Dont Read if You Support Having a Lame Crowd at the Barn.

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andy

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Another nationally televised game, another morgue-like atmosphere at Williams Arena. What else is new?

Rodney and Hoff on those last two possessions tried their best to get some crowd response, and half the lower level didn't even stand up.

Disgusting.
 

Maybe they were doing an impression of Ralph?
 


panndder said:
Winter Break.
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The students are only in one relatively small section of the arena. Needless to say, they were all up on their feet and making noise every time the camera was on them.
 

andy said:
The students are only in one relatively small section of the arena. Needless to say, they were all up on their feet and making noise every time the camera was on them.
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You'd not going to get the old faithful along the sides to be too loud or excited.
 


andy said:
Another nationally televised game, another morgue-like atmosphere at Williams Arena. What else is new?

Rodney and Hoff on those last two possessions tried their best to get some crowd response, and half the lower level didn't even stand up.

Disgusting.
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The Minnesota Oldies, beyond being a paying members of the crowd, might as well pay the U their money and then stay home and watch the games at home on their couches. This is nothing new, it's been the same way at Williams and at the Dome since I was there in the mid-90s. They don't move and don't make a sound. Well, they groan at the refs every once in a blue moon, and they often grumble and bitch at fans who actually do make noise and move around.
 

cncmin said:
The Minnesota Oldies, beyond being a paying members of the crowd, might as well pay the U their money and then stay home and watch the games at home on their couches. This is nothing new, it's been the same way at Williams and at the Dome since I was there in the mid-90s. They don't move and don't make a sound. Well, they groan at the refs every once in a blue moon, and they often grumble and bitch at fans who actually do make noise and move around.
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I agree completely.

I also believe it is detrimental to developing a better basketball program, both by lending a way-lamer experience to new fans when they choose to come to games, and also by presenting a piss-poor image to potential recruits who watch on TV or attend games. If I was a recruit, I would be comparatively blown away by watching a game at the Breslin Center or the Kohl Center.

Oh wait, I'm sorry, those old folks "pay Tubby's salary". I take back everything I just said. :rolleyes:
 

andy said:
I agree completely.

I also believe it is detrimental to developing a better basketball program, both by lending a way-lamer experience to new fans when they choose to come to games, and also by presenting a piss-poor image to potential recruits who watch on TV or attend games. If I was a recruit, I would be comparatively blown away by watching a game at the Breslin Center or the Kohl Center.

Oh wait, I'm sorry, those old folks "pay Tubby's salary". I take back everything I just said. :rolleyes:
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Yes, it's embarrassing when you compare the atmospheres at Minnesota sporting events to, say, that of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Purdue, Penn State (football)...

I've long argued that the fact that Minnesota people comparatively fail to support their sports teams (except for the Vikings), and the fact that Minnesota people put up with blowhard tools writing Minnesota sports commentaries (Reusse, Barriero, Sansevere, etc.) that Minnesota sports is negatively affected by its own apathetic fan base. The catch-22 is that the fanbase assists to keep Minnesota sports mediocre, yet the resulting mediocrity also assists to keep the fanbase away, particularly the younger sports fans. So, Minnesota sports is left with a bunch of wealthy old seat huggers as a gameday fanbase.

Now, I should clarify that this is certainly not true of every Minnesota sports fan, nor is it true of every older Minnesota sports fan. But the unfortunate truth is that, compared to other fanbases, the Minnesota fanbase is older and much quieter. And it showed tonight on ESPN2.
 

cncmin said:
Yes, it's embarrassing when you compare the atmospheres at Minnesota sporting events to, say, that of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Purdue, Penn State (football)...

I've long argued that the fact that Minnesota people comparatively fail to support their sports teams (except for the Vikings), and the fact that Minnesota people put up with blowhard tools writing Minnesota sports commentaries (Reusse, Barriero, Sansevere, etc.) that Minnesota sports is negatively affected by its own apathetic fan base. The catch-22 is that the fanbase assists to keep Minnesota sports mediocre, yet the resulting mediocrity also assists to keep the fanbase away, particularly the younger sports fans. So, Minnesota sports is left with a bunch of wealthy old seat huggers as a gameday fanbase.

