Fau Vs Central Michigan

[NT80]

Howard is 5-0 in Bowl games.

Would NT fans (you) go to Detroit the day after Christmas to see a 6-6 UNT vs Central Mich? By car or fly? Could be a travel nightmare either way.

Edited December 27, 2008 by NT80

[VideoEagle]

Howard is 5-0 in Bowl games.

Would NT fans (you) go to Detroit the day after Christmas to see a 6-6 UNT vs Central Mich? By car or fly? Could be a travel nightmare either way.

If it had been the nearly 40 years since a bowl game, yes I'd go and I know a lot of other would too. But FAU has been in several bowls in a row. Miami in December or Detroit? I don't care if the game is in a dome, it's still Detroit in December. No one in their right mind goes to Detroit. It is the single dirtiest city in America.

Edited December 27, 2008 by VideoEagle

[CMJ]

If it had been the nearly 40 years since a bowl game, yes I'd go and I know a lot of other would too. But FAU has been in several bowls in a row.

If by several you mean two, then yes...they've been to several.

[DeepGreen]

Looks like a pretty nice crowd.

[CMJ]

Looks like a pretty nice crowd.

Over 50K was expected. CMU usually does a good job going to this game.

[CMJ]

Looks like the Owls are gonna get this one(up 11 with about five minutes to go).

[UNT_playmaker]

Was hoping FAU and Smelly would lose.... Hate them both....

Arky state would have been a better Sun Belt rep. Dont know how FAU got into a bowl this year.

Edited December 27, 2008 by UNT_playmaker

[eulessismore]

Was hoping FAU and Smelly would lose.... Hate them both....

Arky state would have been a better Sun Belt rep. Dont know how FAU got into a bowl this year.

I understand your feelings, but objectively, FAU and Smelly outcoached and outplayed CM. Central Michigan violated one important principle; don't go all the way downfield piling up yardage and come away with no points. Hmmm, sounds like a team we may know and love.

[Side Show Joe]

1. Am I the only one who was upset that they showed FAU had to hire a local high school band to play as their band for them? How bad does that make our conference look? Like we can't even scrap up enough dough to send our bands, or our conference's bands were like, " Nah, we're going to pass on the trip". Either way, I think it stinks, and makes the Belt look like amateurs. If a university from the Sun Belt can't send a respectable amount of representation to a bowl game, then that university needs to reconsider the idea of playing at the bowl subdivision. And I give ESPN the finger for pointing out FAU's laps in judgment. Thet didn't have to tell the world (or at least the viewing audience).Is anyone else upset?

2. The on-sides kick with 3 minutes to go, was the dumbest coaching decision I think I've seen all year. What was that guy thinking?

[NT80]

I understand your feelings, but objectively, FAU and Smelly outcoached and outplayed CM. Central Michigan violated one important principle; don't go all the way downfield piling up yardage and come away with no points. Hmmm, sounds like a team we may know and love.

Another bonehead coaching decision by CM not to kick the fieldgoal on 4th down. Is it just the emotion of the game that keeps common sense away from the sideline in that situation? You would think an assistant coach would have enough courage to tell the head guy to think about it. Guess it happens to winning teams too.

As far as the band, I didn't watch the whole game but didn't know their band was not there although I only saw CM's on the crowd shots. I imagine it had to do with timing, the day after Christmas and travel from Miami.

Edited December 27, 2008 by NT80

[Side Show Joe]

Was hoping FAU and Smelly would lose.... Hate them both....

Arky state would have been a better Sun Belt rep. Dont know how FAU got into a bowl this year.

I wanted FAU to lose too. I only want the other Belt teams to be good when we are dominating the conference. Too bad when we were good nobody else was.

[Rudy]

Im not sure why so many root against our conference. We should want our conference to do well. If we were in a BcS Conference, that would be another story. I don't think its a bad thing that they hired a local high school band. Im sure many other mid-majors would have found it difficult to travel to a distant bowl. Why not higer a local HS band? besides, it may help drum up some interest in their school from outside the state.

And yes, I would have travelled to Detroit. I could have escaped into Canada for a visit. I heard that Detroit did alot of renovations to its downtown though.

[CMJ]

Not a Bowl game...but a little FYI here guys.

Before this year NOTRE DAME(as in has more money than practically any program) never once sent their band to Los Angeles when they played USC. They got some Catholic High School to play for them. For whatever reason, this year the ND band came out for the game, and it was a huge deal here - arguably a bigger deal than the game itself.

So, no...I don't think this makes FAU look small time.

[Harry]

Was hoping FAU and Smelly would lose.... Hate them both....

Arky state would have been a better Sun Belt rep. Dont know how FAU got into a bowl this year.

So you pull against a conference mate? An FAU win helps our conference and ultimately us. You really need some help man.

[UNT_playmaker]

I know other people were rooting for FAU since they are in our conference but I always found myself rooting against them

I think I disdain them for their current winning streak against us and their coach thinks less of everyone he plays. Give me any other Sun Belt conference mate and I can root for them and find good in them but I just dont see it in FAU.

