Flashback: 25 years ago; ETSU @ ASU

[asu66]

Who, besides me, will admit to being present for the January 20, 1990 game between the ETSU Bucs and the Apps in VG in front of a sold-out, SRO crowd of crazies. The major "players" were...for ASU...Coach Tom Apke, Steve Spurlock, Sam Gibson, Rodney Peel and Kemp Phillips; and for ETSU...Coach Les Robinson, Keith Jennings, Alvin West, Calvin Talford and Greg Dennis. It was a game I'll certainly never forget.

http://www.journalnow.com/sports/asu/ap ... a8f51.html

[Rick0714]

I was there and it was probably the best athletic event outside of KBS I've been a part of! And there is probably only two in KBS that were better. My Dad made the trip and we had a blast! The one thing that really stands out in my memory though, is the pep band (yes, we had one AND STILL SHOULD) playing the Tennessee Waltz and the ETSU fans giving a standing ovation. I don't know why,but it was just so touching. The Holmes hasn't matched what we had at VG, I just don't understand why, but I know the student turnout was multiples higher every night. Plus Mr Solicetto!

[scatman77]

VG back in the Cremins Era was packed because there was excitement (regardless of the record), the football team pretty much sat together and were their own cheering section, the pep band was wide open, our live Yosef was all over the place (anyone remember him "shooting" Ken Labanowski from Marshall one night?), and students came out in droves!

[asutrnr81]

FTR. We still have a pep band.

IMO....winning or the chance thereof is the biggest part of atmosphere at VG vs. HC. I honestly think location has something to do with it. VG was right beside the cafeteria. While HC is not far away.....losing basketball and the extra walk on a fridged night make for less atmosphere.

Then again it could be the new Liberry (spelling intentional)....students studying more.

[hapapp]

I was in the SRO crowd that night. That indeed was a classic!

[Dmanuhone]

I traveled all the way from Lenoir to be there. Top row, mid court, locals side.

[BUTCH1991]

I was there on the 2nd or 3rd row with the students. Great fun!

[bigdaddyg]

Not to mention another memorable game as a topper (because I was not at the 1990 game) but the 1983 game versus Marshall was still one of the best basketball games I have seen. If memory serves we were a decided underdog. I think the game went to overtime and the crowd was in a frenzy. Also recall another one in, I think '84 or '85, against UTC (with Gerald Wilkins). Me and few buddies sat on the front row across the court from the UTC bench. We messed with Wilkins the whole game- another big win for the Apps.

[JTApps1]

I was there and it was probably the best athletic event outside of KBS I've been a part of! And there is probably only two in KBS that were better. My Dad made the trip and we had a blast! The one thing that really stands out in my memory though, is the pep band (yes, we had one AND STILL SHOULD) playing the Tennessee Waltz and the ETSU fans giving a standing ovation. I don't know why,but it was just so touching. The Holmes hasn't matched what we had at VG, I just don't understand why, but I know the student turnout was multiples higher every night. Plus Mr Solicetto!

Speaking of Pep Bands, remember how much bigger ours was even into the late 90's? While I'm grateful for those who play now I would to see us get back to that size of a band. Hopefully Fox can build this program and the excitement will help grow all aspects of the basketball experience.

One thing we have to do is get the students involved more during the game. Our marketing department has to focus on the students more.

[AppGrad78]

On a semi-related note, it looks like the Scottish Inn and the Red Carpet Inn are finally going to be torn down. The two eyesores will be replaced by quality student housing, among other things. This should have the effect of shifting the Holmes Center more closer to the center of campus, much like Broome-Kirk and Varsity Gym were to us old-timers.

http://www.hcpress.com/news/demolition- ... -week.html

[App91]

I was there, remember being about 4 rows off the floor. Might be the best indoor crowd i have evern been a part of. That ETSU team was very good.

[appgrad98]

I was there. Awesome crowd. I remember you had to get there early to get in and get a good seat. I was also there a few years after that when we defeated Nebraska who had Eric Piatkowski. That was when we had Ricky Nedd who could flat play some d and handle the ball pretty good as a point forward.

[T-Dog]

One thing we have to do is get the students involved more during the game. Our marketing department has to focus on the students more.

That's one thing that has fallen through the cracks this year. Yes it's nice to have students there, but this year they've mostly acted like it's convocation and not really been into it. But wait, let's have students flip Oreos into their mouths and Hula Hoop for prizes during timeouts! That's apparently more important than having a raucous student section.

