Coach watch

Back-to-back PL champs 2016 and 2017.... but need to get back to relevance in the national FCS scene.
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RichH
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Re: Coach watch

Post by RichH » Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:59 pm

TMH wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:37 pm What has changed in those 20 years are the tailgating restrictions. That began the new tradition of morning cocktails on campus prior to football games followed by staying on campus.

Let's face it, we had one of the top players in the NBA playing here for 4 years and basketball attendance remained stagnant.

I suggest party buses to the games :-)
Party buses. An elegant and practical solution. :D Kudos.
Tailgating restrictions along with the virtual ban of alcohol on campus succeeded in moving students'attention and social life to south Bedlam. The joys of unintended consequences. Shortsighted and ill advised. Removed students from a safer environment into town.
Admittedly my era at Lehigh vastly different. No coeds. You could walk to all sporting events. Party weekends were on campus. Beer was measured in kegs not cases of beer. Only now is LU trying to ddvise more rational rules for alcohol and parties. Not particularly successful. LU is trying to force juniors to live on campus as well. Of course there are not enough beds. Seems that died at least for now.
Part of getting kids to center more of their time at Lehigh to on campus activities must include sports as one of the many issues that have to be dealt with.


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lfnadmin
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Re: Coach watch

Post by lfnadmin » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:41 pm

My thoughts on stadium/night games.

When you want a night game is the very first week of the season, the last weekend of August or Labor Day weekend, when it's likely to be 90 degrees out and the midday sun is broiling the people in the visiting stands. It's the first week, nobody has homework, few freshman even have classes, and 1/4 of the student body doesn't know the first thing about college life.

Have a game with a 5PM kickoff. Open the tailgating lots at noon, have some official events and a BBQ, and maybe even have some fraternities sponsor some parties. The climate for watching a game in the stands with a 5PM start is a much, much better atmosphere than a 12:30 start in 90-100 degree weather. Game ends at 8PM, ish? Kids take buses back to campus, and then have their regular nighttime things after the game.

I'm an older alum, but how is this not a solid experience? If you make a whopper of a home opener like this, not only will you get a larger crowd for a home game, you're also more likely to have students come back for 12:30 starts later in the year. So you don't need to have night games in November - just a couple each year in August/September. Then there's the other ancillary benefits - graduations, other tenants, etc. If you don't get the kids out on that first weekend, you're less likely to get them back when the games are more important. JMHO.
Richb-3
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Re: Coach watch

Post by Richb-3 » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:25 pm

Well 7:00 k-o, 10:00 final whistle still gives kids a 6 hour + party window. But yeah start 5:00 pm first home game.

My thought is to segregate where students park, so that we can make sure no one drives away drunk. That is why I have been suggesting parking them north of the stadium. I guess if they don't want stay the night, but don't have a sober driver, put them in a bus that runs maybe every 15 minute back to campus. They can always come back for the car Sunday.

But if we can park them over by Rausch and Stabler, they can intermix with alumni, which is a good thing (I work with and party with a lot of students, definitely keeps me young). I guess, south of the stadium, students could be parked where the Rugby field is.

Either set up a big-big tent in case of bad weather or open up Stabler or Rausch. If anyone remembers the first EIWA at Stabler, There was a "picnic" for 4,000 set up in Rausch, hard to empty the parking lot, go out to find a place to eat, and get back in 2.5 hours. - whatever you do, make sure there are enough port-a-johns

$ 50,000 seems to be the max cost to experiment. I would hate to do like my HS did, Experiment with rental lights for 2 games each of 2 years around 1960, but not put in permanent lights until 1980.
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RichH
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Re: Coach watch

Post by RichH » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:35 pm

I've arranged rental lights for a HS in Conn. Long story but it was not that expensive. For us, toy can buy or rent mobil spots for parking. Fairly cheap either way. Football fields need 4 standard towers. Guess rental is an option but installation is better choice in my opinion.
Go Lehigh TU Owl
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Re: Coach watch

Post by Go Lehigh TU Owl » Thu Nov 29, 2018 4:11 pm

Lehigh should consider itself fortunate to have an expansive athletic complex. The proximity from the academic campus to the athletic campus is minimal. Delaware has a similar setup. The Tub and the rest of the athletic facilities are a bit far removed from the main campus. Beaver Stadium is a "hike" relative to where most of the students live (especially those near the west end of campus) yet no one complains. Temple students have to take the subway to the Linc. When I went to Michigan Stadium this year I took a shuttle bus from a mall parking lot to the stadium. There were people legitimately tailgating in the mall parking lot before heading over.

