Game Boycott Next Year?

[Viper]

This is probably the spot to start.

mailto:athleticdirector@marquette.edu

my email goes out tomorrow. Thank you cheebs.

[Anti-Dentite]

Bad idea. Student athletes play for Marquette. Who really gets hurt? I support the young men and women wearing Marquette jerseys.

Step one. Lovell has to go. Worthless fundraiser during his tenure so far. The rest of the dominos will follow once he is gone.

I agree with Lovell being shown the door, he has been a disaster and is destroying the reputation of MU. The basketball program is but a symptom of his mismanagement.

[MU82]

The ideas being discussed so far in this thread probably won't work, but I at least some Scoopers are thinking bigger.

Rather than just repeating the same whines over and over and over again on a relatively small interwebs site, if there really is the large contingent of Wojo-hating MU fans that some here claim there is - some even have suggested that it's the majority, IIRC - then we gotta think big.

Why one game? Why not arrange a season-ticket boycott? If season tickets went from the thousands to the hundreds, there's your message to Lovell, the BOD and anybody else that matters.

I am not being facetious. Even though I am not a season ticket holder (because I live 900 miles away), I would strongly support this.

Failing that (because it would be too difficult to organize and because probably too few would take part), a massive letter-writing campaign - or at least a petition drive - might move the needle.

What I'm pretty sure won't move the needle one iota is a bunch of grumpy fans (myself included) beyotching on Scoop.

[Galway Eagle]

The ideas being discussed so far in this thread probably won't work, but I at least some Scoopers are thinking bigger.

Rather than just repeating the same whines over and over and over again on a relatively small interwebs site, if there really is the large contingent of Wojo-hating MU fans that some here claim there is - some even have suggested that it's the majority, IIRC - then we gotta think big.

Why one game? Why not arrange a season-ticket boycott? If season tickets went from the thousands to the hundreds, there's your message to Lovell, the BOD and anybody else that matters.

I am not being facetious. Even though I am not a season ticket holder (because I live 900 miles away), I would strongly support this.

Failing that (because it would be too difficult to organize and because probably too few would take part), a massive letter-writing campaign - or at least a petition drive - might move the needle.

What I'm pretty sure won't move the needle one iota is a bunch of grumpy fans (myself included) beyotching on Scoop.

Well my thought with 1 game was that it wouldn't make the players feel like we weren't supporting them while at the same time may effectively get the point across to the admins about Wojo. Obviously if you had a STH boycott the point would be heard loud and clear but would it be at the expense of alienating the students that bust their butts day in and day out for our entertainment? That's the line I don't want to cross.

[cheebs09]

Well my thought with 1 game was that it wouldn't make the players feel like we weren't supporting them while at the same time may effectively get the point across to the admins about Wojo. Obviously if you had a STH boycott the point would be heard loud and clear but would it be at the expense of alienating the students that bust their butts day in and day out for our entertainment? That's the line I don't want to cross.

I think we are going to see STHs put their disposable income elsewhere. I can't really see recent grads buying tickets in the Coors Light section. I'm sure some of that will be written off due to Covid and sports attendance in general.

I think half the frustration is that people think Lovell and Scholl are very satisfied with the current standing of the program. Scandal free and can win a big game here and there. I don't know if that's true or how they change that.

If there's an extension this summer for recruiting purposes, the messaging will be very interesting to see.

[MU82]

Well my thought with 1 game was that it wouldn't make the players feel like we weren't supporting them while at the same time may effectively get the point across to the admins about Wojo. Obviously if you had a STH boycott the point would be heard loud and clear but would it be at the expense of alienating the students that bust their butts day in and day out for our entertainment? That's the line I don't want to cross.

Unless Wojo would be replaced by Killings, the players would be a lost cause anyway.

I mean, hundreds (or maybe even 1000+) chanted "Wojo sucks" at most home games last season, even when we were an obvious NCAA tourney team ... and yet nobody transferred and the recruits still came.

