(03-01-2019 12:12 PM)NIU1981 Wrote: You just posted this to watch the Rod Carey Sucks posts pile up, which they most certainly will.
On the NIU Dog Pound website???? Quite the opposite, every time someone mentions Carey all the talk is literally about what year his statue will be built
(03-01-2019 12:12 PM)NIU1981 Wrote: You just posted this to watch the Rod Carey Sucks posts pile up, which they most certainly will.
On the NIU Dog Pound website???? Quite the opposite, every time someone mentions Carey all the talk is literally about what year his statue will be built
This couldn't be any further from the truth but hey, sure!
More like, people were happy to see him go but understand and appreciate the continued winning he brought to NIU during his time here.
He didn’t say anything wrong or bad. We have high expectations and he said we should. His negative comment was he wished fans that have such high expectations showed up. He’s not wrong there either. Truth might hurt but they need to show up. Everyone is happy to get Hammock here but will they show up?
MAC schools need to get better. If teams come to Huskie Stadium 4-0 or 6-2 instead of 0-4 1-7 fans I believe would show.
It is hard to get excited when teams are ranked 100 or higher out of 126 teams.
(03-01-2019 10:31 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote: MAC schools need to get better. If teams come to Huskie Stadium 4-0 or 6-2 instead of 0-4 1-7 fans I believe would show.
It is hard to get excited when teams are ranked 100 or higher out of 126 teams.
I dont think that is necessarily the issue. Utah was picked to be 2nd in the PAC and we couldnt even fill half the stadium in September.
(03-01-2019 04:23 PM)Dtownboys Wrote: He didn’t say anything wrong or bad. We have high expectations and he said we should. His negative comment was he wished fans that have such high expectations showed up. He’s not wrong there either. Truth might hurt but they need to show up. Everyone is happy to get Hammock here but will they show up?
The attendance problem is beyond solely W's and L's at this point. Many other factors are in play. Its going to be a long haul back to attendance respectability.
(03-01-2019 04:23 PM)Dtownboys Wrote: He didn’t say anything wrong or bad. We have high expectations and he said we should. His negative comment was he wished fans that have such high expectations showed up. He’s not wrong there either. Truth might hurt but they need to show up. Everyone is happy to get Hammock here but will they show up?
The attendance problem is beyond solely W's and L's at this point. Many other factors are in play. Its going to be a long haul back to attendance respectability.
For sure. However fans supporting the team by showing up will help.
(03-01-2019 10:31 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote: MAC schools need to get better. If teams come to Huskie Stadium 4-0 or 6-2 instead of 0-4 1-7 fans I believe would show.
It is hard to get excited when teams are ranked 100 or higher out of 126 teams.
I dont think that is necessarily the issue. Utah was picked to be 2nd in the PAC and we couldnt even fill half the stadium in September.
Out fan base just became very apathetic.
I don't think the "casual" fan really new that.
If a MAC school came in ranked 22nd in the nation in October we would have a good crowd.
(03-01-2019 10:31 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote: MAC schools need to get better. If teams come to Huskie Stadium 4-0 or 6-2 instead of 0-4 1-7 fans I believe would show.
It is hard to get excited when teams are ranked 100 or higher out of 126 teams.
I dont think that is necessarily the issue. Utah was picked to be 2nd in the PAC and we couldnt even fill half the stadium in September.
Out fan base just became very apathetic.
18,000 out of 24,000 is more than half. But not disputing your point about the fanbase.
(03-01-2019 10:31 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote: MAC schools need to get better. If teams come to Huskie Stadium 4-0 or 6-2 instead of 0-4 1-7 fans I believe would show.
It is hard to get excited when teams are ranked 100 or higher out of 126 teams.
I dont think that is necessarily the issue. Utah was picked to be 2nd in the PAC and we couldnt even fill half the stadium in September.
Out fan base just became very apathetic.
I don't think the "casual" fan really new that.
If a MAC school came in ranked 22nd in the nation in October we would have a good crowd.
No they wouldn't. Casual fan probably doesnt even know who is in the MAC.
Just like when all you old guys say Toledo is our rival. I'm 39 and have been following niu since like I was 12 and only found that out a few years ago. And I'm an alumnus!
Hot Rod's putrid offensive scheme made a lot of NIU football unwatchable. Trying to run the clock out with tons of time when losing before half and playing like a scared old grandma didn't bring in any new fans that's for sure.
The NIU fandom gained steam and amazing momentum since start of the millennium and reached a crescendo with the Orange Bowl appearance. Obviously it has tapered off but attendance seems to have stabilized.
Those same fans are out there somewhere. Life is full of ebb and flows....hopefully NIU fandom is done retracting and ready for regrowth with Hammock.
(03-04-2019 08:41 PM)prairiedawg Wrote: Hot Rod's putrid offensive scheme made a lot of NIU football unwatchable. Trying to run the clock out with tons of time when losing before half and playing like a scared old grandma didn't bring in any new fans that's for sure.
The NIU fandom gained steam and amazing momentum since start of the millennium and reached a crescendo with the Orange Bowl appearance. Obviously it has tapered off but attendance seems to have stabilized.
Those same fans are out there somewhere. Life is full of ebb and flows....hopefully NIU fandom is done retracting and ready for regrowth with Hammock.
I agree with most of this. Carey’s brand of football was extremely frustrating to watch. If the defense we played wasn’t great the last couple of years I might have stopped watching. Fans are fickle everywhere and want to be a part of something special. I love how Hammock is everywhere promoting everything NIU and gaining support for the program, and not just scolding the fans for not coming. He was not a fan favorite.If Hammock is as good of a coach as he is a promoter and recruiter, NIU football will be a fun program to follow.....
(This post was last modified: 03-04-2019 09:50 PM by BDB5yp.)
I am looking forward to the THammock Era as much as anyone else, but as far as the negative views on attendance ... With all the focus on the impacts of tv, online, ESPN/MAC weekday games, Carey's dull offense, etc., it's easy to forget that facilities have something to with the attendance situation as well.
Example: Look at an aerial photo of the Convo. You can see that the arc of the south concourse, and east and west stubs on the north, were intended to connect. Those "missing" concourse segments were intended to be built later, but never were. The result is less lobby, concession and restroom space for a capacity of 10,000. Why be stuck in line watching a game on an overhead tv at a concession stand when you can see the whole game at home?
I attended the first games there, and the crowds were backed up just for hotdogs.
Example: Look at the Huskie Stadium East Grandstand. There are no access gates to the seats in the upper half (and no ramps inside to get up there if there were gates). Fans have to go all the way down and all the way back up just to get concessions or use the restrooms. If fans are going down at halftime, why not just continue right on out the door? Also, it is not fully enclosed, like the West, so except for the wind, it's bitter cold inside in late season.
I watched the East Grandstand being built, and that stuck out right from the start.
But you're all right. The teams are the main draw. Hopefully, all the promotion and excitement by THammock & Company will generate some attendance ... and some big bucks. Wish I had it.
(This post was last modified: 03-04-2019 11:00 PM by pvk75.)