Now, I should clarify that this is certainly not true of every Minnesota sports fan, nor is it true of every older Minnesota sports fan. But the unfortunate truth is that, compared to other fanbases, the Minnesota fanbase is older and much quieter. And it showed tonight on ESPN2.
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I take it you have never been to a Gopher/Iowa games at Carver Hawkeye Arena? It is the most lifeless "rivalry" atmosphere you will ever experience, or at least it has been over the last 10 years or so. Tonight they are playing the #2 team in the nation and half of the seats shown on TV are empty.

Go Gophers!!
 



You may be right, but no school should be judged on their crowd over a long break.

It would have been tough to be lamer than the crowd at Crisler Arena when I was there for the Purdue game last week.
 

andy said:
Another nationally televised game, another morgue-like atmosphere at Williams Arena. What else is new? ... Disgusting.
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The student section and the team were right with the rest of the crowd in the first half, sorry to say. That was a lifeless team effort and the crowd reflected that. I thought I saw RS3 snoozing on the court at one point.

The garbage with Joseph took the life out of everyone. Thank you to Al Nolen for bringing it right away in the second half.
 

andy said:
Another nationally televised game, another morgue-like atmosphere at Williams Arena. What else is new?

Rodney and Hoff on those last two possessions tried their best to get some crowd response, and half the lower level didn't even stand up.

Disgusting.
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Lame crowd? Sorry- but it was a lame effort in the first half. Players need to give some effort to get the crowd going- I think that's a prerequisite. In the second half the effort was better and the crowd was great. I was there and am hoarse at the moment.
 

The noise of the crowd is directly proportional to the excitement of the play

When the Gophers played at an exciting level, the crowd was on their feet cheering loudly. When the Gophers were sleepwalking, the crowd dozed, too. Hard to get excited about a mediocre effort. Now, of course, I'm one of the old farts cncmin like to get rid of. This is my 34th year of ponying up the cash for season tickets. If you want the young bucks to have them, then you need to find a way for them pay up. I have invested literally tens of thousands of dollars in Gopher basketball over the years, have stuck with them through thick and thin, and care deeply about the team (my wife would say too deeply). So thanks for the insults!

What's killing the joy and the noise are all the seats that carry a high premium price and are owned by corporate interests that have no personal interest in Gopher basketball -- just an interest in impressing clients or rewarding the high sales people. Ho-hum is all we get from those people. Assign seats only to people and get rid of extra required donations to get the good seats. That'll do more than euthanizing us feeble oldsters.
 



Section 201

Section 201 was pretty loud until late in the game. I was surrounded by red IU folks and a couple even had the red and white clown pants on.

They got quiet towards the end thankfully.
 

bigkahunaiii said:
When the Gophers played at an exciting level, the crowd was on their feet cheering loudly. When the Gophers were sleepwalking, the crowd dozed, too. Hard to get excited about a mediocre effort. Now, of course, I'm one of the old farts cncmin like to get rid of. This is my 34th year of ponying up the cash for season tickets. If you want the young bucks to have them, then you need to find a way for them pay up. I have invested literally tens of thousands of dollars in Gopher basketball over the years, have stuck with them through thick and thin, and care deeply about the team (my wife would say too deeply). So thanks for the insults!
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Glad you are still "stoked" about Gopher Hoops Kiahunaiii!
 

exactly

bigkahunaiii said:
When the Gophers played at an exciting level, the crowd was on their feet cheering loudly. When the Gophers were sleepwalking, the crowd dozed, too. Hard to get excited about a mediocre effort. Now, of course, I'm one of the old farts cncmin like to get rid of. This is my 34th year of ponying up the cash for season tickets. If you want the young bucks to have them, then you need to find a way for them pay up. I have invested literally tens of thousands of dollars in Gopher basketball over the years, have stuck with them through thick and thin, and care deeply about the team (my wife would say too deeply). So thanks for the insults!

