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Post by kman24 on Feb 25, 2023 12:07:10 GMT -6
There’s a lot of puzzle pieces that can be put together to indicate that this is an indicator of a long term move. Here is the one that’s really bugging me right now. This was announced on Twitter a few hours ago and the responses have been essentially all negative. And it’s not so negative because of a single game at the K; it’s fear that this is indicating that the team may go back there full time. There has been no indication from the UWM Men’s Basketball account, Bart Lundy, Amanda Braun, or Adam Schemm to alleviate these fears by saying something like “UWM Panther Arena continues to be our primary home venue” or anything like that. I know that Adam (at least) has been answering other questions on Twitter about this game. It seems like a really bad PR move to let people speculate about a move back to a high school gym when those fears could be largely alleviated by a single tweet. In a vacuum, the game being at the K on Thursday isn’t a bad move. I’d venture to say it’s almost a good move. But the long term concerns that are tied to that is what makes this feel so crappy. Bart did say "we love the Arena" in the video, but yes totally agree that a tweet, especially from him, saying we will be at the Arena next year would do a lot from a PR perspective.
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Post by tyrunner0097 on Feb 25, 2023 12:10:08 GMT -6
If the program can legitimately create a sixth man atmosphere by replacing a couple hundred grumpy old men with a couple thousand energized students, and put them in the face of the opponent for the biggest game of the season, it makes total sense to me. I see where Bart is coming from. I applaud Amanda for getting out of the way to let Bart do what he feels is best to win. He is a winner. She clearly recognizes that. Winners sometimes have to make tough decisions that may not always be popular with some. Isn't that what we wanted in a head coach? I think Bart fell on the sword and took one for the team by saying it’s all his choice. There’s so many people involved in that decision and so many details that have to be arranged that this decision was made before Thursday and it was a group decision. If so, then Bart's (please NO) making himself another Yes-man for Braun...😔
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Post by ghostofdylan on Feb 25, 2023 12:42:01 GMT -6
There’s a lot of puzzle pieces that can be put together to indicate that this is an indicator of a long term move. Here is the one that’s really bugging me right now. This was announced on Twitter a few hours ago and the responses have been essentially all negative. And it’s not so negative because of a single game at the K; it’s fear that this is indicating that the team may go back there full time. There has been no indication from the UWM Men’s Basketball account, Bart Lundy, Amanda Braun, or Adam Schemm to alleviate these fears by saying something like “UWM Panther Arena continues to be our primary home venue” or anything like that. I know that Adam (at least) has been answering other questions on Twitter about this game. It seems like a really bad PR move to let people speculate about a move back to a high school gym when those fears could be largely alleviated by a single tweet. In a vacuum, the game being at the K on Thursday isn’t a bad move. I’d venture to say it’s almost a good move. But the long term concerns that are tied to that is what makes this feel so crappy. BING!!!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2023 12:50:44 GMT -6
"There are many more people out there like me who are getting excited about the team becoming relevant again. A move to the K will kill this excitement and any ability to move to a better conference." Double-BINGO
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Post by panther on Feb 25, 2023 13:25:33 GMT -6
Bart imo feels more comfortable playing in a small arena since he wants the game at the K. The Curry Arena in Charlotte has 2500 seats The K has 3500 seats.
For 10 years he played to a packed to semi packed Curry Arena and sees the advantage of playing in a small venue like that.
He's old school knows and how to motivate the players he recruited. You want to show him respect and thanks pack the sh*t out of K and let him coach. If he loses he cant blame the environment.....
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Post by 73withharoldlee on Feb 25, 2023 13:26:53 GMT -6
My impression of Bart Lundy is surely not a YES MAN. A man with a vision and plan, perhaps more likely. He came from a program entering DI with a high school gymnasium seating less than The Emenityless Klotsche Center. Many DI programs play in terrible venues all across the country. The present K Center is not the answer. There has to be a short term plan and a long term plan. Is staying at The Panther Arena stuck between an expanded Convention Center and a growing Deer District a long term plan? The place may be torn down within a decade. Is playing at The K part of a long term plan or short term plan? What is The Plan, The Plan? In the short term I think playing the game at The K isn’t a bad move. Saves money and might give the team an advantage.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2023 13:27:14 GMT -6
We win tonight. We win next Thursday. And nobody cares about the 2nd Rd HLT venue choice.
It does kinda suck for season ticketholders who had planned on that being downtown at Panther Arena. I just had a couple of friend cancellations due to this venue change. Just unexpected. Some clarity (on what this means for '23-'24 if anything) would go miles...
