Daily Campus Column: Please, stop shaming students for not going to games.

[UConnDan97]

I was joking man!

It's been a long season. I can't even spot the jokes anymore...

 

[JMick]

L

I’m in the same exact boat, was there from ‘00-‘04 which I always think of as the heyday of UConn sports. A Soccer title, 3 women’s titles, and the dual championship plus the opening of the ‘Rent.

Since then, and especially since the realignment I’ve found myself less and less interested. I hope one day to have that passion back and be able to go to games with my very future kid(s) but at this point I have little interest other than sporadically flipping a game on checking a box score.

Hey, at least you had an upward trajectory post-graduation. I was there at the peak. Fiesta Bowl season in 2010, '11 championship and '14 championship. Since I left it's been a dumpster fire

 

[8893]

It's been a long season. I can't even spot the jokes anymore...

Just look at the court...

 

[UConnDan97]

Just look at the court...

That's not the comedy...that's the tragedy...

 

[boog204]

L

Hey, at least you had an upward trajectory post-graduation. I was there at the peak. Fiesta Bowl season in 2010, '11 championship and '14 championship. Since I left it's been a dumpster fire

So it's your fault...

 

[Robertelamin]

I'm sure it was... And here's my "back in my day moment..." If you were there 10-14, then you have no idea what Kill-a-Keg, Yale Bowl, Penny/Nickel Night, Slutski's and X-Lot were really like. You never went into the bathroom at Husky Blues and saw an orgy of hallucinogenics while August played Help>Slip>Frank. The Jungle ceased existence and was just North Campus.

Not trying to throw shade, I just vividly remember my junior and senior year wondering "what the &u(k happened to the Delta I used to know..."

Maybe the best way to view it is that the transition from the late 90s to 00s was idiots (such as myself) to smart kids. Then 10-14 was smart kids to really smart kids? I was an okay student and there was never any doubt that I would be accepted. I'm a high school teacher (define irony) and UConn is a destination school with a difficult admission rate for even some of our best.

I'd like to know how long Husky Blues was actually open for. Any college bar, just by existing is asking to get shut down for violations. An 18+ college bar is REALLY asking to get shut down. I think there was a stabbing there my Freshman year and that was it for Husky Blues.

I think kegs were "banned" from Carriage my Sophomore year when some poor soul had one thrown on them and by Senior year the cops had definitely changed their stance on Spring Weekend. I don't think there was one date one could say everything changed, it's been slowly going on for a while but it sounds like it picked up.

 

[Guapo]

~memories~

UConn's Spring Weekend Through The Years

 

[UCDaveD]

2005-2009. I had a great freaking time all 4 years.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I'd like to know how long Husky Blues was actually open for. Any college bar, just by existing is asking to get shut down for violations. An 18+ college bar is REALLY asking to get shut down. I think there was a stabbing there my Freshman year and that was it for Husky Blues.

I think kegs were "banned" from Carriage my Sophomore year when some poor soul had one thrown on them and by Senior year the cops had definitely changed their stance on Spring Weekend. I don't think there was one date one could say everything changed, it's been slowly going on for a while but it sounds like it picked up.

What year did the stabbing happen?

I think Husky Blues opened in 1993 or 1994. I had lunch with the guy who opened it (he also co-owned Ted's). His vision originally was to have a dinner club like establishment with live music of all different types, blues, jazz, folk, comedy acts, etc. He sold out after a couple years after not getting much traction on the idea. After that it was just another college bar. Too bad.

 

[UofCT]

Probably been said already but the Class of 2018 is the first class since 2003 to leave UConn without a mens final 4. In my opinion, the students in the class of 2018 are to blame for this mess. They don't attend games and we lose. We haven't had any semblance of a home court while these students were enrolled at UConn.

 

[Robertelamin]

What year did the stabbing happen?

I think Husky Blues opened in 1993 or 1994. I had lunch with the guy who opened it (he also co-owned Ted's). His vision originally was to have a dinner club like establishment with live music of all different types, blues, jazz, folk, comedy acts, etc. He sold out after a couple years after not getting much traction on the idea. After that it was just another college bar. Too bad.

I give him credit for trying.

2001 maybe? I tried to find an article but I didn't get anywhere.

 

[Dogdeacon]

The Spring Weekend thing is a cycle that's been going on forever. In the 60's the jungle was allegedly the 'real jungle' or maybe it was the 70's. My freshman year in the 80's marked the last year of that beer flowing era (drinking age went to 21) that the Spring weekend concert was in the middle of the Student Union quad. The freakin' Ramones headlined & beer flowed freely. After that it was lame concerts at stadiums, but eventually that begat Carriage House parties and the debauchery of the 90's and aughts. Ultimately kids find a way to party.

 

[JMick]

The Spring Weekend thing is a cycle that's been going on forever. In the 60's the jungle was allegedly the 'real jungle' or maybe it was the 70's. My freshman year in the 80's marked the last year of that beer flowing era (drinking age went to 21) that the Spring weekend concert was in the middle of the Student Union quad. The freakin' Ramones headlined & beer flowed freely. After that it was lame concerts at stadiums, but eventually that begat Carriage House parties and the debauchery of the 90's and aughts. Ultimately kids find a way to party.

