Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: Our attendance 'obsession' and my thoughts from FGCU
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Tyler
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Posted: 11/20/2014 3:57 PM
I'm in favor of curtaining off the upper section to reduce seating and bring everyone lower. They could open it back up for big Saturday games (Dads Weekend, Sibs Weekend, etc.).

For music, I think the only pre-recorded music played during the game should be "Kernkraft 400" (Zombie Nation).
shabamon
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Posted: 11/20/2014 4:04 PM
Tyler wrote:expand_more
I'm in favor of curtaining off the upper section to reduce seating and bring everyone lower. They could open it back up for big Saturday games (Dads Weekend, Sibs Weekend, etc.).

For music, I think the only pre-recorded music played during the game should be "Kernkraft 400" (Zombie Nation).
+1 to both points. The intern whose job it is to know precisely when to cue up Zombie Nation is more important than he realizes.
RPKirtland
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Posted: 11/20/2014 4:06 PM
Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
Not sure how you get people closer to the floor when we actually have fans sitting on the floor. Get rid of all the energy draining promos and the piped in music and let the game and band take over and it will get loud.
Huh? You'll notice that the band plays all the time. It's very rare that there's any piped in music unless it's pregame or halftime.
Unfortunately, Alan is right here, they play way too much muzak and there's too little 110. Other than the 110 the other stuff is fairly uniformly irritating. Sometimes it's rap . . . .other times it's way overmodulated electronic keyboard stuff. Let me add, there was one Ohio-centric rap piece put together by a BA guy a few years ago that was cool and that I wouldn't mind being play a time or two per game, but other than that let's make it all 110 when it comes game-time music.

Edit: Now that I think about it the aforementioned Ohio-centric rap song would need to be updated because it referenced some then current players.
Hmmm... is that Alan complaining about things that help pay the bills again? Perish the thought! :)

And good God, people, the reason the Convo is ever so quiet sometimes is that our fans really kinda suck. yes, there are way more than at other MAC schools and generally louder than at other MAC schools. The band has to fill 1/3 of the ozone and it's still not packed, and half of these lazy phone-checking zombies are sitting the whole time. and don't even get me started on the old people side. What type of gas are they pumping into the Rohr room?
Here is what I will chip into this conversation, as BA's unofficial O Zone representative.

There is a very large part of me that wants to taze people who are on their phones in the O Zone, or just set out a phone bucket at the top of the section. I understand that me and my friends are an exception to the typical college sports fan, but I don't see why we should be such a small proportion of the student body.

Next, I am excited by the current group of O Zone freshmen. They (about 7-10) are getting more involved. As a core group, we are trying to decentralize the chants and the dirt sheet responsibilities, so more people will be able to put their ideas and thoughts into play. So far, it's near impossible because the cheerleaders do the same five chants. It's hard to convince a new member to do something new that takes a while to pick up on because they'll get shouted down by an existing chant. I would like to clarify that I am not blaming the cheerleaders for anything. They help our established chants be louder. However, to make more people care, we need more people involved, and that is the struggle.

There are so many students here who will go up and chant and cheer for the Buckeyes, but can't be bothered to do the same for the school they actually attend. It is agonizing because I, like many of us, love this school to death, and love being loud and creative at basketball games. At this point, it saddens me to say that reforming the O Zone from its current dismal state seems like a herculean task. We, as an Exec board, are trying our damnedest, but it just doesn't seem to take. I, personally, am at a loss of ideas, and it sucks. Everything we try seems to fall on deaf ears and tippity-tapping thumbs.

Here's to the next home game.

*sigh*
100%Cat
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Posted: 11/20/2014 4:43 PM
RPKirtland wrote:expand_more
Not sure how you get people closer to the floor when we actually have fans sitting on the floor. Get rid of all the energy draining promos and the piped in music and let the game and band take over and it will get loud.
Huh? You'll notice that the band plays all the time. It's very rare that there's any piped in music unless it's pregame or halftime.
Unfortunately, Alan is right here, they play way too much muzak and there's too little 110. Other than the 110 the other stuff is fairly uniformly irritating. Sometimes it's rap . . . .other times it's way overmodulated electronic keyboard stuff. Let me add, there was one Ohio-centric rap piece put together by a BA guy a few years ago that was cool and that I wouldn't mind being play a time or two per game, but other than that let's make it all 110 when it comes game-time music.

Edit: Now that I think about it the aforementioned Ohio-centric rap song would need to be updated because it referenced some then current players.
Hmmm... is that Alan complaining about things that help pay the bills again? Perish the thought! :)

And good God, people, the reason the Convo is ever so quiet sometimes is that our fans really kinda suck. yes, there are way more than at other MAC schools and generally louder than at other MAC schools. The band has to fill 1/3 of the ozone and it's still not packed, and half of these lazy phone-checking zombies are sitting the whole time. and don't even get me started on the old people side. What type of gas are they pumping into the Rohr room?
Here is what I will chip into this conversation, as BA's unofficial O Zone representative.

