Amelia rips fans who attend NIT

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I haven't felt like the Gophers have had a competent beat writer from either paper since Jeff Shelman left the Strib. Jeff was the last beat reporter I remember really breaking any news about the Gophers in terms of recruiting, transfers, etc. I don't feel like either Marcus or Amelia really grinds their job and gives us the coverage of the Gophers fans would like. Marcus had a fairly informative story on the Gophers strength and conditioning program during the season, but that type of piece needs to be more the rule than the exception.
 


SamSquatch said:
Used to see her fairly often. She was close friends with a girl my roommate dated. We were just a group of young, drunken kids enjoying life right after college. Even so, nobody in our group had an interest. Being young, not fat, blonde, and female does not grant automatic access to the title of hot.

That said, she looks better than she writes.
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This is all very disappointing to me.
 

GopherLady said:
You guys are BRUTAL!

I see Amelia at every game, and I will vouch for the fact that she's very pretty and she also works very hard on the beat. You guys aren't going to be happy with anyone...most of you hated Myron, but he can't be all that bad because he has one of the few college hoops writing job at ESPN.

I would love for all of you to post your photos and have her rate you instead!!! :)

P.S. Moonlight, you are excluded, as you back up your points and are logical.
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I like that you're sticking up for your friend, GL!

(So a 7 then?)
 



Moonlight said:
Not sucking up - we actually are friends.
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Moonie and I are friends, though I don't get to see her much anymore. Her wit and wisdom during the Monson years were invaluable on the board. I've met GL a couple of times and I appreciate her work, particularly her behind the scenes access to the program and her notes from the press conferences. She has helped make GH a prominent player in the media over the last few years.

As for Amelia, she's no Ernest Hemingway but she does a credible job within the constraints of her job. They are constraints that GL doesn't have and constraints that anonymous posters like Moonie and I don't have. First of all, as a non columnist beat writer Amelia has to be primarily a reporter; editorializing about what she sees is secondary. She also can't burn sources by being too critical, consequently her writing becomes somewhat opaque. You can tell that she is quite opinionated but is fairly circumspect relative to what she really thinks. She does tend to be behind on recruiting news and scoops, etc and I don't know if that is because she isn't using sources or she has to do more verifying because she works for the paper. Finally, she sees the players and the coaches every day during the season. It becomes tough to write objectively. I think that she does an above average job. When she is interviewed about the gophers she is pretty weak, which is unfortunate because I think that she knows hoops and the team quite well.

It's kind of amusing how many people go apoplectic on this board if there is the faintest criticism of the gophers from the media in this market. The person who criticizes gets comments on their appearance, their competence, their ethics, their age, their gender, etc. The two major sports are a big business that have been run in a mediocre to sub mediocre fashion for the last fifty years. I'm surprised there isn't more criticism from the media.
 

As an aside, I would have bought 3 tickets at $10 each for me and my two kids. They were priced at $20 each and I just was not going to spend $60 (plus another $20 on concessions) to take my kids to an NIT game. I don't know who sets the ticket prices for these games but the priority ought to be on getting people in the building.
 

EG#9 said:
I haven't felt like the Gophers have had a competent beat writer from either paper since Jeff Shelman left the Strib. Jeff was the last beat reporter I remember really breaking any news about the Gophers in terms of recruiting, transfers, etc. I don't feel like either Marcus or Amelia really grinds their job and gives us the coverage of the Gophers fans would like. Marcus had a fairly informative story on the Gophers strength and conditioning program during the season, but that type of piece needs to be more the rule than the exception.
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To the bolded part I don't really think that a lack of breaking news coming out of current beat writers in this regard is something we can place squarely on the shoulders of those writers. I see this as a result in the rise in popularity among sites such as this as well as dedicated recruiting sites. Those sites sole responsibility is putting out content on recruiting and thus they have the time and energy to devote to it. We, as bigger fans than normal, follow those sites and see the information broken their first. To the casual fan, the first wind they hear about it may be days/weeks/months later when it's broken by more traditional sources that simply haven't gotten around to that story. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems plausible to me.

