I so very much miss MSG and the Big East Tournament

[NYCSUGrad]

I went the first year in NYC, and almost every year thereafter. Most of those years, my best friend went with me, and we usually stayed with my 2nd best buddy, as he lived over on 34th street on the east side.
I lost both of them shortly after the 6 OT game.
I attended susequent BETs with other friends, but it was never the same.
What I miss most about the BET can, for me, never be replicated.

Sorry for your losses. Especially if they were young

 

[Eric15]

After the games, at the Blarney or Stout, everyone is your 3rd best buddy.
BTW, if they werent dead, the first 2 would have appreciated your attempt at humor.

Just teasing you, Capt. I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[donniesyracuse]

The old Big East had 9 teams, at least 7 were good every year

That is a bit of an overstatement.

 

[longtimefan]

I live 20 miles, 40 minutes to midtown Manhattan and am going to DC this year. Brooklyn is gonna be a hassle. Part of the charm of Greensboro that not many 'Cuse fans have embraced is each school has its own hotel where fans congregate, and the City of Greensboro really appreciates having the event. Also, the parking lot there is the size of an airport, and it is easy to tailgate between sessions. Brooklyn is gonna suck, unless you live in Nassau County. It's just not Manhattan. If it was a good location, the Dodgers would still be there.

It is a good location. O'Malley wanted to build there. But the local pols, led by Robert Moses, blocked his plan.

 

[dollarbill44]

DC is a great location. And the bar SU fans decide to take over won't be a rat trap. As a Queens guy Brooklyn is a hassle.

DC as a permanent home makes a lot of sense. It's the most central location for a major city in the conference footprint. It's a good venue and the area around is pretty nice.
The ACC in MSG will never be the same as the old Big East tourney. We need to move on from trying to recapture that.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

That is a bit of an overstatement.

Not so much for the late 80s, early 90s.

1991 7 NCAAT teams
1990 6 NCAAT teams
1989 5 NCAAT teams
1988 6 NCAAT teams

That four year stretch averaged 6 NCAAT teams per year. Which is great for a 9 team conference. The 1991 season one could argue that the Big East deserved 8 teams. And that BET was pretty good. Of the 8 games played 4 were decided by 2 points of less. Plus look at the list of players: Curley, Eisley, Murdock, Owens, Sealy, Dehere, Mourning, Mutombo, Donny Marshall.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

For some reason FOX is having the BET final this year at 5:30. That seems mid majorish to me. If SU doesn't make it to Friday of the ACCT, I would have been interested in doing an A10 semi and BET final double headed that Saturday. I could have pulled it off if the BET was at 7pm. The BET is on FOX and the P12T is on FS1 at 10pm. So why the early start? Why not lead into the P12T by having the BET at 7?

 

[SWC75]

Three years in, being a part of the ACC just isn't the same as being a part of the old Big East. It may be better than being a part of the current Big East, (at laast in football and $$$$). But it's not like the old Big East days at all. Other than the Duke games, it's been a pretty bland experience.

 

[Bayside44]

I think you guys all miss being younger.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Three years in, being a part of the ACC just isn't the same as being a part of the old Big East. It may be better than being a part of the current Big East, (at laast in football and $$$$). But it's not like the old Big East days at all. Other than the Duke games, it's been a pretty bland experience.

The Old Big East died when Rutgers, WV, and ND were added. That took away the round robin schedule. Also by then Rollie was gone, Louie was gone, PJ was gone, and John Thompson was almost done.

 

[McNabb2Brominski]

Sorry but the old BET (and big east basketball in general) will never be replicated by ACC. Not saying ACC play isnt entertaining but its not the old Big East. Nothing was better than the 4-5 days at MSG for BET back in the day.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Not so much for the late 80s, early 90s.

1991 7 NCAAT teams
1990 6 NCAAT teams
1989 5 NCAAT teams
1988 6 NCAAT teams

That four year stretch averaged 6 NCAAT teams per year. Which is great for a 9 team conference. The 1991 season one could argue that the Big East deserved 8 teams. And that BET was pretty good. Of the 8 games played 4 were decided by 2 points of less. Plus look at the list of players: Curley, Eisley, Murdock, Owens, Sealy, Dehere, Mourning, Mutombo, Donny Marshall.

Still an overstatement; there is no doubt it was a fantastic conference, but it only got seven teams in once when it was a nine team conference. The original post also mentioned having four top-sixteen teams each year, which may have happened once when it was still a nine team league. It is easy to make a case for the old Big East being great without resorting to exaggeration.

 

[SWC75]

The Old Big East died when Rutgers, WV, and ND were added. That took away the round robin schedule. Also by then Rollie was gone, Louie was gone, PJ was gone, and John Thompson was almost done.

Original Big East > New Big East > ACC in terms ofg atmosphere and excitement. The current Big East I don't know but it's probably fourth.

 

[TempleNCuse]

I still enjoy watching the "new" Big East. The schools are all comfortable in their own skin and the environments are fun. It's not like it was but I think overall the conference got it right given the circumstances.

If the ACC Tournament was in Greensboro this year I would have considered going. The opportunity to play a round or two of golf down there was enticing. But DC? I'd rather drive another 4-5 hours to avoid spending a couple of nights in that mess.

The AAC is a nice landing spot for Temple but still leaves a lot to be desired. Some of the schools have no cache in the Northeast...