There is a very large part of me that wants to taze people who are on their phones in the O Zone, or just set out a phone bucket at the top of the section. I understand that me and my friends are an exception to the typical college sports fan, but I don't see why we should be such a small proportion of the student body.

Next, I am excited by the current group of O Zone freshmen. They (about 7-10) are getting more involved. As a core group, we are trying to decentralize the chants and the dirt sheet responsibilities, so more people will be able to put their ideas and thoughts into play. So far, it's near impossible because the cheerleaders do the same five chants. It's hard to convince a new member to do something new that takes a while to pick up on because they'll get shouted down by an existing chant. I would like to clarify that I am not blaming the cheerleaders for anything. They help our established chants be louder. However, to make more people care, we need more people involved, and that is the struggle.

There are so many students here who will go up and chant and cheer for the Buckeyes, but can't be bothered to do the same for the school they actually attend. It is agonizing because I, like many of us, love this school to death, and love being loud and creative at basketball games. At this point, it saddens me to say that reforming the O Zone from its current dismal state seems like a herculean task. We, as an Exec board, are trying our damnedest, but it just doesn't seem to take. I, personally, am at a loss of ideas, and it sucks. Everything we try seems to fall on deaf ears and tippity-tapping thumbs.

Here's to the next home game.

*sigh*
FYI, you can't leave here. You're an institution.
Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 11/20/2014 4:50 PM
Anyone ever buy curtains for your living room?

For the big window?

What if you had to curtain the walls, too, at the same rate of cost?

ok, now, what if your living room had the same circumference and height as the light green seats of the convo? See where I'm going?

This much drapery would be more expensive than a scoreboard. for that much money we could either pay people to sit in those seats, or buy realistic looking dummies to put in them permanently.
Last Edited: 11/20/2014 4:55:57 PM by Deciduous Forest Cat
bobcat695
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Posted: 11/20/2014 6:44 PM
Good point. Today, a box of new drapes arrived for the three windows in our dining room. The order was $395 and my wife said she got them for 50% off.
Jim Bob
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Posted: 11/20/2014 7:22 PM
not sure we should be jealous of the fans going to root for OSU. i don't think the environment at the schott is any better than the convo and they have 2-3 times more fans. The students only get involved pregame and during free throws. the rest of the game if about 1/3 of them trying emulate Duke fans and the rest standing still. The schott can be so quiet at times it is shocking
Checkrama
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Posted: 11/20/2014 7:25 PM
Don't see how curtains really help anything and aren't going to make the place louder. Student section could be more vocal, but the locals sitting on their hands all game are a bigger problem.

Ideally an 8-10k size arena would be perfect for us but not gonna happen. To answer someone's earlier question, I am a little jealous of the Stroh center which is the ideal pure bball atmosphere in the Mac if they could fill it up. Old school feel with all the modern amenities you could want. When they are good again that place will be LOUD.
Last Edited: 11/20/2014 7:35:10 PM by Checkrama
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/20/2014 7:53 PM
catfan28 wrote:expand_more
Not sure how you get people closer to the floor when we actually have fans sitting on the floor. Get rid of all the energy draining promos and the piped in music and let the game and band take over and it will get loud.
Huh? You'll notice that the band plays all the time. It's very rare that there's any piped in music unless it's pregame or halftime.
Not only can you not count people in the seats, you can't distinguish between piped in music and the band. Count the number of band songs and piped in songs next game.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 11/20/2014 9:09 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Let's just gut Bentley, put the old court back in there, call it Peoples Gym (used to be Men's Gym) and we'd have standing room only crowds every game. And, yes, that place used to be very loud!

Bobcat Trivia: Extra bonus points for the first person who can correctly identify the former location of Women's Gym.
+1


And does the "women's gym" still exist?
catfan28
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Posted: 11/20/2014 9:13 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Not only can you not count people in the seats, you can't distinguish between piped in music and the band. Count the number of band songs and piped in songs next game.
Do you seriously dispute that the band plays every timeout? Because they do. 695 is right next to them, I think he would know. We probably play the least piped in music of any school in the country. No joke...I've been to games at almost every MAC school and lots of other places following OUr team. No one has the band play as much as we do (which I think is great, BTW). We have the best band in the country and should flaunt it.
RSBobcat
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Posted: 11/20/2014 9:24 PM
catfan28 wrote:expand_more
Not only can you not count people in the seats, you can't distinguish between piped in music and the band. Count the number of band songs and piped in songs next game.
Do you seriously dispute that the band plays every timeout? Because they do. 695 is right next to them, I think he would know. We probably play the least piped in music of any school in the country. No joke...I've been to games at almost every MAC school and lots of other places following OUr team. No one has the band play as much as we do (which I think is great, BTW). We have the best band in the country and should flaunt it.
There is definitely a good dose of piped in music - usually just quick bits though.