What's killing the joy and the noise are all the seats that carry a high premium price and are owned by corporate interests that have no personal interest in Gopher basketball -- just an interest in impressing clients or rewarding the high sales people. Ho-hum is all we get from those people. Assign seats only to people and get rid of extra required donations to get the good seats. That'll do more than euthanizing us feeble oldsters.
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I for one am not embarrassed that no one jumps up and down here for 2 hours. The crowd responded to good play.
And bigk is exactly right - the corporate seats are the real drag and the U would love to have more of them.
 

BLAH BLAH BLAH ...

... BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. BLAH BLAH BLAH...

I like the idea of making Williams Arena general admission everywhere. Then the real fans who can get to the games two hours early could get the good seats and show the nation how rabid and raucous we are at Minnesota. Isn't that what it's really all about. What the nation perceives us to be.

Another nationally televised game, another morgue-like atmosphere at Williams Arena. What else is new?
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...they often grumble and bitch at fans who actually do make noise and move around.
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Cliche' ...I've never seen it and I doubt it happens very often.


I could say "Minnesota has one of the most fickle student sections in the Big Ten" and it would be hard to argue with that. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH...
 


I don't know what everyone's criteria for an awesome atmosphere is. I just got done watching Iowa play the number two team in the country in their half empty arena. I drove down to Madison last week and the Gopher fans at Kohl Center were louder than the Badgers unless Leuer had just hit a three.
Penn State and Michigan play in front of empty arenas regularly. Ohio State's arena is too big for the number of fans they have. Northwestern generally has a good atmosphere for conference games because half the crowd is there to see the visiting team. The other schools generally play in front of good crowds, but if you think Assembly Hall or the Breslin Center would've been louder than Williams in the first half of today's game I really think you need to watch more basketball.
 

I thought that i was going to enjoy 5th row seats, but I was yelled at for standing during a defensive possession with 30 seconds left. What were we up by at that point, 5 pts??? I was shocked by how many people didn't stand up around me during big plays. Very jealous of the other side of the stadium.
 

gall0249 said:
I thought that i was going to enjoy 5th row seats, but I was yelled at for standing during a defensive possession with 30 seconds left. What were we up by at that point, 5 pts??? I was shocked by how many people didn't stand up around me during big plays. Very jealous of the other side of the stadium.
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Thank you!

I'm a student, but am home in Massachusetts for winter break... You're probably the only one who stood, right? KEEP STANDING ... maybe others will follow.

I definitely think that the students stop cheering every play because NOTHING catches on with the old farts who seem to think they're attending a ballet or an opera. ALL of the noise emanates from the students.
 



The crowd came across terribly tonight on TV. That said, the announcers mentioned multiple times that Indiana was outhustling or outworking the Gophers and Dakich specifically pointed out several Gophers (Nolen and Sampson) for disinterested/lackadaisical play in the 2nd half. In fact, Dakich mentioned poor effort from Sampson on multiple occasions. I think some criticism of the crowd is warranted, but when announcers are willing to call out a team for lack of effort, I think it shows that the team wasn't giving the fans any reason to be loud.
 

bigkahunaiii said:
When the Gophers played at an exciting level, the crowd was on their feet cheering loudly.
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SOME people were on their feet cheering loudly, yes. But close to half of the lower level visible on the television screen did not stand up even following Rodney Williams' dunk! It was almost unbelievable to watch.

bigkahunaiii said:
What's killing the joy and the noise are all the seats that carry a high premium price and are owned by corporate interests that have no personal interest in Gopher basketball -- just an interest in impressing clients or rewarding the high sales people. Ho-hum is all we get from those people. Assign seats only to people and get rid of extra required donations to get the good seats. That'll do more than euthanizing us feeble oldsters.
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I agree completely! The best seats I ever got to a Gopher game came from a friend of friend who worked at Best Buy, (I think). There were 8 of us, and I was the only Gopher fan. At that time I was living in the Twin Cities and I scratched and clawed to go to as many games as I could, and here I was in row 6 or 7, screaming my head off next to these very polite, sitting-down people who were at the game purely as a diversion from whatever they normally did on a Wednesday night. It was akward.

bga1 said:
In the second half the effort was better and the crowd was great. I was there and am hoarse at the moment.
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I think it's cool that you were really into it, supporting the squad. I can only say that from the look of it, and the sound of it, the crowd was NOT great in the second half. Some parts of the crowd tried to be, no doubt, but it's like pulling teeth to get hand-sitters out of their chairs.

