MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Barber Greene · March 18, 2007, 06:44:30 PM

Northern Illinois taking a look at Dick Bennett as next head coach

Northern Illinois is looking at former Wisconsin-Stevens Point coach Jack Bennett, who won two Division III national titles there before retiring in 2005. Bennett is the brother of former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett and the uncle of Washington State's Tony Bennett.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10068385

Just Bill · March 18, 2007, 08:08:23 PM

That would be Jack Bennett.

chmarx · March 19, 2007, 12:44:50 AM

Good luck to him.

Greek Tragedy · March 19, 2007, 06:14:04 AM

Congrats to Joe Werner on being named 4th team All-American

Being one of the top 20 players in the nation is definitely something to be proud of!

Barber Greene · March 19, 2007, 10:08:32 AM

Quote from: Barber Greene on March 18, 2007, 06:44:30 PM
Northern Illinois taking a look at Jack Bennett as next head coach

Northern Illinois is looking at former Wisconsin-Stevens Point coach Jack Bennett, who won two Division III national titles there before retiring in 2005. Bennett is the brother of former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett and the uncle of Washington State's Tony Bennett.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10068385

Looks like it will not be Jack....rather Ricardo Patton, coach at Colorado who resigned

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2803898

Greek Tragedy · March 19, 2007, 06:26:52 PM

It wouldn't shock me if Jack got back into coaching...though I think he likes his freedom he has and he was still around basketball doing those Fox Sports WIAC games.

titan2000 · March 19, 2007, 08:53:48 PM

I bet he gets big money for those

And he is a Wisconsin state retiree so his bennies are probably awesome.

Do you get docked in that system if you keep working? As a taxpayer I hope so.

stoutguy · March 19, 2007, 11:07:45 PM

Quote from: titan2000 on March 19, 2007, 08:53:48 PM
I bet he gets big money for those

And he is a Wisconsin state retiree so his bennies are probably awesome.

Do you get docked in that system if you keep working? As a taxpayer I hope so.

Sorry, taxpayer, the state retiree does not get docked during the early retirement package if he continues to work. And yes, the bennies are good. But if Jack gets back in the coaching business, (and I think he will), it won't be for the money that he does or doesn't do it. I think he still has a passion for the game. He didn't exactly rob you taxpayers while he was coaching and If he coaches again or not, more power to him.

chmarx · March 20, 2007, 03:30:13 AM

State retirees get a fairly generous pension, depending on several factors, but the benefits are not free.

Sick leave can be used to pay health insurance, as long as it lasts.

Greek Tragedy · March 20, 2007, 06:20:33 AM

It makes up for their crappy salaries.

chmarx · March 21, 2007, 03:13:18 AM

True.

I would have made about $30,000 a year more if I'd worked at Winona State.

Stout survivor · March 23, 2007, 12:13:14 AM

Story on attendace at Zorn Arena

http://www.leadertelegram.com/story.asp?id=80870

It is a shame that people don't make it to WIAC games as a whole, on any night there is a very good game in your area with players that are fun to watch.

River is running more and when the carcass (I know it is the Kargus but that is what we used to call it) is full it is the loudest gym in the conference, remember Melzer.

From Suptown to UWW more needs to be done to fans in the stands, it is not expensive and the players a very good. BUT the interest just is not there.

Why?

-The towns do not feel the team is theirs. When I first came to Stout the university was in the way and was only good for hosting MHS football games.
-If they win a couple then we will go. Bandwagon anyone.
-Just dont know what the games are really like

there are ways of fixin it though

John Gleich · March 23, 2007, 02:16:32 AM

I agree Stout Survivor. There's no reason in my mind why there shouldn't be more fans in the stands.

The WIAC was third in the country in average fans per game at 800 last season... which was 137 fans fewer per game.

... Now, padding the numbers were the five NCAA games that were all

Here are the NCAA stats for attendance. Now, it's (sort of ) chronicled that DIII attendance numbers are usually generally guesses, as opposed to actual ticket sales, but at least it's a way to guage how many fans are at the games.

Point was 6th in the country at 1377 fans per game last year. This year they'll be 5th, I'd guess, after #1 Hope, #2 Calvin, #3 Wooster, #4 Illinois Wesleyan. This will be the first year in MANY that IWU drops out of the top 3, and Wooster averaged over 2000 per game this year at home.

I wish that Point was packed more often than it is. Now, some people may be wondering about that... but from this year to last year, there were an average of 300 more fans per game at the contests... from two years ago to last year, that number dropped by about 600 fans per game. Now, I fully understand that people will jump on the bandwagon and that games in late January, February, and March will garner more attention than ones in, say November... but these are still good, exciting games.

Some surprizing numbers from 2005 to 2006... 106752 fans watched WIAC games in 2005, while only 89604 fans saw WIAC games in 2006. Now, that number seems like alot (about 17,000) but then I realized that it was actually the fans going to UWSP games that caused the difference. In 2005, 34713 fans watched games in Quandt, while "only" 15154 fans saw games last year. It's back up to 27933 this year, but, surprizingly, there were still only 89520 fans who saw games this year... which means that the average across the leage was down a total of about 9000 fans (divided by the 107 games not at UWSP), which amounts to 84 fans per game. This number, in my mind, could very easily be the casual fan... Oh, the Warhawks (or Titans, or Eagles, or Bluedevils, or Yellowjackets, etc) are playing at home tonight.... eh, I'll just stay home and wash my hair.

Or whatever.

I think that there's a lot that can be done... but it needs to be done on the program level. The programs need to get out into the community more, perhaps, and get the word out that, oh yeah, there IS a basketball team in River Falls!

badgerwarhawk · March 23, 2007, 09:20:11 AM

I wonder if many of the games either being broadcast live by college tv stations and/or streamed onto the internet is playing a role as well. Our staff works very hard and has developed an array of promotions from t-shirts to free tutition to promote student attendance yet it continues to be disappointing.

Stout survivor · March 23, 2007, 10:29:41 AM

The players need to get out in the community and politic a little to get fans.

-Go to local schools and read to kids
-In the summer perhaps contest at local fairs where fans can meet and shoot against them
-If a player attends church it can be a great way to attract fans but they should not be forced to go (a bit of a touchy subject)

Kids are a great way to bring adults to the games and they do look up to athletes.

Any time a coach can have a player(s) attend a community event with full travel gear to shake hands and get their picture taken it will help. What is happening is EC can happen in Point and the league, coaches and players need to get out and promote to have teh community feel that it is their team, win or lose.