My thoughts...

[Black and Gold Express]

I'm sure there's been tons written on this game, so forgive me if I repeat some other sentiments. I was at the game, and watched the espn2 broadcast of it tonight when I got home.

It's still sinking in that we pulled this off. No running game, 3 turnovers (2 of them 100% ASU's own fault), a potentially costly mistake on that roughing the punter penalty, and we still won? The chances of that happening regularly aren't too big, that's for sure.

I said many times (here and elsewhere) that if we did not play our best game, and UNI did, that UNI had a real chance. Well, I don't think a single person can say we played close to even a good game on offense. While UNI definitely deserves credit for part of that, we shot ourselves in the foot time and again as well. Moreso than a winning team should have been able to survive maybe.

Conversely, I thought UNI's poise of offense was almost uncanny. Sanders really showed me something keeping his cool in the face of all that pressure. He fought like hell all game long, even when it was apparent that it would be more often than not that he was going to have little time to let wideouts get open. When he got the time, he was usually on target. Horne had a good game too, you can see the talent there.

I do want to say that the interception Trey threw was brilliantly played by the safety. He baited the throw, jumped the route, and made a great catch. Excellent, excellent play.

As for the ASU defense, what you saw on Friday was the type of defense we've been spoiled with for many years, when it was defense that led us to our winning seasons. This was definitely the most complete defensive game we had in the playoffs. Maybe the best defensive game we played all year against a team with a winning record. All year long, ASU has risen to the occasion in the second half, and really put the clamps on people, and that's what happened again. The difference in this game was that they rose to the occasion in the first half, with the offense putting them in nasty holes time and again.

I thought UNI's fan noise was good, considering they were outnumberd by at least 2 to 1 in the stands. And it wasn't until we got that final first down to allow us to run the clock out that they got quiet. They should be commended for being such a good and loyal group of fans.

There's a lot of plays you could go back and say "what if?". What if Johnson doesn't win that jump ball in the 3rd? What if that 2nd down pass with 1:40 left gets picked (and what the hell were they doing throwing that pass)? What if ASU picks even one of the four balls they had at least two hands on (Woazeah, Wiggins, and Lynch twice)? What if Jackson was a step faster and caught that deep ball Richie threw late before the final ASU punt of the night?

The game had such a roller coaster of emotions in it. Had Murrell and Hunter not forced the game winning touchdown when they did, I think UNI was on the verge of taking the game fully over from a momentum standpoint. Because it was very apparent that without the quarterback being able to run, our offense is maybe 1/3 as effective as it usually is. God bless Richie for all the guts and heart he displayed out there, but against UNI's zone, passing alone was not going to get it done. We were going to have to win with a defense or special teams big play, and that's what we got.

UNI's kicing game, except for the shanked punt, was nothing short of stellar. Although I still think the UNI punter deserves an Emmy for turning a 5-yard foul into a 15 yarder, that's part of the game, and all that matters is that you pull it off.

UNI fans should have nothing to hang their heads about. While I still believe that had we not turned the ball over like we did that we would have won by 10-14, I grossly underestimated UNI as a whole. They were a ton better than I thought they were. I expect them to go deep in 2006.

ASU, National Champs... wow.

[Kill'em]

As well as they played yesterday I think your defense did a much better job on us.

[crunifan]

UNI fans should have nothing to hang their heads about. While I still believe that had we not turned the ball over like we did that we would have won by 10-14, I grossly underestimated UNI as a whole. They were a ton better than I thought they were. I expect them to go deep in 2006.


UNI could also go to say had they not turned the ball over that one time, we won be National Champs. But not the case.

I also wanted to thank you for the kind words. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure other Panther fans, that you all noticed how supportive our group was. Living 800 miles away, I was so thrilled to see that many people at the game. Those people were the true fans, the ones that cheer "U-N-I" even when you feel the game is out of your grasp. I have never been so proud to be a student of UNI as I was yesterday.

From the game ASU deserved this game. UNI had so many opportunities with all the turnovers to completely take ASU out of the game. But they didn't get it done and therefore they lost the game. Your defense was unbelievable, by far the best we have seen all year.

Congratulations to Appalachian State, you guys played one hell of a game!

[Black and Gold Express]

As well as they played yesterday I think your defense did a much better job on us.

The only reason I would disagree is you were such a one dimensional team this year. Beating you like we did was a matter of sticking to our assignments, but once the offense put up 24 points, we could send the house after your option plays because you had no ability to pass whatsoever in that game. At that point, there was no way GSU was going to come back in that one.