Plus, breaking news on some 17 year old kid doesn't sell papers (unless of course it's a once in a generation type of player, a la a Lebron James or something). Soft pieces on a struggling athlete overcoming a hurdle or something like that does so beat writers and those that cover these programs in the traditional formats focus their attention there.
 

year of the gopher said:
As an aside, I would have bought 3 tickets at $10 each for me and my two kids. They were priced at $20 each and I just was not going to spend $60 (plus another $20 on concessions) to take my kids to an NIT game. I don't know who sets the ticket prices for these games but the priority ought to be on getting people in the building.
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The market is telling the U that the tix aren't worth $20. Of the 3,000 or so in attendance the other night I would bet that very few actually paid face value. If they want to generate some excitement about the next game the tix should be $5.
 



jamiche said:
The market is telling the U that the tix aren't worth $20. Of the 3,000 or so in attendance the other night I would bet that very few actually paid face value. If they want to generate some excitement about the next game the tix should be $5.
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How many more people do you think would attend if the tickets are $5? 1,000? 2,000? While I like that idea too, there is always a risk that the max market for an NIT game is say only 5,000 people or so. If that's the case you are better off with 3,500 people at $20 bucks per. That of course isn't factoring parking or concessions though.

My point is, even if the tickets were free how many more people would realistically attend and would it be enough to off set the roughly $70K in tickets they made off the first game? (I realize that's not fully accurate since there were free students, etc. there too)
 

balds said:
I have no problem with her as a person or as a writer. For some reason, every member of the media in MN seem to have a sarcastic, snarky negative edge against (should't be for, but shouldn't be against either)the local team. Like every other media member, when the team struggles her joy is palpable, which bothers me. Objectivity can't be a defense when the pendulum has swung so far away from positivity that it is negative.
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This is my perspective exactly.

From Jammer:
The two major sports are a big business that have been run in a mediocre to sub mediocre fashion for the last fifty years. I'm surprised there isn't more criticism from the media.
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Jammer, glad you weighed in - I knew you would disagree. And I respect your perspective, particularly as it relates to Reusse & Souhan. Loving the Gophers is not their job (and they clearly got that memo!).
Is it inappropriate to ask that the beat writer exhibit some liking for the team? Must the writer stay completely objective, referring to what Balds said, have we all as a culture fallen over to the negativity side?
Here's my bias: with as free flowing as the negative criticism can be about minute details (Newsflash: Reusse's mancrush on Pitino has ended over a handshake), is it really too much to ask that the beat writer error on the side of positive?

Was my OP headline fair? Not really. It was skewed to the negative, and purposefully so to make my point.

Jammer, we have reviewed the many reasons that these programs have wallowed, and I think that that should be explored in a way that doesn't extend so much collateral criticism to the players. But just because it isn't being explored doesn't mean that all the writing can be justifiably negative to make up for it.

Lastly - Good exchange of ideas in this thread, excepting Studwell's usual discomfort w/intelligent conversation in his annual foray to the BB board.
 

jamiche said:
The market is telling the U that the tix aren't worth $20. Of the 3,000 or so in attendance the other night I would bet that very few actually paid face value. If they want to generate some excitement about the next game the tix should be $5.
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How can tickets for the NIT be bought at less than face value? Inquiring minds would like to know.

BTW, season ticket holder could buy a package to all 3 games, BUT there was no discount to season ticket holders for buying tickets to all 3 games - that only purchased the right to sit in your usual spot. Dumb, and an opportunity missed.
 




Instead of criticism like get better players. The media tends to basically try to see how clever they can put down the programs mostly dealing with the past. No constructive criticism or reporting on the whys in we aren't winning . Right now on talk shows and in print the flavor is jokes or rips on the NIT and attendence. Just little juvenile jokes instead of talking about something like our problem at the power forward spot or getting instate kids. And unlike many places they seem to go out of there way to talk up programs and players in surrounding states. Friend was telling in the Omaha newspaper there was barely a mention on Iowa teams in the NCCA. We have a media here who over the last years have spent more time on Tim Miles than our local coaches. I don't mind some of it but you would swear Mike Max and company were going to put up a statue for Tom Izzo. It is also a culture where if a kid gets in trouble or even a former player it is headlines even when it is not warrented. The Mn Dailey report on an incident that never involved athletes this winter comes to mind. The culture of our media is different.
 

Moonlight said:
How can tickets for the NIT be bought at less than face value? Inquiring minds would like to know.

BTW, season ticket holder could buy a package to all 3 games, BUT there was no discount to season ticket holders for buying tickets to all 3 games - that only purchased the right to sit in your usual spot. Dumb, and an opportunity missed.
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but you only had to pay one $10 surcharge per seat- not $10 per game. What a bargain for the opportunity to print you own ticket at home.
 

Moonlight said:
How can tickets for the NIT be bought at less than face value? Inquiring minds would like to know.

BTW, season ticket holder could buy a package to all 3 games, BUT there was no discount to season ticket holders for buying tickets to all 3 games - that only purchased the right to sit in your usual spot. Dumb, and an opportunity missed.
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I can't imagine that the usual street brokers weren't out there before the game doing their thing (one of them is a friendly acquaintance) and that the price of a ticket five minutes before tipoff wasn't well below $20.
 


