Donaldson slamming Rhody fan base on Twitter

Rhody83 · Unread post by **Rhody83** » 6 years ago

This time it is Donaldson on the attack. If you follow the tweets back and his responses it get much worse.

PeterRamTime · Unread post by **PeterRamTime** » 6 years ago

He has a good point. To not even get 6k against a rival with a chance to go 6-0 in the conference with our great team sucks.

Our students coming back will help, but damn the alumni and casuals need to wake up and come watch us dominate!

Da_Process_Survivor · Unread post by **Da_Process_Survivor** » 6 years ago

like we care what he says? guy could barely hack it at a 2nd rate newspaper.

side note, he looks like the uncle that hugs a little too long

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 6 years ago

PeterRamTime wrote:He has a good point. To not even get 6k against a rival with a chance to go 6-0 in the conference with our great team sucks.

Our students coming back will help, but damn the alumni and casuals need to wake up and come watch us dominate!

Hey,
Posters on our own KB Board were predicting only 4000 to 4500 for last night.
We got 5600 which will be the low for the season.
Rest of games could all be sell outs or close to

But where was Donaldson and Company when we had the brand new Ryan Center and we hired a guy who occupied that Center for 11 years and never went to the NCAA, never beat a Top 25 Team in 11 years. He had the newest and best Building to play in and recruit into but never fully leveraged it.

I never recall many Projo articles criticizing the 11 Year HC

That was a lost Era of opportunity.

Now we are roaring back. It takes time to bring back the fans that were lost over the period between Jim Harrick and Dan Hurley. Be patient.

Just last February in Jim Baron 2.0 many laughed and scoffed at Dan Hurley's reference to having a goal to be the Gonzaga of the East - that was only 11 months ago. Anyone laughing or scoffing now? This Basketball Program is rolling

Projo writers taking shots at URI's attendance just don't really get what is happening here. Win and they will come as RI Red has been saying for decades - they are winning and the fans are coming -

PeteRI · Unread post by **PeteRI** » 6 years ago

He's a trolling tool. Very intelligent and insightful responses.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 6 years ago

Attendance for the five major New England D1 schools thus far in the 2017-18 season

PC 8,039 (11)
UConn 6,631 (9)
URI 5,655 (11)
BC 4,734 (12)
UMass 2,675 (11)

All the other NE schools play in larger home venues (excl PC playing a single game at AH) than URI. Much of the UConn average is attributed to the 15,564 that attended the single game at the XLCenter in Hartford versus Wichita State. BC's numbers include home games versus Duke, Clemson, and Florida State.

RhodyRam86 · Unread post by **RhodyRam86** » 6 years ago

The more I think about it, unless it is a big game (PC, a conference foe that we aren't expected to blow out, or senior night), it is going to be a tough sell. And I think it is all about the Rhode Island mentality. Most people in Rhode Island think they need a passport to drive more than 20 miles within the state. Therefore, a huge advantage for PC that plays their home games in Providence where most of the states population is.

Rhody83 · Unread post by **Rhody83** » 6 years ago

PeterRamTime wrote:He has a good point. To not even get 6k against a rival with a chance to go 6-0 in the conference with our great team sucks.

Our students coming back will help, but damn the alumni and casuals need to wake up and come watch us dominate!

PRT I disagree with you. Attendance has incrased 19% over last year. A fan base is built over time. 19% is a great build.

Native · Unread post by **Native** » 6 years ago

Why would anyone on this board (or anyone else related to the University of Rhode Island, for that matter) feel compelled to respond in any way to anything that this Donaldson person puts forth?

I do not read the ProJo often, but I had thought that Donaldson has been writing opinion pieces for some time now. Shouldn’t Donaldson be presenting his opinions to us (rather than soliciting that potential readers present their opinions to him)?

What relevance does Donaldson possess at this moment of URI sports history that makes him a person that anyone should pay attention to regarding Ryan Center attendance levels?

