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Post by rf1 on Apr 27, 2024 12:48:11 GMT -5
I don't think many Big East schools are worried about it when Kansas is playing at Creighton and Baylor is at UConn this upcoming season. PC last season had the 39th toughest schedule in the country. Those games are part of the Big East vs Big-12 challenge series which I previously alluded ends this upcoming season one year after the final BE-Big Ten challenge series. The loss of these challenge series (with two quality games guaranteed) are a big hit for much of the Big East. While the very top programs (UConn, Marq, Creighton, Villanova) may still be able to get marquis games versus power teams, many other members might struggle to replace what had been two quality opponent contests. I think this will much apply to schools such as Depaul, Seton Hall, and PC.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 11:54:58 GMT -5
It will always be the Providence Civic Centahhh to me Good news....a game that should be played nearly annually imo
I would not bet on it. PC dropped Brown for a number of years before playing last season but it remains to be seen if that will continue. PC has rarely played local Bryant. Some Friar fans are also concerned about playing URI every season. Rhody has had four consecutive losing seasons and has not helped their SOS. Friar fans are not even happy about playing BC as it has not been a strong program for many years now.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 11:46:31 GMT -5
It seems that Providence fans are paying a bit more attention to the the crafting of their OOC schedule and its strength this year. For many seasons the team had the benefit of automatically being in two BE conference challenges along with an MTE Tournament. They didn't worry too much about their other OOC opponents so much as they only wanted them for easy wins to pad their record. The BE had recently been so strong that the quality of OOC opponents did not matter as much. That may now be changing. BE teams did not provide the big SOS NET numbers LY it had typically done in recent seasons. There were big gaps in the league's NET rankings last year. Three teams were rated in the top 15 but the next six fell in the 32-68 range with half of them hovering near .500 records. The bottom two members (min 4 games) dragged down everyone else being ranked #205 & #320. This very much factored in the league only getting three NCAA bids, its lowest total since it was reformed back in 2013. The conference challenge with the Big Ten ended last year and the similar series with the Big12 ends this upcoming season as a result of these power leagues increasing members and adding more conference games. The quality of OOC games may now have more importance for BE members, especially for teams such as a PC or SHU.
Friar fans are already a bit antsy about the 2024-25 schedule as it looks like something the program might have had some 50 years. Supposed opponents at this time for Providence are thought to be Central Ct, Holy Cross, @uri, BC & UMass at Mohegan Sun, and BYU (Conference Challenge). Some of their fans fear this may again not be strong enough. It is getting particularly hard to even now gauge the possible future strength of opponents as rosters are in such a state of flux.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 11:24:33 GMT -5
Saw something on the PC Friars Fan Forum that many here may like. A PC fan has posted that Providence College will host Holy Cross at the AMP in late November. Assumed to be a one off buy game. Nothing official confirmed but thought I would pass it along. AMP is the Dunk?
The Amica Mutual Pavilion (AMP) was originally built as the Providence Civic Center and operated as such for 29 years. It was then renamed the Dunkin Donuts Center for the next 21 years before the naming rights were purchased in 2022 by the local Amica Insurance which had originated in Providence but relocated some two plus decades ago to the intersection of Rtes 295 & 146 in Lincoln (visible a the large red brick building with green roof) for all that travel down from Worcester.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 26, 2024 10:12:33 GMT -5
Saw something on the PC Friars Fan Forum that many here may like. A PC fan has posted that Providence College will host Holy Cross at the AMP in late November. Assumed to be a one off buy game. Nothing official confirmed but thought I would pass it along.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 17, 2024 9:21:50 GMT -5
First Mike Gorman with the Celtics and then days later Jack Edwards with the Bruins. There will be several new voices in the Garden broadcast booth next year.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 15, 2024 9:17:14 GMT -5
The Nichols coach is leaving Dudley to go to UTRGV to become associate head coach. I had not realized that he had played at URI for two years before later transferring to Assumption in the mid 1990's.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 14, 2024 21:03:34 GMT -5
When he did sports at WPRI tv in RI, he also did radio play by play for URI men's basketball games on WPRO. Would have been late 1970's to about 1980.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 12, 2024 9:26:02 GMT -5
This is one of my favorite Sports trivia questions that I often stump people with. Or the similar one. Name the four New England schools to make the men's Final Four according to the official record book
The closest Rhode Island got to the NCAA Final-4 was in 1998 when it had a six point lead over Standford with about a minute remaining in the Elite-8. It unfortunately lost that lead and just missed the Final-4 losing 79-77. Rhody however did make it the NIT Championship game back in 1946 when it was considered the more prestigious tournament. Lost to Kentucky 46-45 in the final which pitted two HOF coaches with Frank Keaney (credited by many with the invention of the fast break) and Adolph Rupp.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 12, 2024 9:17:44 GMT -5
It has already been done in the NIT.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 11, 2024 11:45:28 GMT -5
The higher ratings for the women's game is very much tied into the network, day, and time. It was on ABC/ESPN on a Sunday at 3pm. The men's game was on TBS/TNT/Trutv on a Monday at 9:20pm. Traditional free network platforms always get more viewers. The time-slot of the men's game at 9:20pm also hurts ratings in the east.
