How close is the game from being sold out?

[cheewgumm]

nmn

[FlabLoser]

FlabLoser predicts a sellout.

[cheewgumm]

So, we are one day away from our opening game, playing a nobody...and it's not sold out. Yet, half our fan base wants a lot more nobodies on the schedule? We are not guaranteed a sellout on opening night. Just another reason that strategy is not right.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

So, we are one day away from our opening game, playing a nobody...and it's not sold out. Yet, half our fan base wants a lot more nobodies on the schedule? We are not guaranteed a sellout on opening night. Just another reason that strategy is not right.

Jesus...calm down. As of Wednesday there were less than 500 tickets. It hasn't been reported as a sell out, but it probably is or it is extremely close.

[Barking 13]

Saw a few tix for sale "as low as" $15...

[Jack Lambert]

Some booster will buy the last 500 tickets to make it a sell out. It's Alcorn come on.

[BrunswickDawg]

Either Stricklin or the athletic dept tweeted earlier today that less than 100 tixs were left

[cheewgumm]

Jesus...calm down. As of Wednesday there were less than 500 tickets. It hasn't been reported as a sell out, but it probably is or it is extremely close.


My point is that we want to play crappy teams. Fans are not going to want to go see them. That's all.

[Coach34]

My point is that we want to play crappy teams. Fans are not going to want to go see them. That's all.

Fans bitch about playing crappy teams
Fans bitch about playing good teams

We have to pkay a couple of sweet meats so we can rest guys as we are this weekend

[whosyourdawgy]

Name me ONE school in the SEC that doesn't have a cupcake or 2 home games every year? I think it's a testament to our athletic dept, coach Mullen, and us that we have even sold out these games. You can't play all top 25 teams in the non conference if you want to go to a bowl game or win many SEC games.

[TopDog58]

Fans bitch about playing crappy teams
Fans bitch about playing good teams

We have to pkay a couple of sweet meats so we can rest guys as we are this weekend

MSU fans bitch about 11:30, 2:30, 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 games. Last year no matter the opponent the student section was noticeably bare after halftime.

Just like in recruiting, all MSU fans need to quit the bitching and support the program. That means filling the stadium regardless of the opponent.

[Fader21]

Don't forget fans bitching bout uniforms, cups, and band members at away games

[Political Hack]

because selling those extra 500 tickets are worth a loss...

[Todd4State]

So, we are one day away from our opening game, playing a nobody...and it's not sold out. Yet, half our fan base wants a lot more nobodies on the schedule? We are not guaranteed a sellout on opening night. Just another reason that strategy is not right.

And how many years have we sold out the stadium the past four years while playing "cupcakes"? If this game isn't sold out, it will be our first non-sell out in years.

But the ironic thing to me is a big reason it isn't a sell out- assuming it isn't- is because we looked really bad against the "good team". The other ironic thing is we will have a better crowd at the Alcorn game than the Texas Kickoff Classic did.

[whosyourdawgy]

It's gonna be a sellout. Don't worry about that.

[Todd4State]

One other thing- I think games like this are good for Mississippi. If we played someone like Maine- they aren't going to travel well. Alcorn fans don't get to go to a SEC venue very often- it's good to hear some opposing fans talking about how nice everything is for a change. I've found the JSU and Alcorn fans were both very gracious coming to Starkville, and both are very appreciative that we give them the opportunity to play us.

[cheewgumm]

And, I am not syaing we load the schedule with all good teams. I am, however against loading it wiht cupcakes, so I'm glad we played Ok State first. It makes me feel like we are giong to improve because of it. I don't buy the argument that we can win 8, win 8, win 8 and build to greatness. We've been playing forever and it doesn't work like that obviously.

But I've argued this point enough. I get all the points.



One other thing- I think games like this are good for Mississippi. If we played someone like Maine- they aren't going to travel well. Alcorn fans don't get to go to a SEC venue very often- it's good to hear some opposing fans talking about how nice everything is for a change. I've found the JSU and Alcorn fans were both very gracious coming to Starkville, and both are very appreciative that we give them the opportunity to play us.

