Latest on Hamlin via Adam Friedman
- Thread starter Willie Lump
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Well, if his criteria is attendance related, then I wish him well in South Bend, Columbus or State College because it is literally impossible for a school like Pitt to compete with those schools on that front. It's never, EVER going to happen. It would be like demanding that those cities have NFL teams to compare to Pitt. Sure, it could happen but everyone knows it never will happen because all three are too small and two of the three are college towns.
ASU has the largest undergrad population, followed closely by Central Florida. Attendance is normally a B1G team (Michigan has the largest stadium)....or an SEC team (when Tennessee was on top)...
Hmmm....attendance or good coaching??? What should it be? Narduzzi is a very, very good defensive coach, and has churned out some really good Dbacks at MSU. Any defensive player that can't see that (especially a Dback), I don't know what else to say. A track record of something means more than saying you will do something.
Plus, don't you think attendance would increase if Pitt gets better, recruits better, and gets a lot of the local talent to stay home? Sounds like he was at PSU and got "attendanced".
I am not being hard on this kid. But if he doesn't understand that we have a smaller alumni base, and play in a stadium that is too big for us, then I wish him well else where.
I forget who said it, but heard something on the radio from one of the "recruiting experts", that it takes a kid who is more mature in his decision making to not let attendance play in his decision. I am paraphrasing as I can not remember exactly, but I am close.
Anyway, we aren't going to keep all the local kids. That is a fact. Coach Nard will have to provide an atmosphere of winning and sending kids to the pros, then maybe we can keep a few more here.
Interesting that preparation for the next level didn't come up in the conversation. There is no doubt Narduzzi is one of the best in the business when it comes to preparing players on the defensive side of the football for the NFL.
I agree with DVY; if all he is basing his decision on is a big crowd, then a state school where there is nothing other than college football may be the better option.
With that said, there is still a long way to go before signing day. We'll see how he feels once the season plays out.
I agree with DVY; if all he is basing his decision on is a big crowd, then a state school where there is nothing other than college football may be the better option.
With that said, there is still a long way to go before signing day. We'll see how he feels once the season plays out.
The love is unique because you are choosing the home school. I have a surprise for you young man. Every fan base will turn on you when you fail. Going to a bigger school with megabowls will mean more people to hate on you in twitter. Imagine the death threats from UM own fans when the kicker messed up against Mich State.
I can't excuse the weirdo adult stalkers that post on your twitter account claiming to be Pitt fans though.
Kids should really stopped using twitter as a gauge on the entire school's fanbase and his potential overall success at that school in going to the NFL. Best to just listen to the adults with his best interest in mind and not the internet garbage white noise.
As a Pittsburgh area native, Mr. Hamlin knows all about the attendance challenges at Pitt. It is not unlike the vast majority of other urban schools. Schools are getting into his head about playing in front of bigger crowds. That's the main talking point against Pitt and other schools are going to use it.
If that is what he really wants, then Pitt is not for him. He needs to focus on other schools.
If that is what he really wants, then Pitt is not for him. He needs to focus on other schools.
Guessing he is leaning Pitt but somebody is in his ear about attendance. Probably the same guy out east who likes to tweet about 107k but never sees close to that number and was asked his thoughts on making the stadium smaller today.
I could swear the stands haven't been "packed" at PedU this year. No even urging fans to 'move down' has hidden the empty 'benches' from sight.
he's been harping on this attendance thing for a long time now. personally i think its a lot of hot air. why do i say that, because i think he's coming to pitt.
Something tells me this was probably in their conversation but somehow didn't make into his post. Selective reporting at it's best.
Any fan that posts on this board that does not support Pitt is the MAIN hinderance to PN. Pitt needs fewer whiners and more supporters.
I think so as well. However, it won't stop the other schools from bringing up attendance. Any nitters in the media will bring it up as well.
It's good that he expressed his feelings about it. He is a level-headed, classy kid and I wish him well wherever he matriculates. But, I don't agree with his 'city loves you, but when you fail, they turn on you.' That is the same anywhere that there are passionate fans, and they are not turning on you, they are expecting excellence and wanting to win. I think Pittsburgh as a whole cherishes their own, and brings the 'hometown hero' front and center. Look at the Dorsett, Marino, Ditka, Revis, etc. etc. examples. If Hamlin comes to Pitt, the city will celebrate, but they will also expect him to produce, just as they do everywhere else. If he does produce, then he will also be a hometown hero, just as some of his predecessors from the area. If he produces and helps the team get to the next level, he will forever be remembered, especially since his family, friends, and classmates will have been part of watching it.
Unfortunately it's part of the recruiting process for some kids. Pitt is not going to be full. Never was, never will be. If that is important to him, then Pitt isn't the place.
