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CofC
Feb 20, 2008 21:14:04 GMT -5
Post by euphoenix99 on Feb 20, 2008 21:14:04 GMT -5
Way to go guys! Work kept me from being there, but I listened to the 2nd half and both OTs. The guys kept fighting and seem to hit one clutch shot after another. They moved one step closer to the 6 seed.
Go Phoenix!
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CofC
Feb 20, 2008 21:27:58 GMT -5
Post by elonpride on Feb 20, 2008 21:27:58 GMT -5
Nice scrappy win!
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CofC
Feb 20, 2008 21:45:44 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Feb 20, 2008 21:45:44 GMT -5
i doubt we will be able to get over uncg, but if we keep winning we face cit 1st round. if we get lucky then it will be app. either way im scared for our second round game. A rested Davidson or GSU could spell trouble
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 1:09:22 GMT -5
Post by phanatics0708 on Feb 21, 2008 1:09:22 GMT -5
JUST WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDED! HUGE WIN!
Quinnesential Montell Watson! HE is back!
It's too bad only about 23 people saw the game tonight. It is by far the worst attendance in Alumni Gym history. There were honestly 4 students there at tip off. Hopefully this will boost the momentum on campus.
It was great to see the energy out of Nestor. He came over to our section and was absolutely pumped - raising the roof!
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 8:51:57 GMT -5
Post by ontheair on Feb 21, 2008 8:51:57 GMT -5
So...four out of five wins....does this save Nestor's job?
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 10:19:26 GMT -5
Post by phoenixfc on Feb 21, 2008 10:19:26 GMT -5
I agree with comments about attendance...there were very few students there at beginning of game. More filtered in, but there was little noise...no home-court advantage for our guys. They showed tremendous desire to win, and that's what pulled them through. Brian has really come on strong his senior year. Montell, Brett, Adam...and others played with intensity and heart. I don't know whether Ernie's job is saved...but I do think coaching played a huge role in the game last night...the other component is that our shots were dropping better than some games. C of C shoots unbelievably well though..and to coach our guys how to defend and try to beat a team which is filled with awesome shooters, takes a great coach.
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 12:18:44 GMT -5
Post by elonphaithful on Feb 21, 2008 12:18:44 GMT -5
I agree with the comment about little noise. Every chant seems to be started by the band. And I noticed multiple times when one Phanatic would try to start a chant, and it wouldn't catch on. Whether it is four guys or forty, we need to get more noise from our students. The lack of support could deflate this team.
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fc97
Elon Only
Posts: 646
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 13:00:12 GMT -5
Post by fc97 on Feb 21, 2008 13:00:12 GMT -5
The only way to get crowds is consistent winning. The lack of consistency in any sport, save baseball, has really hurt fan following. No one wants to follow a loser. Until we can win year to year regularly (read that as not losing to D-II, D-III and NAIA schools), then people will come regularly.
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 16:34:46 GMT -5
Post by phoenixfc on Feb 21, 2008 16:34:46 GMT -5
I guess I just see it a little differently...I think you go support your school...which is your team...regardless of their record. On any given night, anybody can win. Sometimes the team which get motivated the most will pull off the win. But it wasn't just low attendance...it was lack of enthusiasm and noise from the people who were there. I thought the Phanatics were supposed to have a minimum number of people at each game...and they would make sure there was noise. Not happening this year, except for about half dozen dedicated students. My guess is that many watched the UNC v NCSU game last night rather than coming out to support their own team. I know that many other sports don't get much support from fellow students either, which is also unfortunate. We beat ASU last week and C of C last night...and both games had the fewest students I've probably ever seen at an Elon men's basketball game, over more years than I want to count.
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 18:14:31 GMT -5
Post by phoenix3 on Feb 21, 2008 18:14:31 GMT -5
pfc, I agree with everything you said. I'm at every home game and I sit with a bunch of sex-, sept-, and octogenarians but that doesn't stop me from giving "atta boys" and "way to gos" to the home team. I don't stand and clap each time the school song plays but I do clap. I think most of us on this board do what you expect a good fan to do. But, all of that being said, there is still something that is keeping the rest of the students/community from coming and supporting the bball team. Personally I think it is a lack of excitement. Don't ask me how to define it but i think it is partly the low scoring efforts the team puts up and it is partly the atmosphere of Alumni gym. A lacklustre performance can't be bolstered by tossing rubber chickens into a box or by having little kids do the bouncy ball race. The football gameday has taken a definate turn for the better with the inflatables and bands, etc before gametime. Maybe there is something the school or the athletics dept. can do prior to the game to incent the students to come. Free Dominoes pizza or subway subs. At a school I used to attend we had to go to a certain number of assemblies per quarter to earn credits for the semester. maybe we should do that for basketball. these may be lame ideas but at least they are ideas. obvipusly, winning more games and having a few allyoops, thunder dunks and the like would obviate the need for flashy hijinks but that just doesn't seem to be reality right now.
