CYO Volleyball

In my area, volleyball is a school sport that is now in the fall and is female only.  My sons have all loved to play volleyball and are very athletic.  Consequently, when the Catholic Youth Organization started a volleyball league that goes for about eight weeks in the spring, my kids jumped at the chance to play. 

When my first son started playing, the team always had trouble getting guys.  The teams are co-ed and there were always enough girls, just never enough boys.  The times they are a-changing.  This year, my youngest’s first year, there are not enough girls on his team.  Below are some shots from the first week in powerpoint.

cyovolleyballweekone

Clarkson versus Michigan

My daughter and I, after watching both Clarkson and Michigan play on Friday, were sure this game was going to be a slaughter.  We figured that Michigan would easily beat Clarkson, possibly by enough early on that we could get an early start on the drive to East Syracuse.

Like the shock that most Michigan fans faced on Friday when the score against Niagara was 0-0 at the end of the first period, we were shocked at the play of the Clarkson team throughout the entire game. 

Clarkson kept up with Michigan, even at several points in the game outshooting them.

In the end, after much spirited play and wonderful hockey, Michigan came out on top of Clarkson by a score of 2-1 and is headed to Denver to the Frozen Four.

 

 

Niagara versus Michigan

If there is to be a Cinderella in a hockey tournament, it would be Niagara.  Of the 16 teams playing in the NCAA tournament this year, Niagara is seeded 15th.  They are up against the number one team in their region, a team that had only five losses all season and 32 victories.  Pretty daunting!

 

A sea of purple showed up just about the time Niagara took the ice for warmups.  The fan bus and student bus from Niagara had left about 10 am Friday morning and didn’t come over to the Times-Union Center for the early game as there was a 5 pm Pep Rally at the Hilton Garden Inn, where the team and fans were staying.  While a great idea - a pep rally, that is, Elise and I were in town to see hockey so had skipped the pep rally to watch the early game.

The N-Zone gang even brought Monty, the Purple Eagle, with them.

The game was really intense.  Niagara was holding their own against a much larger and much faster team.  The big question, as the first period ended in a zero tie, I put to Elise was how long could they continue to hold their own.

 

Unfortunately, Niagara took some very unnecessary penalties at the end of the first period of play.  One of these carried over into period two and Michigan finally drew first blood by scoring.  It was like a different Niagara team, with the exception of Pags - the goaltender, had taken the ice at the beginning of period two.  Unfortunately, this team lost the game as there is only so far that good goal tending will take you.  When your team is held without a shot on goal for almost a whole period’s time, you are not going to go far.

The third period didn’t look much better, until Matt Carounas took the shut out away from Michigan with Niagara’s only goal of the game.  With 2:48 left to play and down by 3, Dave Burkholder, the Niagara head coach, tried his best to get his team closer.  He pulled Pags to give his team a scoring advantage, hopefully, by putting six skaters on the ice.  Unfortunately, this is not a great idea.  Niagara’s man up situation had not been all that effective all game so this was an issue.  Michigan scored its fifth and final goal into an empty net.

 

Clarkson versus St Cloud State

Lei and I wound, literally, our way through the will call line to get our tickets.  There was a slight problem as they had been purchased using Ed’s credit card but he was not there so we had a copy of it.  He had spoken to the ticket company and they had said this would not be an issue.  Only problem was, they didn’t tell the box office that.

The first game, which the students who came from Niagara didn’t go to as they were waiting for a pep rally at the team hotel, was Clarkson versus St Cloud State.  I have known a lot of really smart engineers who have come out of Clarkson but hadn’t really thought much about their hockey team until last night.  I didn’t realize that there were one of the 10 (I think that is the right number) at-large bids to this tournament of 16.  Niagara has played some of the same teams that both St Cloud and Clarkson have played.  Lei and I couldn’t decide who we wanted to win.  Fortunately, there were a few obnoxious Michigan fans behind us who had bet on St Cloud so we decided Clarkson was who we would cheer for.

The game was not particularly great hockey.  Neither team was very fast.  Neither team was very physical.  My father, who had tickets on the other side of the arena, called it “finesse” hockey.  I am not sure if either of these “finesse” teams can beat a Michigan or a Niagara.

I was introduced to a new hockey “thing.”  I have never heard a hockey pep band until yesterday.  Of the four teams at the Times-Union Center, three brought pep bands.  Niagara brought theirs, though it didn’t seem to understand it was not like basketball and there were no cheerleaders.