To me, I think that the Donaldson tweet could best be filed in the folder marked “Don’t Feed the Trolls”.

SmartyBarrett · Unread post by **SmartyBarrett** » 6 years ago

It's almost like a retired journalist who tweets mostly about the Patriots isn't the best person to weigh in on URI.

RI_Bred · Unread post by **RI_Bred** » 6 years ago

There's still a newspaper in Providence?

NYGFan_Section208 · Unread post by **NYGFan_Section208** » 6 years ago

What's a newspaper?

Da_Process_Survivor · Unread post by **Da_Process_Survivor** » 6 years ago

RhodyRam86 wrote:The more I think about it, unless it is a big game (PC, a conference foe that we aren't expected to blow out, or senior night), it is going to be a tough sell. And I think it is all about the Rhode Island mentality. Most people in Rhode Island think they need a passport to drive more than 20 miles within the state. Therefore, a huge advantage for PC that plays their home games in Providence where most of the states population is.

It's not just us...

The only home games PC has had attendance over 6k this year are #14 Minnesota, BC, #5 X, Butler, Marquette

Shaolin Swat · Unread post by **Shaolin Swat** » 6 years ago

For reference, since he pulled PC into this whole thing - coming off of their first NCAA apprearance, PC's attendance increased 267 people per game, or from 67.3% capacity to 69.5% capacity. Our attendance coming off of our first tournament appearance has increased 725 people per game, or from 65.1% capacity to 74.7% capacity.

Point being, these things take time to build and staying on the trajectory that we're on will lead to a continued higher attendance level. It's asinine for Donaldson to compare the season after our first tournament to appearance to a PC season after four straight tournament appearances.

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 6 years ago

Oh good, another attendance thread!

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 6 years ago

Shaolin Swat wrote:For reference, since he pulled PC into this whole thing - coming off of their first NCAA apprearance, PC's attendance increased 267 people per game, or from 67.3% capacity to 69.5% capacity. Our attendance coming off of our first tournament appearance has increased 725 people per game, or from 65.1% capacity to 74.7% capacity.

Point being, these things take time to build and staying on the trajectory that we're on will lead to a continued higher attendance level. It's asinine for Donaldson to compare the season after our first tournament to appearance to a PC season after four straight tournament appearances.

How did he pull PC into it? He was literally trying to exclude them from the conversation

sf2010 · Unread post by **sf2010** » 6 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:
How did he pull PC into it? He was literally trying to exclude them from the conversation

Only in his initial tweet. In responding to the first person to answer him, he mentioned unprompted that PC will be having their third straight 12K+ crowd this weekend.

If you click on the tweet in the OP, you can see all of his responses.

What an asshat (not you RR02, Donaldson is the asshat)

SmartyBarrett · Unread post by **SmartyBarrett** » 6 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:
Shaolin Swat wrote:For reference, since he pulled PC into this whole thing - coming off of their first NCAA apprearance, PC's attendance increased 267 people per game, or from 67.3% capacity to 69.5% capacity. Our attendance coming off of our first tournament appearance has increased 725 people per game, or from 65.1% capacity to 74.7% capacity.

Point being, these things take time to build and staying on the trajectory that we're on will lead to a continued higher attendance level. It's asinine for Donaldson to compare the season after our first tournament to appearance to a PC season after four straight tournament appearances.
How did he pull PC into it? He was literally trying to exclude them from the conversation

Check some of his other tweets. He broke his own rule rather quickly.

Shaolin Swat · Unread post by **Shaolin Swat** » 6 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:
Shaolin Swat wrote:For reference, since he pulled PC into this whole thing - coming off of their first NCAA apprearance, PC's attendance increased 267 people per game, or from 67.3% capacity to 69.5% capacity. Our attendance coming off of our first tournament appearance has increased 725 people per game, or from 65.1% capacity to 74.7% capacity.

