[SuperJon]

Alright guys, we've had discussions about involvement before, but they were just discussions. I have a meeting with Jeff Barber sometime the week of the 10th (that's when he told me to schedule it for) about starting a student involvement group. I have my own ideas but I want to see what everyone else says. I would DEFINITELY get the Red Man Group involved in this big time. What do you guys think we should name it? What benefits should students involved in the group get? What types of things do you think the students should try to do? Do you think students would join and get active if there was a group for them to actually join? Like I said, I have a ton of ideas, and I'll post them, I just want to see what some of you guys think first.

[A.G.]

Why,
The Brokeback Flamers, of course! Granted, the name would apply better to the college 74 miles to our north.

[Sly Fox]

How about the FlameFans.com'ers. We could use the pub.

Seriously I like you taking the bull by the horns, SJ. This is absolutely needed on campus.

[BJWilliams]

Heck Id join. itd be nice to have some connection with the marching band in this sort of a venture

[thesportscritic]

I think maybe we should have the group wear red and blue shirts to the games with the group name on the shirts. Maybe getting some chants together. I will have to think about it more and post. It is good to see something like this group try to develop. This is definitely needed.

[SuperJon]

I would definitely want to get club shirts. And with Universal Tees doing so much with LU shirts, I'd love to get club sweatshirts, shorts, all of that. I know we occasionally have spirit day where students can wear red t-shirts, but what I think would be awesome, and would be a big "perk" for the group, is the Friday before game days be allowed to wear the club t-shirt and club windpants or something like that so that people will see it on campus and it'll click, "Alright, game day." I know yesterday the women's hockey team wore their jerseys to class to promote their late skate last night or something like that.

Another thing I'm going to be big about, is there is NOTHING on campus that says when we have games or what's going on on campus. That is one of the biggest things I've noticed about LU different from Coastal. The only way to know a game or event is going on really (besides maybe a passing statement in convo) is to check the website. What we need is a couple of banners hung up around campus that says, "Women's Soccer Game Thursday 7PM" or something like that. Banners at the entrance to the tunnel under 460, one by DeMoss, one by the Vines, and one by the Rot. Most students pass every single one of those every day, and all students pass by at least one of them everyday. Someone walking around campus one night with nothing to do (cause let's be honest, there ain't much in Lynchburg) could see a banner and be like, "Oh, ok, volleyball, that could be fun."

Keep the ideas coming, and I'll start sharing more of mine with you.

[thesportscritic]

I think instead of those announcements in convocation, the team including coaches should talk about the game on the day of the game or before depending when the event takes place.

[SuperJon]

There has to be more done than announcements in convo. The only people that go to convo are residents. Commuters rarely, if ever, make it to convo so they'd have no clue something was going on if they don't go to convo. Some commuters don't schedule their classes til 1pm and work from say 8-12 or something like that and miss convo. It's just the way things work out.

[BJWilliams]

I work at the radio station so Im sure that spots on the radcio might be useful for garnering interest. Im sure we could work something out with WRVL

[Brokeback Flamer]

Why,
The Brokeback Flamers, of course! Granted, the name would apply better to the college 74 miles to our north.

I vote for THAT NAME!!! i would get involved.

If you really want to know what will get students involved it is very simple, but will not be done. There needs to be 1 student (Or maybe a dozen) who are REALLY committed and work like crap to get as many people involved as possible. This means more then putting up "tent" displays in the dining area. I mean posting flyers, "shaking hands and kissing babies" making announcements. Rounding people up on game days etc. This is NOT somethin the administration can do. An announcement by "admnistration" in convo Friday will not help attendance on Saturday. However, students passing out fliers etc might help. The student body is apathetic. It will take members of that body, not administration, to get them unapethiticized (made that one up!) Finding people who will actually put their words into practice, that is the hard part.!

[SuperJon]

Brokeback, that is what I plan to do. I plan to get people to help me do that as well. Like I said, saying something in convo won't do jack. Banners, flyers, and word of mouth is what it'll take.

[FYI]

There is a student Flames Club being planned and will be set for students when they come back next semester. I don't know all the details, but it is a go.

[Sly Fox]

Creating a buzz and an environment where going to games is not a nuisance but an "event" is what SJ is projecting. I'd love to see it done. In fact, I'd love to see this site used to assist in the effort.

[Brokeback Flamer]

There is a student Flames Club being planned and will be set for students when they come back next semester. I don't know all the details, but it is a go.

But who is going to run it? That is the key. You can have all the organizations you want, but w/out the people to run it, down the crapper it will go. Although I wonder if they Student Flames Club will get together every week at some second rate restaurant and listen to the coaches.
Bottom line until someone take responsibility on the student side it is nothing but smoke and mirrors. And NO don't ask me, I have my own CLUB LOL

[SuperJon]

All I can tell you is I e-mail Mr. Barber about the idea and he said to call and set up a meeting for the week of the 10th. He seemed very excited about it and even said that the student involvement was a passion of his. If I lead the thing then ok. If I don't, I'm gonna do whatever I can to get it going good and help out with it. Doesn't matter to me.

