Wazobia, represent!

[agibson]

Vashil did a fantastic dance, to a sort of Jamaican version of Skip to my Lou, at tonight's Africa Fest.

He can really move!

Buggs got it all on video, so maybe it'll show up on You Tube?  Kurth was there in support, as well.

Another player got it on video as well... I guess it was probably Capobianco?  But with longer hair than I've ever seen him, and a stranger cut.

[humbleopinion]

I have to say that I hope to see that kind of foot work that I saw on stage this evening replicated on the court.  Well, maybe not exactly the dancing part...  Vashil was fun to watch.  It was almost as much fun watching Buggs and Kurth watch him!

[agibson]

Good to see the whole team, more or less, out for the Popcorn parade.  Walking with the pep band's float.  Same as last year, I think.

Did they have a sign?  Beyond "Valparaiso University"?

I suppose they're tall enough and distinctive enough that most people who think for a moment would guess they're the VU basketball team.  But, I wonder if some more advertising would help.  Would a "for tickets, call XXX-XXXX" be too much?

[valpotx]

Was anyone at the Popcorn Festival?  The pictures I saw on Facebook had less than enthusiastic people as the basketball team passed by.  I don't know if they had already clapped or looked happy before the pictures were taken of specific people, but the general crowd looks indifferent lol.  Maybe this is the community feel as a whole nowadays towards VU, but I remember there was much more enthusiasm when I was in school

[agibson]

Maybe that supports the idea that they _do_ need some signage, etc.  That just being the random tall guys walking near the VU Pep Band float isn't enough.

I was there, but didn't particularly take the pulse of the crowd at that moment.  I was mostly trying to inform my kids as to who was walking by.  I think even my five year old recognized Ryan Broekhoff, but presumably most in the crowd couldn't name him.  And perhaps, without better clues, didn't recognize him at all.

[vu72]

Maybe that supports the idea that they _do_ need some signage, etc.  That just being the random tall guys walking near the VU Pep Band float isn't enough.

I was there, but didn't particularly take the pulse of the crowd at that moment.  I was mostly trying to inform my kids as to who was walking by.  I think even my five year old recognized Ryan Broekhoff, but presumably most in the crowd couldn't name him.  And perhaps, without better clues, didn't recognize him at all.

I hope you're kidding about the crowd not being able to recognize him.  That would mean none of them read the papers as both sports sections cover basketball extensively. I suppose the average housewife in South Bend wouldn't recognize the Irish players either.  Oh well...

[crusadermoe]

Yeah, signage saying "Tickets, call xxx-xxx" would have been a great idea.     
Believe it or not, I've heard that as recently as 4-5 years ago, the university had ZERO entries in the Popcorn parade.   Just bizarre.

[agibson]

I hope you're kidding about the crowd not being able to recognize him.  That would mean none of them read the papers as both sports sections cover basketball extensively. I suppose the average housewife in South Bend wouldn't recognize the Irish players either.  Oh well...

I'm not kidding.  I suspect you might be right about the average housewife in South Bend.  And, I bet they're still more recognizable than Rowdy (let along the rest of the team) in Valpo. 

Bryce Drew, maybe there we have a shot.

Still, adult males, what fraction do you think would have recognized Broekhoff in the parade, in context?  25%? 

Maybe, if you mentioned his name, it'd go a bit higher among those who read the local sports pages (how many do that? I suppose popcorn-festival attendees might run toward the civic minded).  But, recognize him in a parade?  And recall his name?

If we're just going for, "Figure out, in context, while they pass by, that it's the VU men's basketball team."  Then, maybe, among sports fans... push it to.. dunno, 75%?

At the morning kid's race ("Popcorn Puff") it was probably even worse.  In the registration materials it said it was the VU women's basketball and.. cross country?... teams helping out with the kids.  But, of those in presence, who knew that?  Who would have recognized without the registration materials?  I'd guess we're talking about a pretty small fraction. Good on them for coming out, certainly.  And maybe volunteering is its own reward.

[wh]

I hope you're kidding about the crowd not being able to recognize him.  That would mean none of them read the papers as both sports sections cover basketball extensively. I suppose the average housewife in South Bend wouldn't recognize the Irish players either.  Oh well...

I'm not kidding.  I suspect you might be right about the average housewife in South Bend.  And, I bet they're still more recognizable than Rowdy (let along the rest of the team) in Valpo. 

Bryce Drew, maybe there we have a shot.

Still, adult males, what fraction do you think would have recognized Broekhoff in the parade, in context?  25%? 

Maybe, if you mentioned his name, it'd go a bit higher among those who read the local sports pages (how many do that? I suppose popcorn-festival attendees might run toward the civic minded).  But, recognize him in a parade?  And recall his name?

If we're just going for, "Figure out, in context, while they pass by, that it's the VU men's basketball team."  Then, maybe, among sports fans... push it to.. dunno, 75%?

At the morning kid's race ("Popcorn Puff") it was probably even worse.  In the registration materials it said it was the VU women's basketball and.. cross country?... teams helping out with the kids.  But, of those in presence, who knew that?  Who would have recognized without the registration materials?  I'd guess we're talking about a pretty small fraction. Good on them for coming out, certainly.  And maybe volunteering is its own reward.

It was a noble effort to promote the brand and spread good will in the community, but I have to agree with other posters that more should have been done to draw attention to our bellwether sport - men's basketball. The way it was handled was at best a broad category sell of VU athletics with no specific effort made to promote VU Men's Basketball.   The team should have been on a float of its own with signs saying "Defending Horizon League Champs", "League MVP Ryan Broekhoff", "Coach of the Year Bryce Drew", etc. - something special that piques curiosity, generates interest, and sends a message.  The team should be made out to be a BIG DEAL wherever it goes.  Team members should be promoted as celebrities.  The last thing they should do is take on the same level of importance as 6-10 year old girls from the XYZ School of Dance walking ahead of them.