Artificial sideline squad meeting...

[Metz]

Did anyone go and was there any news about the team or anything that anyone wants to share? I knew a lot of people who just went for the free T-shirt and food and that was it. I chose not to go because I don't want to be associated with people like that who are not real fans.

[BGSUCane]

the shirt and pizza was very good..and free

[rollalongFF0304]

I stopped by when class let out early. They didn't let people in until 8 p.m., so there was a pretty good line in the lobby. I missed getting a sweet t-shirt by 3 people...bummer. The cool thing was that Dakich was standing right in the doorway and introduced himself to and shook the hand of each and every person who walked into the arena.

For the program, Dakich asked how many of the people there were first-years, and about 90% of the group raised their hands. I thought it was nice that they seemed to be excited about basketball and not just football. Then coach played a video montage about Anderson Arena being the house that roars, with highlights of the '01 Michigan game, the Miami game from a few years ago (a.k.a. the Cole Magner Is My Hero game), and some other general pictures of the student section.

Then he introduced the team and the three seniors said a few words. I was impressed that the team showed some sort of personality this year. I think in previous years the players seemed a little bland, but it looks like these freshmen are characters. Perrick Robinson got the biggest applause when he was introduced...I noticed Dakich called him "Moon" and that's what he was referred to as in the Blade article today as well. He seems like he'll be a fun one to watch whether he's on the court or on the sideline.

Dakich offered prizes to whoever could beat him and his son in a shooting contest. Dakich & son won.

A lot of people took basketball posters and got them autographed which was kind of neat. A good number of people also stayed around afterwards to chat with the players and coaches.

There was way too much pizza afterwards.

It was a nice little thing they put together...but I thought it was a little lacking in content. They kept talking about this mythical Sideline Squad business...which is down to about four people now. Although coach did get one kid to stand up and introduced him to the crowd. It was the dude from the Angie Hipsher incident two years ago. He said a few years ago they played Akron and the students were really getting on Akron's players. The ball went out of bounds, Dakich said, and this dude said something to one of Akron's players, and then he ended up in handcuffs. Dakich said he called the kid the next day and offered to bail him out of jail. I think they enjoyed that story.

The knuckleheads who picked up their shirt and left before the thing even began got their deserved scowls from the people waiting in line.

[Flipper]

I don't recall them doing fun stuff like this when I was a student. Then again, what college kid would want to hang out and eat pizza with John Weinert?

[bgkarabear]

I went, and rollalong gave a pretty good description. Although, I got my free shirt...but there were a lot of people that did come just for a shirt. That irked me a little.

I got pumped about basketball though. Can't wait until the season starts!

[BGSUfanatUT]

I am so jealous now!

bacn3- we need ot make our OWN shirts and form our own squad, whaddya think?

[bgkarabear]

I forgot one other thing that was said...

Dakich's goal for this season is to get 500 students to each home game. He said if he and players from the team need to go out and talk to organizations and do it, he will.

Opinions?

[rollalongFF0304]

Good thought Kara...when he said 500, it actually seemed a little low to me.

Maybe it's because I'm used to hearing them talking about bringing in 7,000 students for the football games.

It was pretty cool that Dakich said him or the team is all for going to organizations to talk about hoops and a good atmosphere at games.

[bgmaggot00]

I showed up at this little shindig, and was somewhat impressed. I showed up about 20 min. late (other things going on), so I missed out on a shirt, but got plenty of food. I especially enjoyed the shooting contest with the Dakick's. His kid has a mean little 3 pointer. I really liked that after they were done, Coach Dakich was talking to me, and the two I was with for a few minutes. He was doing this, along with all of the players. It would be kind of nice if Brandon ever showed this kind of friendliness towards the fans here. Jeff

[Falconfreak90]

This is great to see Coach Dakich reaching out. I am more pumped now for hoops than I've been the last few weeks. Don't know what's gonna happen but I think we'll see a very scrappy team that hustles to the very end...and that means good things will happen.

BEAT DEPAUL!!!

[Falconfreak90]

" It would be kind of nice if Brandon ever showed this kind of friendliness towards the fans here."

I think Coach Brandon does that all the time.

[BGSUfanatUT]

I concur with the freak. GB write letter into the paper all the time, and tlaks at the union multiple times a season. He even baught tickets behind the other team bench for students!

I think this is one trend that BGSU should be most proud of. Due to the awesome community that is Bowling Green Ohio, our coaches like it here for more reasons than coaching. They really care about our teams ans players and fans, and really get pumpe dup alogn with us. DD knows that for Anderson to work the way it should, we need butts in teh seats, which shouldnt be hard for a 4800 capacity. I imagine AA looking liek Cameron indoor down in Durham. That whole area where the students sit needs to be packs with crazy (sober crazy) students every game. Its not that hard to do, and our players deserve that.

If we can do that, we should be able to win 99% of our home games. There is a reason That 2 big 11, (and nat'l at that) power house programs wont play us here ever again. We are INTIMIDATING! We need to use this to our advantage. When AA is packed, there is NO place like it in college sports, thats somethign that no one can compete with. No place is louder, and no place could be louder.

[Dayons_Den]

Were the T-Shirts the same "Sideline Squad" t shirts that were handed out last year and are for sale now at SBX??

Or are they a new design?

[It's the Journey...]

I understand what bgmaggot00 is saying about GB. Urban did more than just talk at the union and write letters to the BG News. He went to multiple student organizations each week and talked to kids about going to the games. I can remember taking a short cut through Kreischer because it was raining and he was there in the lobby stopping almost everyone and telling them there was a game saturday and who he was. I have not heard of GB doing that a whole lot. I will not say he hasn't, I just don't think he has as much as Urban did. Those little things can make the difference to both the students and the community. I would love to see us get back to that. Iknow this isn't a football forum so I will stop now, lol.

[Metz]

I concur with the freak. GB write letter into the paper all the time, and tlaks at the union multiple times a season. He even baught tickets behind the other team bench for students!

How would you know? You don't even go here!

Actually though, he has only wrote one letter to the paper all year. I have seen him in the Union before games with players trying to get more interest but it just doesn't seem to work. When he is there though, he usually walks around and shakes everyone's hand and asks if they are going to the game. The first time he came up to me and asked if I was going I told him I had to be there and I got the most confused look ever from him. When I explained I'm in the band he ended up talking to me for about 5-10 minutes about the FMB before I assured him I'd be there even if I wasn't in uniform.