Tournament game

[Flipper]

I wouldn't call it a collapse per se...I think the team's shortcomings were exposed once we got to crunch time. They worked hard and were in the games they lost...maybe if they were 100% healthy...but then, nobody's 100% healthy come March.

Looking forward to next year!

[FalconTurf]

Perfect evaluation Flipper.

I understand the fans not showing up for this kind of tournament on a beautiful Saturday but I was wondering when we make the NCAA again will that be all the band, dance team and cheerleader members that show up? I would have thought they could of come much closer to full units yesterday since in theory if we had made the NCAA this would have been the weekend.

[Dayons_Den]

I was wondering when we make the NCAA again will that be all the band, dance team and cheerleader members that show up? I would have thought they could of come much closer to full units yesterday since in theory if we had made the NCAA this would have been the weekend.

I can only speak for this Falcon and his father (class of 1968- the last class that danced), but we plan on being there more or less no matter what.

[hammb]

I've never attended an NCAA tournament game, and won't until we make the dance. I take the first 2 days off every year with the hope that I'm taking a road trip on those days. It has yet to happen, but when it does I will not miss it for the world.

[BGSU33]

Perfect evaluation Flipper.

I understand the fans not showing up for this kind of tournament on a beautiful Saturday but I was wondering when we make the NCAA again will that be all the band, dance team and cheerleader members that show up? I would have thought they could of come much closer to full units yesterday since in theory if we had made the NCAA this would have been the weekend.

You need to direct that question about 40 years into the future because while most of us have never taken a single breath the last time BG was in the NCAA Tournament, it's likely going to stay that way. I'm joking, I'm joking, and God do I hope I'm wrong. Look, I can't speak for the rest of the people on this board but if I'm alive - I will be there!!! I made the voyage back to BG for a CIT game, I'm sure as hell gonna make an NCAA one if it ever happens. I actually held out of ever going to an NCAA Tournament saying my first one would be one that BG is in. Well, I waited 20 years and said the hell with it, I'm not waiting anymore and went a few years (sorry BG, I wasn't gonna wait for the unlikely an longer). And I'm going back to see the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 this weekend in Cleveland.

Honestly, I'm more excited to win a MAC Tournament than I am getting back to the NCAA Tournament. But they go hand-in-hand so doing one you get the other. We've been to the NCAA Tournament and have even won a game in it before (albeit an eternity ago), but we've never won the MAC Tournament. But if we ever do, I'm going to wherever BG gets sent to play in its as it really has become a once-in-a-lifetime event for BG.

[Rollo83]

I wouldn't call it a collapse per se...I think the team's shortcomings were exposed once we got to crunch time. They worked hard and were in the games they lost...maybe if they were 100% healthy...but then, nobody's 100% healthy come March.

Looking forward to next year!

First off, I hope my "late-season collapse" comment did get taken the wrong way. No way is that an indictment on what Coach Jans and the team accomplished this year. BG men's basketball was relevant again...and it was fun. I think Jans will prove to be the best hire our athletic department has made since Curt Miller (Urban Meyer before that).

But whatever the reason..."weaknesses exposed", "had never been in this position before"...we didn't finish well. We had our own destiny in our hands in mid-February and had a terrible last three weeks to end the season. Yeah, maybe we overachieved to that point but I can't help but use the word "collapse" to describe it.

Really looking forward to Jans putting his stamp on this program totally...

[Falconfreak90]

21-12 in Jans first year....battled for a top four seed in the MAC tourney until the last day of the regular season. So much improvement in one year.

This program is going places.

[Flipper]

I get what your saying Rollo83....it's so frustrating because we were so close to entering the tournament as one fo the top four seeds and we feel juuuuust short of that. Hell...we almost beat the conference champs on their floor one week before they won the tournament.

Call it what you want..a collapse or something milder. It doesn't really matter. We did really well year over year but notr as well as we could have. It's frustrating as hell, but it's exciting to be frustrated again.

[hammb]

It's frustrating as hell, but it's exciting to be frustrated again.

This is key. For the first time in years we had a reason to have hope. Sure they fell short of those hopes, but at least we had a reason to hope. I'm confident Jans can take this program forward, but we had too far to go in his first year.

This was the first time in 5 years that the season was actually enjoyable to watch the team play, rather than just sitting in the stands laughing at their inability.

