I've been to some of those games and really lots of fun. Get to see teams and pep bands that we would not ordinarily see here in Pittsburgh. Sat near former LSU coach Dale Brown once and listened to him go on at length about Shaq who he, of course, coached there. Good time and some great games.

I have a set of four tickets to Friday and Sunday's games.  I can't make it home due to my health issues. Anyone interested, please DM me.

My fondest memory of the tourney games in Pittsburgh was watching Coppin State a 15 seed upset South Carolina a 2 seed and no. 6 in the country in '97. Coppin State was 30 point dogs. Coach Fang Mitchell - Fang's Bunch. Terquin Mott (LaSalle transfer) and Antoine Brockington - inside power and outside shooting. They had to borrow Morehead State's pep band. The entire Civic Arena started going nuts rooting for Coppin. Sadly, they were in it against Texas in the round of 32 but ultimately bowed out. Great memories.

Bilgy wrote:

As I recall, the last time Duquesne hosted the regionals, Arizona came in and stole Mc Connell.  Duquesne must be prepared so none of the host schools in this year's regionals steal any of our present players.  Be alerrt!

A couple of points in relation to your post Bilgy.  I don't believe hosting the tournament had anything to do with TJ going to Arizona.  I think the deal was set up early in the season when Duquesne played at Arizona.  I don't believe Arizona was actually one of the teams that came to Pittsburgh for the NCAA.  Duquesne actually hosted again since the year that TJ left.  I sat a few rows behind him at that tournament.  He was already on his way out the door by that time.

Good call on the 6 wins. Did not see that coming. BUT college athletics cost money to run both in equipment, coaching, scholarships & facilities. Duquesne is a PRIVATE Catholic institution. No taxpayer support. Harper has to say all that BS in the press conference. Bottom line Duquesne gets a fee which should help the bottom financial line. Do you want to hand this over to Bobby Mo?

Duquesne does a great job at stuff like hosting the NCAAs.   I wish they did the same to build winning programs AT THE SCHOOL!   
They put a silk hat on a pig, expected Margot Robbie, and got Rosie O'Donnell.
Thats not good enough.

For those going this weekend, enjoy it.   Fighting Sister Jeans over ohio st!!!!   We all want it, we all need it!   PPG will seem like Columbus, OH, those folks travel.

levon1975 wrote:

Bilgy wrote:

As I recall, the last time Duquesne hosted the regionals, Arizona came in and stole Mc Connell.  Duquesne must be prepared so none of the host schools in this year's regionals steal any of our present players.  Be alerrt!

A couple of points in relation to your post Bilgy.  I don't believe hosting the tournament had anything to do with TJ going to Arizona.  I think the deal was set up early in the season when Duquesne played at Arizona.  I don't believe Arizona was actually one of the teams that came to Pittsburgh for the NCAA.  Duquesne actually hosted again since the year that TJ left.  I sat a few rows behind him at that tournament.  He was already on his way out the door by that time.

In Bilgy's defense, TJ is on the record saying that he watched those NCAA tournament games in person that year and realized he wanted to do that so he went somewhere that he could.  Who knows if that is TJ just telling a nice story but it is what he said.
 

Glad Harper is so excited about watching the NCAA up close n personal instead of having our teams participating…

To me, it is a big day or a nice time for Duquesne University to host the NCAA's.  IT WILL BE A HUGE DAY WHEN THE MEN'S OR WOMEN'S TEAM PARTICIPATES.

levon1975 wrote:

Bilgy wrote:

As I recall, the last time Duquesne hosted the regionals, Arizona came in and stole Mc Connell.  Duquesne must be prepared so none of the host schools in this year's regionals steal any of our present players.  Be alerrt!

A couple of points in relation to your post Bilgy.  I don't believe hosting the tournament had anything to do with TJ going to Arizona.  I think the deal was set up early in the season when Duquesne played at Arizona.  I don't believe Arizona was actually one of the teams that came to Pittsburgh for the NCAA.  Duquesne actually hosted again since the year that TJ left.  I sat a few rows behind him at that tournament.  He was already on his way out the door by that time.

TJ was gone the year before. His Dad and Miller had it all planned long before anyone even had a thought. Stealing from Mid-Major is just like the minor leagues in baseball to the Pros.
 

phil95 wrote:

Is hosting the NCAA games a bad thing for the athletic department or just not as good a thing as accomplishing the core goal of creating a perennially strong A-10 men's basketball program?

If doing the NCAA thing raises serious money to achieve that core goal, isn't that a good thing?

(This assumes that the university's core goal is creating a perennially strong A-10 men's basketball program. That is a different debate.)

I have a tendency to beat topics into the ground so I don’t want to do that.  What we have done for the last 45 years has not worked.   Plain and simple. 

And anyone in the athletic department is quick to say hosting is like a second full time job.  They say that to anyone that will listen.

In case anyone has not noticed, they are not really great at their first full time job.  Mini basketball anyone?    Rider to open a new arena?   A savior coach whose program going into year 5 is worse than when it started?

What is wrong with a singular focus?   To make all DU sports teams the best they can be.  If this is how poor they do mens basketball their primary sport, imagine what they do with football, WBB, soccer, swimming?   Love to talk to those connected with those programs to hear their problems. 

If we need to host to keep the athletic department running, shut it down.   And if you notice In the media, they are always trying to defend why they host.  Always a reason.  This years was the absolute best that host aligns with the university’s mission statement.   That a crock of (profanity).

Last edited by A83 (3/16/2022 7:32 pm)

Townson, I thought the same thing. That “D” stands for dense. Their branding is terrible.  At least put Dukes under it. If folks don’t know who Duquesne is that “D” didn’t really help!!!

Bilgy wrote:

Word is RMU is reinstating Men's and Women's Division I hockey next season.  I hope it is a very profitable venture for them.  Along with Penn State and Mercyhurst, there would be three Division I hockey programs in Pennsylvania.

It was apparently losing money at RMU to the point that they shut it down last year; so I don’t think the prognosis is very promising.  They did a lot of fundraising in the community and had some support from the Penguins to re-start the program; but I just don’t see it as a money-maker down the road.