HOWARD?!?!?!?! What a Flocking Disappointment!!!!!

[falconfan1]

I think I can say with some confidence that the Strohs are quite happy with these three opponents. They are thrilled to get the schedule set and ready. There are very happy with our athletic administration and the folks who have gotten the arena to this point- ahead of schedule. There is no question that the opening games are there to celebrate the arena and our programs. The opponents, while important, are not the main thing.

Men's basketball opener points (many listed elsewhere);

1. Nearly all big name teams don't return calls for something like this. Fact.
2. A very very very few do. Then demand abolutely crazy "demands" to come and play the game involving future games etc etc. Demands that would be absolutely crazy to accept. Fact.
3. Dr. Ribeau/Howard connection is very real for BG and the Strohs as well as some other key donors. It is important in several different ways. Fact.
4. BG coaches would like to have a real chance of winning as opposed to possibly facing, say, Duke (as if they would ever return the call) and, and to be honest, likely losing the opener. Fact.

To be frank, I am also amazed at some of these posts. Relax, get your tickets, enjoy the team store, the hall of fame, the court/arena, the correct number of restrooms and a new era for those BG sports. It will be fun. Exciting. Move the University forward. Will the building be absolutely "perfect"? Will Howard generate the "opponent" excitement of Michigan? No and no. Did the AD do a good job getting this project to this point and getting us three opponents that fit the three teams' circumstances and reflect the competitive landscape of the three sports? Absolutely. He did that.

Is this an exciting time to be a BGSU backer with four huge construction projects underway on campus plus the Ice Arena upgrade? Heck yeah! Enjoy it.

Go Falcons!

[Flipper]

+....like...a kajillion....

[BGFalconfromCincy]

GC made it clear that there were some outlandish restrictions for any of those big schools to come to BG. I think its good to know that he stood up for the mid-majors and didn't give in to the 3 for 1's or other redic offers, as a side note Wake Forest hired a new coach today.

I can't believe Jim L at George Mason would only agree to the series if it was CAA refs for both games

[BGDrew]

GC made it clear that there were some outlandish restrictions for any of those big schools to come to BG. I think its good to know that he stood up for the mid-majors and didn't give in to the 3 for 1's or other redic offers, as a side note Wake Forest hired a new coach today.

I can't believe Jim L at George Mason would only agree to the series if it was CAA refs for both games

I thought basketball refs weren't conference affiliated?

[ZuluWarrior]

My guess is the administration picked one of the two ways to go:

Open up the Stroh - which will sell out - against a major program, build some Big excitement, maybe ESPN worthy opponent and blow out the excitement with a probable loss

or

open the Stroh with a most very likely win (BETTER BE!), enjoy the sell-out and realize ESPN could care less about the BG Basketball program right now so...

lets try and open with a win. Which I still think is wrond and a major flocking disappointment.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

GC made it clear that there were some outlandish restrictions for any of those big schools to come to BG. I think its good to know that he stood up for the mid-majors and didn't give in to the 3 for 1's or other redic offers, as a side note Wake Forest hired a new coach today.

I can't believe Jim L at George Mason would only agree to the series if it was CAA refs for both games

I thought basketball refs weren't conference affiliated?

Thats what I thought, but in Ask the AD GC said that Jim wanted CAA refs for both games, maybe he ment refs from that area of the country for both games

[BGFalconfromCincy]

My guess is the administration picked one of the two ways to go:

Open up the Stroh - which will sell out - against a major program, build some Big excitement, maybe ESPN worthy opponent and blow out the excitement with a probable loss

or

open the Stroh with a most very likely win (BETTER BE!), enjoy the sell-out and realize ESPN could care less about the BG Basketball program right now so...

lets try and open with a win. Which I still think is wrond and a major flocking disappointment.

If you listen to Ask the AD they wanted at least a BCS conference school, but either the demands were too much (Big Ten schools wanting 3 for 1 deals) or a coach wouldn't go for it (Wake Forest)

[VDub26Falcon]

I can't speak for all sports but I at least know that Basketball and Football have conference affiliated refs. This is made most apparent when MAC officials officiate a Bowl Game between two other, bigger conferences and botch the thing to all hell.

[hammb]

I can't speak for all sports but I at least know that Basketball and Football have conference affiliated refs. This is made most apparent when MAC officials officiate a Bowl Game between two other, bigger conferences and botch the thing to all hell.

For football I believe you're correct, but I don't think you're right for basketball. I'm pretty sure the officials work in a set "region" of the country, not based on conference. I'm pretty sure you'll see some familiar faces reffing games at Dayton & OSU that you see at BG & Toledo.

Obviously some refs are going to be better than others and I don't doubt for a second that OSU and the bigger budget area schools will more consistently have the better rated officials, but I don't think it's because of a conference affiliation.

I could be wrong, but I don't think NCAA basketball officials are affiliated with conferences at all.

[VDub26Falcon]

Sorry for the current thread-jack guys...

I thought I remembered seeing MAC logos on the officials jerseys, much like the CCHA logos on the hockey refs.

[hammb]

Sorry for the current thread-jack guys...

I thought I remembered seeing MAC logos on the officials jerseys, much like the CCHA logos on the hockey refs.

Maybe they have to wear a shirt with such a patch depending on what game they are officiating? I don't know.

This article seems to have some good info on the subject though:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... ment_N.htm

Key quote:

"Many of the officials work in several leagues.

'There's competition (among conferences) for the best officials on certain days,' Adams says. 'They're independent contractors, and many of them do it for a living.'"

[Tricky_Falcon]

I've seen Ted Valentine officiate Big Ten, SEC and MAC basketball games.