Great comments on KJ! What a great perspective.

(03-03-2017 08:11 PM)payday Wrote:  Great comments on KJ! What a great perspective.

x2 Loved these quotes below.

On what the seniors have meant to the program:
“I see it two different ways with Troy and Kevin. I think Troy shouldered a lot of responsibility for three years with the ball in his hands to win us games. When he was younger, he had to do it really before he was ready. When he was a sophomore, we asked him to do things he wasn’t ready to do. Again, he is not me. He is not Teflon. He probably reads. He had some tough endings to some games, but he kept going and pushed through it and look at where he is now. I don’t know where he stands in regards to wins as far as Bearcats (Top 10)… Top 10. The only time I had heard that was he asked the question wanting to know who won the most games as a player.

“Kevin is different. In my world, the way I look at sports, we would have been dead without his toughness. SK (Sean Kilpatrick), Justin (Jackson) and Titus (Rubles), when they graduated, we needed Kevin’s toughness. I think coaches say that and fans just move on. They don’t even pay attention. But, I can promise you that anybody that has coached team sports at any level knows what I am talking about. Kevin Johnson is a tremendous competitor.

That game was a close. At a timeout, I said we had to start playing harder on defense and taking Houston out of their rhythm. We came out of that timeout and he gets a steal and a layup. That has gone on his whole career. You don’t teach stuff like that. You don’t. As a coach, you try to teach that competitive fire that Kevin has, but you can’t. I promise you that you can’t. You will lose your mind trying to do it to be honest with you. He is an unbelievable competitor. In my mind, if he decided to go join Luke Fickell’s (football) team, he would be his best wide receiver next year. He would go over the middle and catch balls and he wouldn’t be scared at all. That is just who he is. You have to have guys like that. Rashad Bishop was that way. JaQuon Parker was that way. SK, Justin, Bobby Brannen were that way. You know that if you get in a dogfight, he is not backing down. What happens is it makes everyone around you a little bit tougher. Everybody would talk about Troy, but, in my world, stats can be overrated. To me, they are equal in what they have done for us.”

(03-03-2017 09:20 PM)SeniorBearcat Wrote:  

(03-03-2017 08:11 PM)payday Wrote:  Great comments on KJ! What a great perspective.

x2 Loved these quotes below.

On what the seniors have meant to the program:
“I see it two different ways with Troy and Kevin. I think Troy shouldered a lot of responsibility for three years with the ball in his hands to win us games. When he was younger, he had to do it really before he was ready. When he was a sophomore, we asked him to do things he wasn’t ready to do. Again, he is not me. He is not Teflon. He probably reads. He had some tough endings to some games, but he kept going and pushed through it and look at where he is now. I don’t know where he stands in regards to wins as far as Bearcats (Top 10)… Top 10. The only time I had heard that was he asked the question wanting to know who won the most games as a player.

“Kevin is different. In my world, the way I look at sports, we would have been dead without his toughness. SK (Sean Kilpatrick), Justin (Jackson) and Titus (Rubles), when they graduated, we needed Kevin’s toughness. I think coaches say that and fans just move on. They don’t even pay attention. But, I can promise you that anybody that has coached team sports at any level knows what I am talking about. Kevin Johnson is a tremendous competitor.

That game was a close. At a timeout, I said we had to start playing harder on defense and taking Houston out of their rhythm. We came out of that timeout and he gets a steal and a layup. That has gone on his whole career. You don’t teach stuff like that. You don’t. As a coach, you try to teach that competitive fire that Kevin has, but you can’t. I promise you that you can’t. You will lose your mind trying to do it to be honest with you. He is an unbelievable competitor. In my mind, if he decided to go join Luke Fickell’s (football) team, he would be his best wide receiver next year. He would go over the middle and catch balls and he wouldn’t be scared at all. That is just who he is. You have to have guys like that. Rashad Bishop was that way. JaQuon Parker was that way. SK, Justin, Bobby Brannen were that way. You know that if you get in a dogfight, he is not backing down. What happens is it makes everyone around you a little bit tougher. Everybody would talk about Troy, but, in my world, stats can be overrated. To me, they are equal in what they have done for us.”

x3 for the transcription effort!