And the 110 does play most breaks - half a tune - because they have to wait for the corny promo to end before they can start...........
catfan28
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Posted: 11/20/2014 9:31 PM
RSBobcat wrote:expand_more
There is definitely a good dose of piped in music - usually just quick bits though.

And the 110 does play most breaks - half a tune - because they have to wait for the corny promo to end before they can start...........
+1...RS at least is paying attention. Piped in music is only when the 110 finishes early and there's still time left in the TO.

Also, the under 4 TO second half is always band for the full time to play "Cheer" as is tradition. Under 8 TO is of course "Stand up and Cheer".

And I'm with you on the corny promos. But you need to get some advertising $$, so I think we're stuck with them.
bobcat695
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Posted: 11/20/2014 9:39 PM
I don't mind having a few promos. The sponsors pay for them, it's part of live sporting events. BTW, the guy that is on the mic doing the contests is really good. He is polished.
jpmo
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Posted: 11/20/2014 10:11 PM
It used to be that the band sat behind one of the baskets allowing room for more students in the ozone and therefore more people at/near floor level. Not sure why this changed.

If I was king of the kingdom I'd remove the band from the Ozone and put half of the band behind each basket. This would create a dueling band effect, increase the noise at both ends, and would add more students to the Ozone. It should also look better on TV.
RSBobcat
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Posted: 11/20/2014 10:33 PM
jpmo wrote:expand_more
It used to be that the band sat behind one of the baskets allowing room for more students in the ozone and therefore more people at/near floor level. Not sure why this changed.

If I was king of the kingdom I'd remove the band from the Ozone and put half of the band behind each basket. This would create a dueling band effect, increase the noise at both ends, and would add more students to the Ozone. It should also look better on TV.
Where the band used to be meant Their noise interfered with OUr break huddle/bench. Actually I can't believe it took so many years to change that (I think it was Groce). Now it is directly across from the opposing teams bench/huddle.

Keep the 110 where they are at - more reliable floor noise than Ozone lately.
Shawn Sellers
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Posted: 11/21/2014 8:39 AM
RSBobcat wrote:expand_more
It used to be that the band sat behind one of the baskets allowing room for more students in the ozone and therefore more people at/near floor level. Not sure why this changed.

If I was king of the kingdom I'd remove the band from the Ozone and put half of the band behind each basket. This would create a dueling band effect, increase the noise at both ends, and would add more students to the Ozone. It should also look better on TV.
Where the band used to be meant Their noise interfered with OUr break huddle/bench. Actually I can't believe it took so many years to change that (I think it was Groce). Now it is directly across from the opposing teams bench/huddle.

Keep the 110 where they are at - more reliable floor noise than Ozone lately.
Couldn't they have just reversed the benches?
GoCats105
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Posted: 11/21/2014 9:14 AM
Shawn Sellers wrote:expand_more
It used to be that the band sat behind one of the baskets allowing room for more students in the ozone and therefore more people at/near floor level. Not sure why this changed.

If I was king of the kingdom I'd remove the band from the Ozone and put half of the band behind each basket. This would create a dueling band effect, increase the noise at both ends, and would add more students to the Ozone. It should also look better on TV.
Where the band used to be meant Their noise interfered with OUr break huddle/bench. Actually I can't believe it took so many years to change that (I think it was Groce). Now it is directly across from the opposing teams bench/huddle.

Keep the 110 where they are at - more reliable floor noise than Ozone lately.
Couldn't they have just reversed the benches?
Or put the band behind that basket...
Last Edited: 11/21/2014 9:15:01 AM by GoCats105
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 11/21/2014 9:17 AM
This is the same classic conversation we have. When us Bobcat fanatics look around, we aren't happy and expect better. But when we compare to other fan bases, and particularly within our conference or similar conferences...We come out looking pretty good. I think most every program in the country has this exact discussion. I will forever not be able to understand students who wouldn't go to a free quality D1 basketball and make it a fun experience, but that's the reality.
OU_Country
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Posted: 11/21/2014 3:29 PM
shabamon wrote:expand_more
I'm in favor of curtaining off the upper section to reduce seating and bring everyone lower. They could open it back up for big Saturday games (Dads Weekend, Sibs Weekend, etc.).