It's called negative recruiting and guarantee OSU, UM, PSU and ND bring it up all the time. It's the truth. I hope Gallagher and Barnes see this quote because Heinz has no atmosphere because these guys get it unlike the previous two idiots. Figure a way to level Frick and build the stadium in that area. There is plenty of room. If you don't believe me, go walk the area.
This is a stupid argument which will never go away and continues to be the hottest argument on all Pitt message boards. No other teams are moving off campus and have seen enough of the off campus experiment. You get 20M plus a year from the ACC due to football however we invest in other sports which bring in zero revenue to Pitt outside of BB. No disrespect to the other sports, but football rules and should be priority number one. Can't wait for Temple to build their on campus stadium as its only going to increase public pressure on Pitt.
This is a stupid argument which will never go away and continues to be the hottest argument on all Pitt message boards. No other teams are moving off campus and have seen enough of the off campus experiment. You get 20M plus a year from the ACC due to football however we invest in other sports which bring in zero revenue to Pitt outside of BB. No disrespect to the other sports, but football rules and should be priority number one. Can't wait for Temple to build their on campus stadium as its only going to increase public pressure on Pitt.
If this program ever starts winning for real there won't be any attendance problem. We aren't there yet and it will take time and more players like Hamlin, as well as the right head coach, which we hopefully have.
x9: If you wish to make the point you are trying to make, you better come up with a better example than Sam Ficken. After a rocky start, he bounced back to become a beloved player at PSU. If you have the opportunity to ask Mr. Ficken about PSU, my guess is he will tell you he loves the university and would return there is a heartbeat. I could be wrong....I don't personally know Sam....but I believe my point is correct.
This is right and yes he had a few tough games earlier in his career. By his last two season he became Mr. Automatic. Penn State fans love Sam Ficken.
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Looks like we are not the only program thinking about how their stadium fits with attendance/capacity issues. Ahem...........
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...chobox&utm_term=Autofeed#link_time=1446631420
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...chobox&utm_term=Autofeed#link_time=1446631420
[QUOTE="thebadby2, post: 480560, member: 14]If this program ever starts winning for real there won't be any attendance problem.
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This is incorrect on every level. It is beyond unrealistic to think Pitt can sell 68,000 consistently without a ton of help from traveling fanbases. Our fanbase is too small. Our alumni base is too small and the Yinzers watch Pitt on TV. They are Steeler/Pirate/Penguins fans first who will never buy tickets. I know scores of people like this who watch Pitt but would never give a 2nd thought to attending a game.
The stadium is way too big. If GT played at the Georgia Dome, BC at Gillette, TCU at JerryWorld, or Stanford at Levi's, would their fans be saying, just win and we will fill it?
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This is incorrect on every level. It is beyond unrealistic to think Pitt can sell 68,000 consistently without a ton of help from traveling fanbases. Our fanbase is too small. Our alumni base is too small and the Yinzers watch Pitt on TV. They are Steeler/Pirate/Penguins fans first who will never buy tickets. I know scores of people like this who watch Pitt but would never give a 2nd thought to attending a game.
The stadium is way too big. If GT played at the Georgia Dome, BC at Gillette, TCU at JerryWorld, or Stanford at Levi's, would their fans be saying, just win and we will fill it?
I would bet you are correct. But why should a college kid have to ever go through that to that extent. And does Penn State deserve some award for not actually killing the kid and eventually liking him, only after he starting doing good. I know we share a stadium with the Steelers, but Pitt has a very anti-yinzer crowd. Yeah Tino took some beatings on message boards, but nobody hung a doll of him from the 500 section of Heinz Field. Point is schools with a lot of fans want wins and wins right away. If you don't play well they will hate you to no end. Nobody is going to come to Pitt and have to worry about their safety because of a bad football game. And my god have we had some blunders during the years.
It never ceases to amaze me when an NFL prospect chooses a school primarily because of how their attendance is. Depth chart and coaching be damned.
This is incorrect on every level. It is beyond unrealistic to think Pitt can sell 68,000 consistently without a ton of help from traveling fanbases. Our fanbase is too small. Our alumni base is too small and the Yinzers watch Pitt on TV. They are Steeler/Pirate/Penguins fans first who will never buy tickets. I know scores of people like this who watch Pitt but would never give a 2nd thought to attending a game.
The stadium is way too big. If GT played at the Georgia Dome, BC at Gillette, TCU at JerryWorld, or Stanford at Levi's, would their fans be saying, just win and we will fill it?[/QUOTE]
Stanford's stadium seats 50,000. A few years ago before the renovations, it seated 80,000. Again, schools are recognizing that these giant stadiums are bad for business in the long run if you are in an area with many other competition for the scarce resources.
