Why has Marrone gone "him against the fans"?

[OttoinGrotto]

People need to suck it up and support the program. Bunch of whiny bitches.

Yeah that's the approach.

 

[Scooch]

Just slogged through this thread. As Kasey Kasem once said... ponderous, f@cking ponderous.

After being a fan of this program for 20+ years I don't know why people still debate this stuff. If Marrone starts to win games -- games against good teams -- then attendance will come back and the "scene" around the Dome will be just fine. Back in the 90s my little band of tailgaters had some good times in the lots near Marshall St and Newhouse. But that's when there were 45K+ in the house every game. When there's 30K the scene is going to suck. And there won't be 45K+ again until we win.

Everything else is message board masturbation.

 

[rosconey]

fans are frustrated-we came into last season with high hopes-

we were told of a new offense shaped after the bowl game one with some "wild stallion" mixed in

the offense was supposed to be the strong side of the ball
and saw total ineptness in the staff and players in 11 of 12 games

 

[MSOrange]

has zero to do with marrone. the thread had one point but IB, X and Bay took it to ticket prices, seating, parking and tailgating. The thread went in a 100 directions.

Yeah it seemed to get off track somewhere. I started off reading about Marrone and lost my focus for a minute and then can't figure out what the hell anyone is talking about.

 

[SmilinBob]

I and my wife enjoyed the spring games as our likelihood of running into player's families and local celebs was proved to be a frequent happening. Sat next to Doug Logan once. I never said that I wasn't a fan. Former player were in the stands I think one of the games was being played when the NFL draft was being coonducted and we saw Rob Moore getting the news of his being picked . He was of course excited standing up and waving to the crowd. Wwe knew Roberta Deleone so when she saw us she would come over to join us with her kids if they weren't ball boys on the field. Of course there was the occasion when we were by Daryld Johnston's mother when Coach Mac came over to her and laughed at her saying"Your little boy, have a boo boo"? She just looked at us and rooled her eyes and shook her head Clearly she was not amused with Mac's comments.

Coach Mac has a way of talking first and then thinking, reminds me of myself in that regard.

 

[chakka3421]

I could give a royal $&#£ about spring practice and depth charts - if this change (really small IMO) leads to winning and bowling - I'm all in. I have better things to do than go to spring practices.

All I have to say about this thread is - really?

 

[sufandu]

I'd like to some coverage too, but honestly what the fans ultimately think of him and the program will be established during the season. To take this to the extreme, if he cancelled the spring game and closed every practice, but we won the national championship we'd love him. Conversely, if he invited every one of us over for dinner and let everyone watch every spring, preseason, and in season practice but then went 0-12 we'd despise him. If his decisions lead to improved results on the field, I'm satisfied.

 

[CaliCuse]

I don't understand the recruiting event cancellation, but I respectfully disagree with the notion that he isn't fan friendly. What other coach hosted a Monday event every day during the season for the average fan? I can't think of one and, for that matter, I can't imagine Boeheim, whom everyone is comparing Marrone to, ever considering something like this.

Winning solves all of these issues. If this is what Doug needs to do to win, I'm all for it.

This I know about Doug. Once he has an idea going for him,he becomes very stubborn in its being realized. Hence his no mercy desire for making the kids "better men". Of course I agree that knowing which eating utensil to use in social gatherings is important to avoid embarrassment. Knowing that certain entertainment establishments are an immediate cause for judgement negatively caring how you are perceived is important to the world we live in.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Way to miss the point. Think cumulative of what the message is to the fan base.

IthacaBarrel is the football version of Igor.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'd like to some coverage too, but honestly what the fans ultimately think of him and the program will be established during the season. To take this to the extreme, if he cancelled the spring game and closed every practice, but we won the national championship we'd love him. Conversely, if he invited every one of us over for dinner and let everyone watch every spring, preseason, and in season practice but then went 0-12 we'd despise him. If his decisions lead to improved results on the field, I'm satisfied.

Unfortunately, season tickets are sold BEFORE the season. Thus, the decision to do nothing to engage the fans in the run-up to buying season tickets is kind of self-defeating, no?

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think you are over analyzing things, most people don't even realize Marrone has done anything different and those that do, don't really care, it has no effect on things anymore, they need to win.

The message is Marrone is tired of wasting his time catering to a dwindling front running fan base and this type of fan base is tired of losing, winning is the only thing that will bring them back not spring practices or recruiting functions, those people are most likely not going anywhere but here to whine about it.

Well, actually, I think Marrone has improved attendance noticeably over GRob. The 5 game losing streak and murmurs of player unrest were troubling. His tough guy, 'no exceptions' discipline are a little out of touch with today's players.

 

[IthacaMatt]

They will come back when we win. Good luck with that strategy.

We barely draw 20k for a top 5 basketball team when we play crappy teams.

Well, you forget that almost no one else in college basketball draws 20,000 for their best opponents, so that's kind of irrelevant.

