Out to sea

[Dane Pound]

This blurb from Hoopville:

 

Basketball on the High Seas: With the blessing of the Defense Department, North Carolina, Michigan State, Air Force and Navy will play a doubleheader on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier next season. ESPN would broadcast the games that would bring some of the nation's best programs to the nation's armed forces.

 

You'd think with an admiral as president UA couldn't have gotten in one something like this.

[AlbanyObserver]

Is this really a safe idea with our country and the world still sorting out terrorism issues??? I love the idea, but has the NCAA approved this as well???

[Dane Pound]

I doubt they would be very far out of port, if at all. If it is unsafe I could offer some other teams we'd like to see out there.

[DaneFan2k3]

First off why would they want a team like UAlbany in that game?

 

Clearly with North Carolina and Michigan State they are gunning for the "money" names for this publicity stunt game.

 

Also, the people at Michigan State approached them about doing it. They are used to those types of things, i.e. setting the NCAA hockey attendance record with an outdoor game, playing hoops inside the domed Ford Field, etc. etc.

 

And secondly, the ship would be docked, so it wouldn't be out to sea at all. So how would that not be safe? It would have to be docked so the deck wouldn't pitch and throw the game off. At sea those things can rock, but in port a few waves won't even be felt by the players.

 

PS - The Admiral (ours, not David Robinson) is only the interim president and isn't even going to be a candidate for the UAlbany job full-time. And discussions on the Navy-Air Force ship games were going on for some time, long before he came on board with us last week (or whenever it was).

Edited March 4, 2004 by DaneFan2k3