Our Crowd

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Wanting to know everyone's thoughts and opinions....

Do you feel we are becoming less rowdy and less into the games vocally? I realize we played Howard, but this is something I have noticed over recent years. The Rock is not as loud or as intimidating as it used to be. I know winning could change that, but what do you all think? Is there something we could do to get the crowd more involved? Watching VT enter the stadium to Metallica sent chills down my spine last night. I only recall one maybe two times when we had the APPPP - STAAAATTTEEE chant going from west to east.

Am I just getting old, or have you all noticed a change as well?

[APPARJ]

Wanting to know everyone's thoughts and opinions....

Do you feel we are becoming less rowdy and less into the games vocally? I realize we played Howard, but this is something I have noticed over recent years. The Rock is not as loud or as intimidating as it used to be. I know winning could change that, but what do you all think? Is there something we could do to get the crowd more involved? Watching VT enter the stadium to Metallica sent chills down my spine last night. I only recall one maybe two times when we had the APPPP - STAAAATTTEEE chant going from west to east.

Am I just getting old, or have you all noticed a change as well?

I agree.

But I don't think this is unique to App State, per se. Every program experiences cycles of up and down years. No one can be dominant forever.

We had an incredible, unprecedented run from 2005-2009 where we had the talent to win 5 straight national championships.

That said, the student and crowd culture during that time was elevated to levels of intensity previously unseen at Appalachian State.

So when we experienced a bit of a downslide in from 2010-2014 (most of 2014 was rough...) it is natural that the culture and intensity took a big hit. I mean, in terms of "big boy football" atmosphere, we are young and underdeveloped.

Will we have the same rowdiness and intensity as the championship/Michigan years? That's a possibility. But we have to keep winning and the administration, donor relations and athletic department need to do, IMO, a better job at integrating graduates in with the football team. They could be doing a much, much better job.

[vegattk]

I thought the crowd did pretty well considering it was a holiday weekend and we were blowing them out.

As for the App/State cheer... Idiots kept trying to start it while we were on Offense....

[Yosef84]

I have to say that the crowds have been a little more sedate in recent years, but I think that's a factor of the struggles we've had. I'm predicting that this is the year we get our rowdy back!

[dontplay90]

Preface: This is not a "we shouldn't have moved up" statement, or any kind of bash on the move up. I liked a lot of our old ways, but like a lot of the new era as well.

Except for GaSouthern, we don't have a rivalry base established yet in the new conference and we don't have any "traditional" rivals scheduled at home in the near future. Also, we aren't playing (yet) for the conference title or bowl bid.

On the previous level, it was pretty incredible having typically three games in a row late in the season with "regional" rivals Furman, Wofford and GaSouthern... typically for the auto-bid to the playoffs and top three spots in the conference. Also, the sudden-death playoffs were outstanding team and crowd performances, typically with less than capacity attendance.

Judge our crowd more when we host GaSouthern and also Arkansas State and LA-La later this season. If our team plays like they can, these three games could provide some magic of their own and hopefully lead to a bowl game!

[Gonzo]

Re: the App -- State cheer, the temporary EZ seating has effectively killed that one. It starts great, but ends up getting jumbled and people just give up. When I was a student we started it every game right as the kickoff unit was taking the field and the smoke from the fireworks was clearing. I'd like it to come back for that moment consistently and during timeouts like it used to.

I thought the noise was there in the first half on Saturday. As usual it was virtually produced by 100% students. Scattered young alums like myself contribute as well. We were banging on the backs of the row in front, getting the roar going, and joining the hum of the students from across the way it got pretty loud at the beginning of the game by what I was hearing on the east side.

We need more engagement from the old timers, but the culture of some of those expensive sections just doesn't doesn't allow it. They get loud on game-deciding plays in big games, but that's about all their weak hearts can take.

[WVAppsfan]

The crowd was tremendous Saturday. They were loud and effective, the student section at APP is bye far one of the best in the nation.

I thought that the new signage around the ring of the stadium will show well on TV and the gold uniforms are bright.

I made the transition of being a season ticket holder at WVU to App State this year in part due to the atmosphere and the value of the experience.

The crowd is fun, loud, and understands football it lacks the expletive laces, batteries thrown, beer baths that I was accustomed to in Morgantown.

