re: What went wrong with Cuonzo Martin?

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Personal anecdote: I found some old pictures of a game I attended in 2011. It was the home opener versus Truman State University. Frank Haith had just been hired...nobody had ANY idea that team was going to win 30 games coming off an 8-8 Big 12 season and losing 5 of their last 6 before Mike Anderson bolted. Despite playing a nobody D2 school and the notoriously underwhelming hire of Frank Haith, the student section was about 90-95% full. The rest of the arena was empty (per usual) but the students were there in force. Watch any good college atmosphere today, and it is driven by the student section. Mizzou needs to figure out how to get them to care again.

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Honestly, I think there is some significant juice to theory that fan engagement has dropped significantly with the move to the SEC. Sure, there was an initial surge of excitement. But now, we are in a conference with states in which we have very little to no cultural or historical ties. Being in the Big 12, there were plenty of alums from various schools around to banter with; be it at work, or just socially. That just doesn't exist with us in the SEC. Toss on the protests and generally declining attendance, and you get our current state of affairs.