[Kolzilla41]

We wouldnt even be in the 5 home game predicament if it wasnt for the fact that nobody wanted to come to Lynchburg to fill in the gap left by NCCU...did you fail to remember that? Yes it is a bummer that we will only have four games in Williams Stadium but you do realize that THEY CANT CONTROL EVERYTHING!!!!!! And do you have a problem with the fact that our chancellor decided to do a little forward thinking and consider other uses and potential revenue streams that could be made possible through the club part of the new tower? Have you not noticed that students have been clamoring for a second dining facility since before dinosaurs roamed the earth? (ok that is a bit hyperbolic but its been quite a while) God forbid they actually finally take something that the students actually wanted and decided they finally had the means to make it happen.

It's alright Beej. Take a breather....

[LUnpretty11]

We wouldnt even be in the 5 home game predicament if it wasnt for the fact that nobody wanted to come to Lynchburg to fill in the gap left by NCCU...did you fail to remember that? Yes it is a bummer that we will only have four games in Williams Stadium but you do realize that THEY CANT CONTROL EVERYTHING!!!!!! And do you have a problem with the fact that our chancellor decided to do a little forward thinking and consider other uses and potential revenue streams that could be made possible through the club part of the new tower? Have you not noticed that students have been clamoring for a second dining facility since before dinosaurs roamed the earth? (ok that is a bit hyperbolic but its been quite a while) God forbid they actually finally take something that the students actually wanted and decided they finally had the means to make it happen.

No, correct, not really, and yes.
I agree with sch14teen. I think this could have been and should have been planned out better in advance. If they wanted to make significant changes, they should have done it or thought about it before the last week of July/first week of August. I'm not passing blame on JJ or JB. What I am saying, is that if I were a FCM and had dropped some serious cash to see 5 home games in my beautiful new seats, I'd be ticked.

[BJWilliams]

Maybe you would be but my guess is that they made sure to contact the folks who were in those seats and let them know what was going on. If you are in the mind of every single member of the Flames club and know they are all unhappy then more power to ya...but I dont think you should cast such wide aspersions on people.

[NG33]

Hahaha I didn't even realize I did that. I hear it pronounced like that all the time and it's just ingrained in my head kind of like people saying "for all intensive purposes" instead of "for all intents and purposes"

[flameshaw]

Well, I played in the first LU game ever and we played it in City Stadium. I guess I will now get to watch the last LU football game ever (I hope), in City Stadium.

We thought it was a great place to play back in 73, LOL!!!!! I suspect we will survive the inconvenience, was looking forward to the 4th, guess we will just have to wait a few more weeks.

[thepostman]

of course it should have been planned better...but anybody that thought this was going to get done on time was:
1. kidding themselves or
2. haven't been around LU for very long

simple as that....that and LCA should've finished their season at city stadium, haha..(I know...other schools play there_

[BJWilliams]

yeah other schools play there (I know...I broadcast for one of them)

[LUnpretty11]

Easy BJ. I personally think that it is kind of cool to be back in the old stadium for history's sake, but still find it disappointing. Doesn't matter if some or all people should have expected William's to not be ready. You're kidding yourself if you're not disappointed.

[BJWilliams]

I am disappointed to a degree but I am also understanding all the wackiness that has gone on and changes that had to be made and Im glad that we at least had a plan in place to keep the game in Lynchburg (imagine the outcry if the game was moved to PA or some other notion). Is it what everybody wanted? no...but at least they had the forethought to have a plan in place

[thepostman]

Easy BJ. I personally think that it is kind of cool to be back in the old stadium for history's sake, but still find it disappointing. Doesn't matter if some or all people should have expected William's to not be ready. You're kidding yourself if you're not disappointed.

of course I am disappointed...never said I wasn't...I just have learned through the years to not expect things to finish when they are suppose to...it is what it is..and really LU could make this trip to city stadium really cool

[LUnpretty11]

I am disappointed to a degree but I am also understanding all the wackiness that has gone on and changes that had to be made and Im glad that we at least had a plan in place to keep the game in Lynchburg (imagine the outcry if the game was moved to PA or some other notion). Is it what everybody wanted? no...but at least they had the forethought to have a plan in place

I agree. I'm glad they had a backup plan. I wish they didn't have to, and that's all I'm saying.

[LUnpretty11]

it is what it is..and really LU could make this trip to city stadium really cool

Agreed.

[01LUGrad]

Is anyone else concerned about the poor drainage at the Bill? I know it doesn't rain that hard very often, but the place looks like it did vs. JMU last year. Can anything be done about this?

http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 34&TeamID=

[LUnpretty11]

Is anyone else concerned about the poor drainage at the Bill? I know it doesn't rain that hard very often, but the place looks like it did vs. JMU last year. Can anything be done about this?

http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 34&TeamID=

I looked worse than JMU today. You're right though 100%. Something better needs to be done about it.

