MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[UWPSUPERFAN77]

How low has the fan support for UWEC men fallen. Only 260 for attendence against UWW. WhenI was at UWW 73 to 75 we took that many fans to Zorn.Eli Crogan Vs the hall of Fame coach Anderson would pack the house.Are the fans voting with their feet? Blessings!

[Ralph Turner]

How low has the fan support for UWEC men fallen. Only 260 for attendence against UWW. WhenI was at UWW 73 to 75 we took that many fans to Zorn.Eli Crogan Vs the hall of Fame coach Anderson would pack the house.Are the fans voting with their feet? Blessings!

No, that was before the numerous sports entertainment options available on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FoxSports Northeast, FoxSports Southwest, PlayStation 2, etc., etc., etc.

[UWPSUPERFAN77]

You may well have the best answer. However, I think it is also the Bandwagon factor. When you win they come. if you lose they do not! This is all over, not just in EC a good sports town, where I lived for 5 years!God Bless all of the fans!

[mythicalbird]

OK buf -
Putting you on the hot spot - give us the silver lining for our Blugolds tonight...

Do you want my version or Mythical Bird's version? 

Here is my version.......NOTHING good happened tonight for EC.  Last time I checked, a coach was never to blame for his players getting beat in transition like they did tonight......Bardon started hot, but cooled til the last minute or two.  I was pretty impressed with Jason Price.  He's a solid player. 

[mythicalbird]

You may well have the best answer. However, I think it is also the Bandwagon factor. When you win they come. if you lose they do not! This is all over, not just in EC a good sports town, where I lived for 5 years!God Bless all of the fans!

Or there are barely any students here right now seeing that it's Winter Break and all....  On a typical conference game (like last year against Whitewater) Zorn can still get pretty packed.

[bulk19]

Back in the good old days, the early '80s, students had to line up outside Zorn for tickets at 6 for 7 p.m. UWEC games. Maybe because we had to pay for them, and had to wait to have the tickets processed/ripped up before we entered? But students get in free now and arrive later...

Or maybe we had to get there early because they were winning? Humm...

Ralph: Not sure what to think about your comments on the sports options available to kids today??? Seems to me like a lot of kids nowadays always seem to complain about having nothing to do... But you may be right; ESPN et al have made national games and 10 p.m. highlights must sees, rather than the students' actual attending their home games themselves, perhaps... But for my money, nothing beats attending a D3 hoops or football game in person...

And since I picked on them indirectly earlier, I'll toss the 'Golds a bone tonight. The Golds' raised their free-throw shooting percentage tonight from .645 to .651 on the season by making five of six from the line... They should be hitting two-thirds soon...

[bulk19]

Hey Mythical Bird -
No, a coach isn't exerting himself on the court by playing the game, like the players do. And he doesn't miss free throws or threes or get boards or steals or have turnovers or anything that shows up in the stats...

But if a player isn't getting back in transaction, I'm sure the coach has a backpedaling drill, or wind sprints, or just plain laps, at his disposal to get his point across during practice. There's a nice set of steps from McPhee to Zorn, too... 

And there is always a bench for those that don't want to play D during the game...

[Just Bill]

Did you feel that Pointers?  That was a target being painted on your back: http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/

It's not often you can go 1-1 for the week and move up from 5th to 1st.  Congratulations!

[stoutguy]

Back in the good old days, the early '80s, students had to line up outside Zorn for tickets at 6 for 7 p.m. UWEC games. Maybe because we had to pay for them, and had to wait to have the tickets processed/ripped up before we entered? But students get in free now and arrive later...

Or maybe we had to get there early because they were winning?

It's my opinion that these "good Ol days" that we like to talk about (and our young friends get sick of hearing about) is still a major reason for frustration at Zorn.  Those days were the best, but they are gone.  Programs can still work hard to get people into the gym, however, and for whatever reason, the excitement at Zorn is gone.   I asked our Stout players about their favorite rival games (thinking that EC would be in the conversation),  and not one kid mentioned EC.  That was amazing to me.  They all talked about WW, Point, and Platteville.  They helped an old guy like me  realize that this is a new time.

