Regular Season Review

[GreatDanes06]

I have to say, with the regular season over, you can't be to upset. With how crazy this team played at points, you finish basically second, even though you are seeded 3rd, which is not bad for what many of us can agree as a "toss-up" season. Many of us knew that it would be tough to win the regular season title again.

 

The team will finish at or above .500 no matter what. I think you have a nice core of kids, who even today show they can play against talented teams. I think we are one of the hottest team going into the tournament.

 

While this team may have been an up-and-down team, you can't be that upset on how they finished the regular season.

[sarge965]

Overall - yes - we are the 3 seed in the tournament - I have been to each AE tourney we have played in and a 3 seed is not something to look at with disdain. BUT - 4 and 4 at home is NOT a good thing. I don't know how much the home crowd truly makes a difference, but I for one am disappointed in the attendance at the CUE. I think the program has outgrown the GROWL mentality and that the push should be to fill the seats for every home game - especially the CONFERENCE games. This is not a knock on the students there are still more of empty seats were the paying fans sit. We have seen the bump that appearances in the BIG DANCE provide attendance figures. This team has a great chance of 3-peating. That being said I haven't made half of our home games this year due to work. Maybe times are that tough. I am looking forward to our performance this coming weekend - not looking forward to spending time in BINGO. Just some thoughts and wonder how others feel.

[JustDrastik]

Maybe someone in Albany can shed some light onto this since I am in NYC, but how does the school promote the games? When I was there, there wasn't much publicity - it was more mouth to mouth via the students. On most games I've seen on Dane Zone, the student section has been decently empty. Some key games were played during the winter break etc, but I would have assumed that upper classmen who have experienced our success would have been more enthusiastic about the team. You can't really ask for more than back-to-back NCAA appearances.

 

Any thoughts?

[GreatDanes06]

I think the university does a great job promoting games to the public, but has serious trouble with the students. I know the RACC Rowdies were successful, and GODANESGO was a major part of that, but that has almost faded to no existence. It never got the support it needed to survive. When you go to games as a student, you see students doing chants, but it is basically a group of 4-5 guys and if the rest catch on then maybe others will do it. Yet you see a game like Kansas last night, where you have to wear blue if you sit in the student section and you do all this crazy stuff. Everyone in the section last night on ESPN knew the chants, knew exactly what to do at what time, and didn't just chant out "Bullsh*t" when a call was bad or just doing the U-A, UA, UA, U-A chant. Then you look at our student section and got GODANESGO screaming at people to raise their hands on free throws...it shouldn't be like that! If your sitting in the student section, you should know how to do it. Every person should be wearing purple or gold if your sitting behind the baskets. I think you have to make one of the endzone's a specific "RACC Rowdie" section if you want that deal to catch on.

 

Last year, the U-A chant from opposite sides of the arena worked because it got to a point where the 4-5 guys (push-up guy etc...) wanted to actually have the students get involved. GODANESGO was doing stuff and we all sat with him because we knew what he was trying to do. They went out of the way to go and get people to do it. How many times was that chant used this year? GUARANTEE IT WAS LESS THEN FIVE! GODANESGO is only one person and can't be trying to do it all himself. That is where the athletic department should be helping him. Getting students to learn chants....HECK EVEN AT THE END OF THE FIGHT SONG, EVERYONE SINGING THE LAST 1-2 LINES OF IT!

 

While some students may work hard to get the students in, they need support. I think the promotion with the Varsity Club was a great idea. But it needs to be expanded even more.

 

I agree, that on senior day, you can't pack that entire arena. What is upsetting is most of the students in the student section are student athletes. Where are the non-athlete students? Heck I have seen people walk up to SEFCU with basketballs thinking they can go play ball on gameday!

 

I agree the BPG attendance is enough. What makes me annoyed about the BPG is that most of those students come just for that and to win the Best Quad Banner thing and don't ever come back.

 

We can't complain because attendance has been up. However, I can guarantee that a good chunk is for regular admissions.

[JustDrastik]

I got off topic - so I should give my review of the season.

 

As a whole, I think the season was a success - because we have some momentum going into the tournament and a "decent" seed. However, I'm being optimistic now, but who knows what I'll be thinking if we lose - especially if we have a very bad showing. I would say so far, I would give us a B/B- for a few reasons.

 

1) Coaches picked us to win and they probably know our talent and their own teams talent better than anyone else.

2) We blew some games badly and lost to some bad teams.

3) There were some spurts earlier in the season where I saw a lack of heart or just an abscence of desire. This is because the team is very young, and that is an acquired taste.

 

 

With that being said, we have a lot of momentum and our first game in the tournament is against a team we just beat. We could make this interesting. I'm pumped.

[GreatDanes06]

i think the topic does have some connection to the regular season in review. Attendance was not bad for a "off-year". Which shows that in future seasons, when we are predicted to be amazing, we can pack the place. The question is, by having students come out, can we develop and amazing home court advantage that people fear coming to SEFCU to play this team and we don't have a 4-4 conference season at home.

[GreatDanes06]

sorry...double post. But by the way, I can understand how the student attendance is bad during breaks. That is truly understand. Sucks for any mid-major program.

