2 more observation from Senior Day

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WARNING: It's a Souhan Article! Here is the Text so you don't click like I did:

Wrote about Oto Osenieks' cool moment at Senior Day. A few other observations from the Gophers' blowout victory over Penn State:

-Richard Pitino had his team ready to play. The Gophers were all over Penn State from the start and thrived even with their best player, Andre Hollins, playing sparingly in the first half because of foul trouble

-Where did everybody go? Yesterday confirmed my long-held suspicion that there are more Gophers fans who will complain about coverage of their team than will show up for the games and act like loyal fans. It was Senior Day. Pitino has given the fan base an interesting product this season, and could still make the NCAA tournament. It was Senior Day for a good four-year player like Austin Hollins.

But as the clock wound down, many fans bolted for the exits. When Pitino had his seniors address the crowd, there wasn't much crowd left.

I never tell people how they should spend their sporting dollars, but I do find it strange that a fan would block off a Sunday afternoon for basketball, watch the home team win big, and leave before seeing players the fans assumedly care about are honored. Had a few long-time Gopher fans email me about this, one calling it ``disgusting.''

-Pitino hasn't accomplished anything particularly impressive yet. I figured this team would go 7-11, and he beat that projection by one game in a conference that isn't quite as good as I thought it would be.

What is impressive is the energy and optimism he has brought to the program. He gushed about his players yesterday. He admitted he should have played Maverick Ahanmisi more - how many college coaches invite criticism or admit mistakes? He has raved about Williams Arena and Gophers fans, whether he means it or not. He found a way to honor Osenieks at the end of the game without, as he said, ``showing up Penn State.''

The guy gets it, what it means to be a public figure, a leader, a winning salesman for his program. His kids obviously like him and play hard for him. If your expectations for this season were reasonable, you have to be impressed with the guy.
 


brucekaupa said:
Typical a-hole journalism.
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Just curious....what part of the article do you find to be "typical a-hole journalism"? :confused:

The article is very complimentary of the program and it truly was a mad rush to the exits yesterday.
 

brucekaupa said:
Typical a-hole journalism.
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Agree. Isn't this the first time the Seniors have ever been allowed to speak after the game? Was it mentioned to the crowd (well before the end of a blow out game) to stick around and hear from our seniors? I am sure if people would have known, people would have stuck around.
 


AuEGO4 said:
Agree. Isn't this the first time the Seniors have ever been allowed to speak after the game? Was it mentioned to the crowd (well before the end of a blow out game) to stick around and hear from our seniors? I am sure if people would have known, people would have stuck around.
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It was. In fact, it may have been announced twice.

I agree with Souhan. We're as bad as Dodger fans when it comes to bolting early. It becomes a learned behavior that people can't seem to break no matter what. I think it's pathetic.
 

AuEGO4 said:
Agree. Isn't this the first time the Seniors have ever been allowed to speak after the game? Was it mentioned to the crowd (well before the end of a blow out game) to stick around and hear from our seniors? I am sure if people would have known, people would have stuck around.
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It was announced to the crowd with maybe 4-8 minutes left in the game. It was typical of most Gopher games. 50% of the crowd is in a panic to beat the traffic by 5 minutes.
 

golfing18now said:
Just curious....what part of the article do you find to be "typical a-hole journalism"? :confused:

The article is very complimentary of the program and it truly was a mad rush to the exits yesterday.
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It was written by Souhan. You're not a man if you don't rip Souhan.:rolleyes:
 

AuEGO4 said:
Agree. Isn't this the first time the Seniors have ever been allowed to speak after the game? Was it mentioned to the crowd (well before the end of a blow out game) to stick around and hear from our seniors? I am sure if people would have known, people would have stuck around.
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It was mentioned to stick around for a message from the seniors.
 



golfing18now said:
It was announced to the crowd with maybe 4-8 minutes left in the game. It was typical of most Gopher games. 50% of the crowd is in a panic to beat the traffic by 5 minutes.
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If it was announced before that, i missed it.

