Still puzzled about lack of student support (at LNC)

[NMSooner'80]

I guess the last two years could have soured the student body on the sport. Or maybe it's more "cool" to be an OKC Thunder fan. I don't know.

But I do remember being that age, even though it was over 30 years ago. Students, for the most part, loved going to men's games. I guess it was a "new thing" to do, and it was kind of fun to see a winning tradition in its infancy back in '77 - when OU went undefeated at home and won back-to-back epic games vs. KSU and Mizzou. The '79 title team was really fun to watch, too!

And, I also remember going to see the '82 team, Billy Tubbs' second at OU, play in the NIT, when my brother was still in school. That game with Cal-Irvine was also amazing, but also a real roller-coaster ride. The time between 1977-83 was fun, except for that '81 season (and even that one included wins over KSU and MU also). By the time OU had finished its '83 season with freshman Wayman Tisdale stealing the show, it was still only our third postseason (NCAA or NIT) appearance since the early 70's.

One "reason" I've heard is that people don't want to drive down to the LNC these days. I don't recall it being that much of an ordeal in the 70's, and that was when the Jenkins entrance was the only one they had. Do students not drive much in Norman anymore?

Of course, I was probably a different breed of student. I'd study around the time I spent at the LNC for four years, and I still graduated with a GPA over 3.5. So I know it can be done.

Here's hoping for a student support "re-birth" of sorts. It's been done before.

 

[PeteHoops]

It wasn't that long ago the student section was full for almost all conference games. I was at OU from 04-08 and I would say the student support was favorable for most of that stretch.

 

[ksSooner13]

I guess the last two years could have soured the student body on the sport. Or maybe it's more "cool" to be an OKC Thunder fan. I don't know.

But I do remember being that age, even though it was over 30 years ago. Students, for the most part, loved going to men's games. I guess it was a "new thing" to do, and it was kind of fun to see a winning tradition in its infancy back in '77 - when OU went undefeated at home and won back-to-back epic games vs. KSU and Mizzou. The '79 title team was really fun to watch, too!

And, I also remember going to see the '82 team, Billy Tubbs' second at OU, play in the NIT, when my brother was still in school. That game with Cal-Irvine was also amazing, but also a real roller-coaster ride. The time between 1977-83 was fun, except for that '81 season (and even that one included wins over KSU and MU also). By the time OU had finished its '83 season with freshman Wayman Tisdale stealing the show, it was still only our third postseason (NCAA or NIT) appearance since the early 70's.

One "reason" I've heard is that people don't want to drive down to the LNC these days. I don't recall it being that much of an ordeal in the 70's, and that was when the Jenkins entrance was the only one they had. Do students not drive much in Norman anymore?

Of course, I was probably a different breed of student. I'd study around the time I spent at the LNC for four years, and I still graduated with a GPA over 3.5. So I know it can be done.

Here's hoping for a student support "re-birth" of sorts. It's been done before.

As a student, I can tell you this is the biggest issue..... the typical student wants to watch a winner... I can tell you though, tonight there will be a HUGE student attendance, hopefully, or else Sooner_In_Michigan and I just wasted the last week of our lives

 

[Pizza the Hutt]

I know I'll get lambasted for this, but the LNC sucks. The arena is just dull, dark, and doesn't foster a rowdy environment. I don't know what it is. Most students are far away and removed from action. I just graduated, it just always had a "blah" feel in the arena unless we were playing a rival. I attended most of Blake Griffins games (tickets were still being given away... didn't understand that) but the last two years have been less than inspiring.

Bad team + dull atmosphere = recipe for bad attendance.

 

[NMSooner'80]

One thing I'd like to add for the new generation of students (as a geezer who keeps up with hoops):

DON'T BUY THE NOTION THAT THE OKC MEDIA TRIES TO FEED YOU ABOUT HOW OSU IS THE "BASKETBALL SCHOOL" IN THE STATE.

Even with this year's rather surprising loss, OU still leads the all-time Bedlam series by 33 games.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I know I'll get lambasted for this, but the LNC sucks. The arena is just dull, dark, and doesn't foster a rowdy environment. I don't know what it is. Most students are far away and removed from action. I just graduated, it just always had a "blah" feel in the arena unless we were playing a rival. I attended most of Blake Griffins games (tickets were still being given away... didn't understand that) but the last two years have been less than inspiring.

Bad team + dull atmosphere = recipe for bad attendance.

There is nothing wrong with LNC that 5,000 students wouldn't cure.

 

[MsProudSooner]

The fans and team make the atmosphere, not the building itself.

 

[seniorsooner]

When the team starts winning, the students will come back. It's not rocket science.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

ksSooner13 and I have prepared for 800 students to show up tonight...so there better be that many lol.

 

[sperry]

The fans and team make the atmosphere, not the building itself.

