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Post by BearDownMU on Nov 8, 2015 15:51:09 GMT -5
As I've said before, we will see over the years how rivalries actually shake out, but, to me, Furman is our natural rival. For a number of reasons. That being said, I want this one bad.
After the close loss last year, it would be great to go get this one.
Furman is hard to figure. Beats an FBS team, beats Samford at their places, loses by 3 to a Top 10 FCS school (Coastal Carolina), gets blown out by WCU. Paints an unclear picture.
And, finally, I'm almost positive no one will tell you this, but I'd be willing to wager Coach Lamb wants this one bad. I mean, real bad. He's going to tell you all week it's just another conference game, but I ain't buying that. His first trip back to the place he played and the place he coached for so long. And I'd also be willing to wager that the players know this as well, and equally badly want to go get this on for Coach.
My wife and I are heading up to the game and I'm hoping there is a STRONG orange contingent at Paladin Stadium.
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Post by FUBeAR on Nov 8, 2015 17:46:06 GMT -5
As I've said before, we will see over the years how rivalries actually shake out, but, to me, Furman is our natural rival. For a number of reasons. That being said, I want this one bad. After the close loss last year, it would be great to go get this one. Furman is hard to figure. Beats an FBS team, beats Samford at their places, loses by 3 to a Top 10 FCS school (Coastal Carolina), gets blown out by WCU. Paints an unclear picture. And, finally, I'm almost positive no one will tell you this, but I'd be willing to wager Coach Lamb wants this one bad. I mean, real bad. He's going to tell you all week it's just another conference game, but I ain't buying that. His first trip back to the place he played and the place he coached for so long. And I'd also be willing to wager that the players know this as well, and equally badly want to go get this on for Coach. MY wife and I are heading up to the game and I'm hoping there is a STRONG orange contingent at Paladin Stadium. I'm thinking about going if I can find the campus. I heard it's not actually in Greenville, SC; but is in someplace called Travelers Rest, SC...wherever that is. Is there anything to do in Greenville after the game? |
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Post by BearDownMU on Nov 8, 2015 18:03:40 GMT -5
As I've said before, we will see over the years how rivalries actually shake out, but, to me, Furman is our natural rival. For a number of reasons. That being said, I want this one bad. After the close loss last year, it would be great to go get this one. Furman is hard to figure. Beats an FBS team, beats Samford at their places, loses by 3 to a Top 10 FCS school (Coastal Carolina), gets blown out by WCU. Paints an unclear picture. And, finally, I'm almost positive no one will tell you this, but I'd be willing to wager Coach Lamb wants this one bad. I mean, real bad. He's going to tell you all week it's just another conference game, but I ain't buying that. His first trip back to the place he played and the place he coached for so long. And I'd also be willing to wager that the players know this as well, and equally badly want to go get this on for Coach. MY wife and I are heading up to the game and I'm hoping there is a STRONG orange contingent at Paladin Stadium. I'm thinking about going if I can find the campus. I heard it's not actually in Greenville, SC; but is in someplace called Travelers Rest, SC...wherever that is. Is there anything to do in Greenville after the game? I think there is a Waffle House somewhere... |
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Post by bear38 on Nov 8, 2015 18:25:47 GMT -5
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Post by bear38 on Nov 8, 2015 18:26:46 GMT -5
Where is the link to sign up for the tailgate?
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Post by FUBeAR on Nov 8, 2015 19:13:09 GMT -5
Where is the link to sign up for the tailgate?
