Topic: I apologize for yesterday. I see the hatred goes both ways.

[Red Range 41]

I wondered if what you guys said was true about West Virginia. I noticed that all you guys seemed to talk about was the Neers. You said they threw some mud back and talked about you as well on occasion.

I went to their board (Rivals I think) and found the link below. I guess I was premature yesterday in feeling they paid no attention to you guys. I'm sorry I was misinformed.

Out of curiosity, the link below suggests your fans stated you guys have a national cult following. Please don't tell me that you guys think that. I mean, the Buckeyes don't even have a national following and we've done considerably more at this level than Marshall. Did you guys actually say such a thing or was this something members of that "Lets Go herd" board said? No offense, but that seems to be a pretty huge reach.

Good luck this season.


http://westvirginia.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=33&mid=52480721&sid=&tid=52480721&style=1

[marshallmark]

I don't go to that board, because their hate-filled garbage makes it impossible to have a decent discussion.  I've never seen anyone from here use that phrase, but if someone did, I'm sure it was in recognition that Marshall draws well in TV numbers across the country whenever it is lucky enough to be on ESPN.  I'm not sure of this, but I think the GMAC bowl game vs. ECU is still in the top 5 watched college football games on ESPN2.

We know we don't have the name of an OSU, etc., but for a non-BCS school, I'd say Marshall is about as popular nation-wide as any other school in the same situation (i.e. Utah, BYU, Fresno, Memphis, etc.)

[Liv4daherd]

I wondered if what you guys said was true about West Virginia. I noticed that all you guys seemed to talk about was the Neers. You said they threw some mud back and talked about you as well on occasion.

I went to their board (Rivals I think) and found the link below. I guess I was premature yesterday in feeling they paid no attention to you guys. I'm sorry I was misinformed.

Out of curiosity, the link below suggests your fans stated you guys have a national cult following. Please don't tell me that you guys think that. I mean, the Buckeyes don't even have a national following and we've done considerably more at this level than Marshall. Did you guys actually say such a thing or was this something members of that "Lets Go herd" board said? No offense, but that seems to be a pretty huge reach.

Good luck this season.


http://westvirginia.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=33&mid=52480721&sid=&tid=52480721&style=1

I think if I remember correctly, one poster once mentioned something to the affect of MU having a "national cult following."  I raised an eye-brow when I read that too.  We have fans just like any other school scattered around various parts of the country.  What helps here are the alumni chapters in various parts.  But to say a "national cult following"....no.

[Red Range 41]

I think you have a point, but those schools you mention (Utah, BYU, Fresno, Memphis) couldn't fill the east side of the "Shoe" at our spring game if you combined all of their fans from Providence to Pamona.

That's not exactly a feat, is it?

Utah had everything fall perfectly into place for them and still nobody cares about them. Nor should they.

But I guess you do have Memphis, BYU, and others beat. I just wanted to see if you guys actually had that kind of self-image. There aren't many programs who have a cult following. Not even we do.

I'd say Miami, Notre Dame, and now USC are the only ones who can make such an outrageous claim.

[2xBison]

:grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:  :grin:

[HerdNBluefield79]

. There aren't many programs who have a cult following. Not even we do.

I'd say Miami, Notre Dame, and now USC are the only ones who can make such an outrageous claim.

It all depends on the interpretation of cult. I don't think the intention was to refer to size...except the nationwide...which as any fanbase we do have alumni from coast to coast...but largely concentrated in the south east.

I think the cult term is referring our devotion to our team and alma mater. You have a lot of fans who had friends and family that died in the '70 plane crash and it's a tragedy that is memorialized every year by the players, coaches and fans (the whole community of Huntington)... in a way, it sets us apart in a category of our own....

We're not near the size of OSU in terms of a fanbase, but we're devout group of die hards and I guess in a way it makes us a cult of sorts (in a non-negative sense of th word) :smile:

[Red Range 41]

No THAT is an excellent explanation. I will agree with you there. You've come a long way, that's for sure.

[marshallmark]

What's your definition of "cult following"?  That word implies that a small group are very loyal to the 'cause'.  If that's truly what it means, then I'd say that BYU, Utah, Marshall, etc. may very well have a 'national cult following'.  

If your definition is that the school must have legions of followers across the country, then of course not and to suggest otherwise is silly.

[greenday]

Exactly 2xBison.  It's amazing how many "Pitt" and "OSU" fans start popping when anything to do with the ears and the Herd starts hitting the newspapers and such.

And we do have a cult following according to the some of the nutjob MAC fans out there.  Screw them...green kool-aid is damn good.

[gtrman4herd]

I think that idiot that started the thread on the WVU board gave you a real good glimpse as to what you are dealing with on that board. It is impossible to have an intelligent discussion on that board, there is no sign of intelligent life.

[2xBison]

i smell eerdiot....geez, don't humor him.