Point being, these things take time to build and staying on the trajectory that we're on will lead to a continued higher attendance level. It's asinine for Donaldson to compare the season after our first tournament to appearance to a PC season after four straight tournament appearances.
How did he pull PC into it? He was literally trying to exclude them from the conversation

It's one thing to say you're excluding PC from the conversation, but it's another thing to keep bringing them up in your responses to Rhody fans.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 6 years ago

Location, location, location, it just is. I'd also like to add that there are most likely 3-4 times as many basketball fans within walking distance to the dunk than there are in all of Washington County. It's not comparable demographic or geographically. Infrastructure alone can be a deterrent for fans, Providence has parking garages and highways, URI simply does not. I am not making excuses, its human (Rhode Islander) nature. PC games pick up alumni and fans, but also tourists, businessmen, and businesswomen or just anyone waiting for a train. URI is a destination, PC is the center of southern New England. I'm a die-hard Rhody fan, but I can't drive over an hour for every single game. because like most Rhode Islanders/Mass, I live in the north. I don't blame Jim for writing this, he's trying to light a fire under us and I would love to see sold out games, just don't compare us to Providence.

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 6 years ago

What is puzzling is last year we played UMass during the intersession on January 15, 2017 and drew 6,202. This year with team on a roll and the game also during the intersession on January 17, 2018, the Rams drew 5,583. Was last year's game in a special mini package, was the difference weather related???

SmartyBarrett · Unread post by **SmartyBarrett** » 6 years ago

Obadiah wrote:What is puzzling is last year we played UMass during the intersession on January 15, 2017 and drew 6,202. This year with team on a roll and the game also during the intersession on January 17, 2018, the Rams drew 5,583. Was last year's game in a special mini package, was the difference weather related???

Not sure if it was a mini-plan game, but it definitely was a weekend game last year.

EDIT: It was indeed a mini-plan game.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 6 years ago

Obadiah wrote:What is puzzling is last year we played UMass during the intersession on January 15, 2017 and drew 6,202. This year with team on a roll and the game also during the intersession on January 17, 2018, the Rams drew 5,583. Was last year's game in a special mini package, was the difference weather related???

Last Year the game on Jan 15 was on a Sunday. Sat and Sun games tend to draw better than Weeknight games

BleedBlue87 · Unread post by **BleedBlue87** » 6 years ago

Rhodymob05 wrote:Location, location, location, it just is. I'd also like to add that there are most likely 3-4 times as many basketball fans within walking distance to the dunk than there are in all of Washington County. It's not comparable demographic or geographically. Infrastructure alone can be a deterrent for fans, Providence has parking garages and highways, URI simply does not. I am not making excuses, its human (Rhode Islander) nature. PC games pick up alumni and fans, but also tourists, businessmen, and businesswomen or just anyone waiting for a train. URI is a destination, PC is the center of southern New England. I'm a die-hard Rhody fan, but I can't drive over an hour for every single game. because like most Rhode Islanders/Mass, I live in the north. I don't blame Jim for writing this, he's trying to light a fire under us and I would love to see sold out games, just don't compare us to Providence.

This is spot on. It's all about location. Put PC in a spot where a majority of their fans have to drive 30-40 minutes to a game and you have the same problem we have. Donaldson is an idiot.

ElmCityRhody · Unread post by **ElmCityRhody** » 6 years ago

take note donaldson.. URI beat PC this year.

Seawrightspostgame · Unread post by **Seawrightspostgame** » 6 years ago

It's tough to get to URI from anywhere that has to go through Providence on a weeknight.

I do it. I recognize other people in the crowd that do it. But you cant blame the people that don't.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 6 years ago

I wonder about location (in this case). What were our attendance numbers when we used to play many of our home games at the Dunk?

hrstrat57 · Unread post by **hrstrat57** » 6 years ago

IDIOT

....and we are giving his comments credibility here why?

PeterRamTime · Unread post by **PeterRamTime** » 6 years ago

Rhody83 wrote:
PeterRamTime wrote:He has a good point. To not even get 6k against a rival with a chance to go 6-0 in the conference with our great team sucks.

