Last Saturday, the Presbyterian College Blue Hose traveled to Boone, NC for a game against the three times defending national champion Appalachian State Mountaineers.
The game was scheduled for a 7pm start, the first night game scheduled in Boone since the beginning of the 2001 season.
On that night, against a team in just it’s second season in Division I FCS (the artist formerly known as I-AA) it was listed as a sell-out with an estimated actual attendance of over 20,000 fans.
I’ve been to games at Williams-Brice to see the Gamecocks, to Death-Valley for a Clemson game, and even to Charlotte to see the Panthers.
Last Saturday night, to me, was the epitome of what sports is all about. The Mountaineer fans were there, early, loud and even on a rainy night made their stadium a true home field advantage.
When PC had the ball, they were loud. As if on queue, when PC had it on 3rd down, the PA announcer would hit the first few measures of AC/DC’S Hells Bells and then the crowd went nuts!
The stands literally shook (made me think back to the days of if it ain’t swaying, we ain’t playing) and the crowd truly was the 12th man!
That same atmosphere has been replicated in certain stadiums on Friday nights. Just last Friday, when we were in Mauldin for the game with Laurens, the 4th quarter belonged to the Raider fans.
When I can hear them, clear across the field, being LOUDER than the Mauldin fans that’s impressive.
On the Greg Lawson show last night at The Hub, coach specifically mentioned that the fans, and their noise were a huge factor in keeping the kids pumped up when their backs were against the wall and Laurens pulled out the win.
Some old-timers will say players shouldn’t concern themselves with what the fans say, or how loud fans get. To a certain point, they’re right. At the same time, let’s be honest, in that kids are kids. They play with emotion. The more POSITIVE things they hear coming from the stands the better off they will be.
So, this Friday, when Laurens hosts Dorman, and Clinton hosts Riverside, the fans have yet another opportunity to be that 12th man.
Laurens is 5-0 for the first time since 1987. Win, lose, or draw, the Raiders have everything to gain and truly nothing to lose against Dorman. Dorman is literally twice the size of Laurens with Dorman boasting over 3200 students. That Big 16 school gives the Raiders an extra point in the playoff formula.
The lessons the Raiders learn going against Dorman will play out the next five weeks during region play.
I’ve heard many a Raider fan saying they long for the days when year in and year out the Raiders were contending for the region title and a state title.
While I’m not ready to declare them ready for the latter, I certainly feel that this Raider team is ready to contend to claim their first region title in quite a while.
So, when you get to K.C. Hanna stadium Friday night, go ahead, relax, let your hair down, and be a true 12th man, OR woman for the kids. They and YOU deserve it!
That’s my rant, what’s yours????
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