(02-19-2019 08:41 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  Great crowd, great game and the best pep band. JMU needs to move the students down to the lower level. I know they will have lower level seats in the new convo but they need to be down there now. They and the pep band are our best cheerleaders.

Students have had lower level seats for 4 years now - that was a change in Brady's last year. They are allowed sections 104 & 105 and rarely fill those.

(02-19-2019 09:27 AM)MamaDuke Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 08:41 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  Great crowd, great game and the best pep band. JMU needs to move the students down to the lower level. I know they will have lower level seats in the new convo but they need to be down there now. They and the pep band are our best cheerleaders.

Students have had lower level seats for 4 years now - that was a change in Brady's last year. They are allowed sections 104 & 105 and rarely fill those.

I was gonna say the same thing. Those are the seats cross-court from the visiting bench. Would it be nice to have more sections for students sure....but until these get used not really an issue.

The problem is a consistent, winning team. There was no issue getting students to turn-out on the late 80's - early 90's when the team was winning 20+ games per season and always top 3 in conference. And that was when students had no access to sideline lower level. Had bleachers on the endlines and the upper level bleachers.

The issue with student attendance is NOT seating, but a consistent, winning team.

(02-19-2019 09:33 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  The issue with student attendance is NOT seating, but a consistent, winning team.

^^^This^^^

I forgot to give a shout out to those students with the Hawaiian theme who showed well at the end of the floor just under the pep band this past Saturday night. Well done, guys and gals.

We need more of that. Hopefully more winning will entice more student attendance...and local/alumni attendance for that matter. To preach to the choir for a second, we need JMU MBB to become a cool thing again. Starts with winning.

(02-19-2019 09:33 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 09:27 AM)MamaDuke Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 08:41 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  Great crowd, great game and the best pep band. JMU needs to move the students down to the lower level. I know they will have lower level seats in the new convo but they need to be down there now. They and the pep band are our best cheerleaders.

Students have had lower level seats for 4 years now - that was a change in Brady's last year. They are allowed sections 104 & 105 and rarely fill those.

I was gonna say the same thing. Those are the seats cross-court from the visiting bench. Would it be nice to have more sections for students sure....but until these get used not really an issue.

The problem is a consistent, winning team. There was no issue getting students to turn-out on the late 80's - early 90's when the team was winning 20+ games per season and always top 3 in conference. And that was when students had no access to sideline lower level. Had bleachers on the endlines and the upper level bleachers.

The issue with student attendance is NOT seating, but a consistent, winning team.

Exactly. My daughter is a student and is majoring in an athletic program and never goes to games nor do any of her friends. There's just no buzz around men's basketball like there was when I went there.

(02-19-2019 12:03 PM)JacksonHall Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 09:33 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 09:27 AM)MamaDuke Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 08:41 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  Great crowd, great game and the best pep band. JMU needs to move the students down to the lower level. I know they will have lower level seats in the new convo but they need to be down there now. They and the pep band are our best cheerleaders.

Students have had lower level seats for 4 years now - that was a change in Brady's last year. They are allowed sections 104 & 105 and rarely fill those.

I was gonna say the same thing. Those are the seats cross-court from the visiting bench. Would it be nice to have more sections for students sure....but until these get used not really an issue.

The problem is a consistent, winning team. There was no issue getting students to turn-out on the late 80's - early 90's when the team was winning 20+ games per season and always top 3 in conference. And that was when students had no access to sideline lower level. Had bleachers on the endlines and the upper level bleachers.

The issue with student attendance is NOT seating, but a consistent, winning team.

Exactly. My daughter is a student and is majoring in an athletic program and never goes to games nor do any of her friends. There's just no buzz around men's basketball like there was when I went there.

Yes - We need better than an occasional 16 seed \ top 150-ish program. 20 win seasons don't mean as much with the soft schedules and additional games. Let's put it this way - when you have to explain why you are happy or optimistic means we are not where we need/out to be.

We need to strive to be where we were under Lou, Thurston, & Lefty.

If the administration takes the steps to create a winner, we will easily be the best supported team in the CAA.

(02-19-2019 01:30 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 12:03 PM)JacksonHall Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 09:33 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 09:27 AM)MamaDuke Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 08:41 AM)jmudukes Wrote:  Great crowd, great game and the best pep band. JMU needs to move the students down to the lower level. I know they will have lower level seats in the new convo but they need to be down there now. They and the pep band are our best cheerleaders.

Students have had lower level seats for 4 years now - that was a change in Brady's last year. They are allowed sections 104 & 105 and rarely fill those.