Against UNI, we had to not only shut down their running attack, which I think was second only to Furman in terms of a traditional running attack, but also pressure their quartback fast enough so their track team of wideouts couldn't have the time to get open. And do it while the offense provided little or no help for long stretches of the game.

For all of our closer wins (and by that I mean the ones in the 6-14 point range), the blueprint was the defense played well, but at some point late finally the offense broke through and forced the other team to get one dimensional and then the defense could attack at will. That never came to be in this game against UNI. It was all about the defense.

[*****]

...against UNI. It was all about the defense.
for both teams in the playoffs... UNI again didn't let an opposing all-star QB lead their team to a fourth quarter score (inside of 11 mins... excepting the blown punt inside the 6 against TXST) and ASU again didn't let the opposition score in the second half.

[*****]

I love defensive champ games!

[Black and Gold Express]

for both teams in the playoffs... UNI again didn't let an opposing all-star QB lead their team to a fourth quarter score (inside of 11 mins... excepting the blown punt inside the 6 against TXST) and ASU again didn't let the opposition score in the second half.

In this case, UNI was also facing an all-star QB without his best ability, the ability to run. Not only run for himself, but to run to set up the single most important play in the entire ASU offense, the read option running play. For all the 4 wide and spread out passing attack, if that one play is not available in the playbook, the offense, and Richie, are nowhere near as potent.

Richie was out there doing what was probably his worst skill, being a pocket passer. Running, throwing on the run, evading pressure to give wideouts time, that is what he's best at, and that is what made him the all time ASU great he is. And he could do none of that because of his injury.

UNI played accordingly. Play zone, guard the passing lanes instead of sending a heavier pass rush, all things a good defense will do when they know the threat of a QB running (or a running game period) is not there. ESPN was saying it was a mistake to not pressure Richie more. Maybe so, but the reason UNI lost this game was not because of it's defense in the second half.

Would a healthy Richie have changed things? I think so, but we will never know. Regardless though, we know it was a major factor in his effectiveness.

This takes away nothing from UNI's efforts, but you can't go making claims and leave out half the story in telling it. Well, I guess you can since you just did.

[*****]

In this case, UNI was also facing an all-star QB... but the reason UNI lost this game was not because of it's defense in the second half. Would a healthy Richie have changed things? I think so, but we will never know... but you can't go making claims and leave out half the story in telling it. Well, I guess you can since you just did. :nonono2: :nonono2: :nonono2: You can't help smacking at me huh B&G? I agreed it was a defensive game. Richie played a half you know besides the hail mary to end the first half? The read option running play was ready the whole time. The reason UNI lost the game was because of the ASU defense creating the TD. You and everyone else can say it would have/could have/should have/might have been different had Richie played the entire game/wasn't injured etc. but there were other things that happened in the game and you have to go with what actually happened. I didn't leave out anything. The ASU offense didn't score in the fourth quarter like I said. Be dignified please.

Scoring Summary:
1st 11:36 UNI - Wingert, Brian 50 yd field goal, 9-41 3:31, ASU 0 - UNI 3
09:45 UNI - Wingert, Brian 26 yd field goal, 6-15 1:44, ASU 0 - UNI 6
2nd 13:18 ASU - K. Richardson 5 yd run (Julian Rauch kick), 9-64 2:41, ASU 7 - UNI 6
08:20 UNI - Horne, David 2 yd run (Wingert, Brian kick), 5-41 2:13, ASU 7 - UNI 13
01:09 UNI - Wingert, Brian 31 yd field goal, 7-14 2:57, ASU 7 - UNI 16
3rd 06:05 ASU - K. Richardson 1 yd run (Julian Rauch kick), 9-79 4:12, ASU 14 - UNI 16
4th 09:14 ASU - Jason Hunter 15 yd fumble recovery (Julian Rauch kick), , ASU 21 - UNI 16

[SoCon48]

for both teams in the playoffs... UNI again didn't let an opposing all-star QB lead their team to a fourth quarter score (inside of 11 mins... excepting the blown punt inside the 6 against TXST) and ASU again didn't let the opposition score in the second half.
A healthy Richie likely would have put TD's in every quarter. IMOP

[JohnStOnge]

I was pulling for App and am glad the Moutaineers won. But I feel for UNI fans because, as is the case with most close games between good teams, it could very easily have gone the other way. The fumble/TD touchdown return is an example. It was a good play by the D end to swipe the ball out but you have to have the ball bounce right for things to work out in a TD like that. If it takes one kind of hop (or lack thereof) you get what you got. Another and it's a turnover at the spot. Still another and it's not even a turnover.