We are season ticket holders, and we received nothing about senior day via email. I've linked their weekly email below - see if you can find any mention besides that there is a game.
I hope Pitino reviews how senior day was handled this year and makes adjustments. From his coaching style, I suspect he will.

http://www.gophersports.com/ot/gopher-weekly.html?utm_source=GopherWeekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=82613
 

golfing18now said:
Just curious....what part of the article do you find to be "typical a-hole journalism"? :confused:
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I would think the part assuming that Gopher fans are so lame that they wouldn't stick around to cheer for their Seniors instead of looking at the bigger picture.
 

What a relief. Pitino has Souhan's blessing as a 'guy who get's it'. Ironic, that if the MSP sporting media has shown us one person that doesn't 'get it', it's Souhan.

Other than that, I don't take exception with anything else he wrote. Well, maybe the part about 'a few long-time Gopher fans' emailing him about folks leaving before the seniors spoke, and calling it "disgusting''. I'm pretty sure he was just confused with past emails from long-time Gopher fans calling HIM "disgusting", after his inflammatory column on Coach Kill.
 

What a relief. Pitino has Souhan's blessing as a 'guy who get's it'. Ironic, that if the MSP sporting media has shown us one person that doesn't 'get it', it's Souhan.

Other than that, I don't take exception with anything else he wrote. Well, maybe the part about 'a few long-time Gopher fans' emailing him about folks leaving before the seniors spoke, and calling it "disgusting''. I'm pretty sure he was just confused with past emails from long-time Gopher fans calling HIM "disgusting", after his inflammatory column on Coach Kill.
 




Moonlight said:
If it was announced before that, i missed it.

We are season ticket holders, and we received nothing about senior day via email. I've linked their weekly email below - see if you can find any mention besides that there is a game.
I hope Pitino reviews how senior day was handled this year and makes adjustments. From his coaching style, I suspect he will.

http://www.gophersports.com/ot/gopher-weekly.html?utm_source=GopherWeekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=82613
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I'm not sure that I understand your point. Are you saying that if it had mentioned in the weekly email, then you would have stayed longer?

In general, if you get up and leave a game early, you run the risk of missing what comes next. Good or bad. Whether it was a spontaneous thank you or a choreographed program....makes no difference to me. I'm glad I stayed and I agree with Souhan's sentiment on this.
 

I know lots of fans leave early unless the game is very close. It seems to be in their DNA. We never leave until after the rouser at the end of the game and usually by then the Barn is totally cleared out.

(One of my good friends is deathly afraid of getting caught in the parking ramp so he routinely leaves with 5 minutes left in the game. I have told him that is rediculous but he has a phobia about it I guess.)

I thought there were quite a few fans who stayed and listened to the seniors yesterday. Certainly it would have been good if more had stayed but to call it disgsuting is abit over the top.

P.S. Anyone who has been to more than a few Gopher games should know the last home game is always Senior Day.
 

golfing18now said:
I'm not sure that I understand your point. Are you saying that if it had mentioned in the weekly email, then you would have stayed longer?

In general, if you get up and leave a game early, you run the risk of missing what comes next. Good or bad. Whether it was a spontaneous thank you or a choreographed program....makes no difference to me. I'm glad I stayed and I agree with Souhan's sentiment on this.
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No - you misunderstand. I forget that I haven't posted much in the last year or so, so people don't know me.

We stayed for the senior's talk. I'm more irritated than anyone by early exits as they use the walkway in front of our seats. But - we were late for our after-game plans.

I think it does make a difference. My point is that as a small business owner, I understand that if you want an event to be well attended and supported, you have to PROMOTE it. Failure, again, of effective promotion by the U. They don't create a sense of interest and excitement. 'Oh, yeah, and stay to hear the seniors after the game.' The investment of energy by the U was matched by the response. If it was impromptu, then make it planned and announced and promoted next year.

