UNCC sees recruiting boost

[Gonzo]

So if that holds true then the 7500 or so seats reserved for students should be full.... SHOULD being the key word there.

.....good luck with that.

Photo of the UNCC student section from this season, a very very good season:




UNCC is a glorified community college. I'm not talking about the degree, I'm talking about the experience. You drive to school and you drive home, just like you would if you were after an AD from CPCC. There is nothing about UNCC that even remotely resembles a college atmosphere and that is why their students and alumni are so transient. No bars, no cool stores selling Charlotte gear, nothing but strip malls and franchises that you'd find just about anywhere else in the Charlotte area.

The football team and light rail should do wonders to help the culture but UNCC has absolutely no hope of establishing a large fanbase without building a decent culture, waiting for students that went to school in the culture to graduate and building from there. Their BBall average puts ours to shame of course, but this is their marquee sport, they're in the hunt for the championship of a VERY good bball conference, and they still can't draw 5,000 to the game. Why the hell would it be any different for football when they'll be playing and likely losing to FCS teams? These are team UNCC fans have never heard of, or in the case of the very obnoxious message board UNCC fans, have scoffed as inferior from the onset of their football endeavor. I just don't understand the unfounded optimism and arrogance of some of their delusional fanbase that I read on AGS, Appfan and CSNBBS. These people are thoroughly convinced that UNCC has left App State in the dust athletically, a school that owes its new conference membership to location alone. As if conference affiliation necessarily gives programs an edge anyway. Is Vandy a better program than Ohio State because the SEC>the Big 10?

Congratulations, you found the only home game played at Halton during the winter break. Similar to how your home football playoff games have lower attendance than your regular season games.

Winter break is no different than the school year at UNCC. The kids drive to school for class, then drive to mom's place for the weekend/break. UNCC is 20 minutes from Charlotte. Boone is 2 hours. If App was sitting just outside of Charlotte you better believe we'd have ~25k for every home playoff game. What an incredibly lame and invalid excuse.

Again - ya'll are some funny people.

This is such a useless statement and you are such a poor representative of the ASU fan base that further dialogue is without warrant. I have learned from discussing matters with you in the past that you are so blinded by whatever it is hate, bad moonshine, an unloving mother - that you can not have a healthy and honest discussion about topics involving ASU. I will continue to discuss things with some of your more educated, more logical fans who quite honestly are far better reflection of your university.

Have at it hoss. You are like a child that leaves a game when things don't go his way. Hopefully you'll keep supporting Charlotte football despite several consecutive losing seasons.

[NWA49]

I don't begrudge the 49ers for doing what is best for their school. Some of the 49er faithful did rub me wrong when the CUSA announcement was made (and even before that came to be) with all the trash talk directed towards App's football team. It was a bit much considering your team has never played a down, and we have over 75 years of history in football. It's also frustrating for our fan base to go through all the years of paying our dues, and then see upstart programs get the nod based purely on location alone.

For me though, what really makes me dislike UNCC athletics is the fact that they will no longer play us in basketball or baseball. At one time we had a good series going in both sports, but then Charlotte decided they were too good to come to Boone. That decision was made at a time when the Apps started winning on a regular basis in both sports. Call me crazy, but I see no incentive for us to support the 49ers efforts in football when we've been looked down on by the athletic department in Harrisburg. Judy Rose is doing everything in her power to discredit ASU to the other schools in CUSA which is a shame considering the rivalry we could build.

I can't quite figure out where the rivalry or hatred started. Most Charlotte fans were App supporters a few years ago (ie before/during your 3peat) I am not sure who cast the first stone either App fans telling us we shouldn't bother starting a team (you will suck, no conference will want you, no shot at FBS, no recruits will want to play there - sound familiar Gonzo?), which naturally generated plenty of hate, or Charlotte fans gloating about how we would take down the mighty Appys before we played a down - also pretty stupid to say. App sure didn't lend us a hand when we needed some help, which I don't fault by the way. Butch Davis said in an off camera interview that Chapel Hill was pissed about the BOG allowing the team to be created so I am sure that to some degree none of the schools in the state were happy about it. I am guessing somewhere in the middle is the truth. In all honesty if it wasn't for a few irrational fans (Gonzo) we probably could get a long just fine. In fact it's a shame we can't get along better as fans like Gonzo seem to hate us - when in reality we should all be taking our hatred out on Chapel Hill.

