Big 10 Fever Has Struck Maryland

[whaler11]

Central in town tonight for the Terps. Looks like maybe 4k in the building. Place is empty.

 

[Gfunk]

That's not fair whaler. They're playing chumps and Turgeon has lost a lot trust for the time being, a ton of defections this past off season. Md also typically builds up as the season progresses, esp conference play.

I've watched every BIG-ACC challenge and it wasn't even close - when hosting, the BIG teams drew far more fans on average. But the ACC fans definitely come out during conference play.

There will be plenty of Md fans during conference play.

I also think Md will be a tourney team this year - they had to squeeze out a bunch of players - those defections had a lot of attitude, minus the kid who went back home to Ga to be near his sick family.

 

[Fishy]

Maryland basketball is a s--- sandwich.

Enjoy.

Wait until you meet Rutgers.

 

[zls44]

Maryland basketball is a s--- sandwich.

Enjoy.

Wait until you meet Rutgers.

"S**ter's full!"

 

[Fishy]

Putting Rutgers in an athletic conference is like putting a flaming bag of poo on someone's doorstep and ringing the bell.

 

[CL82]

Putting Rutgers in an athletic conference is like putting a flaming bag of poo on someone's doorstep and ringing the bell.

They get stomped on and everyone wonder how'd that crap get there in the first place?

 

[WestHartHusk]

That's not fair whaler. They're playing chumps and Turgeon has lost a lot trust for the time being, a ton of defections this past off season. Md also typically builds up as the season progresses, esp conference play.

I've watched every BIG-ACC challenge and it wasn't even close - when hosting, the BIG teams drew far more fans on average. But the ACC fans definitely come out during conference play.

There will be plenty of Md fans during conference play.

I also think Md will be a tourney team this year - they had to squeeze out a bunch of players - those defections had a lot of attitude, minus the kid who went back home to Ga to be near his sick family.

You are right, Maryland fans definitely appear fired up about their upcoming season in B1G play.

Check out the hundreds of people at MD Madness this year:

 

[whaler11]

It looked like they were playing in an abandoned warehouse. I understand why the place isn't rocking but it was almost literally empty.

 

[TRest]

I'm just guessing, but Maryland football may benefit from the Big 10 but basketball fans only cared about being wannabe rivals with Duke. And their hoops building was built out way too big for the actual fan base.

 

[Dooley]

Maryland has been an incredibly mediocre (and stagnant) program since their championship. I think @TRest hit the nail on the head: the basketball culture at Maryland cared about Duke, UNC, NC State, UVA, GT, etc. Now that those teams are taken off the home schedules, that program will continue its downward trend. The ACC is, without question, the top hoops conference in the country. Now all of Maryland's local r1vals can recruit against them using conference affiliation.

And...Rutgers plays basketball? I thought they quit playing hoops around the same time college football was born. Here's a question for Jim Delany and folks at the B1G Network: if a basketball bounces inside the RAC and there is nobody there to hear it, does it make a sound?

 

[Huskybite]

Maryland has been an incredibly mediocre (and stagnant) program since their championship. I think @TRest hit the nail on the head: the basketball culture at Maryland cared about Duke, UNC, NC State, UVA, GT, etc. Now that those teams are taken off the home schedules, that program will continue its downward trend. The ACC is, without question, the top hoops conference in the country. Now all of Maryland's local r1vals can recruit against them using conference affiliation.

And...Rutgers plays basketball? I thought they quit playing hoops around the same time college football was born. Here's a question for Jim Delany and folks at the B1G Network: if a basketball bounces inside the RAC and there is nobody there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Last we heard--'nuf said

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014...basketball-louisville-american-aac-tournament

 

[bingethinker]

Non conference games like Central Connecticut State never draw well at Maryland. Never expect large crowds for those matchups. The fans will come for conference games.

 

[Fishy]

Maryland and Rutgers had bad and/or dreadful fan bases when they were in far more attractive basketball conferences than the Big Ten.

Replacing Duke and North Carolina and Syracuse and UConn and Louisville and Nova and Georgetown with what? Michigan State?

Good luck!

