The University ticket office, the football program and head coach Urban Meyer are expecting a large crowd Saturday night, as the Missouri Tigers enter Bowling Green and attempt to avenge last year’s 20-13 opening-season loss to the Falcons. That large crowd, and the student turnout specifically, could be the deciding factor in the outcome of Saturday’s game.
Sports people speak all the time about the “little things”, and just how important those litte things are; the little things, in essence, become big things in everything sport.
You know the “little things”: the bad hop on a grounder to short that allows the winning run to score. The charge a point guard takes to get his team one last shot.
In the Falcons’ week-one win over Tennessee Tech, there were plenty of little things that, in a bigger game against a bigger, better team, could spell doom. A couple dropped passes. Guys not finishing off blocks. One or two missed opportunities inside the red zone. All things that can be fixed, but are prevalent nonetheless.
All of which makes student support that much more important. If you look at Bowling Green athletics, student attendance and winning go hand-in-hand. How successful would the basketball team be at Anderson Arena if there were 2,000 people there?
Perhaps as successful, but if you think coach Dan Dakich and his players aren’t thankful those students aren’t screaming in their ears, you’re crazy.
Last winter, when the hockey team was slumping, the Ice Arena was half-full. The hockey team finished with a paltry 9-25-6 record. When the women’s basketball team had student support last winter, they played inspired basketball.
If you haven’t gotten the point yet, your attendance Saturday night at the Doyt is crucial. It’s critical. Urban Meyer, and even the players themselves have talked about how pleased they have been with student turnout last year and into the first part of this year. They have talked about the campus community really taking ownership of the football team, feeling like they were an actual part of the team, and if that’s the case, then why wouldn’t you want to go?
After all, if you’re part-owners of the team, don’t you want your team to be a winning one? See you at the game.
