Yes, the athletic department definitely needs another fund raising project.
Spiders Basketball Reunion July 21
- Thread starter KennyWood
- Start date
It was barely attended because there was no official promotion, either on UR sites or in the RTD or other local media. Unless you read/post here or no someone who does, you wouldn't have known about it.
I went to the TBT and Briante stole my iPhone.
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Drop this reunion game and enter a team into the TBT. VCU has proven success with this, not just by making it very far each year, but they now even play games in Richmond and by all accounts the games at the Siegel Center were very well attended so I would only expect they return next year.
BUT - to enter a team into the TBT, a team must get fan votes. So that would require far more than the 300 people who showed up to watch this reunion game to vote for a Spider team to get them into the tourney. Not to mention - these guys would have to come together to make a team, but I think the financial incentive is there - $2 million split 10 ways (10 players assuming) - why not?
And think how great it would be to have VCU and UR in the same region and have a matchup against each other.
BUT - to enter a team into the TBT, a team must get fan votes. So that would require far more than the 300 people who showed up to watch this reunion game to vote for a Spider team to get them into the tourney. Not to mention - these guys would have to come together to make a team, but I think the financial incentive is there - $2 million split 10 ways (10 players assuming) - why not?
And think how great it would be to have VCU and UR in the same region and have a matchup against each other.
Exactly Palm. They didn’t even turn the scoreboard on for them. They used a portable scoreboard that only half of the crowd could see. It was still great to see all the guys. Darien Brothers is still an amazing shooter.
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I kind of wonder if there were some compliance issues that had to be taken into account for this event. May have been why the scoreboard wasn't used nor really promoted by UR.
Re: TBT, the players have to be up for that. I like the idea but that effort is one they have to initiate. That said, if they wanted to, SpiderNation would be proud to help sponsor.
Re: TBT, the players have to be up for that. I like the idea but that effort is one they have to initiate. That said, if they wanted to, SpiderNation would be proud to help sponsor.
IIRC wasn't that team the brainchild of VDU Ram nation and their fans to put a team together? I dont know what it would take but I do think were missing an opportunity here.
Just to close the circle...
There were some compliance issues that needed to be worked through. Looking to make this an improved event for next year.
There were some compliance issues that needed to be worked through. Looking to make this an improved event for next year.
Ram nation players are unemployed.....our alumni have real jobs bc they have an education. It would be hard for our guys to take time off. Probably not entirely true, but sure was fun typing it.
I was frankly impressed by how many people showed up at the game, considering the absolute lack of promotion. If we get all the compliance issues and University approvals done, maybe we should do this again next year with an accompanying promotional campaign (though I believe it should still be free to spectators):
1 - Call one team the Altzhimers Atoms and the other team the Flomax Marauders.
2 - Make it mandatory that the players eat a snack after every five minutes of time off the clock. Serve them hot dogs and cokes and call the break the Refueling Pause.
3 - Invite back ALL players - not just the kids from the Mooney era.
4 - Provide a couple of concession stands for fans to refuel.
5 - Have vendors on the ambulatory level provide free stuff and information about assisted living facilities, senior health screenings, free trials for the HurriCane, info on urinary tract health, etc. Have some of the older players who are in the Spider Athletic Hall of Fame, or local famous athletes, at these booths for pictures, autographs, etc.
6 - Have registered nurses take the blood pressure of the players at halftime in full view of the fans.
7 - Get all the free press you can before and during the game.
8 - Have the players agree in advance to be available for pictures and autographs after the game.
9 - Have a local business provide a "player gift packet" to all the players that includes a magnet for the refrigerator that has 911 information, ways to identify if you're having a stroke, how to tell a stroke from an orgasm, etc.; a tube of Aspercreme, some ice packs, a book on how to age gracefully, and other items that would be of benefit to older players.
10 - You could name and trademark the annual game as "The Back-From-The-Dead Hoops Experience."
... and the ideas just keep on coming...
1 - Call one team the Altzhimers Atoms and the other team the Flomax Marauders.
2 - Make it mandatory that the players eat a snack after every five minutes of time off the clock. Serve them hot dogs and cokes and call the break the Refueling Pause.
3 - Invite back ALL players - not just the kids from the Mooney era.
4 - Provide a couple of concession stands for fans to refuel.
5 - Have vendors on the ambulatory level provide free stuff and information about assisted living facilities, senior health screenings, free trials for the HurriCane, info on urinary tract health, etc. Have some of the older players who are in the Spider Athletic Hall of Fame, or local famous athletes, at these booths for pictures, autographs, etc.
6 - Have registered nurses take the blood pressure of the players at halftime in full view of the fans.
7 - Get all the free press you can before and during the game.
8 - Have the players agree in advance to be available for pictures and autographs after the game.
9 - Have a local business provide a "player gift packet" to all the players that includes a magnet for the refrigerator that has 911 information, ways to identify if you're having a stroke, how to tell a stroke from an orgasm, etc.; a tube of Aspercreme, some ice packs, a book on how to age gracefully, and other items that would be of benefit to older players.
10 - You could name and trademark the annual game as "The Back-From-The-Dead Hoops Experience."
... and the ideas just keep on coming...
If they charge for something like this, UR has to be very hands off.
Sounds as though both parties learned through this process and will be in better position next year.
Sounds as though both parties learned through this process and will be in better position next year.
Fan votes. It will be a hard trip up that hill.. Please prove me wrong. I'd love to see a UR squad in the TBT. It's the only basketball we get to root for in the dregs of the off season. It was fun and exciting this year and will be next as well.
Yes VT47000000 can coach one team and I will coach the other , each team to get one celebnrity pick , I will pick NL!
. I think if we execute these we execute in other areas also, i wait to see how our team executes ougt of bounds these years . I never have coached to keep close and maybe win. I think THIS is the one thoought that needs the change this year for our team . commit to purpose and live with results. I think waffles are only for breakfast.
Well, in response to Fezz above, before so many aspects of the program have become a $h!T Show, I think the "playing not to lose" prevent offense the last 5-7 minutes of a game was one of the most criticized things about Mooney. How many games we had an 8 point lead with 5 minutes left to be scrambling to hold on or blow the game. Playing scared, just like scheduling scared. I smell a distinct stench of fear permeating this program.
I'd like to see our score percentage on BLOB plays with TJ vs without TJ. We went from layu ups to throwing the ball 60 feet into the back court. You can call this histrionics, I call it the truth.
Everyone knows those in-bounds plays were the result of TJ and not some Mooney coaching magic. How come, because we didn't have good in-bounds plays before TJ and have had them since? The 3 years TJ was here, straight cash money on the in-bounds plays. Thanks, TJ.
