Thanks to All Fans that Left Early

[nickd25]

Oh that's right...I only have 9 posts on this board, so that doesn't make me a true an either b/c I have a life and cannot sit here all day and post.

[DELdaBull]

If I feel like leaving the game in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quarter, or not even go at all and give my tickets to someone else, I do believe that I can do whatever the **** I want w/ my tickets b/c as long as I am paying for them w/ my own money, then it's no one's friggin' business what I do or when I leave.  I go to every game and leave whenever I feel like it, be it when it's over or not. 

Everyone start B*tchin' now about this comment like I know we all will!

And guess what...it doesn't make me less of a fan b/c I leave or stay.

(side note:  USF grad '03, season ticket holder since '04-I got in for free during the '03 season)

Nick, I am with you.

[mutt]

Who gives a S***,  Let em' leave...    These are the same people who complain about making it to Noon games. As long as there's football being played, I'll be there.  (although I did leave during the fireworks Saturday) I don't leave until the players leave the feild.

[nickd25]

Umm...sorry sir...but the only complaint about noon games is that there is less time to imbibe alcoholic beverages!

[usfmasters]

If you buy a ticket you can do whatever you want with it, not show up, leave early or stay to help clean the stadium after the game.  People leaving early is not about being hardcore, it is about building a respectable football program and Big East conf. Really it is even bigger then USF it is the entire Big East.  http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/cjcardsfan/2007/10/do-you-leave-early.html

The Big East will always be considered the Big Least as long there is a perception of poor fan support http://www.secsportsfan.com/Top-college-football-fan-attendance-conference.html.  Just look at the SEC this year.  The SEC can't beat any other BCS conf team this year, and all their teams lose to one-another but they still get ranked.  One the reason is their tradition but another key is their fan base.  The Big East beats almost all other BCS conferences (except for Pitt and Syr) and then lose to one-another and they all drop out of the top 25. (Another story or thread does a 6-3 USF deserve to be ranked? No way, but does a 3 lose Auburn? or UF? why?)

There is no respect for the Big East and 1 way to get respect is fan support.  People/fans can do what they want, but leaving early is like kicking your team while they are down.  When the time comes (maybe 2008 or 2009) when we put solid NC run how can the rest of the country give us any respect.  Everyone saw the lack of media respect we got when we were 6-0 saying that we were just a flash in the pan and we will go away to never be heard of again.  Granted losing 3 games proves them correct (this year), but the appearance of having bandwagon/fairweather fans solidfies it.

It is just amazing that the same 1000's of people that left early we some of the ones saying that USF was getting no respect when they were 6-0.  Now they are the ones showing no respect.  Fortunately we are young we can define how our fans are percieved, which matters to the Bowls.  A good team can only go as far as the fans take them, because fan following determines the bowl that they go to.

Part of CJL recruiting is selling players on building history. While we cannot play football for USF we are part of building the history, helping to get recruits and it is fun to be apart of.  I hope all our fans can enjoy it.  Hope to see everyone at the UL game till the end.

-'98 grad

[usfmasters]

Perception goes a long way

http://www.topix.com/forum/ncaa-football-players/T8IRFSTR3C3ES49BE

[JerseyBull06]

This was quite the interesting string of posts...I'm new to the boards and I don't usually post often but wanted to throw a few things out there:

I too was disappointed to see so many people leave. I actually had someone I was driving turn to me and tell me to leave. I told them to leave my keys and find another ride, I wasn't leaving. They ended up staying and though it was disappointing to loose I think they were happy they did.

I understand people have reasons to leave and have never agreed with the idea that how many games you go to is a measure of if you're a true fan. I personally don't agree with leaving a game or turning it off because you're frustrated by your team's play but that's just me. If that's how you feel fine, but don't get mad if the people that do stay at the game are frustrated by it. Some people see leaving a game your team is loosing as their right and others see it as a lack of respect for the team. I personally don't agree with leaving early but each person is entitled to their own opinion.

USFmasters made a very very good point: In college football fans and what they do matters more than in any other sport. With all the focus these last few weeks on national rankings and conference championships the fact that USF is already bowl eligible for the 3rd consecutive year seems to have been forgotten. Fan support (attendance at games, how you travel, etc) plays a very very big role in what bowl games will pick you. So if fans want to get upset at other fans for leaving early or not showing up at all they have every right. It DOES affect the team in a big way.

Finally: there's been a lot of talk about "real" fans and such. There are people here who seem to know exactly what it means to be a real fan and have the dictionary definition, well try this on for size...I missed the first half of the UConn game to see my best friend that I see less than once a year. One week later I made it to the Cincy game despite being at the ER most of the night and half the morning with a friend, getting less than 3 hours sleep and being sick. I stayed for the entire game almost passed out before half time then I almost threw up after the final play because my body was so exhausted (though our play calls made me feel sick most of the game as well). So those who are out to judge go ahead. Was I a true fan this week because I physically made myself sicker to watch the entire game but was not a true fan last week because I put a friend who needed me above my football team?

(sorry for the long post!)

[CousinRicky]

I for one just don't think fans in the stands results in win.  Just ask Auburn how that worked out with 82,000 for and 3,000 USF fans against.  I don't believe for one minute that our fans at that game had anything to do with the outcome.  Michigan would never lose a home game with 109,000 (or whatever number they pack in their place) fans screaming for them.  Neither would Penn State.  Just my opinion.  We would like to think it affects the game, and maybe the infrequent false start can be attributed to noise, but in the end the guys playing the game determine the outcome.  Everyone works with silent snap counts so even the false starts are questionable.

[DELdaBull]

Finally: there's been a lot of talk about "real" fans and such. There are people here who seem to know exactly what it means to be a real fan and have the dictionary definition, well try this on for size...I missed the first half of the UConn game to see my best friend that I see less than once a year. One week later I made it to the Cincy game despite being at the ER most of the night and half the morning with a friend, getting less than 3 hours sleep and being sick. I stayed for the entire game almost passed out before half time then I almost threw up after the final play because my body was so exhausted (though our play calls made me feel sick most of the game as well). So those who are out to judge go ahead. Was I a true fan this week because I physically made myself sicker to watch the entire game but was not a true fan last week because I put a friend who needed me above my football team?

(sorry for the long post!)

According to some on this board you are no fan at all.

[Triple B]

Perception goes a long way

http://www.topix.com/forum/ncaa-football-players/T8IRFSTR3C3ES49BE

Please, 99% of those comments are from jealous, obsessed UCF fans. Please don't use that as some measuring stick of our national perception..... My favorite one from the first page is this one:

SELL SELL SELL

Orlando, FL  Reply »

|Report Abuse |#8 Sunday

This is what happens when you take GPA's that are 2.0 and mix in dilinquents.

The USF canoe is getting smaller and smaller. 

;D ..... This bozo wishes he had a 2.0 GPA ..... They're still one of the dumbest fan bases out there.