Marshall vs. #23 WVU

[Peake]

Thank you Dubs I thought I was starting to lose my mind there for a second lol.

Here is my advice to WVU fans that are thumbing their nose and not going to the game because they feel they are better then Marshall. Go to the freaking game! Michigan has no problems putting 112,000 in their stadium when they play Toledo, sisters of the poor, etc. Freaking OSU will put 100,000 to watch a spring game. No excuse for WVU not to show up for that game. I have heard how more people showed up for the Liberty home game for WVU, what is the logic in going to that game over your instate rival? Like I said, it is WVU fans fault if they choose not to fill up their own stadium, don't blame it on Marshall when you can fill it up for sister of the poor Liberty.

Off subject but come on Marshall, don't copy Michigan with the touchng the banner. Dubs you hear about this? They have a banner that says "GO HERD, the M Club supports you" they run out and touch before the game now. Funny thing is they set it at about 11' tall and only about 5 players could touch it lol

[Peake]

Thank you Dubs I thought I was starting to lose my mind there for a second lol.

Here is my advice to WVU fans that are thumbing their nose and not going to the game because they feel they are better then Marshall. Go to the freaking game! Michigan has no problems putting 112,000 in their stadium when they play Toledo, sisters of the poor, etc. Freaking OSU will put 100,000 to watch a spring game. No excuse for WVU not to show up for that game. I have heard how more people showed up for the Liberty home game for WVU, what is the logic in going to that game over your instate rival? Like I said, it is WVU fans fault if they choose not to fill up their own stadium, don't blame it on Marshall when you can fill it up for sister of the poor Liberty.

Off subject but come on Marshall, don't copy Michigan with the touchng the banner. Dubs you hear about this? They have a banner that says "GO HERD, the M Club supports you" they run out and touch before the game now. Funny thing is they set it at about 11' tall and only about 5 players could touch it lol

[seofan_via_dublin]

Hadn't heard about that one yet, but it is lame.
At least change the phrasing.

[marshallman]

Don't give me this crap that WVU doesn't care about playing Marshall when they will buy season tickets at Marshall just to get the ticket. Every basketball season they play in Charleston is sold out too. WVU fans, stay home watch it on TV and play corn hole and Marshall wouldn't sell-out the game if you have no interest in it. Heres the problem, WVU does not ever want to lose to Marshall in football but they know the day is coming and they don't want to see it or hear about it so the best thing to do is avoid playing the game.

[mister b]

The series needs to continue with it being a home and home series.

But, Marshall needs to add more seating.

Most WVU fans would drop Marshall in favor of renewing the series against Penn State in a heartbeat. And we beat Penn State about as often as Marshall beats WVU.

As for the basketball series, get it out of Charleston and play on the campus of both schools.

[hdfatboy]

Thank you Dubs I thought I was starting to lose my mind there for a second lol.

Here is my advice to WVU fans that are thumbing their nose and not going to the game because they feel they are better then Marshall. Go to the freaking game! Michigan has no problems putting 112,000 in their stadium when they play Toledo, sisters of the poor, etc. Freaking OSU will put 100,000 to watch a spring game. No excuse for WVU not to show up for that game. I have heard how more people showed up for the Liberty home game for WVU, what is the logic in going to that game over your instate rival? Like I said, it is WVU fans fault if they choose not to fill up their own stadium, don't blame it on Marshall when you can fill it up for sister of the poor Liberty.

Off subject but come on Marshall, don't copy Michigan with the touchng the banner. Dubs you hear about this? They have a banner that says "GO HERD, the M Club supports you" they run out and touch before the game now. Funny thing is they set it at about 11' tall and only about 5 players could touch it lol

Peake - while actually technically correct that attendance was higher for the Liberty (opener) than the Marshall game - both were near capacity crowds. The difference wasn't that great, about 3,000 more for Liberty. There were factors that impacted attendance at that game (such as weather and the start time), but overall it wasn't much different than the Liberty game.

The thing is WVU typically gets about the same amount of people in the stadium for any game barring extenuating circumstances such as weather. The only time we get over capacity crowds is when there is a really good match-up with a rival team - the top ten best attended games we have had are dominated by Pitt and Penn State (and OSU is in there). The 97 Marshall game is 11th all time. No other Marshall game is in the top 25.

Folks in Morgantown don't see Marshall as a big rival - right or wrong. The game isn't anything more than an early season OOC game.

Attendance at Mountaineer Field is typically close to capacity (60,000) for most games.

In the state of Michigan there are approximately 10,000,000 people - the stadium's capacity is approximately 0.1% of the population. WV's population is about 1.8 million people, and Mountaineer Field seat about 3% of the total population - if we got 1% of our population to fill a stadium both Marshall and WVU would be sold out each week!

