How about mentioning the classy places to visit

[LBPop]

I guess this thread belongs on the Anti-Smack Board. In just one season of following a I-AA team around, I have been impressed with some of the classier venues. Perhaps the most fun was at Fordham. The Hoyas jumped out to a quick lead and it was great fun to listen to a bunch of New Yorkers in the Bronx dump on their own team. It was pretty much PG rated, but funny as hell. Something about that accent and attitude, if it's kept clean, just cracks me up. We were treated extremely well, and as a gracious guest should, Georgetown blew the lead and lost the game.

[DuckDuckGriz]

Not that they were really the opposing fans but next to Missoula, nothing beats the people of the great city of Chattannooga, Tennnessee.

[OL FU]

It has been awhile since I have been to Orangeburg, but I rarely had as much fun as a visitor than at SC State. I knew quite a few Bulldog fans as friends and co-workers and the jabs and smack were fast and furious but good natured.

Also, most of my experiences at the Citadel were the same for the same reasons. My purple shirt was usually surrounded by Cadet Blue shirted friends. I have heard others say exactly the opposite, but I also avoided the Cadet section when not escorted by some of those blue shirts :)

[Eagle_77]

I agree with the Citadel and UTC. Both are great cities and fun games to be at.

[MU Alum]

LBPOP, I was just wondering if you made it to the Monmouth game last year, and what you thought of our place, fans, campus, atmosphere. I remember playing down there in 03 and it was just unbelievably hot and humid. The field wasnt the nicest but the campus is very nice and the D.C. area we stayed in was awesome.

[JaxSinfonian]

I enjoyed the trip to Furman in the first round last year. The purple-clad fans sitting on the visitors' side were very cordial and welcoming. Talked to quite a few of them, since there wasn't much going on down the field to pay attention to. I'm looking forward to visiting again for the regular season match next fall.

[colgate13]

As much as UMass takes some flack around these parts, my trip there last year was nothing but hospitable.:bow: Now, that drive there on the other hand...:bang:

[Tribe4SF]

I love going to Delaware. Great atmosphere...great fans...great games.

[DTSpider]

I recommend a trip to VMI for anyone that hasn't been. The gameday experience is wonderful and Lexington is the type of town where you can leave your wife/girlfriend to stroll around in while you're at the game.

[LBPop]

LBPOP, I was just wondering if you made it to the Monmouth game last year, and what you thought of our place, fans, campus, atmosphere. I remember playing down there in 03 and it was just unbelievably hot and humid. The field wasnt the nicest but the campus is very nice and the D.C. area we stayed in was awesome.

I really wanted to get there, but the game conflicted with a big weekend of meetings for parents of freshmen. My priorities got screwed up and I opted to stay in DC rather than travel to Monmouth for what really matters.

The kid did comment on the quality of the hotel in which they stayed. Apparently, it is a beautiful beach resort that gave the Hoyas a sweet deal to fill up about 40 rooms on a Friday night during the off season. The game was kind of strange with the back breaker coming on a Monmouth punt. It seems that the Hoyas broke through cleanly and your punter took off for a huge first down. The kid was in on that play and remarked how much of an athlete that punter was. You probably know who I mean. Sorry to say that it appears that Monmouth and Georgetown are not scheduled any longer.

[Hoo-ah]

The fans at W&M were very classy and went out of the way to be helpful--real southern hospitality.

This will sound crazy, but the UD fans at the last Umass at UD game were generally (95%) very cool and easy to deal with. The game had the feeling of a miniature Red Sox-Yankee game--without the AT4's.

I would love to have GSU, or any of the other SoCon teams come up to Amherst for a game. I think they would be very impressed by the loyalty of the Umass football fans (can't say that about the rest of the student body).

[GSUAlumniEagle]

It's not for football, but the classiest group of fans I've ever ran into was at the Davidson basketball game last year. Too bad they don't play scholly football in the SoCon.

[MU Alum]

The game was kind of strange with the back breaker coming on a Monmouth punt. It seems that the Hoyas broke through cleanly and your punter took off for a huge first down. The kid was in on that play and remarked how much of an athlete that punter was. You probably know who I mean. Sorry to say that it appears that Monmouth and Georgetown are not scheduled any longer.

Monmouth has had great special teams the last two years, and the punter is def. a weapon. I noticed that Georgetown isnt on the schedule this year for MU, would have been nice to go down to D.C. as a fan and gone out for the night then checked out that new stadium being built. Who does Georgetown play out of conference this year?

