Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Skip navigation

A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

DeltAlumnus said

fauowls44 said

Rick said

fauowls44 said

I meant the department's financial problems…Those issues would certainly be helped by more alumni support.


Well, I think we should clarify what exactly would be spent upon to elevate wins.

Because that is all that really matters here…….

That's what brings people back, that's what gets people involved, and that's what grows the program for the most part.

Is it?  We've had winning teams before and we weren't exactly packing the stadium (I realize it was Lockhart, but still) and the success didn't last.

When I mentioned our problem before, I wasn't talking about the team winning or losing.  My original post was about the attitude of the poster I responded to.  "I graduate in May and will probably never go to another FAU game."  Why?  Because the team sucks RIGHT NOW?  That's just an excuse and a very shortsighted way to be a fan.  Just admit that you don't care enough about FAU football to want to go to the games after you graduate…and that is precisely the main problem we have.  How do you get people to care?  I care.  I know this team sucks, but I buy season tickets and go to every game.  Not to make it sound like I'm better than anyone else (I'm certainly not), but we need a few thousand more fans like me.  It's not just winning.  Winning helps, but having fans that are actually invested in the program and will go even when things aren't going well is more important.  That is what a fan base is all about.  All of you are talking about how you need to win and have a media friendly coach….well, we've had winning teams AND the media friendly coach…and that got us what exactly??  I'm not just talking about one season.  We will have good teams and we'll have bad teams, but if that poster is indicative of the attitude of the students then we may as well shut down the program because we'd have no shot at building a fan base.


I graduated in May and bought season tickets! I plan to next year no matter what. The problem is for every FAU fan like me or you there is 100 who can take or leave the football team. So you need to be great in every facet especially in fan relations. We are not a position to be able to afford a coach who alienates the fan base.

But this coach has only been here 7 games.  I don't know if he's the long-term answer here, but blaming him for much of anything so far is silly.  He isn't the problem with the fan base.  People aren't not coming to games because of anything Pelini has or has not done.  The fan base has been an issue since the program started.  Everyone talks about winning…we've had winning teams.  Now the excuse is that the coach is unfriendly.  Well, we had the All-Time Fan Friendliest Coach ever in Howard and people still didn't come.  My point is that you shouldn't have to be "great in every facet" to make people care about their school and football program.  There are plenty of lousy football programs that out-drew us even when we were winning.  This is only superfically a problem of lack of winning.  The bigger issue is that not enough people care.  IMO, the building of the fan base is on the students, but if the attitude is "I'm graduating and since we only won 2 games in my time at school, I'll never go again", then we are doomed. 
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

fauowls44 said

Rick said

fauowls44 said

I meant the department's financial problems…Those issues would certainly be helped by more alumni support.


Well, I think we should clarify what exactly would be spent upon to elevate wins.

Because that is all that really matters here…….

That's what brings people back, that's what gets people involved, and that's what grows the program for the most part.

Is it?  We've had winning teams before and we weren't exactly packing the stadium (I realize it was Lockhart, but still) and the success didn't last.

Have you been to the last couple of games at home?

Anyway, thought you were talking about results on the field…so thanks for clarifying!
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

Owl_Ranger said

It just sucks that I'll graduate from the institution in may and have only seen the team win 2 games. I will prob never go to an FAU football game again..

I know you are frustrated as we all are but really think about this comment.  There will be good years and bad years, if you really mean this you were not much of an FAU fan in the first place.

There are much better days ahead for FAU and FAU Football.

GO OWLS!
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

The key to growing the fan base organically is to keep improving the game day experience for the students. They've gone one step in the right direction moving the rats mouth, but winning, or at least a team you can be proud of will help too. Then, as they graduate and look fondly back on the days when there were an UG they'll want to come back and stay connected. It'll take many years of graduates to fill that stadium alone so we need to engage the other 100,000 alum in the area, how do we do that??

