Question for Phil, DannyK and Other Houston Attendees

[ChicagoGG]

The crowd at Houston seemed to have a large number of UConn fans (including you and your 1000 balloon). When the crowd is (not large) in these out-of-town venues, but there are lots of UConn fans, does the team acknowledge their fans in anyway? Do they wave, or run past you and high-five like they do the student section at our home games? I was just wondering, since people seem to make a great effort to go and cheer the team on. I would think the team would be glad to see supportive faces, especially in these new gyms. (Hope so, anyway!)

 

[sawxfan23]

The crowd at Houston seemed to have a large number of UConn fans (including you and your 1000 balloon). When the crowd is (not large) in these out-of-town venues, but there are lots of UConn fans, does the team acknowledge their fans in anyway? Do they wave, or run past you and high-five like they do the student section at our home games? I was just wondering, since people seem to make a great effort to go and cheer the team on. I would think the team would be glad to see supportive faces, especially in these new gyms. (Hope so, anyway!)

If an opposing team did that in my gym I would view it as a being incredibly disrespectful. At home and even at a neutral gym it is ok to acknowledge your fans but to do it on the road I would think that is a no no.

 

[watanabe]

How does that seem disrespectful? I'm kinda out of this loop, but I'd think it's be a great thing for the fans and team.
Please enlighten me.

 

[sawxfan23]

How does that seem disrespectful? I'm kinda out of this loop, but I'd think it's be a great thing for the fans and team.
Please enlighten me.

You don't see how a visiting team running into the stands and high fiving their fans would be disrespectful?

 

[ed4ourgirls]

They don't have to run into the stands. Heck, they don't run into the stands
at Gampel.

But a simple wave to acknowledge the fans who have traveled so far to
cheer them on . . . ? . . . no, I don't see how that would be disrespectful.

 

[trisailin]

You don't see how a visiting team running into the stands and high fiving their fans would be disrespectful?

Only if you're looking to be offended is it dis-respectful. Some of us are not perpetual victims.

During my athletic days, I was actually happy when opposing fans came. The fans apparently thought enough of the contest with my team to shelp all the way to see it even though it was an away event for them.

It wasn't disrespectful for our opponents to acknowledge their fans.

 

[Wbbfan1]

AAU Houston has strong AAU Girls Basketball programs. For those attendance, were there many girls groups in attendance that might have been part of an AAU program. Did Houston do any special promotions to increase attendance. It seems like the attendance should have been better then it was.

 

[sawxfan23]

They don't have to run into the stands. Heck, they don't run into the stands
at Gampel.

But a simple wave to acknowledge the fans who have traveled so far to
cheer them on . . . ? . . . no, I don't see how that would be disrespectful.

They don't run and high five the student section at Gampel? Teams take a lot of pride in their home gym and I know a lot of teams would be disrespected by that.

 

[sarals24]

I am going to the game tomorrow at SMU...I imagine there will be a large Moriah contingent out. Pretty sure she might acknowledge them, at least in the warmup.
How would acknowledging your fans on the road be disrespectful? You aren't taunting anyone, you are just showing appreciation for people who showed up to watch you play. If a team like SMU had fans or parents that travelled to Storrs to watch them, and the team waved to them or high-fived them, do you think ANYONE on the UConn bench would care??

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Um, Rutgers and numerous other schools acknowledge their fans, in the same way that Rutgers and (some) schools acknowledge their fans at home. They gather briefly on the court after shaking hands, turn, and wave before heading off. (At home, they do or did line up for the Alma Mater first, but that doesn't apply on the road, obviously).

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[sawxfan23]

A subtle wave or acknowledgement from the sideline is one thing but to run as a group and high five fans in the stands is another. You don't think that if Notre Dame beat UConn at Gampel and then ran around the gym high fiving their fans that would be disrespectful?

 

[trisailin]

A subtle wave or acknowledgement from the sideline is one thing but to run as a group and high five fans in the stands is another. You don't think that if Notre Dame beat UConn at Gampel and then ran around the gym high fiving their fans that would be disrespectful?

