Topic: Southern Fans Excited about move to CUSA!

[jn4theHERD]

Hey I made the paper back home. That's me and my Wife Buffy in front of our RV.  I told you guys I couldn't wait for the move.  

GoHERD  :-D



HUNTINGTON -- When John Narcise says he looks forward to Marshall’s football season, it’s anything but lip service.

Thundering Herd fans prepare for the coming season in different ways. Some might update their Marshall apparel, investing in a few T-shirts and jerseys. Others might opt for a new Thundering Herd flag to proudly display from their front porch.

John Narcise bought an RV.

The die-hard Marshall fan has lived in North Myrtle Beach for seven years and understandably was thrilled about his team’s move to Conference USA from the Mid-American Conference. Instead of dreading November trips to Ypsilanti, Mich., and DeKalb, Ill., Narcise looked forward to a much more fan-friendly road schedule.

Excitement spilled into action when Narcise purchased an RV on eBay. He flew to Sacramento and drove his new toy cross country to its new beach front home.

The 42-year-old Narcise, formerly from Huntington, is now waiting on September when he can begin scouring the south with his father, Geegee Narcise, in pursuit of Marshall football. Narcise plans to drive to each road game, which features stops at New Orleans, Memphis, El Paso, Texas and Orlando, Fla.

"I would travel on a donkey to any team in Conference USA," Narcise said. "I’m looking forward so much to going to Florida, New Orleans, Texas, as compared to any of those directional Michigan teams.

"It was ridiculous. We would outnumber their fans. It was sad."

Narcise is among countless southern-based Marshall fans thrilled at their team’s new C-USA home.

Have Herd, will travel

Atlanta hosts one of Marshall’s most active southern-based alumni associations. Football game-watching parties consistently draw 50-60 displaced fans, who look forward to the Thundering Herd traveling in their direction.

Orlando, home to UCF, will be an easy drive this season for Atlanta residents. Birmingham, Ala. (UAB) and Hattiesburg, Miss. (Southern Miss.) also will constitute relatively harmless drives in coming seasons.

For Jim Summers, it’s been a long time coming. The 1970 Marshall graduate moved to Atlanta in 1976 and now serves as director of Atlanta’s Herd Club.

Safe to say time has helped the heart swell with school spirit. Summers travels throughout the south to attend Thundering Herd athletic events, and football isn’t the lone attraction.

Already in 2005, Summers has driven to Jacksonville, Fla., for baseball games and to Auburn for Thundering Herd softball.

Summers, who served as Marshall’s mascot, Marco, in 1969, explained, saying "I feel a kinship when they get close."

It’s no surprise that plans already are in the works for the coming football season. On tap is a "guys only" trip to El Paso for the Oct. 22 date with UTEP followed by a couples road trip to Tulane on Oct. 29.

Like Narcise, Summers said planning for C-USA is a welcome change from the MAC.

"It takes a real commitment for someone to go that far at that time of the year," Summers said of northern-based MAC schools. "If it’s Michigan State, a handful of us went to Michigan State (in 1990). But they’re not going to travel that far to see Central or Eastern Michigan.

"And I don’t mean disrespect to those guys."

On the road again

Connie Reed counted among Marshall fans in the South until returning to Huntington from Atlanta in July 2004. Trips will be longer from the Tri-State but the former Thundering Herd golfer is making arrangements.

"I’m already asking for vacation time," Reed said with a laugh. "We’ll drive to Memphis and fly to Tulane. We’ll figure out where we’ll fly to in Texas. Maybe we’ll fly to Tucson and drive three or four hours.

"That’s no big deal to us. When we lived in Atlanta we drove back for home games eight hours each way."

Reed will also travel in packs this fall, joining at least three other couples for road trips.

"Now we’ll really get to see the country."

Randy Maynard, a 1979 Marshall graduate, isn’t afforded the luxury of football travels and tailgate parties. The pulpit calls Maynard, an ordained minister, on Sundays, meaning long Saturday trips are out.

Still, he looks forward to next season’s meeting with East Carolina in Raleigh, N.C., which is just 80 miles from his Greenville, N.C., home. Maynard grew up in Kenova and the 1970 Marshall football plane crash occurred just a mile from his home.

His son, Marshall, is named in honor of those lost in the worst sports tragedy in American history. He’s followed Thundering Herd football and basketball closely through the years and has met numerous Marshall alumni in the Tar Heel state.

"I just moved to the area and there are a number of Marshall fans here," Maynard said. "We’ve got a strong alumni chapter as well."

While Maynard offers his special slice of support from afar this season, Reed plans to witness the Herd’s inaugural C-USA season up close. Reed echoed Summers, saying the climate change only adds to the appeal.

"Northern Illinois was the coldest I’ve ever been in my life," Reed said of the Herd’s 2001 meeting at NIU. "It was miserable. I would much rather go south."

Same says John Narcise, who is taking reservations for trips in his RV, which seats eight and plays Marshall’s fight song as its horn. For Narcise and his father, the fall of 2005 will be about family, football and seeing the country.

"I love New Orleans," Narcise said. "I love Memphis and Beale Street, Bourbon Street, Texas. I love all of that area down there and I get to see football without

[GreenSteve]

Nice!

Congratulations....

GS.

[DA4Dherd]

This was the story Anthony Hanshew was working on a few weeks ago when I asked for help from Herd fans in the south.  Thanks to those who responded and especially those who talked to Anthony for the article.

[ATHENSHERDFAN]

I am very happy to be moving to C-USA, but I have to admit that living in Athens, Ohio has made it easy to go to road games. Although, my Dad wants to take his RV on the road this fall. So all in all it works because of the warm weather.