clt says that we shouldn't fret about our attendance

[cltniners]

http://dukechronicle.com/article/low-attendance-forces-duke-athletics-sell-student-seats

[BigTimeNiner]

If you watch any of the non top-25 games you will see empty seats.
One of the Wake games looked 1/3 full recently.
 
I am actually impressed that our fans are still going and supporting the team.
It is hard to do during times like this.

[49r9r]

I'll take our Section 104 over the Cameron Crazies.  Duke does not allow that many students into Cameron, and now they have to sell some of the student seats?

The Wake student section has become almost nonexistent for most of their games, at least the games I've been to.

[ninerID]

i've noticed this a lot this year in watching games across the country.


So what changed?


Is it that basketball has fallen even further from football?  Is it that the traditional student now works more hours?  Are class schedules now being changed to later in the day to allow working individuals to obtain skills?


I guess one argument would be that you now have more access to watch your team through the internet and expanded cable programming, but that wouldn't fit the mold with a Duke who has basically every game on TV.  It is also a very mild winter.

[Nugget]

Our student section is so large that it is hard for us to have a full house, but I bet very few of our opponents have ever heard the noise that 4000 students can make.  Getting back to those type of crowds will make Halton the toughest place in the A-10 to come play.


On a side note, Lew, are you graduating this year?  Who takes your place when you do?  It is clear that having a leader in 104 is key to making it rock.  How does this work?

[punkrockcowboy]

On a side note, Lew, are you graduating this year?  Who takes your place when you do?  It is clear that having a leader in 104 is key to making it rock.  How does this work?

This.  We have the best student and leadership organization I've seen.  MS State packs the place with more fans than we do, and about the same amount of students, but the organization and leadership is not there.  Charlotte has it going on.  We've got to keep it going.  When I get back this fall I'm gonna visit and pay my respect for 104.  Gotta help out however with whatever the students need.

[ZombieLew]

Our student section is so large that it is hard for us to have a full house, but I bet very few of our opponents have ever heard the noise that 4000 students can make.  Getting back to those type of crowds will make Halton the toughest place in the A-10 to come play.


On a side note, Lew, are you graduating this year?  Who takes your place when you do?  It is clear that having a leader in 104 is key to making it rock.  How does this work?

There really is no system in place. The whiteboard was passed to me from NinerAlchemist (if you remember him, haven't seen him here in a while) and the student section followed. On senior night, I'll give the whiteboard to whoever I think is the most fit to take over next semester... but it is really up to him/her to step up, as well as the students as a whole to accept their new leader.

edit: I also want to say, I'm not the only 'leader' in 104. It is a group effort, and I rely heavily on those who sit around me to help keep section 104 what it is. Some of them are graduating and passing the torch... but there are also plenty of younger students who are ready to step up into those positions as well.

[HXC Niner]

Our student section is so large that it is hard for us to have a full house, but I bet very few of our opponents have ever heard the noise that 4000 students can make.  Getting back to those type of crowds will make Halton the toughest place in the A-10 to come play.


On a side note, Lew, are you graduating this year?  Who takes your place when you do?  It is clear that having a leader in 104 is key to making it rock.  How does this work?

There really is no system in place. The whiteboard was passed to me from NinerAlchemist (if you remember him, haven't seen him here in a while) and the student section followed. On senior night, I'll give the whiteboard to whoever I think is the most fit to take over next semester... but it is really up to him/her to step up, as well as the students as a whole to accept their new leader.

edit: I also want to say, I'm not the only 'leader' in 104. It is a group effort, and I rely heavily on those who sit around me to help keep section 104 what it is. Some of them are graduating and passing the torch... but there are also plenty of younger students who are ready to step up into those positions as well.

I actually think this student "leader" is taking it a little too far.  The people that sit in the font row (game in and game out) seem to think that they have some kind of power over people behind them. And no i dont need a speech about how if i show up the day before every game, skip class, and throw away my college degree, I can be part of it. I've noticed this problem more and more every time there is another game at Halton.  SOME seem to have forgotten that it is the STUDENT SECTION and 104, not #FRONTROWSTUDENTLEASERSECTION #BUS1.  I know more than one person than no longer goes to games because of this. I personally don't go to as many and now make it a point not to sit near #BUS1. You can't make inappropriate comments all night long and then turn around and tell someone they can't do the same, or when/how it's appropriate to cheer.