[ChickenMan]

Four road trips to SoCon territory... the Citadel three times... all excellent trips (Charleston is a really nice city) and Statesboro once. The GSU fans were great... but they could afford to be... as unfortunately UD took one of their few bad teams in the past 30 yrs to the Boro.

[Umass74]

I too, have had nothing but good times at Delaware. The usually argumentative Hens fans on this board are not reflected by the avid but friendly fans I've met in Newark. My last trip there was the furious three-overtime classic in 2003. I was surrounded by Hen fans, but no one hassled me.

The Hen band is pretty good too.

Other places I like are Maine's new stadium and the quirky Zable stadium of William & Mary. Although the last time I was at William & Mary, the ROTC color guard MISSED THE NATIONAL ANTHEM !! College life sure is different. I can only imagine what my boot camp DI would have done if any of us, let alone the color guard missed presentation of the Colors... :eek:

[Go...gate]

One of the nice places on the NJ Shore...an attractive road trip for many northeastern teams, especially if they have some NJ kids...(are you listening, Villanova, Columbia, Colgate, Davidson, Lafayette, Fordham, Holy Cross, Princeton, etc?)

[DFW HOYA]

Who does Georgetown play out of conference this year?

Brown, Cornell, Davidson, Duquesne (series ends this year), and Stony Brook.

[GrizFoo]

Gotta go with Mashall. In '95 they were great, very nice before, and after the game. And even a bit during the game. Very generous, very little smack talk that wasn't in good fun. Just a great experience.
My parents and brother went to the game in '96 and also had a great time. The outcome, was different, but their fans weren't.
Also, Montana. Though my opinion might be biased, I've seen opposing fans walking the tailgating areas, and overheard countless invitations to have them join in, offering booze, food, or whatever. For the most part any opposing fan will be treated like a long lost relative at Montana, even MSU fans...at least before, at halftime, and possibly after the game.
I wish I could say the same for the opposing players, but they will get a dose of trash talk during the game..no question.
Also, though I can't speak of it personally, McNeese fans treated Griz fans to a great time.

[Cocky]

I've had a good time at all the away games. The games were not always the best but the people have always been great. Below is the ones I've been to:

GSU
Furman
McNeese
WKU
UTC
Samford
Tenn Tech
Murray
SHSU
TX State
Nicholls State
Tenn State
Ala A&M
Georgetown

[DTSpider]

I'll second W&M as having classy fans. Last year Richmond's long time color commentator and former Spider player & coach had his last radio broadcast down at Zable. When announced over the PA the W&M faithful joined the UR crowd in a round of applause. Very classy move.

[SpiritCymbal]

Delaware in 2002 was one of the best places I have ever been. We were walking to the parking lot to tailgate with other GSU fans and were carrying a cooler of hunch punch. Everytime we walked past Delaware fans they'd tell us to stop for a second and partake with them. After they won the game the attitude was still the same.

But McNeese St. back in 2003 was THE CLASSIEST place I have ever been for a football game. If I were ever to move within 3 or 4 hours of Lake Charles I'd be at McNeese St. games in a heartbeat. Went to the McNeese St. - Florida International game last year in Miami and was treated like a born and bread Cowboy fan from the moment I drove up. Definitely #1 in my book!

[ngineer]

When Lehigh visited William & Mary back in 1990 the fans were very friendly--also a great place for your non-jock wife to spend the afternoon while you're at the game! Furman was also very hospitable in the playoffs back in 2001.
However, for all sports, one should take in the Snake Pit at Lehigh for wrestling. While the place gets very noisy, I've been in very few venues where the visiting teams gets a welcoming round of applause when they run onto the mat....Maybe it's just to 'soften them up' for what to come. :D

[JMU Duke Dog]

Now I will say that W&M students are book smart as I have close family ties to W&M; however, I have quite a different view of W&M people after the 2004 national semifinal game. They were surprisingly the worst fans I have ever encountered in I-AA football. They were as bad as those drunk VT Hokies in 2003. Maybe I just have too high of expectations out of people who are suppose to be so smart. There was no class shown by either their students or their old alumni. I knew that being the national semifinal game would bring out the worst in some people; however, was it really necessary to curse out my parents who did not speak one bad word about W&M?