The game ended with Clarkson advancing to play the winner of the late game - Niagara versus Michigan.

Road Trip Day One

The day started out a bit slow.  Elise and I couldn’t leave home until the two school-aged boys had gotten on the bus.  Of course, due to the lovely spring weather in Binghamton, they had a two hour school delay.  It was rather icy out from the look out all windows in the house and from the amount of salt that was being dropped by the plows.

Everything was set, though, to leave as soon as the boys got out the door.  They headed to that spot in the backyard designated as “bus stop” while I started cleaning off the car.  Elise put our suitcases, well my suitcase and her duffle, in the truck and we were on our way to Albany by 11 am.

Elise is taking a photo class this semester, which she missed Thursday evening to come home so we could go to the tournament together.  Her assignment is to take pictures of her trip to create a travelogue.  She took pics of road signs and trees, pics of hockey and fans.  I also managed to click off 120 images at the hockey arena.  Thankfully, the cost of developing is not a necessity any longer.

We checked into our hotel a half hour early.  I love being a member of a frequent guest program.  Usually, if there is anything they can do for you, they will.   Also, I encourage all travelers to ask these small questions as usually your room is ready at least an hour prior to check-in time.

We only stayed at the hotel long enough to unload the suitcases and Lei’s laptop so she could get messages from campus.  Then, it was off in some ugly drizzle and a lot of traffic to find the Times-Union Center in downtown Albany.  Yes, I have directions but I have also found out they were not very good since trying to follow them.  Plus, Albany is a bigger city than I am use to driving around in so…. but we finally found, not only the arena, but a parking garage that was next to it at our end of the arena (lucky guess that this is the one we pulled into.

Road Trip Coming!!

My college-aged daughter and I are heading on a road trip.  Yes, the trip is set to satisfy both of our college hockey fanaticism.  We may even get some shopping in on Saturday.

Tomorrow morning, in what is suppose to be snow so very appropriate for hockey weather, my daughter and I will head to Albany for round one of the NCAA Hockey Tournament.  We are heading to the Times-Union Center in Albany for two games on Friday - #2 St Cloud State vs. #3 Clarkson and then, the reason for the trip, #4 Niagara vs. #1 Michigan.  The games are suppose to be broadcast on ESPNU so look for me if you get this channel.

I have many reasons to cheer on Niagara.  That is where my daughter attends college.  That is the team I am going to call “my” team this tournament.  But more importantly, I am always, first and foremost, a WVU Mountaineer and at this moment in time, we all still hate the University of Michigan.  We hate that their basketball coach is John Beilein, straight from the Mountainners.  We hate even more that their new football coach is none other than Rich Rodriguez.  Some things are not easily forgiven.

Elise attends Niagara University.  When she left for college three and a half years ago, she was not a big hockey fan.  She has become a huge hockey fan since living in the Greater Niagara Frontier.  We have seen two Niagara vs. Cornell games this year that were at Cornell during her between semester break.  At that time, I also went to one game in Niagara.

Two weeks ago, at the beginning of her spring break, I went to Niagara for the College Hockey American Tournament.  Niagara hosted this in “fan friendly” Dwyer Arena.  They also won the tournament, earning themselves an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The NCAA Hockey Tournament, unlike March Madness where 65 teams start, starts with sixteen teams.  There are four regional locations - Albany, NY; Worcester, Massachusetts; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Madison, Wisconsin.  We were going together if Niagara played in Albany or Worcester.  Elise was probably going if the team played in Madison.

Look for more details on the road tomorrow.

March Madness - For Real

I am not sure if I am referring to the suddenly, totally white ground outside or the NCAA college basketball tournament.  Actually, I live in upstate NY.  I know I am referring to the tournament.

I was excited as I drove home from the CHA Tournament last weekend and listened to the NCAA tournament selection show on the radio.  My initial shock wore off as I heard them name Cornell (the local team this year) a 14 seed as I was sure they were a 16 seed or the play-in game.  After all, their bid was an automatic one for winning the Ivy League, a league that doesn’t even have a championship tournament.  I was even more shocked to hear the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champs Siena were a 13 seed.  Last year when Niagara University won the MAAC, they were forced to the play-in game which I didn’t think then, and don’t think now, they deserved.