[Raiderball]

How can you compare Bama/Auburn to WVU/Marshall? Conference game vs non conference game.
IMO it is more comparable to Bama/UAB or Auburn/UAB.

THERE ARE ONLY 2 D1 PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

MAKING WVU THE #1 AND MARSHALL THE #2.

IN ALABAMA, BAMA IS #1 AND AUBURN IS #2.

TO ARGUE ANY OTHER SCHOOLS MAKES IT INVALID BECAUSE WVU DOESN'T HAVE A 3RD, 4TH, OR 5TH OPTION FOR
SCHEDULING IN-STATE D1 SCHOOLS.

I don't see how you can't comprehend this. simple issue.

I will repeat, Bama/Auburn is a conference game. WVU/Marshall is not. Playing Marshall does nothing for WVU. Like I said in earlier post, it was the smallest crowd of the season in Morgantown last year. Does nothing to help WVU recruiting.

If Marshall wants a 5 for 2 OK. Anything more and WVU should tell them find someone else to play.

[Peake]

That is fine that people don't see Marshall as a rival, but it would be better if they did. It would be better if you wanted Marshall to be a top 25 program. Alabama-Auburn, Georgia-Georgia Tech, Florida-FSU, Arizona-ASU, Michigan-MSU, Virginia-VT, UK-Louisville, are all better off because they play one another. Any Ohio State fan will tell you, OSU is better off when Michigan is better.

Michigan didn't think OSU was their rival once either, but OSU got better and beat UM and it became a rivalry.

So WVU being on national TV does nothing for them? Really? You would rather them play liberty and be on regional coverage. Then you have no clue how college football or recruiting works. Yes this rivalry helps Marshall more then it does WVU at the moment, but if WVU were samrt they would embrace this, instead of thumbing their nose.

Ok so Marshall is the Georgia Tech to WVU's Georgia. Really man? You think I don't get your little concept. Here is another. Marshall is the Louisville to WVU's UK. Better?

[hdfatboy]

That is fine that people don't see Marshall as a rival, but it would be better if they did. It would be better if you wanted Marshall to be a top 25 program. Alabama-Auburn, Georgia-Georgia Tech, Florida-FSU, Arizona-ASU, Michigan-MSU, Virginia-VT, UK-Louisville, are all better off because they play one another. Any Ohio State fan will tell you, OSU is better off when Michigan is better.

Michigan didn't think OSU was their rival once either, but OSU got better and beat UM and it became a rivalry.

The thing is WVU major rival is Pitt, and I don't see that changing barring conference realignment that results in that series ending. WVU is better when Pitt is better - but that is because something (conference standing) is on the line when they play each other.

Could there be a rivalry develope between WVU and Marshall? Sure. I am not opposed to that.

But I will say this, at one time there was a time when people at WVU were supportive of Marshall - I can remember being in Mountaineer Field many times and when the Marshall score was announced people would cheer loudly when they (the Herd) were winning. There was pride that another WV team was doing so well. There was a great deal of excitement about the games that were supposed to be played in Morgantown between 97 and 99. All that changed when Marshall chose not to follow through with that arrangement and left WVU hanging....and then proceeded to go on a major smear campaign in the press to try to bully WVU into playing in Huntington.

I was travelling back and forth between Morgantown and Ironton during those years and can tell you, what I read in the Herald Dispatch turned me off to Marshall...and it did a lot of other people too.

I understand that Marshall wants home games - but I think had they simply done what they agreed to do (shame on WVU for not getting contracts signed) there would be a home-home series at this point.

Here is the big issue on the one-for-one agreement as summed up by the Marshall AD:

"When you look at most institutions in an in-state rivalry, it's usually one-for-one," Marcum said. "We all need revenue. They do require more than we do. They are 97 percent self-supporting. We are not."

- Ivan Maisel, ESPN, May 25 2005.

WVU needs a minimum number of home games each year - given the number of OOC games they need to schedule each year due to the size of the Big East, this can be problematic. Now, maybe guaranteed tv money or such could make up for some of that, but there are other considerations.

For example Peake, you mention TV coverage and recruiting. That is very true - last Friday undoubtably gave both schools excellent exposure (although it probably helped Marshall more than WVU). However, a series with Maryland would probably help WVU more because it would likely garner decent tv coverage and is a game that would include a team in one of WVU's major recruiting areas - a VT series would do the same. Those games were generally broadcast on ESPN when they were played. There is a lot interest in the border rivalry with Maryland that has existed for years.

[Raiderball]

I do have a clue how recruiting works. Any time you are on national television it does help. This was the first time the game has been nationally televised though. In the past it was only picked up on statewide television. If it continues to be national ok.