[zete]

I've never attended an NCAA tournament game, and won't until we make the dance. I take the first 2 days off every year with the hope that I'm taking a road trip on those days. It has yet to happen, but when it does I will not miss it for the world.

I am hoping we go to the Sweet 16 and then have a good chance to advance to the Elite 8. We are going to need some horses to do so (Ball St. '89-90) (Kent)
If that can happen they will come out of the woodwork and jump on the bandwagon.

[mscarn]

There was progress this year and the players (especially the seniors) deserve the credit for elevating their level of play. 21 wins is terrific but the biggest mistake for anyone to make is to be satisfied. That will come with an NCAA bid and no one realizes that more than Jans.

In terms of the fans, the majority are unquestionably bandwagoners who'll show up for Michigan State and the big games and retreat to their homes/dorms for the rest of the time unless given an extraordinarily compelling reason. (And $1 hotdogs that run out quickly isn't one of them)

As upsetting as that is, an argument can be made that such a pathology was fostered by a university that has neglected the program for years, if not decades. Even today, with everything we now have, a case could be made that a handful of individuals and perhaps 1-2 individual athletic administrators are responsible for it, not the institution as a whole. Kingston has indicated on several occasions that without Mr. Frack's benevolence we wouldn't have been able to pay Jans enough to come here. The university didn't commit to a new arena; a handful of private donors did and made it happen. The university did not position itself to hire a coach like Chris Jans; one enormously generous individual put them in a position to do so.

Until the senior leadership of the university gets serious about athletics and funds programs at a level commensurate with our peer institutions in the league they will continue to reap what they sow. The president answers to the board of trustees. The board of trustees, in theory, answers to the public (i.e. us).

[BGSU33]

I've never attended an NCAA tournament game, and won't until we make the dance. I take the first 2 days off every year with the hope that I'm taking a road trip on those days. It has yet to happen, but when it does I will not miss it for the world.

I am hoping we go to the Sweet 16 and then have a good chance to advance to the Elite 8. We are going to need some horses to do so (Ball St. '89-90) (Kent)
If that can happen they will come out of the woodwork and jump on the bandwagon.

I'd settle for simply making the tournament even if we got blasted by 40 in our first game. Just seeing the name "Bowling Green" on a men's NCAA Tournament bracket would justify a couch fire or two burning in the street.

[HoopsFan]

We basically were a one trick pony (read Holmes) and the team had some guys step up from time-to-time to give us a "so-close" season. Jans got a lot of play out of guys that were bench ornaments in the previous coach's rotation. Pity he had to hang around for his TWO "EFFING year extension.

Next year looks bright. We get to see the fruits of Jan's recruiting for a full year, our redshirt Freshman will get to play and we have some new players to look forward to. Our glaring defense is the lack of height at the perimiter and the health of the players. I like Dickerson, Denny, and Gomez, if he learns to jump. Two healthy point guards would be nice and nicer still if they develop a 3-point shot, hell any shot that goes in.

Can we fast forward to next season?

HoopsFan

[gmartin]

Lower ticket prices, lower parking ($10 is way too much), and schedule more evening weekend games (when hockey games are not present). Stop with the 2pm tip offs. 7pm tip off would be a better draw. Do you think the hockey attendance would be good with a 2pm dropping of the puck. Wins can only do so much.

Crazy idea but for those whom have classes from 6 to 9, on a Tuesday night, maybe a professor would host the first part of his class at the Stroh Center. Maybe getting those 100 students to attend a game would get them hooked where they could attend a weekend game. And when the go to the game bring a friend. Just a crazy idea

[hammb]

Lower ticket prices, lower parking ($10 is way too much), and schedule more evening weekend games (when hockey games are not present). Stop with the 2pm tip offs. 7pm tip off would be a better draw. Do you think the hockey attendance would be good with a 2pm dropping of the puck. Wins can only do so much.

I may be in the minority but I have a much better track record (and prefer) the Saturday afternoon games. I love the noon-2 tipoffs. Get up get some breakfast/lunch and hit the game, then go about your Saturday. For Saturday evenings I always end up having a billion other things going one with friend get togethers, family obligations, etc.

But I could very well be in the minority. I'll get my season tickets regardless and I go to all the games I can. It felt like we had more Saturday evening games this year than in year's past, and as a result I missed more games this year than I typically do.