I have only attended one NCAA tournament game, well, it was a session. My first year at USF, 1983, they held the first games of the Mideast Regional (who doesn't miss the old Mideast Regional?) first and second round, at the Sun Dome. I bought a ticket and got to see two second round games:

(1 regional seed) Kentucky 57 .... (11) Ohio 40

This was the Kentucky team with Sam Bowie and Mel Turpin and Kenny Walker, though Bowie didn't play because he was injured (surprise!). Kentucky dominated the game as expected. They would go on to lose the regional final to Louisville.

(4) Arkansas 78 ..... (5) Purdue 68

This was the game I came to see, and it was a good one. Arkansas was really good that year. They had Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, and Joe Kleine, all of whom had long NBA careers. They also ended up losing to Louisville, in the Sweet 16 by two points. They came into the tournament 26-3, with two of those losses coming to the Phi Slamma Jamma Houston team. Purdue had a big guy named "Cross" who was very good as well. Tight game, closer than the final score.

Anyway, I remember it was a great day of hoops for about a $10 ticket, and it was exactly 37 years ago today, March 19, 1983.

My first NCAA game was at Syracuse in 1997. I'm pretty sure it was a lot more than $10. The NCAA's would have been in Tampa this year if it weren't for the virus, the last time they were in Tampa was 2011. The last time I was at the NCAA's was 2009 in Philly. I'd like to go again but they've gotten pretty expensive. Last time I was able to get a 2nd round session ticket that morning somehow without buying the 1st round. The regionals are coming to Philly in 2022, I doubt I will get that lucky.

As someone who attends the NCAA Tournament every year, you’re really not missing much unless there’s a buzzer beater or historic upset (and you have to be lucky enough to choose the right venue that happens to have one).

NCAA Tournament crowds are very corporate. Half the attendees are indifferent. Conference tournament crowds are way more fun (if done right).

Favorite NCAA game attended would be 2005 Elite 8 at the Rosemont Horizon. If you’ve ever been, it’s a miracle a venue as much a dump as the Rosemont Horizon hosted a S16/E8. This wasn’t a typical NCAA corporate crowd because it was during Illinois’ season when they were undefeated until March. They trailed Arizona by 15 with 4 to go and made one of the all time improbable comebacks.

Second favorite would 2018 1st/2nd Rounds in Dallas. This photo was taken <1 hour before she telepathically forced a halfcourt buzzer beater and became an international celebrity.

(03-19-2020 09:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I have only attended one NCAA tournament game, well, it was a session. My first year at USF, 1983, they held the first games of the Mideast Regional (who doesn't miss the old Mideast Regional?) first and second round, at the Sun Dome. I bought a ticket and got to see two second round games:

(1 regional seed) Kentucky 57 .... (11) Ohio 40

This was the Kentucky team with Sam Bowie and Mel Turpin and Kenny Walker, though Bowie didn't play because he was injured (surprise!). Kentucky dominated the game as expected. They would go on to lose the regional final to Louisville.

(4) Arkansas 78 ..... (5) Purdue 68

This was the game I came to see, and it was a good one. Arkansas was really good that year. They had Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, and Joe Kleine, all of whom had long NBA careers. They also ended up losing to Louisville, in the Sweet 16 by two points. They came into the tournament 26-3, with two of those losses coming to the Phi Slamma Jamma Houston team. Purdue had a big guy named "Cross" who was very good as well. Tight game, closer than the final score.

Anyway, I remember it was a great day of hoops for about a $10 ticket, and it was exactly 37 years ago today, March 19, 1983.

That guy named Cross was Russell Cross. I don't remember much else about him other than he was one of many big guys that played for Purdue.

I miss the Mideast Regional..the tournament was a lot simpler then. They played in a lot of college arenas, they used the home school/arena's courts, they didn't sanitize the arena in favor of the NCAA's corporate partners. Of course, the Big Ten and the SEC were both tied to this regional before the NCAA started moving teams around.

The last time I went to the tournament in person was 2002 in Dallas. I stayed all day, watched Hawaii-Xavier, Oklahoma-Illinois (Chicago), Mississippi State-McNeese State, and Texas-Boston College. I went back two days later and watched OU-Xavier and Texas-Mississippi State. (I can't believe I remember all the teams) It was the first year of the pod system, so OU and Texas both played in Dallas, but in separate regionals.

The first day of the tournament is great on TV, but it's a drag if you go to all four games in person. You sit through some games between teams you may not care about, the TV timeouts are long, and they clear out the arena between sessions. I thought about buying tickets to the regional in Houston in a couple of weeks, but that's not happening.