Nah it's done unless a president comes in and stands up to the town and police force. Susan has rolled over for both.

 

[Waquoit]

I remember when many here wanted to give the prime seats at Gampel to the students. Haven't heard that refrain for awhile.

 

[80shusky]

The kids go, or they don't. Put a good product on the court and they go. I was on campus in the late 80s when I won the championship at UConn, as you can see from my avatar (have I mentioned that before?), and got to see the start of something good. I signed up for the lottery, got the tickets when I could afford them, and went to games when I could. Sometimes, it was just easier to watch from my dorm with some friends. Busting on the kids for not going is pretty weak. Sometimes they can't afford to go, or have class, or are getting laid, or are working, or are driving the campus bus (like me).
My championship is rarely discussed in the annals of UConn lore. I have been ok with being forgotten. There was the time I got that one rebound. There was the time I hit the front end of a one on one. There was the time I drove to the basket and faked left but scored from the right (ok I lost the ball out of bounds). But I've moved on from that. I know you all pine for the greatness that I experienced. It's ok. But, at some point you have to realize that it is time to move on and we are starting over. I still have some eligibility left. All hope is not lost.
Current UConn students, I am coming. It will be spectacular. Save me a cold one.

 

[Huskybass]

The Spring Weekend thing is a cycle that's been going on forever. In the 60's the jungle was allegedly the 'real jungle' or maybe it was the 70's. My freshman year in the 80's marked the last year of that beer flowing era (drinking age went to 21) that the Spring weekend concert was in the middle of the Student Union quad. The freakin' Ramones headlined & beer flowed freely. After that it was lame concerts at stadiums, but eventually that begat Carriage House parties and the debauchery of the 90's and aughts. Ultimately kids find a way to party.

Stevie Ray Vaughan my senior year of 88 was phenomenal. Truly, jaw dropping.

 

[80shusky]

Stevie Ray Vaughan my senior year of 88 was phenomenal. Truly, has dropping.

Saw that too, from right in front of the stage. Fantastic!

 

[Huskybass]

Saw that too, from right in front of the stage. Fantastic!

where was that held? behind the old field house? I honestly forget, but recall it being in that vacinity.

 

[80shusky]

where was that held? behind the old field house? I honestly forget, but recall it being in that vacinity.

The old football field if I remember right.

 

[Huskybass]

Yes, behind the old rain bucket field house. PJ Carlisemo was my first opposing coach. Loved that field house despite its relic status. Those were good days.

 

[Guapo]

I remember when many here wanted to give the prime seats at Gampel to the students. Haven't heard that refrain for awhile.

Students should ring the court!

 

[Chief00]

Getting into UConn now is getting closer and closer to impossible. Unless you're a top student in your class in CT you aren't getting in. Hence the better education less school spirit.

Unfortunately, that’s true and Randy can’t get a football player in who should be there. Again, Susan miscalculated that having a good APR would get the NCAA off our backs and somehow land us into a good conference. What she is unable to process is that setting kids up in jock type classes with some regular students thrown in is a better approach than to actually turn basketball/football athletes into real students. It’s also ultimately better for the UConn Brand.

 

[Chief00]

As grad of 2017 let me speak out of the campus trend. My class was the last to witness a competitive team. Freshman year watching both teams win at the biggest stage is something you cling on to forever. But it's hard for the current students to get excited about bad basketball. We can blame a conference all day, but when you fall to teams like Memphis by 20 points, it's hard to get excited. The magic is gone here for the men's team. The women team still posts huge crowds on the buy and sell and students talk about big time match ups. But to take 2 hours out of the day to watch the doors get blown off of gample by Cinci isn't helping The casual fan. People want UConn to be successful. Every diehard fan I know of still enrolled gave up on the program rn. It's embarrassing to stand in gample and watch teams like Wagner push us around. Every season is a fresh opportunity to get excitement out of the freshman class. But the product doesn't deliver.

Unless you get your butt on the court don’t ever be embarrassed by your fellow students who do. Respect the game.

 

[Chief00]

Are you sure "the kids" are filling the stadiums up??

This is a picture of a highly-ranked Cincinnati team at home against Temple in January. Check out the stands behind the player. Winning doesn't cure it all. People would rather watch on tv than go to games nowadays. That's just the reality of the new age today. It has nothing to do with an old man argument...

But kids don’t watch TV on a TV set. They do watch streaming stuff on a device. My daughter looked at me like Chief was from another planet when I asked her if she wanted me to pick up a TV set since her roommate did not have one.

 

[whaler11]

But kids don’t watch TV on a TV set. They do watch streaming stuff on a device. My daughter looked at me like Chief was from another planet when I asked her if she wanted me to pick up a TV set since her roommate did not have one.

You don’t hear TV set much these days.