[stoutguy]

On another matter, I say watch out for Superior.  Don't laugh.  I did a game in Menomonie last night and the Superior coach was "way down here" recruiting a nice Altoona kid.  He also told me that Cobb is back and that he has a new tranfer in his lineup 2nd semester who will make them better.  They will win some games, I think.

[mythicalbird]

There's a nice set of steps from McPhee to Zorn, too... 

McPhee to Zorn is a very nice walk.  It's Zorn to McPhee that is the pain in the rear!! 

[Mr. Downtown]

I'll let the homers give their take of the game.

With or without Gossens, I don't think the outcome would have been much different. Oshkosh's recent success is the fact they have 7 guys on any given night can score in double figures.

The balance in scoring was impressive. The D was pretty good against Platteville, but they didn't have much inside.

DJ Marsh is going to be a star in the WIAC. Which you know...is exactly what the conference wants to hear when Oshkosh already has Capelle and Gibson.

I want a rematch with Point 

Good luck keeping everything straight, DT.

Thanks! I know I'll probably need it. Plan on studying all night for Grinnell.



Oh...and the comment about the Oshkosh crowd. I honestly thought, there was a decent amount of people at Kolf last night. And the hafltime show was great!!

It was fun last night to be a fan for once. Won't happen again until we head to Quandt for some meaningless road game.

Oh...did I just say that? 

[buf]

OK buf -
Putting you on the hot spot - give us the silver lining for our Blugolds tonight...

Do you want my version or Mythical Bird's version? 

Here is my version.......NOTHING good happened tonight for EC.  Last time I checked, a coach was never to blame for his players getting beat in transition like they did tonight......Bardon started hot, but cooled til the last minute or two.  I was pretty impressed with Jason Price.  He's a solid player. 

I will agree with Mythical Bird on this one.  Not a lot good things last night for the 'Golds.  EC mixed up the defenses well, but WW's guards were just quicker and more athletic than EC's.  They had a lot of drives from the 3-point line for layups.  On a bright note, Hoezel looked pretty good.

Things don't get any easier for EC, as they travel to UWO this weekend!

[Greek Tragedy]

I asked our Stout players about their favorite rival games (thinking that EC would be in the conversation),  and not one kid mentioned EC.  That was amazing to me.  They all talked about WW, Point, and Platteville.  They helped an old guy like me  realize that this is a new time.

I always thought the crowds at those Stout/Eau Claire derbies (soccer term) were always pretty festive and bigger than usual.  Is that not the case?  It's a hop, skip, and jump...

It was fun last night to be a fan for once. Won't happen again until we head to Quandt for some meaningless road game.

Oh...did I just say that? 

You're right, Point should have everything wrapped up by then! lol 

[bulk19]

As noted in a previous post, the Pointers' 109-1 record did not go unnoticed, as they are at the top of the D3 Hoops poll this week! 

Very entertaining to follow your fantasy hoops teams selections. Be interesting to see who comes out on top...

I'm bored, so I've been looking at the WIAC hoops site, to look at records and stats and stuff... Since the records listed go back for 40 years now, for starters, and those with a lot of time on your hands can jump in, too, since I'd be interested in your respective takes, I have ranked the all-time top 5 coaches. And will do three five-man squads of players, too...

5) Dave Vander Meulen - Whitewater = Two titles, were the conference's top dog when I was in school...
4) Jack Bennett - UWSP = Despite being a Blugold, I've seen more Pointers games than 'Golds ones (lived in Point during the two National Championships) ... So I'm not sure how he only comes in fourth on my list, with two titles... but... Maybe sour grapes that he was on the staff at UWEC when he first started out? 
3) Dick Bennett - UWSP = Yep, big brother gets the nod here... He might not have all the Ws or rings as the others here, but he can flat out coach at any level, a master at bringing out the talent...
2) Ken Anderson - UWEC = Longevity, 27 years coaching and matching wits against all of the best here, and the most wins all-time at 631-152, with a winning percentage of .806...
1) Bo Ryan - Platteville - They dominated the 1990s, and are perhaps the only team I can think of that has dominated the sport, a la Mount Union has done in football...

Back later with the all-time teams... Weigh in guys...