As for not playing you guys - I would like to know the full story on that. We have changed staffs in basketball so that might be playing into it. I also wouldn't say we quit playing when you started winning - we took one of our better teams to App in 91 and lost. I can't really speak much for baseball as I don't pay too much attention to the sport in general. I know Chapel Hill quit playing us baseball and soccer and after we went to OT with them in basketball two straight years they won't return our calls. I understand how that feels 100%. As for Judy - I don't like her much, but I am betting she is helping App with CUSA about as much as App helped us with the Southern - which isn't very much. Might be dirty, but that is my guess. When we were in CUSA before we helped get ECU in and they returned the favor years later, which tells me Judy doesn't mind helping out a sister institution, but probably not one that wouldn't work with her.

[Rekdiver]

Yes indeed Judy torpedoed us with CUSA. She covets the loyalty ASU gets in the Charlotte metro area and we would not give UNCC a home and home game without UNCC playing in other sports. Judy did not want to do that. Judy also feel superior to ASU. She is to UNCC what Rochel Laney was to
ASU. Get rid of her and Charlotte will prosper.

[NWA49]

Get rid of her and Charlotte will prosper.

Can't really argue against that. She has done solid job with football - mainly by hiring what looks to be a good coach and getting out of his way.

Considering our size and alumni base we should be much more dominate in the market place. Obviously lack of football has played into that, but that was on her watch and we also missed an opportunity to be playing in the BE by not starting football when schools like USF did - which has put us right where we are. Truth be told without a considerable push my alumni I doubt we would have football today.

[JCline0429]

So if that holds true then the 7500 or so seats reserved for students should be full.... SHOULD being the key word there.

.....good luck with that.

Photo of the UNCC student section from this season, a very very good season:




UNCC is a glorified community college. I'm not talking about the degree, I'm talking about the experience. You drive to school and you drive home, just like you would if you were after an AD from CPCC. There is nothing about UNCC that even remotely resembles a college atmosphere and that is why their students and alumni are so transient. No bars, no cool stores selling Charlotte gear, nothing but strip malls and franchises that you'd find just about anywhere else in the Charlotte area.

The football team and light rail should do wonders to help the culture but UNCC has absolutely no hope of establishing a large fanbase without building a decent culture, waiting for students that went to school in the culture to graduate and building from there. Their BBall average puts ours to shame of course, but this is their marquee sport, they're in the hunt for the championship of a VERY good bball conference, and they still can't draw 5,000 to the game. Why the hell would it be any different for football when they'll be playing and likely losing to FCS teams? These are team UNCC fans have never heard of, or in the case of the very obnoxious message board UNCC fans, have scoffed as inferior from the onset of their football endeavor. I just don't understand the unfounded optimism and arrogance of some of their delusional fanbase that I read on AGS, Appfan and CSNBBS. These people are thoroughly convinced that UNCC has left App State in the dust athletically, a school that owes its new conference membership to location alone. As if conference affiliation necessarily gives programs an edge anyway. Is Vandy a better program than Ohio State because the SEC>the Big 10?

Congratulations, you found the only home game played at Halton during the winter break. Similar to how your home football playoff games have lower attendance than your regular season games.

I'm no UNC-C fan, but I remember back in the 70's with the day of Cornbred Maxwell and Melvin Wtakins when the 9'ers were packing almost every place they played and were making a tremendous run at the National NCAA basketball championship. Thus, in my opinion, the UNC-C athletic programs can not be under- estimated.
Having said that, I don't think UNC-C will schedule us in football anytime soon except in Charlotte. Hopefully, we decline until they will play us in KBS.

[ASUMountaineer]

I don't begrudge the 49ers for doing what is best for their school. Some of the 49er faithful did rub me wrong when the CUSA announcement was made (and even before that came to be) with all the trash talk directed towards App's football team. It was a bit much considering your team has never played a down, and we have over 75 years of history in football. It's also frustrating for our fan base to go through all the years of paying our dues, and then see upstart programs get the nod based purely on location alone.

