America East Championship--UAlbany at Vermont

[purplehaze]

Last years was nice---but this one--words cannot describe! The whole team did what they needed to win this! We quieted the Vermont fans! Patrick Gym will never be the same!

[CatsFan]

Last years was nice---but this one--words cannot describe! The whole team did what they needed to win this! We quieted the Vermont fans! Patrick Gym will never be the same!

 

Patrick gym needs to be replaced. This is a sentiment that all Vermont fans agree with. People were scalping tickets for up to $75-100 a piece in Burlington. That wouldnt happen if we had a real arena.

 

Good game again!

[albanyhoops31]

What was shocking, is that, at least on TV, it seemed like Vermont fans were...dead. I mean, it looked like 90 percent of them weren't awake...however, albany seemed to OWN the gym...the fans were wayy louder with that "UA-UA UA UA..." chant...

 

Just an awesome site. Words can not describe this!

[UAlbany09]

Last years was nice---but this one--words cannot describe! The whole team did what they needed to win this! We quieted the Vermont fans! Patrick Gym will never be the same!

 

Patrick gym needs to be replaced. This is a sentiment that all Vermont fans agree with. People were scalping tickets for up to $75-100 a piece in Burlington. That wouldnt happen if we had a real arena.

 

Good game again!

 

Vermont definitely deserves an actual arena. The city of Burlington doesn't have their own arena like the city of Albany does?

[Mattmo]

What was shocking, is that, at least on TV, it seemed like Vermont fans were...dead. I mean, it looked like 90 percent of them weren't awake...however, albany seemed to OWN the gym...the fans were wayy louder with that "UA-UA UA UA..." chant...

 

Just an awesome site. Words can not describe this!

 

Congrats on the win. If you know anything about Vermont fans, they are a bunch of senior citizens who just sit on their ass the whole time. Students went away on break...but it isnt like they cared about the season anyway. The loyal students who went to every home game where the ones who showed up at 6am to get tickets, but that is maybe only 50 people. The fact that at 3:30 on the day they put student tickets on sale, one of my suitemates was able to go get one is pretty lame. The student section stood for the whole game, I honestly think we put our best effort forth in trying to get loud, but when the others don't want to....Also, I've seen or heard of at least 4 instances during the game today where people sitting in the non-student section were told to sit down by others because they couldnt see the game. Its pathetic. Yeah sure, these people have gone for 30 years or whatever and endured sucky basketball (I did too as a kid...I remember when nobody gave a $iena if you had a ticket or not, you could just walk in), but still ITS THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!! Don't you think we should be cheering our asses off? Its frustrating. I'm proud to be a Vermonter and a UVM student, but I have to say, I mostly strongly dislike most Vermonters. They all don't like change and are stubborn people who want to keep their own podunk ways the way they have been for 25 years. Its no wonder we are having a problem keeping the state's "young people" here to live...and it basically is because of that. Sorry for ranting...it isnt really about the game, but I think it provides an insight into the lack of cheering (stubborn old people), and how we probably won't see a new facility being built for a long time (stubborn old people who hate change). I'm sure old people will get mad at me, some have already on the Vermont board...but I wish I could care. I'd rather die young living the fast life cheering like hell for my team than sitting on my butt during a game.

 

I commend you guys for being loud, regardless of how old you were, and regardless of how annoying that UA chant is. . Your band was better too...like our students, our band didn't know there was a basketball team until maybe 2-3 weeks ago.

 

Do you guys have an official student fan group on campus? I know winning goes a long way, but how do you convince you students to come back (besides winning)? Just curious. It seems to me that the local community is more embracive of the students who attend games in Albany than UVM is with theirs.

 

Again, congrats.

[B9j2j6s]

Mattmo thanks for the comment on the band I think that our biggest contribution to this year was our cheering (including the UA chant), I do a charge cheer everytime an opponent commits a charge against UA and our drummers roll during free throws. I'm surprised that UVM's band and fans were not as organized given past success in the T.J. and T.C. years. The only cheer I could make out during the game from Vermont was Go Cats Go.

 

 

 

To answer your question about student group on campus they are called the RACC/SEFCU rowdies. They do a good job bringing in some of the more vocal students. Winning helps bring in students, as for local community members interacting with students I'll let someone with more age then me answer that.

[olddog71]

Mattmo,

 

First of all, thanks for your kind words on the game today. I know you must be very disappointed with the result, and it will probably remain as a bad image in your mind for a long time. I remember at least two UAlbany games I saw where I wish the last play had turned out differently. One game occurred more than 10 years ago, and a second game another decade or so even before that. I keep playing the last scene out occasionally. Obviously, for me, today helps get make those images blur more and more.

 

UVM will be the force next year. I think you and BU will be the odds-on favorite to take the conference championship in 2008, but I hope we will still be a contender.

 

As far as UVM fans, I have a different image of them. I have never been to Patrick, but the several times when I saw UVM play in Albany I was impressed by the number and passion of UVM fans - more so than by any other fans in the conference. Even last year, when UVM was going through very poor spurts in the championship game and Vermont had fallen very far behind in the game, UVM fans were loud and loyal. It really kind of shocked me. Perhaps only the most passionate fans attend road games, so I'm not getting a true picture of the typical UVM fan. Anyway, I just wanted to share with you the views of one outsider.

 

Best of luck the rest of this season. I hope we both make it to the NCAA.

[Mattmo]

I think that comes to the suprise of many when they actually come to Patrick Gym. What I find is, on the road, or a nuetral place, like the conference tourney, Vermont fans are louder and have more fun as well. Its because when you go into a place like Albany as we did this season, its "us against you", and everyone gets the "we gotta stick together" mentality. At home...well, everyone is a Vermont fan, so it isn't as important. I'm sure that with anyone from Albany who made the trek to Burlington felt the same way as an opponent in a "hostile environment". The people who go to the games and travel on the road are very capable of getting loud and cheering at home...it just seems they have to be prompted quite a bit. Not having enough students doesn't help, because they are the ones who should be getting people going, but it gets me when our assistant coaches (all who played at big time schools, Maryland, Louisville, Colorado, so they are used to loud places), put their hands in the air to try and get our crowd loud, and they will, for about 5 seconds then back to sitting.

 

Our fans are a real supportive bunch. We supported losing for a long long time. In terms of people supporting the team no matter what, the local folk do a great job at that. The reality is, they aren't gonna do much other than show up to the game and golf clap. I wish that would change, but like I said before. It won't. Therefore, the responsibility lies with the students to make some noise and increase their presence, and demand to be at games. We'll see if that happens too. I sure hope so.

 

I wish we could both be in the tourney, unfortunately, of the losses we had this year, they were ones that really hurt our resume. Harvard, Towson and Maine losses don't bode too well for at large bids...and not in a one-bid league either. If UVM had won the Harvard and Towson games...went undefeated in conference or hell, even traded the Maine loss for an Albany loss, then there might be something to it, but oh well. Maybe we get an interesting NIT matchup and smoke some 7th place BCS team and make a run to MSG.

 

Good luck...I think a 14-15 seed is likely tomorrow. Just hope you aren't sent to Spokane.

[B9j2j6s]

If anyone was intrested to see the Vermont take on the game. BTW I love "the u wear purple" chant and for the record YES WE DO

 

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=6208275

[UAalum72]

Didn't realize Holm hurt his ankle

 

Five busloads rolling thru the farmland, reminded me of scenes in Hoosiers

 

Like to know how three UVM fans got seats in our section.

 

One Albany fan was asking people to sit down, was told 'you should have stayed home to watch on ESPN'

 

One of the great joys of a road trip is being loud enough long enough to really annoy the home fans.

 

Albany fans stood during the game and sat down at halftime; UVM fans sat during the game and stood up at the half, mostly (actually that's what I usually during the regular season, but I jump up once in a while)

[OrangeDane]

Atmosphere was electric...fueled in large measure by the energy of the "Purple Army"...everyone that was there should be proud of what they did..

cheering constantly and staying involved throughout...the "instant victory" nature of the final moments was one of the most incredible

moments I have experienced in college sports...it was pure joy and pandemonium...and...just a few feet away...hoards in Gold and Green T-shirts sat in stunned disbelief..

the VT faithful could not move....if this was not a rivalry before...it is now and it probably always will be!!!...kudos to the UA students for their energy and

spirit...you kept us old f*%*-rts involved and on our feet...mostly though incredible kudos to Coach Brown and the staff for brilliant game preparation

and to the kids for tenaciously executing that game plan...there were several occasions where they could've broke down..but they sucked it up played incredible D

and got it done...I think they took to heart the sign somebody held up before the game that said "the drive up here sucked, so let's just win the game!!!"...