REALLY win. 7 wins against ULM, ULL and Troy don't energize anyone but us losers that love em no matter what, and I don't consider that winning. Winning is beating Arkansas on the road and getting national press, then getting ESPN games and taking Auburn and Baylor to the line. The Baylor game for ULM was their first ever sellout! They have had a team since…1937!!!!! The random alum and local got off their ass to actually see that team this year, all because of the Arky win, period.
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

USMCOWL said

walty12 said

This is rock bottom folks.  Remember it…

This is entirely coaching.  Not enough talent?  Shut up.  With the right leadership there is enough talent to win the SunBelt conference no problem.  You obviously dont understand sports if you think we just need talent to win.

This coaching staff better gut check and start acting like leaders and teach these kids how to execute and believe in themselves and how to win.  I am sick and tired of these kids looking like they have no idea whats going on out there.

Pelini gets next year…we dont go to a bowl, get the F out of town.
Walty you can only coach so much. When the field goal unit can't get guys down to help your kicker, its execution. When you play conservative its coaching. Tonight on special teams it was execution not coaching. Six points left off the board in regulation due to poor execution is no good.

I have a basic special teams question.

We were on thier 16 and attempted a 22 yard FG which was blocked, correct? Excuse me but if so, the problem begins and ends with the location of where we are attempting our kicks from. They are ALWAYS 7 yards from the ball spot so if we are snapping to a point only 6 yards back and not 7, the geometry of the angle of the kick is screwed up from the beginning being too close to the LOS, making it easier to block EITHER by the middle bull rush or the outside shoot rush!

Anyhow, 3 blocked kicks in a year sucks, let alone in a single gamel the game was ours at the end of regulation AND after we held them to a FG in the 1st OT. Gotta have some stones if you are gonna Coach any sport Coaches, otherwise you will have a either a very short or a very unremarkable career.
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

Rick said

fauowls44 said

Rick said

fauowls44 said

I meant the department's financial problems…Those issues would certainly be helped by more alumni support.


Well, I think we should clarify what exactly would be spent upon to elevate wins.

Because that is all that really matters here…….

That's what brings people back, that's what gets people involved, and that's what grows the program for the most part.

Is it?  We've had winning teams before and we weren't exactly packing the stadium (I realize it was Lockhart, but still) and the success didn't last.

Have you been to the last couple of games at home?

Anyway, thought you were talking about results on the field…so thanks for clarifying!

Yes, I've been at both home games.  And no problem, I had a feeling we were talking about two different things.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you that what happens on the field matters….just not as much as people like to say it does.  Same with how likeable the coach is.  I just think that if you are blaming lack of winning or Pelini's personality as the reason for poor attendnace, you haven't been paying attention the last decade.  It's ALWAYS been a problem.

Winning, especially at the mid-major level is largely cyclical.  Winning can get you noticed, but it doesn't necessarily make people care.  Just look south.  FIU had some good wins last year and people took notice.  They were talked about some more locally and nationally, but are there any more loyal FIU fans then there were before?  Not really.  If anything, their attendance has been worse this year then it was before.  Oh, and they have a coach that is a media darling down here.  Penn State is obviously an extreme example (and yes, I am aware that it's a ridiculous comparison, but I promise I'm going someplace with this!), but that program went through the worst possible thing that could happen to a program and they still sell out their enourmous stadium.  Why?  Because people that go to that school love that school and one of the ways that they show that is they fill that stadium, no matter what.  They don't just love winning…they LOVE Penn State.  We don't have enough people who love FAU right now…and THAT is our real problem…not whether the coach is lovable or not.  Coaches come and go…teams have good seasons and bad seasons.  If you are a FAU student or alumni, neither should be the determining factor of whether you support the team or not.  If you care about FAU (and obviously if you can afford it) and you want to see the team improve, you will go.  A great home field advantage will sell better players on coming here and an empty stadium will drive them away.

Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

fauowls44 said

Yes, I've been at both home games.  And no problem, I had a feeling we were talking about two different things.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you that what happens on the field matters….just not as much as people like to say it does.  Same with how likeable the coach is.  I just think that if you are blaming lack of winning or Pelini's personality as the reason for poor attendnace, you haven't been paying attention the last decade.  It's ALWAYS been a problem.

