Fan Power: Who are we really competing against?

When I heard that this year's Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament for volleyball was not going to be held in Bristol, Tenn., I was eager.

We have played at King (Tenn.) College the last few years, and their facilities are the best I've seen. However, it is a challenge to play against the Tornado in their gym, owed to their hefty fan base. So my eagerness can be understood as the conference tournament moved to Kingsport, Tenn.

Held in the Marriott Hotel's Convention Center, the two courts were squeezed, to say the least, into a single conference room. In our first match versus Covenant (Ga.) College the atmosphere seemed customary for a neutral location. A few parents from wither team here and there, but mostly the noise came from the players. In the second match, against Bryan (Tenn.) College there was a but more noise. Although it could be said that Bryan is a large rival for the Lady Bulldogs, so a more intense atmosphere could be expected. But as we pulled off the win I realized there weren't too many Bryan College fans either. 

We played our final match of Friday against King. No shortage of fans here, King fan lined the seats on both sides of the courts, except the 8 trusty parents who came out for Union. Upon starting this match, I thought to myself, "THIS is neutral?"

Suddenly Kingsport was feeling a lot like Bristol. 

With the way we left King College last month, a battle to five games and the match was decided in the last few points, there was bound to be some hype on this match. King's faithful rowdy fans are not their students, but their parents. As a player, it has become a part of athletics, hearing hoots and hollers from fans, you learn early on that all you can do is ignore it.

However, it was not that the fans were inappropriate, (THAT can be debated) but it was the amount of fans that were there. This created the feeling of playing at King.

The definition of neutral: not aligned with, supporting, or favoring either side in a war, dispute, or contest. My question is, if this game was held in Corbin, Ky., a neutral site, would that seem bias? It's only 20 minutes from Union and three hours from Bristol. Could this have affected the outcome of this tournament, or any other? In volleyball, the answer is yes.

Momentum is a huge part of volleyball and fans carry the majority of the burden. Even more so than other sports now that there is rally score. The game can change on any point. So what kind of power can fans have over volleyball games? A lot.

Fans have always been a hassle at King College, especially during conference tournament, but in the past the conference tournament didn't hold the weight it does now. Winning the tournament is the only berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Conference is bigger than ever.

So with the location so important now, lets take a second and ask ourselves, what is neutral?

Thanks for the support

The Bulldogs are now on the bus, headed back to Barbourville. It's been a long day to say the least. However, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to say "Thank you" to all the parents, friends, family, students and fans that came to Fort Wayne to support the Bulldogs in the NAIA playoffs.

By my estimation, there were between 200-300 Bulldog supporters there - a nice size crowd, in my humble opinion. I know the drive for us was 6-plus hours and I know others had greater distances to travel. Your support is very much appreciated.

Like I said in previous posts, I firmly believe this season was just a stepping stone of what is yet to come. I believe there are some good football yet to be played at Burch/Nau Field, and your support makes it possible and worth.

From the team, the coaching staff and the athletic department, I again say, "Thank you."

Just like that, it's over

I really don't know what to say after Union's 58-3 loss at Saint Francis today. I mean, Union didn't play that bad, but Saint Francis played very well.

The Cougars took advantage of great field position. They averaged started their drives on the Union 39 in the first half and finished the game with an average field position of Union 48. When a team is getting great field position like that, it's tough to beat them, I don't care who the team is.

The Bulldogs should be proud of all they've accomplished this season, and I really hope this loss doesn't sour that for them. Union did a heck of a lot more than anyone expected, but a lopsided loss like that tends to dampen things.

It's just a rough way to end the season.

Hopefully, the Bulldogs can take this feeling and use it for motivation heading into next season. Union has a good number of players returning, and this sour taste in their mouths could make them hungry next season.

