Re: 2015 CIT Information!

by newpilotfan Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:03 pm

If we bring this coach back I'm canceling my season tickets. This was disgraceful.

by Dean Murdoch Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:04 pm

Recap - didn't care about the CIT up until about Friday at around 8:30 PM.

Cared about the CIT from about 8:30 PM to 8:45 PM, which coincided with the big Pilots run to get back into it.

No longer care about the CIT.

by Dean Murdoch Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:10 pm

newpilotfan wrote:If we bring this coach back I'm canceling my season tickets. This was disgraceful.

Will you at least still post here after losses? This place would miss your contribution greatly.

by newpilotfan Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:23 pm

Terry Cahill wrote:
newpilotfan wrote:If we bring this coach back I'm canceling my season tickets. This was disgraceful.

Will you at least still post here after losses? This place would miss your contribution greatly.

If he stays there will continue to be a lot of losses so that won't be a problem.

by blacksheep Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:35 pm

newpilotfan wrote:If we bring this coach back I'm canceling my season tickets. This was disgraceful.

I couldn't disagree more! First, this game wasn't a disgrace. I thought the guys played hard and fought until the end. Todd and Pressley in particular had great games.

Reveno has continued to bring some great student athletes to the bluff. He's well respected by players, parents, administrators, and other coaches. Pilotdad1's earlier endorsement speaks volumes! He continues to work hard to improve his team.

I look forward to next year. Bryce and Alec will hopefully take over and lead this team to success.

by pilotdad1 Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:12 pm

ESPN has the attendance at 1013, is this somewhat accurate?

by blacksheep Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:13 pm

pilotdad1 wrote:ESPN has the attendance at 1013, is this somewhat accurate?

sounds about right.

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:26 pm

blacksheep wrote:
newpilotfan wrote:If we bring this coach back I'm canceling my season tickets. This was disgraceful.
I couldn't disagree more! First, this game wasn't a disgrace. I thought the guys played hard and fought until the end. Todd and Pressley in particular had great games.

I rarely lean one way or the other on this issue, but I too have to strongly disagree.....in part because of pilotdad1's posts, but also from what I've seen over the past few games and because of Rev's work as a whole.

I thought the team played very well against one of the best guard tandems at the mid-major level, but were simply beaten by the better team. It's too bad the Pilots couldn't make a field goal in the last 4 minutes, but a very good lock-down defense and some inopportune turnovers were the biggest obstacles.

Coach Reveno gave his team one of the best tongue lashings I've seen this year and it worked long enough for the Pilots to tie the game twice, but not enough to sustain the momentum. Thomas and KB were not happy the coach pulled them from the game during the Pilots run from 13 points down, but it was definitely the right move.

I haven't seen the stats, but I have to give full marks to Voldy for playing one of his best games of the season, to Jason for his rebounding prowess, and to Bryce for carrying the team while everyone else, including Alec were being closely defended and struggling.

I hold no weight with anyone associated with the UP Athletic Department, but that hasn't stopped me from telling AD Leykam to retain Coach Reveno.

by NoPoNeighbor Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:34 pm

UP's combined record under Reveno in games played from Feb. 15 through the end of the season: 16-40 (.286)

2015: 1-6
2014: 1-5
2013: 1-4
2012: 1-5
2011: 2-4
2010: 5-3
2009: 3-4
2008: 1-5
2007: 1-4

Is this program in a better place now than it was when Reveno took over? Is it heading in a better direction? We had the three good years, but even then we only had one year with a winning record in this last stretch of the season. Reveno's teams have frankly been awful at the end of the season. Yes, there have been injuries, but all teams deal with injuries. This is now an established pattern -- the team gets worse as the season goes on, relative to the competition.

We can now definitively say that the coaching staff was not able to capitalize on the success of the '09-'11 glory years by building momentum in recruiting and basketball performance. That opportunity was squandered, and it is now gone. We've been through a full four-year cycle since 2010-'11, and these past four years have been decidedly worse than the four years that preceded them.

And now, losing six seniors, we are back in rebuilding mode. Yes, we have some quality players returning, and some exciting recruits coming in, but it seems highly unlikely that we will be better in '15-'16 than we were this year. This is admittedly a pessimistic view, but I think it is an honest assessment of where we've been and where we are going.