Playing for the Sunbelt Conference title and a bowl bid are prime objectives and I feel will be reached in the short future. Can we win the conference this year? Time will tell, but a bowl bid is likely. Due to the spirit and pride of APP STATE NATION. A bowl would love to host our program and have our fans in their venue and towns.

Don't slam the atmosphere, I love the Rock and all it is. Rock on.

[boonetown1]

I think it would be cool for our athletic department to give students a "playbook" each year to highlight chants and support raising the noise levels.

Our students need help but coming from the student section in the victory years to now assigned seating up top....we may want to focus on people up there. Some of the louder games I've been too in the past 5 years have been when the top (aka alum) get into the game. the older crowd up top needs a lot of attention.

This is why I've always said, download an app that records decibals and hook it up to the video board. When the stadium hits certain decibals, everyone wins a biscuit or something. This will help to rebuild a culture of noise and pride.

[Rekdiver]

This is dead on. I may be the only 60+ year old in my section who yells as much as I can. Everyone else seems to sit on their hands. Kudos to the student body. They are really loud. I've sat in the club seats on several occasions and people look at you like you are interrupting Sunday lunch if you stand and yell. Every Voice Counts! We need to adopt the attitude of Seattle. The noise level there makes a difference.

[appchicago]

I, too, think our students are fantastic. They seem the most invested in the game, the most colorful, the loudest, etc. And they should. We're old. They're young.

Likewise, the older fans tend to spend a lot of the game sitting, responding to big plays, but otherwise remaining somewhat low key. That's also always been true.

I think the issue, to the extent that there is one, is that we're a little soft around the middle. It's still hard to find 25k die-hards every game, so we have 15k die-hards and 10k who spend the game chatting and googling the scores to other games if they can get their phones to work.

But that's progress. I think most of us probably came through App when there were half as many people at games, and half of THOSE crowds were still a bit on the fairweather side.

And a personal confession about the "App" "State" cheer: I think it always goes on way too long. I've got about 6-8 "STATE!"s in me before I want to get back to the game.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Great replies. I agree with everyone. As someone else pointed out, I feel like our fans don't have a solid guideline of what to expect and when to cheer. Prime example is the idiots that start the App-State chant while we are on offense. We just don't have that tradition like other schools. You go to a VT game, and everyone there knows, they are going to play Metallica as the team enters, and you better be off your butt. I had chills last night watching that entrance. Aside from our student sections, we don't have that all around. I would love to see a true blacked out Black Saturday, but again, our fans are not guided on the traditions and what to expect.

Maybe we should set some standard consistent traditions. I personally don't like the loud blasting "Welcome to the Rock" video before the team comes out. It does not get the crowd involved until we hear the gun fire. Thoughts on this?

[clemmonsapp]

I thought Saturday was awesome!

Based on the negative comments by many here I was expecting a small crowd (many were saying 12,000 or less) This could not have been further from the truth. The students obviously care. They came out loud and proud on a long weekend. The West side and bleachers were full. The East side and hill were well stocked. 24,000 against an FCS team is a great start to the season!

Some of the folks on here are just looking for a reason to poor mouth. It was loud (sure it wasn't the loudest ever), the crowd was lively and the Band of Distinction was back to full throat!

Can I get a little positive vibe from a crowd of a size none of us 80's alums could have ever imagined in our day, on a day they were forecasting rain, when the students had every excuse to be gone for a long weekend?

The team looked good, I think we can give Clemson a tussle and beat ODU, and our next home game is against one of THE state schools in our country on homecoming. (Please note - the school has really stepped up the homecoming menu of events for this year which will include the parade through downtown and an October Fest event.)

Maybe I'm a glass mostly full type guy, but I think this can be a special season. I may be proven wrong, but I will be in Boone every home Saturday possible, happy to be on the mountain and proud of ASU students and alums!

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I thought Saturday was awesome!

Based on the negative comments by many here I was expecting a small crowd (many were saying 12,000 or less) This could not have been further from the truth. The students obviously care. They came out loud and proud on a long weekend. The West side and bleachers were full. The East side and hill were well stocked. 24,000 against an FCS team is a great start to the season!

Some of the folks on here are just looking for a reason to poor mouth. It was loud (sure it wasn't the loudest ever), the crowd was lively and the Band of Distinction was back to full throat!