For me though, what really makes me dislike UNCC athletics is the fact that they will no longer play us in basketball or baseball. At one time we had a good series going in both sports, but then Charlotte decided they were too good to come to Boone. That decision was made at a time when the Apps started winning on a regular basis in both sports. Call me crazy, but I see no incentive for us to support the 49ers efforts in football when we've been looked down on by the athletic department in Harrisburg. Judy Rose is doing everything in her power to discredit ASU to the other schools in CUSA which is a shame considering the rivalry we could build.

I can't quite figure out where the rivalry or hatred started. Most Charlotte fans were App supporters a few years ago (ie before/during your 3peat) I am not sure who cast the first stone either App fans telling us we shouldn't bother starting a team (you will suck, no conference will want you, no shot at FBS, no recruits will want to play there - sound familiar Gonzo?), which naturally generated plenty of hate, or Charlotte fans gloating about how we would take down the mighty Appys before we played a down - also pretty stupid to say. App sure didn't lend us a hand when we needed some help, which I don't fault by the way. Butch Davis said in an off camera interview that Chapel Hill was pissed about the BOG allowing the team to be created so I am sure that to some degree none of the schools in the state were happy about it. I am guessing somewhere in the middle is the truth. In all honesty if it wasn't for a few irrational fans (Gonzo) we probably could get a long just fine. In fact it's a shame we can't get along better as fans like Gonzo seem to hate us - when in reality we should all be taking our hatred out on Chapel Hill.

As for not playing you guys - I would like to know the full story on that. We have changed staffs in basketball so that might be playing into it. I also wouldn't say we quit playing when you started winning - we took one of our better teams to App in 91 and lost. I can't really speak much for baseball as I don't pay too much attention to the sport in general. I know Chapel Hill quit playing us baseball and soccer and after we went to OT with them in basketball two straight years they won't return our calls. I understand how that feels 100%. As for Judy - I don't like her much, but I am betting she is helping App with CUSA about as much as App helped us with the Southern - which isn't very much. Might be dirty, but that is my guess. When we were in CUSA before we helped get ECU in and they returned the favor years later, which tells me Judy doesn't mind helping out a sister institution, but probably not one that wouldn't work with her.

First, if you visit AGS, you'll see that UNCC has a few fans that are "Gonzo-esque" if you will. This is universal.

Second, it's a different issue. App State didn't help UNCC because we already had 3 schools in the SoCon that don't play both basketball and football. It makes no sense to add a 4th, especially when football is not what any conference would really want from UNCC. You basketball program is the biggest thing UNCC has to offer. App State on the other hand would have brought all sports to CUSA, would have provided UNCC with an in-state, in-conference rival that it no longer has due to ECU's move, and App State would not have been using CUSA as a place-holder. I get what you're saying, but I think that's an apples-and-oranges argument.

Lastly, I noticed your registered for this site today. Did you do this to fight the good fight against Gonzo? Gonzo can be rough around the edges, and he does hate UNCC. But, you'll notice most of us are less zealous in our posting.

[Gonzo]

I wouldn't mind playing UNCC at BOA. We would outnumber their fans 3-1 in their own city and put the whoopin on their team they've been begging for. Given the arrogant approach of Judy Rose at every turn, I would not be surprised if Cobb told Satterfield to drop 80 on them.

[ASUMountaineer]

So if that holds true then the 7500 or so seats reserved for students should be full.... SHOULD being the key word there.

.....good luck with that.

Photo of the UNCC student section from this season, a very very good season:




UNCC is a glorified community college. I'm not talking about the degree, I'm talking about the experience. You drive to school and you drive home, just like you would if you were after an AD from CPCC. There is nothing about UNCC that even remotely resembles a college atmosphere and that is why their students and alumni are so transient. No bars, no cool stores selling Charlotte gear, nothing but strip malls and franchises that you'd find just about anywhere else in the Charlotte area.

