MissoulaMarinerFan
Well-known member
They going to update it to match the one on the football field or no?BWahlberg said:
-
Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!
The Esteemed "Griz Gameday" Working Group??
- Thread starter GlacierGrizX
- Start date
garizzalies
Well-known member
Whoa! Hey now? Are you trying to say my idea of running out a Griz ala the CU buffalo is not realistic? I agree that we should not attempt to make him parachute or zip-line into the stadium, as the timing could be difficult to synchronize.BDizzle said:
garizzalies
Well-known member
The program for the cat/Griz game mentioned that stat. I’m pretty sure it said we have more season ticket holders than both BSU and WSU
garizzalies
Well-known member
Can’t recall. Maybe. I’ll have to check that program again tonight.
I’m pretty sure it listed several other regional FBS schools, too, which were not very surprising, like USU and maybe WYO.
I’m pretty sure it listed several other regional FBS schools, too, which were not very surprising, like USU and maybe WYO.
BDizzle said:
You thunder-stealing SOB. Haha. Actually this is an awesome summary. For me this was just my 2nd meeting/1st year in, while BDizzle is on his 4th or 5th meeting (?) and in his 2nd year. There's a bit of a curve to catch up to discussion points, what's asked of our group, and how feedback is handled. I think this summary is great, a few things I'd add to:
- Clear bag policy will be an adjustment. No zippers on clear bags either, just 1 single snap is allowed. No water bottles with water in them either. Ideal goal is to get to what we see down I-90 with metal detectors/security as well. Can get 1 clutch + clear bag per person in. They're going to use the first few games to best educate people, so they probably won't make people leave clutches that are just a little too big out, but will crack down once they get in to the season. They're going to be putting up a lot more informational stuff on this.
- Athletics budget, like posted above, a lot of these losses were planned for. I straight up asked Greg Sundberg this question, "We all know football covers everyone's short fall, I want to confirm that this most recent budget amount was from fall 2017." Greg confirmed, yes. And we can all recall there was that NAU game where there were awful roads and the stadium was half full, and then the next week was hosting crappy UNC and people just opted not to go for an array of reasons. My next question to Greg was how the 2018 football numbers, at least initially, look compared to 2017's. And he said they're up and looking very good. He added more info that over the last year, or so, they've added a lot more season ticket holders too. The department has made some planned/smart fiscal decisions, and they're on a good track. Added in as well that men's hoops is looking strong, women's pretty much holding firm thanks to it's loyal base.
Another interesting point on the athletic budget, I can't recall who this came from, could have been Travis himself, but it was pointed out the cost of sending the basketball teams to Reno was vastly more expensive than sending basketball teams to a host city under the prior hoops championship format. Almost 9 times more expensive! Boise is supposed to be more cost effective than Reno, but won't be as good as how it was before.
- Beer sales in the stadium, as mentioned, the stadium doesn't have near the amount of concessions, bathrooms, and concourse areas to accommodate keeping 25,000+ people in it at halftimes. Add in the GSA tailgate is a big money maker for scholarships, which is vitally important. Don't expect this to happen, really. It sounds like they want to stay open for options/ideas on this, but there's some bigger complications to just not permitting re-entry and selling beer in the stadium.
In our summer/fall meeting we got updates from most all coaches on their team and expectations for the year. This time we got updates from Mike Petrino with the women's hoops team, Bobby Hauck, Travis DeCuire, and then we got a series of updates from Brynn and McKell on the remaining programs.
Women's hoops - Young team, challenged again by injuries however that's been a fact of life and have to adapt to adversity. Team has been responding well. Obviously this was before the Griz/cat game so they were hoping the "really bad film" from the loss in Bozo would help. Unfortunately it didn't. Have high hopes that the youth coming thru plus the return of Stiles and some red-shirting players will make this team damn good in the years ahead. Just 1 senior. Was asked about 3 point shooting and said it's the big area of needed improvement. Mike said that having a good 3 point shooter in women's hoops is like having a guy that can play above the rim in men's hoops. Big area of needed CONSISTENT improvement.
Men's hoops - Travis talked for damn near 40 minutes. Again we were on the afternoon/eve of the big game so he was full of energy and talked about all sorts of things. Talked about his relationship with his coaches and how him and Chris Cobb work together (there was a recent article on this). Him and Cobb will sometimes get in knock-down / drag-out arguments that may have an f-bomb or two in them about ideas haha. One example was how the hoops team changed it's defensive scheme a bit after the EWU road loss. The type of D they ran last year was best executed by Fab and the guys this year in his shoes just weren't as good enough at that expected role. Made the change, and haven't lost since. Pointed out the team was rated as being more efficient when Akoh was out the first time, but better defensively when he returned. Talked about how guys like Sayeed and Donovan have really risen to the challenge as he keeps preaching that guys never know when their time will come, but they need to be ready. Talked about this recruiting class might be the best collection of potential EVER in a Griz recruiting class and that some of these guys he would have pushed to get to Cal if he were there still. He talked a lot about his philosophy as a coach and what it takes to play for him. Had a point where one recruiting question he likes to ask all recruits is who their favorite NBA player is, answers like Lebron, Steph, Giannis, Dame (and some others he said) were good answers, team guys, complete guys, common goal guys. I asked if James Harden would be a red flag answer, he said yes. I think he also mentioned Durant as a red flag... talked more about Harden (coached against Harden when he played at ASU) and how players that want to be like him are bad for the team dynamic.
