Mike Anderson on FSN

[knight_rider]

The Mizzou coach was interviewed during the Royals-Cards game by Dan. Mayor Slay presented Anderson with a key to the city and he received about 15 minutes of "recruiting" time on air. Has Rick been given the opportunity to express his desire to "keep the best recruits home?" Does Rick even care to have that opportunity? I hear he is out with Karl as they battle the Lakers.

[kevinfootes]

The Mizzou coach was interviewed during the Royals-Cards game by Dan. Mayor Slay presented Anderson with a key to the city and he received about 15 minutes of "recruiting" time on air. Has Rick been given the opportunity to express his desire to "keep the best recruits home?" Does Rick even care to have that opportunity? I hear he is out with Karl as they battle the Lakers.

RM seems less willing to interact with local media, and hasn't had the same recent success as Anderson. If you're old enough to remember, Spoon was regularly shown on Cardinal broadcasts and at one time co-hosted a weekly KMOX show with Jack Buck. I think we all wish RM would get involved at the same level as Spoon, but that's obviously not how he operates. As long as RM is winning games he'll be okay. If he's still only winning 16 or 18 games by year four and only getting 1 or 2 sellouts per year he should be in some trouble.

[Kbrew]

RM seems less willing to interact with local media, and hasn't had the same recent success as Anderson. If you're old enough to remember, Spoon was regularly shown on Cardinal broadcasts and at one time co-hosted a weekly KMOX show with Jack Buck. I think we all wish RM would get involved at the same level as Spoon, but that's obviously not how he operates. As long as RM is winning games he'll be okay. If he's still only winning 16 or 18 games by year four and only getting 1 or 2 sellouts per year he should be in some trouble.

RM is global.

[jjray]

BTW, I saw Spoon in the stands behind home plate (little the 1st base side of home plate to be exact) while watching the Cards game on FSM last night.

[kevinfootes]

RM is global.

That's why we probably won't see regular sellouts until the city of St. Louis thinks the team will win 25 games. As I've posted on here many times, RM is who he is. Things could be better in terms of attendance if he tried a little bit locally, but that's not how he rolls. As long as the wins enough to get to the big dance by year 4, I'm fine with it.

It's also interesting how Charlie Spoon can still make money in this town 10+ years after he quit.

[brianstl]

That's why we probably won't see regular sellouts until the city of St. Louis thinks the team will win 25 games. As I've posted on here many times, RM is who he is. Things could be better in terms of attendance if he tried a little bit locally, but that's not how he rolls. As long as the wins enough to get to the big dance by year 4, I'm fine with it.

It's also interesting how Charlie Spoon can still make money in this town 10+ years after he quit.

Winning is the only way we are going to sell out almost every night. Do you really think we would draw better if RM was all over the place locally? We drew pretty well for a weak home slate and an 18 win team.

Anderson has been all over the place for three years and Mizzou didn't draw until they started winning. Spoon drew because we were winning and had really good schedules. I rather have Rickma spending his time getting the players to win than worrying about being plastered all over the local media. When you start worrying about that you start hurting yourself in other areas. Just look at Spoons dead recuiting years.

[Clock_Tower]

The Mizzou coach was interviewed during the Royals-Cards game by Dan. Mayor Slay presented Anderson with a key to the city and he received about 15 minutes of "recruiting" time on air. Has Rick been given the opportunity to express his desire to "keep the best recruits home?" Does Rick even care to have that opportunity? I hear he is out with Karl as they battle the Lakers.

If RM had signed no players this past Fall and now is in the middle of an all out scramble to find warm bodies to fill out his roster this Spring, then I'd be upset that RM is "out with Karl as they battle the Lakers." Instead, RM has recruited 2 solid to outstanding classes such that the bulk of his recruits each year have beensigned in the Fall with nice/good additions in the Spring. Work has already been done for recruiting in 2010 and 2011. Looks to me like his work is done for awhile.

Job well done. RM, relax, enjoy and come back ready for the rest of the summer/Fall.

[Hawk]

Anderson has been all over the place for three years and Mizzou didn't draw until they started winning.

Besides KU and Texas, I don't think Mizzou sold out any games. Their arena is dead. I'm fairly sure SLU has better attendance.

[GoBills]

I don't really recall seeing the MU coach around much or hearing much about him until about February of this year. His efforts didn't attract fans because he played to empty buildings for much of the time he has been there. It has only been the recent winning that has brought the people out. Coach Majerus won't be socializing around town the way Charlie did, but that is fine by me. I hope Coach continues to travel the corners of the earth and recruits harder than any coach in SLU history. I think RM does enough locally and makes enough appearances, so I am not sure where this criticism comes from. He threw out the first pitch before a Cardinals game and appeared and the air doing the same stuff Anderson did. I remember it, because when Majerus was on the field he couldn't even button up the Cardinlas jersey he was wearing!