Here are some things to think as the Bulldogs now close the book on 2008 and begin preparing for 2009:

• Union returns its entire offensive line, and there will be just ONE senior next year on the 0-line.
• Terence Pollock, Mike Brinkley and all but one wide receiver will return. Pollock ran for over 1,300 yards this year, Brinkley threw for more than 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns and a band of young receivers will be back in the fold. How can you not be excited about that?
• The Bulldog secondary will return. With another year of maturity, the Union defensive backs should begin to shut down the opposition's passing game.
• Five of the six regularly-used defensive linemen return. The d-line did a great job this season making its way to the backfield and opening lanes for the Bulldog linebackers.
• Jacob Appleby still has three years left. The place-kicker booted 13 fields and made 46 PATs. I'll take 85 points out of my kicker any time.

While the loss does leave a bitter taste in my mouth right now, all is not lost.

In fact, this may just be the beginning.

At the half ...

It's halftime and the Bulldogs find themselves in a deep hole, down 24-3.

Saint Francis is a good, solid team and the Cougars will take advantage of an opponent's miscues. And that's pretty much the story of the first half.

A blocked puntm, penalties and poor field position put Union in a bind as the Cougars jumped out to a 24-0 lead. The Bulldogs struggled offensively as the Saint Francis defense kept consistent pressure on quarterback Mike Brinkley.

But after the Bulldog defense stopped Saint Francis deep in Union terrority, the Bulldog offense mounted a solid drive. Terrence Pollock broke many a tackle and gobbled up some nice yardage, and Brinkley was able to find a couple of receivers open.

However, the drive stalled and Union settled for a Jacob Appleby field goal.

Union is putting up a good fight and the team is keeping its head up.

The Bulldogs are a third-quarter team, so we will see how things go.

Go Bulldogs!!!

Game time is almost here

Well, it's just about time.

Game time.

Playoff time.

The Bulldogs arrived at the field a little over 10 a.m., and while the temp is cold, it doesn't seem to matter. I can't speak for the players and coaches, but I don't feel the cold. The excitement and anticipation is taking over and kicking it.

Right now, it's 10:45 a.m. - 1 hour and 15 minutes from kickoff. The players are getting ready and warming up. The crowd is slowly making their way in. (BTW, nothing like ice on a metal grandstand.)

Playoff time is here.

It's cold but who cares? It's football time

After a 6-plus hour bus ride, the Bulldogs have arrived in Fort Wayne, Ind.

As we began to cross the Ohio-Indiana border, we were greeted by a snow storm. Nothing real bad, just a lot of blowing snow to make visibility a little difficult. Fortunately, it didn't last long, and by the time the Bulldogs got to Bishop D'Arcy Stadium for their walk-through, only a few flurries were blowing around. And the snow was gone by the time we left the field.

It's been fun watching this team. The whole ride up, this was just another bus ride to yet another game. However, once we arrived at D'Arcy Stadium, the excitement quickly began to show.

A number of players ran around the field - some in just T-shirts, to get the feel of the field and of course the feel of the cool air.

You could see on every one's faces - The Bulldogs have made it the NAIA Playoffs. Union has arrived.

I don't know what the final outcome will be tomorrow, but I guarantee you this is going to be a memorable weekend.

Random thoughts

• It was kind of neat driving past Georgetown en route to Fort Wayne. I mean, for years, Georgetown has been THE hurdle that Union couldn't get over. A number of losses to the Tigers prevented Union from winning the conference title and kept the Bulldogs out of the playoffs. And now, Union has posted back-to-back wins over Georgetown, the Bulldogs are in the playoffs, and the Tigers are not. It's definitely a new day.


• Seeing Bishop D'Arcy Stadium in person made me realize how nice Burch/Nau Field really is, especially after the upgrades the past two years. Bishop D'Arcy Stadium is a nice facility, and how sports turf and is used for football and soccer. But the only thing I'll take over BDS over Burch/Nau Field is the home grandstand. BSD has a large seating area with the stands stretching 20-25 rows (maybe more) up and a covered concessions area under the grandstand. Yet, Burch/Nau Field has a much better playing area and I'm partially to the press box as well. And the little additions to Bulldogs' home turf - the fence, the golden bulldogs, the covered picnic area, the paved walking track - just set Burch/Nau Field apart.