[engie]

And, I am not syaing we load the schedule with all good teams. I am, however against loading it wiht cupcakes, so I'm glad we played Ok State first. It makes me feel like we are giong to improve because of it. I don't buy the argument that we can win 8, win 8, win 8 and build to greatness. We've been playing forever and it doesn't work like that obviously.

This doesn't make sense.

We've been "scheduling cupcakes" for 3 years...and we sold out every single one of them...

Where did all our cred/improvement from playing Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Oregon, Ok State, Baylor, etc under the last regime go? Did they "make us a better team"?

So, you argue your point based on history -- when history actually tells the opposite...

Go find me an OM fan that will complain about the cupcake schedule they faced in 2003 -- when they went 10-3(and only saw ONE highly ranked team in 13 games) -- if you can? Simple fact is that HISTORY only remembers the record. It doesn't remember who it came against -- and it doesn't reward 5-7 against the #1 SOS as much as it rewards 8-5 against the #40 SOS...

[whosyourdawgy]

And it's official. 24th straight sell out

[CooterDavenport]

(What Engie said)^10

[cheewgumm]

By the same token, where is the advantage that we have gained by playing cupcakes in the past? We have been playing for 100 years and we have not alwyas played tough teams OOC, so we should have been building and building and getting better and better. There is no evidence of that either. I think you can jsut as easily argue that has not made us better.

You can say we have gone to bowls...but what has that led to? Recruiting victories? No, we get smashed in recruiting every year. Are we upper tier SEC? Nope. I'm not sure what going to all those Liberty bowls has helped us either, unless you are saying the Liberty bowl is it's own reward.

Basically beating those crappy teams hides weakness. It makes teams that suck win 7 games, thus keeping their coach. So, for the coaches sake, we need more Alcorns and less Ok States. For the betterment of our program , playing cupcakes is not slowly building our program. It's giving us fake 7 wins, and crappy bowls that do nothign to make us any better in the future. How do I know this? Because here we are in the future.. We are there.

Also, if all of you who make this argument are right, then college football is the only endevor in the history of life that you made yourself better by challenging yourself less.



This doesn't make sense.

We've been "scheduling cupcakes" for 3 years...and we sold out every single one of them...

Where did all our cred/improvement from playing Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Oregon, Ok State, Baylor, etc under the last regime go? Did they "make us a better team"?

So, you argue your point based on history -- when history actually tells the opposite...

Go find me an OM fan that will complain about the cupcake schedule they faced in 2003 -- when they went 10-3(and only saw ONE highly ranked team in 13 games) -- if you can? Simple fact is that HISTORY only remembers the record. It doesn't remember who it came against -- and it doesn't reward 5-7 against the #1 SOS as much as it rewards 8-5 against the #40 SOS...

[Coach34]

I see part of your point Dano- but we get challenged enough in the SEC. I agreed that we needed to play Ok State- but we don't need that every season just yet. We need to keep bowling- that builds your program as much or more than anything if you have the right people in place

[engie]

By the same token, where is the advantage that we have gained by playing cupcakes in the past?
Sellouts still(no disadvantage). More money kept home(it's WAY more expensive to lock up a home game from a good opponent -- unless you do a home and home and essentially give up a home game the second year). Nevermind that "scheduling cupcakes" arguably kept us bowling the past two years. Definitely in 2011.


We have been playing for 100 years and we have not alwyas played tough teams OOC, so we should have been building and building and getting better and better.
Actually, if you look at our HISTORY on the level which I have, you'll see that we've played a hellacious SOS in comparison with our brothers to the north. You know, the ones with the "vastly superior" historical football program that is actually BASICALLY IDENTICAL to us on the field against the Big 6 in the SEC? Oh yeah -- MSU played those teams about 150 more times -- in which we went about 40-110 -- while OM was playing directional schools and calling them "SEC" games exploiting the old rulebooks. We've even played their "rival" LSU more times than they have.