[GOSLU68]

Besides KU and Texas, I don't think Mizzou sold out any games. Their arena is dead. I'm fairly sure SLU has better attendance.

Hockey season is almost over, the NBA drags on, The Cardinals management has yet to decide if the players they have will be ditched for better players to get us into the playoffs.

Mike Anderson was being used by Mayor Slay to appeal to the public school and basketball voters in St. Louis. I'm sure that in Kansas City, Cape, Springfield, MO and Kirksville they could care less who gets a key to the city.

[inthelou]

Winning is the only way we are going to sell out almost every night. Do you really think we would draw better if RM was all over the place locally? We drew pretty well for a weak home slate and an 18 win team.

Anderson has been all over the place for three years and Mizzou didn't draw until they started winning. Spoon drew because we were winning and had really good schedules. I rather have Rickma spending his time getting the players to win than worrying about being plastered all over the local media. When you start worrying about that you start hurting yourself in other areas. Just look at Spoons dead recuiting years.

Well said. Getting the players and coaching them is the key. With Rickma's recruiting range being national and international getting in good with the St. Louis media isn't going to mean a lot. On court results will mean everything.

[Hawk]

Well said. Getting the players and coaching them is the key. With Rickma's recruiting range being national and international getting in good with the St. Louis media isn't going to mean a lot. On court results will mean everything.

I'm not going to lie: I don't care how how many kids on the roster are from St. Louis. RM is going to win with or without them, more likely without.

[kevinfootes]

Winning is the only way we are going to sell out almost every night. Do you really think we would draw better if RM was all over the place locally? We drew pretty well for a weak home slate and an 18 win team.

Anderson has been all over the place for three years and Mizzou didn't draw until they started winning. Spoon drew because we were winning and had really good schedules. I rather have Rickma spending his time getting the players to win than worrying about being plastered all over the local media. When you start worrying about that you start hurting yourself in other areas. Just look at Spoons dead recuiting years.

Did we draw pretty well for a team in a BRAND NEW ARENA? How about 70% capacity for the opening game? Is asking for a little bit of marketing hype too much?

BTW, Spoon drew pretty well in his first year at SLU, especially for a team that won 12 games.

[kevinfootes]

I'm fairly sure SLU has better attendance.

How much would you like to wager on this? I'd bet you that Mizzou outdrew SLU by about 2000 fans/game. Mizzou should outdraw SLU. They're in a smaller market, but there are more students and they're in a conference that's much better.

[kevinfootes]

Well said. Getting the players and coaching them is the key. With Rickma's recruiting range being national and international getting in good with the St. Louis media isn't going to mean a lot. On court results will mean everything.

I don't care where the recruits come from. My point is that doing more than the bare minimum with local media might get more fans interested.

Look at what John Davidson has done with the Blues. He's constantly trying to promote the team. The Blues improved attendance dramatically before the team started winning.

I'm not anti-RM. I want him to win here and I think he'll do it. As I've posted on here before, he could be doing more to get fans in the seats. If we're not dancing by year four it will be a big disappointed IMO.

[kevinfootes]

Hockey season is almost over, the NBA drags on, The Cardinals management has yet to decide if the players they have will be ditched for better players to get us into the playoffs.

Mike Anderson was being used by Mayor Slay to appeal to the public school and basketball voters in St. Louis. I'm sure that in Kansas City, Cape, Springfield, MO and Kirksville they could care less who gets a key to the city.

Who are the "public school and basketball" voters? Slay is a politician and he's trying to work his way into the good vibe. That's what politicians do.

[brianstl]

Did we draw pretty well for a team in a BRAND NEW ARENA? How about 70% capacity for the opening game? Is asking for a little bit of marketing hype too much?

BTW, Spoon drew pretty well in his first year at SLU, especially for a team that won 12 games.

Yes we averaged over 7,600 hundred a game for the 294 toughest non-conference schedule and the 152 overall schedule that featured one BCS school and zero games against teams with regional interest. Not bad for a team that won 18 games and dramatically increased ticket prices. Rickma shouldn't be worried about the marketing more than what he already is doing. He has already done more outreach to the students than I remember any previous coach doing. This is just a stupid thing to be bitching about.

We averaged 8,500 Spoon's first season with much lower ticket prices and a home schedule that featured USC, SIU, Mephis, DePaul, Marquette, and Cincinatti. Give us that home slate this year and we average over 8,500. We do that even with the much higher ticket prices.