I was gonna say the same thing. Those are the seats cross-court from the visiting bench. Would it be nice to have more sections for students sure....but until these get used not really an issue.

The problem is a consistent, winning team. There was no issue getting students to turn-out on the late 80's - early 90's when the team was winning 20+ games per season and always top 3 in conference. And that was when students had no access to sideline lower level. Had bleachers on the endlines and the upper level bleachers.

The issue with student attendance is NOT seating, but a consistent, winning team.

Exactly. My daughter is a student and is majoring in an athletic program and never goes to games nor do any of her friends. There's just no buzz around men's basketball like there was when I went there.

Yes - We need better than an occasional 16 seed \ top 150-ish program. 20 win seasons don't mean as much with the soft schedules and additional games. Let's put it this way - when you have to explain why you are happy or optimistic means we are not where we need/out to be.

We need to strive to be where we were under Lou, Thurston, & Lefty.

If the administration takes the steps to create a winner, we will easily be the best supported team in the CAA.

I was totally with you until I read the name Thurston. His record was 31-44 and he was fired halfway through his third season.

please Dukester. Thurston gives Keener a run for worst JMU coach. yeah, I think he started 10-0 one year, but it was straight to the bottom from there.

The students also need to be allowed to start some new traditions, have some fun, etc. The convo is a hard place to have fun when you have 3 rows of seats, 2 of which are for the dukettes, then you get to sit in some general sideline seats with some townies that go and sit down there from general admission, and finally because there are a bunch of douche staff breathing down your neck to behave.

Thurston demanded a contract extension, was he really fired, or did he leave since they didn't give him the extension?

He did have one good season, which resulted in an NIT bid.

But, I would not include him in the Lou & Lefty list of successful coaches.

(02-19-2019 03:47 PM)NC Tribe Wrote:  Thurston demanded a contract extension, was he really fired, or did he leave since they didn't give him the extension?

He did have one good season, which resulted in an NIT bid.

But, I would not include him in the Lou & Lefty list of successful coaches.

He was fired. I was a student then. He was 6-11 to start his 3rd season and Carrier had seen enough.

(02-19-2019 03:47 PM)NC Tribe Wrote:  Thurston demanded a contract extension, was he really fired, or did he leave since they didn't give him the extension?

He did have one good season, which resulted in an NIT bid.

But, I would not include him in the Lou & Lefty list of successful coaches.

Thurston certainly was a feisty guy. One terrible year, followed by an above average year (NIT), followed by a bad start to his 3rd season. In fairness, I did not feel Lou left a well stocked cupboard for him. The flip side is that he himself was partially responsible for those last Lou recruiting classes. Had a few players (Kennard Winchester), but no quality depth.

(02-19-2019 03:36 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  The students also need to be allowed to start some new traditions, have some fun, etc. The convo is a hard place to have fun when you have 3 rows of seats, 2 of which are for the dukettes, then you get to sit in some general sideline seats with some townies that go and sit down there from general admission, and finally because there are a bunch of douche staff breathing down your neck to behave.

This.

This is what I was kinda getting at with my prior seating comment. We went cause it was fun, raucous, encouraged to be loud and proud. Can’t miss “event”, like going to a good concert.

Now? You better compete. Not just compete with other 250~ ranked programs, win one, lose one.

You’re competing with Hulu, roku, appletv, on demand this, new Dhall and all the rest.

Why in the F#%^ did someone, ANYONE, ever decide getting rid of the end zone risers and generally telling the kids to sit down, shut up was a good idea? Then do lame-ass stunts like “fanzone” or whatever they forced on the remaining 400 fans?

If they don’t change up some of that crap with the new joint, it’ll have the same 943 people showing up after the first week or two.

When you have guys that have travelled to every home game for a couple decades throwing in the towel, welllll, we have a problem.

Beating up on EMU or the occasional W over something called Drexel isn’t gonna fix that...

(02-20-2019 08:47 AM)JMUDunk Wrote:  

(02-19-2019 03:36 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  The students also need to be allowed to start some new traditions, have some fun, etc. The convo is a hard place to have fun when you have 3 rows of seats, 2 of which are for the dukettes, then you get to sit in some general sideline seats with some townies that go and sit down there from general admission, and finally because there are a bunch of douche staff breathing down your neck to behave.

This.

This is what I was kinda getting at with my prior seating comment. We went cause it was fun, raucous, encouraged to be loud and proud. Can’t miss “event”, like going to a good concert.

