I agree with this for Gampel, and in theory for Hartford. But in Hartford the students don't even show up. If you allocated all those seats to them, would half of them be empty? They don't even fill the sections that are allocated to them behind the basket. Would they if they were seated courtside, I don't know.Its more than just Duke. Turn on any game from a big time program other than UConn and you will see their students sitting in the good seats going crazy. UConn buries their students behind the baseline and who do we see on tv sitting in the good seats? Old senior citizens that won't stand up and cheer. That needs to change.
Are you kidding me? The @XLCenterFan / @gampelcrazies faux feud is low key hysterical.Just stop with the crowd threads.
The seats will be filled, the crowd will be amped. The rest is up to the team to keep it going.
This is funny, but it’s so true. Spending a few minutes talking after the end of the game, listening to the band etc. lets you avoid the traffic. Don’t tell that to the lemmings rushing out with 10 minutes to go, though. They are the reason why I get to drive out without hassle.Very true. It was more than 30 years ago when I first heard the "in Connecticut there are fans who stay until the end of the game to avoid traffic".
@gampelcrazies is my brethren, but he needs to keep up with me in the crazy fan deptAre you kidding me? The @XLCenterFan / @gampelcrazies faux feud is low key hysterical.
I'm sure an athletic department running a sizable deficit every single year would be able to convince the high rollers to move to the baseline at the same price and donation points so the students can take their seats.Uconn will never have the hostile environment like the other big time programs because Connecticut is full of old uppity stuck up people. Uconn does their students a disservice sitting the behind the baseline out of the view of the tv cameras. What you do see on tv are those old folks I mentioned earlier sitting in the good seats but are too good or too stuck up to stand and cheer. Uconn announces a white out game, they'll give out white t shirts and the old folks wont even put them on. They will rather sit them on their laps and remain quiet. Home games feel like they are being played in a library. Its even worse in the XL Center. I've been saying for years that they need to move the students courtside. This is why we have absolutely no home court advantage for any home games.
Uconn will never have the hostile environment like the other big time programs because Connecticut is full of old uppity stuck up people. Uconn does their students a disservice sitting the behind the baseline out of the view of the tv cameras. What you do see on tv are those old folks I mentioned earlier sitting in the good seats but are too good or too stuck up to stand and cheer. Uconn announces a white out game, they'll give out white t shirts and the old folks wont even put them on. They will rather sit them on their laps and remain quiet. Home games feel like they are being played in a library. Its even worse in the XL Center. I've been saying for years that they need to move the students courtside. This is why we have absolutely no home court advantage for any home games.
I for one was going nutsXL didn't have it again today. We will see how the crowd is for the Marquette game in a few weeks.
For Wednesday as along as the weather isn't bad I'll be giving Xavier players all I got.
I'm sure an athletic department running a sizable deficit every single year would be able to convince the high rollers to move to the baseline at the same price and donation points so the students can take their seats.
There aren't many in 2023 that are free of some aspect of this, whether it is internal squabbles, disruption from or engagement with trolls, or anything else that hints at greater interest in hanging out with negative energy than pursuing positive energy.Love these threads where our fanbase inexplicably turns on itself.
During the Dream Season, we beat Syracuse and Georgetown at the Civic Center in the same week. Serious winter weather on the night of the Georgetown game. Didn't keep many people away. First night of many that year that complete strangers were high fiving each other in the hallways after the game.Can't let a little snow keep you away - can't tellyou how many storms we drive onto watch UConn - 12/7/96 comes to mind - hell of a drive home and no power for 5 days afterwards. Only 1 time I remember not going- was against Pitt at Gampel, not sure of the year - donated our tickets to students
People are wimpier now.Serious winter weather on the night of the Georgetown game. Didn't keep many people away.
After the Hartford Civic Center collapse, my dad would drive us up to Springfield to see the Whalers play. I can remember more than a few occasions of him driving back in pretty significant snow storms. He gave no visual indication that it in any way stressed him. It wasn’t until years later driving as an adult in bad weather, that his passive expression and attitude was just “dad game face.”People are wimpier now.