Through three regions, the radio reception was excellent.  I still hadn’t heard the name West Virginia said.  I realize they didn’t win the Big East tournament.  I also realized that a lot of Big East teams had already been called into The Dance.  I was sure, though, that West Virginia was also going to play.  Finally, I heard it but barely.  We had driven past reception for this small ESPN radio station and I was straining to hear that WVU was a seven seed - not great but not bad either.

Now day one is over!  I watched some fantastic college basketball yesterday and last night.  I watch a 15-seeded Belmont almost beat 2 seed Duke, a team that has never lost in the first round.  I watched a 14-seeded Cornell get walked on by 3-seeded Stanford, a team whose players admitted that Cornell would hands down beat them in the grades category.  I wanted to watch WVU and Arizona go at it for several reasons.  Instead, I watch Notre Dame beat up on George Mason.  I did think, though, if George Mason stood a chance, it was due to the pre-game pep talk the coach gave.  CBS broadcast it and it was magnificent.

I ended the day with 12 correct picks out of 14 on my bracket.  Day two cannot possible be as good!!

PS.  Should you want to enjoy a little extra-curricular bracket talk, check out Yahoo! Sports writer Dan Wetzel who blogs live from a sports bar during the games today, which you should be able to find here.

The Out of WV Mountaineer Fan

I am, in case you haven’t surmised it yet, a WVU Mountaineer through and through.  I spent three years in Morgantown on the main and Evansdale campuses and love my college sports.  It doesn’t matter if the Mountaineers are winning or losing - although I admit, I prefer when they win - I watch and cheer them on.

Football is usually a pretty good season for me.  Even though I live in the heart of Big East country and less than an hour’s drive from Syracuse, I only get to see my Mountaineers play in person every other year when they visit the Carrier Dome.  I love this game, especially if both teams are having good years.  I also love seeing The Pride of West Virginia marching band when they get to come to NY with the team.  This is a band full or precision and 300 plus strong.

Basketball season is not usually so good for me.  If my local channels are playing college hoops, it is America East and the local university or it is Syracuse hoops.  I have had a huge surprise in the last four days.  Sunday, I was waiting for the Red Wings game to start at 3:30 pm when I found the West Virginia game on SNY.  I got to watch a very good game.  Last night, SNY had the WVU-Villanova game on.  Unfortunately, last night was worse than the Backyard Brawl from football season.  WVU lost by over 20 and was playing miserably.  But the good news is I got to watch!

Soon, the madness that is championship week and then selection show will begin.  I will be glued to college hoops like a true fan.  I am hoping to not only see my Mountaineers in the Big Dance but also my daughter’s team - the Purple Eagles of Niagara University.

MAAC Basketball

I went into my room last night to go to sleep but couldn’t manage to get to sleep so I turned on the television.  I was just flipping right through the channels when I hit MSG. Normally, I only stop here if there is hockey on but tonight it was MAAC basketball from the Arena at Harbor Yard in Fairfield, Connecticut.  Better than just MAAC round ball, it was overtime between Marist and Fairfield.

My oldest daughter attends Niagara University which is a MAAC school and I have attended several games, including a sell out at the TAPS Gallagher Center in January.  I have been to Fairfield University, though not for basketball for soccer.

The Fairfield-Marist game was important because Siena and Rider had been upset on Saturday so there was a four-way tie for first place, leaving the winner of this game in sole possession of second place until the log jam at first is resolved.  The game went into double overtime and was really a pretty good college game!

Another Purple Eagle to NHL

I got a phone call, a totally unexpected one, from my 21 year old daughter last night.  I was in my room getting ready to settle in and wait for the new episode of “Brothers and Sisters” when she called.

She is currently a junior at Niagara University.  Until she left for college three years ago, she was not a huge hockey fan.  College has changed all that.  She loves Niagara Purple Eagles Hockey.  She loves college hockey.  She love Ottawa and Binghamton Senators hockey.

The reason she called was to let me know that Les Reaney had played his last game as a Purple Eagle.  He had signed a contract to play in the Edmonton Oilers farm system.  He is headed to Springfield, Massachusetts to play in the American Hockey League.

I have seen this year’s Purple Eagles men’s hockey team play three times in a week in January.  I like the way Reaney plays.  He is a big man, hard checking and good on his skates.  I am sure he will do well in the AHL and beyond.  The only shameful part of this is he didn’t finish college first.