 

[Gfunk]

Maryland and Rutgers had bad and/or dreadful fan bases when they were in far more attractive basketball conferences than the Big Ten.

Replacing Duke and North Carolina and Syracuse and UConn and Louisville and Nova and Georgetown with what? Michigan State?

Good luck!

Fishy, I think you're being a little over the top here. I really do.

Big East and ACC are not "far more attractive" conferences than the BIG. They've been more successful in NC games in the modern era, yes! Both were branded as basketball conferences from day one.

BIG has led all P5 conferences in basketball attendance for God knows how long now.

BIG has a lot of final fours in the modern era - and many different teams: Wisky x2, MSU x 6, IU x 3, OSU x 3, Mi x 4, Illinois x 2, Minnesota x1. Yes I realize some of these appearances have been vacated - 4 to be exact. I'm still scratching my head as to why OSU had to vacate their 99 appearance. The Fab Five looks innocent compared to UNCHeat.

BIG has played in 10 NC games since 1985, losers of 7 - two, maybe three against UNCheat (1993, 2005, 2009). 93 doesn't matter, the Fraud Five was the opponent.

I think you're doing the ole "no one remembers the second place team" bit.

Of those 10 NC game appearances in the modern era, 5 different members made it: Mi, MSU, OSU, Illinois, and IU.

Not bad for a conference that cares far more about football - I mean far more, which actually pisses me off because I really don't like CF and its phoney system. The Big East, sadly, was almost exclusively designed for basketball. FYI, was a huge Big East fan - favorite conference outside of the BIG, and by a country mile - had a Midwestern flavor to it and even more so now.

And to think the BIG footprint constantly loses its best recruits outside the conference.

Btw, 2 of the BIG's NC's in the modern era were against the Big East: IU v Syracuse and Mi vs Seton Hall.

Lastly, the depth of BIG has been unlike any other conference in the history of the sport. No one dominates the BIG. In fact, Purdue, who hasn't sniffed a FF since the early 80s, has won the most BIG championships. It's a brutal road slate & this is common knowledge amongst the game's coaches. See that fabulous attendance record above, big reason why.

 

[bingethinker]

Maryland and Rutgers had bad and/or dreadful fan bases when they were in far more attractive basketball conferences than the Big Ten.

Replacing Duke and North Carolina and Syracuse and UConn and Louisville and Nova and Georgetown with what? Michigan State?

Good luck!

I'm not sure I understand. Maryland has been top-25 nationally in attendance each season since 1994 except last season when they finished #26. Maryland has finished top-10 nationally in attendance six times in the last ten seasons.

If your argument is that getting fans to shift from hating Duke and Carolina to hating Michigan State and Ohio State will take time, then cool. But throwing around ad hominem like "bad" and "dreadful" when describing Maryland's basketball fanbase makes you lose credibility.

 

[Gfunk]

I'm not sure I understand. Maryland has been top-25 nationally in attendance each season since 1994 except last season when they finished #26. Maryland has finished top-10 nationally in attendance six times in the last ten seasons.

If your argument is that getting fans to shift from hating Duke and Carolina to hating Michigan State and Ohio State will take time, then cool. But throwing around ad hominem like "bad" and "dreadful" when describing Maryland's basketball fanbase makes you lose credibility.

Totally agree. Fishy seems a little too negative in this thread, which isn't typical.

Maryland has a fine basketball history. Sure it's not UConn, but it's worthy nonetheless. I also think Md is going to finally have a solid year under Turgeon - strong hunch.

Fishy, sure your pissed that CT is left in a conference for now, but no one can ever take away UConn's basketball titles, both sports. Be humble. I like the fact that the Huskies have beaten some serious powers in the process, Ky x2 and Duke x2, I really dislike those programs, though Duke's done it mostly the right way. But damn they get a huge endowment and their fans are the biggest s ever. Pretentious galore, at least UConn does it with a huge dose of blue collar passion, but NOT NEGATIVE, EMBELLISHED POSTS like you've done above

 

[whaler11]

Big 10 basketball is unattractive from a very literal intrepretation of the word.

It's painful to watch.

I don't really dislike any of the programs outside of Ohio State - it's just very tough to watch if you don't have a rooting interest.

