Game 17, UMass, Jan 15th, 7 PM, MASN

[sigmanorm]

4 point lead at half (37-33) and lose 69 - 58. I hate to say it, but that just seems to be what we do. Hope I am wrong.

I am changing my prediction...ALL POSITIVE APPROACH TODAY!!

Real Patriots - 74
minutemen - 69 (that is minute, like small, not minute like 60 secs) (m

-n

t

)

 

[GreenLantern]

There was one person who yelled "Go Home Paul Hewitt", right near the end of the game. That was the only outburst I heard

 

[pjjack]

UMass has not exactly been slaughtering teams on the road. Will take Mason if it's plus six or more, definitely. If not leaning toward UMass.

This is not true. While they have only played two true road games they have won at some tough to win at arenas and some big wins on a neutral court. They beat a very good Ohio by 12 and the game wasn't that close. Ohio has been one of the best home teams in the country n recently memory so this win was rare in that building. They had lost something like only 3 home games in the past 4 seasons at home. They won @ E. Michigan by 12 points and that is their only home loss of this season. They beat then 19th ranked New Mexico on a neutral court by 16 points, they beat Clemson in SC albeit on a "neutral court" by 8 points and a 9 point win in Mass over BYU on a "neutral court". They lost a neutral court game in Florida to Florida State but Umass was leading by 4 points with less than 3 min left and did not close the game out. Umass is a good road team.

 

[gmujim92]

Jim, I know you can't make it to all the games, but one or two students in the upper part of the arena yelled the comments about Hewitt. I'm not saying fans aren't upset, but it does crack me up how the story has snowballed into "fans chanting."

As for the email, I don't disagree it seemed forced; but I also can't help but notice the hypocrisy of people complaining Hewitt doesn't connect enough with the fan base like Coach L and then bitching when he tries to get fans to come out to a game. Can't have it both ways.

Tom, it's pretty obvious that somebody heard something ... unless you believe that the timing of TOC's tweet and Hewitt's e-mail were purely coincidental.

I'm not as bothered by the e-mail because I know Hewitt didn't write it -- most likely, as PMP suggested, he didn't even know about it.

If he did write it, I'd be inclined to suggest that he save whatever time he spent on it and use that time to figure out what the F is wrong with his approach and our program.

TOC's tweet, on the other hand, kinda pissed me off.

Instead of sending thinly veiled messages to disloyal fans like myself, he ought to focus on evaluating the coach and putting together a list of possible replacements should the bottom completely fall out on this season.

In my book, it's bad form to put a fairly crappy, underachieving product on the floor, then give your fans a guilt trip for not falling all over themselves to "support" that product.

 

[Walter]

TOC has a Twitter account?

 

[Pablo]

There's no need for fans to be upset with any email or tweet. The Patriots are playing a nationally ranked conference team at the Patriot Center tonight. It's time for the players to leave it all on the court.

I know that I'm looking forward to this game. Let's hope that this is the start of something positive.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Jim, I know you can't make it to all the games, but one or two students in the upper part of the arena yelled the comments about Hewitt. I'm not saying fans aren't upset, but it does crack me up how the story has snowballed into "fans chanting."

As for the email, I don't disagree it seemed forced; but I also can't help but notice the hypocrisy of people complaining Hewitt doesn't connect enough with the fan base like Coach L and then bitching when he tries to get fans to come out to a game. Can't have it both ways.

1. It was a group of about 20-30 students chanting "Larranaga" fyi. One of the same group, yelled "Go home Hewitt".

2. Hypocrisy? Its an auto email that came from an assistant or intern....you earn no points for sending a bland generic email. Youre a successful business man, how many long lasting relationships have you made through 1 bland email?

 

[Five Two]

Via Mason's Twitter account:
Mason Basketball ‏@MasonMBB 12m
Hope everyone is getting ready for the big game tonight! We will also be debuting our newest timeout promo during the game. Should be fun!

 

[Patriotfan49]

How about debuting a new intro video.....continuing to play the one that features players no longer on the team is a little hacky.

 

[gmutom]

In my book, it's bad form to put a fairly crappy, underachieving product on the floor, then give your fans a guilt trip for not falling all over themselves to "support" that product.

