The Huse Era

[TrueCat]

So you calling into question the work ethic of individuals that you hardly know is not a personal attack?

Check your previous posts, you usually make mention of how you do not attend games and you usually reference the Ice Dogs.

I hope your son is feeling better, the flu is awful.

[BozCatFan]

I do question the strategy of everyone involved in basketball. We all are are doing this to a certain degree.

Court Product: The coaches aren't winning. Is it lack of effort? Not sure, but they are judged by wins and losses. As far as most on this topic they aren't getting it done. We don't know them personally but judge by results.

Off Court Product: The fans aren't there. Few even realized it was cat-griz. Is it lack of effort? Not sure. I judge the marketing on how fun games are to attend and how they are promoted and advertised. It's strictly my opinion that PF and co. really are not interested in basketball. It disappoints me to see our basketball student athletes appear to not get support.

Do I have the answers? No. Do I envy the folks who have to turn this around? No. Would I want to be AD or in anyone's job at MSU? He** no. We just lost the one guy (Drew) who did an awesome job capitalizing on football in terms of marketing and game atmosphere.

Many of us, myself included, think we could do better than those in charge at whatever we complain about....but deep down inside we know we couldn't but only think we could because WE CARE. We want to have basketball be something to look forward too as a family and something that creates memories for our kids like it did many of us.

Our kids have little interest in going. "It's too boring". It just has simply lost it's luster. Yes, winning would definitely help but in a time when they aren't winning having tons of other distractions like contests, funny mascot, entertaining halftime etc. would help make it more fun for all and maybe make it more attractive when looking for something to do at night.

The son is back at school today but now our daughter is sick. It is rough but we will manage. Thank you for your kind words.

[ilovethecats]

Our kids have little interest in going. "It's too boring". It just has simply lost it's luster. Yes, winning would definitely help but in a time when they aren't winning having tons of other distractions like contests, funny mascot, entertaining halftime etc. would help make it more fun for all and maybe make it more attractive when looking for something to do at night.

this is an excellent point. when I was younger going to cat games was an awesome time. the atmosphere was pretty good. at the very least, even if the hoops didn't keep my attention it was a place to go and see my friends, do stupid crap kids do, and scope out the ladies. fast forward. I have three kids of my own, the oldest in middle school. he absolutely loves basketball. and sadly, he hates cat games because they are so boring and we never win. he's been to about 5 cat-griz games in which I think we won only one of them and he leaves as pissed as I do. his friends don't go to the games so it's really just a bad experience all around. it's sad for me because I used to have such amazing memories of going to the game when I was little.

I asked them if they wanted to go to the game on Monday and all 3 said no. we opted to go to wild wings instead and watched the first half on tv. we saved the disappointing (but not surprising) 2nd half for home.

this is what bobcat basketball has come to but sadly the people who we need to care and make a change don't seem to care or don't want to. it's only going to get worse.

[TrueCat]

So my question is, what was done in the past that they are not doing now (besides winning)? The mascot is MUCH better than it has been in a while (looks wise). The inflatables are packed with kids. The video board and light tables are MUCH more entertaining than anything we have had in the past, including: run out videos, player intros, and the ability to put fans on camera. The in-game contests have evolved to engage fans, students and kids, the band has grown a great deal in the past 5 years, as well as the cheer and dance teams.

What are they not doing besides winning?

[ilovethecats]

So my question is, what was done in the past that they are not doing now (besides winning)? The mascot is MUCH better than it has been in a while (looks wise). The inflatables are packed with kids. The video board and light tables are MUCH more entertaining than anything we have had in the past, including: run out videos, player intros, and the ability to put fans on camera. The in-game contests have evolved to engage fans, students and kids, the band has grown a great deal in the past 5 years, as well as the cheer and dance teams.

What are they not doing besides winning?

why besides winning? I think that is mainly everyone's point. people don't go to games for all that other stuff. they go to watch a winning team put a competitive product on the floor. when that starts happening the fans will come. and when the fans start coming THAT is when things like inflatables and fancy scoreboards and fun mascots serve their purpose. but not before.

I'm not sure they are doing anything different now then in the past. likely not. which shows just how much our "leadership" and coaching staff have set this program back. it's just not an event that adults and even kids want to take in.

[rtb]

So my question is, what was done in the past that they are not doing now (besides winning)? The mascot is MUCH better than it has been in a while (looks wise). The inflatables are packed with kids. The video board and light tables are MUCH more entertaining than anything we have had in the past, including: run out videos, player intros, and the ability to put fans on camera. The in-game contests have evolved to engage fans, students and kids, the band has grown a great deal in the past 5 years, as well as the cheer and dance teams.

What are they not doing besides winning?

The students are too far from the court, and it feels like we have a NASCAR track between the seats and the floor. Think of going to a game in Belgrade or even Bozeman High vs the Fieldhouse. The place just isn't well set-up for hoops right now. When the students were moved from the seats close to the floor is the day the music died.

[Hawks86]

Wonder what the configuration will be after the renovation?

[wbtfg]

Wonder what the configuration will be after the renovation?

I haven't read anything about what the plans are, but I seem to remember the total amount spent will be somewhere around $2mil. That's not much of a budget for any major renovations.

