33 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

Byrd Stadium is going to be what OPACY was when Boston and NY came into town.

No doubt. But the key is getting the students excited about football again. If that student section is strong with passionate, screaming fans, it won't have much of an impact. The key to that is building the program to the point where it's knocking of the door of being a top 25 school.

[Oriole85]

No doubt. But the key is getting the students excited about football again. If that student section is strong with passionate, screaming fans, it won't have much of an impact. The key to that is building the program to the point where it's knocking of the door of being a top 25 school.

I think they'll need more than a passionate student fanbase, although it's a start. There was a great turnout on Saturday relatively speaking because of the blackout giveaway (side note - no "blackout" should take place at 12:30). I guess you gotta keep doing those incentitives. I don't think MD ties in football to the "loyalty system" for marquee basketball games, that could be a good thing to do?

[You Play to Win the Game]

I think they'll need more than a passionate student fanbase, although it's a start. There was a great turnout on Saturday relatively speaking because of the blackout giveaway (side note - no "blackout" should take place at 12:30). I guess you gotta keep doing those incentitives. I don't think MD ties in football to the "loyalty system" for marquee basketball games, that could be a good thing to do?

What I mean is in order for Byrd Stadium to not sound like OPACY. It might look like it in sections... but usually outside of the student sections, college stadiums aren terribly loud. The home team can still feed off a passionate student section, even if a lot of visiting fans are in attendance. That's the only point I was making.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Byrd Stadium is going to be what OPACY was when Boston and NY came into town.

It's kind of that way now. When I had season tickets, VT, WVU and Clemson had a lot of fans at those games....many of them sitting outside the visiting team sections. Heck, from the sounds of last week's game it seemed like there might have been as many FSU fans there as Terps fans.

Like OPACY, it won't change until the Terps (O's) start winning.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I think they'll need more than a passionate student fanbase, although it's a start. There was a great turnout on Saturday relatively speaking because of the blackout giveaway (side note - no "blackout" should take place at 12:30). I guess you gotta keep doing those incentitives. I don't think MD ties in football to the "loyalty system" for marquee basketball games, that could be a good thing to do?

The thing about the "blackout" is that they probably picked that date well before the game time was set (IIRC, ESPN even used one of it's 6-day options for the ACC last week). Looking at that game just a month-and-a-half ago, when the Terps were 4-2 and thinking big, I'm sure they thought that was the one game on the home schedule most likely to get prime time billing.

[Oriole85]

It's kind of that way now. When I had season tickets, VT, WVU and Clemson had a lot of fans at those games....many of them sitting outside the visiting team sections. Heck, from the sounds of last week's game it seemed like there might have been as many FSU fans there as Terps fans.

Like OPACY, it won't change until the Terps (O's) start winning.

I was at the game, I wouldn't say there were as many FSU fans, but they had a sizeable contigent. There wasn't so much to cheer for.

[Oriole85]

The thing about the "blackout" is that they probably picked that date well before the game time was set (IIRC, ESPN even used one of it's 6-day options for the ACC last week). Looking at that game just a month-and-a-half ago, when the Terps were 4-2 and thinking big, I'm sure they thought that was the one game on the home schedule most likely to get prime time billing.

Yes, I'm aware, I'm a STH and the game was specifically marked "blackout" on the tickets. At the beginning of the season, this one looked like a game with FSU playing at the end of the season for potential national title implications could've been selected for primetime and you like you when they were 4-2, it looked like a good possibility as well.

I think you're reading too much into this. All I'm saying is a blackout with such an early start looks incredibly dumb.

[Oriole85]

Bmore Birds when did you have season tickets?, pre-Fridge I remember it being pretty empty and it's getting back to those levels.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Bmore Birds when did you have season tickets?, pre-Fridge I remember it being pretty empty and it's getting back to those levels.

2001-06, so only during the Friedgen years. I did attend a couple games before that, and yeah, big difference in the attendance. The interesting thing about Fridge is that he put a charge in the fanbase before he ever coached a game. Season ticket sales took a big jump just headed into that first year. I guess it was him being an alum combined with his track record as an OC that got folks excited. Plus he was the guy most people wanted before when Yow hired Vanderlinden.

[Oriole85]

2001-06, so only during the Friedgen years. I did attend a couple games before that, and yeah, big difference in the attendance. The interesting thing about Fridge is that he put a charge in the fanbase before he ever coached a game. Season ticket sales took a big jump just headed into that first year. I guess it was him being an alum combined with his track record as an OC that got folks excited. Plus he was the guy most people wanted before when Yow hired Vanderlinden.

I assumed it was before, my bad. I remember all the hoopla and catchy slogans with the Fridge hiring. Of course, by then, the brand had gone stale and was a large part of the reason for his removal. I agree with what you are saying in terms of the jump in attendance sales before he took over. I think the rebranding of the product had a lot to do with it. Don't remember people wanting Fridge when Vandy was hired but you're probably right, I recall that being a good pick at the time given his Northwestern background during their turnaround year.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I assumed it was before, my bad. I remember all the hoopla and catchy slogans with the Fridge hiring. Of course, by then, the brand had gone stale and was a large part of the reason for his removal. I agree with what you are saying in terms of the jump in attendance sales before he took over. I think the rebranding of the product had a lot to do with it. Don't remember people wanting Fridge when Vandy was hired but you're probably right, I recall that being a good pick at the time given his Northwestern background during their turnaround year.

I even heard there were people who wanted Friedgen hired when Yow picked mark Duffner. Fridge was still with the Chargers and Bobby Ross at that point. But I wasn't living in MD when either Duffner or Vanderlinden were hired, so I don't personally know how vocal the lobbying for Fridge was either time, it's just what I've heard. And that the main reason Yow overlooked him was because he didn't "fit the mold" of a major college head coach (i.e. his weight).

[Oriole85]

I even heard there were people who wanted Friedgen hired when Yow picked mark Duffner. Fridge was still with the Chargers and Bobby Ross at that point. But I wasn't living in MD when either Duffner or Vanderlinden were hired, so I don't personally know how vocal the lobbying for Fridge was either time, it's just what I've heard. And that the main reason Yow overlooked him was because he didn't "fit the mold" of a major college head coach (i.e. his weight).

I'm sure Fridge was always on every short list in decade or so before he was hired given his ties to Maryland as both a player or coach. Being an alum is something that can distinguish you from another candidate.

In terms of the weight, it's always been an issue. It was an issue for Charlie Weis until he got hired by Notre Dame then it became, he was overrated!

[BSLMikeLowe]

http://pittsburgh.sb...utgers#comments

Big Ten expansion: Penn State should pursue Thanksgiving weekend series with Rutgers

This is obviously just one fan's opinion, but I sort of hope PSU/UM will be the Thanksgiving Weekend game, hence the designated rivalry game for both teams. While the PSU/UM series is equally as lopsided as PSU/Rutgers, there is more history for PSU/UM. Although either one would make sense.

For Terps fans, if we don't end the season annually with PSU, what other B1G team do you think would be most interesting for that game, if any? If Penn State plays Rutgers, then Wisconsin would be available, but that doesn't stoke any fires for me.....and by the time the Terps move, Danny O'Brien will even be gone.

[Oriole85]

The Washington Post: With Big Ten move, recruiting Midwest becomes focus for Terrapins

http://www.washingto...-for-terrapins/