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Topic: The case for a regular Halloween Home Game
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The Optimist
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:10 PM
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Are you crazy? We won't be able to get 100 students into Peden on Halloween in Athens.

Actually, I am crazy.  A home game on Halloween has a chance to go really good or really bad.  Can you imagine if today's 3:30 Miami game was in Athens?  A #24 undefeated Ohio facing our rival...  Students in costume packed into Peden to watch us stomp Fiami before one of the biggest block parties in the nation.  I might even argue gameday should be at OU and not UO.

I am also aware we played ULL in 2010.  Other than that, we've been away or had a bye since at least 2002.  My proposal is that we play a MAC opponent every Halloween.  Maybe the same opponent, even a rival?  Now that Temple is gone, Miami feels like our only MAC rival in football.  So every single year we play Miami (so every other year in Athens)...  Make it a tradition.  Make it something special

Yes, there are a ton of negatives:
Many students have visitors who may not want to go or be able to get tickets
What if we think we are going to be good but the season falls apart? Then maybe we really do have 100 students only...
Students in costume wouldn't all be wearing green and white (get off my lawn)
Riots may ensue if we lose.  Or if we win.
Economic benefits of Halloween already a sure thing.  Football game is a waste putting it on same weekend
Hotel situation already a mess on Halloween (I'm assuming)
Parking situation already a mess on Halloween (Sure of this)
Nothing good happens to athletes on Halloween.  (I would imagine the football team is back by midnight tonight anyway)

But if we can avoid all that, I think this could be awesome.  Some of the big games nationally have some big off-field event that makes it a special weekend.  If we could pull this off, it would be amazing.  All I see is potential.
bobcat72
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:18 PM
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The ULL game several years ago was enough to convince me that this is a bad idea. The student crowd was average to below average and yes, the parking was a mess. Don't really see the advantage or potential here. If we play Miami at home any other weekend, we're getting a sellout anyway. Why take the risk and combine it with Halloween?
Tyler
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:29 PM
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The Optimist wrote:expand_more
Many students have visitors who may not want to go or be able to get tickets


This is my #1 reason not to have another Halloween home game.  I'm as big of a Bobcats fan as they come, and even I skipped that ULL game. I had friends in town who didn't want to go to the game, and I don't blame them.

Maybe if we played another Ohio MAC team it'd draw some more interest. Even then, it'd probably be only guests from the opposing school who'd be interested in going.

Even if we did manage to convince students to bring their guests, it'd be a really lame crowd. The student side would be a rainbow of colors, plus those who came in costume. It wouldn't be very loud either.

FWIW, student guests got in for free at the 2010 ULL game.
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:29 PM
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Have a collaboration with the bars on court and the street B-dubs is on where you get a stamp on your ticket that is good for a free drink at a bar (the barkeep takes the ticket and marks it to show they've already redeemed it.)  If you get a kickoff in the mid-afternoon, the game will be done before the festivities start.

Couple that with a nationally televised game, you'd see a great crowd.

EDIT:  Would only work for bar hopping students.
Last Edited: 10/27/2012 12:30:42 PM by LoganElm_grad09
Pataskala
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:31 PM
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I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway.  We never play a marquee game at home.  And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday?  But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch.  That's what you're good at."  And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."
LoganElm_grad09
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:34 PM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway.  We never play a marquee game at home.  And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday?  But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch.  That's what you're good at."  And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."


I disagree.
Paul Graham
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:37 PM
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If you could guarantee something like this I'd be all for it!


anorris
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:52 PM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway. We never play a marquee game at home. And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday? But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch. That's what you're good at." And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."
I love how some of you enjoy throwing a wet blanket on things in the name of "reality" which is not even based in fact. Yes, it may be a long shot, but far from impossible.

Oh well. I'm sure they'd NEVER do GameDay from a MAC game, and definitely wouldn't ever do it from anywhere in Ohio outside 270. Why even consider it.
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:54 PM
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anorris wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway. We never play a marquee game at home. And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday? But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch. That's what you're good at." And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."
I love how some of you enjoy throwing a wet blanket on things in the name of "reality" which is not even based in fact. Yes, it may be a long shot, but far from impossible.

Oh well. I'm sure they'd NEVER do GameDay from a MAC game, and definitely wouldn't ever do it from anywhere in Ohio outside 270. Why even consider it.


I don't enjoy it.  Just being honest.
OU-Barker
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:55 PM
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I would be in favor of having a game on the actual October 31st. Especially in years like this were Halloween falls on a Wednesday. Weeknight games would be on ESPN and it would be a lot of fun to see the kids in costumes. That being said, a flat no to having a game on the Saturday of Halloween. When they did it a few years ago, there was a decent crowd to start but people began to leave to go get ready and start drinking.
anorris
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Posted: 10/27/2012 12:56 PM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway. We never play a marquee game at home. And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday? But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch. That's what you're good at." And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."
I love how some of you enjoy throwing a wet blanket on things in the name of "reality" which is not even based in fact. Yes, it may be a long shot, but far from impossible.

