Get Used To Losing

[Sherrill Busby II]

Unless a miracle happens in the next couple of years and we move out of the Concrete Box and into a real Arena, get used to losing.

There is no doubt or debate that we will have the worst facilities in the SunBelt next year. In fact, it will be embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing to think we have DI fans when you take a look at the other arena pictures. When was the last time we sold out a game? We couldn't sell out a game even if we were playing over at Charles Henderson.

Don and Dave can't keep producing miracles on their own. This years team was a bunch of hard-working, blue-collar scrubs with more heart than talent. We were lucky to win 5 games this year.

ArkState:

http://www.asuindians.com/blocks/fac/fac_page/Convocenter.jpg

Ark-LR:
http://www.ualr.edu/~athletics/mbb/images/alltel_arena.JPG Please note fans in stands!

FIU:

http://www.fiusports.com/images/facilities/facilities_pharmed_arena.jpg

ULL:

http://www.ragincajuns.com/Images/Cajundome.jpg Please note fans in stands!

MTSU:

http://goblueraiders.com/pix/2003/pic3431.jpg Please note fans in stands!

UNO:

http://www.unoprivateers.com/images/arena_insideshot.jpg

UNT:

http://cache.nmn.speedera.net/pics22/400/OK/OKANVPEMPFNPXUS.20050201154341.jpg Please note fans in stands!

USA:

http://www.southalabama.edu/athletics/images/mitchell-center-high-view-g.jpg Please note fans in stands!

WKU-Yikes!:

http://www.wkusports.com/images/Cover-Diddle-Pic-3.jpg
http://www.wkusports.com/images/ball-popup.jpg Marketing? Who would have thunk that worked. Please note fans instands! Both Students and Local Yokels

Troy's Concrete Box:

http://jschool.troy.edu/~trop/trop98-apr-23/sartain.jpeg Average fan attendance - 1,500 WOW! The SunBelt should be shaking in their boots.

[TROYgirl128]

What is the enrollment at these other schools? I know that MTSU and USA are around the 12,000 mark...that's a little over 2 times what we have on the Troy campus. I know that we can't always blame everything on the size of the school, but can we really expect to bring 15,000 people to a basketball game when only 5,000 are on campus and only 15,000 are even in the town!?!?!

I agree that we need a bigger venue. I agree that we need to get more people to games. Just because you build a bigger place, you'll automatically fill it up. So far, we don't have the fan base to warrant us having a place that big. I think that one day we will, but it's not going to happen overnight.

[TrojanWar]

Yes, I agree 100% with your post. It will be embarrassing compared to the other Sun Belt arenas. I have been in several of the others and let me tell you, we don't have an arena, we have a gym. The Convocation Center at ASU is a very nice, large facility. UALR's plays in AllTel Arena. This place rocks! In fact, Arkansas played #1 Illinois in this facility back in December. Football is bigtime at Troy, but in the process our other facilities have been greatly neglected and unless something is done SOON, we will pay the price in the long run.

[TrojanFan2]

I wouldn't say that everything else has been neglected, but we could certainly use a nicer arena. I think it would be hard to justify an arena like W. Kentucky or Ark St. as we don't have nearly enough fan support to fill 1/3 of it.

Maybe we'd have to pair up with the high school and Troy to build a multi-use civic center or something. Then we could use it for basketball and the town could use it for Monster truck shows or something.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

[tsufl]

okay
with those pictures lets consider a few things
when were they taken? who were they playing?
I can tell you now the photo from ULL is OLD! hell the sign in the photo says "USL"
Lets also look at average attendance for each school I belive if you look at that you will find that we keep pace with well over half the conf. Until we sell out Trojan Arena we dont need a new place. I would rather have 1,500 in a 4,500 arena, rather than 1,500 in a 10,000 arena.
I belive the only school that has consistantly good crowds is WKU.
Ark LittleRock is moving into their own building next season and will no long play at AllTel arena.
I wouldnt put a photo of an empty arena on my website!

And the picture of Trojan Arena really isnt fair at all to us.

[Hector]

Sherrill, how about posting a picture of football venues and the number of fans at those games. be sure to include pictures of our game with Mizzou where the goal posts were taken down.

[TrojanWar]

Sherrill, how about posting a picture of football venues and the number of fans at those games. be sure to include pictures of our game with Mizzou where the goal posts were taken down.

I think we are all in agreement that the football program and facilities are up to speed and beyond. The problem is basketball. We were fine in the ASun, but the Sun Belt is a different story. We need ALL SPORTS FACILITIES to come up to match the football facilities. While football is the money maker, we are moving up in every sport and that should not be forgotten. I don't think we should build a 15,000 seat arena. What we need is a NICE, NEW 8-10K arena that can be used for more than just basketball.

[TSUWhiner]

That is the best post to date. Pictures are a thousand words arent they? We have a terrible fan base with except to us hardcore people on here and a 3rd world country arena. What can I say Troy University is always setting the bar lower in some areas..not all :). I still love our athletics..I just cant stand the way things are being run..or lack there of :(

[tsufl]

I dont get it! The only facility to not become BRAND NEW is the basketball arena, football, baseball, softball, track & soccer all have brand new facilities all of which are quite nice. Trojan Arena (despite its small size) is very nice esp. compared to what it used to be. Trojan arena was renovated just a handful of years ago (1999?) do we need a new building, possibly, but its not mandatory like some folks say.

[TropolitanSportsEditor]

I would like to say one thing. First this question.
Have any of you ever been to Alex Box? The LSU baseball stadium? It is a piece of garbage. This year they announced that they will be rebuilding the Box, but the plans are almost identical, a little bigger and nicer, but still not that great.

LSU baseball brings in the most fans a game per year in college baseball. Why? Because they win year in and year out.

My point? While it would be nice to have a fancy arena, we don't really need one. Because all that matters is that we win. If we are that good, we could beat anybody on any court, no matter what the fan attendance is. I say that if the funding is there, then build a new arena. If not, renovate the current one and let 'em play. Just let 'em play.

[ucfunke]

you are a small school with a small market. While facilities might be one of the thingsrecruits look at they look at whether or not you win or lose first. Winning will cure what ails you and if Troy can get back to the monster 3 point any time any where team it was you guys will win some serious games.

Just remember you will never have to see the officials from thursday again.

Good luck to you guys in the Sunbelt, and hopefully we can keep our bball rivalry going and restart the old football rivalry

[TUEngineer]

Good luck to you guys in the Sunbelt, and hopefully we can keep our bball rivalry going and restart the old football rivalry

We wouldn't schedule UCF for football...it'd hurt our SOS... :lol: :lol: :lol:

[BMarkey]

and restart the old football rivalry

I still believe UCF and Troy could have one of the great mid-major rivalries in football. We were well on our way to it way (Troy games in Orlando still rank as top UCF attendance draws) UCF pulled an Iowa State on us. But then they were trying to schedule Penn State or Pittsburg, so I understood the decision.