Here is part of a post from the Bowling Green board.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
"Yes, those WERE Army and Navy football officials sitting at the Mid-American Conference's table during last week's Greater Cleveland Sports Award dinner. And, no, they were not sitting there by accident.
Look for an announcement soon that Browns Stadium will host an annual college football game called the the Patriot Bowl matching a military service academy (Navy, Army or Air Force) against an Ohio-based MAC school (Bowling Green, Toledo, Akron, Kent State, Miami of Ohio or Ohio University).
The Patriot Bowl will debut next year in early September."
I haven't checked the Plain Dealer to verify this. Let's hope this is true. The poster assumes that this will be considered a home game for the MAC.
If it IS true, MAC commisioner Chryst has done it again. What a marvelous commisioner he is for the MAC.
Here's the article link:
<a href='http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1076841257217800.xml' target='_blank'>Patriot Bowl</a>
Don't hold your breath fans. This was written by the hack Roger Brown. Wait for the MAC office announcement before you believe anything this guy writes. He makes stuff up.
BTW, is any Ohio MAC school scheduled to play a service academy next fall? Kent's only option would be to drop Liberty and I don't think that they are the team they want to start this off with.
Do any of your guys frin this thing really really really really really strange????
I'm not looking at it from a Marshall standpoint, or even MAC, Im looking at it from a football fan view.
So is it just Army & Navy that will play only a MAC school from Ohio only????
Isnt that sort of strange????
So will other schools soon start scheduling games to be played against a Conference but only schools from this certain state.
I support Army football as I served my country & I would love nothing more than to see Army get back to at least .500.
What about Air Force???? Are they going to be left out in the cold???
It sounds like a way to boost Kent State's home attendance numbers.
So the MAC office will be arranging an OOC game for one of the Ohio MAC schools every year? Seems bizarre to me. It'd be great if it can help the likes of Kent or Akron make their 15K, but it's an interesting way of doing so.
IMO, there are a lot of things the MAC office could be doing for the conference's teams. This could help the attendance part of things. But we could really use another bowl game after the season for our deserving teams - that's what is going to increase the exposure of the MAC, not a game against a potential 1-10 Army team in Cleveland in September - especially one that appears to be designed to only benefit the Ohio contingent.
(Note - could just be idle rumor, so I'm not fuming too bad about this).
The MAC and Chryst apparently has very good relations with the folks at the Gund and the stadium.
The Patriot Bowl and games like WI-BG at the Cleveland Stadium are big in terms of prestiage and attendance (I assume it counts as a home game for the MAC team).
Well, we know that Service Academy representatives were at the MAC meetings, and we know that Chyrst (and other MAC ADs) have mentioned a possible scheduling arrangement with the Academies for football, so I'm sure there's some validity to this.
I understand that Miami has just done another home and home with Army.
This seems like a big bonus for the MAC, and I think it's a chance to have interest in the MAC increase in Cleveland and get a possible TV game, as well.
Where's the downside? Most of you guys are scheduling I-AA schools, currently. How would playing a solid Air Force, Navy, or Bobby Ross coached Army team be a bad thing? Remember, it wasn't that long ago that Army was competitive. With Ross at the helm, they will be back.
Let's fantasize. Of course, these fantasies depend for their start upon the Plain Dealer article coming true.
1st fantasy--Chryst and the MAC will be the leaders in arranging conference "home" games at NFL venues, e.g. Buffalo at the Bills stadium, Michigan MAC teams at Ford Field (Lions), Ball St. at the Hoosier Dome (Colts), and NIU at Soldier Field (Bears).
2nd fantasy--The MAC/military academies series at Cleveland Browns stadium is not being called the Patriot Bowl for nothing. It will be more than just a football game. How about:
1-parades and other events the day or two preceding the game with bands, academy marching groups, floats, etc.
2-pre-game events like military exhibits (tanks, jets, artillery) outside the stadium, flyovers, etc.
3-assuming it's televised, a half time "patriotism" TV show with bands, songs, military officials, government officials (state and national), fireworks, etc.
4-large numbers of academy students
5-and keep in mind that if the Patriot Bowl will take place in Sept. it will precede the election by just a few weeks. How about seeing some of the state and national candidates there?
6-And how about a show of sportsmanship and patriotism after the game with opposing teams meeting on the field and singing a patriotic song (America the Beautiful) along with the fans.
7-Believe me, with something like this and the right kind additional promotion (tickets to veterans group, neighboring military personnel, ROTC groups, etc.) a large crowd can be assured.
Let me get this straight. You guys rip on CUSA. Army didn't even compete in CUSA whatsoever. Now, you're thrilled that a MAC school is going to get the "privalege" of playing Army???? Right.....
Kent. St. vs. Army.....what a huge matchup.
The Knight Time Wrote:Let me get this straight. You guys rip on CUSA. Army didn't even compete in CUSA whatsoever. Now, you're thrilled that a MAC school is going to get the "privalege" of playing Army???? Right.....
Kent. St. vs. Army.....what a huge matchup.
just why is it you feel obligated to pi$$ on everyone's wheaties at every opportunity?
Karl Wrote:The Knight Time Wrote:Let me get this straight. You guys rip on CUSA. Army didn't even compete in CUSA whatsoever. Now, you're thrilled that a MAC school is going to get the "privalege" of playing Army???? Right.....
Kent. St. vs. Army.....what a huge matchup.
just why is it you feel obligated to pi$$ on everyone's wheaties at every opportunity?
Maybe because Santa Fe invaded the CUSA board with this crap, saying that the MAC had "outdone" CUSA yet again.
Perhaps you'd like to venture over to the CUSA board.
Please go back there yourself
It won't help Kent's average, cause noone is still going to watch them play. Army will bring 15k Kent 5k, so you will have 20k people in a 70k seat stadium. It'll be like going to a UCF game.
MaumeeRocket Wrote:It won't help Kent's average, cause noone is still going to watch them play. Army will bring 15k Kent 5k, so you will have 20k people in a 70k seat stadium. It'll be like going to a UCF game.
Yea, when we're losing, like last year. Check back in 3 years.
The Knight Time Wrote:MaumeeRocket Wrote:It won't help Kent's average, cause noone is still going to watch them play. Army will bring 15k Kent 5k, so you will have 20k people in a 70k seat stadium. It'll be like going to a UCF game.
Yea, when we're losing, like last year. Check back in 3 years.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
You mean because by that time you will playing in C-USA and victories will be easier to achieve?
Oh, and just to make it easier for you KT....(insert lame rip on EMU here).
Knight Time...you just responded to HuronDave's post
If you say you won't respond, don't respond saying you won't respond.
How about Army vs an Ohio MAC team in Cleveland
Navy vs a Michigan MAC team at ford field
Air force at the RCA dome vs Ball st or NIU?
THe acadamies could alternate every year.
The Flash Wrote:Don't hold your breath fans. This was written by the hack Roger Brown. Wait for the MAC office announcement before you believe anything this guy writes. He makes stuff up.
BTW, is any Ohio MAC school scheduled to play a service academy next fall? Kent's only option would be to drop Liberty and I don't think that they are the team they want to start this off with.
I suspect there is something to this.
The P-D also scooped Bowling Green's PR department on the announcment of the Bowling Green-Wisconsin series. Maybe they have pretty good sources connected with Cleveland Browns Stadium.
And I think such an event could draw a big, big crowd, in the 40,000s.
If this is true, it is very good news.