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Post by Non Alum Dave on Dec 10, 2018 13:10:45 GMT -5
Vermont and Northeastern are two quality programs that we should play imo. Phil Martelli was not afraid to bring St. Joes up; get him on the phone.
I wonder if we've even reached out to Fordham lately? Whittenburg is a distant, distant memory.
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Post by bison137 on Dec 10, 2018 13:11:09 GMT -5
Holy Cross had a home and home series with USF (San Francisco, not South Florida) several years back. It would be good to see another home and home set up with them. They could add a game with St. Mary's or Santa Clara while they are out there. I believe Harvard played at USF and St. Mary's this year. Not sure if that was a one time thing, or if those teams will be visiting Cambridge next season. Also, with the Canisius game being on the road next season, it would be nice to see if a series could be set up with St Bonaventure starting next year.
St Bonaventure is playing at perennial NCAA tourney team Vermont this season. It is part of a three game series contract. One game in Rochester-NY where SBU plays an annual game, one game at UVM in Burlington-VT, and one game at SBU in Olean-NY.
The A-10 schools that play in small gyms might possibly agree to games at the Hart. These teams would include Fordham, SBU, LaSalle, St. Joe's, GW, and Duquesne. Worth noting however that even with all the history and connections with Fordham, the Bronx Rams don't seem to want to play at Holy Cross in men's hoops.
It is only going to get tougher to get A10 teams to do a home-and-home with the likely start of the league's series with MWC teams next year. Bucknell has had 7-8 A10 teams play in Sojka over the last 10 years, but it has become a lot harder to get them just in the last 18 months.
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Post by bison137 on Dec 10, 2018 13:12:49 GMT -5
Vermont and Northeastern are two quality programs that we should play imo. Phil Martelli was not afraid to bring St. Joes up; get him on the phone. I wonder if we've even reached out to Fordham lately? Whittenburg is a distant, distant memory. Those were the old days. I know Martelli won't even do a two-for-one with Bucknell. Doubt he would play in the Hart. Possibly in the DCU as part of a two-for-one.
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Post by Chu Chu on Dec 10, 2018 13:16:25 GMT -5
Holy Cross had a home and home series with USF (San Francisco, not South Florida) several years back. It would be good to see another home and home set up with them. They could add a game with St. Mary's or Santa Clara while they are out there. I believe Harvard played at USF and St. Mary's this year. Not sure if that was a one time thing, or if those teams will be visiting Cambridge next season. Also, with the Canisius game being on the road next season, it would be nice to see if a series could be set up with St Bonaventure starting next year. These are all great ideas. Also, let's try to schedule Gonzaga. They might go for a game when they are on the East Coast to play another heavy weight team, or we could go there. Play the best to be the best!
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 18:55:01 GMT -5
I tend to agree that the DCU really doesn't work very well. I would not mind playing in the DCU but only against teams from a stronger conference than the A-10. You could have fit that crowd easily into the Hart with plenty of rooms to spare. Then we would have to give up the notion of schools like BC, URI and UMass even coming to our city. They are NOT coming to play at Hart. I agree with WCHC that the DCU provides limited home court advantage, attendance tends to be disappointing and that the general atmosphere leaves some to be desired. However, if Holy Cross basketball really does grow and put itself on the map, attendance will get better in general both at Hart and downtown. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see the OPPORTUNITY to play schools like PC and UConn in Worcester, not to mention Boston College again. This will only happen at the DCU.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 18:58:06 GMT -5
Vermont and Northeastern are two quality programs that we should play imo. Phil Martelli was not afraid to bring St. Joes up; get him on the phone. I wonder if we've even reached out to Fordham lately? Whittenburg is a distant, distant memory. Last time we played Fordham, I was in high school. IIRC Colin Cunningham came off the bench as a frosh and hit a game winner in our last meeting. HC would bring a great alumni contingent to Rose Hill. Wouldn't mind road-tripping to Burlington for a game -- love that city.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Dec 10, 2018 19:06:55 GMT -5
Love Burlington as well, ny...