Firing Wojo probably would cost us every good player/recruit. But you still do it anyway if you think you need to make a change.

[CountryRoads]

Firing Wojo probably would cost us every good player/recruit. But you still do it anyway if you think you need to make a change.

Exactly and with how fluid recruiting and transfers are nowadays, a good coach can have a competitive team in year one. The myth of "we can't afford to rebuild for 3 years" is completely absurd and actually a myth wojo tried to sell when he first got here.

[Silent Verbal]

Unless Wojo would be replaced by Killings, the players would be a lost cause anyway.

I mean, hundreds (or maybe even 1000+) chanted "Wojo sucks" at most home games last season, even when we were an obvious NCAA tourney team ... and yet nobody transferred and the recruits still came.

Firing Wojo probably would cost us every good player/recruit. But you still do it anyway if you think you need to make a change.

Agreed.  When you hire a new coach, you have to allow for a rough first season where lots of guys transfer and the roster is a mess.  But if the coach you hired is any good, by year two he'll have brought in some good players of his own and the team should be trending up.

[Galway Eagle]

Exactly and with how fluid recruiting and transfers are nowadays, a good coach can have a competitive team in year one. The myth of "we can't afford to rebuild for 3 years" is completely absurd and actually a myth wojo tried to sell when he first got here.

Well it depends on how you look at it. It seems clear to me what Wojo's theoretical strategy was to put a system in place that never got "young" and would stagger good classes. It never really got going. Obviously if you want to be stressed and doing crazy recruiting every year then you can certainly build an immediately successful team. But you may leave yourself open to random really rough years.

[BM1090]

Barring a late-season run and a tournament berth, I don't think we'll renew for next year. Wednesday will be the first MU game in years that we are voluntarily not watching. It's just high-stress and little enjoyment currently.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Exactly and with how fluid recruiting and transfers are nowadays, a good coach can have a competitive team in year one. The myth of "we can't afford to rebuild for 3 years" is completely absurd and actually a myth wojo tried to sell when he first got here.

Steve Forbes on line 1 for you

[The Lens]

Put Megan Duffy on line 1.  She had zero expectations and all she did was go out and win.   She way out paced her expectations. 

If we're making a change it should be for a coach with some urgency.   The plan, the PowerPoint and the pick-up hoops at Noon all sound good but in today's CBB you can rework on the fly. 

[panda]

Steve Forbes on line 1 for you

Wake is a dumpster fire. Even a good coach like Forbes wasn't going to win year 1.

[Autoengineer]

We could always get on board with the women's team.  They are 9-2 this year.   

[Galway Eagle]

We could always get on board with the women's team.  They are 9-2 this year.   

I'm on board with them. Would be happier if they hadn't fallen to SHU but if they can split with Depaul and take care of business against everyone else before getting worked by UConn I'll be thrilled.

[Lennys Tap]

Obviously if you want to be stressed and doing crazy recruiting every year then you can certainly build an immediately successful team.

Guy makes 2 million a year. God forbid he be "stressed" and "doing crazy recruiting" every year to get good fast and stay that way. Maybe I'm being a jerk but I thought that was part of his job description.

[mujivitz06]

Sorry but if you truly love the team and the school and program, you should never be suggesting things like this. No true fan wants to hurt the program, embarrass the program, etc. You may not like the way things are going but any true fan should support the hell out of it and hope it gets better.

Just my opinion.

[Silent Verbal]

Sorry but if you truly love the team and the school and program, you should never be suggesting things like this. No true fan wants to hurt the program, embarrass the program, etc. You may not like the way things are going but any true fan should support the hell out of it and hope it gets better.

Just my opinion.

