Buddy, we posted the schedule last week:Quote:
Originally Posted by MU/Panther
http://pantheru.com/2013/09/the-sche...tball-is-here/
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Buddy, we posted the schedule last week:Quote:
Originally Posted by MU/Panther
http://pantheru.com/2013/09/the-sche...tball-is-here/
I saw it on your twitter! I waited a week or so for people to read it on your site. Plus, I had it up (as I'm sure you saw) on your premium page on Aug. 17th.
Not too sure if others have seen it, since there is no feed back anywhere. I'm thinking mid-September is long enough.
Minus the unfortunate Judson game it's a very credible non-con schedule. I do wish the Judson game was being played at the Klotsche instead of one (or two) of the league games. As problematic as the Klotsche was the advantage we had there was schedule control. But only for league games; many non-con opponents simply would not have been willing to play us there.
I like the Cell and always have. It's a great basketball arena. But in an ideal world it's not where UWM should play. Andy Geiger was right that college basketball should be played on the college campus. But that assumes an adequate facility, and the Klotsche certainly was not. The Catch 22 situation continues. The Cell is too far from campus. The Klotsche isn't a D1 facility. So it goes.
At least by going back downtown we will have true pre-and post-game gatherings again. As marginal as the Klotsche was as a facility, losing those fan gatherings was even worse for the program in my opinion.
BBF- Many things to touch on what you said.
- Judson game was going to be a D1 school that pulled out of the game. Panthers needed to fill the date. Looking at other mid-major schools schedule, many are playing 2 to 3 non-D1 games, so 1 game is pretty good.
-Is Andy Geiger correct? If the Panthers had a nice on-campus arena, many might not want to come during the work week, since it's another 15 minutes more from downtown and another added on 15 minutes heading home.
- I'm with you 100% on the last point, to have the gathering areas again for Panther fans!
The ideal situation is the basketball home of Joe Rice's thesis, which would frankly be too expensive for us to work out at this time.
The practice facility is most important. Build it right, and we'll recruit the type of team that draws in fans. Draw in fans, we draw in the money where we can be serious about Joe's thesis down the road.
Jimmy, if you are referring to the suggested riverside facility near North Avenue, I agree with you -- that would be phenomenal. Parking and traffic ingress would present some challenges but the dining/streetlife infrastructure is already there (in fact it would be better than downtown in many respects) and the location strikes a great balance between City and Campus. But it's also no more than a dream at this point, as we know.
I am all for a good practice facility but I am less sanguine than you are about its effect on recruiting. It would help, no question, but independently I doubt it would have as much effect as moving to the Valley or the A10 would have even if we changed nothing else. JMHO.
**panther (sorry, nobody can legitimately be a fan of both those teams so I'm just striking out the "mu" part ;) ) I think the argument that fans won't come to campus is bogus. Give them a good team to watch in a credible facility and they will come. There are 100,000 UWM alumni in the greater metro area. Every one of those people knows how to get to the fashionable upper east side, and most college alumni love the nostalgia of being back on campus. The only issue is what I mentioned before -- a lack of dining/streetlife infrastructure. That's what makes the North Avenue area so appealing. Downtown certainly has a much better environment in that respect than Downer Avenue north of Kenwood provided last year. But while that helps, it's not necessary. Back in the days before I came to my senses and gave up on childish things I was an MU fan too, and I went to many games at the then Arena. In those days the surrounding area was terrible -- desolate almost. The bars and restaurants nearby were diners, dives and strip joints for the most part. But the fans came anyway. Winning does that.
Haha I dunno if you're one to talk on the whole divided allegiances topic, Fran :)
I think, more than anything, what struck most people out with the Klotsche wasn't the surrounding amenities - though they complained - it was the putrid "college" environment inside the Klotsche Center. The arena itself is no different than high school gyms at Homestead, West Allis Central, Racine Case or elsewhere. I think most people would have dealt with driving elsewhere if the arena were great on the inside.
Of course, you're right. The winning team is what gets most people out.
I'm not divided, I'm 100% to both!
Your right BBF, winning is the cure for everything. I just heard many last season not wanting to go to the KC, because it's a longer drive. Many should've just said the losing and playing at the KC doesn't help.
Back to the schedule, a liitle bit odd with a total of 13 home games. I do like the break they have for exams and then the break of not playing any games around Christmas. I don't want players to burn out before conference play.
I'm happiest about the lack of a distraction at the end of the conference season. In 2011 we were on a roll and didn't care for the Buffalo game. I wonder if, in other years, we stumbled because of the BB game.
Very glad to see it off the schedule. This is a solid one considering all the dates we didn't have due to WCD scheduling. Next year should be better.