Gator Country

**Osiris_DPM** · 10-11-2012, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bullish

Osiris, yes outside of Billy, his assistants, and the athletic dept., students would be the best way to get this thing going. Gator Growl for Football, Midnight Madness for the b-ball program. Entertainment, a fun event for both the athletes and the fans. TV would help, getting local areas schools involved with their all their students let in free, all basketball teams wear the same shirt from their school get special treatment from the Gators. Maybe even a Univ. sponsored concert from a popular band the students all have a concensus on.

To me, things said like forget about MM just going to use it for practice time I think is selfish from the standpoint of getting students and fans involved in a great program. Let's not fall in the rut of taking out all the fun in the athlete and students life. They have come to Florida for a great education and program and would like to see the University give back to the students both at Florida and locally.

If we don't sell out every home game, then why not try to get some new fans?

I mentioned this to someone last night who was interested in what was being said. I'll check on this and let you know what we hear from the basketball office.

Brewski · 10-12-2012, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorbogey

i liked when we did host the midnight madness the first few times i went...however it did get quite trite and it was always contrived. what i'd really love though, is an opportunity to watch a genuine practice. i'd love to watch the true drills, the coaches working w/ the players. everything. would love to witness the genuine 'thing'. would love for donovan and the gators to host their first practice in the o'dome and let the general public attend.

Billy probably doesn't want to give up a typical "R" rated practice to sit around and be nice in front of all the families. I have no problem with that either.

bullish · 10-13-2012, 07:54 AM

NC State just had their MM event which 10,000 fans attended. Their coach rode a zip line down to the court before they held some short scrimmages. The ex alabama coach Gottfried has them resurging, and got the excitement building with the fans. Smart move on NC State's part.

I would love to have a fans event culminating in the players hosting autographs, shooting/slam dunk competitions, short scrimmages. The others things I have mentioned earlier a concert, possibly a BBQ, comedians, film highlights of past Fla. greats like Neal Walk, Liv Chatman, Moten and Maxwell, Teddy D., Mike Miller, Udonis, our first final four appearance, etc. Midnight Madness should be about getting fans excited and buying in to a great program. Fans and players alike mixing it up in these forementioned endeavors would do a lot to fan the flames of buying in to the excitement.

If the athletic dept. would like to increase the ticket sales, get more local schools involved, make seats available to school kids at reduced prices, bands, basketball teams, academic honor students, at games where we know we are going to need to get fannies in the seats. Chick Filet, Wendy's give aways, military night, univ. worker nights, police fire fighter nights, teacher night. Gainseville is not huge, so we have to get marketing a great program. Don't sit on the hands that feed the program, That is all!

GatorPlanet · 10-13-2012, 08:51 AM

Some very good ideas being floated around in here!

Midnight Madness could be a great event, but it has to be fresh every year. With so many talented people on campus, it seems a shame to not use them. Heck, instead of just trotting out the pep band every time, why not bring out students from drama and fine arts, just to see what happens. A ballet flash mob!

I'd love to see a Billy Donovan HORSE challenge. Any player or student that can beat the coach in a game of HORSE wins a prize.

The idea is to make new fans and juice up the arena when game day arrives.

tupacbiff · 10-13-2012, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorPlanet

Some very good ideas being floated around in here!

Midnight Madness could be a great event, but it has to be fresh every year. With so many talented people on campus, it seems a shame to not use them. Heck, instead of just trotting out the pep band every time, why not bring out students from drama and fine arts, just to see what happens. A ballet flash mob!

I'd love to see a Billy Donovan HORSE challenge. Any player or student that can beat the coach in a game of HORSE wins a prize.

The idea is to make new fans and juice up the arena when game day arrives.

I love this HORSE idea. I would pay big $ to watch Billy play a student in HORSE. let's expand on it and have him play every student who makes a three in PIG. wow that would be awesome. I can just imagine sitting there watching billy shoot how awesome would that be.

Maybe we can set up a campus wide HORSE tourney and the winner plays billy. I'm sure ESPN would love to broadcast that.

