jimdahl Posted December 15, 2003 Posted December 15, 2003 Just drove back from Florence. I took a few photos, but I'm not much of a photographer and prefer to spend my time being a fan rather than working to get good shots. Here's a teaser from the pre-game tailgating when the team showed up. I'll try to get a few more festivities photos from my digital camera up tomorrow night and maybe I'll write up more of a "trip report". Most of my in-game photos were taken on a film camera, so if any turned out, I'll have them later this week. Quote
jimdahl Posted December 17, 2003 Author Posted December 17, 2003 Like I said, not much of a photographer, particularly for the actual game, but it gives you a taste of what it was like to go to Florence. Quote
Riverman Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Nice pics! Hey just think maybe next year when were down there it might not rain! Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Great pics Jim!!! Maybe NDSU should take this advice...they MAY even make the playoffs Quote
CoteauRinkRat Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 When were those pics taken, early saturday morning? Quote
WYOBISONMAN Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Hey Sioux Folks...most of us have been to Florence several times... Seriously, they need a better venue for that title game. Florence has never done much for me. What do you guys think after last weekend...is it time for D2 to move the game? Quote
UNA Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Hey Sioux Folks...most of us have been to Florence several times... Seriously, they need a better venue for that title game. Florence has never done much for me. What do you guys think after last weekend...is it time for D2 to move the game? Well sorry but the contract has been extended until 2006. So hold that arguement until '05. Quote
SiouxperDave Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 When were those pics taken, early saturday morning? They players walked through at about 1PM. Quote
CoteauRinkRat Posted December 17, 2003 Posted December 17, 2003 Hey Sioux Folks...most of us have been to Florence several times... Seriously, they need a better venue for that title game. Florence has never done much for me. What do you guys think after last weekend...is it time for D2 to move the game? What is Florence like? What don't you like about it and what venue would be better and why? Quote
WYOBISONMAN Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 I think that the attendance has really dropped off in recent years and that is an indication that the community is not supporting the event enough. This is a National Title Game and it ought to be a huge draw. I think that a community that is hosting such an event needs to make sure it is as close to a sellout as possible. If that means the local business community kicks in and buys the stadium out and gives tickets away....do it. It does not look good to a national TV audience when the stadium is only 1/2 to 1/3 full for this event. I think that hurts the credibility of the Division. Of course the goofs at ESPN didn't help out by missing almost the entire first quarter either. I think that support at Florence has really waned as is demonstrated by the drop in attendance. Compare the first 5 years at Florence to the last 5. The venue is tired and a change is needed. It is disappointing that the NCAA did not have the balls or the motivation to seek a new site. I will say it was a hell of a game and the way both teams played deserved a sold out stadium and the entire game on ESPN. The game was a real credit to two great teams (ugh....did I just compliment the Sioux?) Lennon and the Sioux really put together an incredible year and deserved to be in the title fight. Quote
UNA Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 I am just wondering what other great venue you think deserves the game. I think that Florence has done some great things for DII. The creation of the Harlon Hill trophy is one. The creation of the DII Hall of Fame, did anyone even know that there is such a thing now. No other city has even bid on the game in about 7 years. THe last was Fargo to be exact. I know The NCAA rep very well so that is first hand info. No offense but I am sure the stadium is nice in Fargo but what else is there to do there on the second week of December. There were several thousand more tickets sold than what was in attendance. The committee cannot make people attend and all the NCAA is worried about is total revenue. NDSU has not been here in years but I can remember when they came and the fans loved it in Florence and people who came this year still love the game being here. Reference the article in the Florence paper about the GVSU players looking for old friends as they got off the plane. Anyway, there were still over 7,000 people there and that is not far off from the avergaes that both teams played in front of this year. Quote