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Post by reginaldkdwight on Feb 25, 2023 13:27:17 GMT -6
Bart imo feels more comfortable playing in a small arena since he wants the game at the K. The Curry Arena in Charlotte has 2500 seats The K has 3500 seats. For 10 years he played to a packed to semi packed Curry Arena and sees the advantage of playing in a small venue like that. He's old school knows and how to motivate the players he recruited. You want to show him respect and thanks pack the sh*t out of K and let him coach. If he loses he cant blame the environment..... Well then he shouldnt have blown smoke up the fan bases ass when he was hired talking about the history of the MECCA and all that.
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Post by panther on Feb 25, 2023 13:33:52 GMT -6
Like i said Bart is old school he will tell you what you want to hear one day and the next day he will tell you again what you want to hear.
All good coaches are also good salesmen,
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Post by reginaldkdwight on Feb 25, 2023 13:37:34 GMT -6
Like i said Bart is old school he will tell you what you want to hear one day and the next day he will tell you again what you want to hear. All good coaches are also good salesmen, What does that have to do with anything? He should sell some more tickets to the f***ing MECCA then.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2023 13:47:27 GMT -6
Like i said Bart is old school he will tell you what you want to hear one day and the next day he will tell you again what you want to hear. All good coaches are also good salesmen, This doesn't come across as a desirable quality in a HC, imho. I prefer truth, always and especially when it is bad news. I hope Coach can see the future and help shape it. Could be (1) Panther Arena is financially unsustainable (most likely) or (2) Coach knows he ain't gonna be here longer than 2 or 3 years (1 year if we make the Sweet 16 like I think we could with the right luck..) so he could really less where this program is playing in 5 or 10 years. He just wants a packed gym for an edge. I don't blame him but I wish there were a less defeatist attitude toward building the fan base up and getting 3-4k+ average to Arena games. That's a lot of money if we are successful (money for the Uni, the vendors and money for places like Goolsby's and parking structs). 1,000 students in the student section (and the hundreds or low thousand older fans getting loud) is pretty damn loud at the Arena- it doesn't take 5,000 fans to get that place loud.
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Post by GoPanthers33 on Feb 25, 2023 13:54:15 GMT -6
Like most here I’m partial to the Arena.
I have no problem using the KC for a D2 or small non-conference game but for the most part everything else should be at the Arena.
The big crowds we’ve had there at some of our bigger games were some of the best atmospheres I’ve been in and were absolutely a home court advantage. If the HLT ever returned to full campus sites we’d have to play semifinal and championship games there. It’d be such a missed opportunity not to.
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Post by buppie05 on Feb 25, 2023 13:58:27 GMT -6
We have the worst timing. Put out a bad product for years and struggle to fill Panther Arena. Now we actually get a winner to come coach here, and they want to send us back to the K. It’s the wrong thing to do for many reasons. I’ve been at the Arena when it had 10,000 fans. It is a GREAT venue and rockin place to play. Keep winning, and the cost of the lease will be an afterthought. You want to make real change? Get the Horizon to stop with this Indianapolis nonsense. Let your top teams have home court advantage and have a higher likelihood of sending your best teams to postseason tournaments. Not to mention, reward them financially with a packed home game to end the season.
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Post by davedome on Feb 25, 2023 14:03:36 GMT -6
I’ve seen the Klotsche jammed packed (vs Wisconsin) years ago and the Arena packed and it’s not even close. The Arena should ALWAYS be the preferred option.
No other team in this conference would trade in this historic downtown venue, for a high school gym, for essentially a home playoff game. There were a few games this year when the Arena was rockin and it provided a clear advantage for the Panthers.
Therefore I can’t blame Coach Lundy because it must have come down to a feasibility and finance issue.
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Post by ghostofpbj on Feb 25, 2023 14:34:35 GMT -6
If the program can legitimately create a sixth man atmosphere by replacing a couple hundred grumpy old men with a couple thousand energized students, and put them in the face of the opponent for the biggest game of the season, it makes total sense to me. I see where Bart is coming from. I applaud Amanda for getting out of the way to let Bart do what he feels is best to win. He is a winner. She clearly recognizes that. Winners sometimes have to make tough decisions that may not always be popular with some. Isn't that what we wanted in a head coach? The amount of people freaking out about this is absurd and proves that we have some grumpy old guys here. They’d rather have 2000 people in a 10000 seat arena than have a wild environment for a home conference tournament game. I am not in favor of a full time move to the K by any means, but absolutely for this game I am in favor. The home court advantage we created on Thursday was insane. I’m confident it will be even louder this upcoming Thursday. Pray for the team we have to play because it’s going to be hell for them to endure…
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