Sooner04
1/16/2009, 04:47 PM
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/KingpinPadre/47fc_1.jpg
The Irvine game.
In my years of studying and learning about OU BBall, I always wanted to hear about wild games and crowds. I was a part of some of the legendary crowds at a very young age ('85 Georgia Tech) and a bunch as I got older ('90 Kansas being the best).
But whenever I talked to the true die-hards, one game always came up. It took place a couple months before I was born, and it was in the postseason NIT: the Irvine game.
Look at the picture. The place is packed. There's one difference: the seating was wide open. Back then, according to what I've been told and read, the infamous "donor" program did not exist. Rabid OU BBall fans scarfed up the primo seats while the rest of the arena could be had for a cheap price.
Look at the friggin' picture. It's jam packed. A year later, Wayman arrives and the practice of bigwigs scarfing up tickets for donor points comes into play. By all accounts I've heard and read, the LNC rocked as it had never rocked before for that Irvine game. You had the creme-de-la-creme of OU BBall fans flooding the place cheering on their group without interference from the carpetbaggers looking for football clout. It must've been a hell of a scene.
Fast forward to 2004. OU hosts an opening round game of the NIT against LSU. Lower level seats could be had for $10. Uppers for $5. First come, first serve. I go to the game and the lower level is packed. The upper level, half full. You know what I noticed? It was friggin' loud in there that night. I mean REALLY loud. I received numerous calls that night talking about how loud the LNC was. It warmed my heart.
I know the true OU BBall fans are out there. I think the mixture of high ticket prices coupled with EVERY game being on TV has kept them on the couch. I'd love to have them back. I don't know if my eardrums could take it, but they need to be in the arena. A face value of $60 is much too high for a BBall game (that's what my Texas ticket had for face).
Just a ramble. I hate when people put down our fans because I know they're out there. I think we've got the man for the job of seeing this thing totally through.
The Irvine game.
In my years of studying and learning about OU BBall, I always wanted to hear about wild games and crowds. I was a part of some of the legendary crowds at a very young age ('85 Georgia Tech) and a bunch as I got older ('90 Kansas being the best).
But whenever I talked to the true die-hards, one game always came up. It took place a couple months before I was born, and it was in the postseason NIT: the Irvine game.
Look at the picture. The place is packed. There's one difference: the seating was wide open. Back then, according to what I've been told and read, the infamous "donor" program did not exist. Rabid OU BBall fans scarfed up the primo seats while the rest of the arena could be had for a cheap price.
Look at the friggin' picture. It's jam packed. A year later, Wayman arrives and the practice of bigwigs scarfing up tickets for donor points comes into play. By all accounts I've heard and read, the LNC rocked as it had never rocked before for that Irvine game. You had the creme-de-la-creme of OU BBall fans flooding the place cheering on their group without interference from the carpetbaggers looking for football clout. It must've been a hell of a scene.
Fast forward to 2004. OU hosts an opening round game of the NIT against LSU. Lower level seats could be had for $10. Uppers for $5. First come, first serve. I go to the game and the lower level is packed. The upper level, half full. You know what I noticed? It was friggin' loud in there that night. I mean REALLY loud. I received numerous calls that night talking about how loud the LNC was. It warmed my heart.
I know the true OU BBall fans are out there. I think the mixture of high ticket prices coupled with EVERY game being on TV has kept them on the couch. I'd love to have them back. I don't know if my eardrums could take it, but they need to be in the arena. A face value of $60 is much too high for a BBall game (that's what my Texas ticket had for face).
Just a ramble. I hate when people put down our fans because I know they're out there. I think we've got the man for the job of seeing this thing totally through.