeaten every time you dare to wax nostalgic about a past event. It is the only way to guarantee your continued loyalty to the cause.

There's obviously a tone of "those were the days" in those posts. I'm just as annoyed as Saint with this thread.

Side note: El Cid would be LAST PLACE in 2016 average Sun Belt football attendance.

I was pretty annoyed too. It bothers me that so many people think they have a right to tell someone else what to remember and how to remember it.

[mountaineerman]

This thread wasted five minutes of my life reading the post lol. What were we talking about...

[bigdaddyg]

I have always been a huge college football fan and a diehard App guy for over 30 years. I loved the FCS playoffs and the National Championship Games. I was thoroughly excited and on board with the move up. I agree that during those playoff years hardly anyone knew they even existed outside of a small fan base- who cares. Someone pointed out that people in California don't know we won the Camellia Bowl last year- who cares. I don't know who won 30 or so bowl games last year. I can't name the Elite 8 teams from the NCAA basketball tournament last year but I am a huge basketball fan.