50 year fan. 1st game at barn as a kid in ‘74/5 and now…

[SBP]

I truly feel this might be my last year as a super fan/ticket holder.

Sure, I’m from here (Franklin, I played with Roy), I’ll always have a spot in my rooting heart for them, but it’s a new paradigm now. Tonight showed me no passion. This team is a letdown, and a rebuild is eminent.

We are a looong way from the Dance in a BiiiiiiiiG conference. I don’t see this as a Top 10 B10 program anytime soon.

It hurts, for sure.

 

[rufan4ever]

I truly feel this might be my last year as a super fan/ticket holder.

Sure, I’m from here (Franklin, I played with Roy), I’ll always have a spot in my rooting heart for them, but it’s a new paradigm now. Tonight showed me no passion. This team is a letdown, and a rebuild is eminent.

We are a looong way from the Dance in a BiiiiiiiiG conference. I don’t see this as a Top 10 B10 program anytime soon.

It hurts, for sure.

I am right behind you brother.
It's more frustrating than fun and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
It's a shame.

 

[winfield102]

You're spiraling. From "in or out?" to this thread. Time to reset the expectations so you don't feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the ball away.

An extremely large percentage of fans went into the season with unrealistic expectations. Pikes identity for the program is defense. 2 superstars on offense and a group of transfers that struggle to play defense was not a good roster for him.

 

[SBP]

You're spiraling. From "in or out?" to this thread. Time to reset the expectations so you don't feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the ball away.

An extremely large percentage of fans went into the season with unrealistic expectations. Pikes identity for the program is defense. 2 superstars on offense and a group of transfers that struggle to play defense was not a good roster for him.

Yes because of how we were playing, it’s simple. They got sick, hurt, spit the bit, and just disappointed everyone in the CBB world.

 

[bethlehemfan]

I truly feel this might be my last year as a super fan/ticket holder.

Sure, I’m from here (Franklin, I played with Roy), I’ll always have a spot in my rooting heart for them, but it’s a new paradigm now. Tonight showed me no passion. This team is a letdown, and a rebuild is eminent.

We are a looong way from the Dance in a BiiiiiiiiG conference. I don’t see this as a Top 10 B10 program anytime soon.

It hurts, for sure.

I can feel your pain. First game for me was in the barn as well. Cant remember the opponent. Went to Jadwyn for the disappointing loss to st Bonnie in the nit. Dad had season tickets when the rac opened and went to most games through probably 85/86. Many many memorable games for a team that was generally up and down under Tom young. Started going again when pike came in and glad I did. But Pike and the program is reminding me of tom young era now. Difficulty maintaining a roster and not elite enough to overcome it.

 

[Plum Street]

You will get sucked back in when/if the program gets better. I gave up really caring during the waters era. Stopped going to as many games. Saw no way up in the BIG East. Still followed the train wrecks , but I got to miss so many fun moments at the RAC under hill, rice and Jordan!! Too bad.
Got sucked back in 2019 when pike was starting to build something.
If you’re gonna do it, do it. Don’t cry wolf

 

[SBP]

You will get sucked back in when/if the program gets better. I gave up really caring during the waters era. Stopped going to as many games. Saw no way up in the BIG East. Still followed the train wrecks , but I got to miss so many fun moments at the RAC under hill, rice and Jordan!! Too bad.
Got sucked back in 2019 when pike was starting to build something.
If you’re gonna do it, do it. Don’t cry wolf

I said I will always have love for the team, but not to the degree I once was . New paradigm these days. Too transitory

 

[RUChoppin]

We decided before the game to drop basketball tickets for next year, and reduce football from 4 to 2. Game certainly didn't change that decision.

 

[LeapinLou]

I moved 3 years ago and now it's a one hour drive each way to the RAC. Given that almost all of the games are on TV and I'm about to turn 60, it does make one reevaluate season tickets after a performance like last night. I'm not saying I will bale, but I understand your POV.