Oh well. I'm sure they'd NEVER do GameDay from a MAC game, and definitely wouldn't ever do it from anywhere in Ohio outside 270. Why even consider it.


I don't enjoy it. Just being honest.
I enjoy that you totally missed the sarcasm of my second graph, as it describes something that has, in fact, already happened. But don't let reality mess up your "honesty."
MonroeClassmate
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:04 PM
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Only if the game is vs BGSUCKS to get a little Orange with the Green and White/black for the proper look.

I'd rather see an out-of-conference west coast foe annually on this date so none of the team is within a 1000 miles of trouble.  What time does the bus arrive back from Oxford this evening?  Too early?
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:07 PM
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anorris wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway. We never play a marquee game at home. And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday? But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch. That's what you're good at." And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."
I love how some of you enjoy throwing a wet blanket on things in the name of "reality" which is not even based in fact. Yes, it may be a long shot, but far from impossible.

Oh well. I'm sure they'd NEVER do GameDay from a MAC game, and definitely wouldn't ever do it from anywhere in Ohio outside 270. Why even consider it.


I don't enjoy it. Just being honest.
I enjoy that you totally missed the sarcasm of my second graph, as it describes something that has, in fact, already happened. But don't let reality mess up your "honesty."


Was it in Athens?
The Optimist
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:10 PM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway.  We never play a marquee game at home. 

That was kinda the point... I am suggesting a marquee home game on a marquee date.  As for Gameday, it will take continued success from us, and good matchup from the MAC.  I do recall them going to a MAC school before...

Quote:expand_more
And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday?

Gameday is big-time.  Your comparison isn't fitting IMO... Convincing kids to go to Gameday would be as easy as convincing kids to open up the bars on Homecoming.  That was more of a joking remark though...  Not the point I was trying to make in this thread.

Quote:expand_more
But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch.  That's what you're good at."  And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."

Reality?

I live in this crazy reality where our school has won 3 NCAA tournament games in basketball the past 4 years, a bowl game and has been ranked in the Top 25 in both football and basketball in this calender year.  We also have had some pretty impressive attendance showings compared to where we were...

It's a good time to be an optimist.

I tried to make it clear in the OP.  This is a high risk-high reward idea.  Tradition has to start somewhere.
Last Edited: 10/27/2012 1:12:42 PM by The Optimist
anorris
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:13 PM
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23. Bowling Green's "marquee" home matchup with 12. Northern Illinois in '03. They were at Houston a couple years ago for their marquee home game against unranked powerhouse SMU. The MAC is as good as its been at the top in quite some time. We're in position to have multiple top-25 teams for the first time in ages. We've never been better setup for it -- the biggest negative is that the conference's big matchups late in the year are on weeknights, giving us only half the season for a shot - which is a negative since there is obviously some luck involved in terms of what other games are available that weekend.

Sure, it would be a long shot, but there hasn't been a better shot in our history than the upcoming season. With Frank at the helm, I've learned not to discount things that may seem like a long shot.
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:17 PM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I doubt that Gameday will ever come to Athens (the Ohio Athens, not the Georgia one) anyway. We never play a marquee game at home. And if we can't get a huge number of fans to show up at noon for a game, how are we going to get them to come out at 8:00 am (or earlier) to get set up as the backdrop for the 9 am ESPNU Gameday or the 10 am real Gameday? But anyway, as Sundance said, "Just keep dreamin', Butch. That's what you're good at." And I know you have vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals, but there's also something called "reality."
I love how some of you enjoy throwing a wet blanket on things in the name of "reality" which is not even based in fact. Yes, it may be a long shot, but far from impossible.

Oh well. I'm sure they'd NEVER do GameDay from a MAC game, and definitely wouldn't ever do it from anywhere in Ohio outside 270. Why even consider it.


I don't enjoy it. Just being honest.
I enjoy that you totally missed the sarcasm of my second graph, as it describes something that has, in fact, already happened. But don't let reality mess up your "honesty."


Was it in Athens?


October 25th, 2003 at BOWLING GREEN.  If that frozen tundra of a campus can get Gameday up there, you don't think Athens could get it? It featured #12 Nothern Illinois and #23 Bowling Green.  

It could happen.  

