(Disclaimer: I am not bashing Appalachian State University.I respect the school and all those who attend.)
Appalachian State has just been handed the best marketing tool the school has had in awhile...well, maybe ever. With their football victory over Michigan last weekend, the school can afford to send its entire marketing department on vacation for awhile. Apparently, the football team decided to take over promotions duty last weekend and put to shame any other efforts the school has made for promoting itself (cheesy Hot, Hot, Hot video makers, I'm talking to you). Now, the only problem the school will have is weeding out genuine applicants from former Ohio State dropouts who are looking for a mountain getaway and a new football program friend to cheer for.
Now, with no disrespect to ASU, I want to propose the question: Why is everyone suddenly a Mountaineer fan? Ok, I understand that tiny little ASU beat big 'ol nasty Michigan, but does everyone who hates Michigan have to go run and buy Appalachian stuff? I find that a little extreme. I really can't stand Florida or Florida State, but everytime they encounter a major upset (which happens more to FSU than UF recently), I don't run out and buy some other random school's gear to wear to our game against them. I mean, did anyone cheer for this team when they weren't beating Michigan? Probably not too many people. Hey, now there's a whole bandwagon-jump on you bandwagoning Buckeyes! Just sounds a little silly.
I guess I love my team too much to wear some other school's colors on my back. I kind of thought Buckeye fans were that way too. Maybe not though, maybe secretly they want to look like the mountain men of Appalachian.I guess it's the new "Hot" look anyway.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful that Appalachian State is selling so much stuff. I am very happy for them. Really, I am. They are a great little school with lots of big potential. Now with their lucky football break, they are on the minds of underdogs everywhere, and finally on the maps of some ignorant fools who have no idea where the Appalachian Mountains are-Michigan fans.
