Hilton sounded quiet/dead....

[Cyclonepride]

I'm not sure you all know what quiet/dead really sounds like. Granted, this was over break against the mighty 'Roos of UMKC...but this is our reality now. Good times. Fun times. We may have to borrow Baylor's old tarp they used to cover up seats before they got good in football.

So is everybody waiting for Ford to be fired, or are there other factors (NBA team)?

 

[Hoiball92]

So is everybody waiting for Ford to be fired, or are there other factors (NBA team)?

Probably waiting for Ford to be fired. The Thunder couldn't have stole all of the fans from them

 

[SCyclone]

Regarding the officiating last night - it sure seemed to me that the fouls were VERY one-sided in the first half. Niang 3, McKay 2, Nader 2, Thomas 2......and lots of free-throw shooting for them, very little for us. The announcers kept talking about the fact that the Cyclones foul less often than any team in Division I, so WTF? But according to the stats, they only got called for 15 fouls. Their current average is 14.1 per game, so.....it was dead on.

Weird.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Regarding the officiating last night - it sure seemed to me that the fouls were VERY one-sided in the first half. Niang 3, McKay 2, Nader 2, Thomas 2......and lots of free-throw shooting for them, very little for us. The announcers kept talking about the fact that the Cyclones foul less often than any team in Division I, so WTF? But according to the stats, they only got called for 15 fouls. Their current average is 14.1 per game, so.....it was dead on.

Weird.

These announcers weren't the kind that stick their neck out and criticize officials. They seemed to attribute the imbalance to us reaching on defense and apparently gave TT a pass when we were wearing their guys on our backs (particularly McKay). There were also three offensive fouls on us in that bad run in the first half (two of them reasonable, one on Georges was a poor call IMO).

They called a few quick fouls in the second half on TT (5 to 0 in our favor if I remember right) to balance out the stats. We also had to be careful for the first 15 minutes of the second half to keep out of foul trouble (which led to some lightly contested baskets for TT).

 

[Frak]

I'm not sure you all know what quiet/dead really sounds like. Granted, this was over break against the mighty 'Roos of UMKC...but this is our reality now. Good times. Fun times. We may have to borrow Baylor's old tarp they used to cover up seats before they got good in football.

That just makes me sad. I know that winning brings more fans, but I think that I'd be depressed if Hilton ever looked like that.

 

[Doc]

The crowd didn't even get a few boos in until the 16 minute mark. Pretty weak boo work compare to Phog on Monday.

 

[andyokstate]

So is everybody waiting for Ford to be fired, or are there other factors (NBA team)?

It's a combination of things. The success trajectories for OSU basketball and football passed each other in the mid/late 2000s. The Eddie era ended in 2006 with an NIT bid and scandal. Sean had two years of NIT bids. Ford came in and immediately won decently with Sean's players...got to round of 32 that first season. After that first season, he got the massive boat anchor contract extension.

Gundy was hired in 2005. After a losing record his first season, he's taken OSU to bowls every season. Then add in AD Holder jacking up ticket prices for both basketball and football. Still, there was a fairly good core group of basketball ticket holders.

Then in Ford's third year, OSU made the NIT, followed by no post-season tournament in his 4th year. In seven years of Ford, OSU has been to the NCAA tournament 5 times, but to the 2nd round only once - his first season. Each year, the number of ticket holders shrinks. With the higher ticket prices, many people chose one sport over the other.

Yeah, the Thunder hurts a bit. Also, almost every OSU basketball game is televised. The two biggest factors though, IMO, are 1) it's expensive (my 200 level behind the basket pair would be $1550 this season if I still had them) and 2) most years people think the team underachieves. To be fair, there are less expensive tickets to be had. A pair of upper-level corner seats can be had for around $400/season now, but after those, it jumps to over $1k/pair. Ticket map HERE.

By most accounts, Ford seems to be a good guy who cares about his players. And every now and then, he gets our guys to pull off a big upset. Eddie never won in Lawrence (wth?), but Ford has (wth?), for example.