EDIT:  anorris beat me to it, trying to watch this game at the same time.
Last Edited: 10/27/2012 1:18:30 PM by Bobcat110alum
perimeterpost
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:35 PM
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I agree it would need to be a GameDay scenario, how bout a visiting Boise State?
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:38 PM
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The stars would really have to align for it to happen in Athens.  Being far from an airport served by a major airline is a drawback -- BG is only 25 miles from the Toledo airport.  And for BG it just happened to be a year when the MAC had two ranked teams facing each other in a regular season game.  How often does that happen?  And it seems Ohio isn't getting much respect from ESPN.  I've heard two of their talking heads -- May and Fowler -- refer to Solich as "Frankie."  Never heard them call Saban "Nickie."  Another big drawback is not having Saturday home games in November.  By the time we can get two MAC teams ranked, they're playing midweek.  Midweek games are great for national exposure and recruiting, but Gameday won't show up unless you're actually playing a game on Saturday.
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:42 PM
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I made the midweek point as well, and agree with that assessment. I also think we're heading for a spot where two ranked MAC teams is plausible again, and hope it can carry to next year. I don't think an airport is that huge of an issue. Moving things and people from CMH to Athens is a tiny logistical challenge for that level of show.

Also, I wouldn't take "Frankie" as an insult at all. Almost more of respect, showing they know their stuff a bit, as it is a nickname that dates back to Solich's playing days.
Last Edited: 10/27/2012 1:45:06 PM by anorris
Pataskala
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:48 PM
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anorris wrote:expand_more
I made the midweek point as well, and agree with that assessment. I also think we're heading for a spot where two ranked MAC teams is plausible again, and hope it can carry to next year. I don't think an airport is that huge of an issue. Moving things and people from CMH to Athens is a tiny logistical challenge for that level of show.

Also, I wouldn't take "Frankie" as an insult at all. Almost more of respect, showing they know their stuff a bit, as it is a nickname that dates back to Solich's playing days.


Thanks.  Just hadn't heard Solich called that before.
anorris
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Posted: 10/27/2012 1:49 PM
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Pataskala wrote:expand_more
I made the midweek point as well, and agree with that assessment. I also think we're heading for a spot where two ranked MAC teams is plausible again, and hope it can carry to next year. I don't think an airport is that huge of an issue. Moving things and people from CMH to Athens is a tiny logistical challenge for that level of show.

Also, I wouldn't take "Frankie" as an insult at all. Almost more of respect, showing they know their stuff a bit, as it is a nickname that dates back to Solich's playing days.


Thanks. Just hadn't heard Solich called that before.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/M...
Mark Lembright '85
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Posted: 10/27/2012 2:41 PM
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LoganElm_grad09 wrote:expand_more
Have a collaboration with the bars on court and the street B-dubs is on where you get a stamp on your ticket that is good for a free drink at a bar (the barkeep takes the ticket and marks it to show they've already redeemed it.)  If you get a kickoff in the mid-afternoon, the game will be done before the festivities start.

Couple that with a nationally televised game, you'd see a great crowd.

EDIT:  Would only work for bar hopping students.


You can get into a bar on Court St. now on Halloween Saturday?  Times have changed-we couldn't get anywhere near getting inside the Junction, Greenery, Nickolodeon, Mug & Margarita, Pawpurss, Cat's Den, etc. on Halloween Saturday.

I sort of go with Real Ohio and Pataskala on this one, although I do think a Gameday in Athens is definitely a possibility (students will be there early on a Saturday for that easy-they'll just party through the entire Friday night into Saturday morning).  I have to think most of the out-of-town visitors coming into Athens for Halloween have no urge whatsoever to attend a football game and are only in town to party.  A Miami home gome is as close to a guaranteed sellout as Ohio has anyway, so I'm not sure I see the added benefit of having a home game on Halloween. 

Now if Peden Stadium sat 35,000 people that might be a different story but alas I digress.  Happy Halloween to all Bobcats and Go Ohio!
Last Edited: 10/27/2012 2:51:38 PM by Mark Lembright '85
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Posted: 10/27/2012 5:27 PM
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Mark Lembright '85 wrote:expand_more
Have a collaboration with the bars on court and the street B-dubs is on where you get a stamp on your ticket that is good for a free drink at a bar (the barkeep takes the ticket and marks it to show they've already redeemed it.)  If you get a kickoff in the mid-afternoon, the game will be done before the festivities start.

Couple that with a nationally televised game, you'd see a great crowd.

EDIT:  Would only work for bar hopping students.


You can get into a bar on Court St. now on Halloween Saturday?  Times have changed-we couldn't get anywhere near getting inside the Junction, Greenery, Nickolodeon, Mug & Margarita, Pawpurss, Cat's Den, etc. on Halloween Saturday.

I sort of go with Real Ohio and Pataskala on this one, although I do think a Gameday in Athens is definitely a possibility (students will be there early on a Saturday for that easy-they'll just party through the entire Friday night into Saturday morning).  I have to think most of the out-of-town visitors coming into Athens for Halloween have no urge whatsoever to attend a football game and are only in town to party.  A Miami home gome is as close to a guaranteed sellout as Ohio has anyway, so I'm not sure I see the added benefit of having a home game on Halloween. 

Now if Peden Stadium sat 35,000 people that might be a different story but alas I digress.  Happy Halloween to all Bobcats and Go Ohio!


Okay, wasn't thinking on that one.  Make the free drink offer last the rest of the semester(?)
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