[Purple Haize]

As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Purple. Expecting the rest of the world to act like us is pretty close to why we are despised so much in the first place.

Welcome to the Dark Side where all find the true power of freedom

(And Capitalize my name!)

[Yacht Rock]

...their AD talked us up all week and made us sound better than we are.

Based on how yesterdays game went versus ODU's other games, I think the AD was on to something. I do think we presented them with one of their bigger challenges. When we're good, we're good.

I think the big issue for this team so far isn't staying competitive in each game we've played but just making a few mistakes here and there that can cost the game.

But at the end of the day, each game we've lost has been competitive, which means we're close. What we need to get over the hump? I don't know. I'm not a coach. What I see though is that our offense needs to play like they are in control of the game with confidence. Only those on the inside know if that's a player or staff issue.

[Yacht Rock]

And oh my gosh this is like beating my head against a wall Spangler. ODU SELLS OUT EVERY SINGLE FREAKING GAME REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY PLAY. So the fact that it was Liberty wasn't a factor.

I'm a newbie to the area but what does the team do to help grow fans in the Lynchburg region?

I would love to see more folks show up to the games and honestly, I haven't found a lot more going on in the area that would compete with the quality entertainment put on at Williams Stadium.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Purple Haize]

And oh my gosh this is like beating my head against a wall Spangler. ODU SELLS OUT EVERY SINGLE FREAKING GAME REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY PLAY. So the fact that it was Liberty wasn't a factor.

I'm a newbie to the area but what does the team do to help grow fans in the Lynchburg region?

I would love to see more folks show up to the games and honestly, I haven't found a lot more going on in the area that would complete with the quality entertainment put on at Williams Stadium.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Its waaayyyy better than it used to be

[SuperJon]

The move those chains chant is great. Hearing 7000-8000 people doing the exact same chant at the exact same time sounds amazing. It's also pretty annoying to opposing teams which makes it even better.

[Yacht Rock]

The move those chains chant is great. Hearing 7000-8000 people doing the exact same chant at the exact same time sounds amazing. It's also pretty annoying to opposing teams which makes it even better.

For what it's worth my kids love it. They are loving the home games more than I can imagine. My 3 year old son has no problem making it all four quarters and my 9 year old daughter can't get enough either. There are a few times leaving the house that she has tried working so much LU gear into her wardrobe we've had to tell her to tone it down. Heh.

While it is nice to have a few empty spots around us for the kids to run around, it would be a good problem to have where I would have to tell the kids that they can't run around in the stands as much as they were used to.

[Yacht Rock]

What I really like is that we've totally monopolized this thread to talk about LU stadium atmosphere....haha...sorry ODU guy but we like to be forward looking

[odubigblue]

What I really like is that we've totally monopolized this thread to talk about LU stadium atmosphere....haha...sorry ODU guy but we like to be forward looking

That's totally cool. I got the idea.

Good luck the rest of the way.

[Purple Haize]

What I really like is that we've totally monopolized this thread to talk about LU stadium atmosphere....haha...sorry ODU guy but we like to be forward looking

That's totally cool. I got the idea.

Good luck the rest of the way.

Stop in all the time. We like you a lot more than SBC people

[Yacht Rock]

That's totally cool. I got the idea.

Good luck the rest of the way.

No offense I just thought it was funny how the thread sort of spiraled in a different direction.

I understand wanting to see how "the others" view your team's facilities, gameday experience, etc...I just thought it was funny how the direction turned...

[odubigblue]

Misread my post..... not offended. I got the idea of your impressions.

[sigmo7]

i only had a few issues. ODU mentioned that they assumed since we are LU fans we wouldn't smack em in the mouth, had security not sent the little punk packing that was acting and idiot in front of my family and friends and he had made his way back up the ramp they would have found out differently i guess.[ had he acted an idiot all the way across the exit and not just when he got to our section no problem] another issue that i didn't find out about till after the game that i will keep to myself. i have zero problems with people drinking and having a good time, some of them just need to remember that the next day when their head is hurting it might not be from the alcohol. any other time i would have never blinked an eye about the punk because everybody else was friendly that i interacted with. it really wasn't that big of a deal but we just had the rug pulled out from under us when my problem happened and i was pretty pizzed at the time. i have no ill will against them at all and would go back there again, everybody has idiots. i don't want or need an apology unless it's from the punk himself. all in all a pretty good time other than the score. hahaha

[LCA&LU Mom]

Sigmo7, maybe next time I order away tix I should just make sure I'm seated next to you. :-)

[Purple Haize]

So Security handled the problem? Good for them. We ran into some drunk folk at the Tech game (shocking I know). They kicked a drink over and it started running down the seats and were generally being obnoxious. I turned and said 'Would you mind cleaning up the mess you made? We don't feel like sitting in your soda'. They looked like I was from Mars. I just stared at them...and they left. Now they did say some non FF compliant things but my witty reporte' made those around laugh at them and we enjoyed the rest of the game. Doesn't mean I won't go back. Just deal with it. I'm glad to hear the ODU folks did what had to be done!
Now UVA games....especially with SMOOTHre crazy. Broken chairs, drinking....craziness really

[TH Spangler]

My sister went to the game. We haven't talked about the experience yet. She did tell her Father that LU losing probably made it easier to get out alive. That's life on the road, you have to get use to it. LCA&LU Mom, seats beside the middle linebackers Fathers is a great idea.