Love KJ in the game....toughness, defense, leadershp and he's hitting 3's at a good clip right now. We NEED him for a run in March.

Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

Mick keeps taking jabs at troy. Lol, he basically called him a soft book worm.

(03-06-2017 07:16 AM)bulldog23 Wrote:  Mick keeps taking jabs at troy. Lol, he basically called him a soft book worm.

what's your deal? Troy steal your lunch money and take your girlfriend?

(03-06-2017 06:35 AM)Fubar Wrote:  Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

I'm pretty sure those seats are sold. I know some people who have season tickets in those areas, but only attend games against big named opponents.
They look at it as a donation made to the university. It will get worse after the building is rehabbed because they'll just stand around at the top of the concourse instead of sitting in their seats.

(03-06-2017 07:30 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 06:35 AM)Fubar Wrote:  Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

I'm pretty sure those seats are sold. I know some people who have season tickets in those areas, but only attend games against big named opponents.
They look at it as a donation made to the university. It will get worse after the building is rehabbed because they'll just stand around at the top of the concourse instead of sitting in their seats.

This. I only saw the two guys next to me for the XU and UConn games all season. Both guys are in their 70s and the one guy was telling me how he had a hard time sitting because of knee replacement surgery.

Funny story: At the XU game they left with 5 minutes left in the game-- I actually said to them "Seriously?". The knee guy sort of chuckled and shrugged and said his buddy was ready to go.

(03-06-2017 09:55 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 07:30 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 06:35 AM)Fubar Wrote:  Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

I'm pretty sure those seats are sold. I know some people who have season tickets in those areas, but only attend games against big named opponents.
They look at it as a donation made to the university. It will get worse after the building is rehabbed because they'll just stand around at the top of the concourse instead of sitting in their seats.

This. I only saw the two guys next to me for the XU and UConn games all season. Both guys are in their 70s and the one guy was telling me how he had a hard time sitting because of knee replacement surgery.

Funny story: At the XU game they left with 5 minutes left in the game-- I actually said to them "Seriously?". The knee guy sort of chuckled and shrugged and said his buddy was ready to go.

I don't believe this problem is limited to UC. I see large numbers of empty premium seats during televised games in many P5 venues too. What should be of concern to athletic departments is the aging of their bases of season ticket holders. It may well represent a generational change in interests and spending priorities from the Boomers.

(03-06-2017 10:38 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 09:55 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 07:30 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 06:35 AM)Fubar Wrote:  Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

I'm pretty sure those seats are sold. I know some people who have season tickets in those areas, but only attend games against big named opponents.
They look at it as a donation made to the university. It will get worse after the building is rehabbed because they'll just stand around at the top of the concourse instead of sitting in their seats.

This. I only saw the two guys next to me for the XU and UConn games all season. Both guys are in their 70s and the one guy was telling me how he had a hard time sitting because of knee replacement surgery.

Funny story: At the XU game they left with 5 minutes left in the game-- I actually said to them "Seriously?". The knee guy sort of chuckled and shrugged and said his buddy was ready to go.

I don't believe this problem is limited to UC. I see large numbers of empty premium seats during televised games in many P5 venues too. What should be of concern to athletic departments is the aging of their bases of season ticket holders. It may well represent a generational change in interests and spending priorities from the Boomers.

No question. There were a lot of games this year where the student section was disappointing. As you indicated it is a generational change in interests. Not sure if there is anything UC can do about it, as the issue is much larger than a local one. This is probably one of the reasons why we are reducing seating capacity.

(03-06-2017 10:44 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 10:38 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 09:55 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 07:30 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 06:35 AM)Fubar Wrote:  Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

I'm pretty sure those seats are sold. I know some people who have season tickets in those areas, but only attend games against big named opponents.
They look at it as a donation made to the university. It will get worse after the building is rehabbed because they'll just stand around at the top of the concourse instead of sitting in their seats.

This. I only saw the two guys next to me for the XU and UConn games all season. Both guys are in their 70s and the one guy was telling me how he had a hard time sitting because of knee replacement surgery.

Funny story: At the XU game they left with 5 minutes left in the game-- I actually said to them "Seriously?". The knee guy sort of chuckled and shrugged and said his buddy was ready to go.