[SuperJon]

Creating a buzz and an environment where going to games is not a nuisance but an "event" is what SJ is projecting. I'd love to see it done. In fact, I'd love to see this site used to assist in the effort.

If it works out, I was gonna ask if we could have our own little board on here to throw around ideas. I was gonna wait and cross that bridge this summer but since you mentioned it I figured I'd throw it out.

[Sly Fox]

I'm certainly receptive to hearing what goes down and how we can help.

[Brokeback Flamer]

All I can tell you is I e-mail Mr. Barber about the idea and he said to call and set up a meeting for the week of the 10th. He seemed very excited about it and even said that the student involvement was a passion of his. If I lead the thing then ok. If I don't, I'm gonna do whatever I can to get it going good and help out with it. Doesn't matter to me.

Dude, more power to you. I REALLY HONESTLY hope that you are the cat that can turn this around. It would be nice for that too happen. I know "Mr" Barber will be thrilled and help any way he can, but it is YOUR type of passion and hopefully the commitment you bring to the task that will be the engine that drives this machine. Best to you!! (How about Rainbow Day? Just a thought!! Soul Force would come out for sure!!!)

[SuperJon]

Let me just say this:

There's a reason Coastal has become the class of the conference when it comes to fans travelling. Kelly, Carmen, Courtney, and everyone else involved with SCREAM have done an amazing job with it. We promoted the crap out of the bus trip to App St and had 4 buses pretty much full. We pulled into App's campus in four charter buses that had "Coast to Coast" written in teal on them. They had no clue what hit them. Yes, Coastal got slaughtered but we still took close to 200 students to that game. Coastal doesn't have nearly the resources (i.e. money) that LU does and they've been that successful. Coastal has 3000 less students and they're doing this. Every single game the student section "sold out" before the game and students were forced to sit on the hill. We took two buses to Elon, and two to South Carolina St. Add that to bus trips to Winthrop and Charleston Southern during the season, and to Winthrop twice during the conference tournament. They took FIVE buses of students/community to the championship game. That's what I want here. Coaches would ask Carmen, "Hey, can you guys come to the game on ___? It's a big game for us and we want a big crowd there." The volleyball coach did that many times. There would already be people in the group going to that game, but when a coach came up to them and asked them, there would be multiple banners and flyers on campus and things like that. For midnight madness, they gave me a golfcart and me and Chauncey (the mascot) went around campus a couple hours before it started and told people about it. We went to the cafeteria, the library, the weight room, etc. The gym was packed that night. This is what I want to do. Face painting outside the stadium. Temporary tattoo logos to put on your face on game day. People making signs. People dressing crazy for games. Tailgating (I have huge ideas for that). This is my passion. It's what I love to do. I want to establish a good relationship between the students and the athletic department so that we can help them and they can help us. Sporting events are the easiest times in the world to meet new people and create friends. There are things at games that you'll never forget. I'll NEVER forget storming the field after the JMU game or storming SCSU's field after we won that game. The phone calls I got during the SCSU game because my face was painted and the tv camera found me (and my friends) will always make me smile. These are the little things that make college great. If LU wants to say we're the most exciting university then we really need to step up the athletic events. It sounds crazy, but I'm willing to be that certain teams would win at least 1-2 more games a year with a rowdy crowd there cheering them on.

[BJWilliams]

I got some computer savvy so if you need flyers SJ I will gladly help. anything to get people to the games

[ATrain]

We took 6 buses when our women's bball went to the Sweet 16...does that count for anything? Basically...the only way most students will go is if we know there is a CHANCE of winning...thats why attendance when we played VMI, Y-Town St. and Concord was much higher than after our lovely little scoreless streak.

But I'll be happy to help in anyway I can

[SuperJon]

You contradicted yourself because there wasn't much of a chance to win that sweet 16 game, yet you took 6 buses. If students can go somewhere and have a good time and have fun, then they'll do it. Let's be honest, the amount of things in Lynchburg to do at night that are in the Liberty Way are few and far between. If a football game has a great atmosphere and it's possible to have a good time, for free nonetheless, then students will go. It's just creating the atmosphere.

[PAmedic]

I'm partial to the "LUnatics"

I think using this board as a tie-in has great potential. We have good previews of most games, etc- that could and should be used to get the word out on campus- we just need to market the idea

[Guest]

Flame Throwers

[TallyW]

SJ, your new signature seems to be comparing Christianity with Islamic fanatics. Either of those pictures on their own would be cool but to have them side by side sends a message I hope you're not intending to send.