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Post by FLCATAMOUNT on Oct 19, 2023 14:47:32 GMT -5
This will be my final thoughts on this game before I head up the mountain. First, I hope we win and a win Saturday will be monumental on so many levels.
That said, I'm trying to temper my thoughts a bit about Saturday. If we lose, I need to remind myself that all will not be lost. WCU can move on and will move on. WCU has thus far put itself in a good enough position to still have a really remarkable season. Even if WCU loses yet another game after this Furman game, we have the chance to finish with an 8 win season, which is excellent progress over the past 3 years. There will be no shame. Furman has 18 returning, seasoned players and has built their team up over a longer span than our coach. They have more experience at most positions than our team and that may just be the edge they need this Saturday, we'll see. If we lose, it will be yet another learning experience and growth experience for our younger team.
Losing to Furman will only mean that WCU hasn't quite gone from "Really Good" to "Great". Quite honestly, that is still not unrealistic for just the 3rd year of a rebuilding effort. I do know that regardless, WCU has the right staff and players to get to that next level in year four and we've come a long way in just 3 seasons. I just don't share the same bravado yet like some who've posted that we will not only win but really put a beat down on Furman (to paraphrase a bit). Maybe I just don't "believe" like I should or I don't see the same things others are seeing as compared to top level competition in the SOCON. Trust me, I hope after this Saturday, some of the more confident posters on here can come on this board and give me a hard time for not being so confident. I'll take that punishment.
I'm just being very cautious in my mental approach to this weekend. Maybe it's because I've see kind of similar situations play out before where WCU has had HUGE home games on the line, only to blow it and our season crumbles and/or any chances of "getting to that next level" are crushed with that loss (circa 1994 and 2014). I get it, we have a different coaching staff, different mind set, and different talent now. So maybe my apprehension is incorrectly rooted. Either way, my approach to the best of my ability this weekend will be to try to put things into overall perspective that if WCU loses, WCU still has a chance at a great season. And if we do win, WCU STILL has four more teams to play and get the job done.
We are winning on Saturday. Take it to the bank. As coach Bell tells the team, we are built different. This team is not cocky but they are confident. I have watched every game and this team does what it takes to win. I am not saying that it will be an easy win but I am saying that this team is built different and if Furman hits us in the mouth, we will get up and hit them harder. We should give Furman all the respect they deserve but we will win even if we do have injuries. We have talent and depth and great coaching. Furman has that too, but they will not beat us in our house. If there is any doubt, then we should not play the game. I say bring it on and let’s GO CATS!!! |
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Post by catman72 on Oct 19, 2023 15:20:27 GMT -5
I just don't understand with less than two days why are so many tickets still for sell......The west side is pretty much full: LL KK JJ ll.....The east side if the students don't come back is going to be empty except for one section....
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Post by catamountalum04 on Oct 19, 2023 15:24:22 GMT -5
I just don't understand with less than two days why are so many tickets still for sell......The west side is pretty much full: LL KK JJ ll.....The east side if the students don't come back is going to be empty except for one section.... Yep I agree. I was disappointed with what I saw. That is why i posted i hope we get a lot of walk ups because if we don't then it will be lucky to hit 9K. The issue with the West side though is alot of those sold seats won't be in thier seats they will be on the porch so the whole place could look empty. |
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Post by FLCATAMOUNT on Oct 19, 2023 15:34:20 GMT -5
I guess the ones of us who are there will have yell harder for The Cats.
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Post by gocatsss2023 on Oct 19, 2023 15:39:00 GMT -5
I wouldn’t worry about it too much… Coach bell said in his hype video that the stadium averages around 4k students for home games and those are all walk ups not to mention that most people who I know are coming are walk ups as well. Of course I could be totally wrong but I really expect at least 3-4 k walk ups and even if we get around 9k that should still be top half of the SoCon. At least you know there won’t be a mass exodus at halftime🤣
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Post by wcugrad95 on Oct 19, 2023 15:47:36 GMT -5
Historically Fall break is the smallest crowd of the year. I get that this is a huge game, but I am not going to be surprised if this is much smaller than what we saw in the earlier home games.
