Things I saw...
Steele was a bright spot
Lewis has trouble vs. guys his size
I am not upset over the second half...he played more guys and practiced a zone and different offensive sets
Foul shooting % wasn't that high but there really weren't any bricks that went up
Castro dribbles TOO Much
Friday will show us how much we have improved

Yes.  At both games.  He circulates through the crowd talking to anyone who stops him.  He seemingly takes his time to listen to anyone talking to or with him.  He does not confine himself to the President's room.  I asked him to check the availability on the charter to Florida for the Thanksgiving  tournament .  He went out of his way to make contacts to try and get me an answer before I left the game.  I have or will have the answer by 1:00 today!!  He is a hands on guy!! I met with him and a group of grads and season ticket holders recently for about an hour and a half.  He knows the business of being an AD.  You will just have to trust me on this one.  We have a keeper in Harper.

Last edited by grammudder (11/17/2015 11:58 am)

currentstudent wrote:

Take aways
- Im sorry but engery level in a 25 point game will go down after the second half. UNO probably got fired up because they got smoked in the first half. Duquesne knew they had the game in the bag, still kept the score above 15. Energy level won't drop when they are in a 1 point contrast with a real team.
- As for as the fan base....Blame the university for not bringing the team to the students more. I was there making fun of players all second half. Also we were playing freaking UNO on a Monday night during the end of the semester when all of our term papers are due. Im getting everyone to come to the pitt game, a lot of kids are excited.
- Castro hasn't played in a year and a half, hopefully he starts to produce. I don't think he fits into our system of playing fast but i do think he can be successful here
- Anyone see what happened with Jones and Mason. It looked like they were about to fight after a turn over. Other players had to separate them. The very next play Mason gets a steal and gives it Jones for the dunk. The two were smiling and fits bumping each other. This is what I love, and why I think this team will take the step this year. These 3 seniors have played a boat load of games together and are truly brothers.
- Still don't like LG taking 3s and not fighting down low with his new bigger frame 
- Mason and Sanders....love it
- I really hope Powell is in Friday. He gets caught up with the libertine stuff here, hopefully as he becomes a leader on the team hell stop that.

In general, not going to take to much from this game because of the other team. However, I do like what I see so far, this team will have fight this year. Also I do like the new AD, he really does walk around the arena and look to talk to people. 

I love my dukes

As for the students, I understand that term papers are due, but something still should be done.  You obviously aren't the problem.  You are a hardcore fan.  The issue is that everyone goes to the Pitt game.  That's all our students care about.  Then we lose and no one comes again.  The Bobby Mo game and others should be just as packed.  Make Palumbo into the mad house it should be!

You always have a core of students who come to every game, graduate, and stay fans, but the number has been dwindling for decades and it seems to have really tanked during the Amodio era. I'd be interested why today's students don't attend games. In my era (late 1970s-1980), we had the non-interested NATs (non-athletic types) who didn't like any sports, the organic chem crowd (I always pick on the pharmacy guys, but anyone who had a "killer course" always used it as an excuse), a large commuter base that refused to be on campus after dark, and what I used to call "dorm lumps" -- the ones who sat in their rooms and watched Charlie's Angels, Laverne & Shirley or Columbo on their 12-inch B&W TVs while eating ZTA or Alpha Phi hoagie-sale fare. I was lucky freshman year to have a bunch of friends who went to every game, and later on when I worked for The Duke and enjoyed the courtside seats, dirty water dogs, Pepsi-flavored water, and the camaraderie of Pittsburgh sports reporters and radiomen (Russ Franke, Phil Axelrod, Myron Cope) at halftime. There usually were 3,000 plus in the old Civic Arena (many more for the Pitt game), and while the place always seemed empty the atmosphere was still good. The Playboys and Sheiks (social clubs from a bygone era) made a LOT of noise, often getting responses from opposing players and coaches (NO, BLEEP YOU ROLLIE), and having the great Mossie Murphy leading cheers was amazing.

I had been a fan of the program since earlier in the decade, having seen the Dukes on the regional NBC game of the week broadcasts. Seeing where the program is now is tough. Reading that student interest has become nil doesn't bode well for the future.

Ugh.

"Anyone see what happened with Jones and Mason. It looked like they were about to fight after a turn over. Other players had to separate them. The very next play Mason gets a steal and gives it Jones for the dunk. The two were smiling and fits bumping each other. This is what I love, and why I think this team will take the step this year. These 3 seniors have played a boat load of games together and are truly brothers."

Actually, I did hear what happened as my seats are in a the front row within ear shot.  Jones said something to Mason about the foul he had just committed.  When they came down Mason said something back to him about it and Jones said to him (AND I PARAPHRASE),  On the foul line Jones said to him... I can't yell at you???  You can yell at me!   I can yell at you...I can tell you what you should/shouldn't have done. Who are you?  They then exchanged a few more words.  Mason was actually more offended and Jones wouldn't let him off the hook.  After the foul shot they went down and Mason made a 3 and Jones came back and cheered for him.  Next time down Mason passed off to Jones for his shot on a break and they gave each other a five smack on the hands.  It was an excellent interchange of two fellow athletes who care about the program and each other.  I saw nothing wrong with it.
 

