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Post by stlexplorer on Jan 28, 2013 14:55:33 GMT -5
Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg break down La Salle and our past week along with other big stories from college basketball. Most memorable exchange sadly while they were talking about us: Katz: "Maybe one of the worst facilities in high, mid, whatever you want to call it in major Division 1." Greenberg: "Without a doubt." Katz: (laughing) "Making it one of the toughest jobs at that level." espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8890637
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Post by explorer88 on Jan 28, 2013 14:57:12 GMT -5
Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg break down La Salle and our past week along with other big stories from college basketball. Most memorable exchange sadly while they were talking about us: Katz: "Maybe one of the worst facilities in high, mid, whatever you want to call it in major Division 1." Greenberg: "Without a doubt." Katz: (laughing) "Making it one of the toughest jobs at that level." espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8890637OUCH!!!!!. That is just brutal.
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Post by stlexplorer on Jan 28, 2013 14:59:20 GMT -5
Later Greenberg talks about how no one will play La Salle at the Tom Gola Arena and it's good for us that conference schedule brings teams like VCU/Butler in
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Post by ltrain38 on Jan 28, 2013 15:05:33 GMT -5
I hope the collective weight of this scrutiny will lead to a new facility.
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Post by jkdem85 on Jan 28, 2013 15:07:23 GMT -5
It's sad but very true. I commented about this to a close friend from my graduating class (07) that works in the athletic department. She thinks that everything is just peachy and that Gola is great. I really hope that the past week shows the powers that be how incredibly powerful a strong basketball team can be too the school. I truly think its a major key to getting LaSalle as a whole to the next level
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Post by explorer88 on Jan 28, 2013 15:11:01 GMT -5
I truly think its a major key to getting LaSalle as a whole to the next level La Salle can't get to the next level without one.
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Post by stlexplorer on Jan 28, 2013 15:11:16 GMT -5
Katz later did say he voted us into his top-25 teams in the country and Greenberg basically agreed, it's just a shame the conversation can't stay on just basketball
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ericmurry
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Post by ericmurry on Jan 28, 2013 15:11:20 GMT -5
I think Gola is fine. It has it's charm. Kinda like McGonicle back in the day. The Liacouras is generic and boring.
If anything, just expand Gola. Add a second level, and seats behind the baskets.
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 28, 2013 15:17:28 GMT -5
Ok so Tom Gola Arena gets fixed somehow in the future, then people will move on and take digs at the neighborhood or the basketball budget or whatever else. We should address the facilities for our OWN sake.
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Post by jkdem85 on Jan 28, 2013 15:40:36 GMT -5
Ok so Tom Gola Arena gets fixed somehow in the future, then people will move on and take digs at the neighborhood or the basketball budget or whatever else. We should address the facilities for our OWN sake. Your right there always will be critics, but I think we really need to do this. We all love the team and have for a long time, we just want the best for the program. I hope that we can reach some type of compromise, like having seat behind the basket, that would literally do wonders towards helping out the program and perceptions of it. I find it a shame that after the greatest weekin school history that we are forced to talk about facilities.
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Post by theneumann64 on Jan 28, 2013 15:47:28 GMT -5
Well the thing now is that it's not just irritated fans of troll from other Big 5 schools discussing it. Due to how big a week last week was, places like ESPN and CBS are talking about us. And part of that is going to be the arena. No one is taking mean-spirited jabs at us, it's more like "La Salle, who plays in one of the worst D-1 arenas in the country, beat 2 ranked teams last week. It's incredible."
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Post by jkdem85 on Jan 28, 2013 15:52:36 GMT -5
Well the thing now is that it's not just irritated fans of troll from other Big 5 schools discussing it. Due to how big a week last week was, places like ESPN and CBS are talking about us. And part of that is going to be the arena. No one is taking mean-spirited jabs at us, it's more like "La Salle, who plays in one of the worst D-1 arenas in the country, beat 2 ranked teams last week. It's incredible." Very true! Hopefully besides being a selling point for the program (could be part of our "story" if we make a run towards the dance) it could also act as a real impetus for change. Personally I was so happy to hear WFAN NY (the original all sports radio station) discuss LaSalle a few times over the weekend. In 10+ years of my affiliation with the school I have never heard them mentioned besides for the Gary Neal fiasco and whenever we lost to a top 25 team.
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MisterD
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Post by MisterD on Jan 28, 2013 15:56:17 GMT -5
We wouldn't be the only school in a bad neighborhood so that wouldn't be valid to single us out on. When you look at all the majors and mid-majors, singling us out for our "gym" is valid. Very, very valid.
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Post by mookie on Jan 28, 2013 16:01:19 GMT -5
I think Gola is fine. It has it's charm. Kinda like McGonicle back in the day. The Liacouras is generic and boring. If anything, just expand Gola. Add a second level, and seats behind the baskets. You're on crack. Gola is not fine by any means. The only charm it has is one of a high school gym. It's pathetic. I might be wrong here, but I don't believe Gola can be expanded to accomodate anything you suggested without the expenses being close to that of a new gym arena.
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Post by SICguy84 on Jan 28, 2013 16:03:30 GMT -5
We live in a style over (or equal to) substance world and La Salle will need to address the facilities issues or continue to get browbeaten about it. Rodney D. – I don’t get no respect!
The magnanimity over at the Hawk droppings board for La Salle lasted real long…now saying our recent success if very “fragile,” and not sustainable for the future. And of course our poor facilities….
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Post by mikesmd77 on Jan 28, 2013 16:04:58 GMT -5
And with the current conference re-alignment craze, we're dangerously walking the tightrope to being left out in the cold, and our facilities are a big part of that. Liacouras may be 'boring' but boring is a hell of a lot better than 'high school gym' or arguable the worst facility of the top conferences.
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Post by lwc4591 on Jan 28, 2013 16:08:11 GMT -5
Build a nice 4800 seat arena and be done with it.
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Post by jkdem85 on Jan 28, 2013 16:11:22 GMT -5
Just wanted to say that I may have misconstrued my friend's comments that I posted above. Anyway I do hope the school addresses the situation in some way shape or form in the near future.
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Post by vasalos on Jan 28, 2013 16:51:12 GMT -5
Well the thing now is that it's not just irritated fans of troll from other Big 5 schools discussing it. Due to how big a week last week was, places like ESPN and CBS are talking about us. And part of that is going to be the arena. No one is taking mean-spirited jabs at us, it's more like "La Salle, who plays in one of the worst D-1 arenas in the country, beat 2 ranked teams last week. It's incredible." Very true! Hopefully besides being a selling point for the program (could be part of our "story" if we make a run towards the dance) it could also act as a real impetus for change. Personally I was so happy to hear WFAN NY (the original all sports radio station) discuss LaSalle a few times over the weekend. In 10+ years of my affiliation with the school I have never heard them mentioned besides for the Gary Neal fiasco and whenever we lost to a top 25 team. Which host was talking La Salle? Any college talk on WFAN is an accomplishment since NY is not a college sports city.
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Post by coachd on Jan 28, 2013 16:56:41 GMT -5
I vote that all of the NCAA $ from this year go into new arena fund only.
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ericmurry
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Post by ericmurry on Jan 28, 2013 16:58:08 GMT -5
Boring might have been the wrong word. What I meant to say is that the Liacouris Center has no personality. It's bland. There's no atmosphere.
I like Gola and the intimate small time feel.
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Post by jkdem85 on Jan 28, 2013 17:00:38 GMT -5
Very true! Hopefully besides being a selling point for the program (could be part of our "story" if we make a run towards the dance) it could also act as a real impetus for change. Personally I was so happy to hear WFAN NY (the original all sports radio station) discuss LaSalle a few times over the weekend. In 10+ years of my affiliation with the school I have never heard them mentioned besides for the Gary Neal fiasco and whenever we lost to a top 25 team. I dont remember it was on the late overnight on Saturday, heard it while I was leaving the city. Was also on the flashes of course Which host was talking La Salle? Any college talk on WFAN is an accomplishment since NY is not a college sports city.
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Post by coqui900 on Jan 28, 2013 18:44:15 GMT -5
I'd like to see Gola get a makeover. A new 4,000 seat arena would be nice but I really miss the old-time "pit" style basketball venues. Some of my favorite moments watching hoops when I was young were watching the Lou Roe UMass teams play at the Curry Hicks Cage. That place was a complete and total zoo and would get so loud that ESPN mount cameras would shake.
I like dive bars a lot more than I like chic clubs.
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Post by glorydays on Jan 28, 2013 19:36:20 GMT -5
Thanks for the link...enjoyed the podcast.
There was also a comment of disbelief by either Andy or Seth of the home loss to Central Connecticut. (the pain is starting to fade....)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2013 19:44:32 GMT -5
I think Gola is fine. It has it's charm. Kinda like McGonicle back in the day. The Liacouras is generic and boring. If anything, just expand Gola. Add a second level, and seats behind the baskets. You're on crack. Gola is not fine by any means. The only charm it has is one of a high school gym. It's pathetic. I might be wrong here, but I don't believe Gola can be expanded to accomodate anything you suggested without the expenses being close to that of a new gym arena. A new arena would cost $50-$60 mill at a minimum. I know there are plans from the mid-90'$ for a 6,000+ capacity version that would have cost $6 mill then and probably between $15-$20 mill now.
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ericmurry
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Post by ericmurry on Jan 28, 2013 20:04:25 GMT -5
You're on crack. Gola is not fine by any means. The only charm it has is one of a high school gym. It's pathetic. I might be wrong here, but I don't believe Gola can be expanded to accomodate anything you suggested without the expenses being close to that of a new gym arena. A new arena would cost $50-$60 mill at a minimum. I know there are plans from the mid-90'$ for a 6,000+ capacity version that would have cost $6 mill then and probably between $15-$20 mill now. If that is the case, then the expansion of Gola is the way to go. Spending 50+ million on a new 4000 seat arena, where we gain only 500 more seats sounds pretty idiotic to me.
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Post by luhoopsfan on Jan 28, 2013 20:08:16 GMT -5
Jellybean seems to think the school is well aware of the negative attention out facilities are getting nationally but that the wheels were creeping along slowly even before that. To me, bringing in Jim Gulick was a sign there was a serious move being made for securing major funds.
After success like this and hopefully similar success next year, the school cannot afford to take a step back as a result of circumstances completely within their control
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Post by mookie on Jan 28, 2013 21:16:00 GMT -5
Well in that case, renovations should be done. But by no means is gola acceptable at the moment. It's small and is a high school gym. The team needs better training facilities as well which is why I don't believe tenovatin the gym alone is enough.
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Post by explorerman on Jan 28, 2013 21:24:42 GMT -5
Jellybean seems to think the school is well aware of the negative attention out facilities are getting nationally but that the wheels were creeping along slowly even before that. To me, bringing in Jim Gulick was a sign there was a serious move being made for securing major funds. After success like this and hopefully similar success next year, the school cannot afford to take a step back as a result of circumstances completely within their control We all understand Jim Gulick is Brother Mike's main man... But what exactly has he done in fundraising that we can say that he can raise $25 million for an arena in a timely fashion? Not trying to be pessimistic just a realist... There are methods to finance a lot of this has been discussed before but someone needs with experience needs to take the lead
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Post by explorer88 on Jan 28, 2013 21:28:02 GMT -5
Jellybean seems to think the school is well aware of the negative attention out facilities are getting nationally but that the wheels were creeping along slowly even before that. To me, bringing in Jim Gulick was a sign there was a serious move being made for securing major funds. After success like this and hopefully similar success next year, the school cannot afford to take a step back as a result of circumstances completely within their control Hoops or anyone else......please tell me just what Jim Gullick has done to warrant praise and or hope something will get done? Frankly I have been very unimpressed with him. I don't believe the school has an urgency to get something done. I have been hearing this for a few years and nothing has happened. Until I see it happen I just don't believe it.
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