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jaydogsmooth1

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The grandaddy of em all starts today (or what used to be the GD, but still pretty good)
The Big East Tournament begins in earnest at MSG

The Johnnies kick things off at 3pm
Followed by the Smurfs at 5:30
Closing with Nova at 8

Sure it's watered down, but nothing beats day drinking at The Garden
The place is magical
The fans & alumni are into it

This is college bball at its finest
Truly a great time of year !!!
 
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Having been to both BET and Big Ten tourney I will say the Big Ten blows it out of the water. Especially in Chicago and Indy, but also when it was in DC and MSG. No fan bases take over cities like the Big Ten. Fans everywhere it feels like a giant party or at Disneyland. The Big East tourney was special because of the traveling fanbases like Syracuse, UConn, Notre Dame, Villanova .. unfortunately those days are gone and other than a couple schools, most of who’s left aren’t taking over NYC .. Marquette, DePaul, Xavier Creighton etc … even the worst teams in the Big Ten you’d see their fans everywhere
 
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jaydogsmooth1 said:
The grandaddy of em all starts today (or what used to be the GD, but still pretty good)
The Big East Tournament begins in earnest at MSG

The Johnnies kick things off at 3pm
Followed by the Smurfs at 5:30
Closing with Nova at 8

Sure it's watered down, but nothing beats day drinking at The Garden
The place is magical
The fans & alumni are into it

This is college bball at its finest
Truly a great time of year !!!
Click to expand...
Since the renovation, the Garden is much less fun for events. The middle aisles helped contribute to a party atmosphere.
 
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ScarletDave said:
Having been to both BET and Big Ten tourney I will say the Big Ten blows it out of the water. Especially in Chicago and Indy, but also when it was in DC and MSG. No fan bases take over cities like the Big Ten. Fans everywhere it feels like a giant party or at Disneyland. The Big East tourney was special because of the traveling fanbases like Syracuse, UConn, Notre Dame, Villanova .. unfortunately those days are gone and other than a couple schools, most of who’s left aren’t taking over NYC .. Marquette, DePaul, Xavier Creighton etc … even the worst teams in the Big Ten you’d see their fans everywhere
Click to expand...
BET is Definitely watered down

Put it anywhere other than the garden and it would be pedistrian at best

MSG is the primary reason I still attend
The place is truly the Mecca
 
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Big east we refused to join . Then eventually joined . Stunk for years except for billet’s runner in 1999 to make the semis . We have not been back to a conference tournament semifinals since. We have made a conference tournament semifinals once since 1990 and that was it! 33 years !

Then we eventually left after stinking up that league.


That’s the best tournament because of the garden.
 
Plum Street said:
Big east we refused to join . Then eventually joined . Stunk for years except for billet’s runner in 1999 to make the semis . We have not been back to a conference tournament semifinals since. We have made a conference tournament semifinals once since 1990 and that was it! 33 years !

Then we eventually left after stinking up that league.


That’s the best tournament because of the garden.
Click to expand...
It’s all the Garden
ACC in Brooklyn last year was meh at best
 
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ScarletDave said:
Having been to both BET and Big Ten tourney I will say the Big Ten blows it out of the water. Especially in Chicago and Indy, but also when it was in DC and MSG. No fan bases take over cities like the Big Ten. Fans everywhere it feels like a giant party or at Disneyland. The Big East tourney was special because of the traveling fanbases like Syracuse, UConn, Notre Dame, Villanova .. unfortunately those days are gone and other than a couple schools, most of who’s left aren’t taking over NYC .. Marquette, DePaul, Xavier Creighton etc … even the worst teams in the Big Ten you’d see their fans everywhere
Click to expand...
I have not doubt the Big Ten Tourney is great, especially in Chicago, but the NYC tournament didn't do well relative to the Big East. Day 1 of the BET outdrew the Big 10 Final and every round except for the semifinal (the Big 10's only sellout). The Big East sold out the 2nd quarterfinal session, semifinal, and final. And the 2 non-covid restricted tournaments since have sold out every session except for day 1. So my point is, the "watered down" Big East Tournament is still doing just fine.
 