[Guest BillikenReport]

It all comes down to winning.

Winning will bring bigger crowds, more interest from local big-time recruits, more media attention, etc.

You start winning a lot of games and all that other stuff will take care of itself.

[Hawk]

How much would you like to wager on this? I'd bet you that Mizzou outdrew SLU by about 2000 fans/game. Mizzou should outdraw SLU. They're in a smaller market, but there are more students and they're in a conference that's much better.

Yeah they did this year. Last year, they did not.

In terms of percentage of capacity, SLU's average was much closer to a capacity game than Mizzou. Mizzou was just over 50% and SLU was about 70%. I know the arena's are not the same size but it's still interesting to compare.

[Hawk]

It all comes down to winning.

Winning will bring bigger crowds, more interest from local big-time recruits, more media attention, etc.

You start winning a lot of games and all that other stuff will take care of itself.

Same deal with the students. Once the team starts winning they will show up in droves.

[kevinfootes]

Yes we averaged over 7,600 hundred a game for the 294 toughest non-conference schedule and the 152 overall schedule that featured one BCS school and zero games against teams with regional interest. Not bad for a team that won 18 games and dramatically increased ticket prices. Rickma shouldn't be worried about the marketing more than what he already is doing. He has already done more outreach to the students than I remember any previous coach doing. This is just a stupid thing to be bitching about.

We averaged 8,500 Spoon's first season with much lower ticket prices and a home schedule that featured USC, SIU, Mephis, DePaul, Marquette, and Cincinatti. Give us that home slate this year and we average over 8,500. We do that even with the much higher ticket prices.

Lower ticket prices compared to what...now or the previous season? Obviously there were lower ticket prices 17 years ago!!!! DUH!!!!!! This is just a "stupid" statement to make brian.

Who makes the schedule besides RM? RM was obviously content with lower attendance this year. We all know that. I think it will work for him in the long run, but IMO he and the university did botch an opportunity to draw very well with a new arena.

[brianstl]

Lower ticket prices compared to what...now or the previous season? Obviously there were lower ticket prices 17 years ago!!!! DUH!!!!!! This is just a "stupid" statement to make brian.

Who makes the schedule besides RM? RM was obviously content with lower attendance this year. We all know that. I think it will work for him in the long run, but IMO he and the university did botch an opportunity to draw very well with a new arena.

No kidding Footes. The tickets last season were more expensive than ever when adjusted for inflation. You could get season ticket for less than 8 bucks a game in Spoon's first year. Last year season tickets cost a minimum of $26.46 a game. That is over 300% more expensive than tickets Spoon's first year. The price increase was a lot more than simple inflation.

I didn't like the schedule this year. Given the schedule, the quality of the team, the price of tickets at the beginning of the year, and an economy that was tanking..............I don't think having Rickma all over the media would have made one bit of difference in attendace.

[kevinfootes]

Yeah they did this year. Last year, they did not.

In terms of percentage of capacity, SLU's average was much closer to a capacity game than Mizzou. Mizzou was just over 50% and SLU was about 70%. I know the arena's are not the same size but it's still interesting to compare.

So I guess you were wrong when you posted that you were "fairly certain". I think the percentage of capacity was closer to about 65% at mizzou this past year, but that comes with the success they had. It was certainly much better when they got to conference play and it was clear they had a good team.

Sorry I'm a little disappointed that attendance wasn't better with a brand new building at SLU.

If RM gets us winning the attendance will improve. That said, even lousy pro teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates had decent attendance in the first year of a new venue. If you're willing to sacrifice 2 or 3 years with poor marketing and minimal invovlement from the head coach for greener pastures down the road that's fine. I think the greener pastures are coming, it's just a little disappointing to see what's going on at SLU right now in terms of the marketing effort. I'll make that trade, but I'm disappointed that attendance wasn't better this past year.

[Hawk]

Who makes the schedule besides RM? RM was obviously content with lower attendance this year. We all know that. I think it will work for him in the long run, but IMO he and the university did botch an opportunity to draw very well with a new arena.

So do you think people would be more content with 18 wins (with wins over low majors, lots of buy games) or with 13 or 14 wins because we played more high majors (and probably on the road)? People are bellyaching over 18 wins this season. I'd rather play a schedule like that. The experience would pay off in the future.

[brianstl]

One thing to remember about last years attendance is that it was the first time I remember that they used actual people in the building for the atttendace number. Previous years totals were inflated because attendance was tickets distributed for games and not people that actually showed up.