Local College Tourny?

Get this done already

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/weiss/2008/10/maac-media-day-why-patsos-quit.html
For several seasons now, Hofstra coach Tom Pecora has discussed with the Daily News the prospect of creating a basketball tournament that would pit local programs against each other, similar to how Philly runs its Big Five tournament.

Now both Iona coach Kevin Willard and Manhattan's Barry Rohrssen are seconding the motion and would like to take the talk to the next level.

"Coach Willard is a good guy and a good friend and when we speak and throw some ideas around, anything he feels is worthwhile I'm certainly willing to jump on board and support," said Rohrssen, who played college ball at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. "Being a New Yorker, being a metropolitan area basketball guy, understanding what this area means and keeping kids home, keeping kids in New Jersey and New York, and all the great high school programs that are all within a softball toss away, from St. Anthony's, St. Pat's, St. Benedict's, Seton Hall Prep, Mount Vernon, the Catholic school league, we're able to put some attractive games and packages together and tournaments. Maybe that helps keep some of the great local high school talent right here in this metropolitan area where it belongs."

Willard thinks it's high time the city teams banded together.

"I think it's something all the schools, locally, would like to do," Willard said. "No one's really gotten together and said, 'All right, let's do this.' But I think it's something that's gained a little momentum within the schools. I think it's stupid for us to go play outside New York when there are so many great schools right here in New York. They all have local guys, they all have local fans. St. John's has always had the Holiday Festival, but I'd like to see something like that turn into where it's like the Big Five in Philly. They have great games and great crowds. Turn it into something like that. Keep doing a round robin (tournament). I think we'd get great crowds and you'd get television exposure. It's something we've all talked about and now it's a question of how do we make it happen and I think you need someone smarter than basketball coaches to do that."

Willard said besides Rohrssen, he has so far spoken to Pecora and Joe Jones at Columbia, but would like to get Fordham, Rutgers, St. John's and others on board.

"Get everyone to play locally and do it in a way that everyone could benefit," Willard said. "Recruiting, fan base, television base, everything. We really need someone smart to come in and say, 'Let's do it this way.' I think everyone wants it. I think the fans would love it, too."

Sounds like a good idea to us. Maybe a doubleheader on a Saturday in December at the Garden might be a good place to start.

Get this done already

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/weiss/2008/10/maac-media-day-why-patsos-quit.html
For several seasons now, Hofstra coach Tom Pecora has discussed with the Daily News the prospect of creating a basketball tournament that would pit local programs against each other, similar to how Philly runs its Big Five tournament.

Now both Iona coach Kevin Willard and Manhattan's Barry Rohrssen are seconding the motion and would like to take the talk to the next level.

"Coach Willard is a good guy and a good friend and when we speak and throw some ideas around, anything he feels is worthwhile I'm certainly willing to jump on board and support," said Rohrssen, who played college ball at St. Francis College in Brooklyn. "Being a New Yorker, being a metropolitan area basketball guy, understanding what this area means and keeping kids home, keeping kids in New Jersey and New York, and all the great high school programs that are all within a softball toss away, from St. Anthony's, St. Pat's, St. Benedict's, Seton Hall Prep, Mount Vernon, the Catholic school league, we're able to put some attractive games and packages together and tournaments. Maybe that helps keep some of the great local high school talent right here in this metropolitan area where it belongs."

Willard thinks it's high time the city teams banded together.

"I think it's something all the schools, locally, would like to do," Willard said. "No one's really gotten together and said, 'All right, let's do this.' But I think it's something that's gained a little momentum within the schools. I think it's stupid for us to go play outside New York when there are so many great schools right here in New York. They all have local guys, they all have local fans. St. John's has always had the Holiday Festival, but I'd like to see something like that turn into where it's like the Big Five in Philly. They have great games and great crowds. Turn it into something like that. Keep doing a round robin (tournament). I think we'd get great crowds and you'd get television exposure. It's something we've all talked about and now it's a question of how do we make it happen and I think you need someone smarter than basketball coaches to do that."

Willard said besides Rohrssen, he has so far spoken to Pecora and Joe Jones at Columbia, but would like to get Fordham, Rutgers, St. John's and others on board.

"Get everyone to play locally and do it in a way that everyone could benefit," Willard said. "Recruiting, fan base, television base, everything. We really need someone smart to come in and say, 'Let's do it this way.' I think everyone wants it. I think the fans would love it, too."

Sounds like a good idea to us. Maybe a doubleheader on a Saturday in December at the Garden might be a good place to start.

the big east football conference is atlantic 10 quality.  they need hoops.

this topic of a local tournament has been talked about by fans for years.  right now, the holiday festival sucks the big one.  i know st john's was opposed to the idea a couple of years ago. 

the big east football conference is atlantic 10 quality.  they need hoops.

this topic of a local tournament has been talked about by fans for years.  right now, the holiday festival sucks the big one.  i know st john's was opposed to the idea a couple of years ago. 

