Unprecedented National Attention

[EastHallApp]

Now if we can just convince the announcers to stop doing the "Looks like lil' David has brought his slingshot down from the mountain again!" cliches every time we play a P5...

[mbnc]

Michigan was the shot heard around the football world. Most of the country had never heard of us before then. It put us on the map, but for a long time, that's all we were to most people: that team who beat Michigan.

Saturday was proof that we could do it again. Of course, you already knew that if you were paying attention, what with how many times we've played games like that and lost on the last possession. But close losses don't register in the national consciousness. We don't want to be David anymore. We don't want to be giant killers anymore. We want a seat at the table. We're trying to make our way onto the national scene, and we needed to close one out to prove that Michigan wasn't a fluke and to give people something else to talk about.

So they're both big, but in different ways. I would say the national attention is similar this time around, but agree with the social media comment. It was around in 2007, but we weren't carrying it in our pockets yet. The only smartphones were Blackberries, and only if you had the money to spend on it. The iPhone had just gone on sale two months before, so that ecosystem wasn't developed the way it is now. Social media didn't pervade every aspect of life simply because it didn't follow you around: you had to open your computer and engage with it intentionally. These days, it amplifies everything because it's completely integrated into the fabric of society. So it seems to me that we're getting about as much attention as last time, it just looks a little different this time. Except GameDay. We didn't get GameDay.

I do hope all this attention won't be a distraction from the Troy game. The last time everyone was talking about us like this, we were ranked #20. The noise reached a fever pitch for the Halloween game against Stink, who then proceeded to crush our NY6 hopes in front of the entire country.

[WASU 93]

Now if we can just convince the announcers to stop doing the "Looks like lil' David has brought his slingshot down from the mountain again!" cliches every time we play a P5...

Hey, if the shoe fits......

From David M. Hale-ESPN Staff Writer:

Check back on App State's recent history against the Power 5: Just a week ago, the Mountaineers traded body blows with North Carolina in a 63-61 loss. In 2021, only a late field goal saved Miami, which won 25-23. In 2019, App State won on the road at North Carolina and South Carolina. In 2018, App took Penn State to overtime. In 2017, it lost to Wake Forest by just one point. Add in another overtime loss to Tennessee in 2016, and App has been tied or ahead in the fourth quarter in eight of its past 10 against the Power 5

[WASU 93]

Michigan was the shot heard around the football world. Most of the country had never heard of us before then. It put us on the map, but for a long time, that's all we were to most people: that team who beat Michigan.

Saturday was proof that we could do it again. Of course, you already knew that if you were paying attention, what with how many times we've played games like that and lost on the last possession. But close losses don't register in the national consciousness. We don't want to be David anymore. We don't want to be giant killers anymore. We want a seat at the table. We're trying to make our way onto the national scene, and we needed to close one out to prove that Michigan wasn't a fluke and to give people something else to talk about.

So they're both big, but in different ways. I would say the national attention is similar this time around, but agree with the social media comment. It was around in 2007, but we weren't carrying it in our pockets yet. The only smartphones were Blackberries, and only if you had the money to spend on it. The iPhone had just gone on sale two months before, so that ecosystem wasn't developed the way it is now. Social media didn't pervade every aspect of life simply because it didn't follow you around: you had to open your computer and engage with it intentionally. These days, it amplifies everything because it's completely integrated into the fabric of society. So it seems to me that we're getting about as much attention as last time, it just looks a little different this time. Except GameDay. We didn't get GameDay.

I do hope all this attention won't be a distraction from the Troy game. The last time everyone was talking about us like this, we were ranked #20. The noise reached a fever pitch for the Halloween game against Stink, who then proceeded to crush our NY6 hopes in front of the entire country.

They did, and they earned the victory. But, that was also a fluke weather deal (or typical Boone weather) with rain and sleet and winds blowing 30-50 mph. The referees couldn't place the ball between downs without the ball rolling the field and we were basically forced to be one dimensional without the balance of a passing game. FG's looked more like boomerang throws. We may have come out a little flat, but that was not a normal football game and it wasn't all caused by a distraction.

[appalum2003]

all i have to say is that OF COURSE i want App to win every single game they play

i wasn't overly optimistic going in to this one because, well, look at those insane recruiting classes -- year after year

but i've been here for a while now... and before I started feeling bad about a potential loss, i just remembered "dude, this is what we were fighting for for SO long - the chance to play the big boys on national tv and compete, year after year"

and guys, win or lose, look at how far we've come as a program - we're definitely not finished yet, but i, for one, am really enjoying where we've taken this thing... it's great to be a mountaineer

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Put it this way. When I stopped to pump
gas in 2007 and someone saw either my license plate or my shirt or hat I got comments and conversion for weeks. We had a student teacher conference and one of the teachers was I believe a Michigan State grad. She thanked me like I had played.

Fast forward to Saturday. Went to the store with my gear on. Not a word. Saw a lady in a Marshall shirt. I thought about saying something but I let it go.

I think it was right before Covid started but I think I posted here even, but I was pumping gas at the Costco in Greensboro and had the front pump so I had some App stickers on the car and the guy behind me walks up and starts a conversation. He was from Ohio or maybe Penn St and felt the need to say something to me about the UM game.

[Apptiger]

[appdaze]

If we had kept the momentum from Michigan for more years to come, I think Michigan would mean even more for our program. Unfortunately, we fell a bit after AE left. 2011-2014 was a really tense time as we were in such a flux that we could have gone either direction from those 2 8-4 seasons and the 4-8 season. Thankfully we were able to dig back out of that. To me, that time period wiped away the momentum and shine from the Michigan game. After that, it was back in the category of a "fluke" in the eyes of the sports world.