[JoltinJoe]

I guess this thread belongs on the Anti-Smack Board. In just one season of following a I-AA team around, I have been impressed with some of the classier venues. Perhaps the most fun was at Fordham. The Hoyas jumped out to a quick lead and it was great fun to listen to a bunch of New Yorkers in the Bronx dump on their own team. It was pretty much PG rated, but funny as hell. Something about that accent and attitude, if it's kept clean, just cracks me up. We were treated extremely well, and as a gracious guest should, Georgetown blew the lead and lost the game.

What ja talkin' bout? What accent? What 'tude?

It's ju guys who talk funny.

[MU Alum]

Brown, Cornell, Davidson, Duquesne (series ends this year), and Stony Brook.

I see that you guys are playing Stony Brook at Stony Brook. There stadium is one of the nicest in I-aa in my opinion, almost a smaller scale model of Jacksonville State's from the pics I've seen on this site, but SBU home side is Two tiered. It was a great place to play back in 03. It was a 9-11 firemans appreciation night, and the crowd was great. Also, when is Georgetowns new facility expected to be finished, is it a two tier project or is the entire thing suppose to be done for this season.

[JMU2004]

I agree about W&M fan behavior during last years Semi-Final game

Walking to the stadium, I had a beer "accidently" spilled on me. In the stadium there were several W&M people coming into the JMU section and looking to fight. After the game, there were people throwing stuff at us as we walked through fraternity row to get to our cars.

[McNeeserocket]

But McNeese St. back in 2003 was THE CLASSIEST place I have ever been for a football game. If I were ever to move within 3 or 4 hours of Lake Charles I'd be at McNeese St. games in a heartbeat. Went to the McNeese St. - Florida International game last year in Miami and was treated like a born and bread Cowboy fan from the moment I drove up. Definitely #1 in my book!

Hi SpiritCymbol! I hope to see you at the McNeese-Geogia Southern game. I was at the game in Miami and we always enjoy company, especially the great GSU fans. I went to Statesboro in 2000 for the McNeese-GSU 1st round playoff game (wish we could have called the game at halftime while McNeese was ahead). Had a good time and visited with GSU fans before the game. I am looking forward to it this Sept. I hope to meet you there.

[Tribe4SF]

Now I will say that W&M students are book smart as I have close family ties to W&M; however, I have quite a different view of W&M people after the 2004 national semifinal game. They were surprisingly the worst fans I have ever encountered in I-AA football. They were as bad as those drunk VT Hokies in 2003. Maybe I just have too high of expectations out of people who are suppose to be so smart. There was no class shown by either their students or their old alumni. I knew that being the national semifinal game would bring out the worst in some people; however, was it really necessary to curse out my parents who did not speak one bad word about W&M?

There certainly was plenty of smack between students on both sides, but I didn't witness anything like you describe. In fact, this "old alumnus" gave a ticket to a JMU student who didn't have one. Sorry your parents were subjected to that. With both student bodies showing new interest in our programs, I hope that kind of stuff can be avoided.

[JMU2004]

There certainly was plenty of smack between students on both sides, but I didn't witness anything like you describe. In fact, this "old alumnus" gave a ticket to a JMU student who didn't have one. Sorry your parents were subjected to that. With both student bodies showing new interest in our programs, I hope that kind of stuff can be avoided.


Agreed....I think both schools had fans that were overly enthusiastic. We need to avoid that kind of behavior

[NEZ]

I always enjoy going to William & Mary, very nice fans for the most part. Ocassionaly a couple of idiots that say things out of line, but you get that just about anywhere that you have a rival conference game.

My trip to the boro in 2001 was very cool, got to talk with a prof who tutors some of the players and some other excellent GSU fans, except for the guy who painted a chicken blue... :eek: that guy was weird.

[cosmo here]

One of the nice places on the NJ Shore...an attractive road trip for many northeastern teams, especially if they have some NJ kids...(are you listening, Villanova, Columbia, Colgate, Davidson, Lafayette, Fordham, Holy Cross, Princeton, etc?)

Looks like Monmouth is on Lafayette's schedule for 2007 (home) and 2008 (away). And Lehigh has them at home this year, so maybe they're going there in 2006 ?

[MU Alum]

I havent heard anything about that, but it would be nice to get Lafayette to come down to MU. We played them up there on opening day in 02, but never go the return visit. I wouldnt expect Lehigh to be returning the home opener by coming up to Monmouth. Id expect the contract was similar to the Stony Brook and Albany situations from last season. Cosmo, is there anywhere the Lafayette future schedule is posted, I would be interested to see it. As for our campus, it really is a great asset in recruiting, it is about 1 mile from the Jersey Shore and the campus is very impressive.

