Should we expect an uptick in attendance this fall with things opening back up?

[ASU33]

With the vast majority of us not playing in the fall and attendance being limited in the spring, how has the anticipation been amongst your school's fanbase for things to open back up? Is your school expecting an uptick in attendance this year?

[SFA 93]

It will be interesting to see.

SFA usually does pretty good in attendance win or lose for a school our size.

Our spring game back in April probably had the biggest crowd it has ever had, which just goes to show how excited our fan base is for the coming season.

I do believe our on field suites are already entirely booked for the season.

There is a mass campaign on really pushing the season ticket sells with package deals and discounts.

Can't wait to see how it all pans out.

Axe'EM

[acbearkat]

With some schools, yes. I think Sam will get a bump in attendance this year because of the national championship. I believe the students who were on campus and coming back this fall will be more invested in coming to the games. It's been hard getting the students to come to the games for years, back even when I was a student, and I was on campus in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 (I did the summer of 2013 online and took three classes from Sam online in the fall of 2013 and took a class at the local junior college to finish things up).

[bonarae]

For the Ivies, downward spiral continues. xsmhx

It will be interesting how the Tommies will fare in their first D-I season.

Not sure about ETSU though.

[acbearkat]

I think Sam Houston Student Activities will do whatever they can to get students to come to the games. I think the school should do the same such as offering 50 cent hot dogs, or even free hot dogs, or for the first 2,000 students who show up, discounted textbooks from the bookstore, and stuff like that. I'm planning on seeing if I can make to a few games this year, including a couple of road games.

[acbearkat]

It will be interesting to see.

SFA usually does pretty good in attendance win or lose for a school our size.

Our spring game back in April probably had the biggest crowd it has ever had, which just goes to show how excited our fan base is for the coming season.

I do believe our on field suites are already entirely booked for the season.

There is a mass campaign on really pushing the season ticket sells with package deals and discounts.

Can't wait to see how it all pans out.

Axe'EM

SFA doesn't have to compete with Texas A&M nearby, unlike Sam. The Sam Houston and A&M campuses are only around an hour apart. I'm from Lufkin, went to Lufkin High School, and ended up going to Sam because of the criminal justice program. I was just on the SFA campus on Monday (I had an psychiatrist's appointment in Nacogdoches Monday afternoon). Luckily, I didn't have to make the trip from Lufkin to Nacogdoches and back in a heavy rainstorm.

[Anthony215]

I believe most schools will see a boost in attendance as many students have had to wait a year to attend football games especially the freshman class last year who lost that experience especially homecoming and that first college home football game. After a spring national title I'm sure Sam Houston State will have a record number of season ticket request as well as a high game day turnout of students.

[ST_Lawson]

At WIU...maybe a little. Might even break 15k (that's total for the season...not any one single game).

[Sir William]

If Furman sees 200 students show up for the games, and at least 1/3 of them stay through the 3rd quarter, it will be a miracle. The good ol’ days, when the whole student body showed up and got rowdy (except for the chemistry students who had labs), are gone. FU is a different place than it was 30 years ago (even 15 yrs ago).

[Gil Dobie]

Seats in Fargo will fill up, pretty good attendance with the 50% rule for regular spring games, 25% per the NCAA for the playoff game. Not many covid rules still in use in this area.

[Professor Chaos]

For NDSU it'll certainly be up from the spring but I'd expect a (continued) downward trend from 2019. Students are less and less enthused about going to games and, in general, the fans are as well with all games televised statewide and prices continuing to go up as the cheapest season ticket in the Fargodome is now about $300 including the "mandatory donation". I'd expect outside of homecoming (and even that might be iffy) NDSU won't sell out any other home game this fall with both the SDSU and UND games being on the road.

[BEAR]

Not for us. Our administration will refuse to advertise any games. Any home games will be poorly attended if the pigs are playing.
I do think the SHSU game will be nicely attended. Usually is. But other than that they will go out of their way to make little fuss about home games. Typical. xcoffeex

[BNATION]

Agree with many that we will see some early boosts (IE first home game), as for SH a lot of guys my age (Mid 30's) who graduated right before the national championship runs in 11' and 12', are now buying season tickets which is great to see. Some family friends are students, and they think next year the student section will be rowdy. I sure hope so, not sure how many games you have to win over the last 10 years to get some attendance.....

