Hopefully by now you've checked out The Telegraph's story on the lack of student attendance at basketball games this season. In case you haven't, some highlights are:

~an average of approx. 500 students have attended each game

~that number is "slightly down," according to director of ticket operations Maja Hansen

~students cite varying reasons for the decline, but they believe it begins with the record and play of the current Yellow Jackets team. It appears for some students, the root of their concerns stem from, as one student put it, "panic" that the team is doing so poorly under its current leadership.

Definitely read the story to find out more. In addition to some of what was cited in the story, you have to also keep in mind that attendance numbers in general are down around the country, with the ACC taking some of the hardest hits. You also have to keep in mind that Tech students aren't the only ones who are exhibiting frustration or anxiety by not showing up. In recent days, stories have been written in the North Carolina and North Carolina State student-run newspapers about low student attendance at their games and what the fallout from such turnout has or could create. (Here's another from today on UNC student tickets). Even bloggers, like this one in Maryland, have gotten in on chiming in their observations. Writers for other major publications have commented at length about the lack of young faces in crowds at other conference schools, as well. So the problem isn't just relegated to the corner of 10th and Fowler Streets in midtown Atlanta. It extends much further.

Anyway, the following are a few other quotes I couldn't fit in the story that may help give you even more of an idea of what some are saying about the decline in student attendance at Tech.

Corey Black, senior Mechanical Engineering major. From Lilburn. Enrolled in 2006, when Tech was in the middle of a three-season sellout (2005-08).

When I came to this school, it was awesome. It was full every game. We’d have full sections every game, even for some of the minor ACC games when we expected a blowout.

 

Most of the student body maybe feels that way where you have to spend a lot of time doing work or projects and stuff and that kind of hurts your getting involved. But then again, for me, going to Tech games, basketball games and especially baseball games, it’s all about stress-relief. That’s how you relieve your stress. That’s how you get out and forget about school.

 

But then, when you go to a basketball game and for the team to not score and there’s a 20-0 run (by the opposing team), then it’s not fun. You don’t enjoy it. especially when there’s no one there. When there’s a full stadium, you’re standing up constantly and that helps the atmosphere. You’re always yelling, you’re always into it. you’re not just sitting there.

 

In years past, I could tell you I missed one or two home games and that’s it. this year, I’ve probably only been to half of them (this year).

 

A lot of that has to do with my frustration with the program. It’s depressing to be there, it’s not fun.

 

After being here for five years, when we do play well, we have better crowds. When we had Derrick Favors last year for instance, the crowds were better.

 

When I came in, I was in a fraternity and the older brothers — the fourth-year, fifth-years — they said, ‘Everyone goes to games.’ You go to baseball games, we were always there. It was just tradition. It was expected. Then those guys graduated and I became the older guy going to all the games, but the people coming in (now), they just didn’t come in with the same kind of momentum when I came in. When I came in, there was a lot going on, there was a lot of excitement.

 

The foundations are there that the school can have a great basketball team. Some people are like, well, it’s a football school, you can’t do that. I think that’s wrong. As we showed in 04, if you have a team that you can take to the national championship, you’re a legitimate program.

  

Maja Hansen, Tech's director of ticket operations. Has been at Tech two seasons now

We have a good core group of students that we see at most of the games. Certainly, it would be nice to have a larger student following, but we understand students have a lot of other things they can do. We encourage them to come out and support their school. Those who have been at the games have enjoyed themselves and typically come back next game.

 

(On the Miami game and trying to increase attendance) We’re heavily pushing our social media with Facebook and Twitter. We’re trying to get the word out there. Obviously, it’s the last game inside the AMC as we all know it. If we could get a full house in there to experience it, that would be a great thing.

 

(On fan loyalty she's observed) What I can say is, we’ve got an institution that takes great pride in its school and it bleeds Georgia Tech. Our fans are passionate, whether it’s football or basketball or baseball or any other sport. That’s something that I’ve been impressed by is the passion of our fans and students.

David Lee, season-ticket holder who attended Tech during the late 1980s and early 90s. He saw Alexander Memorial Coliseum when it earned it's "Thrillerdome" nickname. 

(On the Coliseum when he was a student) The whole place was electric. Georgia Tech was always competitive.

 

Some of my memories… How loud it would be. It would sometimes feel like the whole building would move. Actually, it still gets pretty loud now when it’s half full and something happens that’s good enough to cheer.

 

I remember camping outside in those long lines to get tickets for the games. I remember Cremins and the players if they weren’t doing anything would come by with gallons of milk and donuts for students in the lines.

 

(On this season's crowds) It’s disappointing. It sort of hurts.

 

(On optimism of seeing larger crowds for the finale) I hope — I don’t expect it — but I hope there will be a better turnout for the last game. It’d be nice. It could be (Iman) Shumpert’s last game, too. (Shumpert could declare for the NBA draft after this season. He's currently a junior.)

 

 

Paul Hewitt, Tech's head basketball coach 2000-present

For 11 years, it’s been a tremendous home court for us.

 

I remember going back to my first year against Wake Forest. They were No. 4 in the country and (former Tech player) Halston Lane got a foul called on him and I just couldn’t believe how loud it got in here. Over the years, we’ve had some great moments in here. 

 

 

Karsten Tufts, freshman Civil Engineering major. From Warner Robins. Enrolled last fall. A fourth-generation Tech student. His excitement for Tech basketball began in 2004, when living in Nebraska, he and friends and family road-tripped to St. Louis to watch the Jackets in the NCAA tournament Regional. The Jackets beat Kansas to advance to the Final Four in San Antonio that year. It is the last time Tech has been to the Final Four.

 

For most students, it’s the losing.

 

This year, we still have a good team, but we’re not getting Ws and nobody wants to waste three or four hours of our day than watch the team lose.

 

I remember the Clemson game. I would have rather gone and done something differently than watched us blow a (big) lead.

 

(On students' pressures to support the players) Definitely there’s pressure (to show up for the players). I played all kinds of sports in high school and I always liked it when our fans would show up for games and things like that. We’ll support teams win or lose, but like I said, there’s pressure. You’re in class with them and you see them all the time. Because that’s the last thing; you don’t want someone to prep all offseaon long and then prep all week long for games and when you get to the games there’s nobody there.

 

(On games he's attended this year) Maybe missed two, maybe three or four. Just because I had other things couldn’t get away from. But if there’s a home game, I’m usually in the seats watching it.

 

(On other factors to student drop-off) It goes mainly to the losing, but also, I had someone tell me one time that it’s just my generation. My generation is becoming more of one that stays inside more. We stay with the iPod, Xbox, computers. I know bunch of people on my hall alone that will play a game for hours straight.

 

So it’s my generation, too, where we spend more time on the Internet and less getting out and doing stuff. That’s also one of the things that’s hurting attendance, as well.

 

Like, I have a guy on my hall who’s a big basketball fan, but he’s only been to two games.

 

It’s pathetic, depressing.

 

I remember people used to tell me we were known at one time as a basketball school, not a football school. Right now, I’m ashamed to be considered a basketball school.

 

It’s crazy to think how we went from Will Bynum knocking down a shot to send us to the national championship, to all of a sudden, we’re losing by 20 or blowing leads and can’t win on the road.