Don't they have 2 games that could sell out [Toledo & Cent Mich].
Mich St looking to play a game in Ford Field.
Charlie Batch would make good PR guy.
Is George Gervin # retired.
Since there is so many alummni in Det for the 3 Mich schools
would it make sence to play round robin in Ford Field on holiday weekends.
Led Zeplin at halftime.
I'll let Dave reply - he wrote a terrific article about two years ago in the Motor City Journal (or something like that) that went in detail what EMU needs to do to survive with 'Big Blue' just nine miles away.
I'd like to see the article & why wasn't implemented
I think the best way to fix EMU is a move down to the FCS level, seriously because they are bitting off more than they can chew in the MAC.
If EMU was at the FCS level they would be able to focus marketing and attention on basketball while at the same time winning more games in football to put fans in the stands.
In FCS EMU could have more control over the schedule and play all Saturday games if they wanted. Play all night games after Big Blue is done playing.
Then EMU takes itself out of the football arms race and already has a formidable basketball arena that could be attractive for Horizon League membership. Use the olympic sport success to get into the Horizon League and put the resources into basketball.
EMU doesn't necessarily need "fixed" and less than Ohio and Temple.
Temple and Ohio are both still synonymous with losing football.
Sorry, guys, but EMU may not be the flagship, but it is a good school for the MAC.
Not everyone can have Miami's tradition and history. After typing that, I have to cut off a finger, now. Muck Fiami.
One problem with the MAC is schedules. MAC should do what the PAC Ten does. Thursday and Saturday basketball games for men with Friday and Sunday for women. Its really that simple. Those dates would generate better attendance. Students are too busy studying on a tuesday nite to attend a game. This would also reduce campus drinking as it offers something to do on a Thurday nite for students. MAC geography would allow this to work.
MAC has geography to fit games in FRI-Sat-Sun to help attendence.
We'll fix Temple & Ohio next
A temple fan talking about how EMU football needs to be fixed. You're kidding, right?! Did I read that right??? OMG!
EagleAttack Wrote:A temple fan talking about how EMU football needs to be fixed. You're kidding, right?! Did I read that right??? OMG!
B-b-b-ut they won four games last year!
Really, guys, it's way beyond tiresome. You're not better than any other program in this conference. Stop acting like it. And stop acting like victims when someone says something bad about your team.
MillenniumFALCON Wrote:EMU doesn't necessarily need "fixed" and less than Ohio and Temple.
Temple and Ohio are both still synonymous with losing football.
Ohio is synonymous nationally with losing football?
I don't think so. People think we are on the rise because we have Frank Solich, this is what general college football fans think.
And exactly what kind of fix does Ohio need? Do we need help with coaching salaries? No. Do we need help with selling tickets? No. Do we need help with competing in the MAC East? No, we have the best MAC record in the East since Solich came on board.
Bowling Green could use a fix after that 60 point loss in the GMAC bowl.
KC is right. Ohio is not synonymous with losing football nationally.
Nationally, most people don't know we exist.
OZoner Wrote:KC is right. Ohio is not synonymous with losing football nationally.
Nationally, most people don't know we exist.
Serious college football fans pretty much know who we are. Go to any sports bar during football season in a major city and start talking about the bobcats they'll say oh yea you have Frank Solich.
Temple has more the rep for bad football from its BCS days and a negative view of Philly as a crap hole.
Ohio has wins over Minnesota, Kentucky, Pitt and Illinois this decade. Those kind of wins, Frank Solich and a trip to a bowl in 2006 went a long way to change the image. Beating Pitt on national TV did a lot for the program. Recruiting has changed for the better. Other MAC programs need those kind of wins to change the image. We had a great day in 2003 as a conference. Kent State,Miami, Western Michigan and Bowling Green had wins over BCS teams last year.
Serious college football fans don't know who we are. Seriously.
Gooch Wrote:Serious college football fans don't know who we are. Seriously.
I don't live in Ohio Gooch. That some dumb bells at a Columbus sports bar don't know we have Frank Solich doesn't mean anything.
They do out in the East Coast where I live. They are familiar with non-BCS schools. Serious fans can name all the FBS schools.
It wasn't the case 10 years ago but it is today. People are glued to ESPN.com and read the Solich extension to 2013.
Kit Kat, people in Ohio are aware of us. I've been all over the country, people outside of the MAC are not aware of us.
Airport KC Wrote:I don't live in Ohio Gooch.
And yet you know the "scene" in Columbus?
As I am trying very hard to become a kinder, gentler mod, I would appreciate it very much if everyone could get back to the discussion of the thread's title in the vein it was offered. Otherwise, this thread is also heading into a locked position, or the smack board.
Thanks.
We can't "fix" EMU. Only they can. They will never have a majority of media time, or fans because of where they're located. They can, however, improve their situation.
In football, they need to follow the formula of scheduling one 1-AA team, two non-BCS teams (or one non-BCS and one doormat BCS like Duke/Syracuse) and one "payday" game. It gives them a chance to go anywhere from 1-3 to 3-1 OOC. Going 3-1 OOC brings them halfway to getting to a bowl, and getting to a bowl will improve their standing in the Detroit area in the minds of fans.
In basketball, some creative marketing needs to be done to help fill their nice arena. Schedule some easy opponents to go along with those marketed games and give the people a good show, so that they maybe will think about coming back.
They seem to be doing pretty well in their other sports, though.
Zippy, we'll put Syc on the list that needs fixen.