The NY tournament would be a lot more beneficial to schools like Hofstra, Fordham, Manhattan, Iona but not to St. John's. We're supposed to be above them and if we're not how does that fare to us recruiting? On the other shoe if those schools beat St. John's it gives them a leg up in their recruiting. The only way I'd do the NY tourney is if Syracuse was involved.

Quote from: JJ on October 30, 2008, 12:30:23 AM

The NY tournament would be a lot more beneficial to schools like Hofstra, Fordham, Manhattan, Iona but not to St. John's. We're supposed to be above them and if we're not how does that fare to us recruiting? On the other shoe if those schools beat St. John's it gives them a leg up in their recruiting. The only way I'd do the NY tourney is if Syracuse was involved.

I think there is an issue with having another Big East team in the mix.  I don't think we can play them out of conference...though I'm not sure about that.  Also why would we want to give Syracuse (or Seton Hall or Rutgers) more exposure in NYC?  Plus Syracuse is not a NY metro area team IMO.

The way the Big 5 does it, the teams in the same conference meet up during the conference season (or count it as a conference game).  So a Big East team should be in the mix.  It's not a tournament like the Holiday Festival, but the teams spend their out of conference playing some of the other teams.  Not sure if they all actually play the other 4 in one season.

And Syracuse is way out there.  If you add the Cuse you have to think about Albany, or Binghamton, etc - Rohrssen and Willard were saying in that article that Columbia's coach is aboard. 

And a good school should have the talent and skill to take all local teams.  I know that won't be St. John's take, but at the very least, they should schedule Iona,Fordham, and Hofstra occasionally along with LIU, St. Francis, and those other near-Div II teams.

Quote from: peter on October 30, 2008, 10:34:16 AM

The way the Big 5 does it, the teams in the same conference meet up during the conference season (or count it as a conference game).  So a Big East team should be in the mix.  It's not a tournament like the Holiday Festival, but the teams spend their out of conference playing some of the other teams.  Not sure if they all actually play the other 4 in one season.

And Syracuse is way out there.  If you add the Cuse you have to think about Albany, or Binghamton, etc - Rohrssen and Willard were saying in that article that Columbia's coach is aboard. 

And a good school should have the talent and skill to take all local teams.  I know that won't be St. John's take, but at the very least, they should schedule Iona,Fordham, and Hofstra occasionally along with LIU, St. Francis, and those other near-Div II teams.

Thanks...my next question was how the Big 5 does it.  So its just a Round Robin and the best record takes the title?

Okay so here's a list of possible teams and their conference affiliation...

Hofstra CAA
Manhattan MAAC
Iona MAAC
Marist MAAC
Fordham A10
Columbia IVY
St.John's BE
Stonybrook AEC
LIU-NEC
St. Francis NEC
Seton Hall BE
Rutgers BE
Army PL

Am I missing anyone?

I don't think I like the idea of including any Big East teams.  Seton Hall and Rutgers are not NYC schools.  But if you make it 5 OOC teams that means St. John's would need to commit 4 OOC games a year.  I don't know that they could/would do that. 

Here's who I think shoud be included in a format like the Big 5 basically one from each conference.

A10-Fordham
BE-St. John's
MAAC-Manhattan (Sorry Baldi)
IVY-Columbia
CAA-Hofstra

Quote from: jumpinjohnny on October 30, 2008, 11:09:25 AM

Okay so here's a list of possible teams and their conference affiliation...

Hofstra CAA
Manhattan MAAC
Iona MAAC
Marist MAAC
Fordham A10
Columbia IVY
St.John's BE
Stonybrook AEC
LIU-NEC
St. Francis NEC
Seton Hall BE
Rutgers BE
Army PL

Am I missing anyone?

I don't think I like the idea of including any Big East teams.  Seton Hall and Rutgers are not NYC schools.  But if you make it 5 OOC teams that means St. John's would need to commit 4 OOC games a year.  I don't know that they could/would do that. 

Here's who I think shoud be included in a format like the Big 5 basically one from each conference.

A10-Fordham
BE-St. John's
MAAC-Manhattan (Sorry Baldi)
IVY-Columbia
CAA-Hofstra

wagner is missing. 

you pick eight teams and put them in the holiday festival.  that's sure to sell more tickets than the current lapchick type tournament they have now.

Quote from: newsman13 on October 29, 2008, 10:49:44 PM

the big east football conference is atlantic 10 quality.  they need hoops.

this topic of a local tournament has been talked about by fans for years.  right now, the holiday festival sucks the big one.  i know st john's was opposed to the idea a couple of years ago. 

I agree with marillac the big east football hangs with the best of them every year. South Florida and rutgers get it in


Syracuse, Louisville, Uconn, Cincy, WV, Pitt A-10 quality?  I a gree with you that it would weaken them, but in the event they split I can't imagine the football schools not picking up Memphis and a few other good basketball schools that play football. 

I think there will eventually be a huge split in college athletics between football schools and non-football schools.  When that happens I think Villanova will be ready to make the jump with the other schools.  Maybe a UAB?

How bad would we look with:  G'town, Nova (possibly), St. John's, Seton Hall, Marquette, Providence --maybe Notre Dame.  I guess in that event we'd pickup Xavier and St. John's.