Take it how you want, be mad, defend why you have this right, I Don't care, as long as you take a step back and really think about what it means to be a "student leader.". There is a certain amount of Respect that should go with it.  It's great that you can make every game.  It's great that you can get there a day and a half early to make sure that no one else can sit in section 104 seat 8 and that you can say, "for 3 seasons no one else sat ther but me."  It's great that the Niners have brought together 10 close friends that share loving Niner basketball.  I'm happy that you experienced a special comradary with BUS1. But it doesn't make you a bigger/better/more important fan than anyone else.  Other people have things to take care of.  I've seen you say, "we arent making it like that this year we invite anyone up front," in a couple places.  Next game take a look around you.  Its the same people that you've seen all season. And dont tell me its because they were there first because half the seats in the first 4 rows are "saved." these are the same people who get mad because,"the little kids got MY seat! I earned it!" Most majors at the school are tough and require tons of work/time in the library.  Those students aren't any less of fans that you are and deserve no less respect.  At what point does it stop becoming about glorifying the school and more of the legacy you left?

PS It's ok if a chant doesn't start from the front of 104. They sound just as good. Don't look so mad when they don't start there.

/rant

[Powerbait]

I don't think it is a bad thing that people sit up front in 104 for 2-3 years in a row.  If you do put in the time and energy, you deserve the reward. 
 
I think telling other people when to cheer and when not to is lame though.  Our student section has a few chants that are well organized and those are cool.  But they are also the most passive I've seen in a while.  When we were coming back against SLU, it was a morgue until 2 minutes were left, even though we were in the middle of a furious comeback. 

Also, I don't see a lot of hostility toward opposing players and coaches.  Gotta be mean.

[HXC Niner]

My issue is not with people who wait outside for 2 days. By all means.  I'm just saying it doesn't give you a right to tell me when I can cheer.  It doesn't give you a right to deem what I say inappropriate when you yourself are no moral compass. And it especially doesn't give you the right to save seats for your 10 closest friends that show up 30 minutes before tipoff.

[Powerbait]

My issue is not with people who wait outside for 2 days. By all means.  I'm just saying it doesn't give you a right to tell me when I can cheer.  It doesn't give you a right to deem what I say inappropriate when you yourself are no moral compass. And it especially doesn't give you the right to save seats for your 10 closest friends that show up 30 minutes before tipoff.

True.  I never had more than 4 tickets when I was in school.  I usually only had two. 
 
I can understand telling someone to cool it if they are really getting bad, but man I had such a foul mouth on the sidelines I really can't say I would have been a good person to tell someone to layoff. 
 
In their defense, sometimes the AD comes by and says "So and so needs to chill out or they are gone." 

[ImfromClayton]

1) You saying that I throw my degree away is highly offensive. I am a North Carolina Teaching Fellow with a fantastic GPA, and I study every time that I camp out all day.  The difference is, I make the sacrifice to study in the cold, rather than the library.  Halton Arena has wifi, available all night, and a plug to charge your lap top.

2) If you say it has been the same people game after game this year, you obviously haven't been to more than a few games.  The people that camp out get the seats they want. We have multiple people that camp out, and don't sit on the first row.  I don't think the general student population understands just how many people camp on a consistent basis.

3) This is a formal invitation for you to camp out.  We have opened this option to ANYONE who would like to camp.  For two games we provided a 12 person tent, and an 18 person tent for this option (it was massive), and both went completely unused.

4) Bus 1 is our way of remembering the crazy weekend of riding from Alabama, to Charlotte, camping, beating the hell out of Davidson, and going back to Alabama, and then PASSING EXAMS. It was without a doubt the greatest weekend of my college career.  It is not a cult or anything like that.  I am starting to believe it has gone to far, because it is causing assumptions. Hell, its in on my profile here.

5) The only people we tell to shut up are people that swear, or says something completely inappropriate for example, jokes about someone's family. We reprimand each other on the front row as well, but the Athletic Department comes to Lew when anyone behind Lew screws up.  The goal is creative humor, not swearing in an arena with children present. If this is in reference to student's chanting "bull sh*t" last night, Although I agree the call was awful, that chant is NEVER appropriate, under any circumstances.