• I'm excited about the future of the Bulldogs. Yes, I know the season isn't over yet, but I can't help to think about potential of this group. There are no seniors on the offensive line and just ONE junior on the two-deep. Union will lose just one player at the skills positions on offense. However, the defense is a different story as the Bulldogs have four seniors who either start or play a big role including three linebackers. Of course, Union had some big holes to fill this season and made its way to the postseason, so anything's possible.

And we're off ...

Well, the Bulldogs are FINALLY on the road en route to Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The buses were supposed to pull out the Centennial parking lot at 8 a.m. HOWEVER, departature was delayed nearly an hour after one of the buses didn't want to start up this morning. (Shoot, it's around 20 degrees this morning, I didn't want to get going this morning.)

But after waiting nearly an hour for the bus to arrive, we pulled out just before 9 a.m. and are headed north - to where it's colder.

Although the little hiccup with having to wait for a bus to arrive, the mood of the team is good. Everyone is just taking everything in stride, enjoying the ride and getting ready for the weekend of playoff football.

You got a player or two trying to sing along with their Ipod. The movie "Next" is now playing on the DVD player on our bus and folks are settling in for the trip.

For a program making its first-ever playoff appearance the team appears to be taking a very businesslike approach, like it's just another game on the schedule.

Me? I'm pumped. Like I posted a couple days ago, I've been looking forward to seeing the Bulldogs make the playoffs. Even back in the early- and mid-1990s when I was working at Corbin Times-Tribune, I've been pulling for the Bulldogs to make the playoffs. I recall watching the 1995 team come up just short.

And since then, it's been a rocky ride for the Bulldogs. (Yet, there is no need to rehash all that.)

The 2008 season has been nothing but magical, and now we're on our way to take on the No. 3 team in the NAIA playoffs.

Despite the 'bus' issues, this is going to be a fun ride.

More from the road later.

Comin' Around Again

So this is what it looks like around here, huh? So many things have changed, but a lot of things have remained the same. This is almost like a high school reunion for me.

For those of you who do not know who I am, I was the SID at Union from 1991-99. Back then, Larry Inkster was the man at UC, Darin Wilson was a Bulldog baseball player-turned coach-turned head coach, and some guy from the Corbin Times-Tribune named Jay Stancil was the only reporter we could get to come to Barbourville on a regular basis. Now, Larry Inkster's STILL the man, Darin is doing a great job in heading up the athletic department, and Union has one of the best SID's in the NAIA in Jay Stancil. The job that he and Gene Renfro are doing is just phenomenal. I'd like to think that I helped lay the foundation in the sports information office at Union, and Jay and Gene have built the Sears Tower on top of it. You all should be proud of what is going on at Union.

Now, back to the real reason I'm here. I've been following the Bulldogs from afar as a proud alum and former employee. The 2008 football season at Burch-Nau Field has been nothing short of amazing. I remember the two near-misses we had for playoff bids in 1992 and 1995, especially in 1995. We were on a six-game winning streak and led Lambuth (who was on top of the Mid-South Conference at the time) 24-7 at the half. Late in the fourth quarter it's 24-17 and the Eagles block a punt with around a minute to play. They score and tie the game at 24-24, then almost make a 43-yard field goal as time expires. That turned out to be the last tie game in Union history (since overtime went into effect starting in 1996), the Bulldogs finish 7-2-1 and ranked No. 16 in the NAIA. But we don't receive a bid because of a conference champ finishing lower than us in the polls. Talk about disappointment. Everyone on the staff kept thinking -- much like a Cubs fan -- "Wait until next year!".

Well, next year took 13 years, but it's been some wait. Tommy Reid came in before the 1996 season and has come from grad assistant to assistant to head coach. He has seen the ups and downs of the programs and has stayed the course. He has built the program back up from the mid-90s era, and we all saw a glimpse of what was to become this year's playoff run when the Bulldogs (FINALLY) beat Georgetown in the final game of the 2007 season. I was broadcasting our (McKendree University) season finale at Iowa Wesleyan College when Jay sent me the text. I'll be honest, I started to choke up during our game. Fortunately, we were up 35-0 with three minutes to go and probably no one was listening. But we all saw so many close calls during the 90s against G-Town that it was sweet to get that news.

