Who is kidding who
- Thread starter 7ICoug
- Start date
he should resign now, he wants an up tempo game pushing the b all up the court but when they get there they stand around and jack three pointers
That is a comment made by someone who has not seen the darkest days of WSU basketball. Kent has proven to be a mediocre coach and he needs to get canned but Ken Bone drove our basketball program into a bridge abutment. He looked ok for a minute when he had all of Tony's guys, but the team fell off the cliff as they graduated. Bone's record at WSU:
2009-10: 16-15 (6-12)
2010-11: 22-13 (11-7) we had a kid named Klay on this team
2011-12: 19-18 (7-11) almost CBI champs as the rest of Tony's guys graduated
2012-13: 13-19 (4-14)
2013-14: 10-21 (3-15)
Ernie's record at WSU has not been stellar, but it felt like WSU was unlikely to get to double digit wins in the future with Bone as coach and watching our conference win total dwindle rapidly once Klay was gone was demoralizing to watch. Kent has been a failure and does need to go.
Well I’ve been watching WSU basketball since Raveling and I’ve never seen crowds like this. Graham was wsu’s Worst coach next and it is close is Kent. He has a loosing record in conference at every stop on his coaching journey. He recruited great talent to a Nike rich environment then squandered it by under achieving. He teaches no defense, I can’t remeber ever scoring on an out of bounds play. I’d take Ken Bone over Ernie Kent any day.
That is humourous. I have been around since Harshman, but never, no one as bad as EK.
We fired Bone when he won 10 games and got Ernie who has already done worse and it will approach Graham this season. You are right he does need to go, but I continue to think we have to suffer another 2 years and then a 5 year rebuild after we get to a place we can put some money into it.
If Pres and AD aren't going to put any money into the program after Ernie's departure, just hire a community college guy making $60K per year now and let him babysit. Double their pay and just be aware that no wins in conference is probable and eeking out 10 wins with a powerpuff OOC schedule will be the new norm.
This is at least a $1Million in salary, $1 Million in travel commitments/charters and $2 Million in facilities per year kind of rebuild. Otherwise, see above for the cheap route.
This is at least a $1Million in salary, $1 Million in travel commitments/charters and $2 Million in facilities per year kind of rebuild. Otherwise, see above for the cheap route.
Interest in college hoops had really been in decline over the past few years in much of the country. That decline has taken a much bigger toll in remote outposts like WSU. The cost to bring WSU hoops to respectability wont put 2500 butts in the seats in todays environment.
Imo WSU is in a relatively unique position, they have a large student base of potential fans that are basically land locked and searching for something to do every night. If the right coach is hired and the proper financial suport is initially provided, success is possible. We can use what is often considered our disadvantage to our advantage. GU fills the seat because they win and the games have become an event, WSU football has become an event, WSU needs to make basketball games an event and you have to start by putting a quality product on the court.
I just don't think things have changed that much that we can't average 6-8,000 with the occasional sellout for some games. There were questions from some that "Bennett-ball" wouldn't draw because it was boring. First season we were a near sell-out for the Stanford game (#1 at the time) with a team that wasn't exactly Sweet 16 quality. Tony's teams averaged around 8,000 (so maybe my range is high). Bone for the first few seasons didn't drop all that much until really his final 2.
Attendance is an issue in more places than Pullman but there is still a demand if you put a good team on the floor that plays hard.
Attendance is an issue in more places than Pullman but there is still a demand if you put a good team on the floor that plays hard.
9,200+ in our Sweet 16 year. 8,000 in the next (16-15) year. Win and they will come.
I live in the Midwest in a community the size of Pullman with no major city within 2.5 hours. It's a college town with a successful D-II school that is well supported by both student body and the general public. The men's basketball team draws nearly 4,000 per game, the women draw around 3,000 per game....both higher than WSU men's average attendance. I honestly don't think there is more to do for students in Pullman than there is where I currently live. The team here wins, they are well coached, they put a solid product on the floor, it's good entertainment and atmosphere. People support the program. It may be an anomaly, but it's more likely that fans will come and support a good program, even at the D-II level. All of us who attended games at Beasley during the Bennett regime remember how loud it got and how good seats were not that easy to secure. It really hasn't been that long ago. I have to believe a better program under a better coach will attract a LOT more support.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
PAC 12 attendance is different because of our situation. Even if you win in LA there are other things competing for your time and dollar. Not so much in Pullman! I have had season tickets a few times over the years but generally speaking I’m a general admission guy. 4 times I have been regulated to the upper deck, 3 during Tony’s years and 1 back in Sampson era when Jason Kidd came to town. Win and they will come!!
Just because Pullman is isolated doesn't mean it is immune to the same apathy towards hoops that has engulded much of the west.
Of course attendance would increase some with a more competitive team, but you would have to start making regular NCAA trips to pull it up to even respectable kevels.
Of course attendance would increase some with a more competitive team, but you would have to start making regular NCAA trips to pull it up to even respectable kevels.
Times have definitely changes but I'm not so sure I agree with the "regular NCAA trips" part in terms of attendance. I know I would like to see how it played out though!
Why do people go to GU games? Why do people go to WSU football games? Your argument shoots itself in the foot at every turn.
For 2017-18 season: (per game average)
Arizona 14,434
Utah 11,710
Arizona St. 10,603
Oregon 8,348
UCLA 8,169
Colorado 7,448
California 7,375
UW 6,794
Oregon State 5,066
Stanford 4,169
USC 4,150
WSU 2,886
A few other west schools that beat WSU attendance:
Utah State 6,943
Weber State 6,778
Boise State 6,747
Montana 4,040
Utah Valley 3,413
Colorado State 3,340
Montana State 3,078
WSU beats Idaho, Idaho State, Eastern Washington, and Northern Colorado. But it lags way behind other Pac-12 schools. By the way, the Pac-12 ranks 6th of all 32 conferences in average attendance at 7,747. WSU brings that average down quite a bit. The conference has dropped its average attendance from 8,500 per game in 2007 to its current 7,747. So it really hasn't decreased that much in the past decade. WSU in 2007 averaged 7,177. Any way you slice it, it appears there is a direct correlation between a competitive program and good attendance. There really are no excuses for such a miserable attendance figure for WSU when compared to other conference schools.
Glad Cougar
Probably not too big of a surprise but Utah and CU bring up the conference attendance a lot more than WSU drops it. I'm also surprised Oregon isn't higher and Cal isn't significantly lower. SC at #11 is pathetic.
I am convinced with the right coach we can get back to 6,000 per game.
I am convinced with the right coach we can get back to 6,000 per game.
Now you've done it. You are officially out of the Coug Ed Braindead Club.