The football team and light rail should do wonders to help the culture but UNCC has absolutely no hope of establishing a large fanbase without building a decent culture, waiting for students that went to school in the culture to graduate and building from there. Their BBall average puts ours to shame of course, but this is their marquee sport, they're in the hunt for the championship of a VERY good bball conference, and they still can't draw 5,000 to the game. Why the hell would it be any different for football when they'll be playing and likely losing to FCS teams? These are team UNCC fans have never heard of, or in the case of the very obnoxious message board UNCC fans, have scoffed as inferior from the onset of their football endeavor. I just don't understand the unfounded optimism and arrogance of some of their delusional fanbase that I read on AGS, Appfan and CSNBBS. These people are thoroughly convinced that UNCC has left App State in the dust athletically, a school that owes its new conference membership to location alone. As if conference affiliation necessarily gives programs an edge anyway. Is Vandy a better program than Ohio State because the SEC>the Big 10?

Congratulations, you found the only home game played at Halton during the winter break. Similar to how your home football playoff games have lower attendance than your regular season games.

I'm no UNC-C fan, but I remember back in the 70's with the day of Cornbred Maxwell and Melvin Wtakins when the 9'ers were packing almost every place they played and were making a tremendous run at the National NCAA basketball championship. Thus, in my opinion, the UNC-C athletic programs can not be under- estimated.
Having said that, I don't think UNC-C will schedule us in football anytime soon except in Charlotte. Hopefully, we decline until they will play us in KBS.

I agree with you about App State declining to play UNCC until they agree to play us at KBS. And, I can't stand Cornbread...dude is so pompous.

[Nugget49]

It is amusing that every message board has it rational fans, and irrational idiots regardless of school and SAT score. Charlotte's too of course. Our schools are too close geograpically, and in Charlotte at least we are all going to work with or live near graduates of the other school so it makes sense that we are going to pay some attention to the other.

Having read this thread I would like to thank those that make some actual sense. We should all be proud of our schools. As a taxpayer if I thought App was a joke academically I would want it shut down, but I don't. I went to high school in a more rural part of the state and coming to the big city for college was a great fit and broadening experience for me. Kind of what college is for, right? Plenty of people find what they need and are looking for in the quieter pace of Boone. We are lucky enough to have both in NC.

I love the enthusiasm and banter on message boards. I much prefer an App State fan that pulls for the Mountaineers above everyone else than one that jumps on the UNC-CH bandwagon as "their" basketball team, so hear me what I say you should be passionate about your school and program. I guess if you feel like Charlotte is a sufficient threat to your success I will not begrudge you your right to trash us. It does seem kind of pointless though.

NWA49 makes good points about the different missions of our schools, and correctly points out that our ever expanding enrollment makes it all but impossible to jump our SAT scores. I would like to see our's go up but it may be a decade before we see a significant increase. For now it is what it is, and according to the document posted earlier in the thread we are just going to have to be satisfied with being 4-6% lower than App. I do not think you will see us change our plans to remediate that tiny difference.

Someone talked about the college experience at Charlotte and compared us to a community college. While it appears he knows more about going to community college than I do, I should say that Charlotte has more students living on campus, or within a couple miles of campus than App does. Sure, we will never be a college town where everything revolves around us, but I think we all know that just comes with being in a major market. Our students have a lot more entertainment options than what happens on campus. I guess you view that as a negative.

It was mentioned that we quit playing App every year. I don't think we ever played you every year but Charlotte does make it a habit to play in-state schools every year. This year we played UNC-A, ECU and Davidson, and we also play App, UNC-G and A&T some years. We face the same challenges you do getting UNC-CH and NCSU to play us, and forget about them coming to our court, but we are much more open to doing what is best for our fans and our state than those ACC schools. I am sure that games against App will happen again.

All schools do what is in their best interest and I am sure that when we were looking for an FCS home for football App thought keeping us down was best for them. Things went our way though and we landed in C-USA (as a founding member we had an inside track). Now that the shoe is on the other foot it is ironic that you would be upset that we are not "helping" you. Truthfully I am not sure how much pull we would have anyway. As the ACC/Big East struggle for their own survival and relevancy they will probably determine what C-USA looks like by who they take. It all runs downhill and C-USA will use open slots to balance the league, not do us a favor.

I have probably just posted the longest first post in Yosef's Cabin history. Sorry about that. I will not be here often, if ever again, but I did want to thank the good people of App, and tell the bozos that a large post count does not make you right. Just wrong more often.