For music, I think the only pre-recorded music played during the game should be "Kernkraft 400" (Zombie Nation).
+1 to both points. The intern whose job it is to know precisely when to cue up Zombie Nation is more important than he realizes.

When I referred to some music playing to get people excited, this is exactly what I'm talking about.




Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
This is the same classic conversation we have. When us Bobcat fanatics look around, we aren't happy and expect better. But when we compare to other fan bases, and particularly within our conference or similar conferences...We come out looking pretty good. I think most every program in the country has this exact discussion. I will forever not be able to understand students who wouldn't go to a free quality D1 basketball and make it a fun experience, but that's the reality.

I wholeheartedly agree. I didn't understand why people wouldn't go for free when I was a student, and I still don't understand it now. There's not much better free fun out there than a quality college basketball game.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/21/2014 4:09 PM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
I'm in favor of curtaining off the upper section to reduce seating and bring everyone lower. They could open it back up for big Saturday games (Dads Weekend, Sibs Weekend, etc.).

For music, I think the only pre-recorded music played during the game should be "Kernkraft 400" (Zombie Nation).
+1 to both points. The intern whose job it is to know precisely when to cue up Zombie Nation is more important than he realizes.

When I referred to some music playing to get people excited, this is exactly what I'm talking about.




This is the same classic conversation we have. When us Bobcat fanatics look around, we aren't happy and expect better. But when we compare to other fan bases, and particularly within our conference or similar conferences...We come out looking pretty good. I think most every program in the country has this exact discussion. I will forever not be able to understand students who wouldn't go to a free quality D1 basketball and make it a fun experience, but that's the reality.

I wholeheartedly agree. I didn't understand why people wouldn't go for free when I was a student, and I still don't understand it now. There's not much better free fun out there than a quality college basketball game.
Could it be possible that they aren't any more interested in going to a game than some on here would be for a free world classics evening presentation? As a student, you're paying for both.
Last Edited: 11/21/2014 4:10:03 PM by Alan Swank
MedinaCat
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Posted: 11/21/2014 4:17 PM
When they originally built the Superdome, the seating was multiple colors so as to appear fully occupied, even when half empty(remember the 'Aints?) Since we are replacing all the seats soon, why not replace with a variety of colored seats to have a similar effect? If not that, replace with lime green with our school colors.
Last Edited: 11/21/2014 10:04:23 PM by MedinaCat
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 11/21/2014 4:24 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
This is the same classic conversation we have. When us Bobcat fanatics look around, we aren't happy and expect better. But when we compare to other fan bases, and particularly within our conference or similar conferences...We come out looking pretty good. I think most every program in the country has this exact discussion. I will forever not be able to understand students who wouldn't go to a free quality D1 basketball and make it a fun experience, but that's the reality.

I wholeheartedly agree. I didn't understand why people wouldn't go for free when I was a student, and I still don't understand it now. There's not much better free fun out there than a quality college basketball game.
Could it be possible that they aren't any more interested in going to a game than some on here would be for a free world classics evening presentation? As a student, you're paying for both.
For me, my frustration is mostly with sports fans that choose not to attend. And there are a TON of them.
RSBobcat
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Posted: 11/21/2014 6:49 PM
Shawn Sellers wrote:expand_more
It used to be that the band sat behind one of the baskets allowing room for more students in the ozone and therefore more people at/near floor level. Not sure why this changed.

If I was king of the kingdom I'd remove the band from the Ozone and put half of the band behind each basket. This would create a dueling band effect, increase the noise at both ends, and would add more students to the Ozone. It should also look better on TV.
Where the band used to be meant Their noise interfered with OUr break huddle/bench. Actually I can't believe it took so many years to change that (I think it was Groce). Now it is directly across from the opposing teams bench/huddle.

Keep the 110 where they are at - more reliable floor noise than Ozone lately.
Couldn't they have just reversed the benches?
Not without reversing everything else (uh - locker rooms, season ticket seats, etc., etc.)
RSBobcat
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Posted: 11/21/2014 6:50 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
It used to be that the band sat behind one of the baskets allowing room for more students in the ozone and therefore more people at/near floor level. Not sure why this changed.

If I was king of the kingdom I'd remove the band from the Ozone and put half of the band behind each basket. This would create a dueling band effect, increase the noise at both ends, and would add more students to the Ozone. It should also look better on TV.
Where the band used to be meant Their noise interfered with OUr break huddle/bench. Actually I can't believe it took so many years to change that (I think it was Groce). Now it is directly across from the opposing teams bench/huddle.

Keep the 110 where they are at - more reliable floor noise than Ozone lately.
Couldn't they have just reversed the benches?
Or put the band behind that basket...
Uh - Where behind that basket? In the stands?
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