These same factors are why the A-10 Men's Championship on CBS on a Sunday afternoon always far outperforms the viewership for the Big East Men's Championship the previous Saturday on ESPN at 6:30pm.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 11, 2024 10:29:40 GMT -5
If he did do the crime, he will now forever do his time
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Post by rf1 on Apr 10, 2024 10:28:41 GMT -5
While hosting the NCAA Hockey regionals has a positive economic impact for cities, it is not as large as one might suspect. In New England for the 2024 tournament, it is estimated that Providence saw a $1.9M impact and Springfield-MA a $1.1M impact. According to the NCAA, the total combined two-day attendance was 10,172 at the MassMutual Center and 12,823 for the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Hotel revenues were below expectations in Providence. Two fairly close by schools (Boston College and Quinnipiac) making the Providence regional final likely contributed to this as their fans probably just drove in on the two game days and not stayed overnight. PROVIDENCE NCAA hockey tourney, despite challenges, brought in $1.9M in economic impact pbn.com/ncaa-hockey-tourney-despite-challenges-brought-in-1-9m-in-economic-impact/SPRINGFIELD-MA Hockey regional ‘a win, hands down’ for Springfield economywww.thereminder.com/localnews/springfield/hockey-regional-a-win-hands-down-for-springfield-e/
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Post by rf1 on Apr 10, 2024 9:21:27 GMT -5
Correcting myself: Thornton Mellon was on the diving team, not the swim team. Known for the Triple Lindy Dive.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 10, 2024 8:48:23 GMT -5
I have been tracking portal transfers progression:
As of 5:45pm on 04/09/2024, the portal is now up to 1,537.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 9, 2024 9:35:14 GMT -5
Jim Christian to Canisius.
Christian has had an interesting career with connections to many notable coaches. Started off playing college ball at BU before transferring to URI. Was on the URI 1988 Sweet-16 team coached by Tom Penders and assistant Al Skinner. Was later an assistant under Ralph Willard (WKU/Pitt), Herb Sendek (Miami-OH), and Stan Heath (Kent St) before eventually becoming head coach at Kent State, TCU, Ohio, BC, and now Canisius. Career record of 320-286 (.528) with two NCAA and five NIT appearances in nineteen seasons.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 9, 2024 9:31:05 GMT -5
Interesting, if true. Arkansas is a big time program, but not the same level as Kentucky. Seems like moving down the food chain it is moving down the food chain. However, Calipari was on a very hot seat, and might well been fired after next season. Now he locks up a new long-term contract. And he is going to a place where the fans will worship him, as opposed to Kentucky, were most of the fans wanted him fired. I am sure the Kentucky A.D. is ecstatic about this move. I wonder what the buyout, if any, for Calipari leaving Kentucky was. Would UK have been willing to waive it to facilitate a change?
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Post by rf1 on Apr 6, 2024 9:57:56 GMT -5
The CAA wouldn't have taken Bryant if they had a shot at Fordham. A few more media outlets in NYC than North Smithfield, in case lightning strikes and Fordham or Bryant makes a run in the playoffs. They don't have a shot at Fordham. Fordham isn't leaving the A10 for the CAA.
You assume the Fordham move to the CAA would have been for all sports. That was not the case for Bryant. They remained in the America East with only football going to the CAA.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 5, 2024 8:18:44 GMT -5
IIRC those brave few that watched the 33 inning game froze their ass off if the point someone's trying to make is that it's always sunny in Pawtucket.
While it was cold in the wee hours of that April morning, it was warm months later for the resumption of the 33rd inning which I was there to see.
While Pawtucket doesn't have tropical weather by any means, it is typically up to about 7 degrees warmer than Worcester in the colder months. It is at a much lower elevation and gets the effects of being closer to the moderating effects of the ocean (the river there is tidal with a seal actually having been once spotted swimming just below the Main Street falls a few decades ago). The temp difference often puts it south of the snow/rain line for many winter storms. That was the case with the last storm as there was zero snow in Pawtucket. The rain stopped by early afternoon and a game could have actually been played yesterday if the city still had a baseball team.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 4, 2024 11:24:36 GMT -5
It is my understanding that there was once a proposal many years ago for America East to take over control of Hockey East. Hockey East had less members then and AE schools made up a majority of its membership. BU was however not for it and it failed to go anywhere.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 4, 2024 9:43:23 GMT -5
Today's WooSox game has been cancelled for the second straight day due to the weather. It was for rain yesterday but today Polar Park is covered in snow. The home opener was however able to be played on Tuesday as the team reported a crowd of 8,422 in the 9,508 capacity stadium. The loss of two separate gate crowds (one game will become part of a single admission DH and the other will be played at Buffalo) so early in the season is not a good start.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 3, 2024 11:12:09 GMT -5
Would think with the difficulty of both filling the seats and even getting venues to submit host bids, the NCAA would be hesitant to increase the field. 16 of the 60 teams (26.6%) already make the men's hockey tourney. There is a percentage of teams that can make an NCAA tournament and I believe the hockey tournament is slightly over it right now.
As a point of reference, 18.8% (68 out of 362) teams make the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 3, 2024 10:11:11 GMT -5
Right across the street from WPI at the corner of Salisbury Street and Park Ave. The new Holy Cross President's House is however very close to it.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 3, 2024 10:04:54 GMT -5
Would think with the difficulty of both filling the seats and even getting venues to submit host bids, the NCAA would be hesitant to increase the field. 16 of the 60 teams (26.6%) already make the men's hockey tourney.
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Post by rf1 on Apr 2, 2024 12:07:18 GMT -5
Maryland Heights, MO was the only site to sell out any of its games. It did so for all games as it had the lowest capacity of 3,148. None of the other three venues had a game that was close to selling out. The best attended games at these venues were 5,765 at Springfield (cap 6,800), 6,113 at Sioux Falls (cap 10,678), and 6,988 at Providence (cap 11,273). The Mullins Center up the road from Springfield in Amherst seats 8389 for hockey.
The Mullins Center is the UMass on campus home which is typically frowned upon for the selection of regional sites. Given the attendance at nearby Springfield which had UMass playing there, the Mullins was also far larger than what was needed. Only one session (6,988 at Providence) this year in all the regionals had attendance greater than the Mass Mutual Center hockey capacity of 6,800.
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