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[statefan]

The following is the beginning of an article Mark Singelais wrote 9 years ago on the Sunday preceding the University vote to upgrade to Division 1 athletics:

 

HEADLINE: UAlbany nears move to Division I

 

BYLINE: MARK SINGELAIS; Staff writer Albany Imagine the ESPN cameras pointed at mid-court at the University at Albany, moments before the opening jump ball. The Great Danes are playing against, say, Boston University for the right to go to the NCAA tournament.

 

BODY:

Imagine a packed house at the 5,000-seat Recreation and Convocation Center. It takes a fertile imagination, especially for anyone who has seen the sparse crowds that often attend Great Dane games, but suspend your disbelief. Picture sienafan Vitale raving about UAlbany before a national television audience. ''Albany is awesome, with a capital A,'' he might say.

 

Envision UAlbany guard Matt Haggarty going in for the game-winning dunk, and university president Karen Hitchcock cutting down the net in triumph.

 

Far-fetched? Probably, at least in the short run. The UAlbany basketball program could struggle in the first few years at Division I, should the university decide to proceed with its plan to move up from Division II, observers say. Other sports might struggle also, and there's no guarantee that UAlbany's lukewarm fan support will heat up.

[haggyland]

Nice find with the article.

There is nothing quite like discouraging growth in the region. I think I am beginning to fully understand the local bias.

Edited March 6, 2006 by haggyland

[Dane Pound]

Great find Statefan

Far-fetched? Probably, at least in the short run. The UAlbany basketball program could struggle in the first few years at Division I, should the university decide to proceed with its plan to move up from Division II, observers say. Other sports might struggle also, and there's no guarantee that UAlbany's lukewarm fan support will heat up.

12396[/snapback]

 

As Alumni92 and I were discussing yesterday this seemed far-fetched as short as two years ago in Boston when Albany was in the play-in game in front of pretty much no one. There were probably more people at the Events Center yesterday than at the RACC most home games that year. Now the RACC will likely sell-out by tomorrow afternoon.

[KingDane]

There are not one, but two, keys to achieving local dominence. 1). Getting to the tournament this time and in subsequent years (and maybe giving them something to talk about when we get there), and 2). Beating up on Siena every year.

 

Winning the AE is great and in no way am I minimizing where we stand right now. But it's called 'bragging rights' for a reason. We blew that opportunity and its not possible to undo the damage until next year.

[olddog71]

Statefan,

 

Let me add my voice of approval on your discovery.

 

This gem should be posted on the history section of our site.

[UA66]

As much as I would like to see the Danes beat the kids from Loudonville every year, the national reputation of UA basketball will be built on how well we do in our conference each year and, as you said, getting to the NCAAs often. The other game is mostly for local folks. We lost to the Loudonville kids this year but look at the crowds at the RACC after we really got rolling. The game against Vermont when students were on break brought out a very lrage contingent of local community fans.

[bob87]

As much as I would like to see the Danes beat the kids from Loudonville every year, the national reputation of UA basketball will be built on how well we do in our conference each year and, as you said, getting to the NCAAs often.  The other game is mostly for local folks.  We lost to the Loudonville kids this year but look at the crowds at the RACC after we really got rolling.  The game against Vermont when students were on break brought out a very lrage contingent of local community fans.

12425[/snapback]

 

 

Exactly. The most excited I felt at a game up until that point was last year when we beat Loundonville 86-65. But this weekend was So much better. It is called March madness not December madness for a reason. I have attended 90+% of the home games over the last 7 years and many road games but I have never looked more forward to a game than this Saturday. It is on ESPN in our house for a ticket for the big dance