Why has Marrone gone "him against the fans"?

[IthacaBarrel]

What is so bad about the parking? There are plenty of lots and if you don't want to buy a parking pass, you can get there early and find a spot on the street, you may have to walk a bit, etc. I don't get it

Or you can pay $10 and bus in from Skytop? Is the expectation that there will be no traffic, get there 20 minutes before kick off and to be able to hit the side of the dome with your front bumper for $2.00/ game. Should the university get rid of the hills as well? Shuttle everyone up the hill? The university has also opened up many of the lots that were for parking passes only to a pay per game type deal as well. I just don't understand the complaining here. Parking cost money at events.

I had a tougher time finding a parking spot for a VW gulf when I came home from work in San Francisco every night than I would at a dome event, still paying the tickets for those two years actually, syre I could have rented a parking spot but guess what I couldn't afford it!!!!

 

[Bayside44]

I agree about the pricing structure and the Monday lunch is a great thing no issue there but your way off base on the parking. The parking situation is an absolute nightmare and being made worse every year, Uconn of all schools does parking right was there last year and loved there set up.

UConn does it right by having their stadium 40 miles from their campus? You Fine Lot guys are a driver from the Dome's steps, not exactly shabby.

 

[rosconey]

parking is a lame excuse

the only excuse at this point is quality of product and perception of program and marrone-

i think season tickets were effected the day he fired guys on defense and did nothing to improve a dreadful offense other than lip smack

 

[SU2NASA]

I seem to remember Doug doing many of these events when he came on board, including one in Boston, etc. and I know has done quite a bit with the coaching clinics.

I think people are really, really starting to stretch in some of these posts.

So where have they gone? Other programs do it every year. Hoke was in D.C. just a few months ago. Marrone has never been down here to engage what is probably the second-largest alumni base that the university has.

Where are the spring practice pressers?

Spring is the time to generate interest in the middle of the offseason. And yet al they've generated is people bitching about the program, which in this case, is completely legit.

 

[jcuse44]

im not offended by this. My guess is they are implementing something major and need a little more time to make it happen. It is somewhat exciting to me actually. They will most certainly bring back all the fan fests and all of that soon enough. Let's just take a step back and expect that they are doing something necessary to help the program and move on. If this continues for 3 years then we can complain about it.

 

[SU2NASA]

UConn does it right by having their stadium 40 miles from their campus? You Fine Lot guys are a driver from the Dome's steps, not exactly shabby.

To the people that bitch about Dome parking and traffic, they obviously haven't attended a game at any other major college football stadium. Unless they want to compare us to UConn and Rutgers. We have one of the best situations for football I've seen, and I've been to a lot of stadiums.

 

[JeremyCuse]

UConn has a stadium 30 miles away from campus in the middle of an old airfield. So much for that "on-campus" tailgatey feel.

Maybe SU should build you a new stadium in Weedsport.

The stadium being on campus is great for students but personally I could care less. Uconn has several huge lots right across the street from the stadium and a huge circle parking lot that surrounds the stadium itself. It was great for a tailgate.

 

[44PRIDE]

The "on-campus" feel is extremely overrated...

 

[JeremyCuse]

The "on-campus" feel is extremely overrated...

Bingo

 

[rrlbees]

Bees, does JB do it every week without the media present? I was unaware Boeheim did this and it was also my impression that in other cases (non-SU), it was a donor's lunch (as opposed to a Joe Fan event). Thanks.

JB's is with the media because they air it on the radio but fans go and they take questions from the audience. Slightly different styles but same concept of doing a fan thing.

 

[SU2NASA]

Bingo

Rentschler Field must be your nirvana.

Go watch a pro game if you don't like the on-campus college feel of college football.

 

[rrlbees]

Wow, I'm floored at the reaction of posters. There couldn't have been a coach who was more fan friendly the first couple of years. From the bus tours, to speaking engagements, to radio/TV interviews, etc, Marrone was everywhere. What did it do for attendance? Nothing. I'd rather him spend time on coaching and recruiting to build a winner. Does the basketball team have recruiting events? Not that I'm aware of. Do they release depth charts? Not that I'm aware of. Everyone wants us to be Alabama. Guess what...we aren't. I give the coach the benefit of the doubt.

Depth charts and recruiting events for bball? With 2-3 recruits a year, it would last 15 minutes.

 

[SU2NASA]

Depth charts and recruiting events for bball? With 2-3 recruits a year, it would last 15 minutes.

Bring back some old players, let fans shoot around on the Melo Center courts. I'm sure someone up there can get creative.

 

[rrlbees]

UConn has a stadium 30 miles away from campus in the middle of an old airfield. So much for that "on-campus" tailgatey feel.

Maybe SU should build you a new stadium in Weedsport.

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).

 

[JeremyCuse]

To the people that bitch about Dome parking and traffic, they obviously haven't attended a game at any other major college football stadium. Unless they want to compare us to UConn and Rutgers. We have one of the best situations for football I've seen, and I've been to a lot of stadiums.