The grass roots efforts have been inconsistent. Connecting with For Drum is a great move that they've made these past few years. They need to connect to area high schools and have promotions for high schoolers to come to the Dome for football games. Same thing with Pop Warner football. Get a young local kid, show him a good time in the Dome and you have a fan for life.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't understand the recruiting event cancellation, but I respectfully disagree with the notion that he isn't fan friendly. What other coach hosted a Monday event every day during the season for the average fan? I can't think of one and, for that matter, I can't imagine Boeheim, whom everyone is comparing Marrone to, ever considering something like this.

Winning solves all of these issues. If this is what Doug needs to do to win, I'm all for it.

Boeheim has done this for years, with his Thursday night radio show from a local restaurant. He is very gracious, and signs stuff for fans. People bring him gifts, too. It's very cool.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I've been to UConn 3 X. The tailgating and parking there is 10X better than SU. Yes, it is off campus but that's a different discussion. But as far as the tailgate atmosphere, we don't compare. The location and the large large lots helps a lot. We have 147 tiny tiny lots (PS, I am exaggerating).

Exactly. Anyone who wonders about the lack of quality of our parking / tailgating scene just needs to read TexanMark's tailgate guide.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm sorry there are not multiple choices for hosting a 35-40 person tailgate. And how many options do you think there are anywhere else in the country to host a tailgate that size? Maybe one place?

That option exists at ANY PLACE that has PARKING LOTS for their stadium. Geez.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yeah this is true, I used to walk the Quad before games with my father during the P era before we got into the tailgating scene and even then when they had the quad walk and all that there was never that many people there, theres more people tailgating in the Fine Lot then there are in the whole Quad.

You don't build traditions by changing them every year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

WOW, lots of whining here. Call me crazy, but people sound like they want wide open space for tailgating but it needs to be right on top of the dome. Guess what? ain't happening why sit here and complain about it, if you need more space go to Manley, hop the bus or god forbid walk it, it take 15 minutes and my 6 and 8 year old walk it for many basketball games weather permittting. I parked there for a few football seasons as well. At Manley you could take over the whole parking lot, It's basically 690 sitting there by himself and some tumbleweed blowing through.

Again, this is somehow the University's fault for not having wide open fields next to the dome. Damn them

Manley to the Dome is nearly 2 miles. Nobody is doing that in 15 minutes unless they're running.

 

[IthacaMatt]

People must have missed the part where this is a URBAN university on a freaking hill.

Get over it, nobody is coming up with $100+M to build a replacement.

What's wrong with coming up with the money to level and develop some of Oakwood Cemetary. That would cure all the problems about parking, and you wouldn't have to walk up that freaking hill to go to the game.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I could give a royal $&#£ about spring practice and depth charts - if this change (really small IMO) leads to winning and bowling - I'm all in. I have better things to do than go to spring practices.

All I have to say about this thread is - really?

What about the lack of media coverage ? Do you think that has any impact on ticket sales ?

 

[MCuse44]

I consider this to be the "only horse in town strategy". We just need to win, what else are you people going to do. They will come back.

I'm really worried from a long term perspective based on the community and the disconnect with the university. They need fannies in the seats, but are unable to realize the situation and in a way bring themselves down to the level they need to go. And I dont care what other people are doing. Thats keeping up with the jones junk.

The fact of the matter is the concentration of wealth in syracuse is more then likely 55+ and going up every year. The area does not generate many good jobs anymore. We are losing these older people in droves the more of a pain in the ass/ disenfranchised it becomes for them and we are not replacing them. Yet we are waiting for superman to walk into the dome and start winning. Then they will come back...

Well, you forget that almost no one else in college basketball draws 20,000 for their best opponents, so that's kind of irrelevant.

The grass roots efforts have been inconsistent. Connecting with For Drum is a great move that they've made these past few years. They need to connect to area high schools and have promotions for high schoolers to come to the Dome for football games. Same thing with Pop Warner football. Get a young local kid, show him a good time in the Dome and you have a fan for life.

 

[sufandu]

Unfortunately, season tickets are sold BEFORE the season. Thus, the decision to do nothing to engage the fans in the run-up to buying season tickets is kind of self-defeating, no?

I think season tickets are sold more based on the previous season's performance and recruiting and less on spring practice. If we win our first 5 next year you'll see good crowds the rest of the way, and if we win 8-10 overall, season ticket sales will go up for the following year. If Doug opened spring practice and had autograph sessions everyday after practice then lost the first 4 games of the season, you'd hear a pin drop in the dome the rest of the season and season ticket sales would drop for the following year.

 

[GoSU96]

What about the lack of media coverage ? Do you think that has any impact on ticket sales ?

None, zip, nada.

 

[orange03]

The lack of media won't deter ticket sales. The lack of wins will.

 

[OttoMets]

Manley to the Dome is nearly 2 miles. Nobody is doing that in 15 minutes unless they're running.

Except, you know, it's exactly one mile: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/create/. Which is a distance that most people cover pretty easily in fifteen minutes.