[Chippy]

My wife and I (in our red Flames shirts) were followed by some ODU fans on the way to the game. There was a guy about 5 feet behind us being very provocative and saying that they were going to puncture a hole in the Flames Club tent and other loud and provocative comments in our direction such as "f'n flamers". We smiled and kept walking. Their student section was borderline obnoxious especially when cheering "ODU, ODU" when our guy lies knocked out on a personal foul injury - if Hagen got kicked out of the game for his hit, someone should have got the same here. After the game it seemed some "middle age" fans said "nice game". Thought if we had won what it would have been like to get to the car which was parked pretty far from the game. Not a pleasant experience - losing in the last second didn't help. Have gone to WVU, NC State, Wake, etc and never felt this uncomfortable.

[Purple Haize]

My wife and I (in our red Flames shirts) were followed by some ODU fans on the way to the game. There was a guy about 5 feet behind us being very provocative and saying that they were going to puncture a hole in the Flames Club tent and other loud and provocative comments in our direction such as "f'n flamers". We smiled and kept walking. Their student section was borderline obnoxious especially when cheering "ODU, ODU" when our guy lies knocked out on a personal foul injury - if Hagen got kicked out of the game for his hit, someone should have got the same here. After the game it seemed some "middle age" fans said "nice game". Thought if we had won what it would have been like to get to the car which was parked pretty far from the game. Not a pleasant experience - losing in the last second didn't help. Have gone to WVU, NC State, Wake, etc and never felt this uncomfortable.

Because we are classy!

[TH Spangler]

I received a few more details from my Sister. I don't think she's interested in traveling to ODU again! It's very disappointing to hear. Hampton Roads was our childhood home, we grew up in VB.

Her and I hit the NC State and Wake Forest games and the experience was great!

[TH Spangler]

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/09/odu-pol ... se-parties

[Humble_Opinion]

I was born and raised in Chesapeake VA. I have made several visits to friends who went to ODU and lived on campus and I can attest to the fact that the issues that were expressed in the article above have been going on for quite some time. I had a friend of a friend whose door was broken down in broad daylight by some of these thugs who were looking for some other drug using deadbeat. They thought he was hiding the guy so they beat the friend pretty good...

As far as their fans go - I'm extremely disappointed to hear that some of our fans were treated in the way they were. I know you have to expect it when you go to someone else's house wearing your team's colors... but it doesn't make it right - especially if you have your family/kids with you.

[Flamesfanva]

Unfortunately there is a lot of crime that happens around the ODU campus. I didn't go, but would not have felt safe in that part of Norfolk anyway.

[Purple Haize]

Violent crime in this country is almost exclusively related to the drug trade. If you aren't doing something you shouldn't be, it's probably not going to happen to you. I can't believe someone would be scared to be in that part of town during that event. Just my city boy two cents.

You realize that someone motivated to get cash to buy drugs would assault someone who they thought had money. Ever been to Comisky? We had 1 shooting in our neighborhood. Drug addict about and E into a home of a non illegal drug user. There is something to be said with being aware of your surroundings

[thepostman]

people hyped up anacostia, the area right off of the base I'm newly stationed at, as being this awful area but honestly I don't think its nearly as bad as people make it out to be. I mean I wouldn't go out of my way to hang out there in the middle of the night or anything, but seriously if you leave people alone they will leave you alone, for the most part.

With that said, I literally laughed out loud when I read that somebody didn't go to that game because the area around ODU is too "unsafe".

But I am kind of a jerk, haha

[01LUGrad]

Here's a shot of what the stadium looked like from the air. You can see me. I'm in red.

http://www.replayphotos.com/olddominion ... 254061.cfm

[TH Spangler]

What is that article's relevance?

Duke I grew up close by, know the area well, know the game day routine and have friends that go to all the ODU games. The problem Sig's family and mine ran into probability resulted from some immature ODU fans spending to much time drinking at a "party house" before going over to the game.

This is what I was trying to point out in the article ... "Parties near campus have heated up so much the past few years that the Norfolk city attorney and fire marshal have cracked down on them. At the start of the fall semester a year ago, city officials broke up parties and issued citations on 42nd Street. This fall, they sent letters to property owners and renters warning them that they will be charged if they illegally sell alcohol at parties.

Harris said campus police last weekend found more properties that needed a warning. "We'll be forwarding that information to the city attorney," she said. She said she didn't have a problem publicizing the upcoming undercover efforts because it might act as a deterrent. This weekend marks the first ODU home football game. "There will be a high police presence out there," Harris said.

I have little to learn from ODU, and I would never trade Williams "spectators" for Ballard fans. I've never seen a drunk'n fool at Williams and I feel at ease allowing my 9 year old nephew run around anywhere he wants to go by himself at Williams. That's all I'm saying. You're quick to say nice things about other programs but just as quick to take jabs at us. I don't get it.