I did really apprediate the effort the team made in the C of C and App games. If the team brought that kind of effort every night I bet we'd have more of a crowd, win or loose.
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CofC
Feb 21, 2008 22:07:52 GMT -5
Post by elonsoccerfan on Feb 21, 2008 22:07:52 GMT -5
First off, what a WIN last night!!! First Ola slaps in a rebound at the buzzer to send into overtime and then Montell hits a playgroundish scoop shot and the foul to win it. Unbelievable. And yes it's unfortunate that many students were not there to view.
I have to think part of it is we aren't winning enough and I think the other part is the basketball coaches being visible. They have to sell their product whether it's to the community or student body. I think all coaches should meet with the Phanatics and Fraternities/Sororities/Organizations and worl with them to get students to come out and support the teams. Kind of sad when us alums in the upper deck are leading the 'Let's Go Elon" chants.
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fc97
Elon Only
Posts: 646
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CofC
Feb 22, 2008 0:06:28 GMT -5
Post by fc97 on Feb 22, 2008 0:06:28 GMT -5
Most of us here will support the teams no matter what. But at any school, pro sport, minor league, that is a minority of fans. Most fans are just fickle. Look at Appalachian State in football. Four short years ago they were winning, but not spectacularly and getting 16,000 per game. Now they are really winning great and just doubling that number. So, you have half of their crowds now that I am sure would disappear in a bad season or two.
So, here we are, Elon. Every year we struggle to win a number of games to fill up one hand before conference play starts. Most of the past couple of years, we've blown games to schools outside of our division. And we play a pretty good, but boring, slow down game. Two years ago we packed the gym because people felt we could win every game. Now we struggle to pack half the gym because people know we may not win the game.
And that is the problem. The fans have lost the hype and hope. The team has to win those fans back, and to do that is going to take a season like two years ago. And it is going to take a followup season to keep them here. And you can see the attendance has fallen since that Tusculum loss this year.
That is why football took a sharp increase this year. The fans have hope. And the fans see the hope. We had hope in 2006 when the team played a ton better. And last year was the glimpse that we are good. If you consistently play that good, exciting game, the fans will be happy. The loss may sting, but a short while later everyone is talking about how good of a game it was. The Furman loss this year stung, but seeing 1500 Elon fans in Charleston the next week showed the fan have faith. If you keep their faith, you keep their tails in the seats.
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CofC
Feb 22, 2008 9:27:14 GMT -5
Post by phoenix3 on Feb 22, 2008 9:27:14 GMT -5
Elon football is a study in how to do things right that the basketball team, other teams and other schools, for that matter, could follow to bolster their success. Since he first came here Coach Lembo has been "selling" his sport to the community. He regularly speaks at clubs and other organizations. He initiated the Lembo radio show. Earliwer this week he attended the Business After Hours put on by the Local Chamber. He puts out the E mail letter and takes every opportunity to discuss the team like the recent signing day luncheon. All of this with a supportive wife and 3 kids at home. In short he is committed to the success of Elon football. When Dave Blank came aboard he initiated the successful season ticket drive. In addition the athletics dept. has developed the Phoenix Phun Zone 2 1/2 hours prior to home games. They also put together yard signs for people across the county to put in their yards during the week before Saturday home games. All of this plus the exciting airial game plan have made Elon football an emerging Saturday destination. Oh, btw, the prospect for competing for a conference championship hasn't hurt either.
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CofC
Feb 22, 2008 9:31:56 GMT -5
Post by euphoenix99 on Feb 22, 2008 9:31:56 GMT -5
Good post FC. I know many of us have been hard on Nestor, myself included, but he's the one that needs to drive these changes and win fans back. I'm certain he's a solid coach, I've never questioned his abilities, but his style is not the most fan-friendly. I've often felt he used non-conference games as throw away games, but to build a program that people want to get behind and follow each and every game the fans need to feel that a 20 win season is possible. With all that said I'm proud of the team on the way they have responded the last 5 games, but it shouldn't be a surprise that inconsistent results hurt attendance.
I hope everyone packs the nest tomorrow night, because the team really does deserve it. UTM should be an interesting opponent too given the opposing styles of the two teams.
Go Phoenix!
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CofC
Feb 29, 2008 8:58:34 GMT -5
Post by phoenixfc on Feb 29, 2008 8:58:34 GMT -5
I guess with G beating C of C last night, we have no final hope of making the bye tier.
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