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Commentary: Exciting to watch UD women step onto big stage

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By Brian Kollars, Sports editor 7:41 PM Saturday, March 20, 2010

I never pick four No. 1 seeds to make it to the Final Four. That’s no fun. So of course I selected Villanova to meet Kansas in the championship game. That decision proved to be as wise as lining up for a ride on the Son of Beast. I haven’t looked at my bracket lately because it’s toast. My kids are smoking me, and they remind me with their own version of the Big Dance.

Fantastic finish: I considered driving the family five hours south to Knoxville to watch the UD women play their first NCAA tournament game. Yard work, homework and, well, work derailed those plans, but it was exciting to watch the Flyers’ great comeback on TV.

Next up for Dayton is top-seeded Tennessee on the Volunteers’ home court. Those odds won’t be pretty, but regardless of the outcome, the UD women — with only one senior — have solidified their spot as the only basketball team on campus worthy of a top-25 ranking next fall.

Elbow room: I went to UD’s first-round NIT game against Illinois State more interested in how many fans would show up than how many times the Flyers would dribble the ball off their feet.

Attendance at UD Arena was 5,127 — an all-time low.

Was this a message from the Flyer Unfaithful, or just a symptom of a tournament that is decades past its prime? The average NIT first-round crowd was 4,487. Only Memphis drew more than 10,000 fans.

Cincinnati drew a mere 2,410 for its snoozer, which means there will be plenty of good seats available when the Flyers meet the Bearcats in Round 2.

Perky coach: THE OSU has extended Jim Tressel’s contract by two years, keeping their dapper football coach on the sidelines through the 2014 season. Tressel’s salary didn’t increase (he’ll have to get by on $3.5 million per year) but he will get some nice perks.

When he retires, Tressel will get six press box tickets to all OSU home games along with two season tickets for men’s and women’s basketball.

Snack time: I’m very relieved that Major League Soccer and its players have come to a labor agreement. The average MLS salary is $148,000, but the big sticking point was over who would provide orange slices and juice boxes after matches.

Also, the players wanted a written guarantee that everyone would get a trophy at the end-of-season pizza party.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2163 or bkollars@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Knucklehead of the Week

Herb Pope led the Big East in rebounding, but the Seton Hall big man will be remembered more for his cowardly meltdown in an 87-69 NIT loss to Texas Tech. Pope threw more low blows early in that game than an angry Mike Tyson, punching Tech’s Darko Cohadarevic in the groin twice before being ejected. Hey, nobody wants to be associated with the NIT, but that’s no way to get out of it. After Pope was sent to the showers, Tech went on a 13-0 run.

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JohnR you are a moron! Sorry, for the name calling, but the Lady Flyers have accomplished something no other Lady Flyer team has done since they began playing D-1 basketball. They deserve our support and I will give it to them. You probably will not understand this as you are obviously both sexist and ignorant. Their brand of basketball is exciting to watch and entertaining.

Don't worry about it Ladies, keep this up and you will be packing the house soon!

Go Flyers!

Duke
7:28 PM, 3/21/2010

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I care. Thanks for the coverage. Great coach, great team. Looking for a fun way to spend an evening or weekend afternoon, come watch them play next season. Free parking and $5 tickets. All the bells and whistles of the boys game without the high cost (pep band, cheerleaders, ball toss, pizza giveaway) Went to several games this year and loved it.

Maybe You Don't, But I Do
12:30 PM, 3/21/2010

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Please don't assume that your opinion applies to everyone who reads the DDN. Thank you

Ryan
11:30 AM, 3/21/2010

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Why do you keep peddling the UD girls team on us? We already know that the DDN wants to promote the hell out of the girls team. Give it up! No one cares.

JohnR
9:43 AM, 3/21/2010

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