Also UNI's corner had an opportunity for a pick six when App threw that ill advised pass late but didn't quite make the play. I think there were a number of "almost" plays in the passing game as (I thought) Sanders wasn't quite as "on" as he was during the previous week.

Yep, when your team loses one like that you're going to spend a long time thinking about all the plays during the game such that making a play on one play could've made the difference in the outcome.

Kind of like I still think about McNeese's tight end dropping a TD pass in the 1997 championship game as well as McNeese sacking YSU's quarterback on third down during the only TD drive of the game but having the drive kept alive by an inadvertent face mask on the play. Doesn't take much to make the difference between exhuberance and despondency.

And if UNI'd won App fans would have things like that to think about too...as well as wondering what might've been with a healthy Williams.

Yep. There's something about football fan culture that says you're not supposed to talk about such things but everybody on a the losing side of a championship game thinks about them.

[Black and Gold Express]

:nonono2: :nonono2: :nonono2: You can't help smacking at me huh B&G? I agreed it was a defensive game. Richie played a half you know besides the hail mary to end the first half? The read option running play was ready the whole time. The reason UNI lost the game was because of the ASU defense creating the TD. You and everyone else can say it would have/could have/should have/might have been different had Richie played the entire game/wasn't injured etc. but there were other things that happened in the game and you have to go with what actually happened. I didn't leave out anything. The ASU offense didn't score in the fourth quarter like I said. Be dignified please.



Stop it Ralph. Stop it right now. Do not try and paint me in a corner when it is you who cannot seem to be dignified about this. :nono:

You have become UNI's #1 fan during this playoff run. Your homerism for them has been almost blatant at some times. If anyone dared speak ill of UNI, you jumped right in to defend them with both feet, moreso than for any other team in this run.

And that's fine, I've had no problem with it, but I when you leak that over into telling half the story to make the story look different than it was, that's going too far.

Never once did I discredit UNI in this thread. Not once. But I will not let you try and paint a picture that was half true, without filling in the holes you are very convienently leaving out.

UNI lost this football game. UNI's defense was not the reason they lost it. We agree there. But you couldn't leave that alone could you? You had to try and slip in that little line of "they stopped Richie". And to read your quotes, you make it seem like UNI stopped Richie at his best. We all know that was not true, so why try and spin this in a way that makes it look different than it was?

My position stands, and stands solid. Your games don't fly here. Your efforts to defend UNI are not needed here. Just leave it be.

[Kill'em]

You made a good point B&GE about our being one dimensional. That was frustrating to us was why Foster threw only 4 passes. It seemed like after y'all picked off Smiley Sewak was afraid to throw. In essense, we made ourselves one dimensional.

[*****]

... While UNI definitely deserves credit for part of that, we shot ourselves in the foot time and again... Maybe the best defensive game we played all year against a team with a winning record... I still believe that had we not turned the ball over like we did that we would have won by 10-14...
A healthy Richie likely would have put TD's in every quarter. IMOP
... It was all about the defense.
for both teams in the playoffs... UNI again didn't let an opposing all-star QB lead their team to a fourth quarter score (inside of 11 mins... excepting the blown punt inside the 6 against TXST) and ASU again didn't let the opposition score in the second half.
... you can't go making claims and leave out half the story in telling it. Well, I guess you can since you just did.
... I agreed it was a defensive game. Richie played a half you know besides the hail mary to end the first half?... The reason UNI lost the game was because of the ASU defense creating the TD. You and everyone else can say it would have/could have/should have/might have been different had Richie played the entire game/wasn't injured etc. but there were other things that happened in the game and you have to go with what actually happened. I didn't leave out anything. The ASU offense didn't score in the fourth quarter like I said...
...You have become UNI's #1 fan during this playoff run. Your homerism for them has been almost blatant at some times... Never once did I discredit UNI in this thread... You had to try and slip in that little line of "they stopped Richie"... :rolleyes: So now I'm a UNI homer. xlolx xlolx xlolx :nonono2: :nonono2: I think we all know who the homers are. :nod: :nod:

[APPST '93]

I'm here to defend Ralph. I had the pleasure of meeting Ralph this past weekend in Chattanooga. I tried to get him to pick a team and he said both teams have a great shot at winning. This went on for about a minute and he said I support I-AA and all the teams. Thanks to Ralph for being the Biggest I-AA supporter!

[*****]

I'm here to defend Ralph. I had the pleasure of meeting Ralph this past weekend in Chattanooga. I tried to get him to pick a team and he said both teams have a great shot at winning. This went on for about a minute and he said I support I-AA and all the teams. Thanks to Ralph for being the Biggest I-AA supporter!I was nice meeting you too 93. I think it bugs some people that want their team to be I-A that I support I-AA. They just can't resist potshotting me. I did tell everyone who asked that I saw this game as a "pick'em" even if Richie was not injured. I said some in-game play would determine the winner, whether it be a turnover or injury etc. Both teams need to be commended for entertaining us all. Mad props to our 2005 National Champ App St. and Runnerup Northern Iowa. :hurray:

[yosefcity]

Ralph- I am for 1-AA all the way. I am one of the people who want ASU to stay 1-AA. However as much as your the man, Coulson is my hero.

[ravens]

I was nice meeting you too 93. I think it bugs some people that want their team to be I-A that I support I-AA. They just can't resist potshotting me. I did tell everyone who asked that I saw this game as a "pick'em" even if Richie was not injured. I said some in-game play would determine the winner, whether it be a turnover or injury etc. Both teams need to be commended for entertaining us all. Mad props to our 2005 National Champ App St. and Runnerup Northern Iowa. :hurray:

Thanks for ALL you do, You do a great job for everyone but honestly I thought you were a UNI fan from reading your posts.

[*****]

Thanks for ALL you do, You do a great job for everyone but honestly I thought you were a UNI fan from reading your posts.I don't think I've ever posted being a fan of one team or another. Funny how fans of a team think you are a fan of their opposition when you post something about their opposition. Many times I'll post something about the opposition if I think the posts here are slanted too much one way or another... balancing it sort of. Panther fans often thought I was a fan of their opposition for instance. It's tough for some to believe I don't have a dog in the I-AA fight but I don't. My fave is I-AA.

[Kill'em]

There is a grownig I-A movement at Georgia Southern. It bothers me that I can't get them to see my point that I-A is not only a joke, but a mistake. I have been called an idiot and a moron and have been accused of lacking vision. I almost forgot I've been accused being far up the butt of Sam Baker (the A.D.) because I feel the same way he feels about I-A. I hate that I-AA is viewed by those in the I-A world as "Bush League" but those of us in the I-AA family know better.

Personally I thank you Ralph for yopur support of I-AA football,

home to the real Division I Championship

[APPST '93]

Don't remember where I read it but...The average program loses over $5 million the first couples years it goes I-A.

[blukeys]

I don't think I've ever posted being a fan of one team or another. Funny how fans of a team think you are a fan of their opposition when you post something about their opposition. Many times I'll post something about the opposition if I think the posts here are slanted too much one way or another... balancing it sort of. Panther fans often thought I was a fan of their opposition for instance. It's tough for some to believe I don't have a dog in the I-AA fight but I don't. My fave is I-AA.

Can we all lighten’ Up!!! This is a totally dumb discussion. If Ralph has a bias (Midwest or otherwise) he is entitled to it! AS AM I!!!! (I am a total A-10 fan deal with it!!!) Ralph does the best he can to be objective and you can read his posts 10,000 different ways to Sunday and he can defend his posts the same 10,000 ways to Sunday. I have agreed with Ralph and have disagreed with Ralph and every time my posts were still on this board. In the end it is our opinions and our ability to defend the same that win the day. Ralph has never deleted a post of mine even when he questioned it or disagreed with it. I don’t agree with everything he posts but I am free to post my disagreement.

Ralph has yet to block, tackle, or run for a first down. He does not complete a single pass or stretch for a first down. He only provides a forum where we can discuss the above in a civilized manner. Trust me on this I have seen what happens to a discussion board where there is no regulation. The dregs of humanity and the name callers take over and then no intelligent discussion takes place.

Assuming the worst, Ralph wanted UNI to win, How does that change the result of the NC. I watched the game Ralph’s opinion, which I respect, does not change in one iota the result of the game or my opinion of what I saw.

You disagree with Ralph, say so in a logical, factual and respectful manner. I have an open mind and always evaluate accordingly.

[AppFootballAlum]

Can we all lighten’ Up!!! This is a totally dumb discussion. If Ralph has a bias (Midwest or otherwise) he is entitled to it! AS AM I!!!! (I am a total A-10 fan deal with it!!!) Ralph does the best he can to be objective and you can read his posts 10,000 different ways to Sunday and he can defend his posts the same 10,000 ways to Sunday. I have agreed with Ralph and have disagreed with Ralph and every time my posts were still on this board. In the end it is our opinions and our ability to defend the same that win the day. Ralph has never deleted a post of mine even when he questioned it or disagreed with it. I don’t agree with everything he posts but I am free to post my disagreement.

Ralph has yet to block, tackle, or run for a first down. He does not complete a single pass or stretch for a first down. He only provides a forum where we can discuss the above in a civilized manner. Trust me on this I have seen what happens to a discussion board where there is no regulation. The dregs of humanity and the name callers take over and then no intelligent discussion takes place.

Assuming the worst, Ralph wanted UNI to win, How does that change the result of the NC. I watched the game Ralph’s opinion, which I respect, does not change in one iota the result of the game or my opinion of what I saw.

You disagree with Ralph, say so in a logical, factual and respectful manner. I have an open mind and always evaluate accordingly.

Nicely put - Leading up to the NC game I never thought Ralph was any more a UNI fan than an App fan. He has stated more times that I can remember that he is a I-AA fan and he has demonstrated it time and time again. He just tells it like HE sees it.

Drives me crazy how a fan for any given team can pull out a single sentence from a post and make asinine statements charging homerism or non-objectivity while at the same time completely ignoring the rest of the post and/or the context of that one sentence.

[bandl]

Can we all lighten’ Up!!! This is a totally dumb discussion. If Ralph has a bias (Midwest or otherwise) he is entitled to it! AS AM I!!!! (I am a total A-10 fan deal with it!!!) Ralph does the best he can to be objective and you can read his posts 10,000 different ways to Sunday and he can defend his posts the same 10,000 ways to Sunday. I have agreed with Ralph and have disagreed with Ralph and every time my posts were still on this board. In the end it is our opinions and our ability to defend the same that win the day. Ralph has never deleted a post of mine even when he questioned it or disagreed with it. I don’t agree with everything he posts but I am free to post my disagreement.

Ralph has yet to block, tackle, or run for a first down. He does not complete a single pass or stretch for a first down. He only provides a forum where we can discuss the above in a civilized manner. Trust me on this I have seen what happens to a discussion board where there is no regulation. The dregs of humanity and the name callers take over and then no intelligent discussion takes place.

Assuming the worst, Ralph wanted UNI to win, How does that change the result of the NC. I watched the game Ralph’s opinion, which I respect, does not change in one iota the result of the game or my opinion of what I saw.

You disagree with Ralph, say so in a logical, factual and respectful manner. I have an open mind and always evaluate accordingly.
Well said, blukeys. Thanks for putting this to rest (hopefully).

[Black and Gold Express]

You disagree with Ralph, say so in a logical, factual and respectful manner. I have an open mind and always evaluate accordingly.

I have done so, many times, including in this thread. It's no secret that Ralph will never be on my Christmas card list, but there's some times when he goes just a little too far. This was one of them.

So explain to me this.

We all agree that UNI played a great defensive game. All of us. So why is there a need for Ralph to try and enhance this even more by giving a nice little slant on the situation with Richie?

Is there a single person that has seen Richie play this year in other games who would say Richie was anywhere near 100%? No. So why is there a need to single out UNI's defensive effort on him, when we all know for a fact that he was nothing in that game like the quarterback that he was all season, and the sole reason for that was that he was operating on one leg.

Richie WIlliams is nothing more than an above-average at best quarterback if he's nothing more than a pocket passer. His arm is stronger than Trey's, and he provided something of a calming influence. But that's all he added in this game. And he could not run our offense effectively at all, because it is predicated on a running and mobile quarterback.

So to read Ralph's comment, we are saying that holding one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks to no scores in the 4th quarter when he could not run at all because of an injury (and it is well known that his pocket passing ability is not his strong suit) is to be compared to their efforts against a fully healthy Barrick Nealy and Ricky Santos and the Payton Award winner Erik Meyer? That 60% of this one quarterback is as good as 100% of all the others? Why don't you just go and slap all three of those guys in the face while you're at it?

That's what I want to know. That comment by him added nothing to UNI's credits, was something of a derogatory slap to the other great quarterbacks that UNI did a great job against (and who had all their abilities available to them), and it started all this.

Like I said before, I don't care when/if Ralph jumped on the UNI bandwagon for this run. A lot of people did, and a lot jumped on ours as well. But it's almost like any statement regarding the ASU win must be followed by him with a "don't forget what UNI did!" comment too. It's pointless and silly.

[ravens]

I have done so, many times, including in this thread. It's no secret that Ralph will never be on my Christmas card list, but there's some times when he goes just a little too far. This was one of them.

So explain to me this.

We all agree that UNI played a great defensive game. All of us. So why is there a need for Ralph to try and enhance this even more by giving a nice little slant on the situation with Richie?

Is there a single person that has seen Richie play this year in other games who would say Richie was anywhere near 100%? No. So why is there a need to single out UNI's defensive effort on him, when we all know for a fact that he was nothing in that game like the quarterback that he was all season, and the sole reason for that was that he was operating on one leg.

So are we saying that holding one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks to no scores in the 4th quarter when he could not run at all because of an injury (and it is well known that his pocket passing ability is not his strong suit) is to be compared to their efforts against a fully healthy Barrick Nealy and Ricky Santos and the Payton Award winner Erik Meyer? Why don't you just go and slap all three of those guys in the face while you're at it?

That's what I want to know. That comment by him added nothing to UNI's credits, was something of a derogatory slap to the other great quarterbacks that UNI did a great job against (and who had all their abilities available to them), and it started all this. And I am sorry, but I won't let him get away with that **** without some explanation, which he's nicely avoiding.

Like I said before, I don't care that Ralph jumped on the UNI bandwagon for this run. A lot of people did, and a lot jumped on ours as well. But it's almost like any statement regarding the ASU win must be followed by him with a "don't forget what UNI did!" comment too. It's pointless and silly.

Oh heck ...you done it now......

[ravens]

I have done so, many times, including in this thread. It's no secret that Ralph will never be on my Christmas card list, but there's some times when he goes just a little too far. This was one of them.

So explain to me this.

We all agree that UNI played a great defensive game. All of us. So why is there a need for Ralph to try and enhance this even more by giving a nice little slant on the situation with Richie?

Is there a single person that has seen Richie play this year in other games who would say Richie was anywhere near 100%? No. So why is there a need to single out UNI's defensive effort on him, when we all know for a fact that he was nothing in that game like the quarterback that he was all season, and the sole reason for that was that he was operating on one leg.

Richie WIlliams is nothing more than an above-average at best quarterback if he's nothing more than a pocket passer. His arm is stronger than Trey's, and he provided something of a calming influence. But that's all he added in this game. And he could not run our offense effectively at all, because it is predicated on a running and mobile quarterback.

So to read Ralph's comment, we are saying that holding one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks to no scores in the 4th quarter when he could not run at all because of an injury (and it is well known that his pocket passing ability is not his strong suit) is to be compared to their efforts against a fully healthy Barrick Nealy and Ricky Santos and the Payton Award winner Erik Meyer? That 60% of this one quarterback is as good as 100% of all the others? Why don't you just go and slap all three of those guys in the face while you're at it?

That's what I want to know. That comment by him added nothing to UNI's credits, was something of a derogatory slap to the other great quarterbacks that UNI did a great job against (and who had all their abilities available to them), and it started all this.

Like I said before, I don't care when/if Ralph jumped on the UNI bandwagon for this run. A lot of people did, and a lot jumped on ours as well. But it's almost like any statement regarding the ASU win must be followed by him with a "don't forget what UNI did!" comment too. It's pointless and silly.

if you haven't figured it out there are a lot of AGS fans that aren't thrilled Appy is the NC regardless of what they state overtly

[Black and Gold Express]

if you haven't figured it out there are a lot of AGS fans that aren't thrilled Appy is the NC regardless of what they state overtly

Of course I am aware of that. We all have our favorite and least favorite teams. But if that's going to lead to spinning facts, then it sure lessens the credibility of the post.

There's a few teams I am no fan of, but I won't go out and try and paint them in a light that isn't accurate, just out of spite or whatever.

It is what it is. UNI played a great game defensively. ASU tried everything, first by using our #2 guy at 100%, and then going all-pass with our #1 guy at 60%. While we gave them two gift fumbles that were practically all our own fault (maybe Hennessee got hit, but it didn't look like it), they shut us down enough to give their team a real chance to win it. That's all that needs to be said in the matter.

