Marquette Gameday Impressions

[DegenerateDish]

I was able to make my first trip up to Milwaukee in three years for an MU game on Saturday vs Rutgers. I saw a couple of the threads below, and wanted to consolidate my thoughts into one post.

-I'm not sure I understand the people complaining about the crowd noise. I was "upstairs" for the game, and the crowd was into it. People who want rowdy/craziness for 40 minutes don't really grasp what was going on. Rutgers came out and hit something like their first 6-8 shots. That'll obviously take a crowd somewhat out of a game. Also, most importantly, it was Rutgers. Look at the standings on the left. This wasn't Duke/Carolina.

-That said, I was impressed with the crowd around me. I was up in the 400's, and it was a mix of families and the people around us were really knowledgable and basketball intelligent.

-I didn't look up what the official attendance # was, but looking around, there had to be 15,000 butts in the building. How many other schools in the conference would draw that well for Rutgers? I think it says a lot about the passion (good and bad) that people who went to Marquette have. At any away game, you always see/hear about the MU contingent in the crowd. Whether you like the coach/nickname/how the team played, kudos should go around for the amount of support this team/school has, it's impressive.

-On a totally different note, I've always seemed to like the PA announcers we've had in the past. I don't know how long this current guy has been around, but it seems like he gets fired up for the most trivial type plays. Early on in the game, a ball got knocked out of bounds and he said "Marrrrrrrrrrrrrrrquettttttttte balllllllll!"
His intros were really drawn out too.

-Finally, those snipets were players are telling the crowd to get fired up...high comedy.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I was also pleasantly surprised by the crowd. I don't know if it was the jersey giveaway or the fact that people like the Saturday afternoon excuse to quaff a few beers, but (and I don't care what the numbers say) there were more people at the game Saturday than were at the Louisville game and it's not even close.  I was thinking it was probably the biggest crowd Rutgers had played before in several years.

There is always going to be complaining by some people about the crowd noise. It's nonsense. There is no right way to root for the team. Some people are loud and boisterous and some are not. Some people stay late at Turners/Goolsby's/Buck Bradley's and saunter into the game a little late and some (for some reason) like to watch warm ups.

And I agree with you about that PA guy. He's too over-the-top.

[Muhoops85]

I have to agree that we have a real "game day" experience @ the BC and the AL.

We have attended away games for the Mens and Ladies team and have never seen t-shirt tosses, or t-shirts parachuting from the rafters, KissCam, Jumping Guy,  or the like.

Even the players attempting to sing happy birthday to fans is painful, yet funny.

The athletic dept does an excellent job of making the experience fun. If you have little ones, go to a ladies game.  The eagle does an excellent job of having fun with the future fanatics.

[DegenerateDish]

The youth jerseys were a sweet promotion. My youngest sister is on the short side and can pass as an 8th grader, so I had her grab an XL youth jersey for me (not that it'll fit).

Crean did his usual pregame jumbotron speech to the crowd and talked about how he is superstitious, and even though they were giving out the baby blue as a give away, he didn't want to wear it against Rutgers.

I understand people have their superstitions, but if you're not going to ever wear the bably blue jersey again, then why have it around? I don't think the color of our uniform had anything to do with us getting pounded at Louisville. I have no problem with us wearing it a couple of times a year for a game like Wisco/ND/Pre-season tournament title game, but I don't buy the superstitious thing. I understand it, I just don't buy it.

I think I'm just bitter that we won't wear this.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/basketball/ncaa/uploaded_images/oldmarq-793420.jpg

[drewm88]

The youth jerseys were a sweet promotion. My youngest sister is on the short side and can pass as an 8th grader, so I had her grab an XL youth jersey for me (not that it'll fit).

I looked around at all the "8th grade" female MU students with their awesome new Wade jerseys, and I cursed puberty with my deep voice.

Then I saw "8th grade" male MU students looking absolutely ridiculous wearing/trying to wear a child's jersey, and I felt a little better.

[IlikecreansoIcantposthere]

The youth jerseys were a sweet promotion. My youngest sister is on the short side and can pass as an 8th grader, so I had her grab an XL youth jersey for me (not that it'll fit).

I looked around at all the "8th grade" female MU students with their awesome new Wade jerseys, and I cursed puberty with my deep voice.

Then I saw "8th grade" male MU students looking absolutely ridiculous wearing/trying to wear a child's jersey, and I felt a little better.

I was just happy that after being married for 8 years and two kids my wife fit into that shirt.

[DegenerateDish]

They were giving those jerseys out to just about anyone who wanted one, at least at that gate I walked in through.

[TJ]

The youth jerseys were a sweet promotion. My youngest sister is on the short side and can pass as an 8th grader, so I had her grab an XL youth jersey for me (not that it'll fit).

Crean did his usual pregame jumbotron speech to the crowd and talked about how he is superstitious, and even though they were giving out the baby blue as a give away, he didn't want to wear it against Rutgers.

I understand people have their superstitions, but if you're not going to ever wear the bably blue jersey again, then why have it around? I don't think the color of our uniform had anything to do with us getting pounded at Louisville. I have no problem with us wearing it a couple of times a year for a game like Wisco/ND/Pre-season tournament title game, but I don't buy the superstitious thing. I understand it, I just don't buy it.

I think I'm just bitter that we won't wear this.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/basketball/ncaa/uploaded_images/oldmarq-793420.jpg

Honestly I don't really like the baby blue.  So while I was very unhappy about the reason they stopped using them, I am happy that at least I don't have to see them again this year.  I also don't like it in the crowd... I very much prefer the sea of gold to the mix of gold and baby blue it can be at times.