MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[MaroonDad17]

Thanks for the well wishes HSCDad.

[HSCDad]

Did anyone see the comments by the Mary Hardin-Baylor coach that the DIV III finals should tag along with the DIV I Final Four every year? Sure hope this does not occur and remove Salem, VA from the final game in future years. They did draw a larger crowd (about 6,000) but it appeared that they were lost in the crowd.  Maybe those there saw it differently.

[Brian Hamilton]

Larger crowd does not mean better environment.  How many of those in attendance only came because it was free and had little interest in the game.  I'd be interested to hear about the atmosphere from some who have attended both Salem and this year.

[y_jack_lok]

I watched the D2 championship game broadcast live on CBS. The attendance seemed good (free is always good), although the tv cameras can make things appear better than reality. Drury, a school with a D3-like enrollment of about 1,700, certainly had a solid fan base -- more than any of the four schools playing in Salem in 2009 when I was there.

I really prefer that D3 have it's own final four in its own venue. The main problem with Salem is location -- just not close enough to a major airport to make travel convenient for fans of the schools playing.

[Pat Coleman]

Larger crowd does not mean better environment.  How many of those in attendance only came because it was free and had little interest in the game.  I'd be interested to hear about the atmosphere from some who have attended both Salem and this year.

Having attended 14 Final Four/Elite Eights in Salem, this was a better atmosphere. Whether that would continue every year, I'm not sure, but it was fantastic this year and we need to find a way to do it again.

[lefrakenstein]

Larger crowd does not mean better environment.  How many of those in attendance only came because it was free and had little interest in the game.  I'd be interested to hear about the atmosphere from some who have attended both Salem and this year.

Having attended 14 Final Four/Elite Eights in Salem, this was a better atmosphere. Whether that would continue every year, I'm not sure, but it was fantastic this year and we need to find a way to do it again.

I have to agree with Pat on this one. The crowd was fantastic and the vast majority were not merely neutral observers. If Amherst had not cheap-skated out and failed to provide any way for students to get the game, it would have been even better.

[Toby Taff]

I know the Cru brought the love! Shoot, we had 500+ at a viewing party in a Belton theater showing the game on 3 screens. There was going to be an Alumni bus to go with the student buses, but they didn't get enough signed up in time. several alumni (self included) drove a long way to watch it with others in Belton.

[DeWayneCarter]

I think that it was good that the final four was held in conjunction with the D1 final four. It put D3 basketball on display to alot of folks who otherwise wouldnt watch the game. Only tweak I would make would be to have the game on CBS instead of CBS college sports.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I think that it was good that the final four was held in conjunction with the D1 final four. It put D3 basketball on display to alot of folks who otherwise wouldnt watch the game. Only tweak I would make would be to have the game on CBS instead of CBS college sports.

Only the title game was in Atlanta; the Elite Eight and Final Four games were in Salem - FIFTEEN days before the title game.  The overall schedule would have to be drastically re-worked before I could support the change.  And obviously we'd all prefer CBS itself over CBS College Sports (which comparatively few of us get), but that is CBS's call, alas, not ours.  IF the NCAA played 'hardball' in negotiations, it would probably happen, but don't hold your breath.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Actually... the NCAA could pull rank on CBS per the contract... and after the debacle of not even having the game streamed (as I had been told it would be - a simulcast)... I highly suspect CBS and Turner will be hearing from the NCAA and the NABC, mainly the coaches of Division III... who also chat with the NCAA about why the game was the least accessible in at least a decade.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Actually... the NCAA could pull rank on CBS per the contract... and after the debacle of not even having the game streamed (as I had been told it would be - a simulcast)... I highly suspect CBS and Turner will be hearing from the NCAA and the NABC, mainly the coaches of Division III... who also chat with the NCAA about why the game was the least accessible in at least a decade.

Now THAT is music to my ears!

[Ralph Turner]

Actually... the NCAA could pull rank on CBS per the contract... and after the debacle of not even having the game streamed (as I had been told it would be - a simulcast)... I highly suspect CBS and Turner will be hearing from the NCAA and the NABC, mainly the coaches of Division III... who also chat with the NCAA about why the game was the least accessible in at least a decade.

Now THAT is music to my ears!

Yes!  Thanks you Dave and Buster's in Dallas!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Must have been nice... I didn't get to see any of it... a conversation I will be having with a classmate of mine, I hope soon, who is a VP at CBS Sports

[Mr. Ypsi]

Must have been nice... I didn't get to see any of it... a conversation I will be having with a classmate of mine, I hope soon, who is a VP at CBS Sports

Yeah, I didn't ever see the title game either (as far as I know, I don't know anyone who gets CBS College Sports, and I rather doubt even a sports bar in SE Michigan with a gazillion TVs is gonna show a d3 final between Massachusetts and Texas teams )!

Since (as far as I know) I have no former classmates who are VPs at CBS Sports, I hope your conversation is fruitful!

[y_jack_lok]

Actually... the NCAA could pull rank on CBS per the contract... and after the debacle of not even having the game streamed (as I had been told it would be - a simulcast)... I highly suspect CBS and Turner will be hearing from the NCAA and the NABC, mainly the coaches of Division III... who also chat with the NCAA about why the game was the least accessible in at least a decade.

Not to mention that the live stats available on the NCAA website updated so infrequently that it wasa joke. Every D3 school that does its own live stats does a better job than the NCAA did.