[Gonzo]

Lastly, I noticed your registered for this site today. Did you do this to fight the good fight against Gonzo? Gonzo can be rough around the edges, and he does hate UNCC. But, you'll notice most of us are less zealous in our posting.

Zeal is a great character trait in a sports fan.

I refuse to apologize for being mean to UNCC fans. Arrogance earns hate: ie UNC-CH and these ****ers earned it.

Now as you all know, I will gleefully talk sports and not get under anyone's skin so long as interlopers are respectful. I've been around.

[RankinApp]

Lastly, I noticed your registered for this site today. Did you do this to fight the good fight against Gonzo?

There's a thread about this thread over at Niner Nation which is why we have the influx of 49er trolls.

http://ninernation.net/index.php?topic=30630.0

[Gonzo]

Lastly, I noticed your registered for this site today. Did you do this to fight the good fight against Gonzo?

There's a thread about this thread over at Niner Nation which is why we have the influx of 49er trolls.

http://ninernation.net/index.php?topic=30630.0

WOOOOWWW!!!

For someone who is accused of being obsessed with UNCC on AGS, I have never been to that website, but that you for bringing this to our attention.

That thread is 7 pages of UNCC fandome/arrogance in a nutshell. Read it and you will know how those us of that have delt with these idiots for over a year feel.

"App is so far back in our rearview mirror that we can't even see them any more.
I wish them luck in their little pee-wee league."

[RankinApp]

WOOOOWWW!!!

For someone who is accused of being obsessed with UNCC on AGS, I have never been to that website, but that you for bringing this to our attention.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

You're a popular guy over there G.

[Gonzo]

WOOOOWWW!!!

For someone who is accused of being obsessed with UNCC on AGS, I have never been to that website, but that you for bringing this to our attention.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

You're a popular guy over there G.

I'm a popular guy most places.

I would be careful spending too much time among likes of them, Rankin. Little-man syndrome is contagious. You might try to pioneer a re-branding effort for ASU sports or add a bunch or rivals stars to our recruits after signing day if you're there too long.

[NWA49]

Have at it hoss. You are like a child that leaves a game when things don't go his way. Hopefully you'll keep supporting Charlotte football despite several consecutive losing seasons.

'
I so tried to ignore this, but I just can't get over an App fan talking about basketball attendance.

App basketball attendance this year: 1489
App game IN CHARLOTTE vs. ECU last year (the market you both claim to own): 3,719
Charlotte Average this year: 6222

You guys have had three, yes three games where you couldn't even get 900 people to the game. You mean to tell me that on a cold night in Boone you can't get more than 1500 people to see a game? Too many people watching Carolina in their dorm rooms?

That picture is from the Radford game where we still had over 4500 people. On 12/19, during winter break. I know you don't believe this because you live in a little hole and unable to learn new things, but the majority of our student base lives close to campus and during winter break most of those students go home. It also doesn't fit your narrative, but most Charlotte students back in the day didn't go home. They went to another campus where football was happening. I spent most of my weekends in Boone, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, etc. I wasn't on our campus, but I wasn't at home either.

So even our worse attended game of the season, during winter break still was more way better than your best game.

You can talk smack about football, stadium size, championship etc - but you might want stay with that topic. I know you say something about Boone skiing, distance, etc. I find it hard to believe though that if you pack 30k people in for a football game and you are in a relatively quiet mountain town on a weeknight that you can't get to a point to average at least 2500 people.

I mean if your 1500 basketball average equates to 30k in football. Well then we need to build a bigger stadium.

[Gonzo]

Have at it hoss. You are like a child that leaves a game when things don't go his way. Hopefully you'll keep supporting Charlotte football despite several consecutive losing seasons.

'
I so tried to ignore this, but I just can't get over an App fan talking about basketball attendance.

App basketball attendance this year: 1489
App game IN CHARLOTTE vs. ECU last year (the market you both claim to own): 3,719
Charlotte Average this year: 6222

You guys have had three, yes three games where you couldn't even get 900 people to the game. You mean to tell me that on a cold night in Boone you can't get more than 1500 people to see a game? Too many people watching Carolina in their dorm rooms?

