Student Support

32,864 Views | 177 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by TallTexan
sfajack05
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I'm sure there is a topic on this somewhere but I couldn't find it.

I had several friends text me last night asking what is up with the student support and I, like many others, keep on asking myself the same thing.

I can understand after last season attendance being down for the first few games but you would think after the Duke win, beating Sam at Sam, and having 20 wins that students would be coming out. This team deserves better.

Apparently the Purple Haze section can't stand because they get yelled at by others in the section and they don't bring the energy every night because they are full time college students and are tired.

What would it take for this students to show up? They are selling alcohol. They get in free. They have the occasional give away. They could win the championship this season and next season I think the attendance would be the same. It's just disappointing that one of the best teams in the state can't get support from their own student body.
PurpleOut
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I think most of the comments around this topic have been coming on individual game threads, so I welcome it.

Last night was flat out awful from our crowd. Students and general fans alike. Last night watching on TV it was the quietest I can remember in a LONG time.

I understand the Wednesday night issue and know that's a big problem for students and our church crowd.



BUT, sorry not EVERYONE has a Wednesday night class. Can you imagine if when we were students we had a 20-win team, a win over Duke, AND had the ability to get a beer in the Coliseum (when we were 21)? I can't even begin to compare that to the season I had to watch losing to the likes of Jackson State and everyone else. If we can't get our fans out for this team, then this may be a lost cause. And it infuriates me.

The majority of our students don't even sit in that section, sitting up at the top or in the corners. I don't know if there's going to be a way to force them there, but we need to figure out a way to try.
SFAXE93
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Why not behind the basketball goals with standing bleachers on the court up to the wall?
PurpleOut
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SFAXE93 said:

Why not behind the basketball goals with standing bleachers on the court up to the wall?
I've said that as an option too. There's plenty of room on the floor to add some temporary bleachers for students. The problem is 1) they'll complain about the view. Which I don't totally disagree with. 2) enough of them don't show up to warrant the idea really. Until they can start showing up and can show they can even halfway fill their section, I don't see anything happening.
PurpleOut
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I missed this one last night. I'm dumbfounded.





sfajack05
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I remember how crazy the atmosphere was during the Sam game with Kingsley, Alexander, Shaw, etc. back in 07/08. That's how it should be every game. The crowd stood the whole game and it was a true home court advantage.
SFAJack_76
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PurpleOut said:

I missed this one last night. I'm dumbfounded.






I saw that last night. They're tired. Bless their hearts. I am old, but I remember being a full time student. I remember a semester that I took 20 hours. I don't remember ever missing a home game. I went to some away games. I remember being hoarse after most games. I simply can't .....
SFA Jack Fanatic
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Criticizing Purple Haze is not the way to go. It's the other thousands of on-campus students that need to be grabbed by the shoulders and given a good wake-up shaking.

Here's a crazy idea... Perhaps a couple of SFA players (men and women) in their unis and sweats should be assigned to make regular visits to the dorms during home game weeks, letting students know when the games are and encouraging them to attend as they come and go. Maybe some trinkets and other occasional handouts. Make it personal to show them that they're students, too.
SFAJack_76
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The players, men and women, are full time students. In addition to the games, they spend hours practicing, studying tape, and traveling. After the radio show Monday, Keller got some food to go so he could go meet with Kalcheries to study tape. All of our student-athletes also spend a lot of hours doing community service.

Yes, I bristle at the thought that they should have to go beg the tired students to come to games.
PurpleForever
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PurpleOut said:

I missed this one last night. I'm dumbfounded.








I understand the rigors of being a college student, got two degrees to show for it. But we went to Austin, Waco, Cali, all over to watch the team play. All while I working for another sport. The games were my time to let go and have fun. I would never complain about going to a game.

