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All Things Denver XXIX

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  • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

    The Rice-DU football analogy is a good one. But I think if DU had D-I football the attendance would be closer to 4,000 than 12,000.

    The point of all this isn't to rip on the DU basketball program, but to point out that how really, really hard it is to build a top-notch hoops program. It takes a LOT of money and I don't agree with Swami that DU has the funding, coaching or wherewithal to pull it off.

    Also, lets say DU makes the NCAAs. Teams only make $220,000, half of which is split with the conference, for making the first round. Is DU going to make it and then upset teams like North Carolina, Duke, Kansas or Kentucky?

    And then even if they pulled off the upset, perhaps thousands of miles from Denver, are season ticket holders going to flock to Magness the following season to watch DU play Texas-San Antonio, Louisana Tech and Utah State?

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    • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

      Originally posted by dggoddard View Post
      The Rice-DU football analogy is a good one. But I think if DU had D-I football the attendance would be closer to 4,000 than 12,000.

      The point of all this isn't to rip on the DU basketball program, but to point out that how really, really hard it is to build a top-notch hoops program. It takes a LOT of money and I don't agree with Swami that DU has the funding, coaching or wherewithal to pull it off.

      Also, lets say DU makes the NCAAs. Teams only make $220,000, half of which is split with the conference, for making the first round. Is DU going to make it and then upset teams like North Carolina, Duke, Kansas or Kentucky?

      And then even if they pulled off the upset, perhaps thousands of miles from Denver, are season ticket holders going to flock to Magness the following season to watch DU play Texas-San Antonio, Louisana Tech and Utah State?
      Denver as a market, has little college basketball tradition, so to some extent, the local hoops market is still up for grabs. CU and CSU are campus based programs, and it's hard to get Denverites to travel to those schools regularly during the winter. If DU continues to put out out a good product on the floor (basing this on the three years of serious improvement under Joe Scott, rather than the past two weeks' sub-par performance), I think the 4,000 fans per game theshold is attainable, especially if the league opponents are names that people in the west can identify. Coming to DU games is easy and very affordable, and if DU is consistently beating other western schools, fans will show up. Not 10,000 or 15,000 like the top schools draw, but 4,000-7,000 which can be a good college basketball atmosphere. Utah State and New Mexico State have local name recognition are could become local league rivals for DU, and while the other WAC schools may not be as recognizable CU or CSU, they are still better regional attractions than most of the Sun Belt schools were.

      The $220,000 NCAA first round payout isn't the big money DU is after (althought the national exposure of an NCAA tourney appearance is worth far more than $200k)-- the real money is in getting on TV more often and making money on guarantee games once you can establish a more compelling schedule.

      As I've maintained all along, I don't see DU being a top 20-30 hoops team, since they don't have that level of funding. But there is no reaosn that DU can't be a solid mid-major who can upset better teams from time to time, compete for NCAA berths, and bring 4,000-7,000 fans out to see a winning program playing other western schools. DU does have enough money, good coaching and wherewithal to get to that level.

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      • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

        People in Denver are going to turn out for New Mexico State and Utah State?

        OK, what are those schools nicknames?

        How many people in Denver could answer that question? I'll go with 1/2 of 1%.

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        • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

          Originally posted by dggoddard View Post
          People in Denver are going to turn out for New Mexico State and Utah State?

          OK, what are those schools nicknames?

          How many people in Denver could answer that question? I'll go with 1/2 of 1%.
          Aggies and Aggies. However, I don't count because I don't live in Denver.

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          • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

            Since Dave29 knew the nickames, we'll bump it up to 2%.

            Seriously though, I'd rather play Utah State and New Mexico State than Arkansas State or Middle Tennessee State. USU and NMSU will have alumni bases here in Denver, and the Pioneers played those schools back when they had football 50 years ago, so at least there is some history to build on. And Utah and New Mexico at least border the state of Colorado.

            Granted, no WAC schools are going to be Duke, but at least they are somewhat closer, and should be a little more acceptable here than Sun Belt Schools, which were a turn-off for Denver fans.

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            • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

              Lets face it. DU doesn't want to be in the Sunbelt. They don't want to be in the WCC. And they sure don't want to be in the crumbling WAC. They want to play in the Mountain West. The problem is they might have to spend tens of millions of dollars chasing the dream, that is probably a one in a million shot.