Why is their record -- and thus perception -- better? Because Vaught scheduled the hell out of cupcakes and avoided Bear at all costs -- while we played Ole Miss last for FIFTY YEARS directly after playing Auburn, Alabama, and LSU back to back. Yeah, I love our cupcake scheduling model in the past**


There is no evidence of that either. I think you can jsut as easily argue that has not made us better.
The only thing you can actually argue, statistically, is that scheduling difficulty in the past has made our program look WORSE than it has been in reality over the years. Again, I've been through these numbers on a deeper level than anyone I know. Several here can confirm the research I've done on it.


You can say we have gone to bowls...but what has that led to?
What did NOT going to bowls against tough schedules lead to? Going to bowls has put $100million in our pockets in the form of expansions that NEVER happened under the previous regime despite being badly needed.


Recruiting victories? No, we get smashed in recruiting every year.
Uhh -- our last 2 classes have been 2 of our 3 best in the history of recruiting rankings -- especially since they gained any semblance of accuracy...


Are we upper tier SEC? Nope.
Have we ever been? NOPE. But we're a hell of a lot closer to the top of college football today than we were 5 years ago -- and consistent winning has done that for us.


I'm not sure what going to all those Liberty bowls has helped us either, unless you are saying the Liberty bowl is it's own reward.
I enjoyed the hell out of the Liberty Bowl -- especially after the previous 6 seasons. And good luck trying to convince me that the Liberty Bowl appearance didn't help with the early part of the 09 recruiting class -- which was suddenly way the hell better than it had been in the past(our recruiting always gets a bump 2 classes after a "successful year".


Basically beating those crappy teams hides weakness. It makes teams that suck win 7 games, thus keeping their coach.
Yet these "sucky" teams are on the second-best run in anyone here's lifetimes at MSU -- and the second best that this state has seen in 40 years(to ourselves). Let it sink it that THIS is what you are actually bitching about right now.


So, for the coaches sake, we need more Alcorns and less Ok States. For the betterment of our program , playing cupcakes is not slowly building our program. It's giving us fake 7 wins, and crappy bowls that do nothign to make us any better in the future. How do I know this? Because here we are in the future.. We are there.
You are so far out in left field with how you are looking at this, it's ridiculous. So, 5-7 is better for MSU than 8-5? Learn something new here every day** The $100 mil we've invested says that the current formula is WORKING.


Also, if all of you who make this argument are right, then college football is the only endevor in the history of life that you made yourself better by challenging yourself less.
It's about PERCEPTION. Not reality. The REALITY is that 2009 could easily have been the 2nd best team that Mullen has had here. Is it perceived that way in the future? HELLLL no. The record will tell the story for EVERYONE other than the most hardcore MSU fans. And PERCEPTION is a huge deal. You think Hugh Freeze is selling those kids reality at Ole Miss?

[CadaverDawg]

Could not agree more Engie

[FlabLoser]

After all is said and done, we beat ourselves vs OSU. We should have beat them. We didn't lose to OSU because we scheduled a team that was too tough. We just played like shit.

[CadaverDawg]

After all is said and done, we beat ourselves vs OSU. We should have beat them. We didn't lose to OSU because we scheduled a team that was too tough. We just played like shit.

I tend to agree with you, but I still didn't like the scheduling move. Everybody acting like the loss Saturday means we won't win 3 games, are morons. There was a lot of good in that loss. The defense, our special teams outside of Bell, and I thought it was good for Dak to get a quarter+ in before having to start a game. Yes, the offense sucked, but we don't know if Tyler was concussed early on, and we looked good on the first few drives. Also, blew a great opportunity after a block field goal and after a long kickoff return.

All this doom and gloom shit over the ENTIRE team is getting old quick. Just because the O stunk it up against OSU, doesn't mean our team sucks ass and has zero shot to beat a SEC team.

[cheewgumm]

It's not a good team unless you beat other good teams.

[Todd4State]

It's not a good team unless you beat other good teams.

Actually, scheduling cupcakes gives us a better chance at doing that because we can rest certain guys- such as we are doing with Perkins and it helps us to build depth because we can play our reserves and get them playing time.

Which would be better as far as perception- beating Oklahoma State or beating Alabama or LSU?