We've talked about it before but I think a DJ is one thing that would help the games a ton. Just something to get people up and moving. Whenever I was a student and was asked to sit down, I kindly reminded them that this was the student section and there was a reason we had our own section.
SFA Jack Fanatic
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With all due respect, you can't tell me that a couple of players (out of over two dozen on MBB and WBB rosters on a rotating basis) couldn't find some time to visit dorms occasionally. They find time to do projects around town to help the community. Why can't they find time on campus to help attendance?
Jacks4460
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SFA Jack Fanatic said:

Criticizing Purple Haze is not the way to go. It's the other thousands of on-campus students that need to be grabbed by the shoulders and given a good wake-up shaking.

Here's a crazy idea... Perhaps a couple of SFA players (men and women) in their unis and sweats should be assigned to make regular visits to the dorms during home game weeks, letting students know when the games are and encouraging them to attend as they come and go. Maybe some trinkets and other occasional handouts. Make it personal to show them that they're students, too.

I am with you criticizing Purple Haze is definitely not the right thing to do... I say you want students then not on a wed night and have a DJ and free Pizza...
TallTexan
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PurpleOut said:

I missed this one last night. I'm dumbfounded.






Oh my, that is sure an opinion by Purple Haze there.
TallTexan
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I have some lengthy thoughts on this, will have to try to put them together when I get some free time later. I think it's probably an "all hands on deck" type of situation to really fix the root of this problem. It's not just Purple Haze, or regular students, or regular fans, or people who don't show up, kind of a combination of all.
PurpleOut
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It's still both. PHA is the front of the student section and claim to be the loudest around. I agree with that it's the full student body that is the main issue, but PHA deserves their criticism 100%.
PurpleOut
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SFA Jack Fanatic said:

With all due respect, you can't tell me that a couple of players (out of over two dozen on MBB and WBB rosters on a rotating basis) couldn't find some time to visit dorms occasionally. They find time to do projects around town to help the community. Why can't they find time on campus to help attendance?
I think this is a good idea as well. And if not a player at least one of the managers, or someone in the AD to try to do more. When I lived in Hall 16 I used to put up flyers in the lobby for the games, as well as to join/sit with the Hecklers. PHA acts like an organization that doesn't encourage non-members to sit with them. They've changed somewhat, but they should still be doing more to reach out to the student body instead of acting like a members only club.

Going and making sure there is some sort of flyer or notification in EVERY dorm should be a very easy aspect to accomplish.
No-look
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I'm 69 and my game buddy is 64 and we make more noise than our age allows. We get involved and cheer and put the refs in their place. But we're dyed in the wool(age phrase lol) fans. A lot of our fans are older folks but they are loyal fans. Age has a way of quieting one down...Leaving the game last night I was behind an elderly gentleman and he was being helped walking down the ramp exit and he was recapping the game by plays.

Having said that I would encourage the students to get involved. Youth brings life to things. We have an exciting basketball program with a winning tradition. That's something a lot of schools can't claim. Love it when the students are involved! Let's do this!!!
sfajack05
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TallTexan said:

PurpleOut said:

I missed this one last night. I'm dumbfounded.






Oh my, that is sure an opinion by Purple Haze there.

Yeah not sure how to respond to that.



The Gonzaga students must not be tired since they are on pacific time.
TallTexan
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sfajack05 said:




The Gonzaga students must not be tired since they are on pacific time.
They didn't have to stay up late to finish the Superbowl.
SFA Jack Fanatic
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sfajack05 said:

TallTexan said:






The Gonzaga students must not be tired since they are on pacific time.

I love that! Oh, how I wish WRJ would rock like that!
PurpleOut
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Well at least this is something.

jboy93
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sfajack05 said:

TallTexan said:

PurpleOut said:

I missed this one last night. I'm dumbfounded.






Oh my, that is sure an opinion by Purple Haze there.

Yeah not sure how to respond to that.