The Union College Bulldogs are in the NAIA Football Championship Series. That has a nice ring to it. Now, it's time for a little bit of reality because their first-round opponent is no slouch. St. Francis (Ind.) is a perennial final four team, and I've seen them many times in Savannah at the championship game. They have a great facility, a super coach in Kevin Donley (former Georgetown head coach for those of you who may not know) and another great SID in Bill Scott. The Bulldogs will have their hands full, but if I know Tommy, he will have the Bulldogs prepared and ready to go.

If you have the chance to head north, I implore you to make the trip. Be a part of history for the Bulldogs. Make this magical ride last just a little longer. I wish I could be there.

GO BULLDOGS!!! You've made us proud.

Scott Cummings
Proud Alum (1991)
Former UC SID
Forever a Bulldog

Who Let the Dogs Out?!?!?!

Tonight, I went to Wal-Mart with my daughter in tow. And because my 5-year-old bundle of energy and joy was with me, she dedicated what channel my XM Radio got turned to. (What can I say, I'm a softee.)

On the way home, a song came on, one that I hadn't heard in a couple years. But yet, it was one that brought back a lot of memories.

Blaring through my speakers was "Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men.

Like many, when the song came out, I liked it. It was fun, catchy and it fit Union. After all, we are the Bulldogs.

Well, during the 2000 season - the year the Baha Men produced their version of the song, the song got played at Burch/Nau Field. Over and over and over.

We played it when the team ran out on the field before the game. We played it when the team scored. We played it when the team into to the lockerroom at halftime and when they came back out for the second half.

And when Union won, it got played REPEATEDLY.

"Who Let the Dogs Out" was played on average 10-15 times per game.

Needlesstosay, many of us got sick of the song and it didn't get played again anywhere on campus for a long time following the 2000 football season.

But hearing the song again tonight brought back some fun memories, and some painful ones as well.

You see, it was five games into the 2000 season that Union won a game. That win was the first win in THREE YEARS, snapping a 25-game losing streak.

After beating Lambuth 14-10 to end the 1997 season, Union went 0-10 in 1998, 0-11 in 1999 and started the 2000 season 0-4 before enjoying a three-game win streak.

I have always enjoyed Union football. Saturday's at Burch/Nau Field are a blast for me, win or lose. (Obviously, it's always more fun when the Bulldogs win.)

Yet, there's always been something keeping the Bulldogs from getting over the hump.
I can't tell you how many games I've seen Union battle, go toe-to-toe against the opponent, only to come up just short of getting the victory.

One of the most gut-wrenching losses I've witnessed in Union history (that's encompassing all sports) came on Homecoming 2006 when the Bulldogs fell to Frostburg State 7-3. It was an ugly game. Neither offense get anything generated for the field was an absolute muddy mess. (This was the final season of Union having a natural grass surface.)

With less than three minutes remaining, Union was up 3-0. Forced to punt, the feeling was good because the Bulldog defense had held strong ALL DAY. However, the punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown, sealing Union's fate.

I mention all this to just give you a sense of how fun, how amazing, how exciting this football season has been and continues to be.

The Bulldogs are 9-2!!! NINE WINS and just TWO LOSSES!!!

Since 1995, Union had not won more than four games in a season. In the three seasons prior to this year, the Bulldogs had just 11 wins.

And now Union is heading into the NAIA Playoffs!!!

How great is that?

Union has been blessed, especially in the past five, six years with some amazing teams. Women's basketball has been to three national championship tournaments. The baseball team went to the NAIA World Series and placed 5th. Women's soccer advanced to the Final Four in 2002, the same year the mountain biking team won the NCCA National Championship. The men's and women's tennis teams both have made back-to-back trips to the NAIA Sweet Sixteen, and the softball and volleyball teams each have won their first conference championships in program history.

Every program has enjoyed some sort of success this decade. All but football.

Until now.

So, tonight, as my daughter danced in the backseat to sounds of "Who Let the Dogs Out", I enjoyed the journey and the lengths the Bulldog football program has come over the years.

And the ride isn't over.