Last edited by FAM (11/17/2015 1:26 pm)

grammudder wrote:

Yes.  At both games.  He circulates through the crowd talking to anyone who stops him.  He seemingly takes his time to listen to anyone talking to or with him.  He does not confine himself to the President's room.  I asked him to check the availability on the charter to Florida for the Thanksgiving  tournament .  He went out of his way to make contacts to try and get me an answer before I left the game.  I have or will have the answer by 1:00 today!!  He is a hands on guy!! I met with him and a group of grads and season ticket holders recently for about an hour and a half.  He knows the business of being an AD.  You will just have to trust me on this one.  We have a keeper in Harper.

This is a welcome change.

ElDuque wrote:

You always have a core of students who come to every game, graduate, and stay fans, but the number has been dwindling for decades and it seems to have really tanked during the Amodio era. I'd be interested why today's students don't attend games. In my era (late 1970s-1980), we had the non-interested NATs (non-athletic types) who didn't like any sports, the organic chem crowd (I always pick on the pharmacy guys, but anyone who had a "killer course" always used it as an excuse), a large commuter base that refused to be on campus after dark, and what I used to call "dorm lumps" -- the ones who sat in their rooms and watched Charlie's Angels, Laverne & Shirley or Columbo on their 12-inch B&W TVs while eating ZTA or Alpha Phi hoagie-sale fare. I was lucky freshman year to have a bunch of friends who went to every game, and later on when I worked for The Duke and enjoyed the courtside seats, dirty water dogs, Pepsi-flavored water, and the camaraderie of Pittsburgh sports reporters and radiomen (Russ Franke, Phil Axelrod, Myron Cope) at halftime. There usually were 3,000 plus in the old Civic Arena (many more for the Pitt game), and while the place always seemed empty the atmosphere was still good. The Playboys and Sheiks (social clubs from a bygone era) made a LOT of noise, often getting responses from opposing players and coaches (NO, BLEEP YOU ROLLIE), and having the great Mossie Murphy leading cheers was amazing.

I had been a fan of the program since earlier in the decade, having seen the Dukes on the regional NBC game of the week broadcasts. Seeing where the program is now is tough. Reading that student interest has become nil doesn't bode well for the future.

Ugh.

When we were in school, Duquesne was still perceived as a major program. The struggles of the last 35 years, plus the rise of the Big East killed that. In Pittsburgh, if it wasn't the Big East, it was seen as garbage. The fact that we've largely been non competitive even at our level hasn't helped that perception. This town won't support a loser. The Bucs, and Pens played in front of a ton of empty seats when they didn't contend. You can't say about the Steelers, because they pretty much never suck. A down stretch for the Steelers means 8-8, and missing the playoffs by a game. I wonder what would happen if they strung 7-8 losing seasons together, with a 3-13 in there? It's easy to draw when you've been the most successful team in the league by pretty much every metric, since the merger. On the other hand, Duquesne playing NO on a Monday in December isn't really going to get the juices flowing.
 

Watched the URI game and they have hundreds of students and the game was at 10 AM. URi plays a boring style of basketball. Atleast the dukes score and play a fast paced style. The students should show up while the team wins against these cupcake schools. Showing for the PITT game is useless cause that is the last game they will show up for. Hopefully the bring in a marketing person who can get fans to the game. Put a keg in the practice gym and maybe the students will show up. Don't get me wrong it's tough to show up to watch a losing team but not showing up just makes it harder for them to play.

Last edited by Steel city AJ (11/17/2015 10:23 pm)

Grandmudder and Phoenix's posts about the new AD are the most encouraging signs I see with the program.  It starts with building a rapport. 

I never posted this but I know one of the DU Olympic sports coaches from going to their games.   That coach told me the the former AD (after Harper was hired) never spoke to the student athletes even at their year end banquets.  And the student athletes always commented on it.  You can't run a program like that.   

This are finally changing.

He said it once last game. A kid from NO checked in and Ray said "what's the boys number that just checked in." I noticed it when he said it but I don't think it's fair to label him a racist. The guy has been around forever and loves Duquesne basketball, black and white players alike. Lets relax a little bit.

It should be the New Ad's decision, he doesn't run the athletic dept, so why should it be his decision to step down. If he's not doing a good job then he should be replaced. 

hulahooper wrote:

Ray goss and JD are awful to listen to on the webcasts. They announce on the radio and on the webcasts and they have no clue that they are on the web casts too. "24 foot three for colder" Mean while his foot is right behind the arc which would make it a 22 foot three. I don't understand how he can't pronounce C-O-L-T-E-R. and now we have JD who calls darius lewis Damian lewis.. I don't know what he's smoking but the only Damian this team had was from about 7 years ago. Ray calls the african american players coming in the game "boy" if you don't think thats racist then I don't know what to say, while JD is next to him. The school needs to create a new brand, and it should start with getting rid of these 2 clowns. Put B-Mac on the radio along with Bob Healey.. will do a a way better job. "Wide open 25 foot three" while the other team blocks the shot and dunks it on on the other end. Unbelievable

Are you kidding me!  You come here and your first post is to accuse Ray Gross of being a racist.  Ray is a good man and a DU icon.  You and your PC gone a muck sensibility is what is wrong with this Country.   I don't know why I don't just ban you from this board right now. Consider yourself on notice.