I think the Texas A&M game is bigger as it sets our newest success on a different level. When we are complaining about losing to UNC after that wild shootout, that just shows how our expectations have changed as fast as our program's new success. It's like we've been winning at this level for decades instead of 8 years while going through multiple coaches. The Tammy game is bigger because there is no way for anyone to call It a fluke this time. We won because we were the better team, period. That is truly setting in with the media now, and that is a huge step towards keeping us in the minds of the national sports culture. That is the place we need to be. That is what makes us a house-recognized name every year.

[Cro-Magnon App]

If you have on Appalachian State gear and meet up with a Michigan person, they will say “oh, no” as one lady said to me in Nashville some weeks ago. They have not forgotten and it is 15 years after the game and quite a few years since they smashed us which they don’t remember. This is the effect of the win in 2007.

[appstate77]

I've had Michigan gear wearing people turn and walk the opposite direction from me when they saw my App gear.

[WASU 93]

A&M has 56 4-Star and 5-Star players on their roster
App State has 1

Football Spend per Year:
A&M $36.8M
App State $9.7M

Coaches Salaries:
A&M $16M
App State $3M

4:50 Mark

[appdaze]

That is just one fan base. We only changed their program by pushing them to move on from an aging coach sooner rather than later. He was already souring his stay a bit even though he was 36-14 his last four seasons; they were 1-4 in bowls and lost the big ones. He also couldn't get over the Ohio state hump anymore. The coffin was already being built, we just helped with the final nails. So yes, Michigan and Ohio state fans will remember us a long time because of their rivalry. Outside of that and us, the average person hardly remembers that game even happened unless they catch one of those biggest upset of all time rankings they throw around a few times a year.

Beating Texas A&M can launch us into house hold territory if we play our cards right. Beat NCSU when they come to town. Beat UNC again next year along with ECU. You will see a different level of recognition from there on out that starts with this Tammy win.

[Black Saturday]

A&M has 56 4-Star and 5-Star players on their roster
App State has 1

Football Spend per Year:
A&M $36.8M
App State $9.7M

Coaches Salaries:
A&M $16M
App State $3M

4:50 Mark

Who is our 4 star...Chase?

[GmanAppfan]

Could anyone imagine 15 years ago even after beating Michigan that we would be 1-1 on our season and ranked 27th in the nation. Guys weve lost one game already this year and we are still knocking on the door at the AP. I know we wanna win every game and we should have beaten UNC but we are still ranked above them. The national exposure and respect is there. The whole cfb world knows us. We didnt sneak up on A&M they knew exactly who was coming. We have all the national exposure we need now we just need to back it up.

[bigdaddyg]

A&M has 56 4-Star and 5-Star players on their roster
App State has 1

Football Spend per Year:
A&M $36.8M
App State $9.7M

Coaches Salaries:
A&M $16M
App State $3M

4:50 Mark

That is an awesome meltdown

[Stonewall]

Beating Michigan was the biggest upset in the storied history of college football , and one of the greatest upsets in sports , period.Reminded me of the Lake Placid Hockey game against CCCP. It was truly "David and Goliath". It may go down in history as such for centuries .The A&M game was a great win as I expected it to be.The domination of them I frankly did not expect.We dominated them sans a short kick off and missed tackle , probably left 14 points off the board by inches.

[BeauFoster]

If you have on Appalachian State gear and meet up with a Michigan person, they will say “oh, no” as one lady said to me in Nashville some weeks ago. They have not forgotten and it is 15 years after the game and quite a few years since they smashed us which they don’t remember. This is the effect of the win in 2007.

My company has an office in Ann Arbor, I work with a ton of UM grads, and I’ve spent a bunch of time up there. It’s a great city-a lot like Boone just much bigger. I don’t rub my affiliation in their faces too much, but I do have the portrait of the blocked field goal in view of my webcam so they have to see it when I go in video. That always elicits great reactions

[mbnc]

I lived in Charlotte when Michigan basketball was in the Final Four a few years after our game with them. I had a good friend there who was a Michigan grad, and I texted him to see what he was up to that night. He told me he was at a bar watching the game and that I was welcome to join him. I figured he just went out because he didn't feel like being at home, so I said sure.

My ex and I got there, we opened the door, and I looked around. This place was wall-to-wall packed with Michigan fans. Standing room only, shoulder to shoulder. I'd guess maybe 300 of them, give or take. What my friend didn't tell me was that this bar just happened to be Charlotte's official Michigan bar. I looked down at my shirt, and of course I had chosen an App one that day. I turned to my ex, said "this will be interesting," then went in anyway.

I had a lot of comments directed at me, but most were friendly enough once they knew I wasn't there to stir the pot. Being Michigan fans living in Charlotte, they were probably used to being around App grads. It was fine in the end. I actually ended up getting along pretty well with the people around us. But yes, it was a bit nerve-wracking when I first walked in there.

[mountaineerman]

From a personal standpoint this one got the monkey off our back. After watching
wake in person
Penn state in person
Tennessee in person
UNC in person
T AM from my couch
There was some kind of sweet release with this one.
Not enough said about the Coaching that went into this game and the confidence.
Two games in a row I’ve watched an offense that just is like fine wine.
Pretty sure I was an absolute maniac Saturday as my wife left the house and went shopping!

[ApexASU]

Michigan baked the cake...A&M just put icing on it..........

App may have been the cupcake back in '07 but they are the whole sweet cake now!