Conference Time

[Zirg]

Just letting all you lame-os out there, yeah the 18000 of you that only go to griz football games and not basketball games, that we have 2 BIG conference games this weekend. They scheduled earlier conference games this year, HOPING that the students will actually show-up, for a game. No Colorado is 5-0 and the early favorite (believe it or not),so that should be a good contest. Friday (NAU) and Saturday (UNC) at 7pm. This has all the potential to be a very good team, so jump on the bandwagon now.

 

[MT Jack]

Zirg -

I'm going to give you kudos for trying to fire up the band and stir some support for the Griz basketball program.

The Griz program gets better support than many (most?) Big Sky programs. The two games I saw in Missoula the past two years (NAU games) had pretty good crowds but it could have been better. I think Tinkle and his staff definitely have something good brewing in Missoula.

That being said, I'm going to be frank and say that the majority of the fanbase (people I talked to while in Missoula and around the state when I lived in Montana) and the student population there just don't seem to give a squat and/or a piss about college basketball. I really don't know what causes this as Montana high school basketball gets fantastic support state wide and there is no NBA team to distract fan's short attention spans or compete for their money. Is it because the tail-gating/booze factor is taken out of the equation unlike in football? Is it because of football's domination leading to many bandwagon fans showing up and that hasn't happened consistently with basketball? Just because football is next to godliness in Montana doesn't mean fans can't show up and support the Griz to a few roundball games over the course of the season as well.

On a somewhat unrelated note, whoever used the term "dirt road alumni/fans" here on egriz earns a golf clap.

My dad said college basketball was an awesome experience in Missoula back in the day. It'd be great to get back to those days not only for UofM but for the Big Sky conference in general.

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Re: the early start of BSC play. A great big ppppphhhhhhhh to the conference schedulers for sticking two meaningful conference games over a month before the rest of conferece play begins. I can't imagine coaches like this new trend in the Big Sky.

I'm calling B.S.

NAU's coming in wounded. They've been down one starter - power forward - and their best three point shooter the last few games. No word yet on their availabilty the coming weekend in Montana. DeAngelo Jones, Gabe Rogers and Cameron Jones have started the season pretty well. Cameron Jones is the player to watch. Jacks are a somewhat uninspired 2-3. One home game vs. Pacific was postponed due to a campus wide power outage with no word on make up options. NAU got smoked last Saturday at San Diego State. Downright ugly. Possibly the worst first half of basketball I can remember in a long time. They played hard in losses to Fresno State and U of Arizona. The loss of Josh Wilson at point guard seems to be hurting the most right now with his replacement a freshman with expected growing pains and a junior college transfer who plays decent defense and is quick but hasn't been shooting well at all.

Doubtful I'll be able to catch the game on the internet down here in the desert on Friday. Wish I was in Missoula to catch the game.

MTJack

 

[Grizfan-24]

I listened to the announcers last night and they said that a big reason for the scheduling of two conference games is because of the Bracket buster games in February. They said that moving to a shorter conference schedule (compressed) is a possibility for next year.

I think people could tailgate for games. In fact when I was in HS in the early 90's I distinctly remember people tailgaiting before the conference tournament games. Excuses abound, but I still believe this Missoula is still a basketball town. If these games were a social experience then I think people would show up.
A few reasons:
1) We lose at home too much. We haven't run off a season were we have gone undefeated at home in a number of years. The statisticians can figure that out.
2) Our program has been all over the map in terms of style and substance. We haven't had coaches or players in a long while to consistently grab upon. We didn't build off of the Criswell/Matthews year nearly enough.
3) Environment has been brutal. Who wants to go a game where there are 3,000 people in the stands and sit on their hands for most of the game. The people who are there are just there to be there and have had little stake in the goings on. I have been to high school games with more enivornment than what the UofM has produced lately. That is on the fans, the program and the team. You can attempt to pump in lots of music, but if the people who are there would rather be somewhere else, what is the point.

The team deserves support, because it looks like Tinks is 'potentially' building a winner here. The kids are fun to watch, and play tough gritty brand of basketball.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Zirg, a few years ago, before moving to Denver, I was always encouraging GRIZNATION to support GRIZ basketball. I commend you for doing that. I also commend everyone supporting GRIZ basketball. I actually am surprised this much time has gone by without a few football fans getting on her badmouthing Tinkle and/or basketball in general.

A few years ago, I even asked what it would take to support GRIZ basketball, many of which said winning teams, effort, and talent. Later, I found out that was total BS from a good percentage of the posters too. We beat Nevada and had a good record, yet the following year where was the fan support from the get go? The next year had all the reason in the world to start the year out with great support, it just did not happen.

We were coming off one of the winningest and best seasons in GRIZ basketball history, basically what many on here said it would take to support basketball. Apparently, there are a higher number of GRIZ fans that just do not keep their word. Granted, I understand the decrease shortly thereafter, being the team began to struggle once again for a combination of reasons ranging from player leadership, coaching transition/change, and some chemistry issues, etc.