Winning, especially at the mid-major level is largely cyclical.  Winning can get you noticed, but it doesn't necessarily make people care.  Just look south.  FIU had some good wins last year and people took notice.  They were talked about some more locally and nationally, but are there any more loyal FIU fans then there were before?  Not really.  If anything, their attendance has been worse this year then it was before.  Oh, and they have a coach that is a media darling down here.  Penn State is obviously an extreme example (and yes, I am aware that it's a ridiculous comparison, but I promise I'm going someplace with this!), but that program went through the worst possible thing that could happen to a program and they still sell out their enourmous stadium.  Why?  Because people that go to that school love that school and one of the ways that they show that is they fill that stadium, no matter what.  They don't just love winning…they LOVE Penn State.  We don't have enough people who love FAU right now…and THAT is our real problem…not whether the coach is lovable or not.  Coaches come and go…teams have good seasons and bad seasons.  If you are a FAU student or alumni, neither should be the determining factor of whether you support the team or not.  If you care about FAU (and obviously if you can afford it) and you want to see the team improve, you will go.  A great home field advantage will sell better players on coming here and an empty stadium will drive them away.

Gotcha…Understand your plea for Alumni and Fan involvement based on love of program soley, and agree.

On a side note, while observing our more than modest 12 year history that is contributing significantly to the attendance at large while the program churns through turbulent waters:

Believe it has been shown we can attract non FAU fans while being successful…The Colgate, and USF games at Lockhart are two prime examples on the upper tier of Owl contest attendance. And we have had solid 12K showings, not inflated, for other games as well.

The common denominator there was winning though, not love of program…we simply don't have a caring base as you mention - let alone dedicated student attendees.

Since laying some serious eggs dating back to the WKU Stadium opener which rode hype for bodies, no one is coming. They can announce 12K+ all they want, the reality is that there are 5-8K actual people in the stands.

Sad, but all people care about when thinking of FAU football right now is winning.

Are we ready for, or even capable of putting 20K+ in the stands even with an 8-4 season that offers a 5-1 home mark? No.

We now have to battle the stigma attached to the program as a "loser". Couple that with the "non loving" base, and you have the recipe for humming aluminum and steel.

Parting shot:

FIU simply has a much more apathetic base, is in the wrong area, and no one wants to drive there. They could be 12-0 and barely scrape 10K+ actual attendees, IMO.
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

dusky256fc said

Owl_Ranger said

It just sucks that I'll graduate from the institution in may and have only seen the team win 2 games. I will prob never go to an FAU football game again..

I know you are frustrated as we all are but really think about this comment.  There will be good years and bad years, if you really mean this you were not much of an FAU fan in the first place.

There are much better days ahead for FAU and FAU Football.

I'll be at next weeks tailgate.. Prob won't go into the stadium though. The only game I can really see myself going to would be Shula Bowl. But even then, we'll prob be down by 20 at half time which means the after-pool party will be starting a little early that week  8)
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

Owl_Ranger said

dusky256fc said

Owl_Ranger said

It just sucks that I'll graduate from the institution in may and have only seen the team win 2 games. I will prob never go to an FAU football game again..

I know you are frustrated as we all are but really think about this comment.  There will be good years and bad years, if you really mean this you were not much of an FAU fan in the first place.

There are much better days ahead for FAU and FAU Football.

I'll be at next weeks tailgate.. Prob won't go into the stadium though. The only game I can really see myself going to would be Shula Bowl. But even then, we'll prob be down by 20 at half time which means the after-pool party will be starting a little early that week  8)

Ugh.  This guy is the worst. >:(
Back to the top

Post

Re: A must read Tweet .....makes me say wow

I don't think we can put this on the fans.  It is a choice to support the teams, not a job. It is however the coach and AD's job to give fans a reason to go.  Most of us on this board are diehard fans that will continue to root for FAU no matter what but we're mostly alumni and have a special bond with the school, and we're a very small percentage of the population.  Realistically, if I'm a local resident with no affiliation to the school, I could probably find something a lot better to do on a saturday than watch a 1-11 football team play.  No one likes a loser.  It's not the fans fault, its the programs fault.   

FAU - We got Bowls!
Back to the top
Control functions: