How did you become a fan?

[Tilldog40]

My old man works at NU and took us to the games since I was 2 years old. So I have been an NU fan for Life. How did you others become hard core fans.

[Cocky]

Everybody in my immediate family (that are of age) has at least one degree from JSU.

Plus everyone likes a winner. ( NCs in several sports)

[AndrewFU21]

My Grandad graduated from Duke in the 1940's, and raised his children as Duke fans. My dad did the same, and I grew up going to Duke football and basketball games

Now, I am a student at Furman University. The Paladins are my #1 team, but I still have a soft spot for the Devils I guess.

[Hoo-ah]

Grew-up in Amherst and graduated from Umass. My father (uCON grad, as well my mother) started taking me to Umass games because he respected the program (beat-up on Uconn when he was a student). The Umass players were student teachers in my Junior High and found them to be great role models.

After traveling the world in the Army, living in Virginia has given me the chance to see the team in person again.

Just amazed by the hate from a few UD fans :confused: --Umass rivals are Uconn, Boston College, UNH and Maine.

[Hoo-ah]

Grew-up in Amherst and graduated from Umass. My father (uCON grad, as well my mother) started taking me to Umass games because he respected the program (beat-up on Uconn when he was a student). The Umass players were student teachers in my Junior High and found them to be great role models.

After traveling the world in the Army, living in Virginia has given me the chance to see the team in person again.

Just amazed by the hate from a few UD fans :confused: --Umass rivals (in all sports) are the Uconn's, Boston College's, UNH's and Maine.

[blukeys]

:) My dad began his collegiate career at Georgetown after serving in Europe as a sergeant during WW2. Dad played on the lightweight football team and the boxing team at Georgetown. One day he met my Mom a former Army nurse at the foot of Norfolk St. In Rehoboth Beach De. My Mom lived in Wilmington De.was hot and had dated a Heismann Trophy winner. Dad had a choice of staying at Georgetown or My Mom. My Dad became a UD student.

My Dad became a UD fan during their undefeated seasons from 1941 thru 1947. Dad took my brother and myself to our 1st game in 1960 (a loss to Rutgers) We got our season tickets during the legendary 1963 National Championship team. Our family has the same tickets to this day. I have a good friend who started on the 73-74-75 teams. During this time I was a student who was paid to run a film projector for a course called "How to watch Blue Hen Football" I became friends with an assistant D-Line coach named Ted Gregory who played with the Hens in the late 60's and early 70's and while doing this job learned tons about the Wing t including the play nomenclature.

I began taking my son to ball games in 1974. (I also would take him to watch the band practice as it was one block from our apartment and originally he liked the band better!) For years after games my father and I would get back to his house and sit in his kitchen analyze the game and drink Jack Daniels on the rocks. Of course we were the smartest coaches who never blew a whistle! :) :) :)

[blukeys]

Grew-up in Amherst and graduated from Umass. My father (uCON grad, as well my mother) started taking me to Umass games because he respected the program (beat-up on Uconn when he was a student). The Umass players were student teachers in my Junior High and found them to be great role models.

After traveling the world in the Army, living in Virginia has given me the chance to see the team in person again.

Just amazed by the hate from a few UD fans :confused: --Umass rivals are the Uconn, Boston College, UNH and Maine.

No hate directed at UMASS. It is More directed at one Umass poster and a desire to get under his skin (we usually succeed). You need a little more history on the board Hoo-ah and watch who says what to who. I have had nothing but good experiences at UMASS and I think Western Mass is beautiful. The real UD hate is directed at NOVA and vice versa. When it comes to hate that is when we bring out our A game.

[Hoo-ah]

No hate directed at UMASS. It is More directed at one Umass poster and a desire to get under his skin (we usually succeed). You need a little more history on the board Hoo-ah and watch who says what to who. I have had nothing but good experiences at UMASS and I think Western Mass is beautiful. The real UD hate is directed at NOVA and vice versa. When it comes to hate that is when we bring out our A game.


blukeys: I've been lurking here part-time (been busy the last couple of years...) and enjoyed reading many of the posts. I just got tired of the 1-AA family thinking that "most," but not all (Umass 74) Umass football fans are one-sided zealots (NO offense to my buddy umassfan). Still hope to have that beer with you (are you "tubby raymond?) at this years game.

Well, back to the Sox's game

[charliej]

The real UD hate is directed at NOVA and vice versa. When it comes to hate that is when we bring out our A game.

Blukeys-Whats your take on why such an intense rivalry between UD-Nova? Is it the proximity of the schools,the close series,what?

I'm a fairly new fan of Nova football,began following in '98.(Sorry Eagles but I grew up a UGA fan as I had several family members attend there) I became intrested when my son started attending camp there before his freshman year of HS.Prior to that I followed D3 Rowan (under KC) just because it was so close to home.

[X-Factor]

I went to college.

[ISUMatt]

I went to Illinois State... Until my sister went to college there (3 years before me) I didnt know they had a football team. Thats how often they get mentioned in the CHicago Media!

[89Hen]

My family had UD graduates in 1972 and 1975, dad starting taking me to games when I was 4. Quite a gap until '89. :nod:

[blukeys]

Charlie it goes back to the 60's and there is enough bad blood on both sides to write a book. The UD VU series was renewed after a long layoff in 1962. VU won in 62 and 64 avoiding the Hens 63 NC team. Most of the games in the 60's were close although Nova had shutout wins in 64 and 68.

During the 60's there was much talk by both Nova and Temple about not scheduling Delaware in the future in favor of "major college" competition.
UD's administration, coaches, players and fans were extremely annoyed by this talk as UD was always competitive and in the case of Temple owned their butts.
During this time till the Temple series ended Temple was Delaware's most hated rival with Nova 2nd.

In 1969 Delaware owned a 33-6 lead over Nova entering the 4th quarter. Future all pro Mike Siani (oakland Raiders) led a comeback (with help from the refs on a bogus roughing the kicker call) that gave Nova a 36-33 win.

In 1970 Delaware owned a 14 lead in the 4th quarter only to lose again. 34-31.

In 1971 Delaware beat Nova and received a favorable article by Bill Lyons of the Philly Inquirrer. It was later reported that Nova was pissed that a Philly writer would favor Delaware over NOva.
Kevin Reilly a Del native (Sallies in Wilm class of 69)
who played for Nova and the Phila. Eagles was later quoted as saying that he was glad to play for a school that played good teams rather than a school that beat everybody by 50 points)

Dave Nelson former coach and former UD Ad commmented that when Nova played Kentucky they would get a $1000 for every point they lost by ($50,000 gurantee)

UD got the better or VU in the 70's as the VU program was taking some hits. Most games were close with the exception of a 49-7 wipeout by the '74 team which is a team that UD fans do not appreicate as much as they should.

I would not say the Nova UD series was huge in the 80's . The games were close but UD still had Temple and eventually Nova dropped football. Nova Picked up football in the late 80's and UD owned the series till the mid 90's and then Nova went on a streak. Most of the games in the 90's were close and in the the beginning of the series Andy Talley was doing his best Joe Gardi Impersonation. Which means he was being a loudmouth without anything to back it up. Since 2000 the games have all been close and competitive with no game decided by less that 7 points.

To sum up I would say that the rivalry has become intense due to:

1. Geography. Local bragging rights mean a lot.
2. Nova's dissing of UD along with Temple and Rutgers in the 60's and 70's . Essentially saying you guys aren't good enough to play.
3. Having Delaware fans pass #2 on to their kids. Delaware foorball is very intergenerational. Grandparents indocrinate grandkids to Delaware football.
4. recent constant competition for the A-10 South title.
5. the closeness of the games. Looking back on the record (since 1962 very few games are outside of 7 points. Even when they are more than 7 points they were closer than the score indicated. I think every year UD - Nova is one of those games worth wathcing just for the hell of it even if you don't care who wins.
5. Villanova's fight song sucks. ;) ;) :) That V for Villanova crap needs to be expunged from human memory. :D :D :D

I hope this clarifies your view of the rivalry. It is a great one that I think promotes what is best in I-aa. I have noticed on the Philly stations and ComCast that the UD Nova rivalry has been getting more coverage and respect. This can only help the A-10 and I-AA.

[RadMann]

It is a good rivalry, but considering that the Nova community as a whole does not care too much about their football team it is somewhat lopsided in terms of the number of people who care about the rivalry on each side.

As far as my case of becoming a UD fan, my story goes as follows:

My parents did not go to UD, they went to college elsewhere, but I grew up in Newark and as a young kid we would ride our bikes to the games starting around age 7. UD games were and are a big deal in Newark. On top of that one of our neighbors was the former UD head coach and Wing T originator whose family was friends with my family. He was a great source of info on Delaware football and the tradition which made it that much more fun to be a fan of. I later went to UD and by that time I had already been a fan of the program for years. You get a long term perspective when you start following a program as a kid.

[GOKATS]

Born and raised a Bobcat. Dad was born & raised in Bozeman & family goes back to the 1860's in the Gallatin Valley. Never a thought that anyone in the famlywould go to the griz school. Bobcats all the way!

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

My dad went to Lehigh, grew up in Bethlehem it was instilled in m from the time i was born. My very earliest memories of going to a game were at old Taylor Stadium, I was 5 when the place closed down but can still remember it quite vividly. My least proudest moment as a Lehigh fan was in '93. The whole first half of the Lehigh-Lafayette game I was rooting for Lafayette out of spite. The reason being Notre Dame was comming off their big win over FSU and was playing Boston College. All i cared about was watching ND-BC and was pretty much dragged to the LU-LC game kicking and screaming. Needless to say we made it home just in time to see ND take the lead only to have BC go down the field in kick the game winning field goal. I guess that was true karma for rooting for Lafayette :mad:

[blukeys]

Born and raised a Bobcat. Dad was born & raised in Bozeman & family goes back to the 1860's in the Gallatin Valley. Never a thought that anyone in the famlywould go to the griz school. Bobcats all the way!
Gokats Do you know who Gallatin was?

[blukeys]

It is a good rivalry, but considering that the Nova community as a whole does not care too much about their football team it is somewhat lopsided in terms of the number of people who care about the rivalry on each side.

As far as my case of becoming a UD fan, my story goes as follows:

My parents did not go to UD, they went to college elsewhere, but I grew up in Newark and as a young kid we would ride our bikes to the games starting around age 7. UD games were and are a big deal in Newark. On top of that one of our neighbors was the former UD head coach and Wing T originator whose family was friends with my family. He was a great source of info on Delaware football and the tradition which made it that much more fun to be a fan of. I later went to UD and by that time I had already been a fan of the program for years. You get a long term perspective when you start following a program as a kid.

I guess your neigbor was the legendary Admiral DN

[GreatAppSt]

Growing up at West Point from 6-12 and again at 14-17 going to football games in the mountains with the fall leaves blazing was somthing we did as a family. I guess going to a mountain school also with a big black and gold A was an easy shift.

[RadMann]

He was the one. Great football mind and a great person...

UD (http://www.udel.edu/sportsinfo/hall_of_fame/davidnelson.html)

[GOKATS]

Gokats Do you know who Gallatin was?

Have to think about it. Lewis and Clark named the river. I've read their journals, but think it was John? Gallatin somewhere back in the Jefferson administration. My guess is that he was probably from your part of the country. Many rivers, mountains,etc. were named by L&C.

This is the 200th Anniversary of the L&C Expedition.

[blukeys]

Jefferson's Secretary of Treasury Albert Gallatin.

[JaxSinfonian]

I just went to school at Jax State. Started out going to games because I was in the band my freshman year, and just couldn't break the habit after that. Kept going back to see that killer band and the football grew on me.

Now, since I'm still paying some student loans off, I feel like I've got a stake in it all.

Plus, I really like bratwurst, and they don't taste better anywhere else than from my grill set up within sight of Paul Snow Stadium (except perhaps Germany).

[GOKATS]

Jefferson's Secretary of Treasury Albert Gallatin.

You beat me to the post. Had the name wrong, but thought that he was the Secretary of the Treasury.

[charliej]

It is a good rivalry, but considering that the Nova community as a whole does not care too much about their football team it is somewhat lopsided in terms of the number of people who care about the rivalry on each side.


Lopsided in numbers,but I sense it's equal in intensity ;) :D

Sorry to get off-topic.Thanks for the feedback.

[blukeys]

You beat me to the post. Had the name wrong, but thought that he was the Secretary of the Treasury.

I only brought it up as he was the poor guy who had to finance the Louisiana Purchase. The only thing named after him is a short obscure river in Montana. So it goes.

[blukeys]

He was the one. Great football mind and a great person...

UD (http://www.udel.edu/sportsinfo/hall_of_fame/davidnelson.html)

And the reason Delaware will NEVER change its helmet.!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

[GreatAppSt]

The only thing named after him is a short obscure river in Montana.

To a trout chaser the Jeff is anything but obscure. ;)

[arkstfan]

My old man works at NU and took us to the games since I was 2 years old. So I have been an NU fan for Life. How did you others become hard core fans.