When I first started going to games in the 70s and 80s, OSU stayed far away from the tournament. In between Iba and Eddie, OSU made the tournament exactly once, only to get beaten by Princeton in the first round. I think if Ford had followed Paul Hansen or Leonard Hamilton, we would have wholeheartedly welcomed him and his making the tournament 5 of 7 years. Hell, we might've given him a twenty year contract. But he had the misfortune of following a legend (albeit a legend who ended his run in a bad way).

Ford's contract goes through 2019. I have no idea how many more seasons he'll make it. There were rumblings that there would be a buyout after last season, but that didn't happen. I seem to remember a buyout number that was close to $10M.

 

[Clone1138]

I was there last night and it was plenty loud at times, especially during the second half when 3's were dropping. It probably just didn't come across that way on tv. I haven't watched the game on DVR yet to compare. So, yes, it was a pretty good crowd last night, despite the students no being there. In fact, the whole upper level was pretty much full.

 

[wonkadog]

I think the tale of GIA shows you the crowd can be lost to complacency and we should continue to nurture and encourage Hilton to be a special place. It is awesome how ISU fans pack the place, but I wish more would participate in the game instead of just spectating. What made Hilton (and still makes Hilton) so special, is that the fans believe they can influence the game. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

If anyone thinks last night's crowd was bad for a winter break weekday game they're nuts. And who in the world isn't "participating" in cheering on our team when they come? Maybe the couple of moms having to tend to their kids? We have one of the most raucous crowds in the country, I don't know what more some people want.

 

[TurkeyNate]

Oh yeah and the other factors affecting the intensity: the 8:00 PM start (everyone's favorite excuse), fresh wintry mix, rising interest rates, the China stock market, Iran/Saudi Arabia, North Korea bombs, and the never-ending political haranguing.

Bottom line ... possibly the largest crowd, not counting that one game, and we did get involved down the stretch when it mattered. I'll still take our crowd over just about anyone I've seen lately in a non-big game situation.

If we don't turn the ball over and make a few more bunnies, it would have been a whole lot more fun.

Doesn't help when Prohm takes a timeout after a 3 by Niang and the crown goes nuts only to be silenced by their own teams timeout! Somebody please tell him that is not the time to take a timeout! This has happened a few times now and it drives me crazy.

If you want to change the defense up call it in from the sideline but I think he will realize the other team is going to burn a timeout before we should ever think about taking one after a big dunk or 3.

The funny thing is Prohm was throwing his hands in the air last night trying to get the crowd pumped up!

Just a tip Prohm... save your timeouts when HILTON MAGIC lights up and don't kill it!

 

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

Regarding the officiating last night - it sure seemed to me that the fouls were VERY one-sided in the first half. Niang 3, McKay 2, Nader 2, Thomas 2......and lots of free-throw shooting for them, very little for us. The announcers kept talking about the fact that the Cyclones foul less often than any team in Division I, so WTF? But according to the stats, they only got called for 15 fouls. Their current average is 14.1 per game, so.....it was dead on.

Weird.

The officials don't flip sides at the half, so the same guy that was calling the ticky-tack fouls on us in the first half was calling them on Tech to start the second half. They had 5 fouls called on them in the second half before any were called on us. Tech losing Odiase with his fourth foul due to a pretty week push off on a lob was a big loss for them.

 

[CYlent Bob]

If anyone thinks last night's crowd was bad for a winter break weekday game they're nuts. And who in the world isn't "participating" in cheering on our team when they come? Maybe the couple of moms having to tend to their kids? We have one of the most raucous crowds in the country, I don't know what more some people want.

Weekday winter break game. 8 pm tipoff. Freezing rain conditions with the DOT plows out in force.

None of these are good reasons for a bad showing, but taken all together they could have effected attendance. But they didn't. Looking up from the lower level, I saw damn few empty seats. This was only a bad showing by Hilton standards. Damn near everywhere else in the country this was well above average.