6) We don't think we are better than anyone else.  In fact, it is our goal to grow, and have as many people standing out there for hours at a time as possible.  The lines used to go all the way to the Library.  We want that again.  Over 400 people camped for Cincy in 04. That is what we want.  I would LOVE to hear any advice you have on how to grow in numbers, and draw more students in. That is our goal.  We really are welcoming people, I swear. 

[ImfromClayton]

My issue is not with people who wait outside for 2 days. By all means.  I'm just saying it doesn't give you a right to tell me when I can cheer.  It doesn't give you a right to deem what I say inappropriate when you yourself are no moral compass. And it especially doesn't give you the right to save seats for your 10 closest friends that show up 30 minutes before tipoff.

When people say inappropriate things, Lewis has hell to pay. He pays for other people's actions. I have witnessed this. I hope and pray Cass finds this thread.
I save one seat for my girlfriend who sings the national anthem, and still camps out in the cold.  I know they save seats for people who camp with door 2 or 3, but not for anyone that doesn't put the time in.

[Powerbait]

I have no problem with swearing in the student section.  In fact, I indulged in a fair bit of it myself.

[ZombieLew]

HXC, do me a favor at the next game. Introduce yourself. Obviously, you know who I am. On the other hand, I don't know who you are. What I see right now is a student who is angry because... well... I don't know what you're really angry about... but you're angry nonetheless... and you're taking anonymous shots at me. I'd love to get a chance to meet with you and talk about this face-to-face. Until then, I'll use the Gruehlsian Method to respond.

I actually think this student "leader" is taking it a little too far.  The people that sit in the font row (game in and game out) seem to think that they have some kind of power over people behind them.

I'd like to know what kind of power we seem to have. The majority of the cheers and chants start with us, and... well... that's it.

And no i dont need a speech about how if i show up the day before every game, skip class, and throw away my college degree, I can be part of it.

So what do you want then? I mean... nobody is barred from sitting up there with us... seats are first come first serve. I'll tell you what... I'll meet you in the middle. How about you show up the night before the game, sleep in a tent with us, go to your classes (as we all do) and continue to work towards your college degree (like we all are) and be a part of it?

I've noticed this problem more and more every time there is another game at Halton.  SOME seem to have forgotten that it is the STUDENT SECTION and 104, not #FRONTROWSTUDENTLEASERSECTION #BUS1.

I'm not even sure what this means. Please enlighten me.

I know more than one person than no longer goes to games because of this. I personally don't go to as many and now make it a point not to sit near #BUS1.

There's that #bus1 thing again. You do realize #bus1 is a joke in reference to the shenanigans that went on during the weekend of the College Cup, right? We spent 32 hours on a bus together. We laughed 'till we cried. We had the absolute time of our lives. "#bus1" became the unofficial name of that group of people we shared the time of our lives together. The only reason "#bus1" is still mentioned is because that is our memories of that trip. If the fact that a group of people made up a name to describe a shared experience of great personal value to them bothers you and your friends so much that it keeps you from attending basketball games... then there are bigger problems behind all of this.

You can't make inappropriate comments all night long and then turn around and tell someone they can't do the same, or when/how it's appropriate to cheer.

Would you mind giving me a few examples here? Any time I hear something inappropriate, I have to discourage it. I have to reprimand it, and I have to stop it. It's better than being escorted out of the building, isn't it? You know, that's what would happen, right? I get an earful from members of our gameday operations crew whenever somebody is out of line. In return, our student section gets a barrier that nobody else in the arena gets. They come to me, and say "this is happening. If you guys can't stop it, event staff is going to have to get rid of it." Any other section, they don't do that. They just remove it then and there. So yeah, I will silence any inappropriate chants and cheers.

As far as us making 'inappropriate comments all night long' this is where I can claim my experience. I've been in 104 for four years now, all four of them either in the front row or close to it. I know where that line is, I know how to walk it without stepping over. Believe me, if I actually turn around to address a comment that I heard, it was in fact over the line.

