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It's basketball season. Lets talk Colonial Life Arena.

If you think I am the only one on this board that thinks Tanner is not doing a good job you have been asleep for 10 years.

For someone to be a good fund raiser, they actually have to raise funds from private donors. Please give me examples of projects completed under Tanner's tenure that were funded by a private donor(s)? And no, the Long Football Operations Center is not an example of that. While its budget included private donations for naming rights, it was mostly financed with athletic revenues and financing. The Tanner way with these projects has been to sell off naming rights to parts of facilities to finance a small % of the project while most of the budget for it is covered by AD revenues and borrowing.

Your statement is also a good example of why Carolina continues to wallow in mediocrity. For fans like you, any time any of us dare question what is going on or dare to be critical of decisions, we are termed the wrong kind of fan that should find another team.

Keep making excuses.
😂 That's the response I expected from you as you wallow in misery. I don't judge Tanner's accomplishments by people on this board.🙄 The BOT is extremely happy with the projects that have been completed during Tanner's tenure. The BOT is the bottom line whether you like it or not. Again..find another school if you are so unhappy which you always are.
 
Stadiums are becoming obsolete. No reason to spend that kind of money. Plus you are the only person who doesn't think Tanner has been a good fundraiser. Once again, find another team to pull for. Obviously you continue to be unhappy here.

Tanner hasn't done any fundraising that any other AD wouldn't have. People give because they are Gamecocks, not because he is some amazing salesman. The facility projects are due to SEC TV money that has nothing to do with Ray
 
It is past time USC drop some major bucks on the CLA. Next year is its 20th anniversary. USC has woefully under-invested in both mens and women's basketball. So many on this board complain about the venue, mostly it being too large. I don't really agree. I think its a nice facility that has the potential of being top notch. It is also the City of Columbia's concert venue so more seats makes sense and revenue from those large shows helps run the place year round. Also, successful mens and women's teams I believe could consistently draw 14-15K for SEC games and marquis OOC games.

Still I think at least one or both upper decks could be reconfigured in a way that would reduce capacity (to maybe 15-16K) and provide some new, innovate spaces that modern fans want and would enjoy.

Check out the link below for what UT is planning for Neyland Stadium. They are basically removing part of one of the end zone upper decks to create a nice fan club space and giant video board. Looks smart to me. UF is also doing a project that would lower capacity at their stadium.


I think a project like would be a nice upgrade for CLA and still leave us with enough capacity to accommodate large basketball crowds and concerts.

Also, notice this is a whopping $340 million project at UT. Also read where Ole Miss is getting ready to announce a project to spend $250 million on their stadium and $35 million on their football ops center. The defense that is heard often on this board for Tanner that at least he is a good fund raiser is nonsense. He is not.
Comparing SEC program spending on FOOTBALL to BASKETBALL makes no sense. This is a FB driven league and no amount of spending is too much for that sport. We just completed an upgrade to our stadium adding a fancy club level as well. Our fundraising and spending on athletics upgrades is where it needs to be, and our basketball arena is still a top notch facility even 20 years after construction- a huge upgrade from what we had when I was a kid… Beyond all of that though- we JUST (2017) upgraded the video board and added ribbon boards to CLA AND renovated the practice facilities at the old coliseum! I feel this post is both miss-guided and poorly informed. All we are missing is a successful mens basketball team.
 
Your statement is also a good example of why Carolina continues to wallow in mediocrity. For fans like you, any time any of us dare question what is going on or dare to be critical of decisions, we are termed the wrong kind of fan that should find another team.

Keep making excuses.
I enjoy good scholarly debate on this forum but I absolutely despise when someone brings up this argument. Somehow that their own opinion is superior and if anyone disagrees they are “settling for mediocrity” and thus the reason for USCs poor performances when they occur.

When our team gets beat on the athletic fields it is because of poor recruiting, poor athletic performance and poor coaching. It has absolutely nothing to do with fan opinions or the crap that is spouted here.

A perfect example is Braves Twitter. I can’t tell you how many Braves fans wanted to trade Austin Riley when he was in a slump in late 2020. The number of Braves fans calling for Will Smith’s head was numerous. Some said the GM was dumb for making trades after the Acuna injury because clearly this team wouldn’t win a title.

The Braves fans that didn’t demand change weren’t “settling for mediocrity” they were just more patient and less likely to demand drastic measures on social media. And just maybe that belief and patience paid off. Demanding change doesn’t mean you are better fan, it just means you are a fan wanting change. That change doesn’t guarantee success and in some cases change can prevent it.
 
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Tanner hasn't done any fundraising that any other AD wouldn't have. People give because they are Gamecocks, not because he is some amazing salesman. The facility projects are due to SEC TV money that has nothing to do with Ray
That can be said of every athletic director.
 
Have you ever been to a game at Cameron? If you have, you know that restrooms and concessions don't mean a damn thing. That place makes the Coliseum look palatial by comparison. But if you walk into Cameron and witness the history of the place, the banners, the aura, and your pulse doesn't quicken just a bit, you're probably more a fan of nachos and craft hot dogs than than you are of college basketball.
I hope none of that changes next year. For me, Duke is Coach K and Cameron. I know most around here hate him, but I’ve been a fan for over 30 years. Having said that I did pull for the Gamecocks against Duke in 2017. 😀
 
Why would you want to downsize an arena that the women sell out? I don't think Staley would appreciate that. The Coliseum was great in it's day and became run down and unusable as an arena. So they used it as classrooms and then made a practice area and offices for both the coaches for BB.
Maybe you could charge the fewer fans more money to pay Dawn's salary?
 
