Post by Trojan Warrior on Feb 12, 2014 5:43:25 GMT -6
By Jeremy Wise jwise@dothaneagle.com
It’s ‘Showtime’ again for Troy basketball.
When Don Maestri took over the Troy basketball program in 1982, attendance had sagged due to a few years of rough performances. To attract fans to games, Maestri started to include interesting shows around the basketball games, such as performances by unicyclists and jugglers.
These performances, which were conducted to the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters, became known as “Showtime.”
The plan worked as Maestri told the Dothan Eagle last year that even newspapers would come to the games just to see the next “Showtime” performance.
Maestri, though, knew the “gimmicks” would only draw fans for so long – that he eventually had to build a winner, which he did. He took Troy to two Division II Final Four appearances in the next decade and the Trojans to the NCAA Tournament after the climb to Division I.
Fast forward 31-plus years from the “Showtime” era. Troy basketball is in a new age, one under Phil Cunningham, and the Trojans have again been through a couple of down years.
Troy went 21-39 in the last two years of the Maestri era. So far, Troy is 8-14 under Cunningham, and home attendance is the worst in the Sun Belt Conference.
Is it time for “Showtime” again? You betcha.
Except this time, it doesn’t need to involve unicyclists, jugglers and Harlem Globetrotter theme music.
This “Showtime” could begin with the new $40 million home of Troy basketball – Trojan Arena. If you haven’t visited the arena, you will be awestruck by its sheer beauty and design.
It has some modern novelties – like two very huge high-definition video boards at both ends of each court – while mixing in some shades of the past. The Trojan Hall of Fame is in the same building, and the court is named in honor of Maestri.
I don’t think a bad seat exists in the house.
“Showtime” could also begin with the Sound of the South pep band, which provides excellent entertainment. That may be through great music selections or some of their interesting antics. For example, one of the members brought a toilet seat that he or she would clap hard during an opponent’s free throw attempts last year.
But another element that really contributes to a new “Showtime” era is Saturday’s game.
If you haven’t heard, Troy is playing host to Georgia State at 5 p.m. The game is being televised on ESPN2. (Full Article)
iconTroy3
It’s ‘Showtime’ again for Troy basketball.
When Don Maestri took over the Troy basketball program in 1982, attendance had sagged due to a few years of rough performances. To attract fans to games, Maestri started to include interesting shows around the basketball games, such as performances by unicyclists and jugglers.
These performances, which were conducted to the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters, became known as “Showtime.”
The plan worked as Maestri told the Dothan Eagle last year that even newspapers would come to the games just to see the next “Showtime” performance.
Maestri, though, knew the “gimmicks” would only draw fans for so long – that he eventually had to build a winner, which he did. He took Troy to two Division II Final Four appearances in the next decade and the Trojans to the NCAA Tournament after the climb to Division I.
Fast forward 31-plus years from the “Showtime” era. Troy basketball is in a new age, one under Phil Cunningham, and the Trojans have again been through a couple of down years.
Troy went 21-39 in the last two years of the Maestri era. So far, Troy is 8-14 under Cunningham, and home attendance is the worst in the Sun Belt Conference.
Is it time for “Showtime” again? You betcha.
Except this time, it doesn’t need to involve unicyclists, jugglers and Harlem Globetrotter theme music.
This “Showtime” could begin with the new $40 million home of Troy basketball – Trojan Arena. If you haven’t visited the arena, you will be awestruck by its sheer beauty and design.
It has some modern novelties – like two very huge high-definition video boards at both ends of each court – while mixing in some shades of the past. The Trojan Hall of Fame is in the same building, and the court is named in honor of Maestri.
I don’t think a bad seat exists in the house.
“Showtime” could also begin with the Sound of the South pep band, which provides excellent entertainment. That may be through great music selections or some of their interesting antics. For example, one of the members brought a toilet seat that he or she would clap hard during an opponent’s free throw attempts last year.
But another element that really contributes to a new “Showtime” era is Saturday’s game.
If you haven’t heard, Troy is playing host to Georgia State at 5 p.m. The game is being televised on ESPN2. (Full Article)
iconTroy3