 

[whaler11]

And Maryland is reporting numbers that have no connection to actual people in the building.

They announced 8,600 Monday. It was closer to 86 than 8,600.

 

[Pudge]

BahHumbug

I think this thread hits the point precisely - from a UConn perspective: the B1G isn't getting what they thought. Both Maryland & Rutgers are Down as hoop programs. The move to the B1G is also Down stream. The RAC drew when they had massively buzzing Eastern programs come through (but RU mostly sucked); Comcast is way too big for the current fan base. And they WERE dependent on their traditional ACC mindset which was rivalry with UNC & Duke et al. B1G - plus Turgeon & RU poor choices - leaves the current state of Eastern wing of the B1G has flat & declining. Neither would draw flies at either MSG or DC's Verizon. Only our robust Championship BB would solve their desire to have something on the coastal swath of population. That's OUR perspective.

Turgeon is deadmeat. Eddie Jordan? Like FL ATL hiring Mike Jarvis - a prayer. Until the B1G wakes up, they'll be nowhere in hoop where it counts.

 

[pj]

I believe in mean reversion over time and I think in the long run the B1G can gussy up those pigs in lipstick and wigs and slinky leotards and pass them off as sexy.

But I think realignment has, so far, done more to sabotage fan passion than to stoke it.

 

[Ldandy]

This thread is quite odd. Do people actually believe that attendance for a game like this would be substantially better if UMD was still affiliated with The ACC? Why? It was a garbage game played against a garbage opponent. Do UCONN Fans pack The Rent to see Stony Brook? Would they for a much better opponent? UMD is coming off of a down period in basketball, this has effected fan support. If they turn the corner competitively, and as better opponents come in, fans will come out.

As to the other question raised, what was Delany thinking? Realistically you know what he was thinking. How can I make this conference more money? I'm not sure he cares if Rutgers Fans think a basketball is square, or UMD Supporters think a touchdown counts for 17 points. All he cares about are the facts that they both add to the pot academically, they provide quality areas to recruit athletes, and most important he can leverage the p iss out of cable subscribers. That's it. If TV execs determine that The B1G could make more money with UCONN as a member, they will get an invite AAU or not.

 

[pj]

This thread has proved something: replacing Duke and Carolina with Central Connecticut State is not good for Maryland attendance.

We'll see about Michigan State, Michigan, and Ohio State in time.

I think they'll build new rivalries. Already Maryland football fans seem to like the B1G. It can happen in basketball too.

 

[Pudge]

This thread is quite odd. Do people actually believe that attendance for a game like this would be substantially better if UMD was still affiliated with The ACC? Why? It was a garbage game played against a garbage opponent. Do UCONN Fans pack The Rent to see Stony Brook? Would they for a much better opponent? UMD is coming off of a down period in basketball, this has effected fan support. If they turn the corner competitively, and as better opponents come in, fans will come out.

As to the other question raised, what was Delany thinking? Realistically you know what he was thinking. How can I make this conference more money? I'm not sure he cares if Rutgers Fans think a basketball is square, or UMD Supporters think a touchdown counts for 17 points. All he cares about are the facts that they both add to the pot academically, they provide quality areas to recruit athletes, and most important he can leverage the p iss out of cable subscribers. That's it. If TV execs determine that The B1G could make more money with UCONN as a member, they will get an invite AAU or not.

Subtlety in arguments posted somehow evade your grasp.

Turgeon is the primary reason there is no fan base excitement; in fact, the end of the Gary Williams era wasn't much better. I know people there with season tickets; they aren't expecting anything like their best years - now a distant 10 years ago. Having said that, the B1G cannot ignore the poor poor performance of their EASTERN wing in Basketball; not is they are intending to go into MSG or Verizon with any excitement ... as they do. As currently stands, a Minnesota/Michigan State/Iowa/Michigan Semifinals night is OK at MSG; but, they have missed a big opportunity if they didn't sprinkle in East Coast rooting interest. And, we know Rutgers and Penn State and Maryland are not going to be good by 2017.

