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Post by wrj on Feb 2, 2024 13:27:37 GMT -6
In 2023 the 'rabbits had a Division 2 team with scholarships and a Division 1 team without scholarships on the schedule. The 'rabbits beat the D1 team without scholarships, away from home on a neutral field, by a score of 70 to 7. The home game against the D2 team with scholarships was something like 45 to 7. The D2 game for you this coming season is probably a better game from both a fan interest and a team development perspective tha a non-scholly opponentwould be. The best fans will be there if they can. I agree that Thursday night is less than ideal. I also have to travel for home games, about 350 miles each direction.
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Post by wrj on Nov 17, 2023 13:53:27 GMT -6
I get people not caring about the sound system because they are focused on the game, but I would argue that is partially why attendance is struggling. You want to make the Dome filled out more on a consistent basis? You have to improve fan experience overall. Not everyone is there for the football game (I am, but obviously not everyone is). Got to find a way to make the overall experience better for the fans whether that is through promotions, entertainment before and during the games (specifically talking during media timeouts). There simply needs to be more of an experience for people who want to bring a family to make it enjoyable for everyone. The sound system is a huge part of that to allow for announcements to be heard and actually understood. Not sure if that is needed through a different sound system or instead more sound proofing on the walls to prevent echoes. I've been to Fargo several times and they don't seem to have a huge issue with it, so it isn't domes inherently, just needs attention to it. Your point is important. This thread reminds me of a hockey arena where I occasionally attend a game. During announcements such as the national anthem, I can understand the public address announcer. They have a guy announcing that gets all hyped up and screams (okay, maybe not literally, but you get my point, I hope) during within game play. I can't understand hardly a word of it. I'm not a sound guy, but I wonder if they set all of those knobs and slider things on the sound equipment with him using his within game voice if it could be better. Or, maybe they chose their announcer poorly. I recall a football game that I attended many years ago. During the dance team performance the tuba section decided to have a bit of a contest among themselves. It ruined the dance performance. If I would have been the dance captain I would have been tempted to take the dancers to the band room the following week during marching band practice for a synchronized dump in the chairs in the low brass section. Maybe they did. I don't remember the fun things that were done well that day. I just remember thinking that the overall game day production was $h!tty. It really is important to get everything right, and the worst part of the production should be no worse than unremarkable.
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Post by wrj on Oct 11, 2023 15:50:37 GMT -6
The SD Showdown, which has now been replaced with the Interstate Series, is an all-sports series. It is not and was never intended to be football only. I would like to see the football game be played for the Roy C Davis Little Brown Jug. It has some history behind it and Davis Pharmacy is still in business in Vermillion. That being said, I graduated from USD in 1976 and never heard anything about the Jug until a few years ago. I attended SDSU in the late 70s and early 80s. I also had not heard of this jug. I do remember the losing student association president surrendering his or her trousers at midfield at the conclusion of the game. I have met a few members of the Davis family over the years. I think the pharmacy is still in the Davis family (unless I missed a recent change.) They were always known for their customer service and loyalty to customers and community. Vermillion is fortunate to still have a locally owned pharmacy. I would be their customer if I lived there.
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Lamar
Sept 16, 2023 8:54:46 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by wrj on Sept 16, 2023 8:54:46 GMT -6
Coyotes (unless minus 2, or worse, in turnovers.)
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Lamar
Sept 16, 2023 8:33:20 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by wrj on Sept 16, 2023 8:33:20 GMT -6
17-14
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Post by wrj on May 25, 2023 17:16:33 GMT -6
IIRC, and I might not, the XDSU's pursued membership in the Big Sky at their transition to Division I. They were refused. It has been a real moving target trying to establish long term conference stability.
I also recall that there was concern regarding time zones. Membership in the Big Sky would have meant that almost all road games would have started and ended one hour later which could adversely affect fan interest in radio and video coverage. It would have our athletes changing time zones about every other week. Some think that is not significant, but talk to people about the annual changes to and from daylight savings time.
To me, the real "what if" question is what if the uxd's had made the transition when the XDSU's did? Would numbers all at once have been more interesting to conference membership or formation?
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Post by wrj on Dec 16, 2022 14:13:40 GMT -6
Anyway thanks for visiting us! You're welcome. And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all of my friends at USD!