It is your opinion, and my opinion is that your opinion is horribly wrong.  No one's talking about hurting the program.  In fact, people want to make things better by giving Wojo the heave ho.  Thing is, if Marquette keeps drawing huge crowds despite putting a product on the floor that's bad enough to lose to DePaul at home and torpedo the season, the powers that be will have no reason to want to change things.  Since the fans can't fire Wojo, all they can do is either not show up or go to games and voice their displeasure.  Giving the games a miss altogether seems like the more peaceful form of protest.

[mujivitz06]

It is your opinion, and my opinion is that your opinion is horribly wrong.  No one's talking about hurting the program.  In fact, people want to make things better by giving Wojo the heave ho.  Thing is, if Marquette keeps drawing huge crowds despite putting a product on the floor that's bad enough to lose to DePaul at home and torpedo the season, the powers that be will have no reason to want to change things.  Since the fans can't fire Wojo, all they can do is either not show up or go to games and voice their displeasure.  Giving the games a miss altogether seems like the more peaceful form of protest.

If your goal is to publicly embarrass the program and organize away support from it, then I think it is hurting the program. Otherwise it's just an ego driven pipe dream that you can actually influence the administration through these tactics, which is kind of silly I think.

I don't disagree that this program may be better off without Wojo and trying someone else. But i'm never gonna take a demolition ball to my own program and kids wearing my jersey to do it.

In my opinion, putting huge crowds together despite a shitty product proves how exceptional a program and fan base and tradition we have, not the opposite. If we give that up we are losing a main aspect of what truly makes us special. A loyal fan base is special, so to be truly loyal you have to be loyal when things are shitty.

[Galway Eagle]

Sorry but if you truly love the team and the school and program, you should never be suggesting things like this. No true fan wants to hurt the program, embarrass the program, etc. You may not like the way things are going but any true fan should support the hell out of it and hope it gets better.

Just my opinion.

I proclaimed this for 6 years of this average crap.

Enough is enough, I used to camp outside the Bradley center, have woken up in the middle of the night when I was in grad school abroad to watch them, gone to away games in NYC, UW DPU and BU, organized watching events, donated, driven to weeknight games from Chicago, bought all the jerseys etc etc etc. I don't need to be lectured about loving the program. My attitude has always been "if we can't directly change it then I'll ride or die with who we have" and I'm on record arguing that point with Doc. But I thought of a way that could actually get the message that this mediocre basketball is unacceptable across to the admins and because of that I'd be 100% willing to do it for a game. And it would not represent how much I love our program.

[MU82]

I proclaimed this for 6 years of this average crap.

Enough is enough, I used to camp outside the Bradley center, have woken up in the middle of the night when I was in grad school abroad to watch them, gone to away games in NYC, UW DPU and BU, organized watching events, donated, driven to weeknight games from Chicago, bought all the jerseys etc etc etc. I don't need to be lectured about loving the program. My attitude has always been "if we can't directly change it then I'll ride or die with who we have" and I'm on record arguing that point with Doc. But I thought of a way that could actually get the message that this mediocre basketball is unacceptable across to the admins and because of that I'd be 100% willing to do it for a game. And it would not represent how much I love our program.

Reasonable.

Saying this would be wrong is like saying peaceful protest is un-American.

[Billy Hoyle]

a boycott alone won't do it. it needs to be a walkout during a game. THAT will get the attention of the Admin.

[4everwarriors]

Nah, storm Zilber Hall. Kinda like an erection, hey?

[rocky_warrior]

a boycott alone won't do it. it needs to be a walkout during a game. THAT will get the attention of the Admin.

Doesn't that pretty much happen EVERY halftime when people are too busy at the arena to get back to their seats?

[Billy Hoyle]

Doesn't that pretty much happen EVERY halftime when people are too busy at the arena to get back to their seats?

No. During the game action. It happens in soccer occasionally.

Thousands of Liverpool fans voted with their feet in protest at ticket prices as Anfield witnessed its first walkout in its 132-year history.

Supporters' groups organised the action for the 77th minute of the match against Sunderland

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/06/liverpool-fans-walkout-thousands-ticket-price-protest