No, if we are the champs and NOLA takes us Mobile could have their pick of any eligible Sun Belt team. Of course the conference would prefer that the second placed team get placed before a lower ranked Belt team but it is not required. I believe that was the case when WKU got left out last year, IIRC.
I couldn't disagree more with this one. Over the past several years, we've made so many improvements that would not have been possible without an increased financial investment by the community. That financial investment is possible because we all go out, work hard, make money, and then chose to spend part of that money on UL athletics. So you can't act like fans do nothing but show up for games. What you see on the field today is a result of hard work by players and coaches...which was all made possible by the hard work of the fans.
I'm not saying we should select a bowl based on what is better for fans. Of course the New Orleans Bowl is always going to be better for fans. But in the long run, a matchup with a big name school in a different bowl might be better for the perception of our program. In many cases, that's more beneficial in the long run. But we have to make sure that we choose those opportunities carefully.
And take some of your financial investment like I will and get on a plane and go to the game wherever it is. Or drive 5,6,8,10 hours and go to the game. Or stay home and watch it. To deprive the team of a chance to visit a different city, play a better opponent and receive better gifts because New Orleans is easy and convenient for the fans is wrong. I want to be in New Orleans for my own selfish reasons. I don't sit here and think I deserve a reward because I get to enjoy myself at a football game. Whatever coach HUD and the team wants and think is best for them is what should happen. You are seeing the reward for your financial investment..a winning team and most likely a conference champion. The bowl game is a reward for the players achieving that. You can disagree all you want, you won't convince me fans deserve a reward.
I agree. The game itself, travel, and Shwag they receive from the sponsor is all for the players. But there is more to the whole entire experience than that. The pep-rally on Friday night, the Beach Boys; Givers; Charlie Daniels; etc., second-lining down Bourbon Street with the band. This stuff is arranged with the fan in mind.
Think about bigger BCS bowl games, they have Fan Experiences and what not. So yes technically the whole program gets rewarded.
I would say the players are most worthy of their reward, though.
And you can still go to the pep rally...in Shreveport or mobile or Dallas or San Diego, wherever that game may be. New Orleans isn't the only place that has things for fans to do before bowl games. In fact, the New Orleans bowl relies more on the city itself to entertain the fans. Other cities do even more for the fans because they don't have bourbon st or French quarter to entertain people. Look, I hope we are in New Orleans for the same reasons everyone else does, but I will also be wherever the team goes.
I think the sad problem with those 40k numbers is that half (at a minimum) of them went to New Orleans to party and attended a fball game on the side while there; unlike you and me who went to a fball game and happened to be in a city where we could party.
In Mobile, gonna be nothing but die hards attending....
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