[acbearkat]

Here's the front page of the Sam Houston website:

Sam Houston State University - Huntsville, TX (shsu.edu) (https://www.shsu.edu/)

[lionsrking2]

Not for us. Our administration will refuse to advertise any games. Any home games will be poorly attended if the pigs are playing.
I do think the SHSU game will be nicely attended. Usually is. But other than that they will go out of their way to make little fuss about home games. Typical. xcoffeex

You forgot the squirrels.

[BNATION]

JSU has 4 losses on their schedule for next year. Attendance looks bleak JSUSoutherner....

[BEAR]

You forgot the squirrels.

xlolx Tree rats? All over campus. xlolx

[GAD]

Southern should get a pretty good uptick if we have nice weather and nothing weird happens McNeese, Alcorn, FAMU, and Jackson State all come to Mumford

[acbearkat]

Southern should get a pretty good uptick if we have nice weather and nothing weird happens McNeese, Alcorn, FAMU, and Jackson State all come to Mumford

Just imagine if the NCAA would allow FBS schools to play at FCS schools. If LSU were to play Southern at their stadium, that game would be packed, and I'm sure most people would be pulling for LSU, and of course, LSU would win in a blowout.

[Professor Chaos]

Just imagine if the NCAA would allow FBS schools to play at FCS schools. If LSU were to play Southern at their stadium, that game would be packed, and I'm sure most people would be pulling for LSU, and of course, LSU would win in a blowout.
The NCAA isn't stopping it... the egos of FBS programs and their boosters are.

[ASU33]

Just imagine if the NCAA would allow FBS schools to play at FCS schools. If LSU were to play Southern at their stadium, that game would be packed, and I'm sure most people would be pulling for LSU, and of course, LSU would win in a blowout.

I wouldn't bet on most people pulling for LSU if that were to play out. Not at all!

- - - Updated - - -


Southern should get a pretty good uptick if we have nice weather and nothing weird happens McNeese, Alcorn, FAMU, and Jackson State all come to Mumford

With that schedule it's no reason for you guys not to finish top 3 Nationally in attendance!

[Puddin Tane]

With the exception of Sammy, our best attended games are usually with Mcneese , then the other Louisiana schools. So, with the new WacK conference, who knows.

sfa game would be better if they brought more than 3 fans.

[lionsrking2]

With the exception of Sammy, our best attended games are usually with Mcneese , then the other Louisiana schools. So, with the new WacK conference, who knows.

sfa game would be better if they brought more than 3 fans.

Lamar should stay — don't get them leaving at all. Staying in the Southland would keep natural rivalry with McNeese alive, save tons of money on travel and open a clearer path for NCA tourney bids in both men's and women's hoops. I don't understand Sam Houston leaving either but that's just me.

[bonarae]

Just imagine if the NCAA would allow FBS schools to play at FCS schools. If LSU were to play Southern at their stadium, that game would be packed, and I'm sure most people would be pulling for LSU, and of course, LSU would win in a blowout.

See Ivy League schools. This would be a win-win for the aging alumni for the one last chance to see the football team play their former foes.... xcoffeex

[Puddin Tane]

Lamar should stay — don't get them leaving at all. Staying in the Southland would keep natural rivalry with McNeese alive, save tons of money on travel and open a clearer path for NCA tourney bids in both men's and women's hoops. I don't understand Sam Houston leaving either but that's just me.

I think the big wigs are dreaming of going fbs and playing the Cajuns again.

I think there are enough mediocre to bad fbs programs already.

playin teams west of Huntsville get zero excitement out of me. No offense to them, but I haven’t a clue as to how to get to stephenville (or Abilene.) And Utah? It’s out there...somewhere.

maybe we’ll be the mysterious team from the bayou with the weird food?

geaux cards??

[kdinva]

I am praying the Va. governor will eliminate all attendance restrictions by the first of August, and all Va. football schools can get back to normal.

[Hammerhead]

Some people were giving away their tickets for the playoff game in Fargo and we were nowhere near the 25% seating capacity. Mrs. Hammerhead and I plan to attend three games this fall like we do every year.



