KSUDan Wrote:I agree with the scheduling aspect. You really can't play too many good teams on your own. It seems to be by tournament, or other set up.

KSUDan Wrote:I agree with the scheduling aspect. You really can't play too many good teams on your own. It seems to be by tournament, or other set up.

This scheduling situation has got me thinking: For many years St. John's University (BE), has prospered by hosting the Madison Square Garden "Holiday Festival", which is being played this year on Dec.27-28, a four team two day event, that St. John's has pretty much always won. IMHO the basketball director of the MAC, or just Akron & Kent St. combined should borrow this formula to create this "Festival", and play it at the Gund, the yearly event which could be called the State of Ohio Holiday Festival, or simply MAC Christmas tournament would allow at least two MAC BB programs to bolster their OOC schedule's on what at the very least would be a good neutral site. Further advantages, include the fact that at least two MAC programs would gain simply by exposing their teams, especially new team members to playing at the Gund, or what ever it's called these days. If this would come to pass I think it could become a great vehicle to use to upgrade all six Ohio MAC member BB programs by allowing them to plan and choose better OOC "home" games in Cleveland. Dayton, Youngstwon St., Xavier, Cinn., Ohio st., & Cleveland St. could all be given the opportunity at one time or another be invited to be included at the MAC's discresion. I also would think it wise to offer to Ohio St. an open invitation, for any season they wanted to play, and while I understand they would probably decline, it would be good to see them embarrassed when they offered up their excuse. I also suggest that although it may not be advisable to have both Kent St. & Akron in the tournament at the same time every year, IMO it would be best if one of these two programs were included every year to help insure good attendance for something that should easily generate enough income to cover the promotional costs, arena and other costs. I do think that this tournament would be at least financialy self-sustaining. What is your opinion on this whole idea?

bobcat95 Wrote:

Tomznj Wrote:I understand that your options for a high quality home game at that point were very poor, that is why I suggested that Ohio would have been much wiser to accept an away game againt better competition against any number of bigger programs who were looking to fill out there home schedule...

Actually I looked back. The cancellation of the WCU game came in June. ... We had limited options, even away. I won't argue with you about the Shippensburg matchup though, I think every bobcat fan would rather play a different team.

BSU pretty much had the same situation this year. They were to host the CoSIDA tournament with an unspectacular, albeit DI, lineup. One of the teams backed out very late, no one could be scheduled to fill, and thus BSU is stuck with a chump schedule that has two DII teams. Likely the worst OOC we've had in several years. At least IU is coming in on Dec 31st...

There used to be a late December tournament there called the rock n roll shootout. Kent was usually in it. Akron and Cleveland State have been in it as well. I guess it waned in popularity, b/c they didn't have it this year. It was just a doubleheader, not an actual tourney. We played Xavier and BC in it previously. I liked the doubleheader, I guess that not enough people did though.

KSUDan,

I'm glad you mentioned the Rock and Roll Shootout; I was going to, also! yeah it was nice but apparently it died, even with the likes of Kent State, Akron, and Ohio participating in it.

Re: scheduling of Shippensburg and other D-II and D-III schools, most of the time I agree that it's not a good idea. however, given the hit that our confidence probably took at UC, I am glad to see a team like this coming in as a remedy. we should be able to use this game as a way to get our swagger back...this game and the game next week versus Detroit. these two games should get our psyches back to where they need to be to face UK in two weeks.

BobcatsFan Wrote:Buffalo fans have no right to bash us...you laid an egg at Boston College.
As for NIU, anybody who loses to Missouri State by 30 can take a hike.

UC is going to be a top 15 team people. The guys I watched the game with both thought that UC could give Duke a run for thier money and probably beat them at the Shoemaker Center (and these are not Ohio fans, they are big Indiana fans).

Bash Ohio all you want, but we will still win the MAC. We will still win our next 2 games at home vs. Shippensburg and Detroit. AND we will still beat U. of Kentucky (who, by the way, would lose to Cincy by 15+ points).

This game will just make us that much more motivated for our remaining games. The team and fans are FURIOUS and ready to rampage through the MAC! Watch out, here comes a MAC MASSACRE!

Hmm... me thinks a struggle against Ship coupled with UK dismantling Louisville makes your prediction about the flagship beating UK questionable at this point...

bobcat_backer Wrote:KSUDan,

I'm glad you mentioned the Rock and Roll Shootout; I was going to, also! yeah it was nice but apparently it died, even with the likes of Kent State, Akron, and Ohio participating in it.

Re: scheduling of Shippensburg and other D-II and D-III schools, most of the time I agree that it's not a good idea. however, given the hit that our confidence probably took at UC, I am glad to see a team like this coming in as a remedy. we should be able to use this game as a way to get our swagger back...this game and the game next week versus Detroit. these two games should get our psyches back to where they need to be to face UK in two weeks.

I tried to find the history of the Rock & Roll shootout, but the best I could do was to find that that on December 30, 2000, the doubleheader consisted of Xavier vs. Kent, and Cincinnati playing Toledo. I don't know the results or the all important attendance numbers. I seem to remember Temple playing in it, and also it being called the Seven-Up Classic. The MAC really needs this type thing, and I still think it would be a great adjunct for MAC scheduling, if a sponsor could be found.