It took some time, but Tinkle finally has a cohesive team, great leadership, play hard all the time, and still very young, and some the best talent this program has ever had. This team IS and WILL be worth supporting. I do expect some inconsistency still, being Young, Cherry, Ward, and Hutchison are still getting acclimated or are not healthy. Selvig also is playing very hurt, which will be the case all season, but the others will get better with time.

When the newbies get acclimated, LOOKOUT!!!! Young has all the physical tools, but like most jc transfers, they take time to figure things out and/or be consistent. Ward is another Andrew Strait, maybe with better touch from outside and the line. Hutchison is injured, but from what I hear has a lot of potential, and needs to get stronger.

I have saved the best for last. We all have been asking for better athletes, preferably with a good attitude, be careful what you wish for. We have that and more in Will Cherry to be the poster child for this program the next 3 years. This kid is total package from what I have heard and observed. He plays nasty defense, hard, great attitude, athletic, great ballhandling, and athletic as any GRIZ guard. Even without a perimeter game yet, this kid is outright fun to watch, and will only get better. As for leadership, AJ is taking it upon himself to prep him and hand the torch over to him. BTW, during the Washington game, he was every bit as athletic and good as the Washington guards, "HE BELONGED"! I also seen something that is hard to explain, that only hardcore fans may understand, and hope they seen it from him too. I seen "the look"/the stare of intensity and no fear that one cannot put into words. Sorta like whatever "IT" is, he has "IT", something that goes beyond stats. (I will have to rewatch the game to remember what part of the game I seen this, and hope others will see what I seen.)

In a nutshell, do not wait to support this team. Do it now! They are everything a sports fan can expect from a team. For those that expect undefeated basketball teams, unlike football that just does not happen in college basket these days. I honestly believe this team is 11-5 at worse in conference play,if healthy. Get out there and support these guys, you will not be disappointed if you like hard play and want to see a budding superstar in Cherry.

 

[IronMountainGriz&Cat]

Here's my theory for the early December scheduling is to take advantage of the fact the school being still in session and so many people around town for the playoffs. Actually the stars are almost totally in line with high school basketball barely started and hunting season over with.

Go Griz

 

[Paytonlives]

Three things come to mind...

1-As soon as UM took the students and shoved them behind the baskets... the home court advantage was lost. It was studip to see Larry Frost and 6 other fat Azzes taking up 2 rows of the East side, while old men sat on the butts behind them and golf clapped the whole game.

2-When UM was packed to the gills with fans... there was always the one superstar that everyone wanted to see play... Sugar Ray and Krysko to name two.

3- As football at UM soared it hurt UM basketball. There is only so much money a family has, and I think most people chose the winners to support.

All that being said... this is the most excitement I have had for UM Basketball in about 20 years. Its time for BBall fans to bring back the ZOO!!!!

 

[bigforkgriz]

Just letting all you lame-os out there, yeah the 18000 of you that only go to griz football games and not basketball games, that we have 2 BIG conference games this weekend. They scheduled earlier conference games this year, HOPING that the students will actually show-up, for a game. No Colorado is 5-0 and the early favorite (believe it or not),so that should be a good contest. Friday (NAU) and Saturday (UNC) at 7pm. This has all the potential to be a very good team, so jump on the bandwagon now.

I experienced the packed houses for basketball in the distant past. I am not sure of the answer to get everyone back. I do believe two things could possibly bring it back. The students are essential. Putting them behind the basket and overflow up in north stands is stupid. By selling the east lower level to season ticket holders you get money, but most of them stay home. To most of them the season ticket is more of a donation. The one time attempt to see if the students would show in an eastside student section last year was doomed to failure. You can't create a tradition in one or even five or six games. Give the student's a real student section and then build their attendance over time. Keep track of the season ticket holders attendance and if they don't show move them to the north stands or under the basket. The second thing would be winning consistently. Twenty win season help a lot.

 

[citygriz]

let's add one other element here: competition. so many of the memorable games involved teams no longer in the big sky--idaho, boise state, nevada. remember doug selvig's last-second shot to beat then seventh-ranked and undefeated idaho? remember trent johnson and chris childs from boise state? or all the tight games against nevada? those were three key rivalries we lost when they moved up. these were the teams that drew fans.

lost in the craziness of our victory over south dakota state was a comment from their football coach. you kow they recently moved up from division 2 to our level, and the coach said it was funny, the program actually got better when they moved up. i've said for years, fans love it when you play up, and resent it when you play down. just look at the excitement of playing oregon or washington or even duke, versus coming home to play, say, msu northern or great falls (yup, those rousing crowd-appealing teams are coming up!)

i've long felt the failure to move up to the wac has hurt basketball far more than football. not just men but the lady griz too, who have been tomboy bullies in the big sky.