1) If my school stinks in Football, there's a bunch of other sports where we can beat the other MAC teams. If we lose to Northern Illinois in football, we'll beat them in some sport this year.
2) It's just $15 for Basketball and Football games, $5 for Baseball, and my kids get all-sport season passes for $25 each. Compare to professional sports team costs.
3) I can walk to the Basketball games, take a bus to the Football games, or ride my bike to Baseball games
3) Even if my school's basketball team doesn't win the MAC and get to the NCAA tournament, there's 10 other teams that I could root for, if they make March Madness (though I can't ever root for our MAC neighbor)
4) It was really cool, hearing cars on the streets blowing their horns at 1AM after winning our Sweet Sixteen game in 2002
5) Even if I have no interest in Golf, I can take pride in that our Golf teams dominate the MAC, and routinely win against the big boys
6) Shoonover stadium is a great place to watch a ball game (especially back before they started charging admission this year). Seeing a game with 100 of your closest freinds; sitting a couple of rows in front of the press box and hearing the radio broadcasters; seeing the kids tracking down foul balls in the trees; the parklike setting - better than any MLB experience
7) Even if I don't travel to other schools, seeing the other teams fans show up at our school is cool. You can kind of see that they're just like us
8) Having dozens of other MAC graduates working in the same place I do. Many of their kids are going to MAC schools now.
9) Seeing the building downtown that usually has assorted national flags replacing them with our school's flag for big games
10) Seeing the banner they put up in from of the city government building when our team went to the College World Series
11) An exception to the rule for not rooting for our MAC neighbor, I'll root for their men's soccer team, because my school doesn't have one (though not for their women's soccer)
12) The whole Wagon Wheel rivalry program, even though it's an artificial corporate-sponsored promotion
13) Seeing my kids go crazy about a meaningless exhibition women's volleyball game, even though they don't know squat about volleyball
14) Seeing the articles about my school's teams in the big-city newspaper
15) Playing games against our Horizon League neighbor to the north, and our Missouri Valley Conference neighbor to the east.
16) Following the players I saw on our school's Baseball team as they slowly move through the minor leagues, and occasionally make the majors
17) Following my school's recruits in the local paper as they finish out their high school careers
18) Homecoming parade
19) Each season, the city flag football league that my kids play in have their last game at my school's Football stadium. It's cool seeing my kids playing in the big stadium
20) The MAC basketball tournament in Cleveland

This being said, I grew up in Cleveland, and more often than not, Cleveland teams in any sport lose more than they win. And for all the talk about being in the 'Cleveland Media Market', Cleveland State, Ohio State, Baldwin-Wallace, John Carroll, Notre Dame University, and Notre Dame College get more coverage than we do.

If I'm interested in cheering on a national-level team, there's always Ohio State. If I want to spend $50-$100 to see a game, I can drive down there, and they're always on TV

21. Regular upsets of top tier programs. Telling their alumni, "That’s a MAC school.”

22. Good football and basketball seats almost always available.

23. Watching kids from local high schools get a chance to play at the next level.

I could work on a post for a month but couldn't have said it better. Nice to see a real sports fan ( as opposed to football fans or attendance fans) offering their opinion. I've loved the MAC for about 55 years for many of these same reasons.

(11-19-2013 03:50 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  ...
3) Even if my school's basketball team doesn't win the MAC and get to the NCAA tournament, there's 10 other teams that I could root for, if they make March Madness (though I can't ever root for our MAC neighbor)

Hey now, wait a minute ...

Quote: 11) An exception to the rule for not rooting for our MAC neighbor, I'll root for their men's soccer team, because my school doesn't have one (though not for their women's soccer)

Oh, OK, never mind.

I like the MAC because the MAC schools and the MAC HQ are there for the Student Athlete, as opposed to the Athlete just being there for the school and the (cough cough Big Ten) conference HQ.