Seats in Fargo will fill up, pretty good attendance with the 50% rule for regular spring games, 25% per the NCAA for the playoff game. Not many covid rules still in use in this area.

[acbearkat]

With the exception of Sammy, our best attended games are usually with Mcneese , then the other Louisiana schools. So, with the new WacK conference, who knows.

sfa game would be better if they brought more than 3 fans.

Get a hold of Rev, and see if he could get some SFA people to come to the game. On a more serious note, a large portion of SFA's alumni base is in East Texas (Lufkin/Nacogdoches and Tyler/Longview), and if they're coming from the Tyler/Longview area, that's a long drive to Beaumont.

[Panther88]

There's a nervous energy in the SWAC authored by our great commish and the recent moves of FAMU and BCU to the SWAC-E and storied Alcorn St to the SWAC-W. The SWAC should be very formidable OOC vs all d-1 fcs.

We have history, we have legacy, we have the facilities, and we have the constituents who support us. There is no excuse not to dominate OOC and beat each other unmercifully IC.

I expect a breakout of sorts w/ the moves and messages coach Prime et al coaches are giving TAG student-athletes who are honestly returning to the SWAC.

[Puddin Tane]

Get a hold of Rev, and see if he could get some SFA people to come to the game. On a more serious note, a large portion of SFA's alumni base is in East Texas (Lufkin/Nacogdoches and Tyler/Longview), and if they're coming from the Tyler/Longview area, that's a long drive to Beaumont.

naw, 3 slumberjack fans is actually 3 too many.

[Daytripper]

There's a nervous energy in the SWAC authored by our great commish and the recent moves of FAMU and BCU to the SWAC-E and storied Alcorn St to the SWAC-W. The SWAC should be very formidable OOC vs all d-1 fcs.

We have history, we have legacy, we have the facilities, and we have the constituents who support us. There is no excuse not to dominate OOC and beat each other unmercifully IC.

I expect a breakout of sorts w/ the moves and messages coach Prime et al coaches are giving TAG student-athletes who are honestly returning to the SWAC.

Just join the playoffs already.

[DFW HOYA]

Just join the playoffs already.

Being in a playoff eligible conference doesn't boost attendance. Winning does.

[ElCid]

Just imagine if the NCAA would allow FBS schools to play at FCS schools. If LSU were to play Southern at their stadium, that game would be packed, and I'm sure most people would be pulling for LSU, and of course, LSU would win in a blowout.

Yeah. Pretty sure NCAA has no say in that. We are one of the few cases that have had an FBS team come play at our house. But at the time our annual attendence was pretty much the same or maybe even higher than Navy's was. That was in 88. Yeah we beat them. I think the attendence was around 18k for that game, and it was on local TV.

[lionsrking2]

Being in a playoff eligible conference doesn't boost attendance. Winning does.
Not sure that was his point.

[acbearkat]

Being in a playoff eligible conference doesn't boost attendance. Winning does.

Not necessarily. Despite the success since Willie Fritz’s second season, Sam Houston has struggled with attendance, especially from the students. I believe the students who were on campus in the spring and coming back for the fall will be more invested in coming to the games after the national championship.


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[ElCid]

Not necessarily. Despite the success since Willie Fritz’s second season, Sam Houston has struggled with attendance, especially from the students. I believe the students who were on campus in the spring and coming back for the fall will be more invested in coming to the games after the national championship.


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Maybe you should make it mandatory...like us. xlolx

[Daytripper]

Maybe you should make it mandatory...like us. xlolx

https://media.giphy.com/media/pNpONEEg3pLIQ/giphy.gif

[mmiller_34]

To answer this thread’s question:

No.

[GAD]

Being in a playoff eligible conference doesn't boost attendance. Winning does.
Winning and people having an affinity for the school and or team

[GAD]

Just imagine if the NCAA would allow FBS schools to play at FCS schools. If LSU were to play Southern at their stadium, that game would be packed, and I'm sure most people would be pulling for LSU, and of course, LSU would win in a blowout.
The game would certainly be packed temporary seating would be brought in, but Tiger fans would not outnumber Jaguar fans in our stadium. However we do make the trip across town in 2022

[Panther88]

Being in a playoff eligible conference doesn't boost attendance. Winning does.

