Mona says students at U of M don't go to games because...

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Letsgogophers

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they have other things to do in the Twin Cities. He stuck his foot further in his mouth by saying in Iowa or Nebraska, there is nothing else to do, thus they go to games. Sid added there is nothing to do in Madison either, thus students go. What a stupid comment from both. There is plenty to do at any college town, and students in many major cities attend their college games.
 

Ironically the excuse last many years was that the stadium was off campus. The new on campus stadium was going to solve our student attendance issue. It did for about four games. The last three games this year were embarrassing. Sid is right about one thing - win and they'll come.
 

Giddy Dave crowed for years about what a beautiful picture fall football would be on campus with all the students engaged. He's a really nice man, I've met him and can attest to how sincere he is. But man he's never been honest/realistic and has been the biggest apologist in regards to everything associated with the U.
 

sid also said...

student attendance was down because the stadium did not serve beer - what am idiot - their endless excuses about this Goper program is comical -
 

akgopher said:
Giddy Dave crowed for years about what a beautiful picture fall football would be on campus with all the students engaged. He's a really nice man, I've met him and can attest to how sincere he is. But man he's never been honest/realistic and has been the biggest apologist in regards to everything associated with the U.
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Giddy Dave was right on the money. Fall football was fantastic on the U's campus. Even though it has been a very frustrating season, I have really enjoyed attending games in The Brickhouse.

There is not one person in GopherHole that predicted that student attendance would be a problem. NOBODY knew that was going to happen. I boil the problem down to one thing - THE VIKINGS. They are just going to have to leave before we can get this thing turned around for the Gophers.



JUST SAY NO TO ZIGGY
Citizens Opposed to Stadium Taxes
 


Someone told me the students get a breathalyzer prior to entering the stadium. Is that accurate?
 

Art,

They get a breathalyzer if they have been kicked out of the stadium for a previous game for an alcohol/stupidity related reason.
 

Anyone who says there is more to do in Iowa City than Minneapolis is an idiot. I wouldn't be suprised if that was a factor but it isn't the biggest factor no where near it. If you want people to come Al Davis said it best "Just win baby".
 

I wonder how much the very long lines to get into the student section gate at the 1st 2 games turned off the students. This isn't an excuse either, but am just wondering if that was part of the attendance problems for the rest of the games.
 



holereader said:
student attendance was down because the stadium did not serve beer - what am idiot - their endless excuses about this Goper program is comical -
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I don't see anything idiotic about this....

Maybe you're the idiot. As many people noted, it seems to be the younger students who keep on going to the games in bigger numbers than the juniors or seniors. I'm an upperclassman so I know for a fact that a ton more people would go if they could drink at the games. If not, many can just easily go to the bars and watch the game in a fun environment there.
 

If the Gophers were better, there would be fewer 11 am games, more 2:30.....more student attendance
 

I find it ironic that so many posters whine and moan about how negative the media is constantly - and then when there's someone positive, like Dave, he gets heat for that. It's like a no-win situation for the media in this town.
 

TubbytownUSA said:
I'm an upperclassman so I know for a fact that a ton more people would go if they could drink at the games. If not, many can just easily go to the bars and watch the game in a fun environment there.
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No stadium in the Big 10 serves beer to the general public and/or students (other stadiums do allow alcohol in the suites). If you are a fan, you want to see the games in person and come to the stadium, period. By the way, the stadium is a "fun environment."

If you prefer watching in a bar, you are a drinker who is a little fond of sports.
 



GopherLady said:
I find it ironic that so many posters whine and moan about how negative the media is constantly - and then when there's someone positive, like Dave, he gets heat for that. It's like a no-win situation for the media in this town.
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+1000
 

The Vikings are also a big factor. Not saying that you can't be a fan of both teams - but it makes a difference. There isn't a culture among students at the U that the Saturday football games are the place to be. And when the team isn't winning consistently, that "have to be there factor" is almost zero.

