First night video posted

[hoopsfan22]

Someone needs to rewrite the whole deal and get it professionally done - not like there's a dearth of production expertise in the neighborhood.

Why?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Believe me, you're not alone in your assessment. I haven't seen the video yet. After reading some of these posts, I'm sure I want to. Sounds like a waste of time. Thanks for the heads up. I share your concerns oldhuskie. If they can't put on a production if this magnitude, and pull it off so that it looks like it was produced by adult professionals that know what they're doing, then hire it done by an "outside" production company that does this type of thing for a living. That FARSE last night does not shine a positive light on anyone associated with it. It had the look of pure amateurism from start to finish.

How about this..................each team would be given 60 minutes. Let the women go first. Start on time!! Start the live feed at 6:59 pm. The first player introduction is a 7:00 pm sharp. The women's 60 minute clock is running. Introduce the roster, run warm up lay up lines for 2 minutes, then start the 3pt shooting contest. After that's over, run the scrimmage for 20 minutes. When the horn sounds the women are done. They wave good night to everyone as they exit the floor.

At the crack of 8, bring on the men. For fans that are not interested in seeing the women, they can tune in at 8:00 pm, and don't have to sit through the women's portion of the program. For those fans that are not interested in the men's team, they can say good night and tune out. This way, EVERBODY is happy. Fans get to watch their team's program for a full 60 minutes. If you're a fan of both teams, great!! Either way Everyone enjoys the show.

Carnac remember that's what UCONN used to do! Completely separate shows emphasis on WBB then MBB.
Because of covid-19 you couldn't have a poster autograph session but the rest can be the same as in the past!
This year just students but when fans were let in the two fan bases are different! WBB mainly an older crowd and MBB mainly younger!
It was simple, introductions, 3-point contest, 30 minute scrimmage and the last 10 minutes Geno talks to the crowd!

 

[JellyBean]

Thanks for sharing the video. Great to see the crowd and the players reactions out there. This is why I love the Boneyard. Greatest collection of family, friends, and fans. Go, Huskies!!

 

[Dokey]

First Night on tv was a bust anyway you look at it but fans seemed to have a good time. Next time limit it to 3 point contest and scrimmages. Maybe a dunk contest, though I am not a fan.
Instead of those interviews I would have preferred watching shoot arounds so I can identify and remember newcomers.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I've always felt like the mixing of the two teams detracted from the experience. This year, at least, seeing the women play the women for 30-40 minutes would have been great fun.

 

[Zinethar]

It seems to me that a lot of the complaints here have forgotten that this was NOT for us. It was to get the student body psyched up to attend the games and be huge vocal supporters. I'm sure the basket problems sure hurt that experience for the students. They still got to watch their teams a bit being themselves. We got at least interviews to help placate us. I agree that the prep was not handled well. That basket should have been in place before it started and the activities worked around it. From the noise it seemed the crowd got at least some of what they were wanting to see.

 

[hard2please]

they should have asked for our opinion about what we wanted to see in a poll here before they scheduled first night

 

[Skeets]

Previous "first nights" were great. Autographs before hand, UNCONN legends MC'ing the event, Ray Allen participating in a 3 point shooting contest (and losing), professional quality all around. I guess the people who put those first night events are all gone...

 

[Zanzman]

I can see this is a whine and cheese crowd emphasis on the whine

 

[jchusky]

I can see this is a whine and cheese crowd emphasis on the whine

not fair to say people are whining, a lot of fans were anticipating this night especially with not having one due to pandemic last season.

 

[Zanzman]

Read the posts most are whining about a pep rally save it , if it happens in the season then let them scream

 

[Bald Husky]

It seems to me that a lot of the complaints here have forgotten that this was NOT for us. It was to get the student body psyched up to attend the games and be huge vocal supporters. I'm sure the basket problems sure hurt that experience for the students. They still got to watch their teams a bit being themselves. We got at least interviews to help placate us. I agree that the prep was not handled well. That basket should have been in place before it started and the activities worked around it. From the noise it seemed the crowd got at least some of what they were wanting to see.

Not for us, really? Of the 8000 people that packed Gampel, how many will attend games this year, especially the womens games? The biggest fan base is US and the other thousands that buy season tickets. If it wasn't for us, why would they televise it? I don't think many students were tuned into CW20 to watch with such total crazy anticipation like we did. Don't let anyone fool you, this was as much for us as it was for the students. Too bad they screwed it up.

 

[Jim]

Not for us, really? Of the 8000 people that packed Gampel, how many will attend games this year, especially the womens games?

If this event was for “you” and not the students, how come only students were allowed to attend in person?

 

[Zinethar]

Not for us, really? Of the 8000 people that packed Gampel, how many will attend games this year, especially the womens games? The biggest fan base is US and the other thousands that buy season tickets. If it wasn't for us, why would they televise it? I don't think many students were tuned into CW20 to watch with such total crazy anticipation like we did. Don't let anyone fool you, this was as much for us as it was for the students. Too bad they screwed it up.

