A Message To The Pirate Nation
September 08, 2010 | Football
Sept. 8, 2010
To the Members of the Pirate Nation:
Sunday, September 5th is a day that many of us will remember for the rest of our lives. In the first game of the Ruffin McNeill era, members of the Pirate Nation enjoyed one of the most exciting games ever played in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium - a total of 100 points with touchdowns scored on the last 10 possessions of the game. The Pirate defense denied three two-point attempts by Tulsa, which eventually provided the final victory margin for ECU.
The closeness of the game kept an ESPN national television audience on the edge of their seats as well. This allowed the whole nation to have an opportunity to see the unbelievable first-class game day atmosphere that you, the Pirate Nation, have created. Thank you again for all you have done to make Dowdy-Ficklen one of the top venues in the country.
The bleacher failure in several sections of the new end zone should be addressed by Saturday's game against Memphis and the university is trying to ensure that all students with injuries have been treated.
The new $2 million scoreboard showed its potential with some spectacular glimpses of what the future holds. However, it was extremely frustrating when the most basic function - keeping score, time, down and distance, etc. - did not work properly. The instant replay function also was only available sporadically. The software provider is here and ensures us that we will have those functions operating properly on Saturday. Adjusting the sound system always takes a little time and that work continues as we speak.
The new entrance video symbolizes the bond between athletics to the rest of the ECU campus by taking the C-USA Championship trophies through the shipwrecked mascots of this year's home opponents to the Cupola, the Trustee Fountain at Wright Circle and the bronze Pirate Statue in Bate Plaza before entering the stadium to do battle with the current opponent.
As the logo rises through the water, we encourage all Pirates to signal that they are ready, willing and able to help the team win today's football game by chanting with the band and cheerleaders:
This is OUR HOUSE!
This is OUR STATE!
This is OUR NATION!
The PIRATE NATION!
ARRGGGHH!
