A Must Read Right Now IMO

[FlyHawk98]

I don't post over here much, but I think every Marshall fan should read this right now.

It sure hit home to me.

http://thunderinparadise.sportsblog.com/posts/28015745/marshall-fans-deserve-better.html

 

[Chris McLaughlin]

Thanks for the link, @FlyHawk98. Gotta say I agree with every word.

By the way, you should post over here more often. Really respect your bball knowledge and enjoy reading your opinions on our program.

 

[Marine03]

Yep I already hit him on this on twitter

 

[I walk among you... Go Herd]

Tad much?

 

[Trebel06]

Tad much?

Yep, the tweets from the athletic department were a tad much. They didn't do anything but piss the fans off.

 

[FlyHawk98]

Tad much?

More than a tad much.

The tweets from the AD completely crossed the line imo.

 

[docblaze]

Completely absurd, person posting these tweets should be fired

 

[Herd Fever]

Jeff Castle is a true online tough guy

 

[redsfan5590]

our fans want us to have respect and be a big time program, then they need to act like it.

Right now our program is terrible.

But we have some of the worst fans in the country. The athletic department gets killed if they change anything, and fans don't show up if we don't go undefeated (and even then we have about 27,000)

Basically, our fans still support the program at the level of a 1-AA program and we are trying to compete at the FBS level.

Honestly I just don't know if our city or area can handle the responsibility of a nationally recognized program. The culture around here makes progress difficult.

 

[MARSHALL77]

Marshall is already back in 1-AA its called CUSA - this program had a chance to continue its success but then someone hired and kept Snyder around too long then someone hired Holliday and is in the process of keeping him around too long ( contract extensions that should never have been granted to someone no other school would or will come after) the failures of the Athletic Directors have created what you see today. Holliday is slipping big time and pulling the football program with him and hoops is still a mess from the fiasco called Herrion.

Problem at Marshall has been the same for many many years ... Those hired to be the Athletic Director first and foremost ,not good and something that continues to hamper and plague Marshall athletics regardless of the sport.

 

[Trebel06]

our fans want us to have respect and be a big time program, then they need to act like it.

Right now our program is terrible.

But we have some of the worst fans in the country. The athletic department gets killed if they change anything, and fans don't show up if we don't go undefeated (and even then we have about 27,000)

Basically, our fans still support the program at the level of a 1-AA program and we are trying to compete at the FBS level.

Honestly I just don't know if our city or area can handle the responsibility of a nationally recognized program. The culture around here makes progress difficult.

In a city of less than 60,000 for a school with whose enrollment is made up of about 10,000 on campus students, you aren't going to get 30,000 people to show up consistently especially when the team isn't any good and neither is the teams you're playing.

Factor in the economic situation for most in the surrounding area and asking to average 30,000 here just isn't going to happen. But, like the blog mentioned. Marshall has a core of about 20,000 die hards and those 20,000 fans are the lifeblood of the program and the entire athletic department. Also like the blog said those die hards are the ones that listen to the show and follow the team and AD on twitter. So, why are you preaching to the fans that already show up that they need to show up?

It wasn't a smart series of tweets, no other way you can slice it.

 

[Marine03]

Jeff Castle is a true online tough guy

I've never been afraid to let everyone know just who I am. I don't hide behind handles at all.

 

[herd4life5 (HN)]

Jeff Castle is a true online tough guy

Ironic post for a nameless message board

 

[Herd Insider]

Want more fans? Lower the prices consistent with the socio economic status of Huntington. Purdue University has $10 tics in B10. We should too. Concessions are too expensive. Lower prices equals more fans equals more money from concessions. Yesterday was military appreciation day. I'm sure if you are a vet. you could go to a website and type in a code that you had to find buried in a website and with valid ID get $5 off your admission. Stupid! All active and veterans should have been allowed in free with valid ID and those accompanying them 50% off their tics, then there would have been a nice crowd and a lot more veterans attending! Just one example of stupidity at Marshall.