Football - Bobby was Bobby, friendly to the room but a bit more guarded and a little less candid in his answers and discussions. He talked for about 30 minutes. He discussed that the biggest issue this team needs to overcome going forward is on both sides of the line, they need to be bigger and stronger if they expect to be a dominant team. "We're not there, we don't have it yet. However right now those guys are down there in the Champions Center working on it, that's the biggest thing we need right now." He didn't say he doesn't have the guys he needs but he did seem to suggest that the team as a whole has A LOT more work to put in to get better. One person flat out asked why they had so many late game collapses, his reply was pretty simple, "We weren't a good enough team." He talked to us as well that some guys tend to get over-scrutinized while the work and efforts of others really needs to be put in perspective when considering what this team can accomplish. In talking about the recruiting class and if anyone could play right away he said that usually guys that play "furthest from the line of scrimmage" tend to be ready earlier to play, and vise-versa, the closer to the LOS the tougher it is to break in right away. Told us some funny storied about Hurlburt. The guy apparently is a bit of a joker. In high school told a new position coach he needed help tying his shoe, the coach tied his shoes for nearly two weeks until the head coach pointed out Alex knows how to tie his shoes. Also in camp Bobby was asking Alex which side of the the D-line he likes to play on as an end, right or left. Alex's answer was that it all depends on if he wants to use a long-arm technique or not. Didn't talk too much on the season ahead, Oregon will be tough as hell, probably a little bummed that Hebert returned, thinks he was the best NFL-ready QB for this prior season. Talked about how it would be great to split the Big Sky in 2 for the sake of scheduling, travelling, OOC, etc. Can't recall if it was him or Greg who pointed out that in the playoff committee last year there were 2 guys from the state of Rhode Island on the committee and just 1 AD representing everything west of the Mississippi (Kent). Spring ball in 2 weeks. Attitude is great. Loved the classroom achievements, best GPA ever. Players that are found missing classes have to clean the whole weight room from 10pm - 2am every Friday, "They hate it, but the good news for us is the weight room is spotless on Saturday." Champions center has been an immense help. One other funny comment, likes it when potential recruits are more wowed by the weight/training area than the locker room area.
Other sports
- Softball season soon, weather permitting, can't have snow on the ground for games obviously
- Soccer field getting re-done. This fall the soccer coach pointed out this team has lost a few girls to leg injuries b/c of the field.
- Track and field is hosting the Big Sky championships here, they need lots of volunteers, anyone willing to help should get in touch with athletics.
"-Beer sales in the stadium, as mentioned, the stadium doesn't have near the amount of concessions, bathrooms, and concourse areas to accommodate keeping 25,000+ people in it at halftimes. Add in the GSA tailgate is a big money maker for scholarships, which is vitally important. Don't expect this to happen, really. It sounds like they want to stay open for options/ideas on this, but there's some bigger complications to just not permitting re-entry and selling beer in the stadium."
BW, just spitballing here, but they said maybe they are open to suggestions. Could pop-up concessions, honey buckets, and some portable chain link fencing alleviate some space concerns? The concessions at the Rose Bowl are all technically outside of the stadium, but inside of a fence beyond which there is no re-entry. Tons of pop-ups. Could WAGriz fence in some porta potty rows, beer gardens/concessions, and the GSA tailgate right after kickoff? Or, for that matter, maybe just have all the tailgates besides GSA outside the fence even before the kickoff? IDK.
BW, just spitballing here, but they said maybe they are open to suggestions. Could pop-up concessions, honey buckets, and some portable chain link fencing alleviate some space concerns? The concessions at the Rose Bowl are all technically outside of the stadium, but inside of a fence beyond which there is no re-entry. Tons of pop-ups. Could WAGriz fence in some porta potty rows, beer gardens/concessions, and the GSA tailgate right after kickoff? Or, for that matter, maybe just have all the tailgates besides GSA outside the fence even before the kickoff? IDK.
CDAGRIZ said:
I actually brought this up in the fall, somewhat. I used UW as an example, I went to that game and there was a designated area behind the scoreboard at halftime where you could have beers. The challenge for the UM again is space. It's not insurmountable but in 3 directions around the stadium a roped off / enclosed area for halftime beer attendance would take away parking options, and the 4th direction is the Adams Center. Perfect world (IMO), they could close off the lot at the South Entrance and do that... but that's a ton of lost parking space, and I'm not sure they have the gate capacity for an easy re-entrance.
Just to provide context using the first pic I could find. The blacktop areas at the bottom left/right of the pic are all outside the stadium, but "inside the fence" and open to fans during the game. There are TONS of pop-up concession stands from local restaurants, etc., the space for which I'm sure the businesses pay a hefty price. In Missoula, maybe local breweries/restaurants would pay UM for the right to be inside the fence on gameday.
garizzalies
Well-known member
Do booze and re-entry have to be mutually exclusive? It has to be one or the other?
BWahlberg said:
Good call. I'm glad you brought it up. Parking would be at a premium, and would have to be relocated. The Rose Bowl has the luxury of a 36 hole golf course to park on, but the UM practice fields wouldn't likely work due to snow later in the year.
As far as gate capacity for re-entry, do you think much more would be needed over the current situation where people can go anywhere outside the hypothetical fence? Could they direct foot traffic to allow egress/ingress during the game from gates other than the south, but have all the goods in the south parking lot? Maybe people would line up to go back in sooner? IDK. I have to think there is a way if they want to do it.
Looks like there's some space for beer gardens in the "grassy knoll" areas to the southwest/southeast!
grizpack said:
Very true. I'm wondering if the triangle Lot T could be an option to fence off, in addition to immediate areas around the East side. I'd be interested to know how much revenue Lot T parking passes bring in versus what could be gained by fencing it off and having pop-up booths paid for by local establishments for each home game. Captive audience. Charge whatever you want. Multiple gates for re-entry.