Personally, I am conflicted as to whether Reveno should return. I concur with everything that has been said on this board about his many outstanding qualities and his track record of success in areas other than basketball performance. However, under the current coaching staff, I don't have any faith that the coming four years will be better than the previous four, in terms of wins-and-losses. I don't see progress in the program overall. Instead, I see regression. I don't see evidence that the coaches are getting better at coaching as they gain experience. I see the same mistakes being repeated over and over. I'm glad I'm not in Leykam's shoes.

All that being said, I'll be back at Chiles in November to cheer on the Pilots -- regardless of who the coach is.

by Guest Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:40 pm

Kevin and Alec had bad nights from long range; combined 0-7. Garrity and McKinney were 5-8. That's pretty much the difference in the game. Pilots cut down on bad turnovers. The looks were mostly good; the coaches can't make the shots for the players.

With 4-1/2 minutes to go in the first half, UP was up 5 after Wintering made two FTs, but Sac St. basically got a 5 point play with the technical and then a 3 on the next possession, which if I remember correctly was a prayer after 30 seconds of good defense that went in. Garrity made another 3 after an offensive rebound, a jumper, and then they got another basket after an offensive rebound. There were some bad bounces that went their way for those rebounds, again, not on the coach.

I'd like to see improvement in offensive execution, but I thought the coach made good substitutions tonight, trying to find players who could score, while trying to get some stops on defense.

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:41 pm

pilotdad1 wrote:ESPN has the attendance at 1013, is this somewhat accurate?

Yeah, probably, but it was a good crowd, if you know what I mean.

As a group, we were all quite a bit closer to the court and the students were standing and yelling giving the players energy during their runs.

I think the UP Athletic Department would have liked to have seen closer to 1500, but this was a good crowd because everyone wanted to be there....it wasn't just numbers based on season ticket sales.

Strange though that all the cushy courtside seats were marked "reserved." Hard to tell for whom they were "reserved" as there were just a few young people there, but it would have been a good opportunity for those who might want to "invest" in such seats in the future to "test drive" the seats before shelling out a lot of money.

by NoPoNeighbor Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:44 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:As a group, we were all quite a bit closer to the court and the students were standing and yelling giving the players energy during their runs.

I think the UP Athletic Department would have liked to have seen closer to 1500, but this was a good crowd because everyone wanted to be there....it wasn't just numbers based on season ticket sales.

Strange though that all the cushy courtside seats were marked "reserved." Hard to tell for whom they were "reserved" as there were just a few young people there, but it would have been a good opportunity for those who might want to "invest" in such seats in the future to "test drive" the seats before shelling out a lot of money.

I'd like to see the Athletic Department move to this kind of ticketing for all of the games (I guess, other than GU and BYU) next year. No bleachers on either end, sell cheap tickets and get the fans closer to the court. Make them feel like they are part of the game, and part of the team.

by Guest Thu Mar 19, 2015 8:26 am

@CoachReveno wrote:We got outshot last night. Sac State made some tough shots through out the game and forced us to shooting high #'s of 3s we did not convert.

by blacksheep Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:38 am

pilotdad1 wrote:ESPN has the attendance at 1013, is this somewhat accurate?

Attendance is always tough at these games. The students showed up in good numbers, which is always nice to see. Wednesday is not a normal game night, so in order to go to the game, people need to move their schedules around. Heck, I had to miss my weekly bowling league. Also it's very short notice. We didn't know when the game would be (or even if there would be a game) until just a few days before. Then there's always those who aren't plugged into PN, social media, or the UP "spam" emails. They may not have even known there was a game.

I noticed at least a few regulars weren't there (or at least I didn't see them). I certainly don't blame people who couldn't make a mid week game on short notice.

I sat center court row 4, which gives you a great view of the goings on. I still can't believe the ref didn't give the Sac State player a T for directing an F-Bomb right at the ref. I don't think I would have heard that from row 10. Plus, I don't know if the ref would have heard me yelling at him from that far up (I know he heard me last night). I do like the row 10 seats for seeing the full court better though. Unfortunately open seating won't work during the regular season. Those season ticket holders would never let it happen (Just ask UP7587, who defiantly sat by himself in his normally reserved seat for the entire game).

by DoubleDipper Thu Mar 19, 2015 11:39 am

blacksheep wrote: Those season ticket holders would never let it happen (Just ask UP7587, who defiantly sat by himself in his normally reserved seat for the entire game).