I took it as more of a plea than a guilt trip. We never get a nationally-ranked team to come to Fairfax, so I completely get from a PR standpoint why they would send out ever Tweet, email blast and Facebook possible to get a good crowd.

I don't question at all that they are doing it, but I do question why they waited until the day of the game to do so. I think it's pretty naive to think people are just going to drop everything they are doing tonight and spontaneously head over to the Patriot Center. They should have been sending this stuff out Monday.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Every team markets this way. Maybe not as far as how it's worded, but the volume. vcu plasters the internet. If anything,Mason hasn't been doing enough of it. I'm glad to see it, but to Tom's point, I hope they start earlier in the future.

 

[dr. gunnie]

TOC's tweet, on the other hand, kinda pissed me off.

I really enjoyed his tweet. To me, it was his way of telling all the fans who b!tch, moan, and complain about every little thing to grow up, grow a pair, and get your butt to the game. Too many boo frickin' hoo'ers... it's sports. You're going to win some, you're gonna lose some. We've won a lot more than we have lost over the past 12 years. Now that things are a little tough everyone wants off the bandwagon. It's time to dig your heels in the dirt, man up, and see what we are made out of - both as players and fans! WOO HOO!

Us fans gotta think: You got a team. You got a responsibility. If your team is lost, you don't support that team for a few games and call it quits; you get your @ss out there and you support that frickin' team!

 

[gmujim92]

I took it as more of a plea than a guilt trip. We never get a nationally-ranked team to come to Fairfax, so I completely get from a PR standpoint why they would send out ever Tweet, email blast and Facebook possible to get a good crowd.

I don't question at all that they are doing it, but I do question why they waited until the day of the game to do so. I think it's pretty naive to think people are just going to drop everything they are doing tonight and spontaneously head over to the Patriot Center. They should have been sending this stuff out Monday.

Hopefully we have a great crowd tonight, but I understand if we don't.

I know many people who used to love going to games at the PC but have been completely turned off by what has happened to the program over the past 2-plus years.

Maybe it wasn't rational, but I used to feel confident that we could beat whoever we played at home. Even if we were outmanned, I just always felt like L would have the guys prepared and they'd give us a chance.

Heading into games against top competition and hoping not to get humiliated is not a pleasant feeling.

 

[MasonFanatic]

I can't believe you all are complaining about attempts to engage, when everyone has said for the last month that Hewitt is too aloof.

Which is it?

 

[Patriotfan49]

I really enjoyed his tweet. To me, it was his way of telling all the fans who b!tch, moan, and complain about every little thing to grow up, grow a pair, and get your butt to the game. Too many boo frickin' hoo'ers... it's sports. You're going to win some, you're gonna lose some. We've won a lot more than we have lost over the past 12 years. Now that things are a little tough everyone wants off the bandwagon. It's time to dig your heels in the dirt, man up, and see what we are made out of - both as players and fans! WOO HOO!

Us fans gotta think: You got a team. You got a responsibility. If your team is lost, you don't support that team for a few games and call it quits; you get your @ss out there and you support that frickin' team!

Most of us here are at every home game.....not much getting off the bandwagon, unfortunately.

 

[gmujim92]

I can't believe you all are complaining about attempts to engage, when everyone has said for the last month that Hewitt is too aloof.

Which is it?

I've never complained about Hewitt being aloof. That is #5,768,324 on the list of things that concern me about him.

Win games and championships, and I don't care if you're the biggest dick in the world.

 

[gmutom]

Most of us here are at every home game.....not much getting off the bandwagon, unfortunately.

This is true, although I admittedly drink more at the Patriot Club these days than I have in the past. haha

 

[Patriotfan49]

This is true, although I admittedly drink more at the Patriot Club these days than I have in the past. haha

Thats what it is for, 15 minutes to see how many beers you can manage to drink. Or at least that is what I always assumed it was for......sure is hell isnt for the cold hotdog with some mystery meat chili.....lol

 

[dr. gunnie]

Most of us here are at every home game.....not much getting off the bandwagon, unfortunately.

Very true - I think most of us here are in for the long haul, almost to a fault (if that's possible). But on twitter you have a lot more of the fair weather fans who I assume he was addressing.

 

[Washingtonian]

This is true, although I admittedly drink more at the Patriot Club these days than I have in the past. haha

And you multi-tasked by watching the 49ers/Seahawks game on your iPad!