When basketball recruits come to Siena for a visit, one of the first places they go off campus is downtown to the Times Union Center. There, they see a 14,000 seat first class facility with a jumbotron scoreboard and banners hanging from the rafters. As impressive a facility as there not only in the MAAC, but in all of New York, excepting the Carrier Dome.
But once the games start... where is the home court advantage? Siena has some trememdously loyal fans; fans who not only go to every home game, but travel to most of the road games as well. Yet they can only make so much noise on their own. Where is the noise from all the other fans who are at the game.
Case in point: 1:43 left in the game, Siena's Ryan Rossiter gets a rebound basket to cut Fairfield's lead to 1, time out Fran McCaffery. At that point, the fans should be on their feet, screaming their heads off in approval. And if not there, certainly when the Saints come back out on the floor after the timeout. A few sections were up, but many were just sitting there waiting for the game to restart, not exactly providing a boost for the home team. A home court needs to be loud and involved to reallly make a difference.
Take a few minutes and see a Saint Rose game.
The Dirty Dugout guys and girls are always involved in the game, understanding the situation and supporting the Knight with loud voices. Granted, the Nolan Gym only seats 1,000 so it's easier to make the place fill with sound.
It's time for the cocktail party atmosphere to end and for fans to get involved again. Not only to benefit the basketball team, but to benefit everyone in the area. I understand not every Siena opponent brings out the venom of the Saints faithful, but I guarantee the fans at Duke are every bit as loud when Cornell or Albany come to town as they are when it's an ACC game.
Most fans never had a chance to experience what it's like to play division I sports in front of a big crowd. For the those who spend the money to come to the TU Center, this is that chance to be part of the team.
See, and maybe, hear you at the next game.
RB