STLPirate12 said:
I have not doubt the Big Ten Tourney is great, especially in Chicago, but the NYC tournament didn't do well relative to the Big East. Day 1 of the BET outdrew the Big 10 Final and every round except for the semifinal (the Big 10's only sellout). The Big East sold out the 2nd quarterfinal session, semifinal, and final. And the 2 non-covid restricted tournaments since have sold out every session except for day 1. So my point is, the "watered down" Big East Tournament is still doing just fine.
Click to expand...
It will always do well so long as it’s in MSG

But if you’re not a fan of any of the teams, and just go for the ambiance / tradition, it’s not the same

Still, I’ll always attend if it’s at MSG, and for traditions sake, I hope they always keep it there

Truly a special event in an iconic venue
 
fatsam98 said:
Not a fan of watching games at Barclays on TV... It just looks so dark in the stands, makes it seems like no one's there.
Click to expand...
I like the neighborhood scene outside Barclays much better than MSG

If they could replicate that around the Garden, or put Msg where Barclays is, that would be ideal
 
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JayDogSmooth said:
It will always do well so long as it’s in MSG

But if you’re not a fan of any of the teams, and just go for the ambiance / tradition, it’s not the same

Still, I’ll always attend if it’s at MSG, and for traditions sake, I hope they always keep it there

Truly a special event in an iconic venue
Click to expand...
It also helps that 6/11 schools are close enough to day trip to MSG, 4 of which are very easy.
 
Greene Rice FIG said:
We have a poster named Big East Phil. He has little interest. Tells you all you need to know.
Click to expand...
I used to live for the BET. From 1996 to when we left the BIg East, I went to every BET along with several other posters and RU faithful - practically every game of the event. It was as fun as can be!

As GRF says above, I now have zero interest in Big East or its tournament. It’s a watered down conference which only Villanova kept alive as none of its other schools did anything in March

Albeit UConn was a great pick up and also one of necessity for that conference.

I have been asked many times why I didn’t change my moniker to Big 10 Phil after we switched conferences . . Should have done it 😂 but I’m a sucker for nostalgia and nothing will ever beat the old BE conference - albeit I wish we had the same type of teams we have now during those times

But now we’re in a much better place with similar schools and it’s hail to the Big 10 Conference !
 
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The big ten tournament belongs at the garden.

Large universities on a massive stage. It’ll happen eventually.
 
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jaydogsmooth1 said:
The grandaddy of em all starts today (or what used to be the GD, but still pretty good)
The Big East Tournament begins in earnest at MSG

The Johnnies kick things off at 3pm
Followed by the Smurfs at 5:30
Closing with Nova at 8

Sure it's watered down, but nothing beats day drinking at The Garden
The place is magical
The fans & alumni are into it

This is college bball at its finest
Truly a great time of year !!!
Click to expand...
man you must REALLY love day drinking in NYC or are an employee for MSG since you started this exact thread on Saturday as well.
 
Plum Street said:
Big east we refused to join . Then eventually joined . Stunk for years except for billet’s runner in 1999 to make the semis . We have not been back to a conference tournament semifinals since. We have made a conference tournament semifinals once since 1990 and that was it! 33 years !

Then we eventually left after stinking up that league.
Click to expand...

Thank you Eeyore!

aYpq6ZI.jpg
 
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JayDogSmooth said:
Johnnies rolled
Hall ending dramatic
Nova staying at my hotel

Beers flowing
Great venue
Click to expand...
I hope you said hi to Montez and to Andre Curbelo.

Cool ending at end of SHU game ‘!

What would you estimate crowds were for St John’s game and for Seton Hall game?
 
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BigEastPhil said:
I hope you said hi to Montez and to Andre Curbelo.

Cool ending at end of SHU game ‘!

What would you estimate crowds were for St John’s game and for Seton Hall game?
Click to expand...
Great ending to SHU
65 % full for SHU, 60 % full for Nova

Didn't get to the Johnnies game but assume it was near capacity
 
Quick recap....

Went to Seton Hall bar for pregame, last year they had it closer to MSG (can't recall place, but it had 2 floors and was also the Depaul bar), this year it was at Goldie's at the Ramada Inn on 30th

Solid crowd, got a few remarks about wearing Nole gear but nothing crazy
Fans were cautiously optimistic, but pretty realistic about their overall chances

Staying at the Intercontinental on 44th - this is the Nova hotel, big welcome area downstairs and selling merch in a seperate area

They're having two seperate pregame meetups
Yesterday was at Crompton Ale House on 26th, today is at Stout NYC on 44th
Evidently they were pretty confident they'd beat Georgetown to secure a spot in advance for today

Always wondered why the local teams didn't do events closer to the garden. There's a bar literally right next to MSG (forget name, I think it's a Mexican place w/rooftop / outdoor seating), a few years ago that was the Creighton bar

Re. the games, didn't make it into the Johnnies tilt. Hall was 65-70% full, Nova 55-60 %.
Nooner today w/the Johnnies should be pretty electric, and the UConn-PC game should be a downright awesome atmosphere
 
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