Why isn't the culture there? So many of the U students are Minnesotans, and growing up there is so much focus on the Vikings and pro football in the media - there isn't enough coverage of the Gophers. So you are raised up always thinking pro football is king. So many of my friends at the U are huge football fans, played the game in HS, love the Vikings, and never went to a Gopher game. Yet on Sundays they would watch 12 hours of the NFL.

I also have many friends who went to other schools in neighboring B10 states. All of a sudden they became HUGE college football fans and went to every game. Why? The college game on saturday was the main attraction. No pro team to pay attention to - less interest. Even though they can still watch the Vikings, because kids were raised in Iowa and Wisconsin to follow the college team first, they lost interest in the Vikings.

If the Vikings leave it will help the Gopher football team. Not immediately - it will take time for the next generation of youth to learn to follow the Gophers first - but over time it will happen. More top in-state talent will stay home, and the atmosphere of the games will change.

Again, I'm not saying you can't like both teams. But remember, the average student is a more casual sports fan in general - a lot different type of fan than the ones who post here.

It's not the only solution - but the Vikings do make a big difference in student attendance.
 

GopherLady said:
I find it ironic that so many posters whine and moan about how negative the media is constantly - and then when there's someone positive, like Dave, he gets heat for that. It's like a no-win situation for the media in this town.
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It's hard to be critical of Dave as a person, but he's too loyal to the U to be an unbiased, professional member of the media.
 


TAW said:
No stadium in the Big 10 serves beer to the general public and/or students (other stadiums do allow alcohol in the suites). If you are a fan, you want to see the games in person and come to the stadium, period. By the way, the stadium is a "fun environment."

If you prefer watching in a bar, you are a drinker who is a little fond of sports.
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I initially wasn't on board with the ban on liquor, but it was pleasant this year. I didn't think it was so bad at the dome, so I was surprised when they made change. But I did have season tickets to the Vikings for a time, and my biggest complaint were the drunks. It was WWE.
 

Letsgogophers said:
they have other things to do in the Twin Cities. He stuck his foot further in his mouth by saying in Iowa or Nebraska, there is nothing else to do, thus they go to games. Sid added there is nothing to do in Madison either, thus students go. What a stupid comment from both. There is plenty to do at any college town, and students in many major cities attend their college games.
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Mona is the ultimate apologist for Gopher football (even beyond Sid) and colors everything he trys to defend to the U's advantage

Dan Cole's site has him nailed

http://homersota.com/mona_dave.html
 


akgopher said:
It's hard to be critical of Dave as a person, but he's too loyal to the U to be an unbiased, professional member of the media.
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now you are questioning dave mona's professionalism? please! and what is wrong with being loyal to your alma mater? you think that is unique to dave mona and the u of m? there are announcers and talk-show hosts in every big ten town just like dave mona. get a clue.

you seem to be one of those truly perplexing minnesota "fans" that gopherlady is referring to (i.e. no one can win with you)
 

Big Ten Mind said:
Mona is the ultimate apologist for Gopher football (even beyond Sid) and colors everything he trys to defend to the U's advantage

Dan Cole's site has him nailed

http://homersota.com/mona_dave.html
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who cares?! it is far better than listening to lame, tired old hacks like reusse and souhan who can't do anything but rag on sports teams and players (pro & college). talk about depressing pieces of sh!t. hard to believe that either of them managed to find a partner of the opposite sex that didn't run for the hills first chance that they got. i would shoot myself if i had to live with either of those negative, depressing schmucks.
 

Gee Ohio State only has tshe Browns and the Bengals, I wonder how they ever get any students?? How many students have tickets to the Vikings. and if any do they cost alot more than $11!!!
 

You guys do know that you are responding to Pantherhawk in this thread. Anytime you see a pro Gopher name and less than 5 posts ripping MN, it is Pantherhawk.
 

littlebigboy said:
Gee Ohio State only has tshe Browns and the Bengals, I wonder how they ever get any students?? How many students have tickets to the Vikings. and if any do they cost alot more than $11!!!
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Exactly, it is a cop out to sat that the students don't come because of the vikings or the other things to do in town. Is there more to do here than Iowa City, Lincoln, Madison, sure. However, I don't know many college students that could regularly afford NFL tickets. I also don't know many college students that take advantage of these additional entertainment options such as the theater or symphony available here but not in these college towns.
 