My mother's uncle was in the first class at State Agriculture School. Played on the first football team in the first football game he had ever seen. He was on the committee that picked the school colors.

When my Dad finished his draft obligation he knew he wasn't going back to factory work, he was going to college on the GI Bill. He considered UA but he respected my mother's uncle and checked out his alma mater, which had become Arkansas State College. He enrolled there and soon learned that a state teaching shortage had caused the state to allow a person with 60 hours credit to teach. My mother thought she wanted to teach so they moved to a cheaper place and she went to college too. He figured if money got tight she could get a better job teaching after getting 60 hours done. Instead they toughed it out and both got their degrees.

He ended up with a job near UA and the Hogs were doing great, they started going to football games and became fans. A few years later he was transferred back close to what was now Arkansas State University. They started going to all the games the season ASU won the College Division I title and they were hooked. They were among the first members of the booster club and a few years later my Dad was on the committee that helped raise the money to build the new stadium. We made every home game.

I felt like I grew up campus and despite some nice scholarship offers I went to college there not because it was just under 2 hours from home but because it already felt like home.

Being a fan was just natural.

[blukeys]

To a trout chaser the Jeff is anything but obscure. ;)
Let me get this straight. You are doing ER Nusing in De (probably Chiristiana). Where you run into a bunch of drunks.
Don't know how that happens in Delaware?

And then you say that the Jeff is a great trout stream (next to the Gallatin) but you have never tried White Clay Creek or the Chesapeake or Delaware Bays?

By the way there is a 3rd river next to the Gallatin, and Jeff that ANY Montana person should know.

Why have you ignored us Appy?? I thought you were coming here in the fall?

[GOKATS]

To a trout chaser the Jeff is anything but obscure. ;)

We were talking about the Gallatin, which is a 'Blue Ribbon' trout stream, along with the Madison, but the Jefferson is also great, particularly in the upper river.

[blur2005]

Well, I've lived in Harrisonburg all of my relatively short life, and I finally get to leave and go to UVA this year, but that's beside the point. My dad has taught at JMU for 25 years in the Political Science Department. My aunt graduated from JMU, and my aunt's son also did. I went to games sporadically until I was about nine, and then until two years ago, I went to almost every game. I would sit in the bleachers with the Daily News-Record's insert that had the rosters of both teams playing that day and I'd basically announce the games. The people who had tickets around me, my aunt and uncle and my dad always got more than they bargained for sitting next to us. We stopped getting season tickets after 2002, as my aunt and uncle no longer wanted season tickets (their son had quit the band and graduated years ago), but I went to some games, and watched the Dukes while mainly hanging out with my friends there. It was hard to get pumped up about the three years of sorry teams after Curtis Keaton graduated. Then last year happened, and I made it out to three home games, as I was pretty busy with cross country and some other things. Of course, I made it out for Lock Haven (ha), Delaware, and William & Mary. Those last two games weren't bad...even if we did lose to W&M, but it was one hell of a game :).

On that note, I knew JMU could be good last year. I thought they'd go 7-4, but that was with Matt LeZotte at QB. I, along with everyone else, didn't know what kind of playmaker Justin Rascati would turn out to be. But as JMU continued winning after blowing out Lock Haven, I searched around and discovered AGS. And I've been here ever since.

[Mr. C]

I got my college football bug watching the local highlight shows for Fresno State in the 1960s and early 70s, listening to Fresno State games on Saturday nights on the radio and watching those ABC Saturday afternoon broadcasts. If there was a game on, I was watching it. One of my earliest memories of football was when Montana State's Jan Stenerud kicked a 55-yard field goal to beat the Bulldogs at our own Ratcliffe Stadium. When I went to college, I started covering the football games at Fresno City College and then Fresno State for the student newspapers. My history with I-AA started with watching the championship games that ABC showed and occasionally covering a game that involved some of the Big Sky Conference teams, like Montana State, Boise State and Idaho. I had to learn a lot more about I-AA in a hurry when I moved to North Carolina and started covering Appalachian State in 1993. Now, I'd rather cover I-AA than any other level of football.

[JMU2004]

Is it too late to get into JMU?


hehe....congrats on UVa Blur.....just realize that you buck the typical UVa profile.

[Pantherpower]

I was born into football. Dad was a college football coach with several teams and eventually an athletic administrator. Legend has it he even coached with the Cap'n and Dr. Victory many moons ago. ;)

[ChickenMan]

My father played on one of UD's championship teams and later coached HS football... I was exposed to football at a very young age and have been a big fan ever since.