ONLY if you choose to be offended.
Why do you insist on feeling like a victim?

 

[DobbsRover2]

Oh wow. This is why there is such concern about interest in WCBB basketball and getting fans in the seats. Fans, some of whom have traveled hundreds of miles to see their team in an arena that has few enough home fans to even notice what the UConn crowd does, and the Husky players can't run over and give a thank you to the fans?????

Just wow. Not even a question for visiting fans to football games who can give their players all the loving they want, but for our "ladylike" WCBB game the visiting fans must be meek and quiet.

CGG, just fine for the players and fans to share some love on the road, especially after making the big effort. For those with a pole deeply implanted in an uncomfortable place, just let them stew in their dark grumpy place. WCBB needs all the cheers and fun it can get from the fans.

 

[sawxfan23]

ONLY if you choose to be offended.
Why do you insist on feeling like a victim?

Who feels like a victim? A difference in opinion makes me "feel like a victim"?

 

[Phil]

I didn't see any special acknowledgment. Perhaps because it isn't all that special (for UConn). I've been to Georgetown, and UCF, now Houston, where UConn fans either outnumbered the home crowd or very close thereto. I wasn't at USF, but I bet it was the same.)

That said, when we unveiled the balloons the team turned and got a kick out of it. Geno saw it, but I didn't see his reaction, which is fine; I think for him he didn't want to make a big deal out if it. I did, so we did it for us and the fans.

Sometimes one gets to say hello to some pf the players, if they come out to see family after the game. That didn't happen at Houston. It was the second game of the day, and the arena crew hustled us out of the arena so they could close up.

 

[Phil]

In terms of high fiving, that wasn't physically possible in Houston. They have a concrete barrier separating the main seats from the floor. (There are some courtside seats, but on the opposite side of the arena.) So while we sat in the front row, we were still 30 feet from the bench.

 

[watanabe]

A subtle wave or acknowledgement from the sideline is one thing but to run as a group and high five fans in the stands is another. You don't think that if Notre Dame beat UConn at Gampel and then ran around the gym high fiving their fans that would be disrespectful?

I've never seen them run into the stands. Maybe they do, but I've never seen in on TV. But this leads me to think two things, 1. Acknowledging the fans with high fives as they leave the court would be cool. and 2. If the opposing team's fans don't even bother showing up, leaving UConn fans as the highest % of attendees, then so what. Let them "run up" into the stands. Maybe this would encourage the students of those schools to fill the seats a bit more and would also encourage fans like me to travel to these away games knowing I'll get a little personal appreciation. Maybe we could fill those places ourselves!

 

[DaddyChoc]

UConn players hi-five the FRONT row of the student section... going up in the stands "aint" happening

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I'll speak as a neutral observer. My seats at South Carolina games are a few rows behind the scorer's table, not more than 10 feet from the opposing head coach. Opposing players frequently go into the stands after the game and hug/talk to their fans or family members and I've never thought twice about it. Of course, women's games are a much different atmosphere than an SEC football or men's basketball game, but when I've gone to football games on the road, the team always comes over to the fans and the band and acknowledges them after the game and visiting teams do the same at our house. As long as nobody gets in an opponents face, it's all good.

 

[ChicagoGG]

I didn't see any special acknowledgment. Perhaps because it isn't all that special (for UConn). I've been to Georgetown, and UCF, now Houston, where UConn fans either outnumbered the home crowd or very close thereto. I wasn't at USF, but I bet it was the same.)

That said, when we unveiled the balloons the team turned and got a kick out of it. Geno saw it, but I didn't see his reaction, which is fine; I think for him he didn't want to make a big deal out if it. I did, so we did it for us and the fans.

Sometimes one gets to say hello to some pf the players, if they come out to see family after the game. That didn't happen at Houston. It was the second game of the day, and the arena crew hustled us out of the arena so they could close up.

Thank you, Phil! I was not trying to spark a controversy with my question....just honestly wondering, particularly since it seemed more like a "home" game for UConn, looking at the crowd on tv. And it was fun to see you guys and the balloon on tv, too.