Depression over Vandal Football

[AZGrizFan]

I had the "pleasure" of talking to a Vandal supporter a few weeks ago. He was in complete denial. He firmly believes:

1. This is a short term deal. They will be back up to BCS within a few years.
2 They will simply dominate the Big Sky, and FCS... He will be SHOCKED if they haven't won a national championship within 3 years.
3. The booster base will be so unhappy with this move, that they will all pony up the funds to get them back to the BCS.
4. The opposing teams will be intimidated coming into the Kibbie Dome. This is where I couldn't hold my laughter anymore.

Serious. I can't make this shit up. I kept waiting for him to start laughing to let me know he had a great sense of humor... Nope. Proceeded to get pretty pissed off when i started laughing. It was great.

#4. Are you kidding me, my brother went there back on the 90’s...must of changed, because I remember like 1000 fans for Idaho and 4000 Griz fans.

I'm going to admit something I don't tell many people, so keep it on the DL.

I am a U of I alum. Graduated from there in '88. Things MUST have changed, because in the mid-late '80's the Kibbie Dome was rockin'....Idaho was good, and they filled the dome. I know, because my job (while attached to the Navy ROTC unit) was to clean up the dome after football games.

Idaho had no business moving up. They went up because Boise went up...same thing would happen to Bozo if we moved up and they went with us....their failures at THIS level would be magnified and they'd see that lovely horseshoe of a stadium/shit pond be essentially empty after 2-3 years of failure.

 

[reinell30]

I had the "pleasure" of talking to a Vandal supporter a few weeks ago. He was in complete denial. He firmly believes:

1. This is a short term deal. They will be back up to BCS within a few years.
2 They will simply dominate the Big Sky, and FCS... He will be SHOCKED if they haven't won a national championship within 3 years.
3. The booster base will be so unhappy with this move, that they will all pony up the funds to get them back to the BCS.
4. The opposing teams will be intimidated coming into the Kibbie Dome. This is where I couldn't hold my laughter anymore.

Serious. I can't make this shit up. I kept waiting for him to start laughing to let me know he had a great sense of humor... Nope. Proceeded to get pretty pissed off when i started laughing. It was great.

#4. Are you kidding me, my brother went there back on the 90’s...must of changed, because I remember like 1000 fans for Idaho and 4000 Griz fans.

I'm going to admit something I don't tell many people, so keep it on the DL.

I am a U of I alum. Graduated from there in '88. Things MUST have changed, because in the mid-late '80's the Kibbie Dome was rockin'....Idaho was good, and they filled the dome. I know, because my job (while attached to the Navy ROTC unit) was to clean up the dome after football games.

Idaho had no business moving up. They went up because Boise went up...same thing would happen to Bozo if we moved up and they went with us....their failures at THIS level would be magnified and they'd see that lovely horseshoe of a stadium/shit pond be essentially empty after 2-3 years of failure.

They have had years of failure already at this level and yet they still average over 17000 per game. What does this say?

 

[signedbewildered]

#delusional

Very, very few Vandal fans I have ever met aren't arrogant bastards. You know what guys? You tried, it wasn't a two year thing, you have had plenty of time to make adjustments, it's time to come down off of your high horse.

My guess is most of the players will stick, most of the staff will stick (It's not like programs are scrambling to scoop them up based on performance) and life goes on.

I don't buy this mass exodus crap. They will continue to draw big crowds, they will cheer on their players and we will continue to kick their asses and they will like it, because at this point, they do not have a choice.

If they think this is a short term thing and they will be back at the bottom of FBS in a year or two, having a ton of empty seats won't help their argument for moving back up. (Which aint gonna happen by the way)

 

[IdaGriz01]

#delusional
... If they think this is a short term thing and they will be back at the bottom of FBS in a year or two, having a ton of empty seats won't help their argument for moving back up. (Which aint gonna happen by the way)

They already have a ton of empty seat ... playing FBS opponents. Just checked 2016 (2017 not out yet), when they averaged 11,190 per game home attendance (capacity is 16 thou) Even they can't be so delusional as to believe that the number will go up with a Big Sky schedule. Or can they :?:

 

[AZGrizFan]

I had the "pleasure" of talking to a Vandal supporter a few weeks ago. He was in complete denial. He firmly believes:

1. This is a short term deal. They will be back up to BCS within a few years.
2 They will simply dominate the Big Sky, and FCS... He will be SHOCKED if they haven't won a national championship within 3 years.
3. The booster base will be so unhappy with this move, that they will all pony up the funds to get them back to the BCS.
4. The opposing teams will be intimidated coming into the Kibbie Dome. This is where I couldn't hold my laughter anymore.