The crowd could have been more involved, but they didn't jeopardize the win.

 

[TurkeyNate]

Along with rest before playing D, I think he also called a couple to make sure the guys were set and focused on what they needed to do on the next defensive possession. FWIW, I thought it was a bit unusual, but a good use of TOs.

I disagree... that's the absolute worst time to take a timeout... if you know Hilton Magic and how loud it gets you know the other team is going to take a timeout when that happens. So make them burn a timeout and if guys need rest take it before a huge make where the crowd erupts. That or take a timeout when your team is blowing an 18 point lead down their leg.

Freddy would have never taken a timeout then because he knows the power of the 6th man aka Hilton magic!

Somebody needs to let Prohm know he is killing Hilton Magic by taking a timeout after a huge play. If you think your guys need a break take the timeout before they go on defense. Just a thought.

 

[NWICY]

I'm not sure you all know what quiet/dead really sounds like. Granted, this was over break against the mighty 'Roos of UMKC...but this is our reality now. Good times. Fun times. We may have to borrow Baylor's old tarp they used to cover up seats before they got good in football.

Andy is it because of the Thunder or Ford or a combination of both. By the way how much do single game tickets cost?

 

[CYlent Bob]

I disagree... that's the absolute worst time to take a timeout... if you know Hilton Magic and how loud it gets you know the other team is going to take a timeout when that happens. So make them burn a timeout and if guys need rest take it before a huge make where the crowd erupts. That or take a timeout when your team is blowing an 18 point lead down their leg.

Freddy would have never taken a timeout then because he knows the power of the 6th man aka Hilton magic!

Somebody need to let Prohm know he is killing Hilton Magic by taking a timeout after a huge play.

Have a little more faith in CSP. And remember Hilton Magic is damn hard to kill. That former coach who shall not be named almost killed The Magic, but it lived. He ran off as many players as Floyd (but without the wins) and it put The Magic into a coma. But Fred brought it back and gave it a bionic heart.

Proud just needs a little time to sync up with The Magic. I think he's smart enough to figure it out.

 

[Aaron]

I was at the game last night for the first time since the Iowa game standing and yelling after big plays or when we needed a boost while all these "fans" near me looked at me like what the hell are you doing.....It was irritating to say the least. Get up and get loud people! I'm not in college and I can still be loud when the time calls for it so can you. Also, when that weatherman or whatever said he has been to duke and NC and Hilton is just as loud. I was just waiting for him to say but not tonight..... Thank God We Won!

 

[CYlent Bob]

Andy, it sucks to see GIA emasculated. That gym was right up there with Hilton back in the day.

 

[TurkeyNate]

When I say kill Hilton Magic I'm only meaning for that short period. Why do you think other teams take a time out after a big make and the crowd goes crazy. They know their players cannot play under that pressure.

 

[NWICY]

Andy, man those tickets are pricey. So did they basically price the common fan out? By the way thanks for stopping in and sharing another schools fans viewpoint.

 

[VeloClone]

If the crowd is taken out of the game by a timeout that is on the crowd not on the coach. I know in years past the crowd might quiet down if they had been in a frenzy right before the TO was called but many people in the crowd would work hard to get most of that energy back as the TO came to an end. Everyone needs to realize how frustrating it is for a visiting coach and team to have a time out to kill momentum and have the crowd nearly as loud after it.

By the same token, if you are truly interested in making Hilton Magic don't let a basket by the visitors "quiet the crowd". If the crowd is getting going and the visitors make a bucket - even a three - yeah it will get quiet for a few seconds but there is no rule saying that it needs to stay quiet. Take a few seconds to catch your breath so it is clear you aren't cheering the bucket and then start making noise to start ramping it up again.

Pretty much every arena's atmosphere includes the crowd getting loud when their team does something to get them rolling. What makes Hilton Magic is the crowd doing something to get the team rolling - even when the team isn't doing anything exceptional. The same can be said about taking a break during a TO and getting it back up to nearly the same level after the TO.