Nine days ago, I wrote a post entitled "Nine Days in November."
It was as much about our fans recruiting other Temple people to come to the game tomorrow night (8 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field) vs. Ohio to support the Owls as it was about the importance of the game.
Better yet, spread the word by Facebook and Twitter to every sports radio station and TV station websites, write comments on Philly.com after every Eagles' story. Do whatever you can.
Just don't sit back and hope 30K come. Be proactive.
Just don't sit back and hope 30K come. Be proactive.
This is an important game, no doubt.
How important?
Well, if the Owls win, they get a clear path to the championship game (Miami is an easier foe than Ohio).
If the Owls lose, there will be no championship.
If the Owls lose, they get sent to MAC Hell: The Hummanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, probably against a Hawaii or a Fresno State.
I don't see any more than 100 Owl fans making that trip, God forbid it ever happens.
That takes care of the football end of the business.
You could make a strong argument about a more important aspect of the game being a strong showing by Temple fans.
A strong showing by Temple fans (in my mind, 25K plus) would send a clear message to the rest of the world via a national television audience (ESPN2) that Temple can keep Al Golden, that Temple can be a viable presence in a BCS conference, that Temple football can deliver the nation's fourth-largest TV market in a big way (that last point was proven a year ago on Dec. 29).
Those are just some of the positive messages a packed house can bring.
A weak showing by our fans would be a disaster for Temple University's national image. We have a chance to change all of the negative stereotypes in just one night, so let's do it.
That's why I've pressed more strange flesh in the last nine days than a politician in October.
In the last few months, I've seen tons of people wearing Temple stuff. Just never had the guts to say anything to any of them.
Nine days ago, I made a commitment to approach every one of them.
Nine days, 37 people. I talked the game up to every one. Eight of those people said they were coming anyway. Another 20 said they'd think about it. One elderly couple said they haven't been to a Temple game in 20 years, but had nothing else to do Tuesday night and would be there.
Let's face it.
Our core fan base is 15K. It's a solid 15K. However, if each one of us recruited one or two more people outside our of group that base balloons to 30K or 45K.
In 24 hours, walk up to as many strangers wearing Temple stuff as you can.
Better yet, spread the word by Facebook and Twitter to every sports radio station and TV station websites, write comments on Philly.com after every Eagles' story.
Do whatever you can.
Just don't sit back and hope 30K come. Be proactive.
These kids and this university deserves the support.