I have zero issue with traffic up there but the parking situation being the best you have seen is a joke right? First of all that area cant handle a few hundred cars tryign to park less thousands. Personally I have a parking pass so I dont have issues parking and tailgating but now even that is become an issue due to all of the construction up on the hill for the new Law School building and dorms.

For those that arent local and dont have a parking pass for football SU is closing one of the major lots this year due to construction. Due to that they arent' guaranteeing where your parking pass will be until after they go through the high donors first. For the last 5 -6 years you have been able to pay the Orange pack donation plust the cost of the Fine Lot when you renew so you can ensure you will have a Fine Lot parking pass. This year I had to pay everything up front and will not know until the summer if I have been assigned the Fine Lot, Standart Lot or freeking North Manley. Kinda hard to enjoy that on campus tailgatey feel at North Manley Extreme. I have allready had another couple we had all set to buy tickets and a parkign pass back out over the uncertainty of the parking situation. But I am sure the non locals and alumni from NYC will complain how we should all just park at Skytop while they dont attend a single game.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Rentschler Field must be your nirvana.

Go watch a pro game if you don't like the on-campus college feel of college football.

What on campus feel? The dome is at the edge of the SU campus and SU has zero tailgate lots on campus unless you count that Quad thing they do. There is zero on campus feel for an SU tailgate as the few lots they have left are either parkign lots below the dome or miles and miles away at Manley.

 

[rrlbees]

Rentschler Field must be your nirvana.

Go watch a pro game if you don't like the on-campus college feel of college football.

Thing is, it's not an on-campus feel at SU really either. Yes, SU owns everything around there but the old run down buildings where the lots are or the Manley lots or South campus lots, don't give any on camps feel to tailgating or the football experience. Sure, some people walk around the quad etc but it's not like 40K people are there. There were more that hung around the quad when we did the player walk, but we got rid of that too. Nothing can be done though because it is the way the campus is set up. Can't wait until the football stadium is moved to South Campus though. I think tailgating and all the pre-game stuff that goes with it goes to the next level.

 

[Chip]

The "on-campus" feel is extremely overrated...

Depends on who you ask. In the northeast, there are probably many who feel the same. Everywhere else in the country, being on campus is part of what makes it special and unique. Personally, I side with that group.

But since most of SU's gameday crowd is probably not consisting of those who care about such things, I'm resigned to the fact that someday we'll have a stadium in the middle of nowhere.

 

[SU2NASA]

What on campus feel? The dome is at the edge of the SU campus and SU has zero tailgate lots on campus unless you count that Quad thing they do. There is zero on campus feel for an SU tailgate as the few lots they have left are either parkign lots below the dome or miles and miles away at Manley.

Tailgate on the quad. The band, throwing the football around on the grass, having restrooms in Bowne Hall just a few feet away. If only other people started before 7am.

 

[SU2NASA]

I have zero issue with traffic up there but the parking situation being the best you have seen is a joke right? First of all that area cant handle a few hundred cars tryign to park less thousands. Personally I have a parking pass so I dont have issues parking and tailgating but now even that is become an issue due to all of the construction up on the hill for the new Law School building and dorms.

For those that arent local and dont have a parking pass for football SU is closing one of the major lots this year due to construction. Due to that they arent' guaranteeing where your parking pass will be until after they go through the high donors first. For the last 5 -6 years you have been able to pay the Orange pack donation plust the cost of the Fine Lot when you renew so you can ensure you will have a Fine Lot parking pass. This year I had to pay everything up front and will not know until the summer if I have been assigned the Fine Lot, Standart Lot or freeking North Manley. Kinda hard to enjoy that on campus tailgatey feel at North Manley Extreme. I have allready had another couple we had all set to buy tickets and a parkign pass back out over the uncertainty of the parking situation. But I am sure the non locals and alumni from NYC will complain how we should all just park at Skytop while they dont attend a single game.

After it taking and hour and a half to get out of Ann Arbor, which is surrounded on all sides by freeways, with the roads to those freeways all being set up as one-way out of town after games, I think you're nuts. The garage on Crouse at University near Marshall St is the best for parking and getting out. I've never parked at Skytop once.