Our students coming back will help, but damn the alumni and casuals need to wake up and come watch us dominate!
PRT I disagree with you. Attendance has incrased 19% over last year. A fan base is built over time. 19% is a great build.

I realize that it takes time. I've argued the same argument you are presenting at length before. We've been tortured by mediocrity for so long, so it takes a lot to put ass in the seats at a consistently high level.

I just expected more people to show up to this particular game after our performance Saturday, the fact that we are undefeated at home and in the A-10.
I thought the turnout was disappointing. Understandable because evidently we have to accomplish more to get at least 6k to show up to a rival game when we are playing our best basketball in 20 years.
I'm just tooting the "team deserves more" horn.
I'm not worried though. If we keep winning I'm sure the people will show up. Over time.
Maybe the casual fan will take notice of Donaldson saying they should watch our great team. Maybe the super fans like us are the only ones that feel so strongly about him.
Either way we are going to keep winning and make it to the tournament again so, can't complain about much.

sf2010 · Unread post by **sf2010** » 6 years ago

I thought the crowd for UMass was pretty good, all things considered.

One point though, I've heard numerous people here refer to UMass as a rivalry game, and I along with most posters here consider it to be such. However, if we are talking about casual fans being the ones needed to move the attendance needle, I guarantee that to the casual fan UMass is not viewed as a rivalry game. PC is the only one on that level.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 6 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:I wonder about location (in this case). What were our attendance numbers when we used to play many of our home games at the Dunk?

I believe our attendance numbers were ~8,000. That was after an NCAAT appearance and three years removed from the prior one. Plus we were in the Top 25, had a coach with a National Championship and had the Number 1 recruit in the nation sitting on the bench. So attendance numbers aren't too far off the mark.

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 6 years ago

And also we only played only the best of the best opponents at the PCC in those days. Xavier, Temple, Umass (w/Calipari)...those programs drew the casual fan and had national brand recognition. And yes we would draw in that 7-9k range.

RhodyRam86 · Unread post by **RhodyRam86** » 6 years ago

Shaolin Swat wrote:For reference, since he pulled PC into this whole thing - coming off of their first NCAA apprearance, PC's attendance increased 267 people per game, or from 67.3% capacity to 69.5% capacity. Our attendance coming off of our first tournament appearance has increased 725 people per game, or from 65.1% capacity to 74.7% capacity.

Point being, these things take time to build and staying on the trajectory that we're on will lead to a continued higher attendance level. It's asinine for Donaldson to compare the season after our first tournament to appearance to a PC season after four straight tournament appearances.

comparing % capacity between RC and the Dunk is a moot point until we start selling out. if we had more seats our % capacity would go down. if we were selling out you could say our ticket sales would go up if we had more seats. But we're not selling out. A perfect analogy would be the Red Sox who were regularly filling Fenway with 37-38k fans. They can say if we had another 5000 seats we would sell another 5000 tix. URI can not say that.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 6 years ago

sf2010 wrote:I thought the crowd for UMass was pretty good, all things considered.

One point though, I've heard numerous people here refer to UMass as a rivalry game, and I along with most posters here consider it to be such. However, if we are talking about casual fans being the ones needed to move the attendance needle, I guarantee that to the casual fan UMass is not viewed as a rivalry game. PC is the only one on that level.

Anybody that doesn't think UMass is a rival has no interest in college basketball in New England and we have no hope of them ever becoming any type of fan of our program

NYGFan_Section208 · Unread post by **NYGFan_Section208** » 6 years ago

PeterRamTime wrote:
Rhody83 wrote:
PeterRamTime wrote:He has a good point. To not even get 6k against a rival with a chance to go 6-0 in the conference with our great team sucks.

Our students coming back will help, but damn the alumni and casuals need to wake up and come watch us dominate!
PRT I disagree with you. Attendance has incrased 19% over last year. A fan base is built over time. 19% is a great build.
I realize that it takes time. I've argued the same argument you are presenting at length before. We've been tortured by mediocrity for so long, so it takes a lot to put ass in the seats at a consistently high level.

