Where Did the Posters Go

[bigdawg]

Sure, the shockers lost some games when Fred was hurt, but I'm not sure we can automatically assume they would have won with him. A couple of those were pretty ugly losses. Plus the Tulsa loss where he played a little stings. And how do you explain losing at Seton Hall? A marginal Creighton team just destroyed them this weekend.

This Wichita State team seems miles away from either of the past couple years.

[Drakey]

I think the major problem is that there are numerous programs with almost no hope. Bradley, Drake and MSU had a lot of posters on here at one time. The programs are so depressing that it is difficult to find anything to talk about. No team in the conference is ranked, nor do they deserve to be. In the past there was usually a team that was not being given the recognition they deserved. Creighton had a lot of posters on here. I feel like this is the Ohio Valley.

[Red]

One other thing. In terms of generating fan interest the Valley does an awful job. I'm posting on a Valley message board so I'm already more invested than 90% of fans but it's hard to find and watch games. Don't tell me ESPN3 because that just screams low major and now ESPN doesn't even send crews to our games anymore but they call them from studio off site instead.

[Aargh]

It's a lot easier to get pumped and get the "conversation" going when the posters are dealing with one of the top 6 - 9 conferences. Not as much to get pumped about with the #14 conference with 4 200+ rpi teams.

the MVC's theme song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5KFgSDvoVc

[purple&orange]

When your team isn't very good or goes out and plays poorly, there is enough frustration built up that coming online to have other fanbases kick you while your down isn't a whole lot of fun. It's not worth it. With that said, when they do have a special season, it makes the struggles worthwhile.

Look at attendance numbers, SIU this past weekend and here in Evansville the first two conference games. It's a different era than the one I grew up with where Roberts Stadium had 8,000-11,000 seemingly every night in the early 90s. Fans like winners and support winners. I was spoiled being born in 1983, seeing Evansville go to the NCAA Tournament in 1989 (one of my first memories), 1992, and 1993 and the NIT in 1994. There has been a drought since 1999 and maybe it was because I was in high school but I certainly didn't believe that they wouldn't get back again.

It can be fun and informative and honestly do some good to hear from the other perspective because even when we try to be objective, our guys get the benefit of the doubt. I'm guilty, when Evansville struggles I don't post much.....what is there to add at that point, especially when you have a little optimism and others are just waiting to throw them back in your face.

I'm proud to be an Evansville fan, trust me there are a ton of "Power 5" programs that get supported around here. Yes we've struggled since joining the MVC and by all accounts with DJ and Egidijus leading the way, this is the year if it's going to happen. It's been fun watching this group of Aces come together, to see the emergence of Jaylon Brown, not just vs Wichita the other night but all season long as one example.

At the end of the day, I'd glad I'm an Evansville fan, waiting for that one magical season, one magical run in STL in March that punches a ticket. Go ahead and take shots about the CIT, but man that ride, that title game in front of a crowd that was into the game was a lot of fun and it's a memory that I won't soon forget. It reminded me of an era when Evansville was competing for the old MCC titles, winning 20+ games, and going to the tournament 3 times in 5 seasons. It wasn't the NCAAs or the NIT, and there will be disappointment if the Aces can't make it there this year, but watching this team grow and compete at a much higher level, especially in the face of adversity makes it fun.

[musiccitybulldog]

What may make a difference is the technology was newer then and probably more fun to talk with all the fans of the MVC schools. I remember going onto Valley Talk on dial up. Now we can watch each others games with no problem at all, and its easy to find stats, MVC/team media guides online. Or just google the question you want answers for off your cell phone. It used to be people would ask questions on here, post recollections and give opinions and get called out for being way off base, which was comical at times.

I always enjoyed the banter back and forth between the fans. I've been watching MVC basketball since the 60's so I have seen a lot of ups/downs, changes, upsets and wins.

I also was a season ticket holder at an ACC school for a while, bigger (if you want to call it that) is not always better. I think it's all in what you personally enjoy.

[Aargh]

I've long held that you don't kick a fanbase when they are down. You talk trash on the ones who are challenging your team. When a team is down, that fanbase is kicking themselves hard enough. They don't need any help.

Strutting, posing, and posturing when your team is up is about as bad. Everybody knows your team is up. You don't have to rub it in.

Right now there are a lot of areas of mutual interest that can be discussed without any "we're great and you suck" type of discussion.

Is Lusk turning the corner and learning how to coach. Might he be saving his job or is the MSU fanbase so down on him that there's not much he can do?

Drake fans are turning on Giacaletti in his second year? It seemed like he was a good hire and should get more than two years to make some progress.

What's the deal with Porter Moser. He took limited talent and did better than expected. Now he seems to have more talent, but is doing less with it. Does the administration at Loyola actually care enough about basketball to put any pressure on Moser?

What's the deal with Hinson and how he took all the defections and turned his team into a winner? Sorry, MSU fans, but Hinson putting a winning team on the court with all the problems he faced at SIU is going to get his firing at MSU criticized for - approximately FOREVER!

Speaking of MSU, what's the deal with beating Okie State in Stillwater and getting 2 buzzer-beater W's in league play? The "we're going BCS" talk, the black helicopters, sealed envelopes, invitations to FB leagues have made MSU fan an easy target, but they're winning some BB games - unlike what their FB team did.

[ptownbraves]

When your team sucks, there's only so much optimism you can publicly display in a conference message board without sounding like a complete homer. So the alternative is to talk about how much your team sucks, about other teams in the conference, or nothing at all. Many choose the last option since being on this site in the first place is already a reminder of how much your team sucks.

[Wufan]

Sure, the shockers lost some games when Fred was hurt, but I'm not sure we can automatically assume they would have won with him. A couple of those were pretty ugly losses. Plus the Tulsa loss where he played a little stings. And how do you explain losing at Seton Hall? A marginal Creighton team just destroyed them this weekend.

This Wichita State team seems miles away from either of the past couple years.

Can it automatically be assumed that WSU would have won with a healthy roster? No is it reasonable to assume so? Yes. One loss was ugly...Iowa in Orlando. We lost to USC by 3 and Bama by 4 (their best player is now out for the season). Tulsa was a bad loss, but FVV was injured badly. Watch the SH game and let me know if we had a shot at that one. Given the same schedule with a complete roster we win 4 more games.

Such as it is injuries and ups and downs are part of basketball. WSU is playing really well right now and is unlikely to lose more than a couple in Valley play.

[DUBulldog]

Drake fans are turning on Giacaletti in his second year? It seemed like he was a good hire and should get more than two years to make some progress.

3rd year.

Big drop from 1st year to 2nd year. 3rd year essentially the same as the 2nd. Everybody (except Karl Madison, who is a non-factor) returns next season, so the pressure will definitely be on Giacoletti to prove himself.

When you're as bad as Drake is, having everybody back is a mixed blessing. Yes, theoretically each player should be improved. But, it's still the same group of players that did so poorly the year before, and there is likely a talent issue.

I like Giacoletti a lot, as a person. I think he's trying to play 1970's basketball in the 2010's.