Fans - part of the show, or not? (Split from Pryor Thread)

[BrutusBobcat]

Originally Posted by matcar

Let's take this somewhere else, but this isn't true either. People play sports even when no one watches. And these players would tell you that they would play if no one was there.

...and at the University of Miami, they often do.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by Padraig

But how much of that sticks with a kid months after the particular visit? If a kid already loves that program, then I'm sure it can reinforce his decision. If a kid can't make up his mind between a couple schools, and one fan base is like the Cameron Crazies while the other is Golf-clap crazy, then it probably will be a factor in his decision.

It depends upon the kid. Each recruit is a unique individual. Some think atmosphere is an important ingredient to the overall college experience, while some may not. The thread title asks if fans are part of the show...I say they are (and the above article shows that at least some recruits agree) and it's simply a matter of how big a part they play to each recruit.

[GoodLifeSean]

I think to a point it matters. Few kids want to go to college and play infront of a smaller, quieter crowd than they did in high school. Trust me Miami U wasn't much louder than my D-6 high school minus Ben's senior year. It's boring and while there are a lot of factors I think to a small point all kids get caught up in the game day magic. Whether that lasts is the real issue.

[fourteenandoh]

so what some here are saying boils down to this

fans/alumni/students make a university great
recruits want to go to a great institution (football and school)
but fans/alumni/students have nothing to do with a recruit's decision

I understand what LJB and others are trying to say, but IMO they are wrong. Just look at what Mili posted about Will Hill. We don't have to change anything about what goes on on gameday to impress anyone (fireworks, 'off the hook' have been mentioned). We just have to do our thing and let that speak for itself.

[ScarletBlood31]

Fans are definitely a part of the magic/excitement of college football, and it would not be the same without them. I know its the players/coaches/schools that put it together on the field, but without fan support it would be much different.


And I don't know if I would go as far to say that recruits "don't care" about crazy atmospheres for where they want to play. As a 17 year old guy whos played high school football and played with/against D1 prospects, going to a school that you know is going to be National powerhouse with electricity every saturday is an awesome thing to be looking forward to.

I know that for a lot of the top recruits its almost a "business" decision on where they go, so they won't be as swayed by all of the hype as others would, but the atmosphere they go to does carry some weight.

[LordJeffBuck]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

I understand what LJB and others are trying to say, but IMO they are wrong. Just look at what Mili posted about Will Hill.

Will Hill was a strong Florida lean back in June - you know, a couple of months before the season started. He practically committed at the Friday Night Lights camp, and his recent visit to Gainesville was likely a formality.

If game day atmosphere were a significant factor, then Texas A+M and Clemson would get great recruiting classes every year, and USC and Miami would end up with a bunch of 2-star players.