Orlando musings

[number21]

The scab is still healing but:

I didn't really feel the disdain for X that I used to. Not playing them on a regular basis, it just doesn't feel as big as it once did. Of course once I saw Mack ,it came back but only briefly.

That Monmouth bench mob was funny but I don't really think people in building were paying attention. I was surprised how much run it got when I got back to Dayton. I never heard a word about it from anyone that was there. They had a guy in warmups that was really focused and was doing all this fancy dribbling and I thought he was the star of the team. Turns out he was one of the glorified cheerleaders on the bench all game.

This "new" officiating is taking the joy out of the game. Every game tweet tweet tweet, it is maddening. Of course we had Teddy V for the championship game,he thinks people are there to watch him ref. Not immune to Orlando I know, but it seemed worse there.

People waiting in line hours before the game is silly. No chance of sellouts and not a bad seat in the house. Every game I got there right before tip and always had a seat that would have been like a 100 level seat at our Arena.

Having the pep band was huge. We were the only team that had a pep band and they made a difference. Big thanks to whoever made that happen.

The Gaylord, where the team stayed, was sweet. It is a huge resort with a maze of bars and food places. Nice to see our boys traveling first class.

I could go on, but if you are like me you usually stop reading about now. Lastly if you have the time and means to attend one of these tourny's do it. It is a great time to be with fellow Flyer fans.

[ud2]

Originally Posted by number21 Having the pep band was huge. We were the only team that had a pep band and they made a difference. Big thanks to whoever made that happen.

I don't know if this is true, but I heard that a single booster paid for transporting the band and cheerleaders to Orlando. We were the only team with a band or cheerleaders.

[ud69]

Originally Posted by number21 Having the pep band was huge. We were the only team that had a pep band and they made a difference. Big thanks to whoever made that happen.

Agree on the pep band. Your thanks goes to the athletic department who made it happen - and a major donor who wrote a check to pay for it.

[Alberto Strasse]

They were really great. How Great? So great that the hosts took them out of the Finals by interrupting them with House music to limit the Dayton cheering. Their arrangement of Uptown Funk is amazing! Go Dr. Willie!

[Radar]

Agree with everything 21 wrote above. With added thanks to whoever stepped forward on behalf of the pep band. The fact that Dayton "travels well" does make a difference, especially in these smaller venues.

As for the Monmouth bench...my kids watched a lot of their antics on the tv/video board but I had no clue what had happened. After watching the replay at home I thought it was over the top, immature, and ESPN spent way too much camera time on them. Where was the locker room camera after we beat them?

[CJ2etc]

We sat across the court from the Monmouth bench when they played Notre Dame and kept watching the "walkons" as they were really into the game and seemed to be celebrating "naturally" just caught up in the game and the moment. They were still in their uniforms interacting with friends and family well after the game and when they walked by us I mentioned to them them congrats and that they were really entertaining and fun to watch and they were very appreciative of our comments.

They didn't have all the skits and choreography for the Notre Dame game that they rolled out for the UD game though and they must have put in a late night Thursday rehearsing all their cheers.

I realize that some people didn't appreciate all of their antics but personally I thought they were hilarious and my wife did as well.


And we sat by the pep band too and I can tell you that all of the non-UD fans around us thought they were awesome.

[priceg75]

I don't think many of us had a problem with the antics themselves. I think many had a problem with ESPN literally showing them in an inset box DURING game play several times. That was a bridge too far.

[Chris R]

Was in the building for UD/Monmouth and had no idea the Monmouth bench was doing any of that. Which is another way of saying few people noticed and few people cared other than the camera guys on TV.

How can you possibly be into the game, making mental notes on your possible positional responsibilities, marking, and strength/weaknesses when you are more concerned about your sideline acting antics. If any player of mine acted that way, they'd be sent to the locker room. You need to be focused on the game because you are one twisted ankle away from being called upon to win the game for me.

[Mrossi]

I actually felt like it was classless and juvenile. Its one thing to cheer on your team and celebrate. Its another to act like a bunch of clowns during the game while you are sitting on the bench. Honestly, who cares they are on the wrong side. Just IMO.

[shocka43]

+ YouTube Video

Make the decision for yourself....maybe if they put as much effort into their practice, weightlifting, and game...the wouldn't be riding the pine in order to look like idiots.

[Sea Bass]

my thought about the Monmouth bench was ... whatever.

[shocka43]

Originally Posted by Sea Bass my thought about the Monmouth bench was ... whatever.

Funny thing is that at the game I didn't even notice...was more concerned with the play on the floor than clowns on the bench...looks like TV needed something to talk about.

[longtimefan67]

Originally Posted by priceg75 I don't think many of us had a problem with the antics themselves. I think many had a problem with ESPN literally showing them in an inset box DURING game play several times. That was a bridge too far.