Errrrrrrr..... the 2019 attendance stats and attendance stats in previous years show that the "winning formula" simply doesn't draw at the fcs level. xconfusedx





1. Southwestern Athletic 15,266
2. Mid-Eastern# 9,782
3. Big Sky 9,444
4. Colonial 8,930
5. Missouri Valley Football 8,928
6. Ivy 7,715 607
7. Ohio Valley 7,656
8. Southern 6,999
9. Southland 6,827
10. Patriot 4,494
11. Big South# 4,206
12. Pioneer 2,727
13. Northeast# 2,371
Independent 8,340


Seems like the "fans" and constituents of the "winning formula" are highly uninterested in the playoff eligible conferences. Look at #9 and #11. Who in their right mind would want to go to conferences like those w/ little to no fan support?

[Panther88]

Winning and people having an affinity for the school and or team

Natural rivalries, which we have in the SWAC and against neighboring OOC fcs schools will create a natural uptick.

[Katfan]

Not for us. Our administration will refuse to advertise any games. Any home games will be poorly attended if the pigs are playing.
I do think the SHSU game will be nicely attended. Usually is. But other than that they will go out of their way to make little fuss about home games. Typical. xcoffeex
im planning to make the trip

[BEAR]

im planning to make the trip

Awesome! Hope to meet you. Might have to drag you to Mike’s Place for some good food.

[Catbooster]

I would guess that we will see a slight uptick in attendance after having a year without football, students not having the full "college experience" for a year, a new coaching staff and the new athletic facility. But I don't expect it to be a big increase since we had good attendance before. I guess the same for the Grizzlies. Lots of people eager for football, but mostly it's those who were already football fans.

[Anthony215]

The addition of FAMU/Bethune Cookman to the SWAC will drastically increase the SWAC attendance as their annual game draws 30-50k. That will also mean the MEAC will see a huge drop in attendance as A&T which averaged over 10k is also gone from the conference leaving SC State & NCCU as the top 2 programs in conference and only ones remaining to average at least 7k.

[DFW HOYA]

Seems like the "fans" and constituents of the "winning formula" are highly uninterested in the playoff eligible conferences. Look at #9 and #11. Who in their right mind would want to go to conferences like those w/ little to no fan support?

Most recruits don't choose conferences (or teams) on fan support, but to the point, losing records in any conference is not a recipe for success.

[Panther88]

Most recruits don't choose conferences (or teams) on fan support, but to the point, losing records in any conference is not a recipe for success.

Today's recruits are blindly naive drinking P5 haterade.

I just watched a former 5* recruit state he chose university of florida because "I wanted to play in front of 100,000 fans and 40,000+ students." No mention of anything academic or character/morality related. lol What a confused legacy he left. xlolx

[skinny_uncle]

I would say in answer to the original question, there will be an increase in attendance because restrictions are being loosened.

[acbearkat]

Today's recruits are blindly naive drinking P5 haterade.

I just watched a former 5* recruit state he chose university of florida because "I wanted to play in front of 100,000 fans and 40,000+ students." No mention of anything academic or character/morality related. lol What a confused legacy he left. xlolx

Let me ask you this. Would a 5-star recruit sign with an FCS school out of high school? The answer is no. 5-stars know if they go to schools such as Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State, etc., they’ll get plenty of exposure and go play in the NFL if they perform.


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[bonarae]

Let me ask you this. Would a 5-star recruit sign with an FCS school out of high school? The answer is no. 5-stars know if they go to schools such as Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State, etc., they’ll get plenty of exposure and go play in the NFL if they perform.

But not for the student-athletes who choose the Ivies. Seldom do you see a Steven Hauschka-like route for a player out of our close-circuited system. But Ivy football alumni who do get the looks of NFL scouts tend to be drafted (third day) and/or performing well in the NFL. If a starred recruit chooses an FCS school, e.g. Yale, Jacksonville State or NDSU, the "starriness" goes down quite a bit.