Moonlight said:
This is my perspective exactly.

From Jammer:
Jammer, glad you weighed in - I knew you would disagree. And I respect your perspective, particularly as it relates to Reusse & Souhan. Loving the Gophers is not their job (and they clearly got that memo!).
Is it inappropriate to ask that the beat writer exhibit some liking for the team? Must the writer stay completely objective, referring to what Balds said, have we all as a culture fallen over to the negativity side?
Here's my bias: with as free flowing as the negative criticism can be about minute details (Newsflash: Reusse's mancrush on Pitino has ended over a handshake), is it really too much to ask that the beat writer error on the side of positive?

Was my OP headline fair? Not really. It was skewed to the negative, and purposefully so to make my point.

Jammer, we have reviewed the many reasons that these programs have wallowed, and I think that that should be explored in a way that doesn't extend so much collateral criticism to the players. But just because it isn't being explored doesn't mean that all the writing can be justifiably negative to make up for it.

Lastly - Good exchange of ideas in this thread, excepting Studwell's usual discomfort w/intelligent conversation in his annual foray to the BB board.
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I don't think that all of the writing is negative, not even close. In a way, the gophers are "protected" by low expectations and the professional sports in this market. If there were only a couple of pro franchises (e.g. Milwaukee or Seattle) in this market I believe that the scrutiny would be much greater. A month or so ago, Reusse (public enemy #1 on this site) wrote that for the first time in years the major sports were in good hands under Kill, Pitino, Ellis and Teague. He was right. Subsequently he chided Kill for his "aw shucks, they made me take the money" public response to his new contract when the internal negotiations were lengthy (there is no indication that they were rancorous). Reusse was right. Kill wanted a better contract and he got one. To pretend that they begged him to take it is silly. Reusse chided Pitino the other day for the kerfuffle with Bo and Reusse was right. Pitino's team wasn't prepared to play and they got smashed. Reusse pointed out that the Gophers were in a similar situation earlier this year and took a three with a few seconds left. He also nailed Pitino for complaining about the schedule and, for those who read the column, he made a solid case. The games that Pitino had control over (going to holiday tournaments is good for recruiting and for morale--coaches don't refuse them) were soft and gooey. I don't think that criticizing Kill and Pitino about specific situations has changed Reusse's overall assessment of them.

I like Reusse and Scoggins. Souhan is duplicitous. Marcus is the best gopher beat writer since Shelman. I thought Myron was decent, given the limitations of the job. Amelia needs to spend less time on twitter and more time on her craft, but I think she can become good.

As I said, the coverage of the coaches and the administrators in this market could (and possibly should) be much tougher given their records. (Player criticism is more complicated in my mind.) People who criticize the criticism of gopher athletics speak out of both sides of their mouths when they complain about the lack of public accountability for Maturi's incompetence.
 

GopherLady said:
You guys are BRUTAL!

I see Amelia at every game, and I will vouch for the fact that she's very pretty and she also works very hard on the beat. You guys aren't going to be happy with anyone...most of you hated Myron, but he can't be all that bad because he has one of the few college hoops writing job at ESPN.

I would love for all of you to post your photos and have her rate you instead!!! :)

P.S. Moonlight, you are excluded, as you back up your points and are logical.
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I think this is a great idea. UU and other creative minds can submit pics along with which poster they feel it represents (like the Dr. Don 6-pack). Thanks GL!
 


jamiche said:
I can't imagine that the usual street brokers weren't out there before the game doing their thing (one of them is a friendly acquaintance) and that the price of a ticket five minutes before tipoff wasn't well below $20.
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Maybe you're right and I don't mind buying scalped tickets if it's just me or I'm with friends. But I don't bring an 8-year old and 3-year old to an arena telling them we're going to a game with the prospect of buying scalped tickets and all the various things that can go wrong with that process. 3,000 people in attendance tells me that the tickets were priced too high. Would they have sold out at $5-$10? No way, but they might have gotten more people in the building at least.
 


year of the gopher said:
Maybe you're right and I don't mind buying scalped tickets if it's just me or I'm with friends. But I don't bring an 8-year old and 3-year old to an arena telling them we're going to a game with the prospect of buying scalped tickets and all the various things that can go wrong with that process. 3,000 people in attendance tells me that the tickets were priced too high. Would they have sold out at $5-$10? No way, but they might have gotten more people in the building at least.
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I don't know why there would e tickets. Remember the scalpers generally sell unused season's tickets. Season ticket holders didn't have to buy NIT seats so there wouldn't be many used tickets.
 