Yes. ESPN devoting a split screen to it...maybe on a replay during a timeout...might have been ok. Doing it constantly during the game was ridiculous and in poor judgement. I think being there vs watching on TV is the difference.

[marco red eagle]

I was at the game under the Monmouth basket. I never saw any of the antics .. but for the player introductions at the beginning of the game ... despite being 30 feet away.

The player introductions antics by the walk-ons were practiced and scripted. I thought they were "anti team" and individual player focused. Unlike UDs circle of the true team.

Last night a utube video of Monmouth, play acting during the UD game, was one of my AOL "news" options to watch on my AOL email main page. I was shocked to see X Williams in the video in his UD uniform as the Monmouth team bench exploded into antics.

[anthonycharles]

Originally Posted by ud2 I don't know if this is true, but I heard that a single booster paid for transporting the band and cheerleaders to Orlando. We were the only team with a band or cheerleaders.

Iowa had cheerleaders there.

I was also at the game and did not notice Monmouth's bench.

The band was awesome. They really livened up the arena. Not a bad seat in that place. It was a great experience.

I was in the beer line in the midst of X's 21-0 run. I was behind a middle-aged X fan and in front of a X fan in his 60's. A UD fan walks by, he was probably in his early 20's and says to the X fans "At least we don't have that sh*tty X degree". The X fans looked at him but didn't respond. I just cringed. It was very embarrassing to see a fellow UD fan be such a sore loser. I then started chatting with the X fans and complimented them on their team, mainly to try to show not all UD fans are classless. That was the only negative experience over the fun weekend.

[224]

Puerto Rico was fun last year, but Orlando was more fun. I want to go back. Hopefully 2019

I will say this though...

After the Monmouth game, their coach said “They had a couple drunk guys. When you have drunk people, they mess up the group. Whoever those drunk guys were, maybe they should take a thing from me and not drink anymore. If that’s what you’re doing, that’s not cool. You’re heckling college guys. Really not cool. But their fans were incredible. I hope we can build a fan base like that. We have great fans at Monmouth, but we haven’t won in so long, people don’t come out like that. We strive to be like that. When we get there, Monmouth is going to be really hard to deal with.”

Did anyone notice this? There were 1-2 UD guys by their bench that were a bit obnoxious...

[SeasonTicketFan]

I was not there, but I have never heard Jay heckle anyone. In Puerto Rico, he got the locals to cheer for UD.

[marco red eagle]

I was under the Monmouth basket (near Monmouth bench) there was one UD guy yelling at the Monmouth bench. Half of his yelling to the bench was funny, half was nasty. I couldn't report what he said ... I was trying to ignore him.

Way after the game, long after, when there was only 50 cars in the parking lot there was a drunk UD guy yelling and being belligerent ... IMO it was a domestic situation ... IMO a drunk guy yelling at his significant other.

I have been hooked on the ESPN tourneys ... great fun ... this is my third year of travelling ... I won't miss next year. IMO the best year was Maui ... awesome wins!!!

One of my favorite highlight .. I remember KD splitting the 2 California big men, from the free throw line and laying in/dunking the ball.

You can't beat UD playing 3 games in 4 days ... in the ESPN tourney!!!!

[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Thank you for those cheering loud and proud, you sounded good on TV.

Anyone know the plans beyond next year for what tourneys? We would love to go, and after next year should be much easier for us to.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by 224 Puerto Rico was fun last year, but Orlando was more fun. I want to go back. Hopefully 2019 I will say this though... After the Monmouth game, their coach said “They had a couple drunk guys. When you have drunk people, they mess up the group. Whoever those drunk guys were, maybe they should take a thing from me and not drink anymore. If that’s what you’re doing, that’s not cool. You’re heckling college guys. Really not cool. But their fans were incredible. I hope we can build a fan base like that. We have great fans at Monmouth, but we haven’t won in so long, people don’t come out like that. We strive to be like that. When we get there, Monmouth is going to be really hard to deal with.” Did anyone notice this? There were 1-2 UD guys by their bench that were a bit obnoxious...

We were about a dozen rows up from Flyer bench and didn't/wouldn't have witnessed the behavior. I thought it was kinda cheap for King Rice to point it out to the media afterward, ESPECIALLY considering the antics of his bench players. He praises our fans and says we are what Monmouth aspires to be, then makes a point about a couple of them? I wonder what "bouquets" have been thrown Archie's way from fans while on the road?

[Beatty Town Coach]

For the record, Iowa had cheerleaders in Orlando.

The UD atmosphere was great; and if the Xavier game would have been first, followed by wins,over Iowa and Monmouth, that would have made the feeling leaving Orlando much different. As it is, the x game was a bad sickening pill of a feeling.

But cheering with less than ten minutes in the game, down 30 to your archrival, makes zero sense and isa waste of silly breath. That whOle thing was painful. UD fans were leaving 3-5 minutes into the second half....yikes.