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 19:28:44 GMT -5
Holy Cross had a home and home series with USF (San Francisco, not South Florida) several years back. It would be good to see another home and home set up with them. They could add a game with St. Mary's or Santa Clara while they are out there. I believe Harvard played at USF and St. Mary's this year. Not sure if that was a one time thing, or if those teams will be visiting Cambridge next season. Also, with the Canisius game being on the road next season, it would be nice to see if a series could be set up with St Bonaventure starting next year. These are all great ideas. Also, let's try to schedule Gonzaga. They might go for a game when they are on the East Coast to play another heavy weight team, or we could go there. Play the best to be the best! Looking at Gonzaga's schedules over the last 15 years on their site, it has been a VERY LONG TIME since they played an out-of-conference road game against a school with the stature of Holy Cross. We are as likely to host Duke at the DCU as we are Gonzaga at this point. If we really want to play the Zags that bad, it would definitely be in a guarantee game at The Kennel with maybe 11 HC supporters in the building -- HC70 would definitely offer any and all a ride from the Spokane or Pullman airports.
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Post by trimster on Dec 10, 2018 19:44:21 GMT -5
I love playing at the DCU Center. The only problem is not enough games, if you want more people in the seats you need to play more than 1 game every other year. Schedule three games every year with quality opponents and the people will come. Also we need better athletes to compete with those types of teams. The URI team killed us on the boards with better athletes. I am not sure how they woud do it, but it's time for Holy Cross basketball to go big or go home. The present situation is no longer palatable.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 19:49:45 GMT -5
I love playing at the DCU Center. The only problem is not enough games, if you want more people in the seats you need to play more than 1 game every other year. Schedule three games every year with quality opponents and the people will come. Also we need better athletes to compete with those types of teams. The URI team killed us on the boards with better athletes. I am not sure how they would do it, but it's time for Holy Cross basketball to go big or go home. The present situation is no longer palatable. Define "go home". I am assuming TPTB are trying to go as "big" as they can.
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Post by trimster on Dec 10, 2018 19:57:00 GMT -5
I am not sure how they would do it, but it's time for Holy Cross basketball to go big or go home. The present situation is no longer palatable. Define "go home". I am assuming TPTB are trying to go as "big" as they can. Drop down to D2 and join the Northeast Conference where at least the rivalries will be local. I think that is quite an assumption you are making.
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Dec 10, 2018 19:58:51 GMT -5
Play. At. The. Centrum. Or. Be. Stuck. Playing. MAAC. Schools. At. The. Very. Best. For. Out. Of. Conference. Opponents.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 20:00:34 GMT -5
Define "go home". I am assuming TPTB are trying to go as "big" as they can. Drop down to D2 and join the Northeast Conference where at least the rivalries will be local. I think that is quite an assumption you are making. You mentioned D-2 (Notheast-10 -- the NEC is D-I). Pun intended?
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Post by thecrossisback on Dec 10, 2018 20:25:42 GMT -5
I like the DCU, need more games there though. No matter who the opponent is, helps if they have fans that travel and the team good.
Also DCU could use some new hoops, but thats another issue.
More games at DCU.
As much as I like the new Hart Center,
OOC scwheldue Sacred Heart, FDU, Canisus and Siena isn't exactly a great home scheldue.
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Post by trimster on Dec 10, 2018 20:29:24 GMT -5
Drop down to D2 and join the Northeast Conference where at least the rivalries will be local. I think that is quite an assumption you are making. You mentioned D-2 (Notheast-10 -- the NEC is D-I). Pun intended? Assumption, Bentley, Stonehill. Bring 'em on. We could actually drive to conference road games if we so desired. The sad truth is HC hoops is a lot closer to the level of those schools than our former rivals that made our schedules attractive.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 20:33:40 GMT -5
I like the DCU, need more games there though. No matter who the opponent is, helps if they have fans that travel and the team good. Also DCU could use some new hoops, but thats another issue. More games at DCU. As much as I like the new Hart Center, OOC scwheldue Sacred Heart, FDU, Canisus and Siena isn't exactly a great home scheldue. Nice to see Siena back at the Hart though -- those games were a lot of fun during the Willard-McCrybaby era. Let's get a home-and-home going with Fairfield again...