The big problem is there are many that believe:
1. Just win and we will sellout.
2. Tarping makes us look like losers.
#1 is false and I explained why. If we are. Tip 10 every year program then maybe but is that realistic. Pitt bball was that. They've falle of and the place is empty half the time. It didnt take much for that to happen
#2. Would you rather have 20,000 empty yellow seats of a huge blue tarp with a giant script Pitt? Is the tarp really worse than emlty seats? I dont get that.
One thing the tarp will do though is make it more difficult to inflate attendance numbers.
I agree with our Fan Base, 68K is not realistic. I think I 45K stadium would be perfect, however, that is almost as un realistic.
I do not understand the attendance thing over who is the best coach to get the player to the next level. However, there are a few programs that can offer both. If playing time is also important, then that list shrinks a bit too. (ie Foster vs Boyd)
I am all for putting a tarp(s) up if it pushes people to the lower bowl and generates demand. I think it needs to be attempted.
I do not understand the attendance thing over who is the best coach to get the player to the next level. However, there are a few programs that can offer both. If playing time is also important, then that list shrinks a bit too. (ie Foster vs Boyd)
I am all for putting a tarp(s) up if it pushes people to the lower bowl and generates demand. I think it needs to be attempted.
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This is incorrect on every level. It is beyond unrealistic to think Pitt can sell 68,000 consistently without a ton of help from traveling fanbases. Our fanbase is too small. Our alumni base is too small and the Yinzers watch Pitt on TV. They are Steeler/Pirate/Penguins fans first who will never buy tickets. I know scores of people like this who watch Pitt but would never give a 2nd thought to attending a game.
The stadium is way too big. If GT played at the Georgia Dome, BC at Gillette, TCU at JerryWorld, or Stanford at Levi's, would their fans be saying, just win and we will fill it?[/QUOTE]
I agree with the premise that a smaller, on-campus stadium would suit Pitt better than Heinz Field. But let's face it, 68,000 isn't some staggering number. Building a smaller stadium to give the appearance of better attendance is a shell game to the extent it effects recruiting. Kids aren't stupid, they realize that playing in front of 50,000 isn't the same as playing in front of 85-110 thousand. If playing in front of a big crowd every week is a high priority for a kid, Pitt probably won;t be his choice.
I agree and disagree. Pitt does not need the other team to bring a ton of fans to sell out the stadium. Winning will help, but to sell out the stadium you need to play big time teams, not because they bring their fans, but because casual Pitt fans will all come to watch those games. They will not show up to see Pitt play Youngstown, Ohio, or Akron.
great call. I've been to many brawls and ND games, even the psu game at Pitt stadium in 98 and in '00 at 3 rivers.. WVU, psu, and ND are not bringing 25k fans, they are bringing 10-12k, the difference is the casual fan that sees this as an event and goes to the game. Those same fans aren't enthralled by the penguins of Youngstown state and would rather stay at home and watch it..
BIG EVENTS like these games brings out the fair weather types.. That's why we need to get rid of the d1-aa garbage..
If Pitt had a 50,000 on campus stadium, bigger schools would say that you could play in a stadium double that size. Bottom line, if playing in front of huge crowds is what you want, then Pitt is not for you.
Exactly right. Here's the thing: Pittsburghers love football, but the general public is not very intelligent. Most people do not study football and the games like us die-hards do. Notre Dame is one of the few teams you could even make this argument about because they bring fans everywhere. But as far as Pitt's attendance, people would show up in much larger numbers to see a winless Notre Dame, Penn State, WVU, or Alabama because those are big name schools. Let's just say we played Temple this year late in the year and they were 8-1 or so. People would still not show up because Temple is not a big name.
That's how it is in college sports, a top 5 team or a big name program will draw fans. Schools like Pitt, any other opponent will not sell many tickets.
no kidding. franklin sucks as a game day coach, so he pushes the attendance. here is the thing, he keeps playing those extremely soft schedules, fans are going to leave...they will not put up with it.
wrong.
honestly. Why don't people here get this yet? college attendance is only marginally impacted by success and or profile of opponents in the vast majority of college towns.
People go to the games because there is a culture of supporting your team embedded in most every college football fanbase.
Pitt doesn't have that to the same extent, for whatever variables of reasons. we are what we are. It's different and it's a disadvantage .
You are correct. At Penn State a good bit of fans show up no matter what. If you need proof just look at all the cupcakes they play this year and still have decent crowds. Pittsburgh just has so many other sporting events going and other activities in the city, that Pitt would have to be a really good team playing a big name opponent for the stadium to fill. Any pro sports city for the most part is a bandwagon fan city. Being Pitt is in one of those cities they unfortunately suffer from some of those things.