The Rent got a decent crowd for Stony Brook - deserving given our current state of the Program. The Maryland low turnout for Central CT is a far more complicated discussion. Further, it's crazy to think a Michigan State and Michigan and Ohio State lineup has the hoop appeal for the Maryland Terp fan base as did the ACC; and the RAC? I don't think they will have Georgetown & Pitt & BC & SU & UConn & Seton Hall & St. John's & Villanova line like they did. None of us ever will again ...unfortunately.

 

[Gfunk]

Big 10 basketball is unattractive from a very literal intrepretation of the word.

It's painful to watch.

I don't really dislike any of the programs outside of Ohio State - it's just very tough to watch if you don't have a rooting interest.

That's nonsense. You guys pretty much slowed down & half courted the final 3 opponents in route to last year's NC. You were simply playing into the fact that you had the best guard tandem in the country who could will their styles. UConn scored less than 64 points in the last 3 games. Bear in mind, I was beyond elated to see you beat Ky & I've been on this board pushing hard for you guys to get a BIG invite. Moreover, during your 2011 run, 4 of your 6 wins were sub 70 points - in the Final Four, partly Butler's fault, you scored less than 57 points - both games. You clearly slowed down Ky in the semi-finals that year. Now if you're talking your 2009 FF run, that was a more typical UConn offense - explosive and up and down - bunch of top shelf athletes who were a blast to watch. My Spartans got you that year, we hit the 80 mark in our win. But payback was a bitch this past April, you all won. No argument here : (.

As the Big East was fading from it's former self, more and more teams slowed it down while the BIG continues to increase its offense. , even Wisky is scoring more now. Most of the new BIG coaches, and there are a few, prefer uptempo: Pitino, McCaffery, Collins, Miles (though Neb still hasn't consistently recruited the talent yet to run his system), Groce & this trend started even earlier when Beilein and Crean were hired for their respective schools.

Nonetheless, the BIG was a far more half court, grind out conference for many years. I've been watching it since the late 70s - the trend really started in the mid 90s and continued to about 2008-2009. It's definitely changing now. But for a solid 15 year stretch, the BIG was an explosive, uptempo conference & it was in fact Michigan State and Magic Johnson (1979) that ushered this era throughout CB & it lasted in the BIG up until the Fab Five.

The BIG has quietly set some trends in CB. The first conference to field 2 teams in the FF (1976) & it was also this year a conference fielded the NC game, Fab Five fashion & attitude (not particularly fond of this trend), and though uptempo was a concept and even partially successful before Magic at Michigan State, that 79 team popularized it. Most of the top viewed NC games, all-time, are owned by BIG participants. I also believe the BIG was the first conference to utilize instant replay.

In defense of your argument, I have noticed a lot more teams slow it down now, esp when an inferior opponent is up against a talented team. But we live in a one and done world now.

 

[Gfunk]

This thread has proved something: replacing Duke and Carolina with Central Connecticut State is not good for Maryland attendance.

We'll see about Michigan State, Michigan, and Ohio State in time.

I think they'll build new rivalries. Already Maryland football fans seem to like the B1G. It can happen in basketball too.

As I said in a previous post, most of the BIG-ACC challenges I've watched, demonstrate that the ACC, top to bottom, doesn't show up in the numbers BIG fanbases do, early season. The ACC is an insular conference when it comes to basketball attendance, it's all about conference play. I watched many games on Tobacco Road, including WF & even traveled up to Charlottesville and College Park when I was stationed in NC for a few years.

To the ACC's defense, their recent additions are traditionally rich schools in attendance and certainly 2 of 4 are basketball icons: Syracuse & Louisville. Pitt and ND fans do in fact love their basketball programs. Pitt has been creeping towards becoming a basketball school for many years now - their once football greatness is not going to happen with consistency again. ND is ND, most of their sports programs attract passionate fans.

Both Md and Rutgers have increased average football attendance since joining the BIG.

As for Md and Rutgers, there's no reason either can't become consistent basketball and football powers - they each have upper tier local talent in both these sports. Does Rutgers ever sign it's annual wealth of basketball talent? But culture change takes time and may never happen with consistent success, very few programs pull it off - . It ultimately takes a charismatic coach-leader that sticks around for at least a decade.