I don't believe this problem is limited to UC. I see large numbers of empty premium seats during televised games in many P5 venues too. What should be of concern to athletic departments is the aging of their bases of season ticket holders. It may well represent a generational change in interests and spending priorities from the Boomers.

No question. There were a lot of games this year where the student section was disappointing. As you indicated it is a generational change in interests. Not sure if there is anything UC can do about it, as the issue is much larger than a local one. This is probably one of the reasons why we are reducing seating capacity.

Yep. All the big games are televised, and it's a lot easier to sit in front of the 65" curved HD with Surround Sound with unlimited food and beverage within a few steps than it is to hike to a college event.

As someone who a is former basketball season ticket holder, and someone who is giving up his football tickets for the first time in about 10 years, I'm a boomer who has shifted priorities. I've been on the fence about college sports in general. UC - like many other schools - is now locked in a "permanent" disadvantaged position while trying to keep up with the P5.

I'll save money by donating my UCATS money to the education side and still support the University.

Rich dudes who aren't diehards but who are enough of fans to buy lower level season tix will go to games either when it's perfectly convenient for them or when it's THE thing to do. UC has little control over convenience for a particular person with lots of competing interests, but it has some control in making UC games marquee events. And UC has made a lot of progress already on that front. To ratchet that up, they need to win big in the tournament, figure out how to get top teams to come to Clifton, and/or recruit a stud 1st round NBA talent. In any case, as long as the tickets are sold, it's not that big a deal whether the seats are always filled.

(03-06-2017 07:30 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 06:35 AM)Fubar Wrote:  Here would be my only complaint. Took this picture well into the game. Stands were full to the corners up top. I just wish we could figure out how to both sell and use the seats in the lower stands. They never seem to fill out.

http://i.imgur.com/zPnAXvB.jpg

I'm pretty sure those seats are sold. I know some people who have season tickets in those areas, but only attend games against big named opponents.
They look at it as a donation made to the university. It will get worse after the building is rehabbed because they'll just stand around at the top of the concourse instead of sitting in their seats.

I'm sure every one of those seats is sold. And this was a big game. I think when Mike Thomas dicked up the policies for that area a lot of individuals left and corporations bought, but they can't get them used. Frustrating

It'll look better after renovation since there will be more lower level seating more of those will go to individuals who want to use them. Some of those empty seats will probably be companies that buy the new luxury seating.

(03-06-2017 10:44 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  No question. There were a lot of games this year where the student section was disappointing. As you indicated it is a generational change in interests. Not sure if there is anything UC can do about it, as the issue is much larger than a local one. This is probably one of the reasons why we are reducing seating capacity.

Though, when looking at the student section, remember that they always crowd together at the lower central seats in greater numbers than the official number of seats. Some (not all) of the holes in the rest of the student section result from that.

Though there were a bunch missing from the Tulsa game. Was told be several students that that bought a pack of tickets for three or more games, but they didn't get themselves out of bed in time for a Saturday noon game against a bad team they didn't care about.

(03-06-2017 01:00 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(03-06-2017 10:44 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  No question. There were a lot of games this year where the student section was disappointing. As you indicated it is a generational change in interests. Not sure if there is anything UC can do about it, as the issue is much larger than a local one. This is probably one of the reasons why we are reducing seating capacity.

Though, when looking at the student section, remember that they always crowd together at the lower central seats in greater numbers than the official number of seats. Some (not all) of the holes in the rest of the student section result from that.

Though there were a bunch missing from the Tulsa game. Was told be several students that that bought a pack of tickets for three or more games, but they didn't get themselves out of bed in time for a Saturday noon game against a bad team they didn't care about.

That's why the policy for basketball student tickets needs to be changed. Right now, it goes by month. You go at the start of the month, you get the months worth of games. (4-6 normally). I used all but one since the start of the semester (and gave that ticket to someone who'd use it), but there are many students who don't do that and just hold on to them and don't go. Maybe limit it to packs of 2 games, at least then, if students don't show up, its for one game, not many

They should use the same system they used for X priority. If the students want to attend the big games then earn "Ruckus Rewards" by going to the Brown/Tulane games. Definitely should implement it next year to get students to attend @NKU in order to get seats in '18.