[kuntryboimike]

Is anyone else concerned about the poor drainage at the Bill? I know it doesn't rain that hard very often, but the place looks like it did vs. JMU last year. Can anything be done about this?

http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 34&TeamID=

I looked worse than JMU today. You're right though 100%. Something better needs to be done about it.

i would IMAGINE after today the issue is probably being talked about again. hopefully something is done! i agree something NEEDS to be done...ha one more thing they can fix since they have until oct. 2nd to do what they need to do with the facility.

[rogers3]

Is anyone else concerned about the poor drainage at the Bill? I know it doesn't rain that hard very often, but the place looks like it did vs. JMU last year. Can anything be done about this?

http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 34&TeamID=

I looked worse than JMU today. You're right though 100%. Something better needs to be done about it.

i would IMAGINE after today the issue is probably being talked about again. hopefully something is done! i agree something NEEDS to be done...ha one more thing they can fix since they have until oct. 2nd to do what they need to do with the facility.

Maybe that will be the excuse that is used when it is "realized" that we will be playing at City Stadium again on Oct 2.

I can't help thinking that there is more to this story.

[BJWilliams]

@rogers3:

anyway I was heading off campus tonight and saw all sorts of lights on all over the construction. I couldnt tell if people were working or if it was just so stuff wouldnt disapper but there were a bunch of lights on up there

[SuperJon]

The disappointing part about this whole thing is that it's not athletics related. Athletics did everything humanly possible to get this thing ready, even if it was just a shell, for the first game and it was on track to be ready. I don't envy Kevin Keys in this situation at all. There has been all sorts of advertising sold on the condition of a five game home season (which is already hard enough), a video board, and 19,000 people in a brand new stadium. That's completely changed now. I just hope that athletics doesn't have to foot the bill for a portable video board (are we going to have one?), the change in equipment needed to televise the game (which I'm assuming we still are?), and all of the other things needed for a quality game operation.

With that being said, there are a few "positives." This was announced on August 5 so there is a month to get all of the changes made that need to be made. People who had made plans to come in that now aren't can at least try to get refunds for those plans. We didn't find out all of this a week before. It's a curveball that sucks but at least it was in advance.

Lastly, from everyone I've talked to on campus, this building is more than worth the wait. It's going to suck for the first game but this is going to be more than awesome for the rest of them.

[rogers3]

@rogers3:

anyway I was heading off campus tonight and saw all sorts of lights on all over the construction. I couldnt tell if people were working or if it was just so stuff wouldnt disapper but there were a bunch of lights on up there

A little bit of frustration is OK BJ! I might have a bit more at stake than you do. Actually, I'll most likely be home with a newborn, so the first game was up in the air, already.

Several people have commented that work hasn't proceeded all night, so really, another surprise wouldn't shock me. One thing I do know- Branch is not a company that tends to miss their deadlines, so the failure to miss this one was not just realized today. Companies of their size are used to working within the constraints of losing their bond when not meeting the contract date completion. State law requires a date of completion and generally, it is changed via contract. I wouldn't be surprised if this hadn't been known for a while and simply kept under wraps.

[SuperJon]

From Chris:

The game will begin at either 3:30 or 7 p.m. and all tickets will be $5 general admission seats.

Barber said there is already a plan in place to offer rebates to season-ticket holders. Of the 18 suites in the new building, 14 have been sold at the cost of $20,000 for the season.

Full Article

[Kolzilla41]

This is the reason Barber and Chancellor Falwell are in leadership positions. It's not always easy to make the right call.

There would be no air conditioning in the building. The elevators wouldn’t have been functional. And there was concern that game management — scoreboard operation, television and radio booths, etc. — would not be ready.

“We’ve had to take a step back in order to get this right and have it done first class all the way,” Barber said.

Plus, officials from Branch & Associates Inc., which is handling the construction, told LU officials that it would take two days to remove all the construction equipment from the stadium, and another two days to bring it back to resume work. So the school risked falling further behind, and there was a chance the building wouldn’t be completely ready in time for the Oct. 2 game.

[Stevev]

While I can see the frustration of LU students, season ticket holds, and locals that will be attending the game, after reading the article in today's N & A I think that the admin of LU made the right decision here in regards to cost and inconvieniance. As Morgan Hout would say, "Never sacrifice the future on the alter of the immediate" and that would apply in this case. Besides that it is only St Francis that we are playing and the game should be over by halftime anyway with 2nd and 3rd teamers in there doing there thing in the second half. It's not like we are playing JMU or W & M. No big deal. But you locals and those that do attend every game deserve better since you are all so loyal to LU and all but things do happen and happen for a reason.

[jcmanson]

All tickets are $5? Does that include students?

[Kolzilla41]

All tickets are $5? Does that include students?

Students are free still.

[PAmedic]

loved this ^^^

you wanna change uniforms- this is the way to go.