 

[GoSU96]

The guy gets paid $1,000,000 a year to win football games, he was also an OC in the NFL. I doubt the guy is coaching for "fun" anymore. What world do you live in? It's his career, he knows the stakes, knows he is well paid for it but it comes at a cost, win or you get canned. That said, JB said just last week stated that he does not have fun coaching basketball, he gets paid for it, if he wanted to have fun he would play golf, his words not mine

Again, you may care about this stuff Stern but the vast majority don't. Again, you cancelled your tix which is the right choice if it bothers you that much. Yet you still come to an internet forum to discuss the program, etc. Pounde your chest and tell everyone that you cancelled and you Syracuse University has wronged you somehow. What do they owe you? What does Marrone owe you? A depth chart a recruiting dinner with cheese and crackers for recruiting geeks? Seems weird no? I bitch sure but the day I cancel my tickets is the day I just say it all and quit following the team. So you will still follow the team but won't buy seasons to prove a point? strange, yeah because the football program is just rolling in it up there, they should sell $100 seasons and let guys like you call the plays or something. Marrone has a job to do and he will do it, if he does not he will be fired. he licked the fanbases nuts for 3 years and it got him nowhere. I am not a huge fan of Marrone by any means actually quite the contrary but this mentality that Marrone owes the fans more is asinine. he tried it did not work, so he is focusing on X's and O's.

Again, he isn't really even pissing anyone off but a select few whiners. This will make no difference on attendance regardless of this guy saying he knows a guy and he knows another guy that cancelled his seasons. What is wrong with Syracuse?

He did nothing but go the extra mile to build a bridge to the community and fan base and selling the program. Invested time, money, and effort. And you know what it returned, little to nothing. Marginal increase in ticket sales, zero in loyalty, patience, or slack from the fan base. Wasted effort.

Time and energy are finite resources.

It's an investment decision, pure and simple.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Tailgate on the quad. The band, throwing the football around on the grass, having restrooms in Bowne Hall just a few feet away. If only other people started before 7am.

Yeah unfortunately thats not the answer for hundreds of people and tailgaters, where is everyone supposed to park? Also do you think SU is going to let 500-1000 people set up on the Quad like that? No freeking way.

 

[SU2NASA]

He did nothing but go the extra mile to build a bridge to the community and fan base and selling the program. Invested time, money, and effort. And you know what it returned, little to nothing. Marginal increase in ticket sales, zero in loyalty, patience, or slack from the fan base. Wasted effort.

Time and energy are finite resources.

It's an investment decision, pure and simple.

So you keep at it. You don't say after the first year that it didn't work out as well you should have hoped so it, close the doors. Because that's really going to help the situation.

 

[GoSU96]

This is the dumbest post ever, and on this site that is saying something. YES, i did cancel my season tickets and still post on this message board. I didn't know once I canceled my tickets I had to give up this site too. How stupid is that logic. I can still follow and watch the games on TV for free. I didn't disown the team junior, I just stopped buying season tickets! I don't own NY Yankees season tickets should I not talk about them on a Yankees message board?

You said "he licked the fanbases nuts for 3 years".....when? where? how? Sorry I don't see that. And if I take your premise that he did lick the nuts of the fanbase for 3 years (which I don't but I will play along) and it got him nowhere, once again, 100% WRONG! What got him nowhere is BAD coaching by him! Not playing to the fans or trying to pacify the fans. He has failed because he is a BAD (yes BAD) in-game and gameday coach making BAD decisions. Holding (or not holding) a recruiting event in early February didn't make him do dumb things in games last year.

I never said he was or should be coaching for fun either. Way to take everything I said out of context. My point was the guy doesn't realize you can't run a college football team like an NFL team or even worse a military. He is dealing with kids! That was the point, I never mentioned that he should give up his salary or be coaching for free or be laughing and smiling and talking the whole thing as fun hobby. But he should at least realize that his job is not just X's and O's but its selling the program and involving the community on some level. It's funny, Jim Boehiem coaches 30+ games a year which is three-times more than Marrone does and he has time for multiple radio shows, The Basket Ball, numerous charity fundraisers, Midnight Madness, The Hardwood Banquet...etc. He can find time for all of that and still coach the team. It's not a one or the other approach. Boehiem can find the time to involve the community in his basketball program and not go hide in his bunker and hide behind the excuse "i am coaching now, no time for anything else."

The reason the "vast majority" doesn't care is because this program, and in large part because of its head coach, don't market the friggin football program! The basketball program doesn't run away from the fans. They are an open book for the most part. The football program gets press in August and ends by December 1st when they aren't going to a bowl. The rest of the year they are in hiding up on the hill in a bunker. No marketing, no events to bring fans in and do a little something for the fanbase, nothing at all. They build NO goodwill among the public or the students. You view that in a narrow minded approach that only a few "die-hards" care about that stuff. But in reality the school NEEDS to build up the football program to bring in new fans and those events help do that. You can call that licking the fanbases nuts, "normal" people just call that good business!

You have got to be kidding.

 

[JeremyCuse]

After it taking and hour and a half to get out of Ann Arbor, which is surrounded on all sides by freeways, with the roads to those freeways all being set up as one-way out of town after games, I think you're nuts. The garage on Crouse at University near Marshall St is the best for parking and getting out. I've never parked at Skytop once.

Again I am not talking about traffic I am discussing the issues with parking, that garage you speak of is probably great for you but doesnt work for tailgating at all. I do agree with you that traffic is not that bad sure it backs up for a while but thats why you have a beer or two after the game in an hour or so its all clear.