[bulldog10jw]

One of our neighbors when I was growing up was in the jaycees. He took a bunch of us kids to the Yale Bowl in 1959 (I was 8) to see Yale play Brown(Yale still has "youth day" each year). After that, I started following Yale games on the radio. An undefeated season in 1960 and the excitement it generated really turned me into a diehard fan.

[blur2005]

hehe....congrats on UVa Blur.....just realize that you buck the typical UVa profile.
If you knew me, you'd probably think I sort of fit the typical UVA profile, but in football I love I-AA along with I-A, and certainly am all for a playoff in I-A.

[McTailGator]

My old man works at NU and took us to the games since I was 2 years old. So I have been an NU fan for Life. How did you others become hard core fans.

My whole life has been about McNeese football.

My whole family used to go to games when I was a kid. My dad had season tickets, and when he got to old to keep coming, I just started paying for the same tickets.

NOT going to school at McNeese WAS NOT an option for me.

[tanagriz]

My grandfather played ball at Eastern Illinois University before WWII and then after WWII as well (I think it was his third trip through that he finally graduated). He then proceeded to coach high school ball and teach until he retired in 1979. At that point he started taking us to Bears games. He and my grandmother had season tickets to the Bears, University of Illinois AND Eastern Illinois University. Both my parents went to Illinois State and then onto Indiana University. However, I had no intention of heading to college anywhere my family had been. I ended up at Montana in the early 90's when the Griz were putting together their first National Championship run. Born and bred football fan from the age of 4 on. To bad that I wasn't allowed to play (stupid gender rules! :)). I'll never forget watching the Griz play Eastern Illinois in the playoffs on television with my Grandfather. We had more than a couple of cold beers and a good time trash talking each other.

[Pard94]

I attended Lafayette from 1990-1994. I played OT for the Leopards for 4 years. My Sophomore year I convinced my older brother to transfer from Villanova to Lafayette. He played OT for the Pards for three years. Then, my little bro played Center/Guard for Lafayette for 4 years. The whole family have been fans ever since.

[Ivytalk]

A natural corollary of being a FB fan while at Harvard in the 70s and continuing to follow the team over the years. Since moving to Delaware in '79, I've "adopted" the Blue Hens as my favorite non-Ivy team.

[JALMOND]

I can remember going to Bobcat games in the late 70's with my father and brother (Dad attended Montana State in the early 60's). After the games, my brother and I would fill an empty 2-liter plastic bottle half-full of water and use it as a football while Dad would tailgate. Later on, when brother went to Missoula, we'd watch as many Griz games as I coould get to. I never attended MSU or UM, but certainly did my share of partying on both campuses. When I left Montana, I thought I'd have to leave the Big Sky behind for the Pac-10 (NOOOOOO!!!) But the same year I moved to Portland, PSU joined the conference. After awhile of being, as I call it, "in transition, I slowly became more of a PSU fan than a Montana or MSU fan. Maybe it is having a team you can truly call your own, but last year I did enjoy rubbing it in to my brother when the Vikes beat the Griz.

[Hammerhead]

I grew up in Fargo, the home of North Dakota State. I also attended the NYSP camps there from age 10-16 and got to meet some of the athletes.

When attending college, it was the place to be to either get drunk or find out where the keggers were later that evening. :D

[SiouxFallsJack]

I had four older brothers that attended SDSU so there was not much doubt where I was going to college. Of course, growing up 30 minutes away made it a little easier as well. My first memory of following Jacks football was in 1979. Unfortunately, this was the only year we made the DII playoffs and we lost to the eventual champion Youngstown State in the first round. Now that we have finally made the move up, I'm looking for a chance to get a little payback.

[RadMann]

SiouxFallsJack: Delaware was the Division II champion in '79, beating Youngstown for the title... Just had to note that lol

[SiouxFallsJack]

My bad, went to d2football.com and got the champion and runner-up column reversed. Next time I'll remember to put my glasses on when trying to look up info. :o

[RockyMtnGriz]

Actually grew up listening to the Bobcat games on the radio, while running the combine during harvest. Back then Bobcats ruled the state. Couldn't find the Griz on the radio. Looked at going to MSU outta high school, but didn't like the campus or the number of students. Wents to Rocky Mountain College for 2 years (small NAIA school) and then transfered to Missoula to finish my degree. Got the pleasure of watching the Griz play their last season in Dornblaser and see them enter Washington Grizzly Stadium. Since then Montana has turned into Griz Country. Now it's easier to get the Griz on the radio then the Bobcats.

