I'd really like to see our guy's playing defense like Rob Murphy's Eagles are.

But it will continue to reflect very poorly on their students, faculty, and community that they can't get 2,000+ people in a nice arena to watch a competitive team.

JSF, and others, obviously do not think attendance at college football or basketball games matter.

Others, like myself, believe that it does.

Sorry, I'm not necessarily just talking about BB. There are some on here talking about kicking them out of the MAC because of these issues.
As far as attendance, I do think it counts, but it's not all that counts as I said above.

I am astonished when I see Ames, Iowa and Wichita, KS drawing capacity crowds on Tuesday night. Place is rocking.

When John Rhodes came recruiting we talked about crowds and passion. I truly think the Convo should become one of those places. I think that is consistent with the vision Dr Alden originally had when he proposed the multi function space.

I still think we are inches away from being one of those places. Attendance is impressive to hoops fans when you see it on TV, to recruits and other attendees. Most big time programs have it in spades. Dayton is still riding the goodwill they created as an NIT power and Final Four participant mid 20th century. Newcomers like Wichita, GOnzaga, Butler and some schools like FGCU, Belmont and such have built those full and rowdy fanbases in spite of naysayers. The Convo should be rocking. IT will be interesting to see how the changing landscape of NCAA sports affects that. I sm still convinced OHIO has a place in that landscape.

The only people who notice attendance figures are the people who look for them. Obviously, small crowds hasn't stopped Rob Murphy from building a program in Ypsilanti.

And I have to say this: Sometimes we sound like Marshall fans with the constant harping on attendance. Guess what? They just beat Michigan on the road. We just lost at home to St. Bonaventure.

I hesitate to even reply ........

what is obvious to you is not so obvious to the kids that count. Miami stopped bringing guys to hoops for a bit under Charlie opting to brring them for football according bball alums I know.

You can cite EMU but looking at that roster I do not see a team that is assembled through traditional methods of recruitment Went through each player to garner recruiting background and offers. Transfers back to the area and guys who had few to no offers. My buddy Joe Price's nephew committed to Depaul but somehow ended up at EMU. For the most part that squad is second choice unless they are detroit natives. I am not sure this fanbase would not be beside themselves if they assembled the Bobcats that way. I am fairly sure some of them would not stand muster at the admissions office.

You sometimes seem to muddy the water with seemingly logical statements that make little sense to me once I start looking at them with a little more detail.

I am sure the Marshall statement will cause some folks to shut up but it does not hold much water here.

Is it OK to be impressed with EMU beating UM while at the same time think their attendance numbers are pathetic? Because I am and do.

probably to some, not to others?

I am probably not close to enough of a sample to make that statement. the several dozens I talk to during the course of a year probably are not representative enough to give an accurate read. You may have a better feel for that.


You are right I am not seeing what you are alluding to....saying ....attendance only matters to those who think it matters ...and then repeating it saying figures only matter to those who look for them.....did not communicate that you think it is ill advised to dump on EMU while they bask in their victory. I am sorry for misconstruing what that meant.

I agree the jab that only a few hundred folks who show up at games on a regualr basis actually appreciate the win is ill timed. Truth is, I suspect there are a lot of EMU alums and former supporters that are actually basking in the moment. I saw the UM rock got painted by the EMU faithful.

If you take a step back, it is pretty remarkable what happened. A school can't get any fan support mostly because the students & alumni are too concerned about another school just 5 miles away...then that ignored school beats the mistress school. You have to feel like the biggest goob in that situation if you are one of the many EMU students/alumni that choose to root for Michigan and mostly ignore EMU.

In terms of the fan support, this isn't like Ohio beating OSU...it is like Columbus State beating OSU.