Last season's final computer rankings of this year's non-conference home schedule: (Division I)

Texas Southern (177)
Montana State (246)
Delaware State (350) *
HBU (277)
Stephen F. Austin (41)
Northwestern State (328)

Add to that list St. Edward's and St. Thomas, and you've got something to really excite potential season ticket holders ...




* out of 351 Division I teams

(11-16-2016 10:45 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 09:10 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Again, from what we are hearing from numerous sources within the Athletic Department, they are hearing directly from numerous fans and prospective new season ticketholders that they were not purchasing MBB season tickets specifically because of the downward spiral in the football program. Shu and his ticket sales team make calls to Owl Club members and anyone who is a season ticketholder in any of the other sports....so they would have first hand knowledge of why season ticket sales are running below goals.

BTW, most fans with any knowledge of the situation understood that last year was going to be VERY difficult given the preseason injuries to both Lott (projected to be a starter) and Jackson (selected preseason first team all-conference), and the reality that we had only 3 returning players on the roster.

1. It is much easier to be "principled" regarding a perceived football program issue when the basketball team has gone 12-20 and 12-20. Are you really giving up anything when you are foregoing a team with a 37.5 "winning" percentage?

2. You are assuming that the alumni being contacted are as intimately aware as you are, of the basketball personnel. I don't see that as a reasonable assumption, and hence, don't believe that they feel any sacrifice in not buying tickets.

3. Unless you give specific details, however, I cannot accept your third-hand reports as being trustworthy, any more than your reckless claim (again, without sourcing) that the Athletic Director was told last year (by ???) not to make a change in the football program.

1. I'm not going to break confidentiality by giving specifics and, you of all people, should know better than that.

2. My info is first hand; not third hand. I have heard this info re. disappointing MBB ticket sales from multiple people within the Athletic Department-- all unsolcited.

3. Reckless? Again, I have first hand knowledge of what transpired last year with regards to Bailiff not being dismissed. Yes, it's from just one source, but one who would be in a position to know...and, no, I'm not going to disclose who that source was.

(11-16-2016 11:03 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  1. I'm not going to break confidentiality by giving specifics and, you of all people, should know better than that.

2. My info is first hand; not third hand. I have heard this info re. disappointing MBB ticket sales from multiple people within the Athletic Department-- all unsolcited.

3. Reckless? Again, I have first hand knowledge of what transpired last year with regards to Bailiff not being dismissed. Yes, it's from just one source, but one who would be in a position to know...and, no, I'm not going to disclose who that source was.

While I would not want you to disclose your first-hand source, is it possible to let us know if the same hands are tied currently with respect to Bailiff's ability to be dismissed after the season?

(11-16-2016 11:18 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 11:03 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  1. I'm not going to break confidentiality by giving specifics and, you of all people, should know better than that.

2. My info is first hand; not third hand. I have heard this info re. disappointing MBB ticket sales from multiple people within the Athletic Department-- all unsolcited.

3. Reckless? Again, I have first hand knowledge of what transpired last year with regards to Bailiff not being dismissed. Yes, it's from just one source, but one who would be in a position to know...and, no, I'm not going to disclose who that source was.

While I would not want you to disclose your first-hand source, is it possible to let us know if the same hands are tied currently with respect to Bailiff's ability to be dismissed after the season?

All I know is that, based on the information I received last January, while JK's hands were tied last season, he did lay the ground work for this season to be do or die for DB. Without any knowledge into the current situation, I agree with those who believe the decision has already been made, and all parties are already aware of that decision.

(11-16-2016 10:46 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(11-15-2016 09:08 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  http://www.ricethresher.org/article/2016...son-opener

I expect to see a good student turnout tomorrow night. Alum/fan turnout not as much.

Back in the Jungle Gym days, when the Blue Curtain was around, the students sat on the side below the band behind the opponent's bench. As Scott Thompson's teams got better, the student turnout increased dramatically. Several games the opponents had to move timeout meetings and chairs to mid-court to escape the raucous fans noise and enthusiasm.

Q: If student turnout rises significantly, are there provisions for letting them sit anywhere other than the one new section behind the goal? especially if there are sideline seas not being sold/used I would think it'd be better to have more students spread around, at least for a while.

It was filled for the Memphis game in 07? They let students (mostly athletes) spill over into the upper deck usually. I've never seen Tudor full.

Hopefully it will change this year but it has always annoyed me that the athletes mostly sit away from the other students and look like they are forced to watch the game. Maybe once we have a bigger student section they won't had anywhere to sit down.

(11-16-2016 11:26 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 11:18 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 11:03 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  1. I'm not going to break confidentiality by giving specifics and, you of all people, should know better than that.

2. My info is first hand; not third hand. I have heard this info re. disappointing MBB ticket sales from multiple people within the Athletic Department-- all unsolcited.

3. Reckless? Again, I have first hand knowledge of what transpired last year with regards to Bailiff not being dismissed. Yes, it's from just one source, but one who would be in a position to know...and, no, I'm not going to disclose who that source was.

While I would not want you to disclose your first-hand source, is it possible to let us know if the same hands are tied currently with respect to Bailiff's ability to be dismissed after the season?

All I know is that, based on the information I received last January, while JK's hands were tied last season, he did lay the ground work for this season to be do or die for DB. Without any knowledge into the current situation, I agree with those who believe the decision has already been made, and all parties are already aware of that decision.

Thank you, Walt.