The school just needs to embrace the location and make it more inviting. Get the students tailgating again and make it the place to be on Saturday afternoon.

If we're talking about dreams how about an 18 hole golf course that traverses itself around the athletic campus? I'm sure i could could up with a reasonable routing ;) . Saucon Valley is great but it's not accessible to most students, alums, staff and friends of the university.
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RichH
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Re: Coach watch

Post by RichH » Thu Nov 29, 2018 4:34 pm

Why am I not surprised that the infamous Golfer Nomad hopes for a course traversing South Mountain. :D
Do agree that what LU can do to make Goodman a destination it should do. We can all speculate as to how much of a difference it will make but it wont get better unless we try.
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jimk72
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Re: Coach watch

Post by jimk72 » Thu Nov 29, 2018 5:38 pm

As an older alumni ('72) one quick tidbit about alcohol on campus, a bit of a defense for our administration's muddled alcohol policy. Back then under aged drinking in high school was fairly rampant from junior class on up. Getting caught was a big deal with your parents, but the first time civil penalty in Pennsylvania was simply a fine ($35.50 I recall). That's it. Then when I got to Lehigh it was tacitly understood that underage drinking was not condoned. But if it happened, particularly at rush functions, the campus police simply chewed you out and made sure you got back to your dorm. No harm, no foul. What else would I expect living in "Drinker" Hall as a 17 year old freshman.

Today underage drinking in Pa. is just below a misdemeanor, revokes your drivers license (even if you're nowhere near an automobile), and goes on your permanent record. And the lawyers lay in wait for any opportunity to sue everybody if something unfortunate happens. The university has to have draconian partying/alcohol policies to minimize its exposure to litigation. Which pushing student merry making off campus, into Bethlehem, where much worse can happen. And away from university events. I don't know how you overcome this unfortunate situation.

But getting off my soap box for a second, I too feel the best ways to attempt more engagement at Goodman & Stabler:
1) Dramatically better transport for students to events
2) Dramatically better transport for students to events
3) Better on campus in your "your Mountain Hawk team needs your support" type promotions. A dozen pizzas (or whatever) to the living group with the largest attendance at an event maybe?

On last thought. There will be new owners of the Sands Casino shortly. The Creek Indian tribe of Alabama I believe.
My personal dream would be these new owners for some reason decide they need an event center for concerts or mega events like boxing or video gaming (getting bigger by day). Somewhat larger than what they have now. Things you can now bet on in Pennsylvania. A beautiful new state of the art 4,000 seat venue that was also perfect for basketball, wrestling, etc., just two blocks off the eastern edge of campus............
Sundayamqb
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Re: Coach watch

Post by Sundayamqb » Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:50 pm

No HC change; no announcement.
ngineer
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Re: Coach watch

Post by ngineer » Fri Nov 30, 2018 12:22 pm

Go Lehigh TU Owl wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 4:11 pm Lehigh should consider itself fortunate to have an expansive athletic complex. The proximity from the academic campus to the athletic campus is minimal. Delaware has a similar setup. The Tub and the rest of the athletic facilities are a bit far removed from the main campus. Beaver Stadium is a "hike" relative to where most of the students live (especially those near the west end of campus) yet no one complains. Temple students have to take the subway to the Linc. When I went to Michigan Stadium this year I took a shuttle bus from a mall parking lot to the stadium. There were people legitimately tailgating in the mall parking lot before heading over.

The school just needs to embrace the location and make it more inviting. Get the students tailgating again and make it the place to be on Saturday afternoon.

If we're talking about dreams how about an 18 hole golf course that traverses itself around the athletic campus? I'm sure i could could up with a reasonable routing ;) . Saucon Valley is great but it's not accessible to most students, alums, staff and friends of the university.
Back in the 1960's when I was being recruited, I was shown a model of the then athletic campus. A golf course was planned on the west side of Mountain Drive, (across from the track), where a large residential neighborhood was eventually developed. I assume LU sold the land.
IPSY1975
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Re: Coach watch

Post by IPSY1975 » Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:35 pm

For all of you believing that the Internet TV and Cable are the cause of our woes with attendance, especially with students take a look at Penn State and the rest of the big schools who have contracts with major networks across the US. That doesn't seem to damper enthusiasm to attend the live event. I work with a big PSU fan and she said lowest attendance ever was 90k at Beaver Stadium.
Look to the Product on the field for answers, my friends. Yes, lights will help but you are only going to see a bad team better. The Program needs to take a big step up imo.
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