I just expected more people to show up to this particular game after our performance Saturday, the fact that we are undefeated at home and in the A-10.
I thought the turnout was disappointing. Understandable because evidently we have to accomplish more to get at least 6k to show up to a rival game when we are playing our best basketball in 20 years.
I'm just tooting the "team deserves more" horn.
I'm not worried though. If we keep winning I'm sure the people will show up. Over time.
Maybe the casual fan will take notice of Donaldson saying they should watch our great team. Maybe the super fans like us are the only ones that feel so strongly about him.
Either way we are going to keep winning and make it to the tournament again so, can't complain about much.

Exactly. Keep winning and those things will just dry up and blow away. ...a writer not ranking Rhody, an ex-writer trolling on attendance...seems like just noise. Most here that can probably go to all the games and when they can get extra tickets, get extra people to go... so if some writer wants to chew on attendance like a used (non-original) bone that he borrowed from someone else...have at it... And, if another doesn't rank Rhody and then feels so self-important that he has to write about why (am guessing the number of people not on this board, that really, I mean REALLY care about that could fit in my Jeep) ...then let him print his sh*t in a vehicle people don't read anyway...whatever....

The real thing to complain about is the less than halfass job done with the pub and unfortunately, not sure that even winning can fix that debacle...That this is such a concern just highlights that the program overall is on a good arc...perceived slights and insults from non-impact writers is just white noise.

CT Rhody · Unread post by **CT Rhody** » 6 years ago

While location as a lot of posters have mentioned clearly has some impact, the most significant impact is the opponent. The Big East this year at least has some high RPI and 3 national ranked teams, PC draws crap for sub 50-75 opponents but shocker they draw well for name or top 25-40 type opponents. Who would of seen that coming?

So stop with location or any other reason driving the difference and look specifically at the opponent. URI would sell out every game against a top 25 opponent at home, period no questions asked.

Tom98 · Unread post by **Tom98** » 6 years ago

Somebody please shut this thread down. Donaldson is an idiot.... stop playing into his bullshit. I pray I run into him or McNamara at the RC.... trust me I will let them know what I think of them. They both are a disgrace to try and stir up this kind of BS.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 6 years ago

Tom98 wrote:Somebody please shut this thread down. Donaldson is an idiot.... stop playing into his bullshit. I pray I run into him or McNamara at the RC.... trust me I will let them know what I think of them. They both are a disgrace to try and stir up this kind of BS.

100% agree. He has probably gotten more reaction here on this board in the past day then on his twitter in a month. We have two threads on here, regarding two projo stiffs who are pc shills, trolling URI. Is it because we are already locked into the tournament, expected to win the conference regular season as well as the tournament? And Jimbo wonders why attendance isn't up to his par? Look in the mirror Jimbo. You are part of the problem.

section(105) · Unread post by **section(105)** » 6 years ago

See below

section(105) · Unread post by **section(105)** » 6 years ago

.....who is Donaldson......?

RhodysRelevant · Unread post by **RhodysRelevant** » 6 years ago

st bonaventure game seemed pretty damn full to me. but other than what ive seen here now i dont read this guys garbage anyway.

Paleoguy · Unread post by **Paleoguy** » 6 years ago

theblueram wrote:
Tom98 wrote:Somebody please shut this thread down. Donaldson is an idiot.... stop playing into his bullshit. I pray I run into him or McNamara at the RC.... trust me I will let them know what I think of them. They both are a disgrace to try and stir up this kind of BS.
100% agree. He has probably gotten more reaction here on this board in the past day then on his twitter in a month. We have two threads on here, regarding two projo stiffs who are pc shills, trolling URI. Is it because we are already locked into the tournament, expected to win the conference regular season as well as the tournament? And Jimbo wonders why attendance isn't up to his par? Look in the mirror Jimbo. You are part of the problem.