I too normally inhabit Row 10, but found Row 4 to be much like blacksheep described, especially when it game to the ref's calls and our responses.

Turning around to see up7581 in his normal seat reminded me of the iconic picture of John Wooden taken in San Diego a couple of hours before his last game as the head coach at UCLA:

2015 CIT Information! - Page 3 53fbb910

by DoubleDipper Thu Mar 19, 2015 2:28 pm

None of us commented about the 30-second shot clock....

I liked it! The NBA's 24-second clock is much to short for college, but 30 seemed ideal last evening.

Admittedly, there were a number of times the Pilots rushed shots toward the end of the clock, but so did the Hornets. The difference.....everything Sac St. threw up seemed to go in.

I'd also like to see the paint area widened about 12 inches and the half circle under the basket (I have no idea what it's actually called in basketball terms) increased by about 6 inches.

Speed up the game and promote more slashing and driving....it's all good.

by dholcombe Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:50 am

blacksheep wrote:
pilotdad1 wrote:ESPN has the attendance at 1013, is this somewhat accurate?

Attendance is always tough at these games. The students showed up in good numbers, which is always nice to see. Wednesday is not a normal game night, so in order to go to the game, people need to move their schedules around. Heck, I had to miss my weekly bowling league. Also it's very short notice. We didn't know when the game would be (or even if there would be a game) until just a few days before. Then there's always those who aren't plugged into PN, social media, or the UP "spam" emails. They may not have even known there was a game.

I noticed at least a few regulars weren't there (or at least I didn't see them). I certainly don't blame people who couldn't make a mid week game on short notice.

I sat center court row 4, which gives you a great view of the goings on. I still can't believe the ref didn't give the Sac State player a T for directing an F-Bomb right at the ref. I don't think I would have heard that from row 10. Plus, I don't know if the ref would have heard me yelling at him from that far up (I know he heard me last night). I do like the row 10 seats for seeing the full court better though. Unfortunately open seating won't work during the regular season. Those season ticket holders would never let it happen (Just ask UP7587, who defiantly sat by himself in his normally reserved seat for the entire game).

I'd like to see the end zone bleachers closed for many games. Make the upper reserved section into the GA section. Keep the lower reserved section. You could perhaps include some of the upper seats in the lower section in GA, but that might introduce some confusion.

by DoubleDipper Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:15 am

dholcombe wrote:I'd like to see the end zone bleachers closed for many games. Make the upper reserved section into the GA section. Keep the lower reserved section. You could perhaps include some of the upper seats in the lower section in GA, but that might introduce some confusion.

But confusion that is easily avoidable or overcome with some brilliant thinking, brilliant colors, and brilliant ushers.

Except for the two games already mentioned, GU and BYU, the Chiles Center needs to be shrunk and the excitement and noise level raised by covering or roping off many of the seats based upon ticket sales. Hey, they've done it in Oakland where the A's play, it can be done in Portland where the Pilots play.

When I was an undergrad at UP the Pilots played in the Memorial Coliseum for god's sake, but thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Chiles UP now has a wonderful place to play....it just needs to be sized to meet the ticket demand, or lack thereof.

by DoubleDipper Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:01 pm

Yep, why put up with the hassle when everything is live-streamed or on TV!

Mike Tokito (Oregonian) wrote: The attendance numbers have dipped for the Moda Center's third staging of the NCAA Tournament....The dip in attendance is not unique to Portland, but part of waning live attendance in college basketball. In the Pac-12, average attendance fell for the third year in a row. Oregon, which made the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year, this season had its smallest average attendance during that run, down to 6,209 from 7,782 in 2013-14.

The NCAA Tournament has also seen attendance dip. In 2014, average attendance for the tournament was down 104 per game despite that fact that record crowds of more than 79,000 attended the two Final Four sessions at Dallas' mammoth AT&T Stadium. It was the ninth time in 15 years that tournament attendance fell.

http://www.oregonlive.com/march-madness/index.ssf/2015/03/even_with_attendance_decline_p.html

by Guest Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:53 pm

Reading this as I sit on my couch watching the game at the Moda Center 11 miles away. Doesn't cost $15 to park in my driveway, and the beer in my fridge is not $9 a cup. Tough to sell tickets to the casual fans these days.

by PurplePrideTrumpet Sat Mar 21, 2015 5:55 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:Yep, why put up with the hassle when everything is live-streamed or on TV!
Mike Tokito (Oregonian) wrote: The attendance numbers have dipped for the Moda Center's third staging of the NCAA Tournament...

