A blow out that nobody saw

[psbf]

In one of Monday's games, host Quad City defeated Chicago, 114-67 before only 80(79) supporters.

[rams80]

It's always a bad sign when you score more points than you have fans.

[ABA-hater]

At the game, the scoreboard said 119-79, but the newspaper reporters had 114-79 so that's what got reported... here are the two stories...

From the Moline Dispatch:
RiverHawks rock and roll past Rockstars
By Dan Tomlin, dtomlin@qconline.com


Just when the RiverHawks are getting used to playing at home, they're going to hit the road.

In their final sendoff, QC capped it's season opening 6-game homestand with a 114-67 win over the Chicago Rockstars in front of 79 faithful followers. A night after scoring 126 points, Chicago could barely muster half of that score.

The RiverHawks hit the road with a 4-2 record, and are currently ranked 16th in the league power rankings. For what it's worth, the Rockstars were ranked 15th.

A 26-12 first quarter lead could've been bigger had it not been for 'Stars guard Imari Sawyer who had eight in the first frame. The 'Hawks had a balanced attack, as seven of the 12 players finished the game in double figures.

"We were fortunate to come out shooting well and they didn't shoot well," QC head coach Jim Condill said.

In fact, the 'Stars (4-3) were anything but that in the first half, shooting 11-for-39 (28-percent). Former Flyin' Illini Marcus Liberty, billed as the leader of the team, was 0-for-7 and scored just two points, a pair of third quarter free throws.

The RiverHawks pounced on the road-weary Rockstars and never looked back. In just his second game as a 'Hawk, Corey Minnifield led the team with 21 points although he collapsed to the hardwood in pain; clutching his knee after a wide open layup late in the game. Jason Faulkner and Bobby Bienaimee were also nursing injuries after the game.

Bienaimee ended with 10 points, reaching double digits for the fifth time in six games. He added in five blocks to announce his presence with authority in the lane.

"All the guys were mentally prepared tonight," Bienaimee said. "We knew it was a big game. We demoralized them a little bit getting out to that big run to start and we never relinquished the lead."

The deflated Rockstars were on the trail end of four games in four days and showed little signs of life as the 'Hawks went up 12-2 to start the game and a run at the beginning of the second quarter put them up 40-14.

For the second straight game, former Iowa Hawkeye Glen Worley finished with a double-double, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with his 14 points. Worley wasn't the only 'Hawk with that stat as Ryan Edwards cashed in on a 3-D triple, and scored 16 points to go along with 11 boards.

The RiverHawks also played a much more pure defense on Monday night collecting steals, blocks and rebounds rather than fouls.

"We talked about defense being an emphasis," Condill said. "If we play together and keep the intensity up we'll be OK"

With a third of their home schedule behind them, the 'Hawks now head on the road to take on the Anderson Champions, a team they knocked off by nine earlier in the season on Friday and they're in Chicago for a rematch with the Rockstars on Saturday.








From the Quad City Times:
Balanced Q-C blows out Chicago
By Eric Page | Tuesday, November 28, 2006
It all came together for the Quad-City Riverhawks on Monday night at Marycrest Activities Center.

The Riverhawks shot 49 percent from the floor and had seven players score in double figures en route to a 114-67 win over the Chicago Rockstars in front of 79 fans.

“We came out shooting very well, and they didn’t shoot very well,” Q-C coach Jim Condill said. “They’ve played a number of games in a row, and I think their legs gave out on them a little bit.”

Corey Minnifield led the Riverhawks with 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting. The 6-foot-9 forward, who played collegiately at Loyola-Chicago, left the game with a left knee injury early in the fourth quarter.

Jason Edwards added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Danny Osby scored all 15 of his points in the first half as the Riverhawks built a 57-25 lead.

“We really wanted to get after it,” said Osby, who connected on four of six 3-point attempts. “We practiced all offense. We changed things up a little bit, moving a guard out and letting the big guys move around more, and it worked well for us.”

Quad-Cities (4-2) led 8-0, 15-4 and then 26-12 at the end of the first quarter, and a 12-0 run to start the second put the game out of reach.