[Hawks86]

Scope:
The A&E Division is delegating this project to MSU Facilities Planning Design & Construction (FPDC) for
execution. Following appointment of the design firm, MSU will have complete authority over the project. This
project will focus on the main arena including the following project elements:
 Design and install a curtaining system to create a more intimate basketball venue. Evaluation of the
mechanical system and how operations may be affected by a curtain system is also required.
 Replace the 100-level telescoping bleachers on the north and south sides of the arena to include new
seats with seat backs.
 Purchase/assemble portable bleachers for each basketball baseline (2 ea).
 Install a new sound system.
 Evaluate the existing Tartan sports floor surface and determine whether repair, or removal and
replacement, is warranted.

http://architecture.mt.gov/content/desi ... nformation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KIX]

What I would like to remember about Bobcat Basketball was the late 80's, early 90's. Shann, Kral, Tony Hampton, Domako, Ray Willis, Mike Fellows, et. al.
Those were games worth watching and which left great memories of Cat games. Cat/Griz games were nuts - remember sneaking in the bottom front doors to get a front row seat.
The program, as it is today, is below average in a bottom D1 conference. I have absolutely no desire to attend a game with my family unless I happen to be in town for another reason.
MSU needs a motivator, recruiter and high energy guy with a passion to come in and turn this program around.
Word is that they are keeping Huse around because of his kids that go to Bozeman High. They can't be "that" good !!

[wbtfg]

Interesting. I can't totally visualize, but will they be putting students in the sections with seat backed bleachers? The baselines are in dire need of some sort of new seating. Will students be moved to the baseline only?

Also, I have a feeling that tartan floor is going to be around for a while. I think it contains mercury (or some other dangerous element) that would cost and arm and a leg to dispose of.

[BelgradeBobcat]

The basketball program needs a Kramer. Huse is somewhere between a Solomonson and a Hysell.

Any kind of renovation can't hurt. The price is probably going down as we really only need about 3,000 seats. That Peter Fields is a budgeting genius!

[TrueCat]

Will the program then need an "Ash" to clean up after Kramer?

[BelgradeBobcat]

Will the program then need an "Ash" to clean up after Kramer?

If by clean up you mean win three conference titles in a row and have nothing but winning seasons-I guess that'd be all right.

[TrueCat]

That would be FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTASTIC!!!!!!

[grizatwork]

So my question is, what was done in the past that they are not doing now (besides winning)? The mascot is MUCH better than it has been in a while (looks wise). The inflatables are packed with kids. The video board and light tables are MUCH more entertaining than anything we have had in the past, including: run out videos, player intros, and the ability to put fans on camera. The in-game contests have evolved to engage fans, students and kids, the band has grown a great deal in the past 5 years, as well as the cheer and dance teams.

What are they not doing besides winning?

The students are too far from the court, and it feels like we have a NASCAR track between the seats and the floor. Think of going to a game in Belgrade or even Bozeman High vs the Fieldhouse. The place just isn't well set-up for hoops right now. When the students were moved from the seats close to the floor is the day the music died.

Excellent point. Same problem in Missoula. I thought it was a much more exciting place to play and tougher on opposing teams when the zoo was right on top of the floor. Duke gets it. It is the students courtside that make Cameron a great venue. I have been lobbying to get the students back on the floor, but it will never happen due to $$.

[John K]

Will the program then need an "Ash" to clean up after Kramer?

Whatever you might think of Kramer, and obviously you don't think much of him, it took someone with his charismatic personality to revive our football program from the "ashes"...pun intended. I admire and respect Coach Ash, and appreciate the job that he's done at MSU. He took over a program that was already on the rise and made it even better, but with his more low-key personality, I'm not sure that he could have done what Kramer did, i.e. breathing life into a program that had become irrelevant.

I agree completely with Belgrade, that it might take someone with a similarly "big" personality to rejuvenate MBB, which has now become as irrelevant as football was 15 years ago. Back then, I remember hoping that our football program might one day be as good as the basketball program. It's sort of amazing that the situation has done a complete 180 compared to those days.

[desmond1957]

As a cat fan who has sat there for over 50 years I can't help thinking back to the Roger Craft coaching days when we had players coming into the fieldhouse like Elgin Bayler and all the nonconference games were teams like Wyoming and we actually WON all those conference banners that hang in the fieldhouse. Now every year I get fired up at the quality of talent we seem to have at the start of the season (especially the way they move and hustle) and about 5 to 6 games it all seems to fall apart, guys just stand around and (especially a majority of those over 6'3") just seem like they wish they were anywhere except on the floor!!!! What happens??? How can we look so good at the start of the season and then become a team that can't seem to care less about winning??WHERE IS OUR DRIVE AND PASSION???????

[rtb]

Ok, so seeing we got smoked again tonight and thinking about pay for performance I had to pull some numbers. Just going off of base salary that I can find and not including the extra "incentives" which I have seen listed as: Media promotion pay $15,000 a year, academic incentives, game attendance incentives, championship incentives, and coach of the year incentives and don't forget summer camps, courtesy car and country club membership.

If we just take the base pay I can find that ranges from $100K in 2006 when hired to $113K this year, WE have paid Huse $857K over 8 seasons. Or put in other teams we have paid $8,000 a win, $14,000 per conference win, or $214,000 per win over the Griz.

I think even the weather guy gets fired for being wrong 55% of the time doesn't he? And we expect the weather people to get it wrong! I hope you all kind find a way to think through this and maybe, just maybe Waded and PF will decide that paying $14,000 per conference win is a little steep. If you gave me the reins today I would take a risk of only paying me for conference wins and feel pretty confident I would walk away with at least $60K by the end of the season!

[Hawks86]

Also, I have a feeling that tartan floor is going to be around for a while. I think it contains mercury (or some other dangerous element) that would cost and arm and a leg to dispose of.