MBB: Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Oh give me a break.  The problem here was Salisbury students and players.  There were a couple of riled up CUA fans.  Those fans were dealt with right away and ejected.  The incident was over until the Salisbury player and the Salisbury fans decided they wanted to start a fight.

I've been to many other gyms all around the league.  Security at CUA games is at least as tight, if not tighter, than anywhere I've ever been to.  Public safety officers are posted through the building.  It was BECAUSE OF that that they were able to break this thing up without anybody getting hurt.  If this had happened at a place like Goucher, where I've really not seen much of a security precense (I don't mean to single them out, just an example of a gym I was at recently), it would have been a lot worse. 

Here's the bottom line--most of you commenting weren't there and didn't see the situation.  Now you are choosing to focus on something OTHER than what they real problem was.  That's fine, but frankly I'm finding this discussion downright stupid so its really not worth my time to continue arguing. 

My point all along was that the biggest problem in all of this was that a basketball player for a CAC team crossed the line, went over the stands, and instigated a physical altercation with a fan. 

Matt - for starters... just because you didn't see security at Goucher, doesn't mean they weren't there. One security guard is always present at Goucher games... with a second usually at the gym or close-by. There are also event staff that are all around the court and near the court (something I don't see at CUA, but don't look for either) and there are senior event staff and senior members of the athletic department always on hand - at least four. I think Goucher has more security than anyone at games (though I think York has a lot, too.).

As for your point that it was just Salisbury fans... who set Odurmeru over the edge. A Salisbury fan? Probably not. Who started jawing at the refs? Salisbury fans in the CUA section? Probably not.

Now... did Salisbury fans then escalate things... most likey from what I am hearing. But don't sit there and pretend CUA fans didn't have anything to do with this. I think that is what angers many. It's blame other first... pretend we are perfect second.

It was a very unfortunet (sp?) incident that should never have happened. EVERYONE is to blame on all sides.

CUA fans pushed the limit... Odumeru over-reacted... Salisbury fans certainly crossed the line... and CUA administration didn't do enough the first time to eliminate a second scuffle. Plain and simple!

[bbald eagle]

are there any changes, increased security or anything, planned at CUA for tomorrow's tournament game with UMW in light of this mess at the CUA Salisbury game?

[MuMu]

did any one get any good punches in?

Wonder why Bill Walton has not be doing any games?

[HopeConvert]

Again - I wasn't there, so any judgment I make has inherent limitations. No matter what is the case, however, it reflects badly on the school. And I can't believe the Catholic students had no culpability. The behavior of the Salisbury crowd interests me far less - I have no connection with them. I think "d-mac" hit the nail on the head.

[Matt Letourneau]

See, this is an example of you just reading what you want to read.  Starting with my friend D-Mac.  First word out of my mouth on this incident--go back and look--was that there was at least one Catholic fan that deserved to be ejected.  Did I not say that?  I said that these guys probably pushed the envelope too far.  Now, I was all the way across the court, so I don't know what they said.  But I do know that immediately, CUA Campus Police and the officials were all over this and that individual was removed from the game.

But that type of situation happens everywhere.  I've seen it everywhere.  I know they are at Goucher, I think every gym has security.  But one security guard and athletic department staff would not have even touched these guys.  CUA has multiple police officers at every game, and as soon as there was even a hint of trouble, a bunch more appeared at the door.   By the time this little incident occured, there were at least five officers present and they got over there very quickly.

That isn't the issue.  This was NEVER an unsafe situation because it was always under control.  The response was immediate.  But there's nothing that can be done to prevent that incident from happening short of playing in front of no fans.  Its up to fans to behave appropriately, and its up to players to behave appropriately.  The behavior I saw from those few isolated CUA fans is par for the course at York, at Mary Washington, and better than what I've seen at Marymount.  I've never really seen any fans that much care at Goucher or St. Mary's so I can't judge.   The behavior I saw from those Salisbury fans starting a fight is NOT what I've seen at those other players or at Catholic.

