Regarding the Student Attendance

[Dane Pound]

You guys can argue this all day if you want but for the 1,000th time no personal attacks!

[DaneFan2k3]

I'm not sure where the beef is.

 

There were tons of constructive points in the posts above, especially in my posts. We gave solid ideas and brought up points that I feel need to be addressed.

 

I understand that athletes have other things to do with their time. However, so do the other students. In fact, depending on the sport and the amount of money given, they may actually have a leg up on other students. For instance, in a sport like volleyball where you most likely have a full scholarship (or close to it). The average student may be trying to study, do extracurriculars, have a social life, and then throwing down 20 hours at some food joint on the side.

 

The point of this thread is, if the athletes aren't filling the stands, Joe Average won't either. That is MY point.

 

I think that this is one of the best threads, and there are some good ideas going on here. Don't come through with trash talk needlessly. You can disagree, but come on, personal attacks, that's so 2004.

 

Also coming out of this thread: increased importance for the Little Danes Club, getting a big name game on campus, and I'm too lazy to go back and look at other ideas.

[olddog71]

I agree with many of the comments that have been posted in this thread in the last few days. I also have some areas of disagreement.

 

First, the student-athletes are like us in many ways. That means they have comfort zones, just like us. Many times during the regular season they are asked to go long distance to strange places. I think it would be unreasonable to expect them to go up to strangers on campus and try to recruit the strangers to attend games in which the athletes participate. Why should they have to go to extraordinary means to attempt that?

 

Second, when the teams, using win-loss records as the determining factor, improve, that factor alone will arouse student interest. I remember (Now this will date me.) when the men's basketball team had a 25-game home winning streak during the early 70's (over three seasons). The old gym was packed to capacity for the last few games. There were even some games during that last stretch when the tickets had all sold out. When we reach that level of success, and it could occur as early as next season, then the RACC will be much more crowded than it is. The only difference is that we will be playing two levels up at Division I. Hopefully, UAlbany students will recognize what a fine product we have in athletics and will come in large numbers to appreciate it.

 

Dane96,

 

I'm sorry that you were in the mood you found yourself at the end of yesterday's games, but I understand. There were a few games I remember from years ago where I continue to replay the last couple minutes to change the outcome. Of course, I continue to be disappointed.

 

Yes, you are correct. I did post my response to you on a different thread. I tried to do something new, and it did not work as expected.

[Patch]

The bottom line is let's support a well rounded Athletic Program (unlike Siena's).

 

Hopefully - student/athletes and students in general can somehow get excited and start showing up at the RACC as well as at other athletic venues on campus.

 

If our gym was the size of UVM's, BU's or NU's our crowd would look and sound pretty good but because the RACC holds 5,000 our crowd seems quiet and tiny.

 

It's almost as bad as Siena playing in front of 3,000 to 4,000 in the 12,000 Pepsi Canyon where the ball echos when it bounces.

 

Somehow, someway let's get 2,000+ by the end of this Hoop season and 3,000+ next year.

 

Wednesday's game versus Stony Brook should be interesting in regards to turnout.