Even with that, it will still be a much bigger crowd relative to the other SOCON venues. Small crowds at WCU are generally speaking bigger than many school’s biggest crowds.
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Post by FLCATAMOUNT on Oct 19, 2023 15:51:50 GMT -5
Historically Fall break is the smallest crowd of the year. I get that this is a huge game, but I am not going to be surprised if this is much smaller than what we saw in the earlier home games. Even with that, it will still be a much bigger crowd relative to the other SOCON venues. Small crowds at WCU are generally speaking bigger than many school’s biggest crowds. Agree. I honestly do not understand worrying about the crowd size. Nothing any of us can do about it. I can bring me and my wife and that is all I can do. |
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Post by purplegold1 on Oct 19, 2023 16:00:23 GMT -5
I've been thinking about this throughout the week and the schedule couldn't have been set up better for the Cats. Not only for this week but the year as a whole. Most of the top competitors in the SoCon (Samford, Furman, Mercer) are all at HOME. The exception was Chat. The opportunity is there and I love what I've heard from KB throughout the week on where the team is mentally. Also, it's a chance we haven't had very often in athletics and that is to showcase Western on a national stage due to the interest a top 10 match-up can draw across the country. Exciting time to be a Catamount!
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Post by wcu77 on Oct 19, 2023 16:03:46 GMT -5
This will be my final thoughts on this game before I head up the mountain. First, I hope we win and a win Saturday will be monumental on so many levels. That said, I'm trying to temper my thoughts a bit about Saturday. If we lose, I need to remind myself that all will not be lost. WCU can move on and will move on. WCU has thus far put itself in a good enough position to still have a really remarkable season. Even if WCU loses yet another game after this Furman game, we have the chance to finish with an 8 win season, which is excellent progress over the past 3 years. There will be no shame. Furman has 18 returning, seasoned players and has built their team up over a longer span than our coach. They have more experience at most positions than our team and that may just be the edge they need this Saturday, we'll see. If we lose, it will be yet another learning experience and growth experience for our younger team.
Losing to Furman will only mean that WCU hasn't quite gone from "Really Good" to "Great". Quite honestly, that is still not unrealistic for just the 3rd year of a rebuilding effort. I do know that regardless, WCU has the right staff and players to get to that next level in year four and we've come a long way in just 3 seasons. I just don't share the same bravado yet like some who've posted that we will not only win but really put a beat down on Furman (to paraphrase a bit). Maybe I just don't "believe" like I should or I don't see the same things others are seeing as compared to top level competition in the SOCON. Trust me, I hope after this Saturday, some of the more confident posters on here can come on this board and give me a hard time for not being so confident. I'll take that punishment. I'm just being very cautious in my mental approach to this weekend. Maybe it's because I've see kind of similar situations play out before where WCU has had HUGE home games on the line, only to blow it and our season crumbles and/or any chances of "getting to that next level" are crushed with that loss (circa 1994 and 2014). I get it, we have a different coaching staff, different mind set, and different talent now. So maybe my apprehension is incorrectly rooted. Either way, my approach to the best of my ability this weekend will be to try to put things into overall perspective that if WCU loses, WCU still has a chance at a great season. And if we do win, WCU STILL has four more teams to play and get the job done.
Excellent post! I share your same feelings. I too have experienced all the big games that came our way in the past. I am counting on our coaching staff this time around....Kerwin Bell is never asleep on the sidelines!!! Our edge in this game is HIM! He will be ready. He will not miss doing his job on any play..I feel good about this part of this game. Go Cats! Great points. After what feels like an eternity of losing it seems we have turned an important corner. I was cautious but optimistic with Bell's hire just as I was with Speir's arrival, but this has been a world of difference. I will be disappointed if we lose to Furman but it sure is nice going into games knowing we can win and not expecting to lose like all those past years. I wish I could make it up for this big game but there's just no way this week. I will be up next week for homecoming and looking forward to seeing this new and improved team. In the meantime "go Cats" and beat Furman! I |
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Post by Admin on Oct 19, 2023 16:43:21 GMT -5
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