[sarge965]

GD06 - I agree with some of what you say - there absolutely needs to be institutional support to create a student pathos in regards to athletic events. I use pathos and not fan base - because a fan base is exactly what you have described. Over the years there have been a number of these cycles with the students (private pound no institutional support and dane pound weak institutional support) - the only way to have continually student support is to build it through tradition - tradition will not happen quickly - Think glacial movement here. Also tradition will only begin with institutional support. I strongly disagree that the University does a great job promoting games to the public. Even after 2 NCAA appearances there is a substantial number of people in the Capital District that do not realize we play division 1 basketball. We are averaging around 3100 fans per game - it should be more - and more includes students, alums, boosters, sports fans, and those who are looking to go out for a good experience. This is the 3rd year of attendance around this level, maybe that is what the current facilities and market support.

[Patch]

i think the topic does have some connection to the regular season in review. Attendance was not bad for a "off-year". - GD06

 

How the expectations have grown 10-6 in conference which tied us for 2nd. an off year.

 

We have won the regular season once and other than that our best season was last year a 2nd place finish. and now another 2nd place.

 

Congrats to Jon, Brent and Brian for coming to a doormat program and leaving it 36-12 in conference over their last 3 seasons including this off season.

[GreatDanes06]

Many people knew it was going to be a tough year. Heck, many on this board jumped the gone in darling this season as a wash or rebuilding season. So much for that I am saying. The team had questions marks, some were answered and some were not. I consider is a great season finishing tied for 2nd.

[OrangeDane]

GD06 - I agree with some of what you say - there absolutely needs to be institutional support to create a student pathos in regards to athletic events. I use pathos and not fan base - because a fan base is exactly what you have described. Over the years there have been a number of these cycles with the students (private pound no institutional support and dane pound weak institutional support) - the only way to have continually student support is to build it through tradition - tradition will not happen quickly - Think glacial movement here. Also tradition will only begin with institutional support. I strongly disagree that the University does a great job promoting games to the public. Even after 2 NCAA appearances there is a substantial number of people in the Capital District that do not realize we play division 1 basketball. We are averaging around 3100 fans per game - it should be more - and more includes students, alums, boosters, sports fans, and those who are looking to go out for a good experience. This is the 3rd year of attendance around this level, maybe that is what the current facilities and market support.

I agree with you..the Athletic Department should put some more asset behind marketing the team to the general public...its a great value and has the potential to be a great collegiate atmoshphere that is otherwise lacking here in the CD ( I have heard RPI hockey has good atmosphere but not a hockey fan...never been there..) but...with a little more agressive marketing applied to it....the crowds can be grown...particularly for young families looking for something to do that not gonna cost them a sub-prime mortgage.....in fact the University needs to work on upgrading the overall fan experience at the games...from concessions to scoreboards to timeout contests (they have gotten better this year with the cash vault and that musical chair thing is fun at halftime...hopefully all of this will evolve positively over time...

[UAalum72]

Final (unless we get the championship game) home attendance average for this year was 3,031 which is down 144 per game from last year. Not too bad considering Bing and UVM games were when students were out, two games had moderately bad weather, and as always opponents who don't travel well.

 

I think the local support has been OK, I've seen a lot of people at SEFCU who five years ago would have gone only to those other games downtown. Student support will be what it is at this level, you need the bandwagon, and that's where all the home losses hurt. Remember we're still second in league attendance.

 

The RESULTS this year have so far been a little disappointing. We knew losing Jamar would have an effect. Lillis stepped up more than most would have hoped for, but Iati and Brent, whether from injuries or otherwise didn't put up the stats we'd expected. A little more like they had played in the past, a couple of the blown leads held instead of lost, and 18-11 looks a lot better than 15-14. Luckily it seems they're coming around at the right time, three more wins and nobody's too upset at the season.

[Clickclack]

I believe it was Dr. McCelroy who said that he is liked the community support but thought student support was weak. Looking at the numbers....I'd say he's right. There are 10K+ students at the University....we get what? maybe 400 at games? All you have to do (I know easier said then done) is get more students to come out and we can have the barn filled. Walking and driving around campus there appears to be little in terms of advertisement, I don't know if there are e-mails sent around or information available in dorms, dining halls etc. But clearly, increasing the student attendance should be a priority if we are to pack more people in.

 

3K+ is still a great number for a team in a rebuilding year. After losing arguable the best/most recognizable player to play at the school in the modern era. Also, keep in mind many of us have been frustrated to no end with this team yet we still managed to draw 3k+.

[KingDane]

My appreciation to the three seniors who have been an integral part of something we never dreamed of back in the day. I hope your Great Dane degrees take you far.

 

Call it a 'rebuilding' season if you want, but it looked to me like we've got too much talent to blow so many late leads and to lose games against some very bad teams. Perhaps, though, the ridiculous Canisius loss was the inspiration for the last two games. Our players should have to watch that game before getting on the bus to Binghamton. Chemistry may have come late, but not too late.

 

Best of luck.

[GODANESGO]

I believe it was Dr. McCelroy who said that he is liked the community support but thought student support was weak. Looking at the numbers....I'd say he's right. There are 10K+ students at the University....we get what? maybe 400 at games?

 

Not sure what game you were watching, but there were easily 700+ students just at the game last night. About 90% full on the north side and about 2/3 full on the south side. With 500 capacity on each side, that's about 750 total students..not including any students sitting on the sides. I know it'd be great to see full student capacity every game, but we're often around 3/4 full for the student sections with a handful of games per season at student capacity and lines out the door waiting for tickets 2 or 3 hours before tip-off. Look at growth over just the past 3 years and (while there's always room for more) I think we're doing ok.