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Post by bigcatlover on Dec 10, 2006 17:33:03 GMT -6
Although I am very disappointed with the loss today, I think that Charlie's foul trouble and Sam's injury, which kept him out the last part of the game, were big factors. There was good playing, and some questionable decision-making -- sending Thornton in instead of putting Skinner back in at the end, for example. But a lot of the players show improvement, and my even bigger disappointment is in the lack of students at the game, as well as the comments here, which show no appreciation of the students' efforts of their slow but steady improvement. Fans are fans, and we have stuck it out with the Packers in bad years, but no one is giving this team much time to prove themselves. I wouldn't give up yet, and I am sorry to hear so much bad-mouthing. Al had a better game, Skinner had a better game, Mauldin was effective while he was in, Paulsen was good most of the time (a few surprising missed shots close in), and there were some rotten ref calls as well as Sam's injury (I know because I was sitting very close and couldn't believe some of the calls). Try to remember the players are human, and I hope none of them are reading this board today.
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Post by gbbunk on Dec 10, 2006 17:51:06 GMT -6
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Fans are fans, and we have stuck it out with the Packers in bad years, but no one is giving this team much time to prove themselves.
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No offense cat, but is this D-1 basketball or grade school? I understand that we have a young team, and they are improving, but a majority of UWM fans, that in years past would make a game here and a game there, or would have considered buying season tickets look at one thing...the win/loss column. All I am saying is one (very) down year, will set this program back (fan wise) for a few years.
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Post by milwsport on Dec 10, 2006 18:42:52 GMT -6
Actually, I thought the crowd today was decent considering it was a Sunday noon game. I do see a drop off in student fans but the alums are by and large still coming.
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Post by PJD on Dec 10, 2006 19:06:40 GMT -6
Everyone, lighten up. This team fought back and was in it until the end. That goes a long way. Look at the bright spots. Only 5 tournovers vs close to 20(?) for the birds. I thought our big men were playing really well before Sam got hurt also. Our post presence is better at this point in the year than I expected. We just need to get the shooting and dribble penetration more reliable and we will be right in there with the rest of the league. They are all so raw now that they will only continue to improve.
The fans will come back also, I'm confident of that. Keeping that good base of season ticket holders this year is a great indicator that people are paying attention. People will come back. They are paying attention, read the paper, etc.. When the team starts to turn the corner, I expect a noticeable up tick in attendence, maybe close to what we were getting last year. There's a lot of season left.
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Post by pantherpanther on Dec 10, 2006 19:41:24 GMT -6
Well, for us to basically lose a game on a missed free throw, but climb out of a 14 point deficit to get there shows hope. I will not give up on this YOUNG team, who is trying its hardest to win games for not just themselves, but the coaching staff, and fan base at large. For those of you who want to jump off the bandwagon...I have a ladder you can use to climb down.
WE LOST SEVEN SENIORS....5 OF WHICH WERE STARTERS AND MADE UP 80% OF OUR SCORING FOR LAST YEAR....do you guys even think about that??? WE HAVE TWO RETURNERS...WHO CAME OFF THE DAMN BENCH...DO YOU THINK OF THAT??? WE HAD ONE PLAYER WITH DIVISION 1 STARTS....PAIGE... I mean come on guys get real.
Real fans take the good with the bad. I agree with the other poster who mentioned the Packers. They were bad for many years, and people still stuck with them. Is it so damn hard to support these guys? Talk about fair-weather...damn
Bash me if you want, I could care less. I am a Panther Fan, and I will be at every game I can cheering these guys on...I would not give a crap if the arena was empty.
P^2
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Post by mcdadenets50 on Dec 10, 2006 19:54:36 GMT -6
P^2 - I love your enthusiasm and I am with you 100%. If you look at the box score, though, we are not necessarily a young team.
Today we started three Juniors (Mauldin, Smith, and Paulsen), one Senior (Massiah), and a Freshman (Swiggett). The guys that got the most minutes off the bench today (Al and Skinner) are Juniors.
I was glad to see Gentry and Thornton get more (important) minutes today. Rob's in a tough spot: Give more minutes to younger guys (Gentry, Thornton, and Franklin) over upperclassmen to try to give them experience or go with upperclassmen who may or may not have big roles in the future.
Weather this rocky stretch guys.
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Post by uwmfutbol on Dec 10, 2006 19:54:44 GMT -6
I think you're yelling at the wrong people, P. People who post on this board are still fans and still go to games. It's the casual fans who have left this team.
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Post by uwmfutbol on Dec 10, 2006 19:55:51 GMT -6
And by casual, I mean fair weather.
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Post by dylanrocks on Dec 10, 2006 20:09:11 GMT -6
It's all about perspective, folks. During the glorious 1992-93 season, there were just 1,500 fans in attendance for the Northern Illinois game. And that was the game AFTER a thrilling five-point victory over the Badgers at the UW Fieldhouse. The team was unbeaten and well on its way to a 23-4 season. We went through some very lean years after that, including a pair of 3-24 seasons. This year, in fact, has too often resembled those dark days. Still, things are markedly better than that. I wouldn't say that the fans are gone, they're merely in hibernation. Is that right? It's probably not for me to judge. I can say, however, that there were four of us that rarely missed a game from 1993-99 even though the team averaged about six wins a year.
Once a Panther, always a Panther!
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Post by PJD on Dec 10, 2006 20:48:57 GMT -6
I disagree with this comment...
We have little to no experience, period. Mauldin's never been in DI before, same with Skinner, Paulsen had just a handful of D1 starts. We are the most inexperienced team in D1, starter wise, in the nation. While some are older, they are not experienced at this level. Mauldin, Skinner and Swigget are now to the team and the swing. The lots of ways to describe how inexperienced this team is. Hell, this is just the description of the guys who are getting the "starter type" minutes. The true "bench" guys with the lower minutes are incredibly raw. It's painful to me to see Ryan go in and give up a three instead of making one. He still needs to learn and now's the time. He's shown some glimpses already though. Give it time.
I like Rob's approach to the starters at this point. He's making sure they play hard by making sure all those who start are busting their butts in practice and games. They are working hard, things will get better. While I'd like more wins like everybody else, I'm not at all dissapointed with the coaches, the team effort or their overall progress.
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Post by mcdadenets50 on Dec 10, 2006 21:06:14 GMT -6
Maybe it is just a matter of semantics - young vs. inexperienced. We are inexperienced, not necessarily young.
"Young" makes is sound as if we are playing mostly Freshman and Sophomores. That is not the case.
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Post by bball30 on Dec 10, 2006 22:21:52 GMT -6
Next year, UWM will be "young." This year is inexperience.
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Post by pantherpanther on Dec 10, 2006 22:46:24 GMT -6
I would agree...I chose my words wrong....inexperienced is a more apt term.
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schweaty
Freshman
One of the two doctoral universities in the University of Wisconsin system
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Post by schweaty on Dec 10, 2006 23:21:37 GMT -6
Remember, the conference championship will always run through Hinkle. Oooh that was a good one. Hinkle. hahhaa |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2006 9:46:27 GMT -6
I know were talking about inexperience here, but at some point if we expect to win another game we are going to have to shoot better than 35% from the floor which seems to be about what this team shoots on a per game basis. I recognize that the inexpereince has caused this, but I think what will give me hope for next year is seeing that field goal percentage increase to around 40% by the second half of this year with an increased defensive improvement.
Go Panthers, beat Bucky!
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