This is my first post to the SECHoops mailing list. I just got to thinking
today about different things that, if we did not have them, would make
college hoops better. I would enjoy hearing different ideas.

A couple I would submit:

1) Dick Vitale -- He used to be great for the game. He IMO largely made
ESPN what it is today. Before they had NFL, MLB, NBA (used to have it), and
the NHL, the NCAA tourney was their number one event. He drove college
basketball and the tourney IMO. Or was a large part of it, at least. And
he does know his hoops. If you hear an old game on ESPN, before he became
the persona he is now, he was great to listen to. But his ego has engulfed
him. He tries to outshine the games he broadcasts. And worst of all, he
pushes his favorite programs and coaches. With his influence, this is very
unfair to the vast majority of programs trying to build themselves into
something.

2) Any arena seating over 16,000. I would have said 15,000, but Memorial
Gymnasium at Vanderbilt seats over 15,000, and that is my favorite arena in
all of college basketball. I've been to quite a few. (Actually, maybe
Memorial Gym seats less than 15,000 now with the renovation.) As a
Tennessee fan, I lose sleep at night over our terrible arena. It has no
atmosphere, no warmth (literally and figuratively), is way too big, and is
ugly. I don't think we will ever develop into a big-time program with
Thompson-Boling Arena. There is no hope of filling that arena on a constant
basis. Even with a winning team. We never have the excitement of a sold
out crowd, seeing the stands filled all the way to the last row. I have no
doubt that this is used against us in recruiting. Every time you see us on
TV, all you see are empty orange seats.

People may reply that Rupp seats 23,000 or so. They are an exception. Rupp
has a great atmosphere. But there are only one or two schools that can fill
up an arena that big consistently. And even though Rupp is usually sold
out, it still can't match the warmth and intimacy of a smaller, quirkier
gym. I read Georgia fans saying they want to build a new arena. They
really don't know how good they have it.

Well, hope that gets the ball rolling. I think it would be interesting to
see other comments on this topic. Any aspect of college hoops is fair game:
uniforms, rules, coaches, etc...


----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Reed" <ChristianEccentric@...>
To: <SECHoops@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 3:06 PM
Subject: [SECHoops] Katz on Harrick and a big day for the SEC today


> Katz: "Harrick turning scrappy bunch into winners ...
> again"
>
> http://espn.go.com/ncb/columns/katz_andy/1281013.html
>
> Well, not to diminish their win against Georgetown,
> but i think UGa's very suspect inside, and i suspect
> Georgetown wasn't the team to reveal that. One win
> does not a season make.
>
> "We just shook up the SEC a bit," Hayes said. "There
> was a little shake, but we're not talking about the
> conference yet. We've got other games first like
> Georgia Southern, the favorites in the Southern
> Conference."
>
> Uh, no, that's the Atlantic Sun. Hayes actually
> played in the SoCon! Maybe Katz misquoted him.
>
> Today should be interesting. Carolina vs. Duke (our
> Carolina) in a matchup that shouldn't take place,
> since Duke should get Chaminade in the loser's
> bracket. Alabama faces Mizzou in their first real
> test of the season.
>
> C'mon people, TALK!!! :)
>
> Later,
> PhilipVU94
>
>
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