That picture is from the Radford game where we still had over 4500 people. On 12/19, during winter break. I know you don't believe this because you live in a little hole and unable to learn new things, but the majority of our student base lives close to campus and during winter break most of those students go home. It also doesn't fit your narrative, but most Charlotte students back in the day didn't go home. They went to another campus where football was happening. I spent most of my weekends in Boone, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, etc. I wasn't on our campus, but I wasn't at home either.

So even our worse attended game of the season, during winter break still was more way better than your best game.

You can talk smack about football, stadium size, championship etc - but you might want stay with that topic. I know you say something about Boone skiing, distance, etc. I find it hard to believe though that if you pack 30k people in for a football game and you are in a relatively quiet mountain town on a weeknight that you can't get to a point to average at least 2500 people.

I mean if your 1500 basketball average equates to 30k in football. Well then we need to build a bigger stadium.

The point you're missing is that we have not only seen 30 thousand App fans/confirmed that that many exist, but we do so, or at least come close, 6-7 times a year. It takes a long time to develop that kind of a following. So far you have 6k and we're in your review mirror.... Looks like you're driving in reverse.

[NWA49]

Lastly, I noticed your registered for this site today. Did you do this to fight the good fight against Gonzo? Gonzo can be rough around the edges, and he does hate UNCC. But, you'll notice most of us are less zealous in our posting.

I have visited some of you guys on AppFan. The thread on NNN got me to come visit this site. For the most part I like you guys. Like I said I reserve my hate for Chapel Hill and fans of any school that "pick" their fandom based on sport - ie im a Tarheel fan in basetball and a FSU fan in football. That crap drives me up the wall. IM all in for my 49ers - good or bad. I respect other fans who are as well.

This site is way better than Appfan.

[NWA49]

Have at it hoss. You are like a child that leaves a game when things don't go his way. Hopefully you'll keep supporting Charlotte football despite several consecutive losing seasons.

'
I so tried to ignore this, but I just can't get over an App fan talking about basketball attendance.

App basketball attendance this year: 1489
App game IN CHARLOTTE vs. ECU last year (the market you both claim to own): 3,719
Charlotte Average this year: 6222

You guys have had three, yes three games where you couldn't even get 900 people to the game. You mean to tell me that on a cold night in Boone you can't get more than 1500 people to see a game? Too many people watching Carolina in their dorm rooms?

That picture is from the Radford game where we still had over 4500 people. On 12/19, during winter break. I know you don't believe this because you live in a little hole and unable to learn new things, but the majority of our student base lives close to campus and during winter break most of those students go home. It also doesn't fit your narrative, but most Charlotte students back in the day didn't go home. They went to another campus where football was happening. I spent most of my weekends in Boone, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, etc. I wasn't on our campus, but I wasn't at home either.

So even our worse attended game of the season, during winter break still was more way better than your best game.

You can talk smack about football, stadium size, championship etc - but you might want stay with that topic. I know you say something about Boone skiing, distance, etc. I find it hard to believe though that if you pack 30k people in for a football game and you are in a relatively quiet mountain town on a weeknight that you can't get to a point to average at least 2500 people.

I mean if your 1500 basketball average equates to 30k in football. Well then we need to build a bigger stadium.

The point you're missing is that we have not only seen 30 thousand App fans/confirmed that that many exist, but we do so, or at least come close, 6-7 times a year. It takes a long time to develop that kind of a following. So far you have 6k and we're in your review mirror.... Looks like you're driving in reverse.

Again kind of hard to hold against us that which we couldn't show. "Hey you guys have never had 30k people at one of your football games!" Yup can't argue against that. Brilliant.

[ImfromClayton]

So if that holds true then the 7500 or so seats reserved for students should be full.... SHOULD being the key word there.

.....good luck with that.

Photo of the UNCC student section from this season, a very very good season:




UNCC is a glorified community college. I'm not talking about the degree, I'm talking about the experience. You drive to school and you drive home, just like you would if you were after an AD from CPCC. There is nothing about UNCC that even remotely resembles a college atmosphere and that is why their students and alumni are so transient. No bars, no cool stores selling Charlotte gear, nothing but strip malls and franchises that you'd find just about anywhere else in the Charlotte area.