 

[bethlehemfan]

We decided before the game to drop basketball tickets for next year, and reduce football from 4 to 2. Game certainly didn't change that decision.

Exact same except not totally sold on 2 football.

 

[bethlehemfan]

I moved 3 years ago and now it's a one hour drive each way to the RAC. Given that almost all of the games are on TV and I'm about to turn 60, it does make one reevaluate season tickets after a performance like last night. I'm not saying I will bale, but I understand your POV.

I’m an hour and ten minutes now with a fair amount of backroads so that is making the decision easy.

 

[RUJMM78]

I really like college basketball and have enjoyed watching games at the RAC especially when Rutgers was a member of the Big East.There were so many local rivalries and outstanding players to watch.I consider myself a realistic fan knowing that for whatever reason, Rutgers won't have the right combination of coaching and players to successfully compete against power conference competition.The recent debacle of 30 years without one NCAA bid proves the point.

This season started with very high expectations because of Bailey and Harper .Two elite five star recruits would surely lead Rutgers to a top 25 ranking and a NCAA bid.Sadly,the team had two bad losses to Kennesaw State and Princeton and ever since, has been floundering with no consistent performances at both ends of the court.The poor performances at the RAC clearly show the flaws without any adjustments to change the status quo.As the season nears its end, I'm really disappointed in the performance of Bailey and Harper.The sensational performances especially on the road have quickly disappeared .The rest of the roster simply doesn't have the talent to win games without at least 40 points from Bailey and Harper.

I really like coach Pikiell because he is a outstanding spokesman for Rutgers University. The problem , however, is that head coaches are hired to win games and get NCAA bids.The B1G Ten is getting stronger with the addition of the four west coast teams.Rutgers clearly is getting weaker with the NIL and the transfer portal.There is a absence of accountability and no sense of urgency to rectify the problem areas. For next season I would be happy just to get my green parking pass back .

 

[kt124]

An extremely large percentage of fans went into the season with unrealistic expectations. Pikes identity for the program is defense. 2 superstars on offense and a group of transfers that struggle to play defense was not a good roster for him.

making the ncaa tournament was not an unrealistic expectation for this team

 

[RUDivision]

You will get sucked back in when/if the program gets better. I gave up really caring during the waters era. Stopped going to as many games. Saw no way up in the BIG East. Still followed the train wrecks , but I got to miss so many fun moments at the RAC under hill, rice and Jordan!! Too bad.
Got sucked back in 2019 when pike was starting to build something.
If you’re gonna do it, do it. Don’t cry wolf

But there is no program under Pike!
The only player currently on the roster who was recruited by Pike and here more than 1 year is Jmike. JMike great young man and great for the school but undersized and not a power 4 player. The only reason he is on the team is his best friend.
So what program? A program passes the torch year to year and teaches itself .
Pike has no program.

 

[ru66]

Exact same except not totally sold on 2 football.

Many times traveling to games takes me over 2 hours.Try getting through Manhattan or Staten Island to get to a 6:30 game ,worst yet is a Friday night football game.Sometimes I have to leave literally 4 hours before game start. And what a tough ride back last night. I've had 4 seats to each sport for decades and my kids and grandkids love going so I just can't and won't give them up but your right last night was one of the worst in years.

 

[FIJI'83]

I truly feel this might be my last year as a super fan/ticket holder.

Sure, I’m from here (Franklin, I played with Roy), I’ll always have a spot in my rooting heart for them, but it’s a new paradigm now. Tonight showed me no passion. This team is a letdown, and a rebuild is eminent.

We are a looong way from the Dance in a BiiiiiiiiG conference. I don’t see this as a Top 10 B10 program anytime soon.

It hurts, for sure.

So sad the Trapezoid of Horror or Terror … is no more. I sit in Section 105 and the fans around me sit there like propped up corpses. Maybe I embellish a bit, but the point is this Coach F’d Up a good thing. This year is a bitter disappointment and embarassment. I am already dreading going to games next year …. but I will.