No doubt that the MBSKB record the last two years was not particularly good.
However, anyone with an understanding of the situation and having attended games over the past 5+ years would consider those results to be extremely encouraging. Last year was the first year since 2012 that the team did not have walkon's or FB players with significant playing time and the best returner (Jackson) and a highly thought of recruit (Lott) missed the entire season. The two years prior to Coach Rhoades were probably the worse since Bob Polk's teams in the mid-70's and most games were not even competitive (including losses to St Thomas and HBU).

To have an expectation that Rhoades would be able to come in, instantly win 20 games and go to a tournament would have been past ridiculous. Frankly, what they were able to accomplish was pretty incredible and the team was competitive in just about every game, even as shorthanded as they were.

This year will be a whole nother story..........

(11-16-2016 11:54 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 10:46 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Back in the Jungle Gym days, when the Blue Curtain was around, the students sat on the side below the band behind the opponent's bench. As Scott Thompson's teams got better, the student turnout increased dramatically. Several games the opponents had to move timeout meetings and chairs to mid-court to escape the raucous fans noise and enthusiasm.

Q: If student turnout rises significantly, are there provisions for letting them sit anywhere other than the one new section behind the goal? especially if there are sideline seas not being sold/used I would think it'd be better to have more students spread around, at least for a while.

It was filled for the Memphis game in 07? They let students (mostly athletes) spill over into the upper deck usually. I've never seen Tudor full.

Hopefully it will change this year but it has always annoyed me that the athletes mostly sit away from the other students and look like they are forced to watch the game. Maybe once we have a bigger student section they won't had anywhere to sit down.

It is a pretty neat thing. Quite different than the elementary school student thing they've been doing, too, although I like the idea of that game as well. I specifically remember the record crowd sellout for the Rice-Texas game which was the first one televised on ESPN from Rice. Rice won, and my friend form UT I went with gave us great compliments on enjoying that game and atmosphere despite his team's loss. There were also many games in the last 80's that, while not complete sell-out crowds, sure felt like it, especially with the bleacher seating and the heat from no air conditioning. I'm glad I got to be a part of that.

(11-16-2016 11:26 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 11:18 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(11-16-2016 11:03 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  1. I'm not going to break confidentiality by giving specifics and, you of all people, should know better than that.

2. My info is first hand; not third hand. I have heard this info re. disappointing MBB ticket sales from multiple people within the Athletic Department-- all unsolcited.

3. Reckless? Again, I have first hand knowledge of what transpired last year with regards to Bailiff not being dismissed. Yes, it's from just one source, but one who would be in a position to know...and, no, I'm not going to disclose who that source was.

While I would not want you to disclose your first-hand source, is it possible to let us know if the same hands are tied currently with respect to Bailiff's ability to be dismissed after the season?

All I know is that, based on the information I received last January, while JK's hands were tied last season, he did lay the ground work for this season to be do or die for DB. Without any knowledge into the current situation, I agree with those who believe the decision has already been made, and all parties are already aware of that decision.

I don't think it is that far fetched, at all, to think that some Owl Club members or season ticket holders in other sports are refusing buy tickets for MBB as a form of protest for what is happening in football. Shu and the folks in the sales department did a FANTASTIC job selling season tickets in football to a lot of new people. It is no surprise that our season ticket base grew this year as compared to last. But those sales were based on an implicit trust that things were going to change this year in football, that we would be competitive, it would look good on our resume for conference realignment and that we would be in bowl contention. For the most part, that hasn't happened. So, if the sales department then goes and calls those people - especially those who purchased season tickets in football for the first time - and are asked to do the same for basketball, people will understandably be wary, fed up and probably even a little hurt. At its most basic level, people wanting to effectuate change in the football program hope that this hesitance to buy season tickets in basketball catches the attention of the AD, and a change in football is made. I believe, Walt, your anecdotal evidence points to a lot of this being true. Not everyone can be a high dollar booster, but can choose to voice their opinion in their own way. Is it fair to the basketball team? Absolutely not. Is it the right way to get things done? Who's to say. We can only hope for a tremendous basketball season to increase gameday and mini season package sales as the season wears on.

(11-16-2016 11:03 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Last season's final computer rankings of this year's non-conference home schedule: (Division I)

Texas Southern (177)
Montana State (246)
Delaware State (350) *
HBU (277)
Stephen F. Austin (41)
Northwestern State (328)

Add to that list St. Edward's and St. Thomas, and you've got something to really excite potential season ticket holders ...

* out of 351 Division I teams

Bingo. May be 10 people in Owl Club protesting b/c of FB but reality is that #"s are short of expectations b/c who wants to pay $ for season tix to see this schedule plus directional C-USA teams when you get the same seats on a per game basis and keep your optionality/availability?

You need legit game(s) such as Texas, A&M, LSU, etc. to get some real interest in season tix and student attendance. Jungle Gym was at it best when the Memphis, Texas, etc. teams were at Autry vs. Delaware St.

Athletics Dept hope has to be that good record and post season opportunities make later season tix sales solid for C-USA schedule as team has a bandwagon for fans to jump on in Feb. But until people see that this MBB team is for real, who is going to fork out lots of dough to see Montana St, Northwestern St, etc.? People going to be on sidelines with a wait and see.

(11-16-2016 11:26 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  All I know is that, based on the information I received last January, while JK's hands were tied last season, he did lay the ground work for this season to be do or die for DB. Without any knowledge into the current situation, I agree with those who believe the decision has already been made, and all parties are already aware of that decision.

If this year truly was do or die for DB, well, he died.

Then stay on the sidelines. We are offering a chance at good FREE tickets to see if the MBB is "real" or beginning to be "real". That was the idea behind the Club 103 offer.