Why? I think he is right. To get the exposure and recognition we desire, we have to play the games at the times the networks tell us to. Most often, that will work out to playing at 2:30 on CBS. We will still have some ESPN night slots, but those are getting less common. It comes with the territory of winning.
I rather win a SEC Championship and hopefully a National Championship in the daytime on National TV. Then Play at night and have a losing record. That is not to say I wouldn't mind playing at night. But this is college football we have to do what the networks tell us to do or else they will stop asking us and find someone who will. Only reason why you want to play at night is so you can get a little bit drunker and more insane. If all you come to Tiger Stadium to do is Tailgate then sit your ass in the parking lot and have at it, but in the mean time I will be inside watching us kick some gator ass yelling my voice out in support of our team.
Playing on TV is needed for national exposure and media recognition, I agree. But that's not what Sovietgator said. He said we MUST play in the afternoon in order to "play with the big boys, get respect, and be a NC contender". 1. We have been playing with the big boys for decades. Florida fans forget that they were a doormat in this league with zero championships until Spurrier came. 2. If we stay undefeated we will be respected. Night games have no effect on this. 3. If we finish undefeated we will be a NC contender. Night games have no effect on this.
Correct me if I’m wrong – no slamming! In1982 LSU–FSU, Bobby boy wanted to move that game to daytime for TV exposure and LSU refused. He preached about how nice it was of FSU to play us five years in a row in TS. Scooter Hobbs “Lake Charles American Press” called him on it. Scooter said; it has nothing to do with being nice. It’s all about the money Bobby. If we could refuse that game, why can’t we refuse to play UF during the day? It makes no difference to me, because I can’t attend, but for the rest of you, I wish it were at night. I’m just interested in why we could refuse at that time and can’t now? I’ve been to both day & night games and there is just a different atmosphere during the night games. I don’t buy into the jargon of purple jerseys or playing day games is a jinx. As far as the stadium being louder at night versus day, the fans blew the hell out of that against UGA. I hope they can do it again. If the Tigers continue to improve, bring their “A” game, UF might wish it were at night, to avoid the exposure. We’ll know in a couple of Saturday’s.
We once had the option to decline moving a game to the day and sometimes exercised it. However in the 1980's the SEC got lucrative TV contracts with the networks that required SEC schools to move to daytime. It's all about the money.
Tigerlifer3, You said it best! red55, I didn't say must, I said have. You got it right though, pretty much the only big games on TV at night are the Bowl Games. The Big Three Networks aren't going to put football on Saturday night during prime time other than in the month of December and January. You can't play on ESPN at 8:30pm every Saturday night either. Also, why do you think the Western schools never get respect in the Heisman polls? The majority of the voters are already in bed when their games are over. It's like another poster said, the day games are what the media talk about. That is where the publicity is at. You win big during the day (11:30-3:30) and the media talks about it and shows replays all day long and into the night, however when you win big at night you make the midnight and 6am editions of SportsCenter and then it is on to the NFL the next morning. Florida hasn't always been a doormat. LSU and Florida both have won a NC in football. Compared to FSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, and USC we are both doormats. http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html Check this list, it only goes back to 1950, I see a few losing seasons, but nothing that would justify a doormat. http://www.michigan-football.com/ncaa/f/florida.htm Since we're on the subject, what is LSU's record at night anyway, I heard it was around .500%, is that bull$hit or accurate?
Ah, yeah, I see. That is all true, but playing those afternoon games is something we will have to get used to. I dont see it changing. It does come with success.
Well, LSU is an all-time 637-368-47 for a winning percentage of 62.8%. I imagine most of those were at night, but I dont have those numbers. So, overall, this post is pointless. EDIT: For laughs, Florida is 582-354-40 for a winning percentage of 61.7%