Take it how you want, be mad, defend why you have this right, I Don't care, as long as you take a step back and really think about what it means to be a "student leader.".

Can I give it a go? To be a student leader means to lead by example. Be loud without exception, even when you're the only person in the section continuing the chant. It also means to act as that liason between the gameday operations crew and the rest of the student section. To know where that line is, and to do your best to control where we as a student section stand in relation to it.

[ZombieLew]

There is a certain amount of Respect that should go with it.  It's great that you can make every game.  It's great that you can get there a day and a half early to make sure that no one else can sit in section 104 seat 8 and that you can say, "for 3 seasons no one else sat ther but me."  It's great that the Niners have brought together 10 close friends that share loving Niner basketball.  I'm happy that you experienced a special comradary with BUS1. But it doesn't make you a bigger/better/more important fan than anyone else.

Never said I was. Do I earn my seat (it's seat 9, btw) every game? Yes, I sure do. Do I put in a lot of effort (even outside of the three hours we're in the arena) to make Section 104 the best it can be? Yes, I certainly do. Does that make me any more important than the person sitting in Row L, seat 6? Not at all.

Other people have things to take care of.  I've seen you say, "we arent making it like that this year we invite anyone up front," in a couple places.  Next game take a look around you.  Its the same people that you've seen all season.

So, the fact that you didn't accept that invitation is our fault?

And dont tell me its because they were there first because half the seats in the first 4 rows are "saved."

No, they really are not. Yes, I'll give you that many people sit in the same seat game in and game out. As I've said before, the people sit there because they arrive early enough to get in that same seat. We've all developed personal preferences as to where we sit, so we choose to sit in those seats regularly. The only instances where seats have been saved this year have arisen when seats have been saved have been when somebody has camped out and had a class or some other required function that meant they couldn't be there when the door is opened, or when a student with a door #2 or door #3 ticket camped out. Personally, I'm not a big fan of saving seats, but I have a really hard time standing against it when I see students outside of those first few rows saving multiple seats for friends all the time.

 

these are the same people who get mad because,"the little kids got MY seat! I earned it!"

That whole thing got taken way out of context. We were let down by the lack of communication on the subject, and that really was it. #wewant104back was a joke, again going back to the College Cup trip when #wewantabus was trending in Charlotte. I'm pretty sure there was also a #wewantabeer going at some point. I still want that beer.

 

Most majors at the school are tough and require tons of work/time in the library.

I'm a graphic designer. My fiancee studied architecture. Trust me, I know.

Those students aren't any less of fans that you are and deserve no less respect.

Again, what's with all of this "no less respect" crap? I don't remember the last time I disrespected anybody else for not being a part of #FRONTROWSTUDENTLEASERSECTION. I smell an inferiority complex...

At what point does it stop becoming about glorifying the school and more of the legacy you left?

It's all about glorifying the school. That being said, there is a part of me that is proud of what I do and what I've done. I am proud that I am leaving a legacy, yes... but I am more proud that that legacy is completely built by the hard work that I've put in over the last four years of my life in the best interest of our student section and our school in general.

PS It's ok if a chant doesn't start from the front of 104. They sound just as good. Don't look so mad when they don't start there.

Yeah, it's great if a chant doesn't start from the front of 104! It's awesome! Unless, of course, it's somebody yelling "Bullshit!" at the officials, or some douchers in a blazer and a Duke shirt trying to start a "Temple sucks" chant in 105. Those don't sound so good.

/rant

/response

[PARMAN]

Do the Duke students have these kinds of discussionsamong themselves  too?  I think HXC and Lew need to go have a beer together as long as they are both of age. 
 

[ImfromClayton]

Duke Students camp out as a way of life, and it's the norm.  Charlotte students think we are crazy because we camp out, and get angry because they don't want to camp out.  We are camping for the same reason.

[PARMAN]

Duke Students camp out as a way of life, and it's the norm.  Charlotte students think we are crazy because we camp out, and get angry because they don't want to camp out.  We are camping for the same reason.

That's what we've always read and heard but that article makes it sound like it is now pretty easy to get a ticket to a Duke game as a student.  I would love to know the breakdown of how many Duke students camp out now compared to how many used to camp out.  I'm  sure it varies by game too.