It's my understanding that there's an annual rite of passage for Towerlight sports columnists where they attempt to convince the athletically-apathetic student population to come out to Johnny Unitas Stadium and give the Tigers football team a chance. Yet for some reason, the fan support -- outside of T-Unit's efforts -- has been pathetic and a disgrace. The students cram the bleachers for the home opener, but as the season winds down, there's plenty of premium aluminum seating up for grabs.
Maybe it's the decreased temperatures. Maybe it's the increased workload. Or maybe it's the team's struggles on their home turf. Whatever reason you may have had in the past, forget it, because I've got five good reasons why you should make it a point to be at Tigers' games this fall:
We're actually
good this year.
The No. 17 Tigers have plenty of hype coming into their first season in the new CAA football conference. Head coach Gordy Combs has stepped up the program's recruiting efforts and he has plenty of veteran talent on this season's squad. As a result, Towson has a legitimate shot at making the Division-I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs and making some noise when they get there.
Exciting style of play.
With a high-powered passing offense and an aggressive defense, the Tigers are fun to watch. Stud quarterback Sean Schaeffer will be slinging passes all over the field and creating chaos for opposing defenses and innocent scoreboard operators.
On the other side of the ball, a quartet of hard-hitting linebackers will be wreaking havoc on CAA backfields.
Tailgating.
You don't have to be a huge sports fan or an alcoholic to enjoy some good old-fashioned tailgating. Get some friends, some food and a grill and head over a couple hours before kickoff to get your game face on. There's nothing better to do on a Saturday morning -- or a Thursday evening -- than chowing down on kielbasa, chucking the pigskin around and checking out a college football game.
The Bushrod effect.
When the Saints drafted Towson star Jermon Bushrod in the fourth round of this year's NFL draft, the mindsets of his former teammates were instantly changed. Many Tigers realized that if they pushed themselves harder in the gym and on the football field, they too could make the jump to the next level. The scouts are looking at Towson harder now and that has had an immense impact on the program.
Show some pride.
The fight song is pretty lame and we've got a long way to go if we want to compare ourselves to USC and Notre Dame, but we should embrace the place where we're spending the best years of our lives. We're not a big-time school yet, but we're on the way. The athletic department is making great strides and Towson is getting recognized at the national level. It's a great feeling to go out to the stadium and scream your lungs out just because you're proud to be a Tiger.
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