Thoughts and questions

[Wisexuowl]

Maybe this will get the pot simmering some.

I am kinda baffled by all the excitement over the Duke game. It's like we've finally got to the summit .. like we've never been there.

Yep, Dickie V's "Dookies" have been an icon of college basketball for a number of years, but I suggest they don't shine like they used to.

Personally I would much rather be playing UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, yes, and even whatshisname.

And all the "wow" that we are going to be on CBS ... NATIONAL TV ... but don't bet that it will be "national." Affiliates around the country may opt out of the game for a regional one.

Besides, Xavier has been on national TV dozens and dozens of time and if we are looking for recognition from basketball devotee's, we get a lot more of it on ESPN in prime time then we will in an afternoon game on CBS opposite of some NFL games.

And last but not least, $55. to $75. per ticket? Is this a double-header? If so, who else is on the "undercard."

Isn't those prices higher than "Dance" tickets? Say 16,500 (the place seats 20,000) @ $60 a head makes it a One Million Dollar gate ... plus TV revenue?
Is this a charity game (Coaches For Cancer)? If so, I have no problem wityh the prices, but that wasn't in any of the news about the game.

Having said all that, hats off to Mike for scheduling it, and hats off to Sean for going into a hostile environment with a lot of green kids. It will pay dividends down the road.

Fire away guys, fire away.!

[xcellent]

I agree that this game isn't as exciting as a lot of people think. I don't have to worry about TV cause I live down here in Raleigh, and I went to Vegas last weekend and still couldn't get away from K. Wish i could have stayed at the Wynn like him but atleast my friend who was getting married was in there. Thought about getting back on the elevator with K to see if he could pronounce Xavier right now. Back on track though, I think Duke will have a great team and it will be very hard for us to win this, but I don't think Duke will get past the Sweet Sixteen. This is a good game for us, and hopefully it will be on everywhere, but there are much better teams we could be playing.

[muskieman]

I think any chance to play and of the perceived "ICONS" is great news but I don't go all gooey-knees about Duke. Think about if fellows, X has played and beaten top teams before; this will just be another feather. I think we need to look at it as payback for forcing X to play in their band box with all the odds stacked against us and then playing on the national stage and having the refs take it from X. This time, like old Bum Phillips would say, "We are not going to knock on the door, we are going to kick it down".

if pmthor could find his way here we just might read, "I hate dayton AND duke.

[yellow20xd]

Duke is Duke, like Ohio State Football is Ohio State Football. Let's kick their AS*... Dan

[XU 87]

This time, like old Bum Phillips would say, "We are not going to knock on the door, we are going to kick it down".

[/color]

That was a great line. The only problem is that Houston lost in the first round of the playoffs the following year. And I think Bum got fired the year after.

[muskieman]

Only an old fart remembers things like that and you are right. The quote is still good just because Earl Campbell and the boys couldn't walk the talk of Bum.

[wkrq59]

Any chance to play Duke, or North Carolina or one of the other so-called deity-like programs of college basketball is good.
That said, I agree with Owl.
Look, Xavier has more than established a "name" for itself over the last 25 years. I really think our attitude should be "Great." This is another opportunity to improve X's RPI and strength of schedule for the coming season.
Win or lose, it's a great opportunity, just as Virginia, at Auburn, Kansas State, Arizona State, Tennessee and Indiana were last season. And LSU and Auburn and Duke, and the Puerto Rican Tournament teams will be this season.
If Xavier were not recognized as a "power" to be worth
playing even on a one shot basis, do you think Duke would have scheduled the game at a neutral court and not in Cameron? Why do you think Duke has played Temple in quasi-home and homes over the years? Ditto for St. John's.
Yeah, Duke wouldn't schedule the game if they didn't think they could win, and I suspect neither would Bobinski.
There is one simple fact here to be considered and remembered: Xavier is no longer considered a "buy" game on anybody's schedule as it used to be in the 70s and early 80s when, like Dayton this season, NO ONE WANTED TO PLAY XAVIER, ESPECIALLY IN CINCINNATI for a variety of reasons, least of all the game would have been in Schmidt. (Thanks you, Al McGuire, Dick Vitale. Peck Hickman and Tom Blackburn.)
I really think Xavier can regard this game as a great opportunity for Duke as well. Hell they get to play a team that has advanced to the Elite 8 twice in recent years, a team they had to pull out all the stops to beat and the only team to win four games in four days to win a league tournament twice in three years.
So it's a win-win for both teams.

[Pierre Dracot]

Maybe this will get the pot simmering some.

I am kinda baffled by all the excitement over the Duke game. It's like we've finally got to the summit .. like we've never been there.

Yep, Dickie V's "Dookies" have been an icon of college basketball for a number of years, but I suggest they don't shine like they used to.

Personally I would much rather be playing UCLA, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas, yes, and even whatshisname.

And all the "wow" that we are going to be on CBS ... NATIONAL TV ... but don't bet that it will be "national." Affiliates around the country may opt out of the game for a regional one.

Besides, Xavier has been on national TV dozens and dozens of time and if we are looking for recognition from basketball devotee's, we get a lot more of it on ESPN in prime time then we will in an afternoon game on CBS opposite of some NFL games.

And last but not least, $55. to $75. per ticket? Is this a double-header? If so, who else is on the "undercard."

Isn't those prices higher than "Dance" tickets? Say 16,500 (the place seats 20,000) @ $60 a head makes it a One Million Dollar gate ... plus TV revenue?
Is this a charity game (Coaches For Cancer)? If so, I have no problem wityh the prices, but that wasn't in any of the news about the game.

Having said all that, hats off to Mike for scheduling it, and hats off to Sean for going into a hostile environment with a lot of green kids. It will pay dividends down the road.

Fire away guys, fire away.!

You sound like Mr. Neutral. In fact, you're worse than Mr. Neutral.

[Mr. Neutral]

<<You sound like Mr. Neutral. In fact, you're worse than Mr. Neutral.>>

As always, Pierre, you've got it wrong. I'm one of the guys NOT saying that this game is no big deal. Sure, maybe Duke isn't what is was a few years back, but it's like the Yankees, Lakers, UCLA, etc.--it's one of the biggest name in its sport, and a W over Duke will get X more press than any other game on our schedule.

Until we actually beat Duke, I don't see where our posters come off dissing 'em.

I guarantee that X and its fans are pointing to this game more than Duke and its fans are.

[muskieman]

You can't win even when you agree with people Gary.