Didn't miss 1 game that year or many games over 38 years - used to arrange my work schedule at the hospital around UConn games.During the Dream Season, we beat Syracuse and Georgetown at the Civic Center in the same week. Serious winter weather on the night of the Georgetown game. Didn't keep many people away. First night of many that year that complete strangers were high fiving each other in the hallways after the game.
What a night. Nadav and Mourning jawing as they were lined up during a free throw.
During the Dream Season, we beat Syracuse and Georgetown at the Civic Center in the same week. Serious winter weather on the night of the Georgetown game. Didn't keep many people away. First night of many that year that complete strangers were high fiving each other in the hallways after the game.
What a night. Nadav and Mourning jawing as they were lined up during a free throw.
I remember these games. I was like 8, and I've been hooked ever since. The atmosphere at the XL will never, ever touch what it was then at HCC. Goes for Fairfield and CCSU used to sell out and get loud. It is why I used to prefer games downtown. Even when Gampel opened, the big games in Hartford were always louder and crazier. That has started to change. Outside of Nova last year and maybe the AAC final vs. SMU, the best crowds for the past 5/10 years have been on campus.People are wimpier now.
As I get older and my sense of immortality wanes, I'm not longer willing to do what used to seem ordinary. "Let's drive through a blizzard in my Prelude to watch a game and drink beers, then drive back late at night" just doesn't have the appeal it once did.After the Hartford Civic Center collapse, my dad would drive us up to Springfield to see the Whalers play. I can remember more than a few occasions of him driving back in pretty significant snow storms. He gave no visual indication that it in any way stressed him. It wasn’t until years later driving as an adult in bad weather, that his passive expression and attitude was just “dad game face.”
I unfortunately was one of those fans, but it was due to my youngins deteriorating. Good thing we left when we did, they were passed out before getting out of the garage.Amazing how many people were leaving at the U8 timeout with about 6.5 mins left in the game. I get it's a blowout, but was still surprised at the numbers
The students don't show up in Hartford due to transportation. They are college students. How many of them have cars?? I'm not sure how the shuttles operate, but in imo that's a clear sign that more home games need to be played on campus.I agree with this for Gampel, and in theory for Hartford. But in Hartford the students don't even show up. If you allocated all those seats to them, would half of them be empty? They don't even fill the sections that are allocated to them behind the basket. Would they if they were seated courtside, I don't know.
There's plenty of tranpo provided. If you're too cool to ride a bus, then I don't know what to say. You just don't care about the team.The students don't show up in Hartford due to transportation. They are college students. How many of them have cars?? I'm not sure how the shuttles operate, but in imo that's a clear sign that more home games need to be played on campus.
No argument from me on that, and will always carry the same dislike for Laettner… I even get a little tick in my eye when Bobby appears on the screen with Danny at times…I despise everything Duke but their home court atmosphere makes me green with envy sometimes.
F Duke though…
Seriously. What's better than a DD for the whole gang?There's plenty of tranpo provided. If you're too cool to ride a bus, then I don't know what to say. You just don't care about the team.
Absolutely!I will say this: Basketball is Fun Again™️
It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but for a game where UConn was out of it within the first 4 minutes and down nearly 20 at a couple points … that was the loudest I’ve felt Gampel since probably 2014.
I will say this: Basketball is Fun Again™️
It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but for a game where UConn was out of it within the first 4 minutes and down nearly 20 at a couple points … that was the loudest I’ve felt Gampel since probably 2014. I left the game really disheartened they couldn’t come away with the win but somewhat on a high from the experience. It is so so good to be playing high stakes basketball against real opponents again.
And for everyone who has complained over the years about hype music, DJs, Gameday Conor, etc. - I think Dave Benedict is doing a tremendous job of listening to fans and making changes. The music selections are so much better, particularly during player introductions. The hype video before introductions is light years better than past years. They know we’re all just a bunch of evolved apes and throw t-shirts nearly every timeout to get the place loud.
One way to surely fire up the crowd…