Will The Dunk have the best game and atmosphere in college basketball this year?

[TheDoggPound]

It's sad how 'The Dunk' is lightyears ahead of Gampel & the XL Center. We should be embarassed.

 

[FriarJ]

Went to the game last night. I hate to say this but the atmosphere in the Dunk blows away anything I've seen at Gampel or XL in a long long time. Everything from the music to the student section to the crowd engagement. That place was electric a half hour before tip. As loud a building as I've ever been in.

There are a couple factors that go into it. 1st as others have said we are friggin starved. To the point of lunacy (admittedly me) to be relevant and win. The team is very good this year. Cooley is a marvelous ambassador for the program. Next is the student support. When you get 3/4 of the entire student body to attend games over two hours before tip, they will be fun.

Finally, and very significantly the games are not on campus. PC is the city and the states program. The people who manage the Dunk and the police need to be commended. They let these college kids be college kids. The game was way oversold and two complete walkways were essentially standing room only for kids, and in regards to not being on campus, there is booze. Lots and lots of booze. You all saw it on TV, just by statistics alone, 65% of those kids there last night were under 21 but because they are bussed to and from they are allowed to have good fun.

 

[Waquoit]

Who won?

 

[FriarJ]

Who won?

I did.

 

[FriarJ]

Also, @Dogman69, what did you think of the anthem? I thought it was pretty neat.

 

[Dogman69]

Also, @Dogman69, what did you think of the anthem? I thought it was pretty neat.

The anthem was electric. Seriously all of it was impressive minus the Taylor Swift singalong. Very strange.

I've been going to games at the dunk for a while now and I can't remember anything like that. Even in the Kris Dunn and Bentil days, there was nowhere near the student support there was last night. Really sucks they can't find a way to play the UConn/PC game. Complete joke.

PS - UConn really needs to retire the Jock Jams and get some energy into the crowd.

 

[WestHartHusk]

The anthem was electric. Seriously all of it was impressive minus the Taylor Swift singalong. Very strange.

I've been going to games at the dunk for a while now and I can't remember anything like that. Even in the Kris Dunn and Bentil days, there was nowhere near the student support there was last night. Really sucks they can't find a way to play the UConn/PC game. Complete joke.

PS - UConn really needs to retire the Jock Jams and get some energy into the crowd.

I don’t understand why we can’t fix the music. Seriously already, there is nothing worse than turning on a big game and we start with Jock Jams.

 

[3rdbass]

Sorry even though all of my family is from Philly (GO TEMPLE!) I ain't rooting for Nova and definitely not over PC - this year or any year.

Are you going to ask me to root for Duke next?

I actually like Villanova before Uconn was good. They were my second team and won that exciting game against G-town. I will always room over them than Providence who I hate the fans.

 

[FriarJ]

I actually like Villanova before Uconn was good. They were my second team and won that exciting game against G-town. I will always room over them than Providence who I hate the fans.

we don't want to room with you either.

 

[FriarJ]

 

[TheChamps990411]

Sorry even though all of my family is from Philly (GO TEMPLE!) I ain't rooting for Nova and definitely not over PC - this year or any year.

Are you going to ask me to root for Duke next?

This is a man of unquestionable integrity.

 

[Hoophound]

In regard to Jock Jams, it is considered a tradition. That's why they don't kill it off. I agree that it is time to move on to something new.

As far as the crowd goes, PC is starved for success and we are spoiled brats. Our team just isn't good enough to motivate our fans to that level. The busses to the game and a lax approach to controlling the kids is a big bonus at PC.

 

[rayrayfor3]

I don’t understand why we can’t fix the music. Seriously already, there is nothing worse than turning on a big game and we start with Jock Jams.

Jock Jams to start the game isn't the problem. But I have noticed the music that plays at the Xl center is terrible. All they play is big room edm, like levels, animals, etc. I'm pretty sure they played "Pepas" like 3 diff times at the Marquette game. These songs can be good at a certain time during the game, but after every time out it feels so forced and feels like it is blaring in your ears Can the stupid DJ read the room and after a 5 min scoring drought maybe not just start blaring Martin Gerrix? I went to the St John's game at MSG and the music during timeouts was soooo much more enjoyable. It was a noticeable difference.

 

[FriarJ]

In regard to Jock Jams, it is considered a tradition. That's why they don't kill it off. I agree that it is time to move on to something new.

As far as the crowd goes, PC is starved for success and we are spoiled brats. Our team just isn't good enough to motivate our fans to that level. The busses to the game and a lax approach to controlling the kids is a big bonus at PC.

Yep, it is a big bonus, they get there over an hour before the game and start having their fun. Apparently there are PC “chaperones” approved by the Dunk and the city that try to keep it relatively in check and because of that everybody has a don’t ask don’t tell policy. If the kids get in trouble, they are on the carpet the following day for possible discipline. I give everybody involved credit for making it work.

 

[HuskyHawk]

In regard to Jock Jams, it is considered a tradition. That's why they don't kill it off. I agree that it is time to move on to something new.

As far as the crowd goes, PC is starved for success and we are spoiled brats. Our team just isn't good enough to motivate our fans to that level. The busses to the game and a lax approach to controlling the kids is a big bonus at PC.

