Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > November > 05 > Entry
Too bad Raiders and Flyers won’t SHAKE THAT THANG
FAIRBORN — While it was nice to see Wright State show itself so well Thursday night — romping over Central State, 83-55, in the Raiders exhibition opener at the Nutter Center — I’d rather have seen the game be close.
That way the sizeable contingent of CSU fans who showed up at the game would have had something to cheer about. Instead the plug was pulled on the party before it ever got started.
Some five minutes into the game, WSU was up 15-4 and it only got worse from there. The Raiders led by 29 at the intermission and by as many as 38 midway through the second half.
Although CSU did show up with all its cheerleaders in tow and some fans in the stands occasionally held up three big signs that read SHAKE THAT THANG, there really wasn’t much to shake about.
It would have been great to see the two cheering sections go back and forth. No school around here has more animated and vocal backers than the Marauders, Anybody who’s been to Beacom Lewis Gym when CSU hosts its across-the-road rival Wilberforce will attest to that.
Thanks to CSU, Wright State had a crowd that was bigger than most it drew to last season’s games. The official count was 5,137 — which seems a little stretched, but not that bad.
Regardless, this was a good event to help build a bridge between the two Greene County schools. And in the end that’s good for the community.
Of course, so would be a Wright State -Dayton game again — especially in a town that can use all the good-time events it can get now — but you know all the tired, old arguments impeding that one.
Too bad because it would be like CSU vs. Wilberforce — only times 10.
And this would be a good year to see it.
The Dayton Flyers appear to have the best team they’ve had in decades. And from what you could see Thursday night, Wright State — even with seniors Vaughn Duggins (suspended) and John David Gardner (injured) not in uniform — has a very good team that should make some real noise this season.
Senior forward Todd Brown — who had 17 points, Thursday — looks like he’s ready to wear the mantle of the team leader. The Raiders can shoot the ball — they were 10 for 21 from three-point range — and, as is a coach Brad Brownell trademark, they can play some tight defense.
They have a deep bench and while all three newcomers had their moments against the Marauders, I was especially impressed by guard Darian Cartharn, a 6-foot freshman from Canal Winchester. He’s a catch-‘em-napping passer, can shoot and has a little bit of swagger to him.
With the way this WSU team appears capable of playing, I think it will draw plenty more crowds this size and bigger during the season. Thing is, I don’t know if opposing fans will get much more of a chance to SHAKE THAT THANG than did the Marauders mostly-silent masses.
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Comments
By anchor57
November 9, 2009 3:47 PM | Link to this
Right on, Arch. It is all revenues for UD—not community spirit, not strength of schedule. UD doesn’t want to play at WSU every other year, when they can fill the UD Arena by playing the likes of The Little Sisters of the Poor. I believe we are the only city in the US that has two (or more) division I teams that don’t play each other! (Can you or one of the DDN staff confirm this?) UD doesn’t want to play home and home, but just “one way games” at UD Arena. Maybe our new mayor can make this happen! That would be a great step toward community cooperation. 99% of the UD and WSU fans who understand the game and don’t just go to the games as a social event, would support it. Keep putting the pressure on, Arch.
By anchor57
November 9, 2009 3:45 PM | Link to this
Right on, Arch. It is all revenues for UD—not community spirit, not strength of schedule. UD doesn’t want to play at WSU every other year, when they can fill the UD Arena by playing the likes of The Little Sisters of the Poor. I believe we are the only city in the US that has two (or more) division I teams that don’t play each other! (Can you or one of the DDN staff confirm this?) UD doesn’t want to play home and home, but just “one way games” at UD Arena. Maybe our new mayor can make this happen! That would be a great step toward community cooperation. 99% of the UD and WSU fans who understand the game and don’t just go to the games as a social event, would support it. Keep putting the pressure on, Arch.
By anchor57
November 9, 2009 3:45 PM | Link to this
Right on, Arch. It is all revenues for UD—not community spirit, not strength of schedule. UD doesn’t want to play at WSU every other year, when they can fill the UD Arena by playing the likes of The Little Sisters of the Poor. I believe we are the only city in the US that has two (or more) division I teams that don’t play each other! (Can you or one of the DDN staff confirm this?) UD doesn’t want to play home and home, but just “one way games” at UD Arena. Maybe our new mayor can make this happen! That would be a great step toward community cooperation. 99% of the UD and WSU fans who understand the game and don’t just go to the games as a social event, would support it. Keep putting the pressure on, Arch.
By Chalres
November 7, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this
My god are Cryer fans naive…
By Randy
November 6, 2009 3:03 PM | Link to this
Who cares? Wright State vs Sinclair is a more appropriate match-up.
By Andy
November 6, 2009 2:00 PM | Link to this
I don’t think the 3,000 WSU fans would drown out the 7,000 UD fans at the Nutter Center.
By charles
November 6, 2009 1:58 PM | Link to this
Please tell me you’re not serious Matt. WSU has had to make numerous serious cuts in the athletic department and you want the one time out of every 3 years when UD would come to WSU HALF of the ticket sales?? WSU wants this game, Bob Grant has said so.. It’s all UD’s fault this game isn’t played
By Matt T
November 6, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this
As primarily a Flyer fan, and secondly a Wright State fan, I’d love to see them play each other, but only if 2 games were played at UD Arena for 1 at the Nutter with UD receiving half of the ticket revenue at the Nutter for all of the seats sold above the 6,000 threshold or a 4,000 seat allotment guarantee to UD. With the high cost of travel for road games such a deal would make sense for both programs.
By Alan
November 6, 2009 12:27 PM | Link to this
Snore, snore. Same ol’ thing. Its about financials, not fear.
By Jim
November 6, 2009 11:34 AM | Link to this
Geez, it’s started already and the season hasn’t even began yet.
By Wordman
November 6, 2009 1:36 AM | Link to this
UD is afraid of WSU - afraid a loss would make Dayton a WSU town instead of Flyerville. If UD is not afraid of WSU, why won’t it schedule the Raiders?
By WSU Matt
November 6, 2009 12:42 AM | Link to this
Can we seriously stop with this monthly attempt by the DDN to get a rise out of both fan bases. There is no interest on either side for the game.
By jimmie
November 6, 2009 12:14 AM | Link to this
Hey Arch, you boys down at the DDN need to get your stories straight. Katz estimated about 3,000 in attendance. Perhaps your eyes are not as good as they once were. Besides this UD/WSU mantra is getting old. When will you DDN folks finally understand how irrelevant you have become.