 

[Herd-nificent]

A TRUE FAN supports the team ..... win or lose. May not like it all the time but supports the team through attendance at games, and financial support.

 

[30Kelly]

A TRUE FAN supports the team ..... win or lose. May not like it all the time but supports the team through attendance at games, and financial support.

Cool story

 

[Trebel06]

A TRUE FAN supports the team ..... win or lose. May not like it all the time but supports the team through attendance at games, and financial support.

No you don't have to do that to be a true fan. Listen believe it or not there are lots of fans who are as true as any fan can be that have a tight budget and choosing to spend money on a luxury like Marshall football is a major decision. In seasons like this, if fans on those tight budgets determine that it is more beneficial to save the money and watch the game on TV that doesn't make them less of a fan than a fan in a better economic situation who goes or donates money.

If you have excess then of course give, give, give. But, for those who are living pay check to pay check like the majority of Herd fans, it doesn't make them less of a fan to choose to not spend money on the program from time to time.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Jeff Castle is a true online tough guy

So you agree with the AD posts? Wow!
Marshall never appreciated it's fan base. It's all about giving money and not questioning anything they do. BS!

I have been a BG member since 1989 and gave to the Vision Campaign but these bush league tweets and comments really make me wonder why I do.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

A TRUE FAN supports the team ..... win or lose. May not like it all the time but supports the team through attendance at games, and financial support.

No, that's being a fool.

 

[MountaineerWV]

If your AD would do his job, and some research, he'd see that attendance isn't everything and can be skewed. For example, let's use Boise State for a comparison. I use them because I would compare them to Marshall. Now, everyone just assumes that their attendance is 40,000-50,000. That's not close. They average around 33,000....and that's for a team that has played (and won) BCS game, bowl games, and nationally ranked in the top 15. And, the city of Boise is about 200,000 strong, while Huntington is maybe 50,000?

So, Boise has 33,000 fans in a city of about 200,000......MU has attendance of about 22,000 in a city of 50,000......do the comparison and see who "should be showing up".

 

[herdalicious]

The athletic department gets the majority of its funding through compulsory student fees and direct institutional support. The attitude you're hearing from the AD sounds entitled because it is.

 

[beefcake0520]

The ad needs to realize one thing. During our Snyder years, at least we weren't playing the sisters of the poor. So now we are losing to the lowest of low in football and they want people to support it. I'm sorry but that isn't how it works. Attendance stayed OK u Snyder for reasons listed above. Frankly I probably won't watch another game on TV, must less drive 4 hours to see a shit show in person

 

[The Real SamC]

This is the first time in a long time where the season is 100% certainly over with half of it to go. MH has to go out and try to sell tickets to two games that promise to be four to five touchdown assreamings. Then try to sell the WV AAU all-stars whose goal it is to "pretty good" meaning maybe win 18 or so and keep the 9th longest NCAA drought in the sport going. Oh, and then try to play baseball without a baseball field.

I support MH. He inherited a complete dumpster fire from the worst AD in history. He has done some good things. The IPF is amazing for our level. But the fact is MU has a core of about 20K for football and 5K for basketball, and that is what he has to depend upon until next year, and next year, in both sports looks about like this year. That is a lot of pressure, but he comes off like a preacher whose sermon is "come to church". Umm, the people listening to your sermon, did.

 

[Herd-in-ATL]

Hamrick's no dummy he knows $hit from Shinola, he's just pumping the breaks in hopes of slowing down the mass turnstile exodus with 2 more home games left. He might also be building up his war chest in case he has to buyout a bunch of contracts.

 

[beefcake0520]

I'd say there is no way we could afford to buy anyone out, we aren't the Fighting Irish that can afford to do that. I think doc is a good coach, now his staff........that's another story

 

[Herdfaninnoke]

Marshall faces two issues that hurt attendance. First the caliber of competition is lame and and not exciting. Second losing to that caliber of teams is even more disappointing. I would rather watch marshal play better teams and lose than win on occasion to bottom dwelling teams.