As far Odumeru--I don't know what set him over the edge, and I don't CARE.  Does anybody care why Ron Artest went flying into the stands in Detroit?  That's irrelevant.  If something inappropriate was said to him, than that should be addressed, but that's a completley seperate issue than a player instigating a physical alteration.

Are there any changes planned for tomorrow night? I should hope not.  That type of thing would NEVER happen at a CUA-UMW game.  Or a CUA-York game.  Or a CUA-Goucher game.  Simply comes down to who is in the crowd and what kind of discipline a coach has over their team.  If a Goucher player pulled a stunt like Odumeru, I doubt very much Coach Trevino would ever let him put on a uniform again.  A UMW player?  Coach Wood would kill him.  York? Forget it.  Catholic? Out of the question.

I love this even handedness. Lets pretend a kid sitting in the stands saying something dumb, whatever it was, is just as culpable as a player reaching into the stands and starting a fight.  Lets pretend a bunch of guys literally sitting there minding their own business--surrounded by adults---are just as culpable as a couple of goons who run across the court to start a fight.

Let's blame the administration.  Let's blame the fact that the CUA school color is red.  Maybe it enraged them.   And you know what? What kind of childhood did these Salisbury fans have? Did they get hugged enough? Everything ok at home? 

I mean, its much too simple to simply say that yeah, ok, a CUA fan or two crossed a line, shame on him, but you know, we really can't have players going into stands in this league--that's a lot worse.  And we also can't have fans starting fights unprovoked, lets place the bulk of blame on them.  No, no.  We can't have that.  Even though none of us were actually there and saw anything, lets just assume everybody's equally to blame.

Uh huh.

Now, I'm tired of this.  Anybody have anything to say about basketball?

[Pat Coleman]

As much as I sympathize, I must mention that people did care about the fan Artest went into the stands after. He was banned from the arena afterwards, no?

There are probably better examples you could use there.

[Matt Letourneau]

Yeah, well, you get my point anyway.   From what I'm hearing from folks who were over there, people seem to be pretty baffled that Odumeru reacted to anything because in that area there really wasn't anything going on.  I should mention this was not the same spot where there was that initial incident anyway, it was further down.  There were not very many students there, mostly adults. And people I know personally--not the kind to get into it with a player.

[r.w. mcnickels]

To focus on something positive, Pat, are you aware of any other school that has/had a 10 year 20-win streak?  It seems to me that that's pretty noteworthy.

Matt-

The F&M men put together a 10-year streak of 20+ wins between 1986 and 1996.  Counting the year before it started, they made the "Sweet 16" in 10 of 11 years.  Unfortunately, the streak failed to produce a national title as it has for your Cards .

Here's a link with records from the old F&M site if you're interested:
http://server1.fandm.edu/departments/Athletics/mbasket/rec_year.html

Best of luck to the CAC fans this week.

[Matt Letourneau]

Awesome.   F&M has always been that kind of quality program.

It seems like Catholic has the only ACTIVE streak of 10+ going. 

[Warren Thompson]

There's a report that Gallaudet's accreditation may be at risk. See the Washington Post Web-site. Among other things, losing accreditation entails loss of Federal funds.

[mwgoonie]

if hood makes the cac champ game but loses, do the Blazers make the ncaa tourney? pool C just lost another bid, down to 18? I imagine they would. wishful thinking for an Eagles run...

Also, last #6 seed to make and win the cac champ game?


not to worry CUA, im not making predictions....however, it would be impressive for mw to beat ycp, cua, and hood all on the road......not sure it can happen...

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/21/AR2007022101310.html
THat is the link to the story about Gallaudet... if anyone wants to read it. Maybe the CAC doesn't have to worry about cutting to eight schools... it will happen on its own!

[Matt Letourneau]

That place is a mess.  This is probably more a of a warning shot to get them to get it in gear, but...what a fiasco.

[bbsquared]

UMW up by 3 at the half at CUA. Sounds like a great game.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

http://livestats.prestosports.com/cua/mbkb/basketball.html

Live stats at the CUA/UMW game in case anyone wants to follow along!