24. Asking a BROwNCOw if that CHImP hanging out of his @ss makes him look fat.

(11-19-2013 03:50 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  1) If my school stinks in Football, there's a bunch of other sports where we can beat the other MAC teams. If we lose to Northern Illinois in football, we'll beat them in some sport this year.
2) It's just $15 for Basketball and Football games, $5 for Baseball, and my kids get all-sport season passes for $25 each. Compare to professional sports team costs.
3) I can walk to the Basketball games, take a bus to the Football games, or ride my bike to Baseball games
3) Even if my school's basketball team doesn't win the MAC and get to the NCAA tournament, there's 10 other teams that I could root for, if they make March Madness (though I can't ever root for our MAC neighbor)
4) It was really cool, hearing cars on the streets blowing their horns at 1AM after winning our Sweet Sixteen game in 2002
5) Even if I have no interest in Golf, I can take pride in that our Golf teams dominate the MAC, and routinely win against the big boys
6) Shoonover stadium is a great place to watch a ball game (especially back before they started charging admission this year). Seeing a game with 100 of your closest freinds; sitting a couple of rows in front of the press box and hearing the radio broadcasters; seeing the kids tracking down foul balls in the trees; the parklike setting - better than any MLB experience
7) Even if I don't travel to other schools, seeing the other teams fans show up at our school is cool. You can kind of see that they're just like us
8) Having dozens of other MAC graduates working in the same place I do. Many of their kids are going to MAC schools now.
9) Seeing the building downtown that usually has assorted national flags replacing them with our school's flag for big games
10) Seeing the banner they put up in from of the city government building when our team went to the College World Series
11) An exception to the rule for not rooting for our MAC neighbor, I'll root for their men's soccer team, because my school doesn't have one (though not for their women's soccer)
12) The whole Wagon Wheel rivalry program, even though it's an artificial corporate-sponsored promotion
13) Seeing my kids go crazy about a meaningless exhibition women's volleyball game, even though they don't know squat about volleyball
14) Seeing the articles about my school's teams in the big-city newspaper
15) Playing games against our Horizon League neighbor to the north, and our Missouri Valley Conference neighbor to the east.
16) Following the players I saw on our school's Baseball team as they slowly move through the minor leagues, and occasionally make the majors
17) Following my school's recruits in the local paper as they finish out their high school careers
18) Homecoming parade
19) Each season, the city flag football league that my kids play in have their last game at my school's Football stadium. It's cool seeing my kids playing in the big stadium
20) The MAC basketball tournament in Cleveland

This being said, I grew up in Cleveland, and more often than not, Cleveland teams in any sport lose more than they win. And for all the talk about being in the 'Cleveland Media Market', Cleveland State, Ohio State, Baldwin-Wallace, John Carroll, Notre Dame University, and Notre Dame College get more coverage than we do.

If I'm interested in cheering on a national-level team, there's always Ohio State. If I want to spend $50-$100 to see a game, I can drive down there, and they're always on TV

just curious...you mentioned all of the schools that get more coverage than you do. how much coverage does Mount Union football get?

25. MAC schools being about a "2" or less on a scale of 1 to 10 when it comes to crass commercialism of college athletics.

26. Occasionally beating schools who are an 8 to 10 on that crass commercialism scale.

27. Hearing that never-ending wail, "We just lost to a *@*(%$ MAC school!" It will never change; so we may as well own it.

28. Remembering big MAC moments in history more clearly than who won the national championship in hoops last year.

29. Getting excited to see that Akron is playing EMU on the Ocho at 9:30 Tuesday morning and arranging my day to watch it.

(11-19-2013 04:18 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I could work on a post for a month but couldn't have said it better. Nice to see a real sports fan ( as opposed to football fans or attendance fans) offering their opinion. I've loved the MAC for about 55 years for many of these same reasons.

Spot on.

30. Watching the big school ESPN shills meltdown and sputter when "a MAC team" crashes their exclusive party.

(11-19-2013 05:51 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  28. Remembering big MAC moments in history more clearly than who won the national championship in hoops last year.

Bingo! I grew up a Maryland fan and still am one but Kent's Elite Eight run and Ohio and Miami's Sweet Sixteen runs are closer to my heart than Maryland's championship in 2002. I like November and December because I have twelve teams to root for.