A lot of people have suggested that the crowd was listless because the team was listless. That is likely the case, but it's a two-way street. Teams also feed off of a raucous crowd. The energy and enthusiasm ought to flow both directions, except at Williams Arena much of the crowd seems to be collectively thinking "what are you doing for ME? why should I cheer?" I've been to dozens of games there, so I'm not basing this solely on television watching.
 

Cosmo Kramer said:
i was at the game and i thought the crowd was pretty good tonight
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Crowd was terrible. If you thought that was a good crowd last night, go to a game at Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State or Wisconsin. Now THAT'S a homecourt edge. Ruesse put it well the other day when he talked about the old IU crowd feeling "entitled" to every call. It is that way at Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois and Michigan State now. It creates a proactive/hostile environment, not a reactive/passive environment. The Barn was great with Clem stoking the fires and emotions back in the day. But, last night was a terrible crowd comparitively speaking with other Big Ten venues of teams that contend for league titles.


GILBball said:
I drove down to Madison last week and the Gopher fans at Kohl Center were louder than the Badgers unless Leuer had just hit a three.
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I was in Madison, too, and I would strongly, strongly disagree with you. The Madison crowd was hostile. Our crowd last night was not. When Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Illinois are in Williams, we will need a better crowd.
 

I got my balls cut off here for making this very point during the game vs. Virginia, in which 1/3 of the lower deck was empty until 10 minutes into the 1st half. Attendance was better for this one, although there is no difference between most of those lower deck "fans" (attendees) and an empty chair in terms of noise production. I guess they are getting better about driving in faster from the western suburbs and getting their childcare obligations taken care of in order to get there by 6:00 (no small feat as was pounded into me).
 

"The garbage with Joseph took the life out of everyone. Thank you to Al Nolen for bringing it right away in the second half."

My thoughts exactly. Along with the early start and the students being on break, the crowd last night was a reflection of Gopher fans (and the players for that matter) growing a little weary of all the drama off the court. At some juncture that stuff hits a boiling point, and I think we got there last night. I don't blame the crowd (I was one of 'em) for being slow to the trigger last night. It's not like in the first half the Gophers were particularly inspiring vs. a mediocre-to-bad Indiana team.

In the second half, Al played like a senior who wasn't going to let this season go south. Other guys stepped up in the second half as well (most notably Rodney), but I thought Al "willed" the Gophers to a much-needed win last night. And the crowd, not surprisingly, obliged because of the much more inspired effort in the final 20 minutes.
 

andy said:
I've been to dozens of games there, so I'm not basing this solely on television watching.
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Since I'm dumb enough to have read this thread so far, I just have to comment.

Um ... you're watching on TV but are bitching and making generalizations about the people who were actually there? Pretty amazing even if you're sitting in rural Mongolia with no way to get to the game.

I sat on my ass the first half because nothing I saw on the court warranted my getting excited. I and the people around me got up numerous times in the second half and were basically standing the last several minutes of the game. We're far from the student section. When the Gophers become a force in the Big Ten, then the crowd will also. It's not the chicken or the egg type of argument. Fake excitement mugging for ther camera ain't going to do it. The atmosphere and the crowd was fine in the second half. Trust me, I was there.
 

I am with Selection. Fan base is growing weary of the drama off the court. Players and fans are human and people can only put up with so much. While we probably don't get any more of that stuff than most places, we also have little to margin for error. It affects fans and players and it showed last night. Hopefully, we all get over it quickly.

At tip, if the arena was more than a third full, that would be generous. These early starts suck the life out of the home crowd almost anywhere and actually give an advantage to the visitors. I was impressed that by midway through the first half the arena was about full. They at least came to the game.

With all of the moaning, Minnesota is the land of front runners. Most of us here are not, but relatively few people pay attention to a program that is not perceived to be on top. The loyal base needs to live with that. I would love a little more zip in the crowd to help the team, but I can live without the buzzing of Breslin or the righteous "we invented the game" attitude of Kohl. Our crowd is not perfect, but it isn't bottom of the barrel either.
 

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