MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

Perhaps a booster seat would help......

[Pat Coleman]

That's alright -- it takes practice. Good luck!

[BunchTime]

Glad to hear Elwells2Short!  Hope the problems have been resolved and I can listen.  I won't critique the performance.  I am just happy that someone has the webcast so I can get to listen to a game for once!

[furbug]

Returning to hosting again, although a little belatedly, if you remember, Blackburn required that the gym be cleared between the semi-final games the year they hosted, and anyone who drove up to Blackburn was able to see only one game. That having been said, I believe that their winning the conference that year gave them the right to host - period. Last Spring Webster's baseball team won the conference, yet the playoffs were at Maryville. I know that there were reasons for that, but I do not believe it was fair to the most important component of the playoffs – the players.

[BunchTime]

You make a good point furbug about the clearing of the gym at Blackburn.  That would likely explain why the gym wasn't full.  When SLIAC fans make the trek to watch a game, presumably most people would stay for both, and having to leave, re-enter, and re-pay would in most cases deter people from watching the second game.  I just feel there should be a minimum seating capacity to host the conference tourney.  Like I said, move it to a local high school where Blackburn fans would not have to travel to watch their team, and it would still be a home court advantage in terms of traveling.  When the top 4 teams our on display, we should at least have it at an adequate facility that could house all potential fans.  We continually complain about fan support, or lack thereof, and what greater time to attempt to build support by having the premier event at a gym that doesn't resemble that of a 3rd rate elementary school gym.

[hopefan]

I know that the well versed hall of famers regularly lurk our writings-  Greg, TQ, Ypsi, etal   -   how do other conferences work this situation?

I know the SCAC, a conference that is extremely widespread geographically, plays their 8 team post season tourney both men and women, at Rhodes college in Memphis, a location that is reasonably centered for all teams in the conference - the gym is old - picture Westminster with several more rows of bleachers.
Most other conferences I know do indeed go to high seed location, but then there are MANY, that I have not seen or do not know about. Hofer's - are there any other conferences that use a neutral site?

Two years ago I became very verbal about having the tourney at an alternate court other than Blackburn - due to the uncomfortable and limited seating, and poor lighting.. I was surprised that few agreed with me when I pushed for having the tourney at neutral Fontbonne, who was not in the tourney that year  - I also suggested Lewis and clark or local high schools, sytill giving BC a court close to Carlinville -  Webster, Westminster, and Maryville coaches all politely but firmly told me that Blackburn earned it, they get it. 

I feel like Bunchtime does - there ought to be guidelines that establishes who is eligible to host - ie seating availability, seating distance from the floor, lighting, floor size etc.  If the guidelines aren't met, you're not eligible to host.  Just as in the NCAA.   Keep in mind, my old favorite school, Hope, could not host NCAAs for several years in their old facility, due to floor size and distance from the endline to walls at the ends of the court... This despite the fact they sold out every home game season after season at 2700 per game...

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm not positive, but I believe the ODAC always holds their conference tourney in Salem (site of the Final Four); haven't heard if there are others.

And thanks for my promotion to the HoF!   (Better not tell Pat; he might have a heart attack. )

[BunchTime]

I wouldn't be opposed to a neutral site and St. Louis would be natural since it is centrally located and afterall, the conference is called the "St. Louis" IAC.  Fontbonne has the nicest facilities in the conference.  And I am sure FU supporters would not mind this arrangement.  As a player, I would rather play in an opposing gym that has a nice crowd rather then some shoe box of a gym.  I am sure that a lot of things would have to be worked out for this to happen. I guess this point is largely irrelevant except when Blackburn wins the conference.  I would assume that we all have preferences of who we want to host, but our only true gripe is with Blackburn.  I guess in the end, if you don't want to play there, just make sure you beat them.  That solves that.  But it is the fans who get robbed under that logic.

[fcnews]

Although I agree whole heartedly with the comments about BC's facilities. Let's not be to tough on the institution as a whole. We loss one conference member this year and have another teetering on the edge as it is. As a whole the Blackburn athletics program is usually well represented. I just didn't understand the reasons behind building a new student union and not making the gym part of it.

It wasn't to long ago the FC played all their indoor sports at Concordia's hanger. At the time FC didn't even have a gym. That was resolved when they built the Duhnam Student Activities Center in 1991. It seems this type of facility could of been incorporated in Carlinville.

As for as a nuetral site, I don't see that happening.

[fcnews]

Sorry Bunchtime, about our lack to technology. We're just a poor little landlocked Catholic College. We're looking to have enough parking for an event like BBall games. I'm sure a radio tower would definately be in violation of some Clayton Ordinance.

However, based on posts after the MU game, if you just opened your window slightly you sould be able to hear our parent section where you are. They'll give you an indication on how the game is going.

Otherwise, I'll keep you posted with the usual texts. You better get back to your studies.

[BunchTime]

Understandable FC, and I assume Webster faces that same problem.  However, you would think that the athletic department would work something out with the journalism department to provide students an opportunity to gain some practical hands-on experience doing a little sports announcing.  Like I said, its been done at Webster, so they obviously have the technology to do it, although I do not know the costs associated with it. 

[baller321]

Tonight I have....


Webster over Maryville
Principia over Blackburn
Eureka over Greenville
MacMurray over Lincoln Christian
Westminister over Fontbonne

[right_guard]

FCNews- the reason our new student center wasn't  attached to a new gym is 2 reasons...one, a majority of the money was donated from Senator Demuzio, and 2, the school was already in the process of planning for a brand new state of the art Science building,... Since we only have a tuition of 18,000 this year,  its much tougher for us find the money to build several new buildings at once, since many more people go on to become doctors and researchers rather then big time athletes it makes sense to focus on our academic buildings first.    BC targets a different type of college student, rather then the St. Louis Schools which are not centrally located in the conference, simply based there bunchtime....BC tries to target more First Generation college kids.  Many of the students who have gone through here are kids who are the first to attend a college campus in their family.  Sorry our facilities are an embarrassment to college athletics, we just have other focuses rather then on sports

[BunchTime]

Right-guard, no reason to apologize.  Being a strong proponent of education, I too agree with you that academic facilities prove much more valuable then a gym.  Also, I applaud what BC does in appealing to first generation college kids.  Furthermore, they typically field very competitive teams which is very impressive considering the location, facilities, etc.  That said, I was merely pointing out that the facilities are subpar no matter how you carve it up, and that is the reason I opine that BC is not fit to host the tourney.

[iwumichigander]

I'm not positive, but I believe the ODAC always holds their conference tourney in Salem (site of the Final Four); haven't heard if there are others.

Right Chuck - The Salem Civic center is set to host it's 30th men's and 25th women's ODAC basketball championships in 2007.  I do not recall any other conference having a consistent "neutral site" which hosts a conference championship.

Alternate Sites - It is within the NCAA guidelines for a host candidate member to propose holding an NCAA tournament event at an alternate site other than its own facility.  It is reportedly rare that an alternate site is proposed; and, even rarer that the committee approves such request.  It is just a very hard sell.