	Xavier XAVIER MUSKETEERS Dayton's biggest rival dating back to the early 1900s. Founded in 1831, Xavier University is a Jesuit, Catholic university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its three colleges offer 78 undergraduate majors, 43 minors and 11 graduate programs to 6,646 total students, including 3,961 undergraduates. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide. Xavier's nickname is the Musketeers and are fellow A10 Conference members.

[San Diego Flyer]

That coincides with about the time I turned it off and left it to record. Wasn't the Dayton Flyers I knew. Someone stuck the evil twins of all our players out on the court.

I'm fine with the notion that it never happened.

Bring on the North Florida Ospreys.

[hayjim]

Originally Posted by ClaytonFlyerFan Thank you for those cheering loud and proud, you sounded good on TV. Anyone know the plans beyond next year for what tourneys? We would love to go, and after next year should be much easier for us to.

Next year is the Wooden Tournament in California, then Charleston in 2017, and another tournament we have signed for but I forgot what Archie said.

[xubrew]

I think Monmouth's antics actually work for them. If it's fun for them, then great! Do it! It seems to do more good for their morale than bad. This s a program that had eight straight losing seasons prior to last year. They had no identity or relevance whatsoever. They were noticeably better at the end of last season, and they're exponentially better now. They're not just winning games, they're winning games and playing well against recognizable programs, and having a blast, and the media loves that they're winning games and having a blast. I don't want to go so far to say that the bench is the reason they're winning, but I do think it works for them. I think it helped keep them loose when they went to UCLA, and I think it helped give them a lift when they mounted comebacks against Notre Dame and Dayton. At the very least, they're playing better now than they have in a decade. Maybe longer than that.

[THirt]

Originally Posted by number21 People waiting in line hours before the game is silly. No chance of sellouts and not a bad seat in the house. Every game I got there right before tip and always had a seat that would have been like a 100 level seat at our Arena.

I won't argue that standing in line early is silly, but it was also great fun. People were having a great time in line, chatting it up, making beer runs over to the Wide World of Sports Bar & Grill, talking Flyers, enjoying the lovely Florida air... It was also a lot of fun to be in the arena early with a bunch of other Flyer fans, getting hyped up for the games. Sure, you didn't have to get there early to get a great seat, but it was fun to wait and hang out with the Flyer Faithful, both in line and in the arena early.

I'm hopeful we can wiggle our way into the Battle 4 Atlantis. First of all, that tournament has arguably equaled or surpassed Maui as the premier early-season exempt tournament. Second, that would be a fantastic place to travel - the Atlantis resort looks fabulous.

	Flyer Faithful FLYER FAITHFUL Best college basketball fans in the country. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and loyal. Help to create one of the toughest home courts in the nation at UD Arena. Over 12,000 fans a game put the Flyers in the Top-30 nationally in attendance. Fan spirit and support growing to other UD sports and athletic programs as well.

[ClaytonFlyerFan]

Originally Posted by THirt I'm hopeful we can wiggle our way into the Battle 4 Atlantis. First of all, that tournament has arguably equaled or surpassed Maui as the premier early-season exempt tournament. Second, that would be a fantastic place to travel - the Atlantis resort looks fabulous.

Agree 100%

Cancun challange looks like a real nice, and all inclusive resort as well. I can definately get my moneys worth with the all you can eat and drink!

Either Cancun or Atlantis and we are there!

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by THirt I won't argue that standing in line early is silly, but it was also great fun. People were having a great time in line, chatting it up, making beer runs over to the Wide World of Sports Bar & Grill, talking Flyers, enjoying the lovely Florida air... It was also a lot of fun to be in the arena early with a bunch of other Flyer fans, getting hyped up for the games. Sure, you didn't have to get there early to get a great seat, but it was fun to wait and hang out with the Flyer Faithful, both in line and in the arena early. I'm hopeful we can wiggle our way into the Battle 4 Atlantis. First of all, that tournament has arguably equaled or surpassed Maui as the premier early-season exempt tournament. Second, that would be a fantastic place to travel - the Atlantis resort looks fabulous.

Atlantis is great and we own a timeshare with Starwood (soon to be Marriott) right in the neighborhood so I'm all in.

	Flyer Faithful FLYER FAITHFUL Best college basketball fans in the country. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and loyal. Help to create one of the toughest home courts in the nation at UD Arena. Over 12,000 fans a game put the Flyers in the Top-30 nationally in attendance. Fan spirit and support growing to other UD sports and athletic programs as well.

[marco red eagle]

I asked a very very very reliable source .... where UD is going for the special tourneys in the next few years. He said the word is starting to get out ... so he told me:

2016 Wooden Tournament Anaheim California
2017 Charleston SC
2018 Bahamas ... I'm assuming the "Battle 4 Atlantis"
2019 Maui ... I'm assuming "Maui Invitational" ... since he said "we are going back to Maui"