[cu@wgs]

I grew up going to Razorback games in the 70's and 80's. Then moved west in the 90's and got to see a griz/cat game and have been hooked ever since. Now that I work with the biggest griz fans in town at the University things have been smooth sailing.

[mlbowl]

Growing up in Helena Mt, it seemed the town was divided.....the Capital High side pro UofM and the Helena High side of town pro MSU....I didn't attend UofM as I enlisted right out of High School but my older sister and younger brother both graduated from UofM. My brother now coaches at Capital High

[FightinBluHen51]

And the reason Delaware will NEVER change its helmet.!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D



That and the first coach, AD, or Pres. that does will be lynched. :D



Much like our friend from Jacksonville, I too had never been exposed to Delaware Football as a child, but I had parents that went to games when they were in school there in the 70s. I had heard of the ledgendary Tubby Ramond and the "Wing-T" offense before I even got to school. When I was ready to go in 2000 (after orientation and a visitation day) I decided to do Marching Band too. That great season (all the way to the semis that year) is what got me hooked. One hell of a game against Hofstra on the island that year, and a killing of UMass and destruction of Nova is probably what got it instilled to change my blood from red to blue and gold.

First road trip happened in 2002 to Richmond, and the same year that I decided to move away from band, become a fan, and get season tickets.

Since then, the road games in 03, including the chatty trip, 04, and the plan to make all the games this year has me self-quantifying myself as a "lifer" if I'm in the local region, which I will most likely be. Hell, I'm looking forward to 08 with a trip to visit some of our Furman friends. I don't know...it's hard to describe how one gets attached to a program. It's a sense of pride, it's fun, it's away to have a blast, get wild, and be nuts unlike the ho hum normal day life.

[Catsfan]

I played "freshman" ball at Nova almost 40 years ago. Then I lost interest in Nova FB, including the dropping, returning, and change to I-AA. Then my daughter enrolled there in '96, I went to a few games, and have been pretty hardcore ever since (all home games and about 60% of road games).

[citdog]

My GrandFather and my Father were both Citadel Men and I guess I was destined to be one too.

[89Hen]

Who are you and what have you done with Citdog?

[FightinBluHen51]

Who are you and what have you done with Citdog?


I was wondering that too.

[GannonFan]

Born and raised a Blue Hen fan - not too much unlike other Hens fans, I wasn't the child of alumni - both parents actually went to West Chester of all places, so I have a pretty good understanding of why UD plays West Chester every year. My first season was in utero, and was one of the National Championship years. Been watching them ever since. We used to live outside of Newark so Saturday's would be a doubleheader - over to Newark High in the morning to watch the YellowJackets and then over to the Stadium to watch the beloved Blue Hens in the afternoon (lights were not a consideration back then). Going to games in Philly at the Vet versus Temple are part of the good memories, seeing the greatest Blue Hen ever, Rich Gannon, was a joy as well. Actually ended up going to UD but it had nothing to do with the football team - they had a great ChemE program so there I went. Although I guess the being a fan of the football team helped swing me that way.

[MR. CHICKEN]

EVERAH SINCE AH STEPPED INTA UH PILE...O' CHICKEN DUNG....ON SOUFF COLLEGE AVENUE........DAT WARM SQUISHY FEELIN' BETWEEN DUH TALONS......AHHH!......BEEN UH BLUEBIRD FAN EVERAH SINCE!......:nod:.....BRAWK!

[SunCoastBlueHen]

My dad is one of the most fanatical Blue Hen football followers around. When I was a kid, the Delaware Fight Song was blaring on the stereo every Saturday morning during the fall. My dad not only attended every home game and most away games, but went to practices and scrimmages as well. I remember him coming home from a Delaware Freshman game in the 80's (yes there was Frosh football then) and telling me "this Gannon kid is going to be a superstar". He once even had his buddy page him with an "emergency" during his sister's wedding reception so he had an excuse to leave and catch the second half of the Delaware game.

Though he has a tough time getting around these days, Pop still gets to practices when he can and can give you an in-depth analysis of the team all the way down to the third stringers.

My dad started taking me to games when I was about three and Delaware football became part of who I am. Some of my best childhood memories are of attending UD football games with him.

I graduated from Delaware in '92 and have had an inherited love of Delaware football my whole life.