But's it's not like it was some noteworthy thing that they kept Richie from scoring, and lump it in with the much more noteworthy fourth quarter performances they had against quarterbacks that were light years better than Williams in his condition. I still don't get the reasoning for that one.

[*****]

... I thought you were a UNI fan from reading your posts.
if you haven't figured it out there are a lot of AGS fans that aren't thrilled Appy is the NC...
... I won't go out and try and paint them in a light that isn't accurate, just out of spite or whatever... we gave them two gift fumbles...Like I said, we all know who the homers are. Have your fun but try to be gracious winners.

[*****]

... spinning facts... isn't accurate, just out of spite... it's not like it was some noteworthy thing...I said:
"UNI again didn't let an opposing all-star QB lead their team to a fourth quarter score (inside of 11 mins... excepting the blown punt inside the 6 against TXST) and ASU again didn't let the opposition score in the second half."

Tell me how that is spinning
Tell me how that isn't accurate
Tell me how that isn't noteworthy

ASU blanked an opponent for the second straight week in the second half. FACT

UNI blanked an opposing all-star QB as I said. FACT

Gawd, I am beginning to believe all this "bad fan" stuff people continually say about ASU.

BTW, Black and Gold Express is the head of the ASU Mountaineer Message Board.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/appstate/messages

[Black and Gold Express]

Have your fun but try to be gracious winners.

Point to me where I am not being a gracious winner. My posts are littered with praises for UNI. Don't confuse this with what I think of you personally.

[Mountaineer]

Gawd, I am beginning to believe all this "bad fan" stuff people continually say about ASU.


:nonono2: :nonono2:

That's a harsh thing to say ralph. There are a lot of ASU fans on AGS and I'd say most of us act the same as most fans from other schools. Don't let your interactions with a one or a few people cloud your judgement.

[Black and Gold Express]

I said:
"UNI again didn't let an opposing all-star QB lead their team to a fourth quarter score (inside of 11 mins... excepting the blown punt inside the 6 against TXST) and ASU again didn't let the opposition score in the second half."

Tell me how that is spinning
Tell me how that isn't accurate
Tell me how that isn't noteworthy

UNI blanked an opposing all-star QB as I said. FACT

BTW, Black and Gold Express is the head of the ASU Mountaineer Message Board.

Side 1: UNI blanked an all-star QB.
Side 2: That all-star QB was badly injured, and the key component of his game that made him an all-star were not available to him that night.

That, dear boy, is spin in it's most classic form. Like I said, if UNI holding a quarterback at 60% of his abilities is comparable to UNI holding down three other star quarterbacks, one the I-AA Player of the Year, all of whom were healthy, then I guess I'm way underestimating Richie's value, and you're really putting them down by proxy.

And all you do by denying it is dig your hole a little deeper.

Oh, and I am not the head of the MMB. I'm a moderator. Someone else is the head and owner of the board. Let's at least point out the facts straight, okay SpinMaster?

[*****]

Point to me where I am not being a gracious winner...
... we shot ourselves in the foot time and again... I still believe that had we not turned the ball over like we did that we would have won by 10-14...What you are saying is that the opposition is lucky because it would have been much worse. That's not gracious.

[ravens]

Like I said, we all know who the homers are. Have your fun but try to be gracious winners.

A homer ? I have ALWAYS overtly claimed to be a SoCon fan. You were the one claiming neutrality.

[*****]

Side 1: UNI blanked an all-star QB.
... I am not the head of the MMB. I'm a moderator...Keep smacking away at me B&G. UNI did blank an all-star QB in the champ game 4th quarter, just like I said. DO YOU REALIZE THAT OR ARE YOU JUST ARGUING?

You are a moderator and do not have admin access at your board? You do not delete all the posts people say you do? Case closed and this is just ridiculous.

[eaglesrthe1]

Fact is...GSU didn't allow UNI to score a single point this year. xlolx

[PantherMan]

I'm sure there's been tons written on this game, so forgive me if I repeat some other sentiments. I was at the game, and watched the espn2 broadcast of it tonight when I got home.

It's still sinking in that we pulled this off. No running game, 3 turnovers (2 of them 100% ASU's own fault), a potentially costly mistake on that roughing the punter penalty, and we still won? The chances of that happening regularly aren't too big, that's for sure.

