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From a pure optics perspective I hope ODU never does a guarantee game with U.Va. They did home-and-homes with VCU and GW and 2-for-1s with George Mason and JMU. I don't think ODU warrants a H/H series right now but I'd rather see them never play the Cavs again than tell the world "hey, we're a level below Mason and JMU."

(05-23-2018 12:57 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  From a pure optics perspective I hope ODU never does a guarantee game with U.Va. They did home-and-homes with VCU and GW and 2-for-1s with George Mason and JMU. I don't think ODU warrants a H/H series right now but I'd rather see them never play the Cavs again than tell the world "hey, we're a level below Mason and JMU."

If I were feeling cocky, Id say ODU is a level above GMU and JMU in hoops. Though that would justify VCU feeling cocky and saying the same thing about us. Truth is, we're all pretty much at the same level, looking up at UVA.

(05-23-2018 01:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(05-23-2018 12:57 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  From a pure optics perspective I hope ODU never does a guarantee game with U.Va. They did home-and-homes with VCU and GW and 2-for-1s with George Mason and JMU. I don't think ODU warrants a H/H series right now but I'd rather see them never play the Cavs again than tell the world "hey, we're a level below Mason and JMU."

If I were feeling cocky, Id say ODU is a level above GMU and JMU in hoops. Though that would justify VCU feeling cocky and saying the same thing about us. Truth is, we're all pretty much at the same level, looking up at UVA.

I don't think it's cocky to say that ODU basketball is a level ahead of JMU, factoring in recent results, history and facilities. George Mason is a closer call, because they had the Final Four run and got into the A-10, but they serve as an object lesson of how to **** up a wet dream. They're in a better conference but they've contributed nothing to it, at least in men's basketball.

VCU is still ahead of ODU, though that's a gap that can quickly evaporate if ODU improves and VCU doesn't from last year. I suspect they'll be OK, but there's no sure things.

(05-23-2018 01:19 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(05-23-2018 01:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(05-23-2018 12:57 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  From a pure optics perspective I hope ODU never does a guarantee game with U.Va. They did home-and-homes with VCU and GW and 2-for-1s with George Mason and JMU. I don't think ODU warrants a H/H series right now but I'd rather see them never play the Cavs again than tell the world "hey, we're a level below Mason and JMU."

If I were feeling cocky, Id say ODU is a level above GMU and JMU in hoops. Though that would justify VCU feeling cocky and saying the same thing about us. Truth is, we're all pretty much at the same level, looking up at UVA.

I don't think it's cocky to say that ODU basketball is a level ahead of JMU, factoring in recent results, history and facilities. George Mason is a closer call, because they had the Final Four run and got into the A-10, but they serve as an object lesson of how to **** up a wet dream. They're in a better conference but they've contributed nothing to it, at least in men's basketball.

VCU is still ahead of ODU, though that's a gap that can quickly evaporate if ODU improves and VCU doesn't from last year. I suspect they'll be OK, but there's no sure things.

At some point the statute of limitations runs out on GMU's final four run. That was 12 years ago and they never maintained that level of play. The clock is ticking on VCU's. Those final four runs are ancient history in basketball years. Great accomplishments for each school, that can never be taken away. But I don't see how they help in recruiting due to how long ago they were. In GMU's case freshmen this year would have been in 1st grade maybe when they made the final four. For VCU those kids would have been in 6th grade. Not sure what gravitas those runs have in 2018.

(05-23-2018 03:29 PM)84Monarch Wrote:  

(05-23-2018 01:19 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(05-23-2018 01:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(05-23-2018 12:57 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  From a pure optics perspective I hope ODU never does a guarantee game with U.Va. They did home-and-homes with VCU and GW and 2-for-1s with George Mason and JMU. I don't think ODU warrants a H/H series right now but I'd rather see them never play the Cavs again than tell the world "hey, we're a level below Mason and JMU."

If I were feeling cocky, Id say ODU is a level above GMU and JMU in hoops. Though that would justify VCU feeling cocky and saying the same thing about us. Truth is, we're all pretty much at the same level, looking up at UVA.

I don't think it's cocky to say that ODU basketball is a level ahead of JMU, factoring in recent results, history and facilities. George Mason is a closer call, because they had the Final Four run and got into the A-10, but they serve as an object lesson of how to **** up a wet dream. They're in a better conference but they've contributed nothing to it, at least in men's basketball.

VCU is still ahead of ODU, though that's a gap that can quickly evaporate if ODU improves and VCU doesn't from last year. I suspect they'll be OK, but there's no sure things.

At some point the statute of limitations runs out on GMU's final four run. That was 12 years ago and they never maintained that level of play. The clock is ticking on VCU's. Those final four runs are ancient history in basketball years. Great accomplishments for each school, that can never be taken away. But I don't see how they help in recruiting due to how long ago they were. In GMU's case freshmen this year would have been in 1st grade maybe when they made the final four. For VCU those kids would have been in 6th grade. Not sure what gravitas those runs have in 2018.