Now? You better compete. Not just compete with other 250~ ranked programs, win one, lose one.

You’re competing with Hulu, roku, appletv, on demand this, new Dhall and all the rest.

Why in the F#%^ did someone, ANYONE, ever decide getting rid of the end zone risers and generally telling the kids to sit down, shut up was a good idea? Then do lame-ass stunts like “fanzone” or whatever they forced on the remaining 400 fans?

If they don’t change up some of that crap with the new joint, it’ll have the same 943 people showing up after the first week or two.

When you have guys that have travelled to every home game for a couple decades throwing in the towel, welllll, we have a problem.

Beating up on EMU or the occasional W over something called Drexel isn’t gonna fix that...

I remember in Lefty's first year they gave students a t-shirt with a picture of a big jockstrap on it that said "I'm a Lefty supporter." Ha ha. Those were some fun times to be a JMU basketball fan.

And I remember the moaners wanting to ***** and moan about bringing Lefty in.

Guess how many games any of the moaners actually went to...

Just win babeee!

(02-20-2019 08:47 AM)JMUDunk Wrote:  Why in the F#%^ did someone, ANYONE, ever decide getting rid of the end zone risers and generally telling the kids to sit down, shut up was a good idea? Then do lame-ass stunts like “fanzone” or whatever they forced on the remaining 400 fans?

If they don’t change up some of that crap with the new joint, it’ll have the same 943 people showing up after the first week or two.

When you have guys that have travelled to every home game for a couple decades throwing in the towel, welllll, we have a problem.

Beating up on EMU or the occasional W over something called Drexel isn’t gonna fix that...

The reasons you'll get from athletics about the bleachers are these:

1) they were unsafe. The old bleachers were falling apart. If you noticed when the baseline bleachers got tossed, the 200 level endline wood bleachers also got replaced with new bleachers. Fair safety argument. I remember friends or myself stomping during a game and the wood plank on the seat snapped. This happened many times. Sorry, but not sorry about that JMU.

2) the four floor bleachers required the use of a crane to move on and off the floor. Any time the court had to be turned over for concerts, events, etc where they cover the basketball court and remove the tables etc, they had to lift the bleachers off the floor - they can't just wheel them up the ramp. So they installed those collapsible choral risers instead. Sure it fixed the equipment problem, but wow did it put the final axe in what was once a lively student section. Man how long ago was that?

It seems like ages ago, but in the history of the program this picture isn't that old. (Or maybe it is and I'm actually a dinosaur). This was home court advantage.
Edit: OK maybe it is old. I am 70% sure this was the Dre Smith 10/10 Hotdog game, which makes it 11 years ago. That's a lot of years we DIDN'T make student basketball fans at JMU.

(02-20-2019 12:34 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  

(02-20-2019 08:47 AM)JMUDunk Wrote:  Why in the F#%^ did someone, ANYONE, ever decide getting rid of the end zone risers and generally telling the kids to sit down, shut up was a good idea? Then do lame-ass stunts like “fanzone” or whatever they forced on the remaining 400 fans?

If they don’t change up some of that crap with the new joint, it’ll have the same 943 people showing up after the first week or two.

When you have guys that have travelled to every home game for a couple decades throwing in the towel, welllll, we have a problem.

Beating up on EMU or the occasional W over something called Drexel isn’t gonna fix that...

The reasons you'll get from athletics about the bleachers are these:

1) they were unsafe. The old bleachers were falling apart. If you noticed when the baseline bleachers got tossed, the 200 level endline wood bleachers also got replaced with new bleachers. Fair safety argument. I remember friends or myself stomping during a game and the wood plank on the seat snapped. This happened many times. Sorry, but not sorry about that JMU.

2) the four floor bleachers required the use of a crane to move on and off the floor. Any time the court had to be turned over for concerts, events, etc where they cover the basketball court and remove the tables etc, they had to lift the bleachers off the floor - they can't just wheel them up the ramp. So they installed those collapsible choral risers instead. Sure it fixed the equipment problem, but wow did it put the final axe in what was once a lively student section. Man how long ago was that?

It seems like ages ago, but in the history of the program this picture isn't that old. (Or maybe it is and I'm actually a dinosaur). This was home court advantage.
Edit: OK maybe it is old. I am 70% sure this was the Dre Smith 10/10 Hotdog game, which makes it 11 years ago. That's a lot of years we DIDN'T make student basketball fans at JMU.

ah man, the hot dog game.

and yes, teams have always lit us up from 3