Spring Break
VCU should host tourney
Mike Mazzeo
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Sports
Here's a thought - let's have the CAA tournament at Siegel Center.
Sure, as a Drexel fan I might be biased seeing as how for the first two years of my college career, any hopes of a March Madness bid have been foiled at Richmond Coliseum. However, if that place were to implode tomorrow, would anyone really care?
The Coliseum, which was built in 1971, might've been an architectural feat 37 years ago, but today it would likely be voted the most unaesthetically pleasing sports facility in the country - and for good reason.
Its exterior looks nothing like a Roman work of art; rather, it looks like a brown mushroom or some kind of UFO that landed and docked on West Leigh Street. The interior features multi-colored, 1970s disco seating that even Emperor Vespasian wouldn't have ordered to be put in back in the sixth century.
And yet, just five minutes away from the colossal catastrophe sits a cozy, 7,500 seat jewel on West Broad Street, unknown to those who haven't had a chance to take in a game there.
Built in 1999, the Siegel Center serves as the home to VCU men's and women's basketball and is arguably the premiere basketball arena in the CAA.
While it doesn't have the seating capacity of the Coliseum, its seating arrangement really gives fans an intimate feel, even if there are only a couple of thousand people in attendance. Also, with only one level of seating, no one is stuck up in the rafters, and let me tell you, when that place is jam-packed like it was Jan. 26 and the stakes are high, it can get pretty loud.
Oh, and its brick exterior doesn't want you to leave immediately. It's actually inviting.
Now I understand why our conference tournament has to be in the city of Richmond every year. The league offices are in the city and five teams in the CAA are located in the state of Virginia.
Therefore it does make sense to have the tournament in Richmond, but why not a change of venue?
VCU would have a literal home court advantage, but that's already a given when you have to drive or walk five minutes to play at the Coliseum.
The only problem I see with this plan is the smaller seating capacity, but this only would be a concern if two Virginia schools played the championship game and that would only add value to the tickets.
The CAA's contract with Richmond Coliseum to host the conference tournament is up in 2012.
It would be in the league's best interest to play its conference tournament in a building that isn't almost four decades old, whether it is the Siegel Center or possibly 15,000-seat John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville.
Plus, maybe the fortunes would finally change for our Dragons.
Nothing would be better than seeing Bruiser Flint and his team cutting down the nets and heading to the big dance, or seeing Richmond Coliseum fall in a cloud of dust and debris.
Sure, as a Drexel fan I might be biased seeing as how for the first two years of my college career, any hopes of a March Madness bid have been foiled at Richmond Coliseum. However, if that place were to implode tomorrow, would anyone really care?
The Coliseum, which was built in 1971, might've been an architectural feat 37 years ago, but today it would likely be voted the most unaesthetically pleasing sports facility in the country - and for good reason.
Its exterior looks nothing like a Roman work of art; rather, it looks like a brown mushroom or some kind of UFO that landed and docked on West Leigh Street. The interior features multi-colored, 1970s disco seating that even Emperor Vespasian wouldn't have ordered to be put in back in the sixth century.
And yet, just five minutes away from the colossal catastrophe sits a cozy, 7,500 seat jewel on West Broad Street, unknown to those who haven't had a chance to take in a game there.
Built in 1999, the Siegel Center serves as the home to VCU men's and women's basketball and is arguably the premiere basketball arena in the CAA.
While it doesn't have the seating capacity of the Coliseum, its seating arrangement really gives fans an intimate feel, even if there are only a couple of thousand people in attendance. Also, with only one level of seating, no one is stuck up in the rafters, and let me tell you, when that place is jam-packed like it was Jan. 26 and the stakes are high, it can get pretty loud.
Oh, and its brick exterior doesn't want you to leave immediately. It's actually inviting.
Now I understand why our conference tournament has to be in the city of Richmond every year. The league offices are in the city and five teams in the CAA are located in the state of Virginia.
Therefore it does make sense to have the tournament in Richmond, but why not a change of venue?
VCU would have a literal home court advantage, but that's already a given when you have to drive or walk five minutes to play at the Coliseum.
The only problem I see with this plan is the smaller seating capacity, but this only would be a concern if two Virginia schools played the championship game and that would only add value to the tickets.
The CAA's contract with Richmond Coliseum to host the conference tournament is up in 2012.
It would be in the league's best interest to play its conference tournament in a building that isn't almost four decades old, whether it is the Siegel Center or possibly 15,000-seat John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville.
Plus, maybe the fortunes would finally change for our Dragons.
Nothing would be better than seeing Bruiser Flint and his team cutting down the nets and heading to the big dance, or seeing Richmond Coliseum fall in a cloud of dust and debris.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
ODU 1986
posted 2/04/08 @ 5:36 PM EST
Here's a thought...ughh bad idea. Really bad idea. Really really bad idea.
Though I do agree the Coliseum is dump, Old Dominion would NEVER agree to that. (Continued…)
Post a Comment