I remember back in 2006-07 in the home finale vs UNCG, it had the best student crowd ever at the Holmes Center (low bar, I know) after a year of very good basketball. They handed out "Exit Signs" with an explanation on the back that Kyle Hines, G's best player, tore down an Exit sign at Elon after being ejected a week or two before. That game was a lot of fun.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I was there as well.

Not to go all negative but I wonder what is the attendance record for a game BK/VG/Holmes that MBB won.

The record at Holmes was the opener against UNC-CH, from my understanding, which we lost. This ETSU game was SRO and we lost. I have no idea of BK.

Where are the big crowds with a win?

[QueencityApp]

I just can't get over the attendance figures back at VG. 8k really?! That must've been one hell of an atmosphere. I never got to experience that as I started at App in '02, but this leads into my question. Do you guys think it's the location of Holmes compared to VG contributing to the low attendance? We get excited about any game over 2500 but there is no reason we shouldn't be around 4k every game with a school the size of App. I don't get it, I know everyone likes a winner and the MBB team hasn't produced much excitement during the past few years but damn are there that many other options to choose from in Boone nowadays?

[T-Dog]

I was there as well.

Not to go all negative but I wonder what is the attendance record for a game BK/VG/Holmes that MBB won.

The record at Holmes was the opener against UNC-CH, from my understanding, which we lost. This ETSU game was SRO and we lost. I have no idea of BK.

Where are the big crowds with a win?

Record for a Holmes Center win was 5,343 (4th highest for Holmes) in the Triple OT win in 2002 over UNCC. Largest in Varsity was 7,335 in 1981 vs Davidson.

[JTApps1]

One thing we have to do is get the students involved more during the game. Our marketing department has to focus on the students more.

That's one thing that has fallen through the cracks this year. Yes it's nice to have students there, but this year they've mostly acted like it's convocation and not really been into it. But wait, let's have students flip Oreos into their mouths and Hula Hoop for prizes during timeouts! That's apparently more important than having a raucous student section.

I remember back in 2006-07 in the home finale vs UNCG, it had the best student crowd ever at the Holmes Center (low bar, I know) after a year of very good basketball. They handed out "Exit Signs" with an explanation on the back that Kyle Hines, G's best player, tore down an Exit sign at Elon after being ejected a week or two before. That game was a lot of fun.

I was at that UNCG game and yes the students were out in force and very involved. I believe several students took it upon themselves to go dorm to dorm to get their fellow students to come out. If they can do that you would think people being paid to get people in the door could do the same. And yes the "entertainment" is pretty ridiculous. Its amazing how good our student involvement is for football and how bad it is for bball.

[app87]

Not to mention another memorable game as a topper (because I was not at the 1990 game) but the 1983 game versus Marshall was still one of the best basketball games I have seen. If memory serves we were a decided underdog. I think the game went to overtime and the crowd was in a frenzy. Also recall another one in, I think '84 or '85, against UTC (with Gerald Wilkins). Me and few buddies sat on the front row across the court from the UTC bench. We messed with Wilkins the whole game- another big win for the Apps.

Now THAT was a great game and I believe Jeff Dowd hit the game winning shot and the crowd went nuts!

[NewApp]

On a semi-related note, it looks like the Scottish Inn and the Red Carpet Inn are finally going to be torn down. The two eyesores will be replaced by quality student housing, among other things. This should have the effect of shifting the Holmes Center more closer to the center of campus, much like Broome-Kirk and Varsity Gym were to us old-timers.

http://www.hcpress.com/news/demolition- ... -week.html

Geez, Charlie, I had no idea you were around in the days Broome-Kirk was around. Dude, you just can't be that old.

[NewApp]

I just can't get over the attendance figures back at VG. 8k really?! That must've been one hell of an atmosphere. I never got to experience that as I started at App in '02, but this leads into my question. Do you guys think it's the location of Holmes compared to VG contributing to the low attendance? We get excited about any game over 2500 but there is no reason we shouldn't be around 4k every game with a school the size of App. I don't get it, I know everyone likes a winner and the MBB team hasn't produced much excitement during the past few years but damn are there that many other options to choose from in Boone nowadays?

Too hundreds of student nowadays it's more fun for them to just traverse down or out to the bar/restaurants than to Holmes. That's one of the reasons they leave football games early, also.