Comments on: Game 2: Northeastern at Michigan Post Game

By: After the Buzzer: UCLA Escapes « Rush the Court

After the Buzzer: UCLA Escapes « Rush the Court — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:37:44 +0000

[...] against a game Miami (OH) team at home, Michigan might be poised to spring the upset.Â TheÂ UM Hoops blogÂ encourages us to dampen the hype a little, and we get that sentiment given the [...]

By: umdcbball

umdcbball — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:01:11 +0000

Gary, you bring up an interesting point about the perception of UM being just a football school. Nothing gets my blood boiling more than when I hear this. Especially from people who claim to be fans of UM! (I know you’re not saying that, Gary.) It seems to me that I’ve found myself correcting people regarding this point more and more over the last number of years.

I’m really looking forward to playing UCLA. Not necessary because I think we are going to win, but because I think we can play with them. The last time I thought we had a team that could play with big time competition was early in Tommy’s last year. Then we got killed at NCState (not big time competition), at UCLA, and at home by Georgetown (which I saw in person).

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:05:40 +0000

I am not excusing the apathy of many Michigan fans, but you have to consider the realities of early season college basketball. With 18 home games in a season ticket, only the most die-hard (and unecumbered by family and work) fan is going to make it to every one of them. The early games against mediocre opposition are the ones that suffer the most. Unfortunately, when you can’t attend one of those games, interest is so low that you also can’t give your ticket away. A better team (they are getting there!), better promotion (jury is still out on this one), better game atmosphere (some progress), and a change in the perception that Michigan is just a football school will all help. But I was a season ticket holder during the Fab Five era and remember being surprised that the place wasn’t packed every night. We can do better, but early season games will always suffer.

There is one thing fans do here which drives me crazy – the regular rush to the exits long before the game is decided. I am tempted to suggest locking the doors midway through the second half, but I know that won’t fly. Actually last night the people in front of me left at the half.

By: Giddings

Giddings — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:04:18 +0000

Benjamin, to be honest, even if last night’s game was a “U-M Fan Appreciation Night” where everyone who showed up to the door got in free, we wouldn’t even be close to filling up the Blues, let alone the Golds.

You could have walked up to the door last night, bought a Gold ticket for $5, and sat in the Blues. I’ve actually seen many occasions where the ticket scanner people at the gate have given away tickets for free if someone comes to the door and says “oops, I must have left my ticket at home”.

Ticket prices are not the issue. The issues are marketing and perception of the team.

Amazingly, I think the AD has done a decent, improved job of marketing so far this year, but they still have a long, long ways to go. Imagine how awful these first 3 games would have been if students didn’t get in free and there was no Beilein’s Bunch and there were no student incentives. The next step is taking some of these marketing ploys for students and applying them to the General Public.

Team perception appears to be headed in the right direction after taking a nosedive last year, but we will need a marquee win against either UCLA or Duke to get people in the seats for the Big Ten season.

By: Steele

Steele — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:17:03 +0000

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not excusing the fans. Better fan support would help the program in a million different ways (from recruiting to actual wins on the court) and it sucks to see Chrisler empty. It’s embarrassing when ESPN points their cameras towards the stands and NO ONE is there. I’m just saying it would happen to any program in Michigan’s situation. I’m convinced it will get better over the course of this season and next- I like the direction things are headed…

By: josh

josh — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:06:36 +0000

Its one thing if we were only half filling Crisler, but it is terrible, close to 1/4 full probably. Its sad. And dont gimme the whole well tell them to win. How about some support and backing ur team up. You don’t think that will help?

By: Dylan

Dylan — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:36:34 +0000

Don’t even get me started about the athletic departments indifference toward basketball. I guess you could say it has maybe improved a little but that is being nice.

By: November 13: The Day After « Northwestern Wins: A College Hoops Blog

November 13: The Day After « Northwestern Wins: A College Hoops Blog — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:35:28 +0000

[...] UM Hoops and Rush the Court points out that Northeastern grabbed 20 offensive rebounds last night. Where art [...]

By: Steele

Steele — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:35:07 +0000

I agree that the fan support has been pathetic, but I’m not at all surprised. I don’t think there’s a team in the country that can come off a 10-win season after a decade of underachieving (and sometimes flat-out terrible) teams and still have a full house. If the team keeps playing like it has been, fans will come back. The excitement surrounding the younger players will help with that, too. And IMO, the athletic department’s indifference towards the basketball program has only fed the fans’ indifference, but that’s also changed for the better. Everything’s heading in the right direction- just needs a little more time and a few more wins…

By: BJ

BJ — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:02:56 +0000

I was pleased with the student section turnout however. There was definitely alot less energy from the students for a game like this last year. Free Jimmy John’s before the game = GENIUS! I bought season tickets the last two seasons, but live alot further away from Crisler this year so I don’t have tickets, but I’ll definitely hit up the free games and buy a few others. Manny looks great, his dribbling has vastly improved. I really like Stu and Zack, really when we have all the right type of players for the system I think we’ll consistently be challenging for the Big Ten title (like football).