 

[beefcake0520]

I will say I fully expect changes in his staff at the end of the season, now who it should be and who it actually is, that's another story

 

[TheSchoolYouLoveToHate]

What is it that makes Doc a good coach?

What is his "coaching" claim to fame?

"Recruiting" is not "coaching". Even if he surrounds hisself with a great staff, that's not coaching.

Or is it maybe , Doc Holiday is a good fit for Marshall?

 

[TheGreenhouseEffect]

Strange I saw Hamricks tweets and they didn't insult me at all, in fact I agreed with his thinking.

This is a young team and they have lost their way. They seem not to be in sync, they seem to be out matched. Maybe they rally late in the year and "mature "

Bottom line is this is college football and sometimes you have seasons like these out of the blue.

Young teams need support not critics. I still intend to go to MTSU and WKY regardless.

And finally I'll never don blew and Walmart yeller tees no matter how bad we are, I have way too much self respect to have myself associated with that mother mugging clan.

 

[TheGreenhouseEffect]

Doc is a great fit for Marshall. He's a blue collar coach, he rebuilt us from the Snyder and Kayo duo of destruction.

It's just a tough season, lots of football left to play, let's see how the young guys gel.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

our fans want us to have respect and be a big time program, then they need to act like it.

Right now our program is terrible.

But we have some of the worst fans in the country. The athletic department gets killed if they change anything, and fans don't show up if we don't go undefeated (and even then we have about 27,000)

Basically, our fans still support the program at the level of a 1-AA program and we are trying to compete at the FBS level.

Honestly I just don't know if our city or area can handle the responsibility of a nationally recognized program. The culture around here makes progress difficult.

You are joking right? Those so called bass fans built this program and paid 34 Million for facilities that our coach and AD said would take us to the top.

Other than Boise and ECU name me one G5 program with a 2-5 record who would draw more than we have? You can't. And in a area with the demographics we have.

Marshall uses the fans and only cares about them when the have their hand out. It's getting tiresome. Sick of the BS we get fed every August.

 

[MARSHALL77]

Once people finally accept the fact of limited resources with regards to the area , then they will understand that trying to be what you are not is extremely futile as well as an enormous waste of money...what money there is. You are what you are , not what you wish you were and that is something that still plagues as well as taints the thought process of too many.

 

[jsnisdman]

You are joking right? Those so called bass fans built this program and paid 34 Million for facilities that our coach and AD said would take us to the top.

Other than Boise and ECU name me one G5 program with a 2-5 record who would draw more than we have? You can't. And in a area with the demographics we have.

Marshall uses the fans and only cares about them when the have their hand out. It's getting tiresome. Sick of the BS we get fed every August.

Just one? Ok. Fresno State.

 

[MountaineerWV]

Just one? Ok. Fresno State.

You realize that the population of the Fresno area is 10 times LARGER than Huntington. So if you do attendance per capita, it isn't very impressive.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

Just one? Ok. Fresno State.

Yeah, that's a good comparison - not.

Hell, if Huntington had the same population as Fresno, we'd average 50K.

 

[jsnisdman]

You realize that the population of the Fresno area is 10 times LARGER than Huntington. So if you do attendance per capita, it isn't very impressive.

Yeah, that's a good comparison - not.
Hell, if Huntington had the same population as Fresno, we'd average 50K.

The question was name one G5 program other than Boise or ECU with records as bad as Marshall that draws more attendance. Population is irrelevant to the question I was answering.

 

[bbneutralfan]

OMG Greenhouse using the young excuse. Get over it. We are not young. We are poorly, er badly, coached.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

The question was name one G5 program other than Boise or ECU with records as bad as Marshall that draws more attendance. Population is irrelevant to the question I was answering.

You got me. But yeah, our fan base sucks. I mean we should turn out in droves for the privilege to watch this team and their whiny ass, spoiled QB.