Mercer Football in Greenville, SC Mercer Bears vs. Furman Paladins Saturday, November 14, 2015 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Kickoff at 1:30 p.m. Furman University 3300 Poinsett Highway Greenville, SC 29613 Paladin Stadium Tailgate Spot No. 9 Lunch will be catered by Tommy's Country Ham House. Tea and water will be provided. We'll cheer "Go Bears!" & "Maul 'em!!" from sections A-E. Game tickets will be distributed at the tailgate spot. Please check the Paladin Stadium Visitors Guide for information including a Furman campus map, stadium map, and driving directions. Visitor parking for football game days is located in Daniel Chapel North and South lots; it is free. Direct Link to the EventBrite Registration PageGame Ticket: $10 | Tailgate Lunch: $12 Registration required by Nov. 9.For questions or more information about this event, contact Chrystal Bate in Alumni Services at (478) 301-2173. |
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Post by clustersports on Nov 9, 2015 1:46:20 GMT -5
I have a question, I noticed that a lot of people have said that Furman is our natural rival (on here and some people around campus even some students) when we first arrived in the SoCon. However, last season it really felt like Wofford was turning into our rival (at least in basketball) as I attended both home and away game vs Wofford and the atmosphere was insane! Also Chattanooga seems to be into a rivalry with the Bears as they always travel well with their fans and We do as well. So my questions are: Is Furman our rival? If so is it only in football? Can we have separate rivals for different sports?
Just based on the games I've attended for basketball (all of them) it seems like Wofford is the closest thing we can get to FGCU in that sport. Though the fans at Wofford were so much nicer than the FGCU fans who were down right awful at the A-Sun tournament game that attended down there the year we went on to play Duke. Wofford fans were very back and forth with us all night. Neither student section sat down the entire game. The atmosphere was amazing!
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Post by FUBeAR on Nov 9, 2015 2:12:52 GMT -5
I have a question, I noticed that a lot of people have said that Furman is our natural rival (on here and some people around campus even some students) when we first arrived in the SoCon. However, last season it really felt like Wofford was turning into our rival (at least in basketball) as I attended both home and away game vs Wofford and the atmosphere was insane! Also Chattanooga seems to be into a rivalry with the Bears as they always travel well with their fans and We do as well. So my questions are: Is Furman our rival? If so is it only in football? Can we have separate rivals for different sports? Just based on the games I've attended for basketball (all of them) it seems like Wofford is the closest thing we can get to FGCU in that sport. Though the fans at Wofford were so much nicer than the FGCU fans who were down right awful at the A-Sun tournament game that attended down there the year we went on to play Duke. Wofford fans were very back and forth with us all night. Neither student section sat down the entire game. The atmosphere was amazing! Mercer, Wofford, Furman, and Samford are all very similar schools in many ways. Sometimes that's what 'drives' rivalries. Sometimes, it's proximity. Sometimes it's because of what happens between 2 schools in certain sports. Sometimes an incident (The Citadel Cadets one stole and blinded Furman's Horse Mascot, for example). I can't really answer your question today as I think time will have to pass with Mercer in the SoCon before a true rivalry or rivalries emerges. There are couple of things to think about though that may 'inform' as to which school may become Mercer's rival. Furman has natural and historical rivalries with The Citadel and Wofford. There was also an 'incident' at a football game in the 80's that makes WCU a secondary rival of Furman. ETSU, Chatt, and WCU are, I would think, natural rivals due to proximity, similarity in school type, and topography (somewhat) of their surrounding areas. Citadel has Furman as a rival as well as VMI for obvious reasons. They also have, I believe, a secondary rivalry with Wofford, due to location and history. I think that sort of leaves Samford as the most likely rival for Mercer...I don't think they have developed true rivalries with other SoCon schools and they have had some 'engagement' with Mercer already - last year's very close football game; I think Mercer has broken their hearts in Women's Soccer for the past 2 years (could be wrong about that) and Mercer and Samford squared off in last year's SoCon baseball tourney finals as well - won by the Bears. As long as Coach Lamb is Head Football Coach, there will be the natural rivalry in football with Furman, of course. Anyone else have thoughts on this? Is Sammy the most likely long-term, multi-sport rival for Mercer in the SoCon? Or is it Wofford? Or Furman? Pretty sure we can eliminate VMI and The Citadel based on dissimilarity and proximity. Interesting topic and since I don't PLAN to directly comment about the football game this week, I think it's one that we should all explore in depth. ;-) |
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Post by jackal on Nov 9, 2015 8:05:01 GMT -5
Just my two cents, but Furman fans do not necessarily see this as a "natural rivalry." Most Furman fans did not really view even Wofford as a rival (despite being a similar school 30 miles away) until recently. The Citadel and Furman have had a rivalry going back decades. App State and Georgia Southern were long rivals due to the national implications that were present virtually every time we played.
