OLD SCHOOL

Flipping through an old photo book yesterday, the Mother Flocker got the great idea to post some old school pics. We've been talking about bringing some tradition to the campus, and though our athletic programs aren't very old, there is still a mint of unbelievable photographs to sift through. Our basketball team started out playing in a church's gym, and graduated to Silver Sands Middle School. It's a pretty unbelievable story. Especially when you consider they were the 2000 National Champions.

Like we've said in every UNI101 class that we've been to - we know that we aren't a Florida or Notre Dame. They have marching bands that are older than than ERAU is. Still, we can have that same unified school spirit that those schools do.

Hopefully looking at our recent past we can see the ERAU community that was present at the games. That's what we want to try and build back up. Make the sporting events places where you can meet old and new friends, and have a great time.

Our athletic director and head basketball coach Steve Ridder said it great last night when talking with a group on campus: "I bleed blue and gold." When he's been asked why he hasn't taken what some would see as a more high profile or big time job he get's "fired up." "I'm at a big time program. What this school produces, the people that it brings in, the relationships that are built here and last a lifetime. That's a big time college."

As we were walking away from the meeting we got to the parking lot and heard the sound of bagpipes. Now anyone that has seen Braveheart immediately perks up when they hear bagpipes. We went over to check it out, and found an entire Celtic Band playing in the parking lot at Embry-Riddle.

As of now we are trying to get them to perform at the Homecoming basketball game. Check out what some other notable schools have done with a Celtic Band. Including Notre Dame (check out the 3:00 mark). And by the way, they've only got about 1,000 more enrolled students than we do. No reason they should have more school spirit than us.