Like hdfatboy said, playing a series with Maryland, VT and etc... does much more for WVU recruiting because we recruit players from those areas.

You are still comparing BCS conference schools Georgia/GTech and UK/UL playing each other. IF.... Marshall can get their program turned around and winning 9, 10 plus games a year then I might become more a rivalry and doesn't hurt the WVU SOS like it does now.

hdfatboy, thanks for saying a lot of things I was going to say. There was a lot of negative that came from the cancellation of that late 90's series. Brought on by the way it was handled by Marshall. I agree with you, if Marshall honors that series chances are it would have continued and maybe would be considering 1 for 1 now.

[Raiderball]

If the series continues and when Marshall beats WVU then it could and probably will become more of a rivalry. Until then Pitt and Maryland will be WVU rivals.

[Peake]

Ohio State is Michigan's rival, but they also embrace the Michigan-MSU rivalry. I agree with both of you, Marshall needs to get better.

BTW, game in Huntington a few years back was on ESPN2.

Raider I am tired of going around with you. I don't think your IQ is as long as your username. I get the BCS conference stuff you are implying, but was Louisville any less of UK's rival when they were in conference USA? NO! So let it go. I get your little analogy.

hdfatboy, great post.

[Raiderball]

Peake, tell me why do you have to insult people who dont agree with you? YOU ARE A TOOL

[Charge]

Why wouldn't WVU play Marshall, at least Marshall is a D1 school unlike some of the schools they have played in the past.

[Raiderball]

Why wouldn't WVU play Marshall, at least Marshall is a D1 school unlike some of the schools they have played in the past.

and WVU is the only D1/FBS school that does this.

I am almost certain WVU would play Marshall if they would agree to play in Morgantown every year. That is reason why schools play opponents from FCS. HOME game

[Peake]

WVU plays in the weakest of weak conferences that are considered FBS. You see this is why your opinion is dirt. UK played Louisville on an every year basis, what it any less of a rivalry when they were in conference USA?

You repeat yourself 15 times and expect someone to jump on your side.

The only people to blame for WVU not filling up their own stadium are WVU fans. Like I said, Michigan can put 100,000 in their stadium when they play freakin Toledo.

Read Dubs post one more time and stop beating your dead horse.

BTW, which tool am I? I have always enjoyed power tools :P

[Raiderball]

http://www.ice750.net/wvu-um2010.wmv

Found this at another site

[Raiderball]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terp ... 8974.story

[hdfatboy]

WVU plays in the weakest of weak conferences that are considered FBS. You see this is why your opinion is dirt.

Ah now Peake, that is a popular opinion, but not one that really plays out well. (Although the way things are going, it might this year)

Looking at RPI rankings - the Big East has been in the top 3 or 4 conference every year since 2006 (although, again, not this year).

http://realtimerpi.com/football/ncaaf_conf_Men.html

Sagarin has the Big East ranked 6th prior to this weekend.

The Big East's bowl record since 2006 is not too shabby at 17-6 with some quality wins in there. You can point to last year's dismantling of Cincy by Florida, but you can just as easily point to Florida's dismantling of OSU a few years ago.

You can argue that the conference ends up playing lots of Thursday/Friday night games to get national TV exposure - and you would be right that in terms of national appeal the tv rating don't favor the Big East on Saturdays...but does that speak to strength of conference currently or historical recognition? Alumni base? Simple bias?

I wouldn't argue that the Big East is a power conference - it is a small conference with decent parity among it's teams and generally its top teams can compete at the highest levels in college football. The Big East doesn't have a traditional football power like OSU or Michigan, but that doesn't negate that the conference has had success in recent years.

All that said - the conference strength argument still isn't the issue with WVU/Marshall - it has more to do with Marshall people putting a billboard up in Morgantown about them being WV's team the one and only time they were ranked higher than WVU!

As for WVU filling up it's stadium - it usually comes pretty close and numerically isn't comparable to Michigan. There are a lot more people in Michigan than there are in WV. Plus, WVU usually sells out its season tickets - attendance figures are just how many make it out of the parking lot and into the stadium for the game, not how many tickets were sold! That's our biggest fan issue - too many tv's in the parking lot and too much partying pre-game. Plus true "fair weather" fans that stay home when it is cold or rainy.

The fan issue with regard to Marshall is that WVU gets to add one more home game to it's season ticket price - which, once you take into account the average required donation and price of the seat means about $6,000,000 in additional revenue for WVU for that extra home game. Definitely not about numbers in the seats - it is about seats sold. Even without the additinional donation revenue you're talking an additional $2.4 million in ticket sales for one extra home game.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Of the 6 BCS conferences, the Big East is #6.
If we throw in the Mountain West, the Big East would likely fall to 7th.