Backup site - DavidsonCats.com

[85Wildcatsky]

FYI ESPN+ is taking over for most of the A10 Network games this year. It is posted on their website.

I hope they work out the kinks soon. The red screen of death was an interesting feature.
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"They were energized by this move to the A-10. How could you not be?" McKillop said. "The tree is filled with a lot of presents."

[GoCats]

Technical glitches aside, I am a big fan of ESPN+. Great value.
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"That wasn't an upset tonight," Kansas coach Bill Self said glumly. "They controlled the game," Self said. "They whipped us."
Davidson 80 Kansas 74

[CatsUpNorth]

[MrMac]

[JerseyLawyer]

Having the games “ on demand” is terrific. I just have to stay off the board until I’m done watching.

[stevelee]

Do you get the RSD during replays?

There will be a point in the season when I am no longer physically present for all the games, so I'll want to stretch my budget to come up with $5/mo. My pension will go up just over $3/mo. in January, so maybe it won't be too bad a stretch.

The UNC game should be on some channel I get on TV, and I'll need to check about the Temple game. I thought I might figure some combination trip with some organ concerts in Philadelphia, including Macy's, and maybe even the remnants of the Convention Center organ in Atlantic City, but it looks like my otherwise schedule would make that unhandy anyway.

The only pre-Brooklyn road trip to an A10 game I'm likely to make is to G. Mason. TBD is which will involve flying and which going by train.

(And no comments are necessary on my filtering-insects-and-swallowing-ungulates spending habits. I know. I know.)
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Μεγάλη ἡμέρα εἶναι Λύγξ

[wildcatspride]

I am hesitant to publish any sort of criticism because I worked for Davidson for a while a few years ago and recognized that many of the complaints coming in did not take into consideration factors that were not publicly known.

However...

The quality of these broadcasts is just horrible. They have been horrible for 10 years now. I felt like "give it time" but there does not seem to be any improvement.

The audio is always one of the biggest problems, the mics were way too quiet until almost the 2nd media timeout last night, then one mic was considerably louder than the other. There were times when audio from a replay started playing even though the replay wasn't on the screen. The audio also went completely out for two media timeouts in the second half.

The scoreboard was not visible until the first TO, when someone clearly dragged it onto the screen using a computer mouse. Then about halfway into the first half, someone dragged that ESPN+ overlay thing onto the screen and took a while to position it in a way where it wasn't quite covering the "All Sport" scoreboard behind it.

When they do cut to a replay, usually the cut does not include most of the play.

It seems to be recorded using a palm size video camera, the image quality is terrible and the movement is shaky because the tripods are not designed for constant movement.

The feed cut out for about 3 minutes entirely.

All of those things I think are easily fixable. Some of the things that might be harder:

I am a huge fan of Justin Parker, but he is not really qualified to be a basketball color commentator. You need someone who can give insight that the casual fan does not see. Not sure who would be a good option though.

Mentioned many times, but the arena feed cutting away from the live action for replays does not really work. I recognize it's not feasible to have two feeds though.

I have watched a fair amount of basketball games on ESPN+ this year and we are far far behind the field on quality. I recognize that ticket sales bring revenue and web casting does not as much. However, there should be some thought toward improving it. I hope Chris will take a look at this before next year.
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Davidson shot through the college hoops world in a flash in 2008. But long before it did, its coach poured his life's work into the place. That work is ongoing, and McKillop is as good now as he's ever been.

-- Eamonn Brennan, ESPN

[collegecoach8502]

[dorp]

[RichmondCat]

I enjoy Justin and think he does an admirable job.

[CatsUpNorth]

Yeah I’ve been impressed with JP so far. People love to give announcers grief, and almost always they deserve it, but it’s an understatedly hard job. Considering he has no experience he’s thriving IMO

[ac3983]

But TC, how long does it have to be an excuse (not saying of you, but of someone, somewhere) that Davidson doesnt have enough people to operate? I mean good grief every other school figures out a way to do it!

I mean, davcat37 texted me last night that the feed looked like someone was showing the game on FaceTime and that the scoreboard on the screen looked like Nintendo! Eventually in situations like these, people can lose interest, and then you see the type of falling off of fans that we are seeing.

I'm sure CC will get this fixed.

[i77cat]

I share ac's optimism. The new AD is not a fan of crappiness. He won't use "we're too small" as an excuse. He'll get it fixed.
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"McKillop is a gentleman. He could have played 'name that score' if he so desired."---St Joe's fan

[citycat]

There's a 62 year old person working in accounting/finance/bookkeeping making $230,000 a year. When he retires, hire someone at 1/2 that salary to do that job.

With the other 1/2 of that salary, hire 3 full time employees who are recent college grads. One of those can be assigned to be the full time video expert during the school year and s/he can work in marketing and other duties in the summer.

The other 2 can be coaches in non-revenue sports.

[collegecoach8502]