Poll

[freshmilwaukee]

Jan 28, 2013 13:30:57 GMT -6 Pounce Needs Pals said:

I don't understand why the school is so worried about students who don't pay to go to games, than the paying customers.

The students are paying roughly $3.2M per semester to keep our sinking athletic department from hitting rock bottom.

$106.55 x 30,000 students

www4.uwm.edu/bfs/depts/bursar/tuition/spring13seg.cfm

[Spirit of Bruce]

Jan 28, 2013 18:35:57 GMT -6 ghostofdylan said:

Put me down as much more concerned about the product on the floor than the venue in which we play.

Almost certainly, there will be those who make a direct correlation between the two.

Still, realizing that success may be attainable but not sustainable in the current landscape and that there may be new challenges in recruiting, the fact of the matter is that we have enjoyed terrific seasons playing out of the Klotsche in 1992-93, 02-03 and 03-04.

Remember that Clay Tucker, Ronnie Jones, Danny Weiss, Jason Frederick, Dylan Page, Chris Hill, Adrian Tigert, Joah Tucker, Ed McCants and Boo Davis were all recruited to play at the KC.

Those players and their coach also raised the program to a level far above high school gym status. That's the mark they left on this university, and it has been flushed down the toilet.

If you're happy with the Klotsche, so be it. I happen to vehemently disagree and think we are better. The student attendance argument is a tired one. Students will come downtown to watch a winner. They won't walk across campus to watch this team without a freebie.

[73withharoldlee]

It seems to me the men's basketball program is teetering due to terrible recruiting. Jeter can't keep players and ends up using fill ins. The wrong players for the wrong system, no point guard and streaky shooters with poor shot selection. I'll keep my season tickets and ride the wave. The rest of the program seems solid. Let's not forget that.

[ghostofdylan]

Jan 28, 2013 20:56:54 GMT -6 Spirit of Bruce said:

Jan 28, 2013 18:35:57 GMT -6 ghostofdylan said:

Put me down as much more concerned about the product on the floor than the venue in which we play.

Almost certainly, there will be those who make a direct correlation between the two.

Still, realizing that success may be attainable but not sustainable in the current landscape and that there may be new challenges in recruiting, the fact of the matter is that we have enjoyed terrific seasons playing out of the Klotsche in 1992-93, 02-03 and 03-04.

Remember that Clay Tucker, Ronnie Jones, Danny Weiss, Jason Frederick, Dylan Page, Chris Hill, Adrian Tigert, Joah Tucker, Ed McCants and Boo Davis were all recruited to play at the KC.

Those players and their coach also raised the program to a level far above high school gym status. That's the mark they left on this university, and it has been flushed down the toilet.

If you're happy with the Klotsche, so be it. I happen to vehemently disagree and think we are better. The student attendance argument is a tired one. Students will come downtown to watch a winner. They won't walk across campus to watch this team without a freebie.

I'm not happy with the Klotsche and never said anything to that effect. What I said was that this program has large troubles, even larger than the substandard D-3 facility in which it plays.

Maybe the students can't find the Klotsche from the Sandburg dorms?

[ghostofdylan]

Jan 29, 2013 9:25:47 GMT -6 73withharoldlee said:

It seems to me the men's basketball program is teetering due to terrible recruiting.

Nope. Since 2006, we've landed some of the highest-ranked recruits in program history.

The problem remains poor development, retention, motivation, preparation and game management.

[73withharoldlee]

It's 2013! The current group can't make free throws. They don't box out and for the most part lack quickness. This was the group Jeter wanted to run with, pick up the pace. Next years group may be better, let's hope. This group belongs in the Klotsche. They play hard and seem like nice kids but they are 2 to 3 years away. Things will get better with or without Jeter, Geiger, and the next AD.

[Pounce Needs Pals]

Jan 28, 2013 18:38:22 GMT -6 freshmilwaukee said:

Jan 28, 2013 13:30:57 GMT -6 Pounce Needs Pals said:

I don't understand why the school is so worried about students who don't pay to go to games, than the paying customers.

The students are paying roughly $3.2M per semester to keep our sinking athletic department from hitting rock bottom.

