The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Quote:1. Cleveland thinks of itself as a major city and should follow professional sports (Brown, Cavs, Indians, Ohio State Football). Even then, you see that they have trouble really supporting all of them, as the Indians have put together some promising teams but seem to lag a distant third in the minds of Cleveland sports fans. When I moved from Cleveland to Chicago, I was surprised that it was 'cool' to follow college sports. I was also surprised that I could drive without getting the finger if I accidentally cut off someone. It's a culture thing and Kent's in the middle of it.

2. Kent students are generally more apathetic. In some ways, it's amazing that May 4th happened at Kent. Kent St. wasn't exactly the bastion of liberal/hippie thinking. Most students at Kent weren't the cheerleader/prep rally types from their local high schools. They come in thinking that they want to get away from that, and generally don't understand that it's a different level of sports and frankly, you aren't cheering for the bully in the class if you go to support the team and it's fun. Honestly, I didn't care at all about Kent sports when I was there, and care a great deal more now.

Hey, I came up with our new slogan "Excellence in Apathy"

I can agree with your comments on Kent fans being apathetic...but really, your observations about Cleveland really need a response.

Cleveland has trouble supporting professional sports???
You have got to be kidding.
The Indians sold out 455 straight freaking games.
The Browns have always sold out...even when they suck.
The Cavs..well, depends if there is anything to spend $300 a ticket to see...can't blame the fans there.

Yes, Cleveland city proper is poor...but not the metro area.

Following college sports in Chicago is cool? What major college programs do they have in Chicago? Northewestern?

There are a lot of holes in this argument....nothing that can rationalize Kent's attendence woes...or CSUs or Akron's either.

Tradition has more to do with college attendance than anything.

That does bring up a good point. We (me included) were spoiled by the 2002 season. It

[quote="Zip81"][quote]

I can agree with your comments on Kent fans being apathetic...but really, your observations about Cleveland really need a response.

Cleveland has trouble supporting professional sports???
You have got to be kidding.
The Indians sold out 455 straight freaking games.
The Browns have always sold out...even when they suck.
The Cavs..well, depends if there is anything to spend $300 a ticket to see...can't blame the fans there.

Yes, Cleveland city proper is poor...but not the metro area.

Following college sports in Chicago is cool? What major college programs do they have in Chicago? Northewestern?

There are a lot of holes in this argument....nothing that can rationalize Kent's attendence woes...or CSUs or Akron's either.

Tradition has more to do with college attendance than anything.[/quote]

Wow, I expected more comment on Kent is apathy part. Oh, you're a Zips fan. I see.

Anyway, Cleveland is not a good sports town. I know through years of the massive inferiority complex that is forced upon all Clevelanders that you must take as a basic tenet of faith that Cleveland is a great city in all ways. I felt the same way when I lived there. It takes moving away to get some insight into Cleveland's problems and a realistic eye to the truth about the area.

Cleveland is a good football town. The fans know and love football. It is not a great sports town. The Indians thing was an aberration, a perfect storm of a good team, new stadium and Art Modell making it the only game in town. It won't happen again. The attendance of the Indians is very poor given the quality of team it has. I think they were like 11th out of 14 in the AL last year. Similarly, the town has never consistantly supported the Cavs, and they lost their hockey team in the late 70s. Cleveland is really a town that can support one sport at a time.

Chicago college sports support: Notre Dame (sounds weird, I know, but Chicago is less than 2 hours from South Bend), Illinois, DePaul and Northwestern have big followings. Northern Illinois has very good support in football (less so in basketball, the so-called Judson effect).

[quote="AlphaFlash"]That does bring up a good point. We (me included) were spoiled by the 2002 season. It

In Cleveland, sports loyalties usually run like this:

Your high school football team
Ohio State football
Browns football
Indians
Cavs
All other colleges and universities

Once you get to this level, not much time, interest, money or media coverage left. Ohio is a football state. At this point, Kent is a b-ball school in a f-ball state. College b-ball only hits the radar in the NCAA tourney. Make the dance, get noticed. Otherwise forget it. Kent, Akron, CSU, etc.

That said, there are at least 5K people in NE Ohio who care about KSU b-ball and the athletic dept needs to market a bit more to attract them.

A major issue is I think some are quick to blame the media for not making KSU Cleveland's college team. But that is not the case because KSU alums don't dominate the city. There are so many well respected universities from small ones like Case and JCU to big ones like OU and BG that KSU and Akron don't have dominant support in the area.

I still buy a city like Milwaukee. I haven't read or watched one ounce of media coverage in Milwaukee, but it has been easy the last few years for that city to back UW-Milwaukee when they were making tourney runs. If Cleveland State was on Kent State's level, that would be Cleveland's team. Even then support wouldn't be high in attendance.

Yeah, the sellout streak for Indians games isn't happening again, and the Browns situation would be more interesting if people weren't tied to tickets for years and years.

Quote:Following college sports in Chicago is cool? What major college programs do they have in Chicago? Northewestern?