WYOBISONMAN Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 Heck, the D2 site isn't really my concern anymore.....I just think that you could find places that offered a lot more than Florence and the shoals area. I have been there and was not overly impressed. It is an OK stadium, but pretty middle of the road as is the community. Not bad, but not exceptional. I think the D2 title should be in an exceptional facility with exceptional support. The fact that you say many did not even go to the game who had tickets shows a lack of enthusiasm. That lack of enthusiasm by the community at large has grown over the years. By they way I also think that there could be a hell of a lot better site than Chattanooga for the D1AA game too. Quote
CoteauRinkRat Posted December 18, 2003 Posted December 18, 2003 I have talked to a lot of friends who went down to the game and they were not impressed with the game at all. They said the stadium was mediocre and the whole event wasn't championship game caliber. Quote
jimdahl Posted December 18, 2003 Author Posted December 18, 2003 Though I agree that it's not the big event that any D-I championship would be, that's not a fair comparison. The reason it's a small event is because it's D-II football, not because it's in Florence. I can't imagine that any community would sell out a D-II championship game to locals when it featured teams from 700+ and 1300+ miles away; certainly not Grand Forks or Fargo. There were a lot more festivities set up and planned (the Coke football skills trials and tailgating, for example) that weren't used at all because of the weather and because the fans just congregated at their respective alumni events. I found that the service industry in town really celebrated the championship -- everywhere I went had signs for the event; Cajun's had UND and GVSU helmets on the bar; waitresses everywhere were wearing championship t-shirts. Quote
Riverman Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 For what it's worth. I would like to see the Championship game rotated. Yes here is the plug for the AL and UND. Weather is never a factor.Local fans know D2 football. For the out of town folks schedule a NC/Ex hockey game for the same week.(Not all schools have D1 hockey)Invite the teams to the game. Maybe the sport will rub off on a few folks. Hey if we can host the WORLD Jr's(hockey) We an host a D2 Championship in Grand Forks. UNA, Nothing wrong with the Florence but there isn't any thing wrong with Grand Forks or Fargo either. Oh don't get me started on espn! Grrrrrr! Quote
UNA Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 I guess my point is is that there are tons of other events that go on behind the scenes besides the game. So the Florence committee has done a lot to make the game an "event" and to be honest the only reason I would hate to see the game go is not knowing whether or not the next city would continue the Harlon Hill and the DII Hall of Fame. No one else may care about this but anything else to promote DII is imperative in my opinion. Quote
WYOBISONMAN Posted December 19, 2003 Posted December 19, 2003 The Harlon Hill has become such a key part of D2 Football that all would scream if it did not continue. And I should give a huge credit to the people in Florence for starting that great tradition. (Even some of us D1AA people still care about things like the Harlon Hill ). A rotation for the game would be great. I think that many cities would be proud to host the event and be able to put it on. Plus it would be a fresh event for the community. And....northern sites with an indoor facility should be considered. Quote
CoteauRinkRat Posted December 20, 2003 Posted December 20, 2003 A rotation for the game would be great. I think that many cities would be proud to host the event and be able to put it on. Plus it would be a fresh event for the community. And....northern sites with an indoor facility should be considered. I definitely agree with that statement. Quote
Sioux1 Posted December 22, 2003 Posted December 22, 2003 After visiting Florence last week I was slightly disappointed in the area itself, but that's not really the point. The field looked incredible and the committee that put the whole thing together did an outstanding job. Our boys were treated with nothing but the best and I for one don't think that any other area would be able to compare to what the Shoals area has built up over the years for the DII championship. The teams aren't down there to sight see or check out what other exciting venues might be in the area. They are there to focus and get ready for the biggest game of the season. Granted the fans who go down may get bored, but most likely they weren't really down to sight see either. Quote
UND92,96 Posted December 22, 2003 Posted December 22, 2003 Having watched all three NCAA national championship games this year (II, III and I-AA), it was interesting that all three games were played in freezing or near-freezing temperatures. For the UNA fans who frequent this site, how much colder than average was it for this year's game? Quote
jeffrow Posted December 22, 2003 Posted December 22, 2003 Not really a lot. Temps this time of year average between 40-50 degrees, but it can be colder. I think the temp around game time was 41. We have had games where it is sunny and 60 degrees and we have had some (1989) when it was 30 degrees and snowing. Jeff Quote
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