Saw my first Lion today (Missouri State)

[Pards Rule]

I live year round on Long Beach Island (LBI) NJ, the island thats 18 miles long - hence the name - thats directly north of Atlantic City. Anyways its quiet off season but today saw a guy come into Wawa at 630AM in Spray Beach, NJ with Missouri State jacket on and I chatted him up. His name was Doug too. Anyways he played for Villanova on OL for a couple seasons before they killed football after 1980 season. He was recruited by Lafayette DC Joe Sarra (later Penn St DC) but I guess it was a matter of economics as he was in family of 6 with single mom (way back then no schollies for Patriot, and NO NIL). So he was recruited by the Lions as they were at that time he said D2 moving to 1AA. I learned MSU is in Springfield. Good visit with a Lion! Hey it is early March right?

[OhioHen]

Always great to encounter other FCS in unexpected places.

Last post to the thread about these events was in early December so wouldn't have been anywhere near the top of the active threads list - FCS Sightings...

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I live year round on Long Beach Island (LBI) NJ, the island thats 18 miles long - hence the name - thats directly north of Atlantic City. Anyways its quiet off season but today saw a guy come into Wawa at 630AM in Spray Beach, NJ with Missouri State jacket on and I chatted him up. His name was Doug too. Anyways he played for Villanova on OL for a couple seasons before they killed football after 1980 season. He was recruited by Lafayette DC Joe Sarra (later Penn St DC) but I guess it was a matter of economics as he was in family of 6 with single mom (way back then no schollies for Patriot, and NO NIL). So he was recruited by the Lions as they were at that time he said D2 moving to 1AA. I learned MSU is in Springfield. Good visit with a Lion! Hey it is early March right?

Unless you were talking to Jared Goff or someone at SELA, you were talking to a Tiger, not a Lion. That's a cool thing to happen, though.

In 1980 Villanova was full scholarship (and still I-A, I believe), while Lafayette would have been, I think, early in their D-I existence (along with Lehigh, Bucknell, Delaware and a bunch of ECC team) as Eastern independents. I think Lafayette and Lehigh were recruiting off of some combination of non-scholarship and grants-in-aid at that time? Point being Sarra could have been approaching him with some grant money, sorta like a scholarship. But maybe not. I think in spirit during that time Lehigh and Lafayette were attempting to implement some type of Ivy model. At least Lehigh was.

[OhioHen]

Unless you were talking to Jared Goff or someone at SELA, you were talking to a Tiger, not a Lion. That's a cool thing to happen, though.

Actually, Missouri State is the Bears, if you want to pick nits.

edit: Only upon reading my post did I realize that we had embarked on a "Lions, and tigers, and bears. Oh, my" moment.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Actually, Missouri State is the Bears, if you want to pick nits.

edit: Only upon reading my post did I realize that we had embarked on a "Lions, and tigers, and bears. Oh, my" moment.

We all stink equally and this is awesome

[TribeNomad1]

Easy to get tripped up on animal nomenclature. Taking a golf trip with my son next week to Myrtle Beach, there is a cluster of courses at the north side. Tiger's Eye, Lion's Paw & Panther's Run. Never can recall which is which, and which one I have played before!!! Too many cats.

[Pards Rule]

Actually, Missouri State is the Bears, if you want to pick nits.

edit: Only upon reading my post did I realize that we had embarked on a "Lions, and tigers, and bears. Oh, my" moment.

Yeah my addled 62 year old brain! Ugh! How does one edit the THREAD TOPIC? Its Bears

[Libertine]

Yeah my addled 62 year old brain! Ugh! How does one edit the THREAD TOPIC?

No, it's better this way! FWIW, the Missouri State bear's name is Boomer.

[caribbeanhen]

I live year round on Long Beach Island (LBI) NJ, the island thats 18 miles long - hence the name - thats directly north of Atlantic City. Anyways its quiet off season but today saw a guy come into Wawa at 630AM in Spray Beach, NJ with Missouri State jacket on and I chatted him up. His name was Doug too. Anyways he played for Villanova on OL for a couple seasons before they killed football after 1980 season. He was recruited by Lafayette DC Joe Sarra (later Penn St DC) but I guess it was a matter of economics as he was in family of 6 with single mom (way back then no schollies for Patriot, and NO NIL). So he was recruited by the Lions as they were at that time he said D2 moving to 1AA. I learned MSU is in Springfield. Good visit with a Lion! Hey it is early March right?

you hadn't had your WaWa coffee yet had you.... if he played for Villanova in the late 70's, I definitely listened to some great games he played in and lost to Div 2 Delaware Azure Gallenas...

not sure if he actually played though

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Libertine nailed it.

It is better this way.

Hell, they are not FCS any longer and I ain't moving it either. This thread has a bit of gold in it so well done all.