[SuperJon]

How people think LU sports are second-rate. It just flat out makes me mad. Most recent case: I read a friend's away message and it said they were going home for the weekend. I was next to this person during the St. Paul's game. They said they were going home this week. I IMed them asking if they were going to miss our game. Their response was that they'd be in Chapel Hill on Saturday watching the Tech game. They haven't missed a Tech game since 94 and don't plan on starting now. The only games they will be at are William and Mary and Coastal. That just makes me mad. One of the biggest reasons I can't find people to go to Towson is because it will cost money. People have said the only reason they go to LU games is because they're free. What the freaking crap? I don't see how someone can pay to go to school and not even support their own classmates on the field? That just ticks me off. Sorry to go on a rant, I felt like it was needed.

And yes, this is LU football related.

[Sly Fox]

You'll have to keep in midn that it takes time to build a culture on campus where football is considered a foundation of the weekly schedule of students. The last couple of listless years of football has fed the apathy of much of the student body. Hopefully this fall has turned the tide.

[SuperJon]

It's not that people won't go. I don't care about apathy (yes, I meant to say it like that). What makes me mad is when people put schools they've never even been students at above the ones where they are attending.

[Sly Fox]

If a student has been following a school for 18 years prior to arriving on campus, its tough to flip a switch. Frankly I don't see why they should be considered competition. If we can create an environment that sates the appetite for college football then the other school allegiances will begin to lessen. At least that is my take.

[SuperJon]

Hmm, drive 3 hours and pay for a I-A game in a 3/4 full stadium or walk out of your front door and go to a game that people you know are playing in for free? That's a real tough decision.


Me, GMTM, thesportscritic, and numerous others are doing something on Saturday that is insanely hard: we're pulling against UNC. That's even hard to type. I feel dirty just thinking it. However, they're playing LU, where we are students. They're playing our friends. They're playing our classmates. We pull for LU because of that. I've been a UNC fan for almost 20 years. People are stupid.

[SeoulFlame]

I remember a few time I saw football players wearing other schools gear. That killed me.

[SuperJon]

It's one thing to wear it, it's another to choose them over their own school. I know players that wear gear from other schools because they either have friends that played there or went to camps there or something like that.

[jcmanson]

SJ, keep your head up man. This is what I hated most for my 4 years at Lu. Some of my friends would rather go back to their dorm and play video games, than come to a game. Sure the teams weren't the best in their league, but who cares. It's your school you pay to go to. Your classmates are out there giving their all for your school, the least you can do is show up to support them.

[bigsmooth]

SJ, we know this is related to football...no need to put a disclaimer on it. im sure it is frustrating and it will take time to change the culture. it was like that when i was there too. kids would rather watch notre dame, penn st. or michigan rather than come to an LU game. keep doing what you are doing, and it will be very contagious.

[SuperJon]

I doubt it will ever change on a large part. It was the same way at Coastal. i just hate it.

[Stevev]

I guess I can say that I am guilty of loosing interest in LU's football program over the last 8 years due to the teams poor performance on the field and the admission to a poor conference. I used to go to up to 4 home games a year and all road games that were within a 2 hour radius of my hometown in Wilmington, DE. But in the last 8 years I am lucky to get myself to go to 1 home game every 2 years and 0 road games.
But times are changing with the new coach, facilities, fan interest, and all the things that a good football program should have. We just need to see some consistent positive results and I think will happen sooner than expected. I can feel the change on this board and the perception of this program I think will change with it over time. I hope to resume going to games but it is tough considering my distance and family situation but I will do my best based on what transpires with this program. Hopefully over time LU can shed that "second rate program" image.

[SuperJon]

I've never been around the teams in the past. I don't know them. The freshmen this year are the same way I am. However, all of the upper classmen talk so much crap about the team that many of the freshmen are already jaded.

[PAmedic]

yeah- wouldn't be too hip to have a positive attitude about ANYTHING at that age. Gotta play it cool. Until you're an old hag like us, then you tend to look at the bright side of anything. Well, sometimes.

[El Scorcho]

I've never been around the teams in the past. I don't know them. The freshmen this year are the same way I am. However, all of the upper classmen talk so much crap about the team that many of the freshmen are already jaded.

Unfortunately, that's how it's always been, so it just keeps going and going. I continue to hold out hope that some class is eventually going to break the cycle.

[SuperJon]

I'm hoping the freshmen this year will break it.

[TDDance234]

The senior class here at Liberty has never experienced winning. It's going to take some time to change thrat culture.

[SuperJon]

Didn't they make the NCAA tournament their freshman year?

[TIMSCAR20]

I think he was talking about football only. This class has definitely seen winning teams including the NCAA sweet 16 run by our women's hoops and the NCAA appearance by our men's hoops in 04. Track and Field and Cross Country have done really well during that time and don't forget our big south conference Champions in women's soccer. Baseball had a really good year and if they had held a 10 run lead in the tournament would have made the NCAA's this past season. I am going off the top of my head so you guys don't write and tell me I missed one or two teams on campus. You get my point though.

[SuperJon]

These people only care about football and basketball.

[LUconn]

just like me

[thepostman]

SJ basically the athletic department has done a terrible job my first 3 years promoting anything athletic and hasn't made athletics something worth going to see. I always go because I love supporting them, but for the average person when the athletic department doesn't seem excited its hard for them to get excited. The new administration seems to be doing a better job with that, but it takes time and won't happen over night. Its not worth getting ticked off about, its part of being part of a small divison I sports, this is how people are....in a few years if things keep going as they are with the athletic department I see it changing.

[thepostman]

and ps, for the most part at all colleges all the students truely embrace is football and basketball, some schools have traditions in other sports, but basketball and football are the money makers, its the way the country is man...not just liberty

[SuperJon]

The sad thing is it's going to take a free t-shirt giveaway or something like that to get people to keep coming. I highly doubt that will happen though. Coastal did free t-shirts at two games for the first 500 at basketball games last year before they started winning. That's what it's gonna take for basketball this year.

[flameshaw]

SJ,

I live within 20 miles of Chapel Hill, but I am driving to The Burg to watch LU football with tickets I paid for and was offered free tickets to see UNC/Tech so, not all is as it seems. Someone did mention earlier, that as a student sometimes things are not as important now as they will be some day. However, with the new buzz around the program and a winning season, things will right themselves quickly. Basketball used to have that atmosphere with an almost full Vines Center every game. Hope it is that way again soon. I remember the 1st Midnight Madness when most seats were full. Winning will and does cure everything.

BTW, I thought Carolina Football was an oxymoron.

[jimflamesfan]

I actually hate the fact that the homecomming game is free for alumni. Charge us $5 a ticket or something...don't make it free for alumni...the alumni will still come and pay $5...it gives LU a poor image...

(I bought season tickets, so technically, I paid for my tickets anyway).