Within ten miles of Chicago city limits: Northwestern, DePaul, Loyola, UIC
(you'd remember them, Zips)
Within three hours of Chicago limits and less from particular suburbs: Illinois, Notre Dame, Northern Illinois, Valpo, Marquette, UW Milwaukee, Illinois State and Bradley
Within four hours: Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue

Somehow, all get coverage in the Chicago media, along with the Bears, Bulls, two MLB teams, major league hockey, minor league hockey, minor league baseball and soccer. It can be done.

Hey, bopal, what do you think about the Flashes playing at the Sears Center in a Holiday OOC tourney in Hoffman Estates? Pretty cool, huh?

Quote:What was your attendance like (and be honest) when you guys started winning?

Average of about 1,800 per game when Waters showed up.

KStud Wrote:A major issue is I think some are quick to blame the media for not making KSU Cleveland's college team. But that is not the case because KSU alums don't dominate the city. There are so many well respected universities from small ones like Case and JCU to big ones like OU and BG that KSU and Akron don't have dominant support in the area.

I still buy a city like Milwaukee. I haven't read or watched one ounce of media coverage in Milwaukee, but it has been easy the last few years for that city to back UW-Milwaukee when they were making tourney runs. If Cleveland State was on Kent State's level, that would be Cleveland's team. Even then support wouldn't be high in attendance.

Yeah, the sellout streak for Indians games isn't happening again, and the Browns situation would be more interesting if people weren't tied to tickets for years and years.

Agree that KSU grads don't dominate the city. Too many have to leave to find jobs.

Milwaukee has Marquette, too. Marquette plays in the Bradley Center and has very good attendance.

[quote="FlashFan"]

Quote:Hey, bopal, what do you think about the Flashes playing at the Sears Center in a Holiday OOC tourney in Hoffman Estates? Pretty cool, huh?

Who's in it? Is this the one where they are trying to get SIU and Illinois to play in? I'd love to get Kent and SIU together. If Kent dances, it's not out of the question (either a 4-13 or 3-14 game).

With my luck, I'll be in Cleveland for the holidays.

Very early reports are Xavier and Indiana at the Holiday Tourney. This year, it was just prior to New Years.

I think you can safely remove the concept of any group of alums "dominating" any major city. As for Milwaukee, UW Milwaukee has no where close to the support of Univ. of Wisconsin, one hour away, or Marquette.

As I said, I was purely guessing about UW-Mil. I assume when they made their run two years ago, they got a lot of coverage? I assume during the season, Wisconsin gets more coverage than UW-Mil just like OSU gets more coverage than Kent, Akron and CSU combined?

Maybe you took my comment about dominating too literal. I guess my point is, we can blame the media all we want about not giving KSU coverage in Cleveland, but there isn't enough to go around. The only time NE Ohio outside of Portage County is going to get behind KSU is if they make the Sweet 16 again.

Quote:Anyway, Cleveland is not a good sports town.

I've tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. But I have no idea where you come up with a statement like this.

Even if NE Ohio was the vast wasteland that you are trying to make it sound like, Cleveland has alwasy been regarded as a fantastic sports town, no matter what you may think of it.

I have to conclude that you are clueless and have your head planted firmly up your dupa. And if you need a translation, there are plenty of Polish people in Chicago willing to offer you a translation.

Zip81 Wrote:

Quote:Anyway, Cleveland is not a good sports town.

I've tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. But I have no idea where you come up with a statement like this.

Even if NE Ohio was the vast wasteland that you are trying to make it sound like, Cleveland has alwasy been regarded as a fantastic sports town, no matter what you may think of it.

I have to conclude that you are clueless and have your head planted firmly up your dupa. And if you need a translation, there are plenty of Polish people in Chicago willing to offer you a translation.

Talk to me after you live outside of the Cleveland area for any length of time (note: Akron doesn't count).

bopol Wrote:

Zip81 Wrote:

Quote:Anyway, Cleveland is not a good sports town.

I've tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. But I have no idea where you come up with a statement like this.

Even if NE Ohio was the vast wasteland that you are trying to make it sound like, Cleveland has alwasy been regarded as a fantastic sports town, no matter what you may think of it.

I have to conclude that you are clueless and have your head planted firmly up your dupa. And if you need a translation, there are plenty of Polish people in Chicago willing to offer you a translation.

Talk to me after you live outside of the Cleveland area for any length of time (note: Akron doesn't count).

I already have.

I think judging sports towns is pointless. Usually, just look up who has the best teams and that typically makes a great sports town. But if we are to judge them, Cleveland is far from a great sports town. People live and die with the Browns, but that is it. The Indians weren't far from leaving town before Jacobs Field was built, and the Cavs would be the current Hawks or worse if LeBron James didn't fall in their lap. Do you realize the BG-KSU final in 2002 outdrew most of the Cavs games at the Gund that season?

I love the Cleveland sports teams and will defend them as much as possible. But in this case, Cleveland does not measure up.

just on zippy board, they are saying only tix left are KSU student tix,
400 or so, come on students lets fill the place.

GO FLASHES!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOOv6mZ7-wQ

Double post