Can I get a little positive vibe from a crowd of a size none of us 80's alums could have ever imagined in our day, on a day they were forecasting rain, when the students had every excuse to be gone for a long weekend?

The team looked good, I think we can give Clemson a tussle and beat ODU, and our next home game is against one of THE state schools in our country on homecoming. (Please note - the school has really stepped up the homecoming menu of events for this year which will include the parade through downtown and an October Fest event.)

Maybe I'm a glass mostly full type guy, but I think this can be a special season. I may be proven wrong, but I will be in Boone every home Saturday possible, happy to be on the mountain and proud of ASU students and alums!

I don't think anyone is denying our team's skill this season. I think people are just pointing out that there are some consistent improvements that should be made to enhance the game day experience for all.

[beav910]

That was my first App game attended as a student and I thought it was awesome. One suggestion I would have to the AD if I could speak to him would be to name the student section. For example The Boneyard at ECU, The Wolf's Den at State.

[nomadb]

The intensity in the stands will come back parallel to the intensity on the field. I thought our fans were pretty loud at the beginning of the game Saturday. It's hard to keep everyone engaged when we are up by 40+ points. It's also hard to be engaged when NC Central is beating you at home....so there's that.


I think the best thing that can happen to get the fans reinvested are some close wins at home. Nothing is more fun than a competitive game when your team wins on a big play. You make memories and people come back looking for that experience.

[fjblair]

I thought Saturday was awesome!

Based on the negative comments by many here I was expecting a small crowd (many were saying 12,000 or less) This could not have been further from the truth. The students obviously care. They came out loud and proud on a long weekend. The West side and bleachers were full. The East side and hill were well stocked. 24,000 against an FCS team is a great start to the season!

Some of the folks on here are just looking for a reason to poor mouth. It was loud (sure it wasn't the loudest ever), the crowd was lively and the Band of Distinction was back to full throat!

Can I get a little positive vibe from a crowd of a size none of us 80's alums could have ever imagined in our day, on a day they were forecasting rain, when the students had every excuse to be gone for a long weekend?

The team looked good, I think we can give Clemson a tussle and beat ODU, and our next home game is against one of THE state schools in our country on homecoming. (Please note - the school has really stepped up the homecoming menu of events for this year which will include the parade through downtown and an October Fest event.)

Maybe I'm a glass mostly full type guy, but I think this can be a special season. I may be proven wrong, but I will be in Boone every home Saturday possible, happy to be on the mountain and proud of ASU students and alums!

Great post. The crowd was large, the spirits were high and the team played flawlessly. For a first game blowout it was a great game day experience. I'm just not feeling the disappointment.

[AppinVA]

That was my first App game attended as a student and I thought it was awesome. One suggestion I would have to the AD if I could speak to him would be to name the student section. For example The Boneyard at ECU, The Wolf's Den at State.

That's not a bad idea at all.

And congrats on making your first game.

[8993]

That was my first App game attended as a student and I thought it was awesome. One suggestion I would have to the AD if I could speak to him would be to name the student section. For example The Boneyard at ECU, The Wolf's Den at State.

I love the sound of that. What would you suggest?

Some I came up with off the top of my head include "The Cave at App State", "Mountaineer Maniacs", or even "Yosef's Cabin".

[Gonzo]

That was my first App game attended as a student and I thought it was awesome. One suggestion I would have to the AD if I could speak to him would be to name the student section. For example The Boneyard at ECU, The Wolf's Den at State.

I love the sound of that. What would you suggest?

Some I came up with off the top of my head include "The Cave at App State", "Mountaineer Maniacs", or even "Yosef's Cabin".

I'd like to use "Kidd Brewer Crazies."

Shades of Duke because our venue is half the size of the big boys, but it's intimidating and well-known for noise, nonetheless.

[ASUMountaineer]

That was my first App game attended as a student and I thought it was awesome. One suggestion I would have to the AD if I could speak to him would be to name the student section. For example The Boneyard at ECU, The Wolf's Den at State.

I love the sound of that. What would you suggest?

Some I came up with off the top of my head include "The Cave at App State", "Mountaineer Maniacs", or even "Yosef's Cabin".

The Hollar (Hollow) where you holler?