I love senior day. It reflects everything about why I have season tickets - watching the evolution of the young men. I would have really liked to see the stands closer to full for the seniors, and the U could improve significantly on their communications that would support that possibility.
 

Moonlight said:
No - you misunderstand. I forget that I haven't posted much in the last year or so, so people don't know me.

We stayed for the senior's talk. I'm more irritated than anyone by early exits as they use the walkway in front of our seats. But - we were late for our after-game plans.

I think it does make a difference. My point is that as a small business owner, I understand that if you want an event to be well attended and supported, you have to PROMOTE it. Failure, again, of effective promotion by the U. They don't create a sense of interest and excitement. 'Oh, yeah, and stay to hear the seniors after the game.' The investment of energy by the U was matched by the response. If it was impromptu, then make it planned and announced and promoted next year.

I love senior day. It reflects everything about why I have season tickets - watching the evolution of the young men. I would have really liked to see the stands closer to full for the seniors, and the U could improve significantly on their communications that would support that possibility.
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Right on.

At a minimum the gopher fans will expect it so if the U still stumbles on promotion in a couple years we could get the crowd to be engaged for the entire night.
 

The problem wasn't getting people in it was getting people to stay and I don't think promotion has anything to with it. This was the only game I got to go to this year and for me it was disheartening to hear the people around me about talking about when they should leave the game. I feel like you should support them throughout the entire game especially on senior night when those players have provided you with entertainment for the past 4 years
 

tonestang said:
The problem wasn't getting people in it was getting people to stay and I don't think promotion has anything to with it. This was the only game I got to go to this year and for me it was disheartening to hear the people around me about talking about when they should leave the game. I feel like you should support them throughout the entire game especially on senior night when those players have provided you with entertainment for the past 4 years
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Promotion sets the expectation and shows the importance of it to the program. Moonlight is right - it should have been promoted. Why not? You build a culture little by little and you have to let people know that you are serious about getting them involved beyond the basic spectator level. Promote it every year and 3 to 4 years from now most everyone will know that it is traditional to stay after the final game.
 

Do many people believe that Pitino was admitting a "mistake" when he said he regrets not finding Maverick more minutes? I took that as something nice to say about a departing Senior and not refreshing honesty from a coach admitting a mistake. I don't disagree with much of this Souhan column, but claiming a guy "gets it" (one of my least favorite sayings) and then using an example that seems pretty clearly to be coach speak is a little strange.
 

I dunno. Watching Mav and Malik, I would have been ok with Mav launching a few more threes and Malik a few less. Maybe that is what he was thinking.
 

I'd be completely fine with giving Malik's minutes to Mav. Mav isn't a great shooter but Malik is in such a terrible funk he doesn't provide much. As long as Mav doesn't play PG when he's out there.
 

EG#9 said:
Do many people believe that Pitino was admitting a "mistake" when he said he regrets not finding Maverick more minutes? I took that as something nice to say about a departing Senior and not refreshing honesty from a coach admitting a mistake. I don't disagree with much of this Souhan column, but claiming a guy "gets it" (one of my least favorite sayings) and then using an example that seems pretty clearly to be coach speak is a little strange.
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As much as he was admitting mistakes when he said - and I can't remember in which article - that he's made tons of mistakes this year. He's self aware, which means he knows he's not perfect. He's also more aware than other coaches who don't even recognize half of the mistakes they're making. Reminds me of Tom Kelly, who held himself to such a high standard that he retired when he realized he was starting to make mistakes that were uncharacteristic of him. That might be taking it TOO far.
 

sec105 said:
(One of my good friends is deathly afraid of getting caught in the parking ramp so he routinely leaves with 5 minutes left in the game. I have told him that is rediculous but he has a phobia about it I guess.)
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I have one of those. He wanted to leave the Indiana game early last season. Luckily there were four of us to out vote him. He seems to get all riled up to leave as soon as he gets somewhere. Rude and annoying.
 

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