I get a kick out of the Jock Jams complaints. I pre-date that stuff and don't like those tunes except maybe Gary Glitter. I'm from the We Will Rock You or Na, Nan, Hey Hey goodbye era. Whatever newer music you all want to play is probably not anything that will pump me up, but might as well try something. It would be cool if UConn had some old classic tune it could claim like the Red Sox do with Sweet Caroline. That would give the old farts something while you played newer stuff.

The light touch on enforcement is something every college should have. I think we've done that wrong for over 35 years now since it went to 21. Should be 18 for anybody who isn't driving and is in a controlled environment (like a college campus or bus). Give kids on the bus a wristband that lets them drink at XL. Boom. Attendance solved. Would cut down on the excesses. UConn is of course on the opposite end of that spectrum now from what I'm told, like it's run by Dolores Umbridge.

People downvoting those who said they were rooting for PC, like me? That's a lot of effort for something that is meaningless to UConn. Is this a Villanova board now? Even @Zissou doesn't do that and I doubt @FriarJ downvoted anyone rooting for Nova.

 

[FriarJ]

I get a kick out of the Jock Jams complaints. I pre-date that stuff and don't like those tunes except maybe Gary Glitter. I'm from the We Will Rock You or Na, Nan, Hey Hey goodbye era. Whatever newer music you all want to play is probably not anything that will pump me up, but might as well try something. It would be cool if UConn had some old classic tune it could claim like the Red Sox do with Sweet Caroline. That would give the old farts something while you played newer stuff.

The light touch on enforcement is something every college should have. I think we've done that wrong for over 35 years now since it went to 21. Should be 18 for anybody who isn't driving and is in a controlled environment (like a college campus or bus). Give kids on the bus a wristband that lets them drink at XL. Boom. Attendance solved. Would cut down on the excesses. UConn is of course on the opposite end of that spectrum now from what I'm told, like it's run by Dolores Umbridge.

People downvoting those who said they were rooting for PC, like me? That's a lot of effort for something that is meaningless to UConn. Is this a Villanova board now? Even @Zissou doesn't do that and I doubt @FriarJ downvoted anyone rooting for Nova.

I don’t downvote anyone ever anywhere. I’ll let you know if I have a problem with a post

 

[superjohn]

I don’t understand why we can’t fix the music. Seriously already, there is nothing worse than turning on a big game and we start with Jock Jams.

The music didn't strike me as good big game music last night. They played Taylor Swift and they were playing Let it Be late in the game.

UConn's problem is it seems like they've tried to do everything to make the campus and game atmosphere boring. College is supposed to be a drunken madhouse.

 

[FriarJ]

The anthem was electric. Seriously all of it was impressive minus the Taylor Swift singalong. Very strange.

I've been going to games at the dunk for a while now and I can't remember anything like that. Even in the Kris Dunn and Bentil days, there was nowhere near the student support there was last night. Really sucks they can't find a way to play the UConn/PC game. Complete joke.

PS - UConn really needs to retire the Jock Jams and get some energy into the crowd.

The PC/UConn game would have been electric there. I can’t believe we have to wait another year. It will be over 10 years by the time it happens. Kids in college then are now married with kids.

 

[Padutch5]

There are a couple factors that go into it. 1st as others have said we are friggin starved. To the point of lunacy (admittedly me) to be relevant and win. The team is very good this year. Cooley is a marvelous ambassador for the program. Next is the student support. When you get 3/4 of the entire student body to attend games over two hours before tip, they will be fun.

Finally, and very significantly the games are not on campus. PC is the city and the states program. The people who manage the Dunk and the police need to be commended. They let these college kids be college kids. The game was way oversold and two complete walkways were essentially standing room only for kids, and in regards to not being on campus, there is booze. Lots and lots of booze. You all saw it on TV, just by statistics alone, 65% of those kids there last night were under 21 but because they are bussed to and from they are allowed to have good fun.

Wait. What? You can’t possibly be saying its good the games are not on campus and the students go>?? All I have read for years is students will not go off campus for UCONN games?

 

[Zissou]

People downvoting those who said they were rooting for PC, like me? That's a lot of effort for something that is meaningless to UConn. Is this a Villanova board now? Even @Zissou doesn't do that and I doubt @FriarJ downvoted anyone rooting for Nova.

Wait, we can down vote?

Jk, lol.

I do love the Big East - and Prov and UConn are key members. I originally joined here to advocate for UConn to the Big East and I love having UConn back home.

I really expected Nova to roll over Prov this week. It was a great game. Classic Big East slug fest. The Fast Food Fryers brought it and the Dunk was lit up. Fryers are not over rated. I’d love to see Prov and UConn go Elite 8.

Sweet Caroline - yuck. Let the Bosox have their thing. Even Nova plays it…. We should all be a little more original than that. Some universal jams are appropriate: Gary Glitter… yes. White Stripes… yes. The Jazz Singer…. Nyet.

 

[Waquoit]

There is no problem. Everyone plays the same songs. The Dunk had the electricity of a Cinderella story and that only works every 20 years or so.

 

[Deepster]

There is no problem. Everyone plays the same songs. The Dunk had the electricity of a Cinderella story and that only works every 20 years or so.

Exactly. That environment is the exuberance of a team that’s surprised to be this good. We expect a title contending team every year now, fair or unfair. That makes our fan base whiny and hypercritical.