(11-19-2013 04:37 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 03:50 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  1) If my school stinks in Football, there's a bunch of other sports where we can beat the other MAC teams. If we lose to Northern Illinois in football, we'll beat them in some sport this year.
2) It's just $15 for Basketball and Football games, $5 for Baseball, and my kids get all-sport season passes for $25 each. Compare to professional sports team costs.
3) I can walk to the Basketball games, take a bus to the Football games, or ride my bike to Baseball games
3) Even if my school's basketball team doesn't win the MAC and get to the NCAA tournament, there's 10 other teams that I could root for, if they make March Madness (though I can't ever root for our MAC neighbor)
4) It was really cool, hearing cars on the streets blowing their horns at 1AM after winning our Sweet Sixteen game in 2002
5) Even if I have no interest in Golf, I can take pride in that our Golf teams dominate the MAC, and routinely win against the big boys
6) Shoonover stadium is a great place to watch a ball game (especially back before they started charging admission this year). Seeing a game with 100 of your closest freinds; sitting a couple of rows in front of the press box and hearing the radio broadcasters; seeing the kids tracking down foul balls in the trees; the parklike setting - better than any MLB experience
7) Even if I don't travel to other schools, seeing the other teams fans show up at our school is cool. You can kind of see that they're just like us
8) Having dozens of other MAC graduates working in the same place I do. Many of their kids are going to MAC schools now.
9) Seeing the building downtown that usually has assorted national flags replacing them with our school's flag for big games
10) Seeing the banner they put up in from of the city government building when our team went to the College World Series
11) An exception to the rule for not rooting for our MAC neighbor, I'll root for their men's soccer team, because my school doesn't have one (though not for their women's soccer)
12) The whole Wagon Wheel rivalry program, even though it's an artificial corporate-sponsored promotion
13) Seeing my kids go crazy about a meaningless exhibition women's volleyball game, even though they don't know squat about volleyball
14) Seeing the articles about my school's teams in the big-city newspaper
15) Playing games against our Horizon League neighbor to the north, and our Missouri Valley Conference neighbor to the east.
16) Following the players I saw on our school's Baseball team as they slowly move through the minor leagues, and occasionally make the majors
17) Following my school's recruits in the local paper as they finish out their high school careers
18) Homecoming parade
19) Each season, the city flag football league that my kids play in have their last game at my school's Football stadium. It's cool seeing my kids playing in the big stadium
20) The MAC basketball tournament in Cleveland

This being said, I grew up in Cleveland, and more often than not, Cleveland teams in any sport lose more than they win. And for all the talk about being in the 'Cleveland Media Market', Cleveland State, Ohio State, Baldwin-Wallace, John Carroll, Notre Dame University, and Notre Dame College get more coverage than we do.

If I'm interested in cheering on a national-level team, there's always Ohio State. If I want to spend $50-$100 to see a game, I can drive down there, and they're always on TV

just curious...you mentioned all of the schools that get more coverage than you do. how much coverage does Mount Union football get?

Mount games get covered each week. They definitely get far less overall coverage the Plain Dealer (near zero outside of football) than KSU does. Mount is located in Alliance which is 65-70 miles SE of Cleveland. Kent is 33 miles from Cleveland. IMO, when there is something worthy to cover in NE OH, the PD covers it, albeit KSU, CSU, CrAkron (sorry, couldn't help myself) or any school that's winning or has an interesting story line. They are 1st and foremost about selling newspapers.