The 67 points was a season low for Chicago (4-3), which got 15 points apiece from Imari Sawyer and Phil Taylor. Marcus Liberty, a key member of the Illinois team that reached the 1990 NCAA Final Four, went

0-for-7 from the floor and finished with two points.

Glen Worley added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Riverhawks, who wrapped up a six-game home stand and will play their next two games on the road.

[Sam Hill]

In their final sendoff, QC capped it's season opening 6-game homestand with a 114-67 win over the Chicago Rockstars in front of 79 faithful followers.

First off, did the reporter really write it's or was that just a transcription error?


Former Flyin' Illini Marcus Liberty, billed as the leader of the team, was 0-for-7 and scored just two points, a pair of third quarter free throws.


Do you know why he did that?

Because he's 38 years old and hasn't played in years.

People don't care to pay to go see some guy who was great for the Illini back in 19 freaking 90. The Illini have a pretty good team to watch now.

I don't care what you say about weekdays or whatever, but 79 people in the building is simply not going to cut it in any way, shape or form. The papers simply don't have to cover you when you can't get 100 people there.

[sportsguy12]

First off, did the reporter really write it's or was that just a transcription error?



Do you know why he did that?

Because he's 38 years old and hasn't played in years.

People don't care to pay to go see some guy who was great for the Illini back in 19 freaking 90. The Illini have a pretty good team to watch now.

I don't care what you say about weekdays or whatever, but 79 people in the building is simply not going to cut it in any way, shape or form. The papers simply don't have to cover you when you can't get 100 people there.

Fighting Illini ... not the Flyin' Illini.

[psbf]

From what I've been reading, Quad City won't last much longer, starting at a turnout of 311 and dwindling to just under 80. Obviously they are not promoting their team very well(if at all).
As far as the older players, I believe that it's all in how they feel when they get older. If they can prove that they can still give, more power to them. If they can't even reach the basket, then I say it's time to give up.

[heavesrock]

I'd just like to point out that the Illinois basketball team is not very good this year.

[rams80]

Fighting Illini ... not the Flyin' Illini.

They were referencing to the late '80s Illini teams methinks.

Also heavesrock, methinks the Illini this year are better than you give them credit to be.

[Fells]

79 fans is just a disgrace. Now, I wonder how much money the team lost for that one game alone. If you figure 79 fans at ten bucks a pop, that is a whole $790.00 in revenue, not including any concessions. With 79 fans there, if concessions were available, boost the number a bit and call it $1,000 in total game revenue. Of course, the rental fee for the building has to be paid, the officials paid, players paid, etc.

Translation: The owners took a look at the ledger and they had a coronary.

[TEN]

Most likely when they have 79 fans, it usually means that most of them are probably comped....Family, friends, groupies...etc....

I would bet that the gate was under 200 bucks...maybe 100 bucks...

[ABA-hater]

There were probably 40 fans who weren't comped... so you figure $400... and.. yeah... wow...

[Sam Hill]

Fighting Illini ... not the Flyin' Illini.

Uh...hello?

The 1989 University of Illinois team was colloquially referred to as the "Flyin' Illini" because of how they played - way above the rim - and how they won (31-5).

Some sports guy. :rolleyes:

As for this year's Illinois team, they were 7-0 before losing to a 7-0 Maryland team. If someone can tell me right now that they can tell they're "not very good," then I'll have learned something.

[sportsguy12]

Uh...hello?

The 1989 University of Illinois team was colloquially referred to as the "Flyin' Illini" because of how they played - way above the rim - and how they won (31-5).

Some sports guy. :rolleyes:

As for this year's Illinois team, they were 7-0 before losing to a 7-0 Maryland team. If someone can tell me right now that they can tell they're "not very good," then I'll have learned something.

Sam, why do you always have to be so arrogant. I asked it as a question. For your information, I grew up in New England, which is a hockey area. If you had read my post I worded ... "Isn't Illinois called ..." That meant there might be a name out there that I didn't know about, which there obviously was. Again, I never said to know-it all, so knock off the attacks, geez.

[Sam Hill]

A question with no question mark?

You should write for an ABA team.

[Fells]

A question with no question mark?

You should write for an ABA team.

Oh please!! Give me a break!!

