At the time, I was worried more about how I could get my hands on the band Incubus’ “Morning View” than I was about anything related to college football.
That was January 2002 and I was the last person who should have given advice to someone torn in a recruiting war between Troy (Ala.) State and Florida Atlantic .
“Dude, I’m telling you FAU is going to be building a program for a while.
If you go to Troy State you’ll get more exposure.”
At least I think that is what I told my cousin, when he asked me-the only one of his close high school friends to not play college football-what school he should attend.
Eventually he attended Troy State, which hasn’t had a winning season since 2001, for reasons I still don’t know.
Instead of my prediction being prophetic it turned out to be pathetic as FAU marches into Bragg Memorial Stadium this weekend with a 5-1 record.
The Owls 2004 record does not tell much, but a 2003 record of 11-3 and a trip to the I-AA semifinals-a 36-24 loss to an undefeated Colgate team-does.
Because of my underestimation of the program, FAU head coach Howard Schnellenberger assembled, I circled Saturday’s game against the Owls as if it was the last thing I was going to do in life, and for all I know it might just be.
Then again it doesn’t hurt that this sportswriter has a half dozen friends on the FAU roster, who would love nothing more than to beat FAMU and tell me how they did it.
In the eyes of the Rattler loyalists FAU and Florida International were supposed to be the two games against full-fledged or provisional I-A opponents Billy Joe and his boys had a chance at winning.
Then again, some of these same supposed loyalists thought Joe should have been fired after the 2003 season, so they aren’t exactly the most knowledgeable people in the world.
But even the most knowledgeable fan, has to admit that Florida Atlantic is good, and not because they play the Texas States and Northern Colorados of the world.
While I don’t want to add any extra pressure on Billy Joe and his boys, in my own sordid way, I was wishing the Owls would come into this weekend’s game with an unblemished record.
Whether it is playing on the field or supporting my team from the stands, few things in life can compare to ruining a team’s hopes for an undefeated of championship season.
There is something about ruining a team’s undefeated season that compels me to arrive at the game early, not five minutes before kickoff like usual.
Instead of worrying about what combination of orange and green I will wear to Saturday’s game, I’m now left to wonder how one piece of advice forever changed my outlook on college football.
Will Brown is a junior broadcast journalism student from Rockledge. Contact him at wwbrown19@yahoo.com.