The tournament is still special. It's just way too corporate now. Welcome to the 21st century.

(03-19-2020 11:49 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Favorite NCAA game attended would be 2005 Elite 8 at the Rosemont Horizon. If you’ve ever been, it’s a miracle a venue as much a dump as the Rosemont Horizon hosted a S16/E8. This wasn’t a typical NCAA corporate crowd because it was during Illinois’ season when they were undefeated until March. They trailed Arizona by 15 with 4 to go and made one of the all time improbable comebacks.

I was there too!!!!! I believe the only reason I didn't leave early was because I took buses to/from the game. I remember wanting to leave that game so much. It was the biggest moment of my sports life that I got to experience live.

Yesterday they featured the 2005 Illini on BTN. I DVR'ed it. Hopefully they will re-run it a few more times in March.

(03-19-2020 11:50 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(03-19-2020 09:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  I have only attended one NCAA tournament game, well, it was a session. My first year at USF, 1983, they held the first games of the Mideast Regional (who doesn't miss the old Mideast Regional?) first and second round, at the Sun Dome. I bought a ticket and got to see two second round games:

(1 regional seed) Kentucky 57 .... (11) Ohio 40

This was the Kentucky team with Sam Bowie and Mel Turpin and Kenny Walker, though Bowie didn't play because he was injured (surprise!). Kentucky dominated the game as expected. They would go on to lose the regional final to Louisville.

(4) Arkansas 78 ..... (5) Purdue 68

This was the game I came to see, and it was a good one. Arkansas was really good that year. They had Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, and Joe Kleine, all of whom had long NBA careers. They also ended up losing to Louisville, in the Sweet 16 by two points. They came into the tournament 26-3, with two of those losses coming to the Phi Slamma Jamma Houston team. Purdue had a big guy named "Cross" who was very good as well. Tight game, closer than the final score.

Anyway, I remember it was a great day of hoops for about a $10 ticket, and it was exactly 37 years ago today, March 19, 1983.

That guy named Cross was Russell Cross. I don't remember much else about him other than he was one of many big guys that played for Purdue.

I miss the Mideast Regional..the tournament was a lot simpler then. They played in a lot of college arenas, they used the home school/arena's courts, they didn't sanitize the arena in favor of the NCAA's corporate partners. Of course, the Big Ten and the SEC were both tied to this regional before the NCAA started moving teams around.

Thanks for your insights. I agree, the time i went in 1983 was definitely not a "corporate" affair. The Sun Dome was filled to its 10,000 capacity, but it was basically a local crowd of hoops fans with a decent smattering of blue-shirt wearing Kentucky fans, who apparently are still the best at following their team everywhere.

But it was a very relaxed vibe all around. Different times, as you say.

(03-19-2020 11:49 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Favorite NCAA game attended would be 2005 Elite 8 at the Rosemont Horizon. If you’ve ever been, it’s a miracle a venue as much a dump as the Rosemont Horizon hosted a S16/E8. This wasn’t a typical NCAA corporate crowd because it was during Illinois’ season when they were undefeated until March. They trailed Arizona by 15 with 4 to go and made one of the all time improbable comebacks.

Second favorite would 2018 1st/2nd Rounds in Dallas. This photo was taken <1 hour before she telepathically forced a halfcourt buzzer beater and became an international celebrity.

That Illinois/Arizona game is my all time favorite tournament game. Even better than the Christian Laettner vs. Kentucky game, in my opinion.

If only I could go back in time to 1999. Visit Tennessee and see Ohio State vs. Auburn and St. John's in the tournament. What a year and what a run that was.

I saw one session live:

2000 NCAA Regional in Tucson.

Saw #10 Seed Gonzaga beat #7 Seed Louisville, then watched #15 seed NAU come within 14 seconds of upsetting #2 St. John's

(03-19-2020 11:33 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  As someone who attends the NCAA Tournament every year, you’re really not missing much unless there’s a buzzer beater or historic upset (and you have to be lucky enough to choose the right venue that happens to have one).

NCAA Tournament crowds are very corporate. Half the attendees are indifferent. Conference tournament crowds are way more fun (if done right).

I would not all it corporate, it (before 2019) was just sterile. The lack of beer sales in the stadium bowl and club levels were a major part of that. Locations were also a problem. I went to the 1993 Midwest Regional in St. Louis and game were at The Arena, while outside the CBD, wasn't around the hotels, bars, and more importantly scalpers.

First NCAA session: 1992 Southeast Regional in Lexington, KY (Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma State)

Most Recent NCAA Sessions: 2017 at Golden1 Center and SAP Center