$106.55 x 30,000 students

www4.uwm.edu/bfs/depts/bursar/tuition/spring13seg.cfm

Students still get into games for free at the Cell or KC. Let's worry about the paying customer.

[freshmilwaukee]

MU

Students get into the games for free because they pony up $6.4M of a roughly $10M budget annually. I agree that we need to take care of our paying customers because they are going to make up the $3.6M differential. If this team were winning and the environment was half way decent I'm sure we could look past the Klotsche center aspect. At the end of the day we have a terrible team in a terrible facility.

You can't build a 5,000 seat arena when there is little to no support. You also can't play in a building where the terms of the lease do not benefit you and your program. Playing at the Cell had very little financial windfall for the program. Concessions and tickets were going toward WCD, small amount to the program. At least this way we are saving money and the little money we make is staying in our pocket.

The bone I have to pick with Geiger and Lovell is how do you take funding from the students designated for a specific project and not utilize it? The students committed to the basketball program and had the opportunity for a venue to host other on campus events. By moving back and throwing away the plans it is a slap in the face to the entire fan base, students and basketball/volleyball student athletes.

I can't see a new AD coming in here and having an easy time turning this clown show around. I'm disappointed as an alum and I can't imagine renewing season tickets or donating to this program.

[Pantherholic]

Jan 29, 2013 10:38:21 GMT -6 ghostofdylan said:

Nope. Since 2006, we've landed some of the highest-ranked recruits in program history.

The problem remains poor development, retention, motivation, preparation and game management.

Exactly! We run into the same damn problems year after year and what has changed? Jeter's revolving door of players has made pmck look like an amateur. Attrition will always happen but this is getting ridiculous.

I can take losing, I am a Buccaneers fan after all. However a program that, at best, is stuck in neutral combined with an athletic dept that is a rudderless ship of dysfunction and mismanagement that has essentially turned its back on season ticket holders is where I'm throwing in the towel. We were told Geiger was working towards a plan for a convocation center/bball arena. He then diverts from funds that were to be used for it to help fund a new baseball & track & field complex and then says there is no plan for a new center/arena. I'd like to say I'm excited for the new AD but this dept has been so messed for so long it'll be a small miracle if they last 16 months on the job.

[dutchpthr]

Jan 29, 2013 20:59:21 GMT -6 Pantherholic said:

However a program that, at best, is stuck in neutral combined with an athletic dept that is a rudderless ship of dysfunction and mismanagement that has essentially turned its back on season ticket holders is where I'm throwing in the towel. We were told Geiger was working towards a plan for a convocation center/bball arena. He then diverts from funds that were to be used for it to help fund a new baseball & track & field complex and then says there is no plan for a new center/arena. I'd like to say I'm excited for the new AD but this dept has been so messed for so long it'll be a small miracle if they last 16 months on the job.

+1

This is the center of the problem. You would think after 8 years there would be a problem on having a direction but every year it is the same thing, there is a supposed plan in the off season, the training goes well, someone gets hurts before the season starts, then the plan is totally scrapped for another plan, that plan doesn't work and then we go on to a well, we got to get together and figure this out, and by that time it is January or February....how is anyone expected to get a consistent or steady level of comfort or familiarity when there is none to start with?

This isn't new, we all know that athletes are creatures of habit and if you start screwing with the fundamentals you will lose them real fast, an we have now had at least 3 seasons like that under Jeter where the season is basically over before February even starts.

Now having said that there is still the fact that the players need to come out and actually play with heart desire and execution, all of which is lacking from this team big time there is no leadership and it doesn't look like anyone on the team staff included seems to care, there is no passion, no fire, no heart. I don;t care how high of a recruit you are but if that is how you play you will never win in a team sport.

[ghostofdylan]

Jan 29, 2013 12:49:02 GMT -6 73withharoldlee said:

The current group can't make free throws.

I believe that if just one player was removed from the equation, the team would be ninth in the nation in free-throw percentage.

From a purely statistical standpoint, of course, the chief problem remains shooting -- layups, mid-range jumpers and 3-pointers -- and turnover differential.