Agreed, this is upsetting, and only because I picked TAMU in the FF. Imagine if you were a TAMU fan...
I'm watching A&M play Louisville at Rupp. How does a 6 seed get to have this kind of a home court advantage in the tournament? It affects the officiating, it affects everything. A&M is a 3 seed and is at a tremendous disadvantage.
The Holes get an advantage tonight, I guess that's a bit more feasible as they are a 1 seed. But boy, did A&M get the shaft here.
dukemsu
Agreed, this is upsetting, and only because I picked TAMU in the FF. Imagine if you were a TAMU fan...
Just to point out that I do know that Rupp isn't Louisville's home court, but with the legion of Pitino loyalists along with the actual UL fans, it may as well be.
dukemsu
I was at the 2003 regional in San Antonio when T.J. Ford led Texas to the Final Four. I was amazed by the extent to which the crowd was dominated by Texas fans in the sweet sixteen game. The elite 8 game, with two teams out and most of their tickets dumped onto the scalping market, was far worse than the sweet sixteen game. Given the greater size of the Alamo Dome relative to the Erwin Center where Texas plays, there is no way that they could have been given a greater home court advantage.
Maybe a one seed earns this level of advantage, but I agree that Texas A&M should not have to overcome the home crowd of a lower seeded team.
Yeah, but if A&M can advance, they play the next two in San Antonia, getting their own unfair pseudo-home court advantage.
JBDuke
Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”
Good point, JB. I hadn't looked that far ahead.
That's true, JB. I wish no pseudo-HC occurred at all, or at least, I wish when Duke plays in NC, the Dukehaters would stay home so we could experience the same pseudo-HC that the top seeds sometimes benefit from.
Boy, does A&M have their work cut out. Down 6 at Rupp. Crowd going crazy for the 'Ville. Gus Johnson going crazy calling Pitino everything but the Supreme Being himself in Armani.
Okay, the last point is not really hurting A&M. But it is hurting my ears.
But with Gus Johnson it is over the top enthusiasm as he describes the game rather than comparing someone to Derek Jeter and talking about everything but the game
This TAMU-Louisville game is worthy of being a regional final. I'm glad I'm watching it.
Agreed. Very tense game.
I just hope it's decided by the players. Both earlier games today were marred by lousy end of game officiating.
Both of these great coaches have basically run a lot of clearouts for their point guards to create, especially Pitino with Sosa. Man, point guard is important.
'Ville had a shot in the air to win, then a desperation heave to tie. Sosa took a tough, tough 3, but it was a makeable shot.
Boy, A&M is one physically and mentally tough bunch of kids. I am impressed.
Three down to the wire games after a slow start on Thursday - guess that is the payoff for not having a lot of upsets in the first round.
Too bad two of the games (have to admit Maryland got jobbed on the charge call) were impacted by the refs.
It happened a few years ago, in 2004.
First Round games were held in Milwaukee. Wisconsin Badger fans, anticipating a top 4 seed, bought up a ton of tickets. Despite winning the Big Ten Tourney that year and going 24-6, Wisconsin was seeded 6th. The 3 seed was Pitt, and they were placed at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
I was there, the place was essentially a Wisconsin home game. Unfortunately (for me), Pitt won the game. They were pretty good that year, I seem to remember most people thinking they deserved a high 2.
That loss sucked.
Back in 1994, the South Regional was held in Knoxville, and considering that the bracket lined up for a Duke-Kentucky regional semifinal, UK fans bought tickets by the wheelbarrow load. Fortunately, the Wildcats went down in flames against Marquette in the round of 32; unfortunately, a large number of surly UK fans still went to the game.
I still remember a particularly fat, drunk UK fan (in his 30's) sitting behind me, a 14-year-old kid, cussing me out all-day over the 1992 Regional Final.
The point is, that Kentucky, a #3 would have had a homecourt advantage compared to #2 Duke and #1 Perdue, had they been able to beat the #6 seed.
Last edited by SharkD; 03-20-2007 at 02:27 PM.
Hi,
I am always saddened when I read these sorts of things. I would feel the same way if this was a Duke kid yelling profanities. I wish the parent would tell the kid that it is OK to root for ones team in a positive fashion, but that does not include using ANY sort of profanity. Furthermore, showing respect for an elder, whether one roots for the same team or not, is just good manners. I guess I am lucky. Kids in my family are really well behaved. I couldn't imagine a niece or nephew ever doing anything of the sort you just mentioned and I have a nephew who loves the Devils big time. Argghhhhh
GO DUKE!
Louisville didn't fare too well by getting to play two "home games" now did they?