Marcus Camby Article

Marty Peretz · Post by **Marty Peretz** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:59 pm

Retire. His. Jersey. Now....and do it at a random game that otherwise might not draw well. At least we'll be assured of a sell-out. It would be an incredible night at the Bill.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:02 am

Glad someone else is finally saying what I've been for years!

MassMan06 · Post by **MassMan06** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:17 am

A random game would not sell out if they retired Marcus' number.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:31 am

If the team was winning up to that point in the season, yes it would...

MassMan06 · Post by **MassMan06** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:34 am

It'll boost attendance by a couple thousand, tree tops. But if you're expecting attendance to jump from 5,000 to 9,493 because of Marcus I think you're overestimating.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:36 am

Well, if we are a winning team, we'd probably see an average of about 6k in the building.... you throw in a Camby retirement, and it is a sell out, no doubt, especially if it is advertised to the community well enough.

Now, again, this is dependent on the team being a winning team...

Umass90 · Post by **Umass90** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:03 am

I have always thought his number should be retired. The naysayers claim there is a rule that you must be a graduate.

F the rule. Make an exception. He was the national POY for god's sake.

UMass87 · Post by **UMass87** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:05 am

UMass is an academic institution. Marcus Camby can finish his degree when he retires. Then his number can be retired.

nale · Post by **nale** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:58 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote:Well, if we are a winning team, we'd probably see an average of about 6k in the building.... you throw in a Camby retirement, and it is a sell out, no doubt, especially if it is advertised to the community well enough.

Now, again, this is dependent on the team being a winning team...

Love your enthusiasm IV.
I could be wrong but I doubt 3000 people who would not normally attend a winning UMASS team's game are going to come to a random UMASS game just because Camby number will be retired

BostonBert · Post by **BostonBert** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:58 am

UMass87 wrote:UMass is an academic institution. Marcus Camby can finish his degree when he retires. Then his number can be retired.

If that is a rule that UMass wants to uphold, I can't say I have an argument against it.

As far as the NCAA, they are a totally spineless organization. They have never gone after any big time program for violations because it screws with their money. Whoever said it was easy for them to go after UMass because of the "flash in the pan" success you are completely correct.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:07 am

nale wrote:
Love your enthusiasm IV.
I could be wrong but I doubt 3000 people who would not normally attend a winning UMASS team's game are going to come to a random UMASS game just because Camby number will be retired

Why not? He is an NBA player who, along with Cal and Roe, epitomize the greatness of the early and mid-90's for UMASS. There would be quite a few people who followed the team back in the day but don't now that would come out to see that and relive the memories.

If you really don't believe it could be a sell-out event, then try to bring in Cal (his coach), Roe (his teammate and fellow retired number) as well as Dr. J, Skinner and Burke (the other retired numbers). It would sell out just with Cal showing up, nevermind the others.

This guy is the 2nd best basketball player in UMASS history. Why would the people not come out for this??!?!

shovelhd · Post by **shovelhd** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:16 am

IV, you're forgetting where we are. We have about 3500 season ticket holders that come to every game. The student attendance ranges from about 20 to 1,500. Put them all in there and that's half of the building. The other half has to come from the community at large, the casual fans. In order to do that, you have to give them something out of the ordinary, something other than a normal, regular season A-10 game. I don't think Camby would do it by himself. A Final Four team might do it. I tell ya what would do it, during a home game against Temple, get Cal up here and put him in a ring with Chaney, and have Camby be the referee.

Rocks22 · Post by **Rocks22** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:19 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote: If you really don't believe it could be a sell-out event, then try to bring in Cal (his coach), Roe (his teammate and fellow retired number) as well as Dr. J, Skinner and Burke (the other retired numbers). It would sell out just with Cal showing up, nevermind the others.

Sorry IV, attendance figures for the Skinner number retirement, Leaman Court dedication, and the 1990's Celebration this season do not back up your argument.

umass21 · Post by **umass21** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:58 am

UMass87 wrote:UMass is an academic institution. Marcus Camby can finish his degree when he retires. Then his number can be retired.

They aren't retiring his degree though.

If that's their stance, that's fine. But plenty of others don't and I don't agree with the policy.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:01 pm

Rocks - Did you really just compare the Skinner retirement and Leaman Court dedication to the retirement of Camby's number? You know how much respect I have for both Skinner and Jack, but this is Camby we are talking about.

The 90's night was one that I did go to to see if I could back up my argument, and alas I wasn't able to use it, but with that said, the three biggest factors of our 90's success (Cal, Roe and Camby) were not there. Cal and/or Camby could have made a huge difference there, Roe just a smaller difference.

Alas, all of this is a moot point. The university isn't just going to change their minds and retire his number next year. Oh well.

UMass87 wrote:UMass is an academic institution. Marcus Camby can finish his degree when he retires. Then his number can be retired.

Marquette retired Dwayne Wade's jersey, no?