I have to tell you, when you're getting Groupon offers for the games and a guy from the Rose Quarter box office cold calls you a couple times, it's easy to see this was coming.

And I agree, watching the tournament on TV is a lot easier than going to it.

by NoPoNeighbor Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:50 pm

up7587 wrote:Reading this as I sit on my couch watching the game at the Moda Center 11 miles away. Doesn't cost $15 to park in my driveway, and the beer in my fridge is not $9 a cup. Tough to sell tickets to the casual fans these days.

No beer sold at the Moda Center for March Madness, per NCAA rules.

I was at the games in person, and the NCAA really failed at making it a good experience. Some major gripes, which all point to why someone would watch from home:

Extremely minimal effort made to give fans a way to keep up on the other games happening around the country, which basically made watching the games at Moda inherently inferior to watching at home or at a good sports bar. The appeal of the tournament (especially the opening days) is all of the exciting activity happening all over the country. Apparently the NCAA doesn't realize this.
At no point during any of the games, even during halftimes, did they put live video of the other games up on the big screen. If I were in charge, there would be live "look-ins" at the other games during every timeout, and definitely during halftime.
The scoreboards in the the high-up corners of the arenas cycled through scores from other games, but did not tell you how much time was left in those games! They just indicated if the game was in the first or second half.
The TVs in the concourse were almost all tuned to the broadcast of the game that was happening at Moda! So if you wanted to check in on any of the other games, you had to spend 30 minutes walking around the entire arena to find the one TV that was tuned to the game you were looking for. No one who worked at the arena had any idea about how to get the channels changed to the other games.
Almost no display of statistics or information about the players. You never saw their names displayed on any screen. The only time any stats were shared was briefly at halftime. The NCAA should learn from the crew at Chiles for this very basic stuff, which really enhances the fan experience. Again, this gives an advantage to watching at home.

All of that said, I am glad that I got a chance to attend the Tournament in person. Eastern Washington had some great fans on Thursday evening. I would have loved for them to the get the upset over Georgetown. They played some great ball.

The bands were great, the fans were great, and it was a thrill to see a top-tier time like Arizona. But attention to some very basic details of the fan experience would make me a lot more likely to shell out the big bucks again the next time Portland hosts.

by NoPoNeighbor Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:51 pm

How did U of O become the official "host" of the tournament games at Moda? It would be been great to see the UP logo on the floor, instead of the "O."

by **PilotNut** Sun Mar 22, 2015 10:33 am

I was at the games yesterday, and I agree that the NCAA could do a MUCH better job of keeping fans up to date on the other games. The video board was absolutely under-utilized. At these games, I do appreciate that they do not plaster all of the video boards with advertising, though.

As far as hosting, I once asked someone in the Athletic Department about whether UP would ever consider hosting. In short, no. The host school is responsible for providing most of the logistics and a lot of the behind the scenes work/transportation/hospitality/support... so much so that it essentially requires schools with football programs to have enough staff members/bodies/employees. The WCC, as a conference, has hosted a time or 2 in the Bay Area where they could combine efforts of several programs.

Gonzaga never hosts when the tourney is in Spokane... it is always WSU or Idaho (also because GU could not play there when also the host). UW hosts in Seattle (not Seattle U). Check out the other hosts... they aren't mid-majors without football.

OSU, or I suppose PSU, could host at the Moda Center. I assume the UO is able to leverage its Nike connections to present a better bid. I would guess that many schools do not think it is worth it, either.

I would love to see is a College Cup at Providence Park hosted by UP (with support from the Timbers/Thorns/T2)!

by PurplePrideTrumpet Sun Mar 22, 2015 11:26 am

NoPoNeighbor wrote:How did U of O become the official "host" of the tournament games at Moda? It would be been great to see the UP logo on the floor, instead of the "O."

Because they bid for it.

I've been to the games in Portland in 2009 and 2012, and Seattle in 2004. I have to say while that first day of four games is pretty fun, it's also something of a grind to be there all day and night. Because of the things you mentioned it's also a bit of a strange feeling being in the arena for tournament games.

The most bizarre thing I saw last time around was the concession stands used blank cups because although the regular ones had Coke logos and they're an NCAA sponsor, it wasn't the "right" Coke logo. Rolling Eyes