Serious. I can't make this shit up. I kept waiting for him to start laughing to let me know he had a great sense of humor... Nope. Proceeded to get pretty pissed off when i started laughing. It was great.

#4. Are you kidding me, my brother went there back on the 90’s...must of changed, because I remember like 1000 fans for Idaho and 4000 Griz fans.

I'm going to admit something I don't tell many people, so keep it on the DL.

I am a U of I alum. Graduated from there in '88. Things MUST have changed, because in the mid-late '80's the Kibbie Dome was rockin'....Idaho was good, and they filled the dome. I know, because my job (while attached to the Navy ROTC unit) was to clean up the dome after football games.

Idaho had no business moving up. They went up because Boise went up...same thing would happen to Bozo if we moved up and they went with us....their failures at THIS level would be magnified and they'd see that lovely horseshoe of a stadium/shit pond be essentially empty after 2-3 years of failure.

They have had years of failure already at this level and yet they still average over 17000 per game. What does this say?

They are 79-49 since 2007. Griz are 95-38 during that same span.

I mean REAL failure. Like 2-9 and 1-10 failure. That's what they 'Scat (not so) faithful would see...

 

[signedbewildered]

#delusional
... If they think this is a short term thing and they will be back at the bottom of FBS in a year or two, having a ton of empty seats won't help their argument for moving back up. (Which aint gonna happen by the way)

They already have a ton of empty seat ... playing FBS opponents. Just checked 2016 (2017 not out yet), when they averaged 11,190 per game home attendance (capacity is 16 thou) Even they can't be so delusional as to believe that the number will go up with a Big Sky schedule. Or can they :?:

Well heck that's what I thought but when reinell made the 17,000 comment I misunderstood. (And I didn't follow through with the research) Thought the reference was to Idaho, not Bozo. My bad.

And as far as the number going up, when they start winning...if they start winning fans will get over it, because winning fills the seats. Right? Hopefully we can put that theory to the test here next year.

 

[IdaGriz01]

... Well heck that's what I thought but when reinell made the 17,000 comment, I misunderstood. (And I didn't follow through with the research) Thought the reference was to Idaho, not Bozo. My bad.

And as far as the number going up, when they start winning...if they start winning fans will get over it, because winning fills the seats. Right? Hopefully we can put that theory to the test here next year.

Don't feel bad. I was a bit confused too -- but I knew he could not be referring to Idaho. Over the past several years, the Vandals have struggled to get above about 12,000. So I went and looked up the attendance for both.

As for attendance going up when they start winning? Not so sure about that. Some (a lot) of their fans are really, really butt hurt at being "demoted" to FCS. So more wins against FCS competition -- if that actually happens -- might not bring them out. Gonna be interesting to see.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

I'm excited to see Idaho back in 2018. I wonder how many Idaho fans who are against this move were Idaho fans before they moved up. I would bet most Idaho fans who remember the Vandals winning might not be as against the move to FCS.

 

[Griz90]

Well when it was first announced I was pretty excited to see the Vandals return to their proper place. But now, after reading all this stuff about looking down their noses at the Big Sky or simply abandoning their team because they are in the lowly FCS, well, they can blow it out their arses. In all the years they have been gone Idaho hasn't surpassed the Grizzlies in any regard. Our city is better, our team is better, our stadium is better, our campus is better, our Champions Center and Academic Center are better and our fan base is waaaay better. Not once since Idaho left our conference have they beat the Griz in home attendance and their performance on the field has been horrid. That's why they got KICKED OUT of the conference they were in. I hope they don't sniff even one Big Sky title in the next 10 years. And now that Bobby is back, we are gonna rip 'em a new one and the Little Brown Stein will remain in our possession more often than not. I was looking forward to their return and now I'm looking forward to their arse kicking at the hands of everybody in the conference who can get a good kick in. Buncha damn whiners!

 

[IdaGriz01]

I'm excited to see Idaho back in 2018. I wonder how many Idaho fans who are against this move were Idaho fans before they moved up. I would bet most Idaho fans who remember the Vandals winning might not be as against the move to FCS.