[Panther88]

Let me ask you this. Would a 5-star recruit sign with an FCS school out of high school? The answer is no. 5-stars know if they go to schools such as Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State, etc., they’ll get plenty of exposure and go play in the NFL if they perform.


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Hard to say concretely. Most 17/18 year olds are unintelligent, non-prideful, overtly emotional, and selfishly driven in today's society. Most are an emotional sheeple who follow rather than lead and think individually for themself.

Hence the meat-market entertainment and highly ridiculous limelighted "signing day" stupidity too many ascribe to, w/ the under the table payments and "family favors" too many eagerly receive to justify their rancid and thoughtless decision. That is no secret. It is a thing and has been a thing for quite a duration.

If those farming plantation schools are allegedly the most proven path to complete an end game, atletic as well as academic, why doesn't the same logic ensure academic/private sector success for big state U grads over lowly fcs schools' grads? I'm 1000% sure the CJ programs @ those big state U programs is much, much better for a student than the CJ program @ lowly fcs U since big state U has larger #s, more publicized, more notoriety, et al. Right?

[Panther88]

But not for the student-athletes who choose the Ivies. Seldom do you see a Steven Hauschka-like route for a player out of our close-circuited system. But Ivy football alumni who do get the looks of NFL scouts tend to be drafted (third day) and/or performing well in the NFL. If a starred recruit chooses an FCS school, e.g. Yale, Jacksonville State or NDSU, the "starriness" goes down quite a bit.

True. The "star" factor is instantly decremented by one as soon as the 5*/4* hits any fcs campus yet the 5*/4* is still the exact same individual.

I honestly admire the NDSU model. They build and dominate w/ the infusion of drive and ever increasing gifts they impart w/in homegrown and carefully selected TAG HS recruits, not a mass influx of prima donna transfers from big state U who are physically gifted and mentally LQ while being academically coddled. xlolx

[caribbeanhen]

Hard to say concretely. Most 17/18 year olds are unintelligent, non-prideful, overtly emotional, and selfishly driven in today's society. Most are an emotional sheeple who follow rather than lead and think individually for themself.


I wouldn’t say most but some

[Panther88]

I wouldn’t say most but some

Quite a few, perhaps? I think that's decently accurate. The "metoo"/"look at me-center of attention" prima donna attitude many exude through social media is mind-boggling. Their egos and understanding are both very frail.

I have far too many stories of several I encountered in my outreach deal through the decades which was situated in 3 differing states. xsmhx

[acbearkat]

Hard to say concretely. Most 17/18 year olds are unintelligent, non-prideful, overtly emotional, and selfishly driven in today's society. Most are an emotional sheeple who follow rather than lead and think individually for themself.

Hence the meat-market entertainment and highly ridiculous limelighted "signing day" stupidity too many ascribe to, w/ the under the table payments and "family favors" too many eagerly receive to justify their rancid and thoughtless decision. That is no secret. It is a thing and has been a thing for quite a duration.

If those farming plantation schools are allegedly the most proven path to complete an end game, atletic as well as academic, why doesn't the same logic ensure academic/private sector success for big state U grads over lowly fcs schools' grads? I'm 1000% sure the CJ programs @ those big state U programs is much, much better for a student than the CJ program @ lowly fcs U since big state U has larger #s, more publicized, more notoriety, et al. Right?

I went to Sam Houston, and have a degree in Criminal Justice. I had a professor at Sam who went to Florida, and another who went to Florida State. Both of those schools have great CJ programs. The last time I checked neither Texas nor Texas A&M offered a Criminal Justice degree.


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[Panther88]

I went to Sam Houston, and have a degree in Criminal Justice. I had a professor at Sam who went to Florida, and another who went to Florida State. Both of those schools have great CJ programs. The last time I checked neither Texas nor Texas A&M offered a Criminal Justice degree.