              DU trying to get into the Mountain West Conference
              ******* width="480" height="385">****** name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KX5jNnDMfxA?fs=1&hl=en_US">****** name="allowFullScreen" value="true">****** name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">****** src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KX5jNnDMfxA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385">

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              • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                Since Dave29 knew the nickames, we'll bump it up to 2%.
                Thanks! Glad I could contribute.

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                • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                  Originally posted by dggoddard View Post
                  DU trying to get into the Mountain West Conference
                  ******* width="480" height="385">****** name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KX5jNnDMfxA?fs=1&hl=en_US">****** name="allowFullScreen" value="true">****** name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">****** src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KX5jNnDMfxA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385">
                  Polar bear in a snowstorm?
                  DU Pioneer Hockey. National Champions: 1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2005
                  sigpic
                  WCHA arenas I have visited: Magness, Kohl, Sullivan, National Hockey Center, DECC, Cleveland Steamer World Arena (CSWA)

                  Thanks for your friendship Jimbo!!!

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                  • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                    Originally posted by dave29 View Post
                    I don't live in Denver.
                    I must express my extreme gratitude in this decision...

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                    • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                      Originally posted by s11r9seat8
                      I used to have a computer science professor that spent a half hour a week telling us the if our little school could get into the Southwest Conference, our degrees would be worth something. Was that you Swami, back at good ol' North Texas? I
                      Nope. Never been a Texan. DG lives there, maybe he knows...

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                      • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                        Alumni Update: I am watching Islanders/Blue Jackets right now. The Isles' announcers, Howie Rose and Butch Goring, were just talking about Rhett Rakhshani. Butch said the Isles are very high on Rock and Butch is very impressd with his shot. He expects him to be a a future NHL player and could possibly be called up sometime this season. The Isles just sent former 1st round pick, Josh Bailey to Bridgeport today. He is playing tonight with Rock and Jon Sims on the Sound Tigers top line. Rock is leading Bridgeport in scoring. Bridgeport is playing the Providence Bruins tonight with Joe Colborne. At the end of 2 periods Bridgeport and Providence are tied at 1 with Rock assisting on the Bridgeport goal.
                        DU HOCKEY 1958 1960 1961 1968 1969 2004 2005 2017 NCAA CHAMPIONS

                        DU SKIING 1954 1955 1956 1957 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1969 1970 1971 2000 2001 2002 2005 2008 2009 2010 2014 2016 2018 NCAA CHAMPIONS

                        DU LACROSSE 2015 NCAA CHAMPIONS

                        MATT CARLE WINNER OF 2006 HOBEY BAKER AWARD


                        Geoff Paukovich: That's why I came to Denver, to beat CC.

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                        • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                          Speaking of Alumni, I am going to see the Portland Pirates, coached by Kevin Dineen, on December 4th. They are playing the Norfolk Admirals. Are there any former DU players on this roster?
                          "The bottom line is, the cream rose to the top, and that’s Denver.”
                          Tom Serratore

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                          • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                            Originally posted by Dmann View Post
                            Speaking of Alumni, I am going to see the Portland Pirates, coached by Kevin Dineen, on December 4th. They are playing the Norfolk Admirals. Are there any former DU players on this roster?
                            No DU players on either team. Maybe Bagman can set you up with a meet-and-greet with Dineen, who is a great guy and is always cool with fellow Pioneers.

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                            • Re: All Things Denver XXIX

                              Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                              No DU players on either team. Maybe Bagman can set you up with a meet-and-greet with Dineen, who is a great guy and is always cool with fellow Pioneers.
                              There are some recognizable names on the Pirates:
                              Mark Parrish St.Cloud
                              Tim Conboy St. Cloud
                              Brian Roloff Vermont played against DU last year
                              Corey Tropp Michigan State 1/26/09 suspended for the rest of the season after an attack of Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer.
                              Alex Biega Harvard, Captain, played with 2 brothers at Harvard
                              GO DU !!!

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                              • Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                                No DU players on either team. Maybe Bagman can set you up with a meet-and-greet with Dineen, who is a great guy and is always cool with fellow Pioneers.
                                When I was growing up, Kevin was probably the most friendly to me of any player I knew back then -- with Chris Olson a close second. So, I definitely agree with your sentiment about Mr Dineen.

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