With these types I ideas I'm sure midnight madness will be back next yr.

dailydoublecat · 10-13-2012, 10:57 AM

Midnight Madness is for the fans and a great way to showcase the love of basketball and show the recruits some love! I look forward to it every year. Some people like it and some hate it. To each it's own

REM08 · 10-13-2012, 11:12 AM

If you can find enough people who "like it" to fill the stands - its a no brainer. Recruits love it. After seeing video of UNC's and Michigan State's last night, I was impressed. Sure, its goofy. Its not for the hardcore fan. My wife and I always prefer to attend the blue/white scrimmage as opposed to the pep rally that is big blue madness. However, madness is much more popular - it appeals to the average fan or even casual ones - because its an event. Its one of the ways to end up with more hardcore fans.

tupacbiff · 10-13-2012, 11:16 AM

Or people go realize how utterly stupid it is and never come back. It cuts both ways.

REM08 · 10-13-2012, 12:20 PM

CBS put together some clips of madness events around the nation.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...dnight-madness

bullish · 10-13-2012, 03:04 PM

Izzo a coach everyone loves. Billy needs to loosen up a bit, it would help him get more love from the media, more exposure for the program. How about even holding MM. I feel some of the people who could bring this about, don't have a clue about fans and interest in the program. Let's be a program everybody wants to get on board with.

I agree we have to keep it fresh and bring out enough events/fun things for the fans and students, that everyone but Tupac will love. I also bet the players want it also. So Florida Administration and Billy, wake up!

anstro76 · 10-13-2012, 03:15 PM

when billy came out of the coffin for the house of horrors theme during mm the place erupted. but were just newly named the toughest venue in bb by espn the mag.

tupacbiff · 10-13-2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bullish

Izzo a coach everyone loves. Billy needs to loosen up a bit, it would help him get more love from the media, more exposure for the program. How about even holding MM. I feel some of the people who could bring this about, don't have a clue about fans and interest in the program. Let's be a program everybody wants to get on board with.

I agree we have to keep it fresh and bring out enough events/fun things for the fans and students, that everyone but Tupac will love. I also bet the players want it also. So Florida Administration and Billy, wake up!

Garbage...billy loosen up more? That is like saying Roy Williams needs to be a little more phony.

don23lucia · 10-13-2012, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anstro76

when billy came out of the coffin for the house of horrors theme during mm the place erupted. but were just newly named the toughest venue in bb by espn the mag.

Link?

anstro76 · 10-13-2012, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don23lucia

Link?

it was around '99. is providing a link now a requirement for posting memories from gator events?

don23lucia · 10-13-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anstro76

it was around '99. is providing a link now a requirement for posting memories from gator events?

No lol i thought u were saying in a recent article, i was just curious to read it.

Im on my phone sorry

anstro76 · 10-13-2012, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don23lucia

No lol i thought u were saying in a recent article, i was just curious to read it.

Im on my phone sorry

yeah my bad. it just seems like a trend lately if someone doesn't believe you it's up to you to provide a link for them.

**Juggernautz** · 10-14-2012, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dailydoublecat

Midnight Madness is for the fans and a great way to showcase the love of basketball and show the recruits some love! I look forward to it every year. Some people like it and some hate it. To each it's own

I'm for it.

tupacbiff · 10-14-2012, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juggernautz

I'm for it.

I'm against it.

bullish · 10-14-2012, 11:34 AM

Tupac it's pretty obvious you don't want to have MM fun. I suggest, get in your favorite rocker, get your huggy or favorite blanket, maybe even have a little warm milk, get the fire going, then if you can stay up that late, watch MM from the O'Dome when the school wakes up from being a football school!

Let me see, Kentucky, Syracuse, NC, NC State, Mich St, Kansas, Duke are all on board, just the stuck in the mud folks don't do it. LOL!

tupacbiff · 10-14-2012, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bullish

Tupac it's pretty obvious you don't want to have MM fun. I suggest, get in your favorite rocker, get your huggy or favorite blanket, maybe even have a little warm milk, get the fire going, then if you can stay up that late, watch MM from the O'Dome when the school wakes up from being a football school!

Let me see, Kentucky, Syracuse, NC, NC State, Mich St, Kansas, Duke are all on board, just the stuck in the mud folks don't do it. LOL!

And all those programs are followers for doing it. You are right don't forge your own path copy others.