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So, why not uoff or flst for CJ? Why "settle" for SHSU, since those 2 larger schools have more notoriety, more brand recognition, etc? Those 2 larger schools are known all throughout the USofA via name and reputation recognition. SHSU certainly is not. Is that not true? xreadx

[Coogkat15]

So, why not uoff or flst for CJ? Why "settle" for SHSU, since those 2 larger schools have more notoriety, more brand recognition, etc? Those 2 larger schools are known all throughout the USofA via name and reputation recognition. SHSU certainly is not. Is that not true? xreadx

Not true at all. Cody Chrest our grad Transfer from Harvard, choose Sam for his Masters in CJ/Crim. I worked and taught at SHSU CofCJ. Sam has one of the top CJ programs in the US and at one time one of the the best in the world. One of our alum is the Chief of Police for Houston PD. Us, Florida State and John Jay jockey for top College of CJ in the Country.


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[mmiller_34]

Let me ask you this. Would a 5-star recruit sign with an FCS school out of high school? The answer is no. 5-stars know if they go to schools such as Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio State, etc., they’ll get plenty of exposure and go play in the NFL if they perform.


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A five star will never be committed to an FCS school because if they did..whoever or whichever scouting website judged that player as a 5* recruit would immediately update that players ranking to show 3 stars (max). Otherwise their whole system would become flawed.

[caribbeanhen]

Quite a few, perhaps? I think that's decently accurate. The "metoo"/"look at me-center of attention" prima donna attitude many exude through social media is mind-boggling. Their egos and understanding are both very frail.

I have far too many stories of several I encountered in my outreach deal through the decades which was situated in 3 differing states. xsmhx

oh I get that, but a lot of my perceptions are void of what you see on social media, it’s poison

It’s all about the company you keep

I see a lot of 18 19 year olds that skipped college and got right to work and that I totally respect

[Panther88]

oh I get that, but a lot of my perceptions are void of what you see on social media, it’s poison

It’s all about the company you keep

I see a lot of 18 19 year olds that skipped college and got right to work and that I totally respect

I had a # of mid-late teens in my outreach deals and I simply listened to them, only advising when asked. A few of them were the athletic d-1 media limelighters during their stints @ "big state U" and no more than 5 of those made it to the pros (bball/fball) and fizzled upon their retirement. They lacked mental depth, imho, and i don't have the required patience to be near those types anymore. Total prima donna types; physically gifted but mentally subpar.

LMAO@"I decided to attend university of florida because I wanted to play in front of 100,000 people with 40,000 students rooting for me." Duhhhhhh. xlolx xlolx xlmaox

[caribbeanhen]

I had a # of mid-late teens in my outreach deals and I simply listened to them, only advising when asked. A few of them were the athletic d-1 media limelighters during their stints @ "big state U" and no more than 5 of those made it to the pros (bball/fball) and fizzled upon their retirement. They lacked mental depth, imho, and i don't have the required patience to be near those types anymore. Total prima donna types; physically gifted but mentally subpar.

LMAO@"I decided to attend university of florida because I wanted to play in front of 100,000 people with 40,000 students rooting for me." Duhhhhhh. xlolx xlolx xlmaox

I do empathize with you only listening. Always tough

you must have a good poker face

[Panther88]

I do empathize with you only listening. Always tough

you must have a good poker face

In the midst of adversity, the only thing one can do is stare in disbelief and nil any semblance of emotionalism while simply observing, unless verbally invited to speak.

~5-6 years ago, had a distraught "parent" lol, a father, call me @ work one evening because his spoiled 16 y/o son was physically destroying the 3-day old very new Camaro SS car he just gifted his son with. He said "I cannot speak to him and he seems to listen to you." xconfusedx Then later had another request after the district police and I negotiated w/ the teen to stop knocking the windows out w/ an aluminum bat because he was pissed @ his "parents." W..T...FFFFFF?????!!!!!! xsmhx

[caribbeanhen]

In the midst of adversity, the only thing one can do is stare in disbelief and nil any semblance of emotionalism while simply observing, unless verbally invited to speak.

~5-6 years ago, had a distraught "parent" lol, a father, call me @ work one evening because his spoiled 16 y/o son was physically destroying the 3-day old very new Camaro SS car he just gifted his son with. He said "I cannot speak to him and he seems to listen to you." xconfusedx Then later had another request after the district police and I negotiated w/ the teen to stop knocking the windows out w/ an aluminum bat because he was pissed @ his "parents." W..T...FFFFFF?????!!!!!! xsmhx

thanks for sharing that... funny I guess but sad as well

Parents reap what they sow