Mark
@markaduck

Alright, Children. Let's learn about Maine Football! Here are 20 facts about Maine football, focusing on the University of Maine's football program. Unchecked Facts provided by ChatGPT, Unchecked opinions provided by me:

1. University of Maine Team Name: The team is known as the Maine Black Bears. ( Third after Panda and Gummy bears)

2. Conference: The Black Bears compete in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), which is part of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). ( Quality win territory)

3. Founding Year: Maine’s football program was established in 1892. (Landgrant Brother?)

4. Home Stadium: The team plays at Alfond Stadium, which is located on the University of Maine's campus in Orono. The stadium has a capacity of approximately 10,000 fans. (Fun-sized)

5. Rivalry: Maine’s biggest rival is the University of New Hampshire, and their annual game is known as the "Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket." (I've never trusted New Hampshire, Something fishy about New Hampshire)

6. Brice-Cowell Musket: The Brice-Cowell Musket is a real 19th-century musket, awarded to the winner of the Maine-New Hampshire game each year. ( Should have been 5a and 5b, ChatGpt, you'll never create skynet like this)

7. Conference Championships: Maine has won multiple conference championships, with their first in 1949 and most recent in 2018. (Maine hand shake Oklahoma)

8. Best Season: In 2018, Maine had its best season in recent history, making it to the FCS semifinals before losing to Eastern Washington. ( This makes me a little nervous)

9. Famous Alumni: Maine has produced several NFL players, including Lofa Tatupu (Seattle Seahawks), Jamil Demby (Los Angeles Rams), and Trevor Bates (Detroit Lions). ( Stephen King and Tony Shaloub are more famous if we're being honest)

10. Head Coach: Jordan Stevens was named head coach in 2022, becoming the 37th head coach in the program's history. (Never trust anyone with 2 first names)

11. NFL Draft: The Black Bears have had several players drafted into the NFL, with Mike Devlin (selected by the Buffalo Bills) being one of the highest. (Imagine going to Maine and ending up in Buffalo, not Florida or LA, Buffalo)

12. First NFL Player: Maine’s first player to reach the NFL was John Huard, who played as a linebacker for the Denver Broncos in the 1960s. (Okay)

13. Retired Number: The program has only one retired number: #80, in honor of Charles "Chick" Leahey, a star in the 1940s. (Dudes named "Chick" were all born before WW2)

14. Homecoming Tradition: Homecoming games are a major tradition, drawing alumni and fans from all over the state to support the Black Bears. (All teams have this, chatGPT, All teams)

15. Mascot: Maine’s mascot is Bananas T. Bear, who is popular among fans and often seen at games.(This is my favorite of these 20 facts.)

16. Notable Victory: In 2013, the Black Bears won their first outright CAA title and received an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. (I remember the playoffs)

17. Defense Legacy: Maine is known for its tough defense, often ranking high in defensive statistics within the CAA. (Us too, Hasn't helped a lot)

18. Marching Band: The Pride of Maine Black Bear Marching Band performs at home games and energizes the crowd with Maine’s fight song. (Pride of Maine, Play "Neck")

19. Maine vs. Ivy League: The Black Bears often play games against Ivy League teams, such as Yale and Harvard, in their non-conference schedule. ( A microcosm of America)

20. Program Development: Despite being a smaller program, Maine has built a reputation for developing talent that can compete at the professional level, particularly on the defensive side. ( They should hire Lincoln Riley)

This post was edited on 11/1/24 at 4:39 pm