Yesterday I went to the UM alumni bar in Denver to watch the big game, and I was rather disappointed to see only 15 fans there (there were >100 for the Miss State bowl game). Yes, of course I understand that football will forever be our major trademark and that the bowl game would be equivalent to an NCAA tourney game, but it still seemed disproportionate to me. This was the most meaningful bball game for us since OU, after all.
A few of us extended our conversation to discuss the general crowd atmosphere, to include the Maize Rage section. There were only 3 minutes left, and hardly anyone aside from the Maize Rage was standing. Even if you looked within the Maize Rage, half the people seemed to be standing just because they wouldn't be able to see otherwise.
With all of that said, what will it take for our students, alumni, Wal-Mart Wolverines, etc., to become re-energized and more intimately involved with the bball program (understanding that MGoBlog's uniquely hardcore fanbase does not represent the overall UM community)? What will the team have to accomplish before our Maize Rage section increases in size? Before we have ACTUAL maize-outs? Before we have a few sellouts each year? Before the media starts applying 1/3 the effort to our bball team that they do for the football team?


I don't know what game you were watching, but the crowd seemed pretty jacked in the last 3 minutes to me (save for the collective breath hold after nearly letting them back in it for the last 30 seconds)....and can you blame them after the Illinois and Wisconsin heartbreakers? Or MSU heartbreakers in previous years?
I wouldn't expect a bar turnout for a regular season rivarly bball game even come close to a Jan 1 Bowl game...