Now that App and GSU are gone, Furman will naturally gravitate to its Carolina brothers Wofford and the Citadel. Again, just my opinion.
I do think these Mercer/Furman games have a little more heat on them just because of who Mercer's coach is. Outside of the Bobby Lamb connection, Mercer is pretty much Elon to most Furman folks.
Mercer has a lot more in common with Samford than with Furman. Yes, all are "similar" school, but Furman is a small liberal arts college akin to Wofford and Davidson. Mercer and Samford both have smaller undergraduate enrollments, but offer a lot of graduate programs. Furman's student body is roughly 1/3 of Mercer's total enrollment. So yes, while they share a lot of similarities, they are different in a lot of ways too.
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Post by jackal on Nov 9, 2015 8:09:06 GMT -5
As I've said before, we will see over the years how rivalries actually shake out, but, to me, Furman is our natural rival. For a number of reasons. That being said, I want this one bad. After the close loss last year, it would be great to go get this one. Furman is hard to figure. Beats an FBS team, beats Samford at their places, loses by 3 to a Top 10 FCS school (Coastal Carolina), gets blown out by WCU. Paints an unclear picture. And, finally, I'm almost positive no one will tell you this, but I'd be willing to wager Coach Lamb wants this one bad. I mean, real bad. He's going to tell you all week it's just another conference game, but I ain't buying that. His first trip back to the place he played and the place he coached for so long. And I'd also be willing to wager that the players know this as well, and equally badly want to go get this on for Coach. My wife and I are heading up to the game and I'm hoping there is a STRONG orange contingent at Paladin Stadium. If you figure us out, let me know. |
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Post by FUBeAR on Nov 9, 2015 8:53:40 GMT -5
Mercer is pretty much Elon ADMIN - Please ban this poster. At least suspend him until 11/15. REASON: Mental Abuse/Bullying The rotten Easter Eggs in each of his posts is going to drive me crazy this week! |
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Post by jackal on Nov 9, 2015 9:08:55 GMT -5
Mercer is pretty much Elon ADMIN - Please ban this poster. At least suspend him until 11/15. REASON: Mental Abuse/Bullying The rotten Easter Eggs in each of his posts is going to drive me crazy this week! Personal foul. Quoting out of context. |
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Post by Clueless Fan on Nov 9, 2015 10:51:30 GMT -5
Mercer is the new kid on the block. Expect none of the current schools to view the Bears as their rival. The only way MU becomes a rival is when we start winning big games against them. Until then, we are Elon to them. Now, I do know that there are a lot of Mocs fans who hate us today. THAT is a start.  |
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Post by BearDownMU on Nov 9, 2015 11:35:42 GMT -5
I think a lot of it has to be sport specific, right? When I played baseball, Stetson was our rival. By a long shot. It could have been Samford, but we beat them like a rented mule pretty consistently, so I don't think anyone on our end considered it "rival" status. Georgia State was also a rival, but that was before they bolted for the CAA and then the Scrum Belch.
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Post by jackal on Nov 9, 2015 12:14:36 GMT -5
Mercer is the new kid on the block. Expect none of the current schools to view the Bears as their rival. The only way MU becomes a rival is when we start winning big games against them. Until then, we are Elon to them. Now, I do know that there are a lot of Mocs fans who hate us today. THAT is a start. I just think rivalries develop organically. They aren't necessarily forced. Some teams don't really have a rival. Wofford for years really didn't (and still kinda sorta doesn't). That is especially true when you have some teams (like Furman and Citadel) that have been playing one another for close to a century. The first time Furman and Citadel played football Woodrow Wilson was in office. Outside of a three year hiatus for WWII, those two schools have played every season since 1919. Hard to replicate that sort of significance in a single season or two. Again, I think Samford's your winner. Very similar schools. Their head coach is from Macon. Two newish programs to the SoCon. |
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