vs. Gonzaga, 1/26, 8pm, ESPN2

I generally agree, SP11... I should have added a note that I really wasnt that bothered by it, I just thought it was kind of a weird reaction.

PilotNut wrote:I just didnt understand where it came from... it's not like Sacre or another GU player had just sunk a buzzer beater to win...

Sacre wears his emotions on his sleave, and to a certain extent I can appreciate that... but modesty is also in order.

Well, his "the ref just put a red hot poker up my ass" antics each time he got called for an obvious foul just isn't good sportsmanship.

It probably brings the house down at MacArthur, but he looks stupid on the road.


Just take the foul and take your spot on the restraining line. If you have a beef, talk to the ref quietly.

Back to the students real quick; saw this while wandering the University of Texas campus today. I like it.

Hmmmm... a "Rowdy Alumni" game. It's a fun idea, actually, and could be turned into a tradition. A "re-live the glory days" kind of things, and an excuse for us old folks to shout and scream and chant like we used to back in the day.

I actually tend to like the idea of scheduling that game when students are in session as opposed to not (easier to get people fired up with the bigger WCC crowds and more favorable Saturday scheduling), but I suppose it does make sense to do it when there are no students.

A pre-game event at the alumni house would be a no-brainer. Maybe special T-shirts to everyone who signs up in advance? Bet we could get a large group of former 2004-06 era Purple Pride guys, and who knows who else would come out of the woodworks.

Probably too late to do it for this season (only Saturday game left is BYU), but we could definitely put it on the list for next year.

Here's some food for thought regarding the topic of student attendance and engagement. Even Duke is struggling to get students to their games, despite the national reputation of the "Cameron Crazies." Students attendance has gone from 1,200 to 650 over the past five years.

http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/low-attendance-forces-duke-athletics-sell-student-seats

Perhaps the problem is generational rather than school specific.

Diminishing student attendance is a national trend, Forman said, and collegiate sports marketing departments have been combating it in a variety of ways. Many have altered their in-game experiences to become more engaging during stoppages in play, especially timeouts and halftime. Over the last few years, Duke has begun incorporating highlight videos, player introductions and popular music into its pregame festivities, but the marketing department currently has no plans to significantly alter the in-game atmosphere.

EDITED TO ADD: And look here... a long thread very similar to this one on Marquette's message board, about how student support has been poor. Marquette - a top 25 team in the Big East where basketball is king (no football team) - can't fill their student section either. http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=415&f=2850&t=8617646

Generational? Or more draconian alcohol policies nationwide?

Yeah, it is certainly not limited to UP... I fully compliment the Athletic Department for getting students in the gate; that is no small task and should not be overlooked--a great job. I just wish that once the students were in there, they would organize themselves better, with a little help from the school...

I think an Alumni Glory Days game would be a hoot... include a good ol' pre game pep rally and gathering.

PilotNut wrote:I think an Alumni Glory Days game would be a hoot... include a good ol' pre game pep rally and gathering.

Any excuse to verbally accost some teenagers playing a game, eh?

No but seriously, I have the original Purple Pride logo proof on my computer if some limited edition retro shirts are desired.... Just saying....

Umm, I don’t know how to say this nicely guys, but I don’t think any of the groups of students, like Purple Pride, etc. have been that effective over the years. Frankly, most years the student section has simply sucked! I’ve now been a member of the Pilots community for almost 50 years, and I’ve never seen what I would consider an even better than average student section.

I think the idea of an “alumni section,” or whatever you want to call it, is a good one (it should definitely happen during WCC play while the students are in attendance), but I’ve got be honest, all of us are a lot better in our own minds than we actually were as a group of students. I am a member of the original “Spirit Fraternity” at UP, Upsilon Omega Pi. Our charge was to exhort the students to support the team through our antics and noise, and as the men insides SPU, later Wally. (After being kicked off campus in the ‘90’s, Upsilon morphed into “Purple Haze,” etc.)

Individually, a few members of PN may be the best fans of all-time, but as group, during our student days, I submit we weren’t much. Until 2006, my four season tickets were directly across the aisle from the student section in the 5th row, and for years I used that close proximity to jump up and yell AT the students, telling them to get off their fat butts to support their team. It worked for awhile, but eventually I moved across the court out of frustration.

I believe the best solution is to work with Jon in Athletic Department Marketing. I bet he will try almost anything, but he needs alumni and financial support. I vividly recall how my attempts to get the students involved 8-10 years ago just resulted in more drunken boorish behavior because, for the most part, the students didn’t really know their basketball playing classmates, and didn’t focus on supporting them, but instead concentrated on attempts to demean the opposition.

Now in my 49th basketball season at UP, I submit that none of us really have a lot of room to criticize the current student section.

Well, I guess misery loves company... the normally very loud/energetic LMU student section is pretty much sitting on their hands, too...

Until 2006, my four season tickets were directly across the aisle from the student section in the 5th row, and for years I used that close proximity to jump up and yell AT the students, telling them to get off their fat butts to support their team. It worked for awhile, but eventually I moved across the court out of frustration.

Gee, I thought it was to sit with a higher class of fans!

up7587 wrote:

Until 2006, my four season tickets were directly across the aisle from the student section in the 5th row, and for years I used that close proximity to jump up and yell AT the students, telling them to get off their fat butts to support their team. It worked for awhile, but eventually I moved across the court out of frustration.

Gee, I thought it was to sit with a higher class of fans!

Well, actually it was, but those seats were already taken.

It was great to see how upbeat Rev was during this game with the fast start and all, and the performance was obviously much better than the last game in Spokane. At the same time, at some point we need to start to win some games if we want these talented freshmen to stay all 4 years. In my opinion, we were able to land players like Kevin Bailey and Cason because of big wins like the victory over UCLA a few years ago which made recruiting California a little bit easier. But, we need to continue to show we´re a program on the rise if those players are going to stay.

All the same, this was a game where you could see the players were playing within Rev´s system again. If these guys stay long enough to start to reduce their turnovers and shoot a higher percentage, we´ll be in for a treat. I can´t wait to see K. Bailey when he reduces his turnovers and plays smart and assertive basketball. He´ll be a tough one to guard...

DoubleDipper wrote:

up7587 wrote:

Until 2006, my four season tickets were directly across the aisle from the student section in the 5th row, and for years I used that close proximity to jump up and yell AT the students, telling them to get off their fat butts to support their team. It worked for awhile, but eventually I moved across the court out of frustration.

Gee, I thought it was to sit with a higher class of fans!

Well, actually it was, but those seats were already taken.

They weren't ACTUALLY taken, but I had to slip a couple Pliny's to the folks in the ticket office so they would tell you that

Pep Rally?