GT vs. Northwestern Preview Thread

[GTHomer]

Question for the board. Probably not a clear either/or but it's worth a shot.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

Reason I ask is I was predisposed to being a college b'ball fan and naturally was entrenched with GT the moment I stepped on campus. That said, at least half if not a significant majority of my friends became GT b'ball fans because of our success while on campus from '02-'07. Most of those friends still follow the team and attend games from time-to-time, and they freely admit it's because of our success and how fun it was to attend games while in school. They didn't and still hardly know s*** about basketball, but they now put butts in the seats and are loud (and in doing so often scare their own children).

If we can sustain the success and trajectory it seems we're on, I think we'll develop a nice new wave of young fans.

This question is worthy of a separate topic.

I was at GT as we transitioned from Dwayne Morrison to Bobby Cremins. Though already a basketball fan, I got excited with the direction CBC began to take the program, especially with the early upsets of Maryland and Lefty Driesell during the 81-82 season. Brooke Steppe was the man back then.

 

[Peacone36]

Question for the board. Probably not a clear either/or but it's worth a shot.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

Reason I ask is I was predisposed to being a college b'ball fan and naturally was entrenched with GT the moment I stepped on campus. That said, at least half if not a significant majority of my friends became GT b'ball fans because of our success while on campus from '02-'07. Most of those friends still follow the team and attend games from time-to-time, and they freely admit it's because of our success and how fun it was to attend games while in school. They didn't and still hardly know s*** about basketball, but they now put butts in the seats and are loud (and in doing so often scare their own children).

If we can sustain the success and trajectory it seems we're on, I think we'll develop a nice new wave of young fans.

I started watching when Marbury took that Alley Oop against Manhattan. I watched every possible game that year. It went down hill a bit after that into the Kevin Norris (Morris?) year and I always loved them, loved Alvin and Tony, then I really liked Marvin as a freshman, then Jack, Bosh, Elder Ish showed up. I was meant to be a GT fan because there were some lean years after Harpring. The Shaun Fein Kentucky game, the Halston Lane UNC game, Akins against Wisconsin in the ACC/B10 challenge in 01, those games kept me all in as a fan.

 

[Jophish17]

One of the problems we're facing in all athletics is our aging fan base. We need new energy.

Very true. Apart from one other couple the next row down, most of my section is 50 and up.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

I grew up a tech fan in the 90s (dad was sidewalk fan), I went to a basketball powerhouse high school in NY, and I entered Tech in August if 2004, so I came into Tech having become accustomed to winning basketball teams. I would say I will always be a Tech fan, but rather than going to a couple games a year like I did from 08~15, I decided to commit to season tickets when Pastner was hired. Winning has made that decision even better.

 

[whitegoldsphinx]

I became a fan my freshman year when an upperclassman who was big basketball fan asked me if I wanted to go to the game, otherwise he was going alone. It was an early season game against some team I can't remember. I knew so little about college basketball, I had to ask questions about the rules as the game went on. I kept attending games after that and was officially a fan.

It just so happened that this was the first year Tech played a full ACC schedule (1979-80). We went 1 - 13 in conference, somehow beating a Ralph Sampson-led Virginia team. We almost beat top-seeded Maryland in the first round of the ACC tournament that year, losing in overtime. Brooke Steppe was our top player.

The next year, Brooke Steppe blew his knee out preseason, and we had nothing. We did not win a conference game, won 4 games all year, two of them I know for a fact we're against NAIA teams. We lost our last game to Baptist College by something like 25 points. It may have been the worst team in NCAA history. I still attended all the games. At the end of the year Duane Morrison was fired, which meant Bobby Cremins was hired shortly thereafter. Steppe came back the next year, which helped the transition for the new coach enormously. The following year, which was my senior year, Mark Price and John Salley were freshmen and we improved every year after that. Then I graduated and got season tickets for the next two years until I could no longer afford the AT Fund contribution to keep my tickets , at which point they kicked me out. I was still a big fan, but taking away my season tickets ticked me off so badly I've refused to get season tickets ever since.

 

[ChasonBaller]

I became a fan after watching Brooks Doyle dominate in the thrillerdome

 

[MWBATL]

Question for the board. Probably not a clear either/or but it's worth a shot.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

Reason I ask is I was predisposed to being a college b'ball fan and naturally was entrenched with GT the moment I stepped on campus. That said, at least half if not a significant majority of my friends became GT b'ball fans because of our success while on campus from '02-'07. Most of those friends still follow the team and attend games from time-to-time, and they freely admit it's because of our success and how fun it was to attend games while in school. They didn't and still hardly know s*** about basketball, but they now put butts in the seats and are loud (and in doing so often scare their own children).

If we can sustain the success and trajectory it seems we're on, I think we'll develop a nice new wave of young fans.

I guess I am a bit older than you (LOL).
I was a GT football fan while isn school. Keep in mind I took PE under Whack Hyder, and did catch a few games when we had Yunkus and Thorn at guard...that was a pretty good team. I remember we hosted Jacksonville back when they had these two 7 footers and Yunkus at them up...but we lost anyway. Then came the dark ages of GT basketball and I moved away...then came Cremins, and for me, the rest is history! GT Basketball ever since!
Went to see them in San Antonio and will never forget the exhilaration of the semi-final and the disappointment of the Final.