[sportsguy12]

Oh please!! Give me a break!!

at the top of SH's world when you have so much knowledge than everyone else! Please note: exclamation point and not a question mark

So anyway ... I'm putting that to rest now. This quote is from the Q-C owner after he learned his schedule had a mistake in it and the Hawks weren't traveling to Anderson as he thought they would be.

The Riverhawks are off to a 4-2 start and rank 16th in the ABA power rankings — the top 24 teams at the end of the season qualify for the playoffs — but the average attendance of 235 has been below what McGinn anticipated.

And a scheduling error on the team’s first try at a road trip certainly doesn’t help.

McGinn already had rented vans for the weekend — the team normally will travel in the McGinn family Winnebago, but McGinn didn’t want to risk potential snowy conditions — and the team prepared all week for a matchup with Anderson. Now the Riverhawks will drive over and back to Chicago on Saturday for a game against the Rockstars, a team they beat Monday, 114-67.

In spite of everything, McGinn still is confident the team will stick.

“It’s been almost right what I thought it would be except we’ve been about 250 fans light of what I thought we’d bring in on average,” McGinn said. “But I feel like we’ve got a good start. People have still got to find it, and to be 4-2 is a pretty good way to get things off the ground.”

What professional team travels in a Winnebago and how are they averaging 250 fans for five games when their best crowd was 311 and worst was 79.

For five games they would have to 1,250 fans to average 250. They had 390 for two of them. So they need 860 for the other three. Ah, that didn't happen.

[psbf]

So, if I understand this right, Anderson canceled their game in Q.C. because of the snow, yet they still have to travel(in the snow) to Chicago?

[sportsguy12]

So, if I understand this right, Anderson canceled their game in Q.C. because of the snow, yet they still have to travel(in the snow) to Chicago?

of the ABA. It makes no sense, so don't waste your time trying to figure it out.

[ABA-hater]

Anderson v. QC was cancelled because Anderson didn't have it on their schedule, and thus and not gotten adequate housing... they will (probably) make up the game later in the year.

[heavesrock]

Uh...hello?



As for this year's Illinois team, they were 7-0 before losing to a 7-0 Maryland team. If someone can tell me right now that they can tell they're "not very good," then I'll have learned something.

Illinois has beaten only one decent team: Bradley. Otherwise they have Austin Peay, Jackson St., GA Southern, FLorida A&M, Savannah St., Miami Ohio, and the Bradley game, which they only won by 4. Does that sound like a tough schedule to you?

[rams80]

Miami of Ohio's pretty good, and while they did lose at home, they played a Nationally Ranked Maryland team tough.

[MJHankel]

Sam, why do you always have to be so arrogant. I asked it as a question. For your information, I grew up in New England, which is a hockey area. If you had read my post I worded ... "Isn't Illinois called ..." That meant there might be a name out there that I didn't know about, which there obviously was. Again, I never said to know-it all, so knock off the attacks, geez.

It is perfectly understandable to not know that "Flying Illini" was ever a nickname, especially if you are not from the area. "Fighting Illini" is much more widely known. Your average person or even above average person would be much more likely to recognize the latter than the former.

Calm down people you should be able to talk without being bashed I mean come on. Just explain and clarify don't be High and mighty about it.

About the punctuation, come on, this is not a press release this is an online forum?!?! I . can, put; punctuation: anywhere I want it does? not !!!! much matter :::: in the long run......

All that to say, this is not Grammar class. Though it may take a little bit longer to decipher whether a sentence is a statement or question without proper punctuation, it is do-able.

[sportsguy12]

It is perfectly understandable to not know that "Flying Illini" was ever a nickname, especially if you are not from the area. "Fighting Illini" is much more widely known. Your average person or even above average person would be much more likely to recognize the latter than the former.

Calm down people you should be able to talk without being bashed I mean come on. Just explain and clarify don't be High and mighty about it.

About the punctuation, come on, this is not a press release this is an online forum?!?! I . can, put; punctuation: anywhere I want it does? not !!!! much matter :::: in the long run......

All that to say, this is not Grammar class. Though it may take a little bit longer to decipher whether a sentence is a statement or question without proper punctuation, it is do-able.

That's all I was trying to say ... this board is for fun and thought-provoking discussion.

[Sam Hill]

Apologies all around then.