You're saying they might tap into an older (not old, but older) fan base who may have bailed when their worst fears came true (the Vandals were 17-16 in their first three years in FBS). If they possibly hung on for three more years, when UI went 21-13 and to a bowl game (which they won), they'd have felt better. But then the roof fell in. Over the next five years (2001-2005), the Vandals never won more than three games in a year and went 11-47 overall. Quite a few "don't move up" fans might have decided enough was enough. Given a chance to see games where the team is competitive, some might well come back.

A fascinating speculation.

 

[Griz90]

I hope the Griz bring a HUGE contingent of fans into Idaho for that first away game and our team blows 'em out! We'll bring the Stein along just to give 'em a little lookie-lou but it's coming home with us! Until they show some respect for this conference and accept the fact they belong here I won't respect them. FTV's!

 

[tnt]

I'm excited to see Idaho back in 2018. I wonder how many Idaho fans who are against this move were Idaho fans before they moved up. I would bet most Idaho fans who remember the Vandals winning might not be as against the move to FCS.

I would guess those fans have moved onto either EWU or WSU both who have dramatically improved since Idahos winning days and won't be "back"

 

[CDAGRIZ]

I'm excited to see Idaho back in 2018. I wonder how many Idaho fans who are against this move were Idaho fans before they moved up. I would bet most Idaho fans who remember the Vandals winning might not be as against the move to FCS.

I would guess those fans have moved onto either EWU or WSU both who have dramatically improved since Idahos winning days and won't be "back"

I can see that, but I was trying to describe the fans who didn't jump ship. Maybe those fans aren't so hurt about the move. Changing the CFB program one primarily supports isn't something my mind can even comprehend, so I can't really speculate as to fans coming "back".

 

[ChesterGriz]

I D A H O, Idaho, Idaho sucks sucks sucks.

 

[grizpack]

And to think, when they both jumped to 1A, it was Idaho that was competitive.... Boise sucked!!!

 

[Kodiak]

And to think, when they both jumped to 1A, it was Idaho that was competitive.... Boise sucked!!!

They were both good in 95. The Griz beat a tough Boise team at home (I was watching from the grass north end zone) and then lost to Idaho in a shootout before going on their NC run.

 

[Grizzlies1982]

They already have a ton of empty seat ... playing FBS opponents. Just checked 2016 (2017 not out yet), when they averaged 11,190 per game home attendance (capacity is 16 thou) Even they can't be so delusional as to believe that the number will go up with a Big Sky schedule. Or can they :?:

I don't know if their overall numbers will increase as a Big Sky member. Almost certainly they will have some butt hurt fans who boycott for a year or so. Yet despite being disappointed most of their current fans will probably still show up. As we all know the best thing they could do to boost attendance is put together a couple of consecutive winning seasons.

Also they will sell far more of their visitor's seats than their typical current home games when they host the Grizzlies, MT St., or EWU. Our fan bases and close proximity will guarantee that. Even an NAU, PSU, or Poly will probably bring as many fans (read parents) as they would have had hosting a Georgia St. or a Louisiana Monroe, under their tenuous FBS status. :ugeek:

 

[IdaGriz01]

... Also they will sell far more of their visitor's seats than their typical current home games when they host the Grizzlies, MT St., or EWU. Our fan bases and close proximity will guarantee that. Even an NAU, PSU, or Poly will probably bring as many fans (read parents) as they would have had hosting a Georgia St. or a Louisiana Monroe, under their tenuous FBS status. :ugeek:

A very, very good point. But will that be enough to bump the overall attendance? Could be.

 

[Grizzlies1982]

... Also they will sell far more of their visitor's seats than their typical current home games when they host the Grizzlies, MT St., or EWU. Our fan bases and close proximity will guarantee that. Even an NAU, PSU, or Poly will probably bring as many fans (read parents) as they would have had hosting a Georgia St. or a Louisiana Monroe, under their tenuous FBS status. :ugeek:

A very, very good point. But will that be enough to bump the overall attendance? Could be.

Doubt it measurably bumps overall attendance. Just suspect their overall numbers will end up at least comparable in the Big Sky to their current sales. As posted earlier, consecutive "winning" seasons is Idaho's (and everyone's) best medicine when it comes to putting fans into the seats.

 

[i_the_sky]

It's better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt!!! FCS NDSU feasts on FBS meat...