Very Interesting Quote From Mick Cronin

[MUwarrior1090]

Shout out to me for being a subscriber to this board for a few years and just now realizing what IWB stands for. Thanks, Crisco.

[Mucrisco]

Shout out to me for being a subscriber to this board for a few years and just now realizing what IWB stands for. Thanks, Crisco.

IWB should tell the story. It's one of the best.

[IWB]

For cripes sake... Here goes...

Gato, Little Bro, the Chief Justice of the United States and I were in New York for the NFL Draft. Oh, excuse me, I mean the Annual Selection Meetings of the National Football League. So one night we are out walking through Times Square and you know how there are street musicians? Well, there is this group of about 8 little kids rapping. Thing is, they were so good that there was a good sized crowd listening to them. Out of nowhere people started running across the street in droves, and I mean in moving traffic. Cars are slamming on their brakes, I saw one guy fly up onto the hood of a car and I yell, "What in the Hell is going on?" Someone explained it. "Jessie the Homeless VJ from MTV was going live across the street!"

I had a history of going off on rants, and this was no exception, so I went off. "Someone is going to get hit and killed by a car just to see a homeless guy on TV?!?!? What in the hell?!?!" I went off for what seemed in my head like 20 minutes, but was probably just two. When I got done ranting I am all heated up and then...you know how you get the feeling like someone is staring at you?

I look to my right, then down, and there is the little lead singer of the rap band staring up at me with eyes as wide as saucers. He points his finger at me and yells, "MAN! YOU ONE IRRITATED WHITE BOY!!!" Still worked up and now confused, I look to my left and there are Gato78 and Little Bro nodding their heads up and down with smiles like kids on Christmas morning and then they say in unison, "Oh yeah, the Irritated White Boy!"

The rest is history.

[IWB]

So now back to the conference tournaments... They are always better, as Gato pointed out - you know the teams, the coaches, the players and even the fan bases. You know the Memphis Dance Team, the USF Sun Dolls, Benny the Bull... When it was C-USA I went every year, and would run into various people and fans every year. It was a blast. You hated each other but all was good. Then there are the antics, like the first year that USF ever made it? In Cincy I think, five guys come in orange jump suits, hand cuffed and shackled together with Cincy players names and numbers on the back. Mid way through a game security was removing them, the place went crazy in their defense.

AND THAT WAS JUST C-USA!!

Add on the Big East, NYC, Madison Square Garden... It is the soul of college basketball.

[Goose85]

For cripes sake... Here goes...

Gato, Little Bro, the Chief Justice of the United States and I were in New York for the NFL Draft. Oh, excuse me, I mean the Annual Selection Meetings of the National Football League. So one night we are out walking through Times Square and you know how there are street musicians? Well, there is this group of about 8 little kids rapping. Thing is, they were so good that there was a good sized crowd listening to them. Out of nowhere people started running across the street in droves, and I mean in moving traffic. Cars are slamming on their brakes, I saw one guy fly up onto the hood of a car and I yell, "What in the Hell is going on?" Someone explained it. "Jessie the Homeless VJ from MTV was going live across the street!"

I had a history of going off on rants, and this was no exception, so I went off. "Someone is going to get hit and killed by a car just to see a homeless guy on TV?!?!? What in the hell?!?!" I went off for what seemed in my head like 20 minutes, but was probably just two. When I got done ranting I am all heated up and then...you know how you get the feeling like someone is staring at you?

I look to my right, then down, and there is the little lead singer of the rap band staring up at me with eyes as wide as saucers. He points his finger at me and yells, "MAN! YOU ONE IRRITATED WHITE BOY!!!" Still worked up and now confused, I look to my left and there are Gato78 and Little Bro nodding their heads up and down with smiles like kids on Christmas morning and then they say in unison, "Oh yeah, the Irritated White Boy!"

The rest is history.

For crying out loud IWB, on your board I'm Goose85.
The rest of the story is not only accurate, but was hilarious in person. And all a beet red faced IWB could do was shake his head and laugh knowing the nickname would certainly stick. Almost as good as the cheering section IWB had while climbing the rock wall at the Times Square ESPN Zone. That was worth the price of admission.

[TheSultan]

Also, I am not a big fan of the local games. Sure, it is great when MU plays in Indy or Minneapolis as it is an easy drive, but that doesn't make it a home game. Look at when Wisconsin played in Milwaukee. It took away the entire atmosphere of the NCAA tourney. This is not a knock on UW fans as if MU was in Madison I would be there too. But one thing I love is that when the tourney is in Milwaukee, there are fans from every school. Go into Goolsby's or Buck Bradley's or any bar on Old World 3rd Street or Water Street - everywhere you look you see a table of different fans - Minnesota, California, UNI, Alabama, Toledo... but when UW was in Milwaukee, every bar was 99% UW fans. Then you go to the game - the stadium was all UW fans and that takes away from the NCAA experience. Then what happened on Day 2? They all spent so damn much money on tickets Day 1, that they didn't go Day 2. When I heard how much people had spent Day 1, I was going to sell my tickets Day 2 - absolutely zero buyers.

But the NCAA takes it to a whole new level with their love for Duke & UNC...

1st & 2nd Round
2008 - Raleigh, NC
2009 - Greensboro, NC
2010 - None in NC? Hmm...
2011 - Charlotte, NC
2012 - Greensboro, NC
2013 - None in NC? Hmm...
2014 - Raleigh, NC
2015 - Charlotte, NC
2016 - Raleigh, NC
2017 - Greensboro, NC
2018 - Charlotte, NC

Last 10 years plus next year, 2 out of 11 years haven't had games in North Carolina. Since the pod system has been in place (2012) they have had games in NC every year. (Can't count 2013 as it was already scheduled).

Anyone still think there is no NCAA bias to these schools?

There won't be games in North Carolina this year. The NCAA moved them from Greensboro due to the bathroom bill issue - they are in Greenville, SC instead. I don't think the ones in Charlotte for 2018 have been moved yet.

[MU/Panther]

NCAA should go to new cities. So, what if the arena holds 12,000.

[Nukem2]

NCAA should go to new cities. So, what if the arena holds 12,000.

Agree. Mostly a TV event but for the schools involved.

[TheSultan]

For instance, the Resch Center is nice enough to host the first two rounds. I'm sure there is plenty of hotel space right?

[MU/Panther]

For instance, the Resch Center is nice enough to host the first two rounds. I'm sure there is plenty of hotel space right?

One would think. It would grow the city in terms of college basketball.

UW-Madison hosted a regional final and nothing since. Odd.