[MeanGreenEagle]

1. Am I the only one who was upset that they showed FAU had to hire a local high school band to play as their band for them? How bad does that make our conference look? Like we can't even scrap up enough dough to send our bands, or our conference's bands were like, " Nah, we're going to pass on the trip". Either way, I think it stinks, and makes the Belt look like amateurs. If a university from the Sun Belt can't send a respectable amount of representation to a bowl game, then that university needs to reconsider the idea of playing at the bowl subdivision. And I give ESPN the finger for pointing out FAU's laps in judgment. Thet didn't have to tell the world (or at least the viewing audience).Is anyone else upset?

I think its rediculous to begin with that some schools take two or three charter planes to a non major bowl game just to bring the band, scout team players, the entire dance and cheer squad, and boosters. As I recall Texas Tech lost 100 grand from going to the Gator Bowl last year.

[Harry]

I know other people were rooting for FAU since they are in our conference but I always found myself rooting against them

I think I disdain them for their current winning streak against us and their coach thinks less of everyone he plays. Give me any other Sun Belt conference mate and I can root for them and find good in them but I just dont see it in FAU.

I don't love Schnelly either but I do respect the hell out of him. What he's accomplished at that program in such a short time is remarkable.

[stebo]

I don't love Schnelly either but I do respect the hell out of him. What he's accomplished at that program in such a short time is remarkable.

Totally agree with you Harry - it was 10 years ago that FAU did not even have a program... that was when Schnelly was hired to start one from scratch. He dreams big and his goal is a Championship - and he really seems sincere when he says that. They have now won back to back bowl games... this is def the biggest bowl win in the history of our conference. And they are the first 6-6 team from the Belt to get an at large bid to a bowl.

As for hiring a high school band... FAU negotiated their way into that bowl by taking tickets for their payout. So the more tickets that they sold, the more money they had to spend on the kids. Obviously, not many people were going to Detroit on Christmas from a small fan base. They had to cut corners as much they could. But it is common now. Lots of schools hire high school bands to play away games, bowl games, and such. I did think the same thing the first time that I heard that happen 5 or 6 years ago but it has become a pretty common place thing now. FAU probably lost a couple hundred grand for this bowl win but I think it was worth it - they have raised their stock once again (and that is good for the Belt which is good for us). Now, a win against FAU next year counts more... they get more respect and in turn, teams from our conference get more respect. It is all connected.

[Side Show Joe]

Not a Bowl game...but a little FYI here guys.

Before this year NOTRE DAME(as in has more money than practically any program) never once sent their band to Los Angeles when they played USC. They got some Catholic High School to play for them. For whatever reason, this year the ND band came out for the game, and it was a huge deal here - arguably a bigger deal than the game itself.

So, no...I don't think this makes FAU look small time.

I see your point, but Notre Dame is not in the same position as schools in the Sun Belt. They are not trying to climb up in the ranks of public perception, in the way we are. As a conference, I feel our opportunities on the national stage are too few. When given the chance, we should do everything possible to exceed expectations. You could be right. Perhaps FAU will not be seen as small time, but I feel if the band was there to play after the win, our conference would have been better served.

[greenminer]

I am not sure, but I think it is a school-by-school case which decides if the band goes to the bowl. Funding for their travel and participation is not provided by the conference.

I think it is basketball in which post-season play includes funding by the NCAA for band travel.

[eulessismore]

Man, all this band controversy stuff on a sports board; I just I should be happy now to at least have a minor in music from North Texas, and to sing in the church choir. Reminds me of something I read once about the three main controversies at churches; the choice of music, the temperature at which the temperture is set, and I can't remember the other one.

[NT80]

I know other people were rooting for FAU since they are in our conference but I always found myself rooting against them

I think I disdain them for their current winning streak against us and their coach thinks less of everyone he plays. Give me any other Sun Belt conference mate and I can root for them and find good in them but I just dont see it in FAU.

I would feel the same if Smut and NT were in the same conference. I could never root for Smut no matter how much the conference needed a win.

[SilverEagle]

Man, all this band controversy stuff on a sports board; I just I should be happy now to at least have a minor in music from North Texas, and to sing in the church choir. Reminds me of something I read once about the three main controversies at churches; the choice of music, the temperature at which the temperture is set, and I can't remember the other one.

If I recall correctly from the web-cast of our game with them. After seeing shots of their band in the stands, they are much better off hiring a local HS band to play for them at the bowl game.

[GreenMachine]

And I give ESPN the finger for pointing out FAU's laps in judgment. Thet didn't have to tell the world (or at least the viewing audience).Is anyone else upset?

sometimes the truth hurts but in the end its still the truth. Just like Vito, he reports the truth and nothing but the truth and sometimes it sux but its still the truth.

[oldguystudent]

So educate me. Other than beating us every time they've played us, what is it about FAU that brings such ire among the Mean Green Nation?