The Gonzaga students must not be tired since they are on pacific time.
We are about the same size aren't we?
jboy93
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I also wished that our stands in WRJ came down that close to the floor!
nacluth
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5300 undergrads at Gonzaga. A full SFA spirit night at a basketball game should be a mandatory experience for SFA101. Get every incoming freshman to pick one of two games to come and cheer for a whole game with your classmates. Teach them cheers and appropriate heckling with some game etiquette.
PurpleOut
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nacluth said:

5300 undergrads at Gonzaga. A full SFA spirit night at a basketball game should be a mandatory experience for SFA101. Get every incoming freshman to pick one of two games to come and cheer for a whole game with your classmates. Teach them cheers and appropriate heckling with some game etiquette.
Yep. This goes along with my idea of getting students in the Coliseum for a night before the season starts. Make it a movie night and show Hoosiers or something. Have the coaches and players talk and show them videos of real student sections.
TallTexan
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jboy93 said:

I also wished that our stands in WRJ came down that close to the floor!
Ya that would make a big difference if we could ever pull it off.

Number 25 last night may not have liked it though.
TallTexan
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PurpleOut said:

nacluth said:

5300 undergrads at Gonzaga. A full SFA spirit night at a basketball game should be a mandatory experience for SFA101. Get every incoming freshman to pick one of two games to come and cheer for a whole game with your classmates. Teach them cheers and appropriate heckling with some game etiquette.
Yep. This goes along with my idea of getting students in the Coliseum for a night before the season starts. Make it a movie night and show Hoosiers or something. Have the coaches and players talk and show them videos of real student sections.
Man, I like that idea.
PurpleOut
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TallTexan said:

PurpleOut said:

nacluth said:

5300 undergrads at Gonzaga. A full SFA spirit night at a basketball game should be a mandatory experience for SFA101. Get every incoming freshman to pick one of two games to come and cheer for a whole game with your classmates. Teach them cheers and appropriate heckling with some game etiquette.
Yep. This goes along with my idea of getting students in the Coliseum for a night before the season starts. Make it a movie night and show Hoosiers or something. Have the coaches and players talk and show them videos of real student sections.
Man, I like that idea.
I'd actually open it to everyone like we do for movie night on the football field. Free entry but open concessions to make a few extra bucks. Market to everyone, but more so to the students and freshmen as mentioned.
SFAJack_76
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SFA Jack Fanatic
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Edit it, print it out, and place a copy in every seat in the student section!

Why the heck don't we do this?!?!?!
SFAJack_76
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They are listening and making an effort.
TallTexan
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Yep, it may take some time, but that's a step in the right direction.
nacluth
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Nice. Now just got to work on buy in
TallTexan
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Wonder if we could put a drum major type platform courtside facing purple haze. Not tall enough to block the view. Essentially, have Purple Haze appoint a designated hype leader who works the student section crowd to get them worked up.
cboothe09
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Driving back from Grapeland today I had an idea pop into my head...

1.) Remove all free admission for students to athletic events. Instead offer an athletic pass (UT offers one for $100 which is an absolute BARGAIN). I think we could offer $100 for admission to all athletic events, but we could go cheaper. If students weren't to opt into this program, set student prices at something like $5-10 an event. Between football, women's basketball, and mens basketball there are 36 home events, which adds to be $180 with $5 tickets...

2.) Find a way to work with the University to make Purple Haze a branch of the athletic departments marketing arm. Keep it as a student organization, but with oversight from the marketing department. Essentially these students would be part time employee's of the athletic department paid with free tickets, clothing, and some props and other perks. Here is the kicker, you have to try out to be part of the Purple Haze. Much like the Houston Rockets "Red Rowdies", there would be auditions to get only the most eccentric and spirited, that are willing to be at every and all sporting events.

These people would be those that lead the charge. They start the chants, they create the energy and atmosphere. Failure to attend or be active and spirited could lead to removal.

Not only should this add revenue, but I feel like the students that want to be there will be there, and those in charge would have more invested...
 
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