It's what the two schools did with those runs that matters:

VCU kept their coach longer than most anyone would have thought possible, built a $25 million practice facility, made a strong hire when Shaka left and again when Wade left, leveraged their success on the court with repeated trips to the NCAAs and off the court by increasing their visibility in the community, and parlayed that into a spot in the A-10 where, until last season, they were always in the title game.

George Mason lost their coach to one of the first suitors because they wouldn't pony up the money to keep him, made a bad hire with cost-saving at the forefront of their thought process, did little to generate interest in Northern Virginia, were the third of three in the CAA except for their 2011-12 season that everyone forgets because of VCU's run, then back-doored their way into the A-10 where they've proceeded to do **** all.

So UVA adds Marshall but will not play us.

(05-24-2018 12:16 PM)Monarch1987 Wrote:  So UVA adds Marshall but will not play us.

Wonder if Wood and company did something to piss them off or if they don’t like jones etc. because they are bold face lying right now.

(05-24-2018 12:16 PM)Monarch1987 Wrote:  So UVA adds Marshall but will not play us.

We offer a ‘one and done’ and they verbally accept and then subsequently decline when it’s time to ink the deal. They are spineless dishonorable cowards. And they insult our baseball team by only playing in harbor park. I watched the game at harbor park a few years ago when we put a beating on them. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I didn't want to start a new thread... I never knew this arena existed. Imagine if it had been maintained as a venue. At 3,200 capacity for basketball, it could have served as the coveted second arena CUSA requires for it's hosting site. A lot of history indeed.

https://pilotonline.com/sports/columnist...9b56c.html

(05-26-2018 08:29 AM)ODUi Wrote:  I didn't want to start a new thread... I never knew this arena existed. Imagine if it had been maintained as a venue. At 3,200 capacity for basketball, it could have served as the coveted second arena CUSA requires for it's hosting site. A lot of history indeed.

https://pilotonline.com/sports/columnist...9b56c.html

ODU used to play home games there before the Fieldhouse was built. The gym in the Old Administration Building (aka Rollins Hall) was really not much of a facility. They also played at some of the better local high school gyms. As Harry pointed out a lot of history in the old Norfolk Arena.

Many memories of the Center Arena (as I remember it!). I remember Billy and I going to see Smokey Robinson and the Miracles as one of the only white couples in the audience. It was a terrific show.

I think there were weekly "'Rasling" events. Did not go to those!

One of the most memorable (and scary) nights at the Arena was when a few on my girlfriends and I went to hear a speech by William Kunstler. For those not old enough to remember he was the most famous "radical" lawyer of the late 60's and early 70's. He represented the Chicago Seven, Black Panther Party, Weather Underground Organization, the Attica Prison rioters, and the American Indian Movement.[

What made it scary was it looked and felt like there were more FBI agents than paying spectators!! I think my and my friends' names are on a list somewhere in the bowels of the the vaults in Quantico! For sure we're on Nixon's Enemies List.

I watched A bunch of games there as a kid. Button Speakes, Harry Lozon, etc etc. It's what really got me hooked on basketball.
Very close inside, you could smell the sweat. Man it was great!

(05-26-2018 07:40 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  I watched A bunch of games there as a kid. Button Speakes, Harry Lozon, etc etc. It's what really got me hooked on basketball.
Very close inside, you could smell the sweat. Man it was great!

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/ma...8accd.html

Some more info from Marshall about pod system.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

(05-27-2018 12:09 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/ma...8accd.html

Some more info from Marshall about pod system.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

Very smart.

Kick ass. Great decision!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(05-27-2018 12:09 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/ma...8accd.html

Some more info from Marshall about pod system.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

Awesome that we will have guaranteed meaningful games at the end of the year. Too bad we can’t apply this concept with another G5 conference(s). Now they need to fix the CUSA tournament.

So the top 5 in the conference finish up the season with 2-2 records. Maybe the RPI doesn't get hurt but the records are. And then there is always the real possibility of not finishing in the top 5 and you have made a national declaration that you are not worthy. This sounds like a plan devised by the geniuses that run NASCAR.

(05-28-2018 10:46 AM)TheDancinMonarch Wrote:  So the top 5 in the conference finish up the season with 2-2 records. Maybe the RPI doesn't get hurt but the records are. And then there is always the real possibility of not finishing in the top 5 and you have made a national declaration that you are not worthy. This sounds like a plan devised by the geniuses that run NASCAR.

As one of our other posters noted elsewhere, it makes the regular conference season -- start to finish -- so much more relevant.

CUSA can aspire, at best, to be a two-bid NCAA league -- supplemented by one or maybe two in the NIT. Teams that cannot crack the top 5 after 13 games into the regular conference season are pretty much out of that conversation anyway, short of winning out in the conference tournament.

Your concern for potential bubble teams getting nicked by stronger end-of-season competition is a valid one-- especially as it may affect conference tournament seeding. It would suck for us to qualify for the top end-of-CUSA-season bracket, perform badly against the tougher teams, and then have to enter the conference tournament as a lower-than-warranted seed.

But I still think that the trade off is worth it. And it will make for much more interesting end-of-season match ups from a general fan perspective.

I like the change.

I agree. The risk of a lower cusat seed exists but that's good by me if it means we start getting multiple bids each year. The odds are in our favor at that point.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.