(11-19-2013 03:50 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  1) If my school stinks in Football, there's a bunch of other sports where we can beat the other MAC teams. If we lose to Northern Illinois in football, we'll beat them in some sport this year.
2) It's just $15 for Basketball and Football games, $5 for Baseball, and my kids get all-sport season passes for $25 each. Compare to professional sports team costs.
3) I can walk to the Basketball games, take a bus to the Football games, or ride my bike to Baseball games
3) Even if my school's basketball team doesn't win the MAC and get to the NCAA tournament, there's 10 other teams that I could root for, if they make March Madness (though I can't ever root for our MAC neighbor)
4) It was really cool, hearing cars on the streets blowing their horns at 1AM after winning our Sweet Sixteen game in 2002
5) Even if I have no interest in Golf, I can take pride in that our Golf teams dominate the MAC, and routinely win against the big boys
6) Shoonover stadium is a great place to watch a ball game (especially back before they started charging admission this year). Seeing a game with 100 of your closest freinds; sitting a couple of rows in front of the press box and hearing the radio broadcasters; seeing the kids tracking down foul balls in the trees; the parklike setting - better than any MLB experience
7) Even if I don't travel to other schools, seeing the other teams fans show up at our school is cool. You can kind of see that they're just like us
8) Having dozens of other MAC graduates working in the same place I do. Many of their kids are going to MAC schools now.
9) Seeing the building downtown that usually has assorted national flags replacing them with our school's flag for big games
10) Seeing the banner they put up in from of the city government building when our team went to the College World Series
11) An exception to the rule for not rooting for our MAC neighbor, I'll root for their men's soccer team, because my school doesn't have one (though not for their women's soccer)
12) The whole Wagon Wheel rivalry program, even though it's an artificial corporate-sponsored promotion
13) Seeing my kids go crazy about a meaningless exhibition women's volleyball game, even though they don't know squat about volleyball
14) Seeing the articles about my school's teams in the big-city newspaper
15) Playing games against our Horizon League neighbor to the north, and our Missouri Valley Conference neighbor to the east.
16) Following the players I saw on our school's Baseball team as they slowly move through the minor leagues, and occasionally make the majors
17) Following my school's recruits in the local paper as they finish out their high school careers
18) Homecoming parade
19) Each season, the city flag football league that my kids play in have their last game at my school's Football stadium. It's cool seeing my kids playing in the big stadium
20) The MAC basketball tournament in Cleveland

This being said, I grew up in Cleveland, and more often than not, Cleveland teams in any sport lose more than they win. And for all the talk about being in the 'Cleveland Media Market', Cleveland State, Ohio State, Baldwin-Wallace, John Carroll, Notre Dame University, and Notre Dame College get more coverage than we do.

If I'm interested in cheering on a national-level team, there's always Ohio State. If I want to spend $50-$100 to see a game, I can drive down there, and they're always on TV

Well written! I think you've captured what the MAC is all about (certainly for us KSU fans). Kinda like minor league baseball. Not the best there is but damn good, very entertaining, fun to talk about and a heck of a bargain!

Awesome thread.

(11-19-2013 04:37 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  just curious...you mentioned all of the schools that get more coverage than you do. how much coverage does Mount Union football get?

They got coverage in the Plain Dealer - when they previewed the Mount Union-John Carroll game. They also mentioned the Division III playoff matchups

(11-19-2013 06:40 PM)Flash Freak 3 Wrote:  Mount games get covered each week. They definitely get far less overall coverage the Plain Dealer (near zero outside of football) than KSU does. Mount is located in Alliance which is 65-70 miles SE of Cleveland. Kent is 33 miles from Cleveland. IMO, when there is something worthy to cover in NE OH, the PD covers it, albeit KSU, CSU, CrAkron (sorry, couldn't help myself) or any school that's winning or has an interesting story line. They are 1st and foremost about selling newspapers.

We do get recaps of the MAC basketball and football games.

(11-19-2013 07:42 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 06:40 PM)Flash Freak 3 Wrote:  Mount games get covered each week. They definitely get far less overall coverage the Plain Dealer (near zero outside of football) than KSU does. Mount is located in Alliance which is 65-70 miles SE of Cleveland. Kent is 33 miles from Cleveland. IMO, when there is something worthy to cover in NE OH, the PD covers it, albeit KSU, CSU, CrAkron (sorry, couldn't help myself) or any school that's winning or has an interesting story line. They are 1st and foremost about selling newspapers.

We do get recaps of the MAC basketball and football games.

+ for KSU & CrAkron home games, the PD sends a writer and covers the game with a reasonably in depth article (unless it's an early season game against a nobody team).

31. Being able to travel to almost all of the MAC games out of town.

Getting one of our guys on the 'Plays of the Day' on Sports Center!

I'm at the Kent game right now and just remembered another thing...the bands!