[RadMann]

As an aside, for those of us who have been going to UD games since we were a kid, I wonder if anyone else thinks it seems sort of "different" now. Specifically, I mean the public address announcer was always the same from the time I went to my first game as a little kid in the 70's until just a few years ago. He was the announcer from the opening of Delaware Stadium for 50 years. It just seems weird going to games now and not hearing that distinctive voice booming on the crackling speakers. It is not that he was a great announcer (he was not bad though), it is just that his voice was synonymous with games at the stadium to me at least....

UD Archives (http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/01-02/chanceretire102402.html)

[89Hen]

It just seems weird going to games now and not hearing that distinctive voice booming on the crackling speakers. It is not that he was a great announcer (he as not bad though), it is just that his voice was synonymous with games at the stadium to me at least....
:nod: :nod: No doubt. Everything about the games from childhood resonates clearly in my head. The sights, the sounds, the smells even (good and bad)... Chance's voice was (is) a huge one, just as the Delaware Fight Song, the tubas playing Bozo in the stands, the bell ringing after scores...

[MR. CHICKEN]

AN' NOW WE GOT........"HELMET HEAD".............DUH FAMILY 4-PAK..............DUH "HEN ZONE".......................LIGHTS..............STADIUM RENTAL CHAIRS.....................AN' ...UH....2003 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!........PROGRESS LADS.....PROGRESS!....:)....BRAWK!

[89Hen]

AN' NOW WE GOT........"HELMET HEAD".............DUH FAMILY 4-PAK..............DUH "HEN ZONE".......................LIGHTS..............STADIUM RENTAL CHAIRS.....................AN' ...UH....2003 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!........PROGRESS LADS.....PROGRESS!
No doubt there too my fine feathered friend. It's all a part of the great tradition, but some of the stuff that my kids will never know will always be in my memories (fuzzy as some of them may be) of Blue Hen football. :)

[GannonFan]

As an aside, for those of us who have been going to UD games since we were a kid, I wonder if anyone else thinks it seems sort of "different" now. Specifically, I mean the public address announcer was always the same from the time I went to my first game as a little kid in the 70's until just a few years ago. He was the announcer from the opening of Delaware Stadium for 50 years. It just seems weird going to games now and not hearing that distinctive voice booming on the crackling speakers. It is not that he was a great announcer (he was not bad though), it is just that his voice was synonymous with games at the stadium to me at least....

UD Archives (http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/01-02/chanceretire102402.html)

Hey, I'm happy that we get a few more out of town scores now - Chance was notorious for not wanting to do out of town scores over the PA.

[89Hen]

Chance was notorious for not wanting to do out of town scores over the PA.
Yeah, but when he did, he did it with flair. Not always giving the team leading first. :D

[buckp]

No doubt there too my fine feathered friend. It's all a part of the great tradition, but some of the stuff that my kids will never know will always be in my memories (fuzzy as some of them may be) of Blue Hen football. :)

Hey there Fuzzy Zoeller.....can you expand the greatest Blue Hen tradition of them all.....the 'Pissing Wall'? :eek:

How did it come about - someone didn't make it to the john and just let it out on the nearest wall and all the fans followed like chickens (my bad) or what? I don't think I have ever heard of any other stadium allowing this, but 'I have got to go' up there one day.... :nod:

[89Hen]

the greatest Blue Hen tradition of them all.....the 'Pissing Wall'? :eek: don't think I have ever heard of any other stadium allowing this, but 'I have got to go' up there one day.... :nod:
I think what you don't realize is this is actually a facilities design. It's not like people are just pissing on a wall somewhere in the stadium. Who or why it was designed is a mystery though. :p

[GannonFan]

Hey there Fuzzy Zoeller.....can you expand the greatest Blue Hen tradition of them all.....the 'Pissing Wall'? :eek:

How did it come about - someone didn't make it to the john and just let it out on the nearest wall and all the fans followed like chickens (my bad) or what? I don't think I have ever heard of any other stadium allowing this, but 'I have got to go' up there one day.... :nod:

Easily one of the best features I've seen in bathrooms and I've been to many a stadium - the wall is just that, a marble wall, with a water pipe running along it about 5 feet off the ground - the wall is basically 3 sides in configuration (a square with one side leading to the rest of the restroom) and the water pipe has multiple outlets so water continually runs down the wall and into an open trench where the drains are. Bascially, you walk up to the wall (obviously just to where the trench is) and you let 'er rip. Very simple, very efficient. Definitely one of the greates Blue Hen traditions.