Comparing SEC program spending on FOOTBALL to BASKETBALL makes no sense. This is a FB driven league and no amount of spending is too much for that sport. We just completed an upgrade to our stadium adding a fancy club level as well. Our fundraising and spending on athletics upgrades is where it needs to be, and our basketball arena is still a top notch facility even 20 years after construction- a huge upgrade from what we had when I was a kid… Beyond all of that though- we JUST (2017) upgraded the video board and added ribbon boards to CLA AND renovated the practice facilities at the old coliseum! I feel this post is both miss-guided and poorly informed. All we are missing is a successful mens basketball team.

What your post completely misses is any curious look to what other schools are doing. College recruiting is a super competitive thing and how what you are offering stacks up to your recruiting competition is hugely important. Take a look around. Do some research. While we are spending small amounts on vinyl banners and ribbon boards, schools all around us are doing tons more. It is just a fact.
 
I enjoy good scholarly debate on this forum but I absolutely despise when someone brings up this argument. Somehow that their own opinion is superior and if anyone disagrees they are “settling for mediocrity” and thus the reason for USCs poor performances when they occur.

When our team gets beat on the athletic fields it is because of poor recruiting, poor athletic performance and poor coaching. It has absolutely nothing to do with fan opinions or the crap that is spouted here.

A perfect example is Braves Twitter. I can’t tell you how many Braves fans wanted to trade Austin Riley when he was in a slump in late 2020. The number of Braves fans calling for Will Smith’s head was numerous. Some said the GM was dumb for making trades after the Acuna injury because clearly this team wouldn’t win a title.

The Braves fans that didn’t demand change weren’t “settling for mediocrity” they were just more patient and less likely to demand drastic measures on social media. And just maybe that belief and patience paid off. Demanding change doesn’t mean you are better fan, it just means you are a fan wanting change. That change doesn’t guarantee success and in some cases change can prevent it.

So by pointing to the patience of some Braves fans are you really trying to draw a parallel to a lack of patience on the part of Gamecock fans???? Really? Gamecock fans haven't been patient enough???
 
So by pointing to the patience of some Braves fans are you really trying to draw a parallel to a lack of patience on the part of Gamecock fans???? Really? Gamecock fans haven't been patient enough???
You are acting like you haven’t seen success at all from Gamecock sports in your lifetime. Unless you’re younger than 20 in your lifetime you’ve seen:
Two baseball national titles
A mens basketball final 4
A womens basketball title & Final 4s
A top 5 football team

I know a lot of Gamecock fans that would have cut off a testicle to see that in their lifetime.

Yeah we suck at football right now but we’re only one win away from a bowl game, which would be a tremendous accomplishment coming off the crap show we witnessed last season.
 
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I hope none of that changes next year. For me, Duke is Coach K and Cameron. I know most around here hate him, but I’ve been a fan for over 30 years. Having said that I did pull for the Gamecocks against Duke in 2017. 😀
I agree. I was a Duke fan (second to USC of course) growing up, and was thrilled by their back-to-back championships in 91-92. I didn't grow up in the ACC years, so didn't harbor the angst of many on this board who lived through it. Plus, Coach K played his college ball at Army and was not a part of those toxic ACC rivalries prior to USC's conference exit.

Having said that, I have always instinctively hated UNC and everything they stand for.
 
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You are acting like you haven’t seen success at all from Gamecock sports in your lifetime. Unless you’re younger than 20 in your lifetime you’ve seen:
Two baseball national titles
A mens basketball final 4
A womens basketball title & Final 4s
A top 5 football team

I know a lot of Gamecock fans that would have cut off a testicle to see that in their lifetime.

Yeah we suck at football right now but we’re only one win away from a bowl game, which would be a tremendous accomplishment coming off the crap show we witnessed last season.
You're wasting your time with this poster.
 
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CLA is almost an exact replica of Bud Walton Arena. The only difference is BWA is packed and CLA isn't
The Waltons (Walmart) paid for this area and it looks very much like our facility from the outside . I walked around their facilities on one of my football trips to the Arkansas football games. They have about five different businesses/donors to give them some of the best facilities for all sports - track and field might be the best facility in the US - this is why they are in the running for national champion ship every year with the best athletics world wide.
 
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You are acting like you haven’t seen success at all from Gamecock sports in your lifetime. Unless you’re younger than 20 in your lifetime you’ve seen:
Two baseball national titles
A mens basketball final 4
A womens basketball title & Final 4s
A top 5 football team

I know a lot of Gamecock fans that would have cut off a testicle to see that in their lifetime.

Yeah we suck at football right now but we’re only one win away from a bowl game, which would be a tremendous accomplishment coming off the crap show we witnessed last season.

So if you want to try and make an argument that Gamecock fans need to keep their mouth shut and be more patient, go right ahead. It is a ludicrous argument.

In the list you point to, no one has been critical of WBB. I have spoken specifically to mens sports. The top 5 football team you mentioned was literally almost 10 years ago. In the 6 1/2 years since, the football program has been ranked a grand total of 1 week. One. As for basketball, in the 4+ years since the Final Four, this program has been ranked exactly 0 weeks. Zero.

But the problem is we aren't patient enough and need to keep our mouths shut.
 
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