[cosmo here]

I havent heard anything about that, but it would be nice to get Lafayette to come down to MU. We played them up there on opening day in 02, but never go the return visit. I wouldnt expect Lehigh to be returning the home opener by coming up to Monmouth. Id expect the contract was similar to the Stony Brook and Albany situations from last season. Cosmo, is there anywhere the Lafayette future schedule is posted, I would be interested to see it. As for our campus, it really is a great asset in recruiting, it is about 1 mile from the Jersey Shore and the campus is very impressive.

The "tentative future schedules" are in the Lafayette media guide (http://goleopards.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072605aab.html). check out the media information section.

[89Hen]

The usually argumentative Hens fans on this board are not reflected by the avid but friendly fans I've met in Newark.
Are you saying we (the AGS Hen posters) weren't in Newark or we're not avid or friendly? :p

[ngineer]

Looks like Monmouth is on Lafayette's schedule for 2007 (home) and 2008 (away). And Lehigh has them at home this year, so maybe they're going there in 2006 ?

Not in the near future. Lehigh's schedule is locked through 2007, and the OOC's for 2006 are Liberty, Villanova, Princeton and Harvard. In 2007 the OOC's are Villanova, Princeton, VMI, and Harvard.

[Ivytalk]

Princeton is always a nice road trip: beautiful scenery in late October, when Harvard plays them, and generally polite and hospitable fans regardless of who wins. If you can get a parking spot at a "final club" close to the stadium, do it!

[LBPop]

Also, when is Georgetowns new facility expected to be finished, is it a two tier project or is the entire thing suppose to be done for this season.

The stadium portion will not be completed until the 2006 season. The field turf is down and looks great. Much more infrastructure is being built--some roads had to be re-routed, but the seating will be the same temporary stands that were there last year. Still, I can tell you that the kids are already psyched to just practice on the new turf--hopefully it will help pump them up when the season starts.

Already have my arrangements made for the trip to Stony Brook. I checked out their new stadium on line and it looks excellent. Looking forward to my trip to "The Island".

[WYOBISONMAN]

The SDSU fans are a class act when it comes to visiting. They are a bunch of tailgating pheasant hunters......like those of us from up North! I also have to say the fans at Weber State last year were a very nice bunch of folks.....

[Fordham]

Glad that your "classy places to visit" thread was started with a re-telling of your trip to Fordham.

just not sure after reading it whether or not the "classy" part was tongue in cheek.

Also, this gives me a good idea for a new thread (borrowed from a great old post I'll have to dig up from the esteemed Joltin'Joe) that provides details on what to do & where to eat, etc. for those traveling to your stadium from a different school. Not sure if that's been done before, but it wouldn't be bad to have some reference for those that are traveling (and I know I'd appreciate it if I get a good Brown & G-town reference).

[LBPop]

Glad that your "classy places to visit" thread was started with a re-telling of your trip to Fordham.

just not sure after reading it whether or not the "classy" part was tongue in cheek.



I was completely serious. I love the whole NY experience. Sure, there are too many people and you have to be aggressive to get anywhere. But when tempers are under control (and they were at Fordham), there's nothing like the commentary of a NY sports fan. Sorry I missed a chance to sample the Bronx version of Little Italy. Maybe in 2006. :p

[wbtfg]

Gotta go with Mashall. In '95 they were great, very nice before, and after the game. And even a bit during the game. Very generous, very little smack talk that wasn't in good fun. Just a great experience.
My parents and brother went to the game in '96 and also had a great time. The outcome, was different, but their fans weren't.
Also, Montana. Though my opinion might be biased, I've seen opposing fans walking the tailgating areas, and overheard countless invitations to have them join in, offering booze, food, or whatever. For the most part any opposing fan will be treated like a long lost relative at Montana, even MSU fans...at least before, at halftime, and possibly after the game.
I wish I could say the same for the opposing players, but they will get a dose of trash talk during the game..no question.
Also, though I can't speak of it personally, McNeese fans treated Griz fans to a great time.

Wow...how did I know that a Griz fan would be the first to mention themselves as being great fans? :bang:

[GrizzlyEdd]

Wow...how did I know that a Griz fan would be the first to mention themselves as being great fans? :bang:

Wow... how did I know that the first one to bring that up would be a MSU Boobkitty fan...:spank: