McFan

I too attended.

Dane Pound hit the biggest points that struck me too. Jamar and Levi lost weight and were with out a doubt quicker. Jamar more like he was freshman year. Levi, like I've never seen him before.

Siggers very athletic, but I liked a couple of Jamars dunks the best in warmups (helped by the weight loss?). Siggers was very aggressive defensively and offensively (will not lead the team in assist).

Jamars D was impressive and also grabbed a couple of big boards.

One thing I saw was that Covington is ready to play and battled the other bigs very competitively. He didn't show much offense, but had little opportunity.

If Levi can play with that quickness and intensity this season this team will greatly improve and the others looking for minutes in his slot better be ready to go.

Well run scrimmage.

One other note that I think is impressive is the attititude and approach of this team and coach. I think you'd be hard pressed to put fourteen 18-22 year olds in a gym and not have some quetionable language (just out of habit). But in a gym with only 200 I did not hear one obscenity. Maybe my bar is low, but I think thats a good thing. A nice reflection on the coach and program as a whole. This has been the case under Coach Brown (absent the Levi incident, which was handled).

I continue to be cautiously opptimistic and can't wait for these games to start.

I'm going to try and make it. Want to see the Cross Country meet too. And for both will require a permission slip.

Thanks, a little slow on the draw.

Captians eh?  As long as they aren't the team's academic captains I guess we'll be ok. 

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Did I miss something?

Looks like a nice pickup, but better be a strong 185 to replace Levi.

Those seem to be the big ones. I'd like to add one.

Will Jordan play like he did early in the season or late in the season?

I also find many of those questions dependant on the answers to others.

If Iati shoots well then Jamar's ratio will improve.

If Zoellner shoots 41% and has the T/O's then at least one of the 4 rookies better contribute.

If Lillis is healthy, I think Jamar's ratio will improve and Iati will shoot the ball well.

I too look forward to the start of the season. Ordered my tickets yesterday. Well, I tried. Left a message around noon and have yet had a return call. Not that I'm worried about being shutout, but it is surprising that no one returned the call.

With no knowledge of the $ of these things, I had the same thought when I read the TU article. They are going to need some other programming and hopefully the AE would fill that void.

Does the Big East play Tuesdays normally? And AE Wednesdays? Natural fit.

Let's hope this is something that has a short/full recovery. Outside of Jamar, this is the guy I was looking forward to watching this year. His combination of size, energy, athleticism, and court knowledge is tough to find and great to watch.

I fully expected Lillis to be starting by mid-year. Tough to displace proven players but the way he played the second half of last year he would be fighting for a spot. I don't know which or whose spot but somewhere. Or maybe he would be the Kevin McHale of Albany, playing 30+ minutes off of the bench.

A lot of nice recruits here but Joe Greene at 47.9 in the 400 and a NYS champion is very impressive.

72- Thanks for the info. Do you think the football program would be more of a target with a $600M budget with current attendance or a $3MM budget with 5K fans? Is 5K fans a good target or should we expect more?

To answer my own question I guess that would mainly depend on student attendance. With the basketball program expected to do very well I think that would be a gauge on how things would be with a winning program.

In a perfect world I too would prefer more competitive football and no cutting of other programs. But as many have stated the $ rules.

You are correct Dane96. But that partly proves my point. I am more of an NFL fan but if Hofstra was playing Delaware in my back yard I might not go if the weather wasn't perfect. Again, I am not a big college football fan but I think that is the case with a lot of people in this area.

I do lack knowledge in this area, but how many scholarships and coaches, or the real question, how much money does it take to run a program like a Hofstra? Is it a money maker for the school? Does anyone apply (non player) to Hoftsra because of their football program? Any real recoginition outside of diehard football fans with some connection to 1AA?

I agree with those that don't want to cut programs. Participation and opportunity is still important. The cutting of the wrestling program was a disaster. That is a sport we may have been able to compete.

Sorry to the football fans, but Albany will never be a major D-1 football power or even true mid-level. The funding, the weather, the community support, and the location make it nearly impossible. Football is a Southern sport and will continue to be so. It's huge news in this whole area when a player gets drafted and even when they get a D-1 scholarship. I have relatives in Atlanta and they have multiple NFL players from their high school, and pages of D-1 players. None of these guys is going to Albany over Georgia, Georgia Tech, or even South Florida or Georgia Southern. The Northern schools that are successful are tradition programs and even they are struggling (see N.D., Syracuse).

If $ is to be focused then basketball should be the program. Twelve scholarships and what 4 coaches as compared to football (what is the number of scholarships and coaches there?).

Many other programs can then be sustained at competitive level regionally and possibly national levels with much lower costs than football.

I too support athletics (very little) and would be hard pressed to continue if their were a number of teams cut.

Good luck to these athletes.

A good article from the TU, but I wish I knew what his (Burns) chances are. At this point you know who qualified and what their times are. In all liklihood they have been seeded by this time.

Also I wasn't familiar enough with some of the other athletes and coaches to vote, but if Burns makes it to nationals he should move up everyones list. Also a huge fan of Coach Vives and what he does with this program every year.

Brief article on Hall hosting a Town Hall in the Business Review (online version).

http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stori...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

Thanks, I missed it.

Were there any articles on this, I haven't seen anything?

Now I'm with you.

The logic is tough to follow due to the fact that the premise is not logical. But I'll try anyway.

My understanding from TU articles only is that right now Browns contract ends 9/05 + 6-months = 3/06 covering the 05-06 season.

A one-year extension would run through 9/06 + 6-months = 3/07 covering the 06-07 season.

Wishful thinking?

Did McElroy hire Beeten?

Brain just hit another gear.

Does McElroy consider a one year extension a two-year extension based on the September date and the 6 month clause?

That would make me feel a little better.

Never one to admit a mistake. I too am troubled by some of these statements. I have previously stated that maybe it was all negotiations, and maybe Brown was using his success to hold the University's feet to the fire. While all this my still be true. McElroy can not speak like this about the coach that has turned this program around.

Another first round exit in America East, then you can be concerned, but not yet. And, as Etkin points out, to even mention the career record is just wrong. Taking over for the mess that Beeten (was he a McElroy hire?) left behind. Faced with injuries and just a lack of bodies the team battled and Coach Brown can't take the hit for that.

Two players leaving I wouldn't think is a huge issue (or even issue). Again, maybe if it happens on a repeated basis (with his recruits), then Brown has to answer.

Here is the real pickle if the one year extension is true. McElroy seems to want a playoff victory. If this team wins the regular season and makes it to the finals of America East (win or lose). Where does Coach Brown end up the following year? Will he hold it against the University? Will the University then open the wallet and long term the deal?

Correct. I hope there is. And I thought I have seen that word in some of the articles (could be wrong).

First off, I have no insider info., no first hand dealings with Coach Brown or Lee McElroy.

We need to remember this is a negotiation. Coach Brown has done a very good to excellent job with this team. This puts him in a strong negotiating position and the University at a weak position. I personally hope the two ends can meet, but what if the Coach is trying to strongarm (again, no idea if this is happening, but when I'm in a strong position I certainly look to get as much as I can) the University into a deal longer than they want to go or at a salary that they just can't justify or afford. No matter how good Coach Brown is if his price is too high then its too high.

Hey if I see a Rolls-Royce at a bargain price, I still can't afford it.

Let's just hope both sides negotiate in good faith and are truly committed to continuing the improvements that this team has shown. We all look forward to competing for an America East title in the near future.

There were also a couple of B'ball players at the Track meet.

Off topic but was wondering if in the picture on the front page of the TU, is that one of the regular RACC Rowdies?

With the weather looking good this is a good chance for locals to see some great performances and support one of the Universitys top programs.

From the UAlbany website.

UALBANY TRACK & FIELD WILL HOST 11TH ANNUAL SPRING CLASSIC

Albany, N.Y. – The University at Albany track and field program will host the 11th Annual UAlbany Spring Classic on Friday and Saturday, April 15-16 at University Field. More than 300 athletes from eight different schools will participate in the event.

Junior Gered Burns will run the anchor leg on the men’s 4x400 relay, teaming with Junior Burnett, Stephan Evans and Jeremiah Wilson. Sophomore Alyssa Lotmore will race in both the 800- and 1500-meter events, while senior Nicole Susser is scheduled to compete in the 800.

The UAlbany Spring Classic will begin on Friday at 4:00 p.m. with the women’s heptathlon and men’s decathlon. The multi-events will continue on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Field events are scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, with running events beginning at 1:00 p.m.

This goes back a bit. But there were some nice head to head matchups between UA Alum and Hall of Famer Bill Vanos and Tom Dalton in the early 90's. My biased recollection is that Vanos won most if not every time.