The football team and light rail should do wonders to help the culture but UNCC has absolutely no hope of establishing a large fanbase without building a decent culture, waiting for students that went to school in the culture to graduate and building from there. Their BBall average puts ours to shame of course, but this is their marquee sport, they're in the hunt for the championship of a VERY good bball conference, and they still can't draw 5,000 to the game. Why the hell would it be any different for football when they'll be playing and likely losing to FCS teams? These are team UNCC fans have never heard of, or in the case of the very obnoxious message board UNCC fans, have scoffed as inferior from the onset of their football endeavor. I just don't understand the unfounded optimism and arrogance of some of their delusional fanbase that I read on AGS, Appfan and CSNBBS. These people are thoroughly convinced that UNCC has left App State in the dust athletically, a school that owes its new conference membership to location alone. As if conference affiliation necessarily gives programs an edge anyway. Is Vandy a better program than Ohio State because the SEC>the Big 10?

Hey buddy, why don't you find a picture of our students from ANY other game this season? that's a week after christmas break started. That's like us talking smack about FCS playoff attendance... it in no way reflects the support you guys get on a regular basis.

[AppinVA]

I don't begrudge the 49ers for doing what is best for their school. Some of the 49er faithful did rub me wrong when the CUSA announcement was made (and even before that came to be) with all the trash talk directed towards App's football team. It was a bit much considering your team has never played a down, and we have over 75 years of history in football. It's also frustrating for our fan base to go through all the years of paying our dues, and then see upstart programs get the nod based purely on location alone.

For me though, what really makes me dislike UNCC athletics is the fact that they will no longer play us in basketball or baseball. At one time we had a good series going in both sports, but then Charlotte decided they were too good to come to Boone. That decision was made at a time when the Apps started winning on a regular basis in both sports. Call me crazy, but I see no incentive for us to support the 49ers efforts in football when we've been looked down on by the athletic department in Harrisburg. Judy Rose is doing everything in her power to discredit ASU to the other schools in CUSA which is a shame considering the rivalry we could build.

I can't quite figure out where the rivalry or hatred started. Most Charlotte fans were App supporters a few years ago (ie before/during your 3peat) I am not sure who cast the first stone either App fans telling us we shouldn't bother starting a team (you will suck, no conference will want you, no shot at FBS, no recruits will want to play there - sound familiar Gonzo?), which naturally generated plenty of hate, or Charlotte fans gloating about how we would take down the mighty Appys before we played a down - also pretty stupid to say. App sure didn't lend us a hand when we needed some help, which I don't fault by the way. Butch Davis said in an off camera interview that Chapel Hill was pissed about the BOG allowing the team to be created so I am sure that to some degree none of the schools in the state were happy about it. I am guessing somewhere in the middle is the truth. In all honesty if it wasn't for a few irrational fans (Gonzo) we probably could get a long just fine. In fact it's a shame we can't get along better as fans like Gonzo seem to hate us - when in reality we should all be taking our hatred out on Chapel Hill.

As for not playing you guys - I would like to know the full story on that. We have changed staffs in basketball so that might be playing into it. I also wouldn't say we quit playing when you started winning - we took one of our better teams to App in 91 and lost. I can't really speak much for baseball as I don't pay too much attention to the sport in general. I know Chapel Hill quit playing us baseball and soccer and after we went to OT with them in basketball two straight years they won't return our calls. I understand how that feels 100%. As for Judy - I don't like her much, but I am betting she is helping App with CUSA about as much as App helped us with the Southern - which isn't very much. Might be dirty, but that is my guess. When we were in CUSA before we helped get ECU in and they returned the favor years later, which tells me Judy doesn't mind helping out a sister institution, but probably not one that wouldn't work with her.

I'm not sure how much we helped or didn't help when it came to SoCon membership. The reservation I had was the football-only aspect of it. The Southern isn't set up like the Missouri Valley Conference, the CAA or Southland, where the football conference shares a name with the all-sports league, but is a separate entity. I think if UNC-C had come to the SoCon with a desire to be a full member, I would've been much more behind the idea (that and 50 cents could get you a cup of coffee, mind you, but I'm sure it would've been better accepted by those that matter). Now, it would be suicide to leave the A-10 for the SoCon in most sports, so it wasn't in your best interest to do so -- just as it wasn't in the SoCon's best interest to let in a football-only member.