 

Great job by everyone!!!

[McFan]

I had a husband wife UVM fans in front of me, dead in the center of the UA section. I couldn't believe when the husband started yelling at people to sit down and saying "its in the rules". At first I thought he was an Albany fan, but then I notice his hat (which he wasn't wearing) had the V on it. He refused to stand up. I politely said "enjoy the game sir". I eventually noticed that he had in earplugs. His wife loosened up a bit and would stand if people stood in front of her, but not him. Sat there angry the whole time.

 

Why does someone like this come to a championship game.

 

As for the game, this was one of the best games I've seen in person ever. A battle from start to finish. Big plays. Exciting plays. And the right outcome.

 

Where to next? My preference Chicago or Buffalo (just for convenience and I already have tickets).

[purplehaze]

I had a husband wife UVM fans in front of me, dead in the center of the UA section. I couldn't believe when the husband started yelling at people to sit down and saying "its in the rules". At first I thought he was an Albany fan, but then I notice his hat (which he wasn't wearing) had the V on it. He refused to stand up. I politely said "enjoy the game sir". I eventually noticed that he had in earplugs. His wife loosened up a bit and would stand if people stood in front of her, but not him. Sat there angry the whole time.

 

Why does someone like this come to a championship game.

 

As for the game, this was one of the best games I've seen in person ever. A battle from start to finish. Big plays. Exciting plays. And the right outcome.

 

Where to next? My preference Chicago or Buffalo (just for convenience and I already have tickets).

I had 2 UVM fans in my row up near the top---where it was about 100 degrees----they were polite and very quiet---how did these people get tickets in section 8 and 10? Did they get them from UAlbany?? there were at least 6 to 8 UVMers sprinkled through our section. It worked out for us.....they get to watch the NIT selection show at 9PM on ESPN.

[Dane Pound]

In an arena with a couple of thousand people in it I guess everyone's experience is going to be different. In both my visits to Patrick Gym this year I thought Vermont fans were friendly and hospitiable. Free pizza and soda right off the bus when we got there. One Vermont fan came over to make sure we knew they were giving out ice cream outside (of course it was 20 degrees out there).

 

The noise factor has probably been overrated for a while in Burlington. It's been a tough place to play because they've had great teams there, not necessarily because of the crowd noise.

 

As for Albany, one of the great things about watching a championship team come together is seeing some of the players who've been maligned somewhat (Iati, Gifford, Ross to a degree) step up and contribute. It's easy to forget that in December when your notice what's wrong with a player but ultimetly to get where you're going you need something from everybody.

 

This game was even sweeter at Burlington. I don't think it would have been nearly as enjoyable had we been playing UMBC at the CUE, not that I would have complained. This was the way it was supposed to be, Jamar Wilson winning his last game at Patrick Gym. No demons of past games, no ghosts of previous nightmares there, just the validation of beating a very good team on their home court.

 

Great to see Jamar leading the UA - U KNOW !!! chant while coming down the ladder from cutting down the nets. We couldn't have had a better player come in at a better time to build what this program is becoming. He maybe could have been a terrific player at a bigger school but he'll be royalty at UA for a long time.

[Patch]

DP great post, in a 1 point games alot of contributions lead to the narrowest of victories, the season is like a marathon its not who's out in front at the beginning that really counts.

 

It's great to see a team continue to grow throughout the season and to observe players learning and improving in their roles.

 

Some example of how to win close games......

 

1. Ross playing like an energizer bunny

2. Iati with a BIG three

3. Gifford playing with grit and determination.

 

How about that last defensive sequence to end the game (watch the highlight tape of it)....

 

1.Ross keeps the pressure on Trimboli

2. Lillis "the quiet assassin" jumps out and deflects the ball

3. Brett Gifford goes belly on the floor to keep it alive

4. Carl taps the ball away

5. Brent picks it up as throws it down court

 

All of this in 1 sequence

 

By the way where was Jamar????

I guess he was protecting the basket just in case!

 

UA is a TEAM!!!!!!!

 

ps - update your footer 2007 AE Men's basketball Tournament Champions