z8-Minutemen

UMass fans don't love the NIT at all. They love watching their team play as many games as possible, and they love watching their team play with heart. Something Dayton fans could not say at the end of last year.

I will be sorely disappointed if we play in the NIT next year, but for now that was good postseason experience for the Minutemen that will carry into next season. You can say it doesn't matter at all, and I agree, but that is coming from a fan perspective. The UMass players clearly would have preferred an NCAAT bid, but they seemed to appreciate and make the most of the situation they were in, playing very passionate ball like in the Drexel game(which was in fact a crazy playoff atmosphere). They showed that they are a great group of kids who just love to play basketball, no matter the circumstance, and Dayton played like they didn't want to be there. You can say it doesn't matter, but that's an excuse. I'll take the team with more talent and character, thank you very much..

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Dallas Cowboys- 5 super bowls and counting...

UMass Minutemen- 8 tournament appearances, 1 final four. Alumni: Julius 'Dr. J' Erving, Marcus Camby

Northeastern Huskies- 7 tournament appearances. Alumni: Reggie Lewis, Jose Juan 'JJ' Barea

ktabz16

returning our 6th and 7th guys that were hurt for most of the season plus adding in one of our better guard recruits in years, plus adding florida all state center plus adding a 7 footer means we go 3 deep at center with 5 forwards and 5 guards that will all contend for time. we don't need any of these newcomers to contribute right away to be good, dayton does.

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we don't suck

Knobby

.....Said the guy from the team that quit.

I AM NOT speaking for z8 despite his point being the same as mine.

Dayton quit, and that is a character issue IMO. Granted, Dayton fell short of and Umass exceded expectations fot the season, but the whole f-ing point of the basketball stuff is to play games and play as many as possible.

Where does Dayton get off giving up like that, and the excuse mongers saying "they didn't care anyway". That is BS Adam - and you know it. It is not like Dayton is coming off a 5 year NCAA run or something, and it is not like three was an overwhelming expectation to be an NCAA 4 seed instead of an NIT participant either. If Dayton got the home game (that they earned) in the NIT game this year - you can bet your arse that barn of yours would have been at capacity. Umass would not have filled their building if the tickets were free.

As far as your "doesn't mean anything for next year" comment - You are wrong. There are no guarantees, but when a team who is not used to winning has some success and learns how to win, that is a huge building block and especially when most or all of your vital positions are returning. Many teams with NIT success actually do get even better and and make the big dance the next year - You just have sour grapes because Dayton parlayed their NIT Championship into an NIT first round loss the next year (oh and the next year too). It didn't work for Ford's team a few years back because they lost too many parts, but this year's Umass team is basically in tact, and they will be even better next year with the experience.

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Well, we were smaller, but at least we were slower!

z8-Minutemen

I'm sorry Knobby, but you are speaking for me too. We agree. Acknowledge that fact instead of neglecting it. You sir, Mr. Knobby, are agreeing with Mr. z8, and you can't deny that fact.

It's OK to agree with someone on a good point. Don't worry, it doesn't make you crazy to do so. Give credit where credit is due my friend.

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Dallas Cowboys- 5 super bowls and counting...

UMass Minutemen- 8 tournament appearances, 1 final four. Alumni: Julius 'Dr. J' Erving, Marcus Camby

Northeastern Huskies- 7 tournament appearances. Alumni: Reggie Lewis, Jose Juan 'JJ' Barea

ExplorerSteve

The Lion Sleeps Tonight...

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www.LaSalle-Explorers.com Unofficial Source for FREE LaSalle Explorers Information along with "Explorers Universe" Messageboard.

jdm2000

Camby has admitted taking money. You're disputing how much he took? Why would the agents lie about giving him money? I don't see what's in it for them to do that.

SpiderDave19

I have no idea what the source of that quote is....and have seen varying reports of the amount....and couldn't really care less about the amount. The team was guilty of nothing that gave any semblance of a competitive advantage.

SpiderDave19

Actually, the team (and coach, believe it or not), were guilty of nothing at all. One kid took x dollars....again, big flippin deal.

MudFlap

So you're saying Umass would have gone to the Final Four without Camby? You're saying it was ok to pay him? No big deal? If they caught him the day b4 March Madness started, they would have gone anyway? Ha, they probably wouldn't have been allowed in the tournament for paying a player all year. Do you think if that happened the Nets would have given Cal the 15 million later in 96? Sorry, it was a big deal.

Bill Russell

I also find it hard to believe Calipari was just totally clueless to all of those payments. Hopefully this won't start another war with UMass fans, but I can't fathom how anyone can look at Calipari's track record--whether he, as an individual, has ever been pinpointed or not--and not think he's a slime bag.

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www.bonaalumni.com

MudFlap

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/bl...ollege-sports/

ItsyBitsySpiderII

Calipari is sleeze.Two vacated final fours at two programs. Hold the victim card please.

Knobby

Every head coach has a skeleton in his closet - EVERY ONE. It may be a recruiting thing, a girlfriend thing, a grade thing, maybe pushing some kid aside for a better recruit, or whatever; they all have something. Calapari can coach college basketball - period. He is one of the best we have ever seen IMO.

Division 1 College sports and the system that feeds it is just as corrupt as government or religion. Unless someone is really going to fix it - I could care less because one team's lilly white coach today can be exposed as a fraud the next day - it happens all the time. The truely great ones just don't get caught and some are better at it than others.

I wouldn't trade what I watched in Amherst from 1989 to 1996 for anything (Basketball related). If any of your teams had that same run with a similar outcome and then came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it - you would be lying; and you CAN'T make that assertion until you have lived it yourself - which most of you have not.

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Well, we were smaller, but at least we were slower!

Knobby

If Calapari left UK right now - today - and came to Richmond - would you denouce your school and root for another team? It is easy to give the moral highroad answer since it is not happening. I only wish it would one day just to prove them all wrong.

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Well, we were smaller, but at least we were slower!

Knobby

Agreeing with you and speaking for you are two separate things - stay in school - you still need to learn a few things.

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Well, we were smaller, but at least we were slower!