Winnipegopher said:
I don't know why there would e tickets. Remember the scalpers generally sell unused season's tickets. Season ticket holders didn't have to buy NIT seats so there wouldn't be many used tickets.
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This what I thought. Where would the tickets come from? Jammer?

Yes, there was less of a surcharge for printing the tickets rather than will-call.
 

Moonlight said:
This what I thought. Where would the tickets come from? Jammer?

Yes, there was less of a surcharge for printing the tickets rather than will-call.
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I don't know where they come from and I wasn't there. I would bet that there were people outside selling tickets. (Let me know if I'm wrong.) One source may be that there were a lot of tickets given away by the ticket office to pad the house that were sold to scalpers for a couple of bucks and resold for a couple more. There are always people who can't go and a friend sells the excess tickets to a scalper or another fan.
 

jamiche said:
I don't know where they come from and I wasn't there. I would bet that there were people outside selling tickets. (Let me know if I'm wrong.) One source may be that there were a lot of tickets given away by the ticket office to pad the house that were sold to scalpers for a couple of bucks and resold for a couple more. There are always people who can't go and a friend sells the excess tickets to a scalper or another fan.
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We were there - nope, no scalpers. Whatever source suggested there would be lots of tickets given away - does this seem in keeping with the U? They did say they were giving away 500 tickets to students, but definitely not that many students.
As usual, no benefit to season ticket holders.
 

Moonlight said:
We were there - nope, no scalpers. Whatever source suggested there would be lots of tickets given away - does this seem in keeping with the U? They did say they were giving away 500 tickets to students, but definitely not that many students.
As usual, no benefit to season ticket holders.
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Even the scalpers are disrespecting the NIT!! :)

I don't mean to start a rumor that there was a ticket giveaway (other than the students). However, if I ran the ticket office I'd be pricing the tickets cheap and giving away whatever I couldn't sell. A cavernous Barn subtracts far more from the image of the program than the additional revenue from the higher prices on the tickets that are sold.
 

jamiche said:
Even the scalpers are disrespecting the NIT!! :)

I don't mean to start a rumor that there was a ticket giveaway (other than the students). However, if I ran the ticket office I'd be pricing the tickets cheap and giving away whatever I couldn't sell. A cavernous Barn subtracts far more from the image of the program than the additional revenue from the higher prices on the tickets that are sold.
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Why doesn't the U of M Ticket Office hire some experienced "former" ticket scalpers and put them out there on the street negotiating with the walk-up customers for this NIT Event to discover just what the price point that will attract buyers will be? (It could be a kind salary with commission based upon the number of tickets scalped by these experienced scalpers!) Yes, of course, I am (**wink***wink**) joking. Still more people might enjoy the process of negotiating with a scalper than printing their own tickets for a ridiculous price concerning the way the NIT is disrespected by the typical BARN Crowd. Or, for those who enjoy speculating, Go ahead and purchase your tickets on line, print them off and to take advantage of all the excitement and demand for tickets by the walk-up-crowd, go out there and compete with the scalpers, working your own job. An entire new generation of "scalpers" could be created. (Kind of like an "O. T.J.S. Training Program: "...on the job scalpers training program!) It might also increase the public's open-minded willingness to assume the role of the "scalpee" in the process of attending Golden Gopher live sports events!

Quite frankly, when you get into the later rounds of the NIT, there can be some pretty entertaining games and chances for match-ups that aren't frequently happening during the early OOC season. The BARN could become a Scalper's Dream for post season events such as the Men's and Women's NIT, various ooc home football games, early season ooc men's and women's basketball events and various non-revenue events that they currently attempt to sell season or single event tickets for with very little success. Think outside the box Gopher Ticket Department! And, remember: the art of the SCALP has always been under-utilized here in the Great Northern Upper Middle-Western portion of this great nation. It might be a lot of fun!
 

jamiche said:
Even the scalpers are disrespecting the NIT!! :) I don't mean to start a rumor that there was a ticket giveaway (other than the students). However, if I ran the ticket office I'd be pricing the tickets cheap and giving away whatever I couldn't sell. A cavernous Barn subtracts far more from the image of the program than the additional revenue from the higher prices on the tickets that are sold.
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I've made this comment before, the risk in giving tickets away is that the barn isn't cavernous and is, in fact, still empty.

"Gave tickets away and still couldn't fill the arena ..."

I think the benefit of giving them away is potentially earning new fans or season ticket holders.
 

Don't know if this has been posted but it appears that the $20 ticket Sunday will let you attend both the men's game and the women's game which is scheduled for 5:00. Good move by whomever.
 

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