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Post by wrj on Dec 16, 2022 12:07:25 GMT -6
LOL Like I said enjoy the weather tomorrow if you're going!! I saw how many "bunny fans" were in the stands last week!! With your other three SD and ND D1 schools you're the only one without a Dome so enough said!! If you GIVE ME A SECOND I could think of a lot more bunny tidbits!! Sadly, I won't be at the game tomorrow. I had planned on going prior to this current blizzard. Normally, my round trip to and from DJD stadium from my home is about 13 hours of windshield time. I have attended five games per season for the last several years. Several of those games were played in freezing or snowy conditions. Under current conditions, this weekend's trip is no longer practical. Even though I am part of the drop-off of the number of fans on the colder days of this football season and post-season, I do see it as a legitimate concern. These last two weeks saw a decline in average attendance in Brookings of over 9,000 fans compared to the regular season. By comparison, during the playoffs, the coyotes saw a decrease in average attendance of only 6,354 fans compared to the regular season. Your decrease is almost 3,000 fans less per Saturday than ours, and you did it without even having any games. Congratulations! This is probably USD's greatest accomplishment during the 2022 football season. By the way, you seem to use the words, bunny, bunny fans, bunnies, etc. as if it is an insult. I don't know the current attitude on the use of these words on campus today, but several decades ago, when I was an SDSU student, we used words like bunnies as terms of endearment for our teams. There was at least one organization on campus that used the word "bunnies" as part of its name. My granddaughters absolutely love their bunnies. It makes me smile when you use such endearing words about my teams. Thanks again for your thoughts and support.
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Post by wrj on Dec 16, 2022 11:50:16 GMT -6
Why couldn't you guys raise enough money for a Dome anyway?? I wish I knew how much it would have cost to build a 20,000 seat domed football stadium so I could address your question. Although, 25,000 to 30,000 might be a safer estimate to allow for growth.
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Post by wrj on Dec 15, 2022 16:25:08 GMT -6
I wonder if any of our bunny fans that were sooo excited about their multi million $ practice facility a few years ago are wondering--boy we should've done a dome? Well enjoy!! Okay, I'll bite. I am one fan so this is one fan's opinion. There are days when it is nice to play/watch football indoors and in my opinion this is one of them. Realism and practicality often trump idealism. The facility to which you refer is really part of a three piece complex (four with the wrestling facility currently under construction). It includes the indoor track and football practice area, the lockerroom and training complex, and the outdoor football stadium which seats over 19,000 fans. The total cost of these three parts is remarkably similar to the total cost of each of the recently built arenas in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Each of those two seats a maximum of around 12,000 fans, easily excess capacity for the coyotes, but far short of the Jackrabbits regular season demand. And, of course, you cannot play football in a facility where the playing surface is the size of a sheet of ice for hockey, or a similarly sized rodeo arena. The last time I watched a football game in your dome I sat in the front row of the east side. I had to lean over the rail to see game action near the sideline. The DJD stadium has great sight lines. We are able to have six home games in a typical season. For some reason you seem to often settle for five. If I were a potential recruit, this might be important to me. Add up any two of our regular season crowds this season and the number exceeds your total season attendance. Add any three and it probably exceeds you total season capacity. Our stadium isn't the largest in the conference. It isn't the smallest either, like yous is. The Dana isn't perfect in every way, but I'll take it. It works out just fine for Jackrabbit football. By the way, thanks for showing so much interest in the Jackrabbits. Some days it is almost like SDSU has two fan boards.
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Post by wrj on Nov 15, 2022 8:32:47 GMT -6
I am expressing no opinion as I am a Jackrabbit fan. But I have been following because I'm interested. I have a question or two. I think there are only three coaches in the league who have a longer tenure than Bob. When your team is very successful at some time in the future, how long will a successful coach stay before stepping up to a more prestigious job elsewhere? In other words, are you likely to retain a highly successful coach for as long as you are retaining Bob? Is this relevant to your thoughts here?
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Post by wrj on Oct 27, 2022 15:45:33 GMT -6
Thanks kiyoat
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Post by wrj on Oct 26, 2022 14:44:54 GMT -6
This will be a big day for Mr. Bouman. From here on out for him, every opponent will have seen game film of him, so...unpredictable moves will be harder to come by. Good luck in the ice castle. Do coyotes and penguins coexist anywhere in nature except the MVFC?
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Post by wrj on Sept 23, 2022 20:03:53 GMT -6
Is the game sold out?
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Post by wrj on Sept 10, 2022 12:17:40 GMT -6
What time is your game? Thanks, and good luck.
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