That's not true. The arena is a big factor. The seats are closer to the court in other arenas, and our lower level seats except under the baskets are reserved for donors who don't show up.

 

[NMSooner'80]

I'd also like to add that I know there are people of my own generation who also think that OSU has the edge on OU historically in men's hoops. That also baffles me, although it was also obvious when I was a student that OU had the better program. The Aggies usually won less than 12 games a season. The worst OU did when I was a student was 14 wins. And all four seasons were at least .500 or better.

 

[DenverSooner]

It is a historical fact that the LNC was considered one of the toughest venues in the country in the mid 80s through 1990. It was the same building. The building does not matter. The fans and team make the environment.

I will say that OU has taken the good seats from the students making it less desirable to attend. Back then the students essentially got 25% of the stadium starting a midcourt, opposite side of the team to midway behind the basket. It may have been slightly less than actual midcourt but they were good seats and the place rocked. It was not a sell out for every game but conference games had good attendence as did bigger non-conference games. UNLV was about as loud as any game I have ever attended (anywhere) and I have been to OU v. OSU in Stoolwater, OU v. KU in Lawrence, OU v. Colorado in Boulder, OU v. Texas in Austin and OU v. Baylor in Waco. Other very loud games were OSU, Missouri, KU, Arizona, Loyola Marymount (but not like the others), Texas, Pitt, Duke

It is unfortunate that OU lost that because it was a special place and nobody won in Norman. Duke barely beat OU in 1990/91 in Norman and OU wasn't very good that year.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I was at OU from 89-93 and can remember the student section about 80% full for the mid-week conference games during my freshman year (when we had Jackie Jones, McCovery, Patterson, Evans, william Cheese Davis, Tony Martin, etc.). Non con games were a tossup but remember the US International game when we scored 97 points in the first half. It was right before Christmas break, maybe 2 weeks before, and was on a Thursday night. The student section was pretty much full but I think it was pretty well known we were going to break the scoring record as LMU had just beaten US International a few weeks before by a huge margin. That's the fullest I've ever seen the LNC for a no-name non-con game.

EDIT: I corrected the opponent to US International as I originally had Centenary and DenverSooner set me straight.

 

[DenverSooner]

I thought that was against US International but I remember a game when OU almost scored 100 points in the first half.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I thought that was against US International but I remember a game when OU almost scored 100 points in the first half.

You are right, it was US International. I could have swore it was Centenary...

Anyway, we scored 173 points for the game and had 97 with a minute or 2 left on the clock before halftime. Every player started jacking treys trying to be the one to get us to 100 and missed all of them. The crowd was going wild!

 

[IndySooner]

ksSooner13 and I have prepared for 800 students to show up tonight...so there better be that many lol.

800 students for a top-10 team. That's horrible.

 

[afaSooner]

I know I'll get lambasted for this, but the LNC sucks. The arena is just dull, dark, and doesn't foster a rowdy environment. I don't know what it is. Most students are far away and removed from action. I just graduated, it just always had a "blah" feel in the arena unless we were playing a rival. I attended most of Blake Griffins games (tickets were still being given away... didn't understand that) but the last two years have been less than inspiring.

Bad team + dull atmosphere = recipe for bad attendance.

You know, we've had just about everything else. We've had a year in year out winning basketball team, we've had one of the greatest players that have played the game... but we haven't had a student friendly basketball venue. Hmmmmmm...what could it be?

 

[MsProudSooner]

That's not true. The arena is a big factor. The seats are closer to the court in other arenas, and our lower level seats except under the baskets are reserved for donors who don't show up.

But that's not really the arena, that's the choice of the athletic department.

I know that the physical setup of the LNC isn't optimum - seats aren't close enough to the court for instance. But even with those limitations, it can be a great atmosphere when the team is good and the crowd is into the game. The Maryland game Hollis Price's junior year was electric.

 

[DenverSooner]

But that's not really the arena, that's the choice of the athletic department.

I know that the physical setup of the LNC isn't optimum - seats aren't close enough to the court for instance. But even with those limitations, it can be a great atmosphere when the team is good and the crowd is into the game. The Maryland game Hollis Price's junior year was electric.

It is not substantially different than it was in the 80s. In fact, they have added seating to the floor and made things closer. The problem is the fans. If I could magically put the LNC in Chapel Hill, Durham, Lexington or Lawrence, it would rock. The fans would make it loud for big games. It is us not the building.

If you have any doubt about it, go to GIA. The place was louder and better before it was expanded due to the students and quality of the team. That freaking place was loud in 1989 and OSU wasn't any good then.

 

[SoMuchDramaInTheLNC]

Once what I refer to as the ”Capel Stink” wears off, which is not only the talent level but the overall malaise and lack of expectation to win, the students will be back. Frankly I was impressed with our turnout tonight, although we need to stand the whole game. That will come though.