We play much better...

[Ghost]

And there lies the problem.  Scenario:  We get beat at home opening day by Alabama by 35 points in front of 55 - 60K.  Then LSU shows up next week.  How many of those 55 - 60K are going to show up?  We're talking Bulls fans here. Not LSU fans.  Probably about the same number that showed up to Ball State.

Please don't ask what if we beat Alabama.  We saw how El Paso ran over our D.

Until you have a dedicated fan base (people that show up win or lose, no matter the opponent), you are not going to bring in large numbers on a consistent basis just by having big name schools come in.  That is just a product of time and more grads who have football adding to the season ticket base. 

We can do the two step here 'til the cows come home.  You aren't going to convince me and I'm not going to convince you two.

hey Im agreeing that our fanbase should be coming no matter the opponent. But building a fanbase wont happen unless we win. We could play SEC teams every week, but I dont think our fanbase will care very much if we go 3-9 and lose by 30+ each time. The crowds will come at the spectacle of seeing the Alabamas and LSUs. But if you then schedule a game against FAU, there might be 46 people in the stands. However, winning CONFERENCE GAMES, and getting into the TV spotlight and playing/winning a BCS bowl while playing cupcakes OOC will do more for fanbase than the former. Throw in two or three good OOC games(like this year with ND and MIA) and you have a recipe for success imo. The more conference games we win, the better everything else gets pretty much.

[Triple B]

And there lies the problem.  Scenario:  We get beat at home opening day by Alabama by 35 points in front of 55 - 60K.  Then LSU shows up next week.  How many of those 55 - 60K are going to show up?  We're talking Bulls fans here. Not LSU fans.  Probably about the same number that showed up to Ball State.

Please don't ask what if we beat Alabama.  We saw how El Paso ran over our D.

Until you have a dedicated fan base (people that show up win or lose, no matter the opponent), you are not going to bring in large numbers on a consistent basis just by having big name schools come in.  That is just a product of time and more grads who have football adding to the season ticket base. 

We can do the two step here 'til the cows come home.  You aren't going to convince me and I'm not going to convince you two.

hey Im agreeing that our fanbase should be coming no matter the opponent. But building a fanbase wont happen unless we win. We could play SEC teams every week, but I dont think our fanbase will care very much if we go 3-9 and lose by 30+ each time. The crowds will come at the spectacle of seeing the Alabamas and LSUs. But if you then schedule a game against FAU, there might be 46 people in the stands. However, winning CONFERENCE GAMES, and getting into the TV spotlight and playing/winning a BCS bowl while playing cupcakes OOC will do more for fanbase than the former. Throw in two or three good OOC games(like this year with ND and MIA) and you have a recipe for success imo. The more conference games we win, the better everything else gets pretty much.

Just so we're clear, that post is NOT in agreement with 94's philosophy ....  8-)

[Ghost]

And there lies the problem.  Scenario:  We get beat at home opening day by Alabama by 35 points in front of 55 - 60K.  Then LSU shows up next week.  How many of those 55 - 60K are going to show up?  We're talking Bulls fans here. Not LSU fans.  Probably about the same number that showed up to Ball State.

Please don't ask what if we beat Alabama.  We saw how El Paso ran over our D.

Until you have a dedicated fan base (people that show up win or lose, no matter the opponent), you are not going to bring in large numbers on a consistent basis just by having big name schools come in.  That is just a product of time and more grads who have football adding to the season ticket base. 

We can do the two step here 'til the cows come home.  You aren't going to convince me and I'm not going to convince you two.

hey Im agreeing that our fanbase should be coming no matter the opponent. But building a fanbase wont happen unless we win. We could play SEC teams every week, but I dont think our fanbase will care very much if we go 3-9 and lose by 30+ each time. The crowds will come at the spectacle of seeing the Alabamas and LSUs. But if you then schedule a game against FAU, there might be 46 people in the stands. However, winning CONFERENCE GAMES, and getting into the TV spotlight and playing/winning a BCS bowl while playing cupcakes OOC will do more for fanbase than the former. Throw in two or three good OOC games(like this year with ND and MIA) and you have a recipe for success imo. The more conference games we win, the better everything else gets pretty much.

Just so we're clear, that post is NOT in agreement with 94's philosophy ....  8-)

haha I know I flip flopped a little, but I'm tired. I do think we need to schedule high quality opponents for OOC. Just not at the Bama LSU level. My example was a little extreme. I would rather play UTEP and FAMU than these guys, simply for the sake of record and bringing in fairweathered fans.

I like the way we are doing it now with ND and MIA, next year with FSU and MIA, 2008 with Kansas(#12 at the time) and UCF(yeah I said it, come at me), etc. I am for the idea of reducing the cupcakes down to 1 a season. For example, out of 4 OOC(if TCU ends up joining), MIA, FSU, and Tennessee for example would be a good OOC slate imo. Then next year Michigan State, MIA, and Tennessee/Miss St. These are just random examples.

[CousinRicky]

And there lies the problem.  Scenario:  We get beat at home opening day by Alabama by 35 points in front of 55 - 60K.  Then LSU shows up next week.  How many of those 55 - 60K are going to show up?  We're talking Bulls fans here. Not LSU fans.  Probably about the same number that showed up to Ball State.

Please don't ask what if we beat Alabama.  We saw how El Paso ran over our D.

Until you have a dedicated fan base (people that show up win or lose, no matter the opponent), you are not going to bring in large numbers on a consistent basis just by having big name schools come in.  That is just a product of time and more grads who have football adding to the season ticket base. 

We can do the two step here 'til the cows come home.  You aren't going to convince me and I'm not going to convince you two.

hey Im agreeing that our fanbase should be coming no matter the opponent. But building a fanbase wont happen unless we win. We could play SEC teams every week, but I dont think our fanbase will care very much if we go 3-9 and lose by 30+ each time. The crowds will come at the spectacle of seeing the Alabamas and LSUs. But if you then schedule a game against FAU, there might be 46 people in the stands. However, winning CONFERENCE GAMES, and getting into the TV spotlight and playing/winning a BCS bowl while playing cupcakes OOC will do more for fanbase than the former. Throw in two or three good OOC games(like this year with ND and MIA) and you have a recipe for success imo. The more conference games we win, the better everything else gets pretty much.

Agree with you on that.  And the only thing missing from the recipe is the BE title.