 

[ramblinjacket]

I worry this is the new normal. I don’t get the sense there are a lot of people almost about to show up. Sure people will show up for

Question for the board. Probably not a clear either/or but it's worth a shot.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

Reason I ask is I was predisposed to being a college b'ball fan and naturally was entrenched with GT the moment I stepped on campus. That said, at least half if not a significant majority of my friends became GT b'ball fans because of our success while on campus from '02-'07. Most of those friends still follow the team and attend games from time-to-time, and they freely admit it's because of our success and how fun it was to attend games while in school. They didn't and still hardly know s*** about basketball, but they now put butts in the seats and are loud (and in doing so often scare their own children).

If we can sustain the success and trajectory it seems we're on, I think we'll develop a nice new wave of young fans.

My story sounds similar to yours. I am a GT basketball fan because I went to GT. I am a basketball fan because I grew up in NC. Now that I am a GT fan I would be a fan with or without success. GT had great success when I was in school including a final four trip. One of my biggest regrets is not following the team to Denver.

While I believe we may gain some fans with success it's clear to me that being a GT basketball fan is not in the ATL or GT DNA. I attended Duke basketball games when they were going 10-17 and 11-17 and if they weren't sellouts they were close with a ton of atmosphere. That's a big part of why they ultimately had success again.

I do believe sustained success will gain us some fans but I think it's fleeting if we were to fade again. I'm starting to come to terms with it. I'll stop being negative now because I know it's not constructive and doesn't help the cause. Just ready to enjoy what will be a very nice season. I hope a few more people join me.

 

[D-man44]

Haha fan since I can remember Luke Schenscher was the guy that got me into basketball! Saw him on the tv and have been hooked since.

 

[jbix80]

Question for the board. Probably not a clear either/or but it's worth a shot.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

Reason I ask is I was predisposed to being a college b'ball fan and naturally was entrenched with GT the moment I stepped on campus. That said, at least half if not a significant majority of my friends became GT b'ball fans because of our success while on campus from '02-'07. Most of those friends still follow the team and attend games from time-to-time, and they freely admit it's because of our success and how fun it was to attend games while in school. They didn't and still hardly know s*** about basketball, but they now put butts in the seats and are loud (and in doing so often scare their own children).

If we can sustain the success and trajectory it seems we're on, I think we'll develop a nice new wave of young fans.

I became a GT fan because of Mark Price. I was a 5 year old boy that fell in love with his game. I'm from Pa....I had no other connection to the program. Have been a fan ever since, and that's been through thick and thin. There's been some long seasons, but definitely a lot of good memories over the years.

 

[DH9387]

Question for the board. Probably not a clear either/or but it's worth a shot.

Did you become a GT basketball fan because of GT's success during a period of time?
OR
Would you be a GT basketball fan regardless?

Reason I ask is I was predisposed to being a college b'ball fan and naturally was entrenched with GT the moment I stepped on campus. That said, at least half if not a significant majority of my friends became GT b'ball fans because of our success while on campus from '02-'07. Most of those friends still follow the team and attend games from time-to-time, and they freely admit it's because of our success and how fun it was to attend games while in school. They didn't and still hardly know s*** about basketball, but they now put butts in the seats and are loud (and in doing so often scare their own children).

If we can sustain the success and trajectory it seems we're on, I think we'll develop a nice new wave of young fans.

I have been a Tech fan since childhood despite not having any familial connections to the school and in spite of my grandmother's best efforts to turn me towards the cesspool. I casually followed the athletic teams through middle and high school, but became a serious fan of the basketball program during the 2004 Final Four run. I attended the Paul Hewitt basketball camp my senior year of high school and did well enough that CPH invited me to compete for a walk-on spot when I arrived on campus in the fall of 2006. I declined the offer, and in hindsight that might have been one of my biggest regrets from college, but attended as many games as I could during my time at Tech. Now that I am out, my wife and I maintain football season tickets, but unfortunately, she hates basketball and we only make it to a game or two a year. Despite this, I try to watch as many games as I can on TV and I quietly surf this board daily.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I was at GT from 75-79. GT was in the Metro League and Independent under Morrison. Never went to anything post season. So my best memory of GT basket ball was being able to go to the Tit and throw the frisbee around on the court with no one to bother you. (It wasn't locked in back at the time.)

After leaving GT, our run to the Championship game sparked some interest. But then we sank back into oblivion.

I can see Pastner staying and changing the culture at GT and creating excitement. I like listening to him a lot more than listening to CPJ or Danny Hall. He just has it ......

 

[up state jacket]

Bobby Cremins first basketball camp. I was 10 years old. I met Bruce, Mark, Spider, Hatian Sensation. I was wide eyed in awe. The Thriller Dome was a putrid yellow. Who cared, we were making noise nationally.

 

[orientalnc]

My dad was a tech man and I grew knowing nothing else. Two of my sons graduated from Tech. I am hooked, go ahead and measure me.

 

[whitegoldsphinx]

My dad was a tech man and I grew knowing nothing else. Two of my sons graduated from Tech. I am hooked, go ahead and measure me.

I'll leave your wife to do the measuring.

 

[orientalnc]

I'll leave your wife to do the measuring.

You must not be a fisherman.

 

[whitegoldsphinx]

You must not be a fisherman.