I was referring to first night not the broadcast. The broadcast was totally for us to encourage us to buy tickets. That was badly messed up. First night itself is a student pep rally and is NOT designed for us. It is to create a buzz on campus so that the students will pack home games and create a vibrant home atmosphere. Yes they want our money but they want the students to create the frenzy that is a home crowd. I haven't seen too many in our (in general) age group shirtless with UCONN painted on our chest at games .

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

If this event was for “you” and not the students, how come only students were allowed to attend in person?

Jim, I think the First Night is for all UCONN WBB fans! I think this year inviting only UCONN students were for Covid-19 concerns.
I think the talking suits are still forming the Covid-19 policies that will be fair and less burdensome for inside events.

 

[oldhusky]

If this event was for “you” and not the students, how come only students were allowed to attend in person?

This is not an either or issue, it was mostly for diehard Uconn basketball fans, be they students, seniors, state residents or fans that live thousands of miles away. Between allowing just students locally and TV and video feed, all those fans were supposedly covered. But instead we got an incompetent production. If it was one isolated issue maybe you say you know what happens.

But it wasn't one problem it was many problems. Was it like a pep rally? sure so what! It is a reflection on the state, university, basketball program, and is often used as a major recruiting tool, as it is at other Universities. Some recruit on another visit will probably hear, why would you want to go to Uconn, they can't even handle First Night.

Is it a monumental issue? No, but if you want to be known as a top flight program, you want that to be shown in everything you do. This was an avoidable black mark on that reputation, and just saying hopefully next year will be better, without taking concrete steps to fix the issues, would be negligence in a major way.

 

[CL82]

I hate to say it but the whole "First Night" show was mismanaged IMO. It wasn't one technical screw-up it was many. The video feed of course. During the introductions when some of the players came out they were in the dark, you couldn't see them well. The bit between Evina and RJ was an ill conceived waste of time. Then one basket is broken, so they do interviews instead of actually showing us what the people there are seeing.

When the little girl does her dancing/gymnastics move, of course the camera didn't follow her the first time and they had to do a second take. The questions to me were not that good, but as it turns out a few boring interviews were the highlight of the night. No backup plan for the rim, no scrimmage, no dunk or three point contest, and not much reason to go or watch.

The entire process needs to go under the microscope and changes made. Some of the people involved this time should not have anything to do with it next year. They failed completely. The fans, particularly since it was just students showed great support and deserve better.

Wow, I thought that was may be a little harsh, but the production value was stunningly bad. I’m sure they’re licking their wounds a little bit now, but what they ought to be doing is watching back the video and taking notes on the failed to correct them for next time. I doubt they will.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Who was that little girl? And was she the one up on the stage with the players?

 

[tomcat]

I've been reading the back-and-forth from everyone about who the show was for, etc. etc.
Who cares? Let's just judge it as a show for a minute, ok?

In the show's first two minutes -- the very first two minutes -- they had a chance to introduce the coaches of the two teams, and the PA announcer did so, and the crowd cheered. But no one could see the coaches as they were introduced. Why? because these introductions happened in total darkness.
Wait...what?

To me, at least, this -- and some of the other stuff that followed -- is an indication of a show producer who doesn't know what he/she is doing, or who hasn't planned out the program very successfully. IMHO, you cannot excuse it by saying it's just a show designed for the students, as if they don't deserve any better than amateur-level production values. Its quality certainly is not at the level that UConn basketball deserves.

 

[PacoSwede]

who was in charge of production and who put him/her in charge? or maybe there was no one in charge? if so, who was responsible for that?

i would say everyone agrees there were a lot of embarrassing screw-ups even if the kids had fun in the end ... i thought the failing mics during the evina v cole bit was intentional and part of the bit -- and hilarious; apparently not?

but if was obvious, on camera at least, that lighting and timing during intros was godawful. and having a backboard botch was ridiculous. ETC.

i'm curious how all this came about. some yahoo(s) must have been responsible. were rank amateurs not doing their jobs? was there lack of communication? bad planning? where'd the buck stop? will there be accountability or will such failure be accepted elsewhere at the flagship university? it hasn't been typical of its basketball program and shouldn't reflect on it.

 

[augustaTC]

Why?

Don't want to turn this into a back & forth, but yes, First Night is for the students and players, but it's also a recruiting tool, both for in-person recruits and those who watch it later. For those reasons it deserves to be at the same level as the program itself. Come on, crappy lighting, broken basket, limited shots of players on-court, horrible camera work and a so-so interviewer. Just bring it up a notch or two.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I could have sworn someone posted about no shots of Kiki Rice. Must be in another thread. That was a major oversight. They should have had her face (and Ice and AP) up on the big board.

One last point: The announcer pronounced Mir as "Mer" instead of "Meer." She's named for the space station so I wonder if "Mer" is actually correct. I was thinking it was an acronym in Russian so "Mer" might make sense.

 

[Purchase1]

UConn should just eliminate the whole first night thing. It’s just a waste of time and really no reason for it. Just have UConn post a few more video clips from a few practices. That would more than suffice.

First night is for the students not for us on the boneyard lol

 

[jdote33]