When Donaldson wrote for the Journal, he was a troll before the word even existed to describe what trolls do. And he trolled PC mercilessly. Providence fans hated the guy. But, in general, he lived to go up people's asses sideways. Almost every column the guy wrote was built around sarcasm. He was born to trollhood...

URI'21 · Unread post by **URI'21** » 6 years ago

I'm in the minority here, but I think you guys are overreacting to this. Just read through the whole thread of tweets and I have to say that Donaldson is not "slamming our fan base".

He, like 100% of us here, is disappointed that we're not pulling bigger crowds. Although he does not seem to grasp the improvement our attendance is getting, I'd hardly argue that he's "slamming our fan base".

Chill!

reef · Unread post by **reef** » 6 years ago

Jimbo D you are a fool

Weekday night bad weather students on break and we still almost get 5600

Attendance will rock the last 5 games things are trending up and next year we build off it

Rhode_Island_Red · Unread post by **Rhode_Island_Red** » 6 years ago

URI'21 wrote:I'm in the minority here, but I think you guys are overreacting to this. Just read through the whole thread of tweets and I have to say that Donaldson is not "slamming our fan base".

He, like 100% of us here, is disappointed that we're not pulling bigger crowds. Although he does not seem to grasp the improvement our attendance is getting, I'd hardly argue that he's "slamming our fan base".

Chill!

Our interpretation of Five-foot-one Donaldson's tweet is based on his decades of looking down on URI.

steviep123 · Unread post by **steviep123** » 6 years ago

Donaldson also retweeted someone posting an email about there being less than 500 tickets available for Sat's PC game and then noting why the RC isn't filled to capacity:

My question to Donaldson is did he retweet the low ticket availability alert (From either @RhodyTickets or @RhodyMBB) for URI's near sellout last Saturday vs. SBU?

While I agree that the RC should be filled nearly every game this year, and if Donaldson agrees with that, then he's "on our side", but his trolling ways are underhanded and unappreciated. He needs to do it better.

CTRamfan · Unread post by **CTRamfan** » 6 years ago

URI attendance increases the last four seasons have been good. Wining is what is driving the increase......not complicated at all.

800,000 people live north of "South County". Less than 200,000 live within 20 miles of The Ryan Center. Not complicated at all.

Donaldson is "trolling". Projo has lost rhody fans due to poor coverage. Not complicated at all.

We are doing just fine !

scine20 · Unread post by **scine20** » 6 years ago

The opponent matters, too. When you're playing lousy competition on a night in and night out basis people don't have the same excitement. I would bet that last night would have sold out, for example, if this was UMass of the 90's instead of the UMass today.

Rhody15 · Unread post by **Rhody15** » 6 years ago

PC is in a better conference, with better opponents.

Give us the number 5 ranked team in the country along with other ranked teams and I’m sure we’d sell out too.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 6 years ago

URI'21 wrote:I'm in the minority here, but I think you guys are overreacting to this. Just read through the whole thread of tweets and I have to say that Donaldson is not "slamming our fan base".

He, like 100% of us here, is disappointed that we're not pulling bigger crowds. Although he does not seem to grasp the improvement our attendance is getting, I'd hardly argue that he's "slamming our fan base".

Chill!

I’m with you URI21.
I don’t think he was trolling

For the UMASS game posters estimates 4,000 to 4,500 and we got 5,600. That was solid for bad weather and a Tuesday night with school out.
Keep winning and all the remaining games will sell out - all 5 of them

Lose this Saturday to Dayton and I retract that prediction

It’s all about winning.

In a way Donaldson is right, our attendance should be better, but I’m confident it will get better just as it has been.

What Donaldson. Reynolds, MacNamara and Koch don’t fully recognize is the damage to the fan base between Jim Harrick and Dan Hurley - we lost a generation of fans or certainly didn’t develop that generation like we could and should have with the new Ryan Center.

While there was criticism on this board of that prior HC there were only drips and drabs from the Projo - They were part of the problem keeping a mediocre AR best HC here.