Of course states and large cities without professional teams have closer followers. Doesn't take a genius to see it. Ask Miami football followers. Ask Pitt football followers. I have season tickets to Twins and Wild and go to 2 or 3 Gopher games a year. Most students at metro universities commute and have things to do on the weekends. Anyone that argues about this is denying the truth.
 

Letsgogophers said:
they have other things to do in the Twin Cities. He stuck his foot further in his mouth by saying in Iowa or Nebraska, there is nothing else to do, thus they go to games. Sid added there is nothing to do in Madison either, thus students go. What a stupid comment from both. There is plenty to do at any college town, and students in many major cities attend their college games.
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How is any of this stupid? All of it is factually correct. I don't buy it as THE reason why students do not attend games, but it certainly is a factor. I believe a larger factor is the U failing to have a successful season during any student's lifetime.
 

TubbytownUSA said:
I don't see anything idiotic about this....

Maybe you're the idiot. As many people noted, it seems to be the younger students who keep on going to the games in bigger numbers than the juniors or seniors. I'm an upperclassman so I know for a fact that a ton more people would go if they could drink at the games. If not, many can just easily go to the bars and watch the game in a fun environment there.
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The bigger issue IMO (since upperclassman across the B10 have no problems attending games without beer being sold) is that the upperclassmen at the U have seen a lot of mediocre to bad FB and not all of them care anymore. Younger students aren't so jaded.

It will take a number of years (4-5) to get to a point where the students want to attend the games in the same way as at other schools. At that point students will have only known games at TCF. Winning would of course improve things ASAP.

I don't think anyone thought things would be this bad in the student section, but since we never sold out 10K seats previously when students could buy multiple seats I think we were all foolish to think that attendance would suddenly be better all the time overnight. Keep in mind that there were issues with attendance even at the Wisky game when we hadn't hit the true rough patch or had the losses piling up. That's because there were plenty of students who bought students cause it was the thing to do, not b/c they cared.
 

College kids do the same stuff at the U as they do in Iowa City. They study and party. All of this "there's more stuff to do in Minneapolis" talk is a bunch of bologna. They will show up if Minnesota puts a winner on the field.
 

I thought that looking through the periscope to a parallel universe may merit consideration. Imagine investing nine figures into physical infrastructure and starting 1-6. Your team proceeds to win a couple games before dropping a critical home contest. This assures no bowl game for the second consecutive year. Don't be concerned though, the team is stacked with talent!

Sounds like us, right? Nope - that's Illinois, my fellow Gopher fans. We have won something like seven of the last eleven games against Illinois, boasted a 5-4 record going into an important game on 11/7, and half the students didn't show up? That still pisses me off to this day. Unless any shred of apathy and indifference is gone, the vacant seats will speak to potential recruits as loudly as the wins. Especially, when we are trying to position ourselves to go to a better bowl game. It took Mike Stoops nearly five years at 'Zona to place them in position to make the Rose Bowl for the first time.

Have people even ventured to define "Winning" with specific benchmarks? Naive of me, but I thought that a 5-4 record was winning! Don't get me wrong, I want more! However, I am insulted as a Minnesotan by this combination of arrogance and laziness. Moreover, I don't buy the wait for Hockey season (it's BS) - this is America and the Big Ten conference. If I should be engrossed with this and it should merit a conversation at the water cooler, more schools would field programs.

As for the Vikings, I pretty much reverse engineered most interest in them years ago. They are a profit seeking enterprise; perhaps, another Delaware company, eager to see me part with the scarce resources I diligently allocate to pay my mortgage dutifully and fund my nourishment. The organization is happier than a lark to see me spend my precious Mother's Day, B-Day, & Christmas budget on self-gratifying tickets, apparel, & useless trinkets. Your emotional attachment is their profit. Where does it go? What does their expense structure look like? Do they support scholarships for women's diving & cross country like collegiate football programs do? I place my bets on charitable contributions being less than 1% of AGI for most players, owners, and coaches.
 

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