I said many times (here and elsewhere) that if we did not play our best game, and UNI did, that UNI had a real chance. Well, I don't think a single person can say we played close to even a good game on offense. While UNI definitely deserves credit for part of that, we shot ourselves in the foot time and again as well. Moreso than a winning team should have been able to survive maybe.

Conversely, I thought UNI's poise of offense was almost uncanny. Sanders really showed me something keeping his cool in the face of all that pressure. He fought like hell all game long, even when it was apparent that it would be more often than not that he was going to have little time to let wideouts get open. When he got the time, he was usually on target. Horne had a good game too, you can see the talent there.

I do want to say that the interception Trey threw was brilliantly played by the safety. He baited the throw, jumped the route, and made a great catch. Excellent, excellent play.

As for the ASU defense, what you saw on Friday was the type of defense we've been spoiled with for many years, when it was defense that led us to our winning seasons. This was definitely the most complete defensive game we had in the playoffs. Maybe the best defensive game we played all year against a team with a winning record. All year long, ASU has risen to the occasion in the second half, and really put the clamps on people, and that's what happened again. The difference in this game was that they rose to the occasion in the first half, with the offense putting them in nasty holes time and again.

I thought UNI's fan noise was good, considering they were outnumberd by at least 2 to 1 in the stands. And it wasn't until we got that final first down to allow us to run the clock out that they got quiet. They should be commended for being such a good and loyal group of fans.

There's a lot of plays you could go back and say "what if?". What if Johnson doesn't win that jump ball in the 3rd? What if that 2nd down pass with 1:40 left gets picked (and what the hell were they doing throwing that pass)? What if ASU picks even one of the four balls they had at least two hands on (Woazeah, Wiggins, and Lynch twice)? What if Jackson was a step faster and caught that deep ball Richie threw late before the final ASU punt of the night?

The game had such a roller coaster of emotions in it. Had Murrell and Hunter not forced the game winning touchdown when they did, I think UNI was on the verge of taking the game fully over from a momentum standpoint. Because it was very apparent that without the quarterback being able to run, our offense is maybe 1/3 as effective as it usually is. God bless Richie for all the guts and heart he displayed out there, but against UNI's zone, passing alone was not going to get it done. We were going to have to win with a defense or special teams big play, and that's what we got.

UNI's kicing game, except for the shanked punt, was nothing short of stellar. Although I still think the UNI punter deserves an Emmy for turning a 5-yard foul into a 15 yarder, that's part of the game, and all that matters is that you pull it off.

UNI fans should have nothing to hang their heads about. While I still believe that had we not turned the ball over like we did that we would have won by 10-14, I grossly underestimated UNI as a whole. They were a ton better than I thought they were. I expect them to go deep in 2006.

ASU, National Champs... wow.

Just got around to reading your post...some things I agree with, others you are drastically wrong. Many of the crucial calls in the game went against UNI, not the other way around. I will not say that we win the game if any of them go the other way, but there were critical calls that allowed ASU points, and cost UNI points. Williams fumble that was called an incomplete pass for instance. The phantom pass interference on Dokes in the endzone giving the Aps the ball on the 2; to name a couple. All in all, it was a hard fought game, but I don't think either team played very well. It just so happened that we could not find an answer for Hunter... 10-14 points? I honestly believe that is how much UNI probably should have won the game by, not the other way around. But the scoreboard does not lie, and my congratulations go out to ASU.

[ravens]

Just got around to reading your post...some things I agree with, others you are drastically wrong. Many of the crucial calls in the game went against UNI, not the other way around. I will not say that we win the game if any of them go the other way, but there were critical calls that allowed ASU points, and cost UNI points. Williams fumble that was called an incomplete pass for instance. The phantom pass interference on Dokes in the endzone giving the Aps the ball on the 2; to name a couple. All in all, it was a hard fought game, but I don't think either team played very well. It just so happened that we could not find an answer for Hunter... 10-14 points? I honestly believe that is how much UNI probably should have won the game by, not the other way around. But the scoreboard does not lie, and my congratulations go out to ASU.

Nice post, and good season.

[*****]

That's a harsh thing to say ralph...Why is "Gawd, I am beginning to believe all this "bad fan" stuff people continually say about ASU." harsh? Have you read these and countless other boards for as long as I have? Have you read the stuff coming from these folks? They not only SHOULD HAVE won but SHOULD HAVE WON BY MORE! That's bad fan stuff in my book.