 

[RUChoppin]

I've sat at the top on 304 over the last 2 years. This year it has either been mostly empty, or surrounded by visiting fans. Last night was mostly empty.

 

[winfield102]

making the ncaa tournament was not an unrealistic expectation for this team

The result shouldn't have people melting down. That tells me they really overestimated what we were gonna do this year.

Fighting for a NCAA berth was a reasonable expectation. No one should be surprised at what has happened though because Pike has ZERO experience with this type of roster.

 

[SBP]

If the team showed some fight and consistency (and a little more luck with Dylan), we would have 16 wins squarely on the bubble, about what we all suspected and anticipated. It might have made a difference for me. Acuff and Dylan injuries the major reason? Maybe, but the inconsistency of others more likely.

Also having literally no idea who the team is every year takes away the commitment… if the players aren’t committed anymore, it’s hard for fans to be.

 

[winfield102]

With having no idea what our roster will look like next year, it doesn't allow fans to transfer the hope to next year. It's usually at this point that fans could say all kinds of things about the potential next season.

We've witnessed the murder of hope this season because the back door to escape was locked. The back door led to next year.

 

[RUGiddy777]

You're spiraling. From "in or out?" to this thread. Time to reset the expectations so you don't feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the ball away.

An extremely large percentage of fans went into the season with unrealistic expectations. Pikes identity for the program is defense. 2 superstars on offense and a group of transfers that struggle to play defense was not a good roster for him.

The superstars struggle to play defense as well. JMike is the only healthy player who fits the mold.

 

[RU at the shore]

I said I will always have love for the team, but not to the degree I once was . New paradigm these days. Too transitory

It doesn't necessarily have to be that way.

Try it this way - Get 5 3.0 - 3.5 star freshman every year and achieve buy in on the Pike system. You'll always have attrition (1 per class per year ?) but perhaps this approach would yield a better, more cohesive (defense first !) team that the fans can get behind

 

[Scarlet Shack]

So sad the Trapezoid of Horror or Terror … is no more. I sit in Section 105 and the fans around me sit there like propped up corpses. Maybe I embellish a bit, but the point is this Coach F’d Up a good thing. This year is a bitter disappointment and embarassment. I am already dreading going to games next year …. but I will.

I’m in 105….as well , and people don’t yell or cheer nearly as much

Some of that is the number of people around me who sell ….is at least in the one third range,

Anyone who thinks we are selling out club seats for the RAC needs to pay attention to the number of people who actually goes to the games . Be a disaster and not the revenue cow sone think it will be

As for me…I’ve been at the RAC as a kid since 1977-1978…..I’m just used to this

But I really do think this is now a program that can win.

pike needs to go back to recruting and retention. We have a been a club team for the past two years with the mass roster turnover and it has to stop

Pike Muat keep Jmike , Derkack , Somerville, grant and Dortch . Must . Need to start with ther with a foundation .

Then for the year after …add the four frosh …that’s 8 that can return and he has to keep at least 6 of the 8….and go out and sign another 4-5 man class with 2-3 top 150 kids .

class of 2026 is going to be huge …if he turns in a dud …the program isn’t gojng to climb out of the bottom third anytime soon

It’s program building almost from scratch and this is year one. Three years of classes with only Jmike left wrecked the original foundation of the program

It’s what I see….and there is a lot of work to be done

 

[SBP]

In today’s college game, I completely expect Lathan to leave. Seriously . Hope I’m wrong but nothing will surprise me. Of JWill is our “leader” again next year we are in trouble.

Rebuilding the next 2 years, even WITH portal kids, which shouldn’t be but 2 or so. Development is key.

 

[RutgersChow]

You're spiraling. From "in or out?" to this thread. Time to reset the expectations so you don't feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the ball away.

An extremely large percentage of fans went into the season with unrealistic expectations. Pikes identity for the program is defense. 2 superstars on offense and a group of transfers that struggle to play defense was not a good roster for him.

It would have been a better roster with someone else managing, maybe anyone else.