[buckp]

.....It's not like people are just pissing on a wall somewhere in the stadium....

Wait till I get up there..... :eek: :D

[henfan]

I heard "The Wall" was based on an acient Incan design, the ruins of which can be found at Machu Picchu. ;)

[RadMann]

As I understand it that was a common urinal design in stadiums from earlier in the century as well. Very efficient. Darn, now we're talking about urinals... lol AGS covers I-AA football completely...

[ngineer]

Played my freshman and sophomore years before the body broke down, but have always stayed with the program. Now thirty-five years following the Brown & White. :)

[MR. CHICKEN]

ATHENS.......GREECE.......DUH FIRST PISSIN' CONTEST!...BRAWK! :p

[JoltinJoe]

The reason being Notre Dame was comming off their big win over FSU and was playing Boston College. All i cared about was watching ND-BC and was pretty much dragged to the LU-LC game kicking and screaming. Needless to say we made it home just in time to see ND take the lead only to have BC go down the field in kick the game winning field goal. I guess that was true karma for rooting for Lafayette :mad:

I was at that BC/ND game. Greatest football game I ever saw. The Irish were down by 21 points with 10 minutes left in the game at ND Stadium, but reeled off three touchdowns, two extra points, and two-point conversion to take the lead with a minute left in the game. Irish QB Kevin McDougal was unbelievable. Then BC gets the ball, and drives down the field for a game-winning FG. On the play before he FG, Foley hit Pete Mitchell on a 7-yard slant to place the ball right in the middle of the field at the 25-yard line. Great play, because BC needed perfect positioning for a sick-looking FG that just barely got over the bar.

Forgotten key play: On the ND kickoff after taking the lead with a minute to play, ND pins BC on the 10-yard line, but is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for excessive celebration. I thought the call was pretty weak, but that moved the ball to the BC 25, where the Eagles started their last-minute drive.

Funny how so many of youo guys became college football fans necause of your father's influence. My dad went to Columbia. That would not influence anyone to become a college football fan. But when I was small, my dad often took me and my brothers up to West Point to watch games at Michie Stadium. Now that would make anyone a college football fan. As a small kid, I played football a lot. I was small, but I could outrun anyone in my class, and loved playing wide receiver. My mom was against my playing football. She was afraid I was too small and would get hurt. My friends starting playing Pop Warner, but I wasn't allowed to play. So I played baseball. I wasn an infielder who loved to roam into the outfield to catch pop-ups over my shoulder, like a wide receiver in my two-hand touch games. One day I was roaming from my SS position to catch a pop, and got whacked by a bigger kid charging from the outfield, who had not called me off the ball. I was pretty badly hurt, bleeding from the mouth, and ha chipped some teeth. As I sat there bleeding, I reminder my mother, who had run onto the field, that in football, players get to wear equipment to prevent things like this.

[catbob]

My tale involves corruption, murder, and a plot most foul.

Not really, but some may call me a traitor.

I was of the unfortunate dispostion of having to move about ever 3 years or so during my childhood, and Missoula happened to be one of those places. My Dad was a griz, my Mom attended but never graduated. My Grandparents live in Evaro, MT and are huge griz supporters. We used to go to griz games all the time, and I was fortunate enough to see the Dave years and even the Ah Yat years.

I was a pretty big griz fan for a long time, then I moved to Great Falls and didn't see nearly as much of the griz.

When it came to decide where to go to college, MSU was just the better fight, I tried my hardest to avoid it. Even through my freshman year I didn't like the Cats very much, I determined I'd root for them in everything but football. But during my sophmore year, I just started to love the Cats. Top it off with a horrible experience in the marching band at Cat/Griz in Missoula, and the hatred consumed me. :)

I dissapointed my whole family. :D

[RadMann]

Talking about Columbia, my grandfather went there but back when they were decent in the stone ages. He and his buds drove across the country to see their squad play in the Rose Bowl.

[Go...gate]

My brother went to Colgate about 50 years ago and so I grew up following them and learning about their history, and later attended and graduated from Colgate. I also was (and remain) a big Princeton Tigers fan (I spent many wonderful Saturday afternoons in old Palmer Stadium).

I get my Notre Dame enthusiasm from my father, who grew up listening to Rockne's last team (1930) and was himself ever after hooked on the Domers. Finally, I have a very soft spot in my heart for Fordham University for family reasons. It is a great place and I'm very glad they found their way into the Patriot League.