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Post by thecrossisback on Dec 10, 2018 20:38:58 GMT -5
Its hard, could go back to Worcester Aud. Haha
The only really way to have a big crowd is have the PL championship at home and CUT DOWN THE NETS! Promote the heck out of it and the crowd will show up. Need to consistently be a force in the PL playoffs if we stay in that conference. Make the NCAA or NIT and fans will show up.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Dec 10, 2018 20:46:11 GMT -5
Its hard, could go back to Worcester Aud. Haha The only really way to have a big crowd is have the PL championship at home and CUT DOWN THE NETS! Promote the heck out of it and the crowd will show up. Need to consistently be a force in the PL playoffs if we stay in that conference. Make the NCAA or NIT and fans will show up. Fans come to see consistent winners. If we can put together a 4-5 year stretch of consistently at least reaching PL title games, the Hart will fill back up again. The key now is simply getting the students to show. It's night and day compared to 10-12 years ago. 2,500 used to be a quiet crowd at Hart. The stands behind far basket would ALWAYS be full of students regardless of opponent -- for a big game, the wooden stands behind both baskets would fill up and overflow students would be forced to the rafters -- I sat up there for the Flannery ejection game against Bucknell in 07-08.
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Post by cmo on Dec 10, 2018 21:42:46 GMT -5
Its hard, could go back to Worcester Aud. Haha The only really way to have a big crowd is have the PL championship at home and CUT DOWN THE NETS! Promote the heck out of it and the crowd will show up. Need to consistently be a force in the PL playoffs if we stay in that conference. Make the NCAA or NIT and fans will show up. It will have to be the final, since students are on break for the quarters and semis.
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Post by hcgrad94 on Dec 10, 2018 22:37:55 GMT -5
Vermont and Northeastern are two quality programs that we should play imo. Phil Martelli was not afraid to bring St. Joes up; get him on the phone. I wonder if we've even reached out to Fordham lately? Whittenburg is a distant, distant memory. Those were the old days. I know Martelli won't even do a two-for-one with Bucknell. Doubt he would play in the Hart. Possibly in the DCU as part of a two-for-one. The problem is nobody in Central Mass would all of a sudden perk up if St Joe's was in town.
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Post by purplehaze on Dec 10, 2018 22:45:36 GMT -5
Real fans in other parts of the country are 'invested' in their college programs. They show up to support their teams, period ! Here in the northeast, it's a totally different mindset which is hard to break. Basically lazy fans who will only show up when their team is having a great season (and even then, it's nothing special)
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Post by HC92 on Dec 10, 2018 23:58:04 GMT -5
Playing A10 teams at the DCU is a losing proposition all around. Just not a big enough draw to cater to them. Rather play a MAC, MAAC or CAA team home-and-home. If we can get an ACC or good Big East team at DCU on a 2-for-1, happy to do that, including BC. Otherwise, play 4+ guarantee games against name teams in places where we have a strong alumni presence.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 11, 2018 0:10:31 GMT -5
I was at the Flannery ejection game also. He launched himself onto the court with rocket fuel. It was a great moment. The Hart Center was rocking. I even remember the stale taste of the air for the championship games in the RW era with so many people jammed in together in a sold out, non air-conditioned gym.
I was at the sold out DCU when Vermont beat Syracuse in the NCAA's, too. That environment was electric as well. The DCU is a nice resource for HC to have in it's back pocket if and when it needs it. I would hate to have to pay the DCU's bills for moth balls. Except for State Tournament High School games once a year, I think the occasional HC basketball game is the only time they use the basketball court. I hope the Holy Cross Athletic Dept. is negotiating a good deal when they do schedule a game. The Celtics certainly aren't coming back to the Centrum/DCU. Perhaps a double header with Assumption playing a top rated D-2 foe sometime in the future might allow for cost sharing and give the fans a little more for their money if they want to sit through two games.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 11, 2018 0:28:46 GMT -5
Come to think of it, UMass has drawn fairly well at the DCU. I saw them there vs South Carolina shortly after Bruiser Flint took over from Calipari when the shine from their (disqualified) final four run was still glowing. I think a double header with UMass playing the best opponent they can find and HC playing the best opponent they can find would be an attractive outing for basketball fans. If the Army of newly added staff in the Athletic Dept. could sell a sponsorship of the event to a Corporate entity, it could even be a good money maker.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Dec 11, 2018 3:54:50 GMT -5
I'll never be able to understand the logic of "we can't win consistently in the PL, so let's either join one of those semi-pro leagues or quit". How about slap your hands on the floor, buckle down and win?
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