Where Should The Crosstown Shootout be played?

[Muskie]

http://www.xavierhoops.com/forums/images/logos/150/xu.gif


Where should the Crosstown Shootout be played?

[xudash]

I voted for campus sites on a rotating basis.

However, I have no problem with a 2 year "cooling off" period. I believe it is a smart administrative move. Both sides are basically inferring that the game will continue on a neutral site basis for two seasons and will be evaluated for its conduct.

If everything settles back down: go back to the campuses.

If more black eyes pop up or the worst tragedy since The Who concert takes place: it's over.

They'll work this out financially, because both UC and Xavier are on the same side of the table on that matter, vis-a-vis the downtown facility.

[Muskie]

206 memebers have logged on today and we have 36 votes in this poll. Maybe the fan base as a whole doesn't care where the game is played or if it is?

[X-band '01]

We don't do polls that often - it had been a solid 2 months of whether or not Dayton or GW was going to face Xavier in Atlantic City. And judging by the reaction of the posters in general, it's going to be a landslide in favor of campus sites.

[Muskie]

We don't do polls that often - it had been a solid 2 months of whether or not Dayton or GW was going to face Xavier in Atlantic City. And judging by the reaction of the posters in general, it's going to be a landslide in favor of campus sites.

So you're saying that the posters ought to be jumping up and down to do a new poll then?
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[LadyMuskie]

I voted for campuses (I guess, unsurprisingly).

However, my patience level with the entire "brawl" and on-going reflections over what happened on December 10 and what will happen in the future is at an all time low, to the point that I considered voting for the series to end and am beginning to think that it should. It's exhausting to talk about, and DC made a good point in the uncertainty thread, that moving it to US Bank and then "re-evaluating" it in two years only prolongs the amount of time we talk about it, relive it and argue with UC fans over what really happened. If I hadn't watched the footage of it, I would have thought someone died in that fight there has been such a gross overreaction to it.

[X-band '01]

Common sense was mortally wounded on that day. Is that close enough?

[xubrew]

IF this is done correctly, I think it could be a really cool and really unique atmosphere.

Having said that, based on some of the things I'm hearing, it isn't going to be done right.


I voted for a neutral site. My thinking is that it makes the game more accessable every year. 8500 per year is greater than 10,200 every two years.

You could split the tickets down the middle, have the X students behind one basket and the UC students behind the other, and have an incredible, intense, NCAA Tournament like atmosphere in an NCAA Tournament sized venue. There is no other game that either team could schedule that would create an atmosphere like that. Illinois vs Missouri (The Braggin' Rights Game) is a great rivalry in Saint Louis every year. This would top that.

It seemed like an opportunity to generate more revenue. More ticket sales and more corporate sponsorship.

Many people have pointed out issues with security. I think security would be less of a problem. The reason is this. If you're an X fan and you go to 5/3rd and sit in the stands with a bunch of UC fans around you, chances are you're in for a rough night. Same with UC fans at Cintas. If the tickets are split, that goes away. UC fans aren't surrounded by X fans who are heckling them, and vice versa. I believe Kansas and Missouri had fewer problems at their football game (at least inside the venue) when they moved it to a neutral site.


Having said all of that, it doesn't appear that any of what I listed above is along the lines of what either school has in mind when they move it to US Bank. It could be great, but I don't think it will be if they don't split the tickets, and try to create the look of one team being home and the otehr being away, and letting US Bank eat into the extra revenue.

[LA Muskie]

So the poll is a landslide. I'm only surprised it's not unanimous.

The real question isn't where folks would like the game played if all other things were equal, it's what should happen to the game in present context -- namely, if it isn't going to be played on campus sites because one of the parties refuses to do so.

While I understand that the emotional reaction is that we should just dump the game instead of giving into UC, I think that presupposes that XU is as staunchly against a neutral site as many on this board are. I doubt that's true, and suspect that there is more nuance (and serious business factors) that go into the decision.

On the other hand, if in fact the XU administration is as staunchly against a neutral site, then I hope they stand their ground.

In other words, I hope they exercise the judgment we're paying them to exercise. And as long as they do that, I'm fine with whatever decision they make.

And because of that, I won't be inundating their inboxes with my trifling comments.

[muskiefan82]

TIRED OF THIS. There have been more elbows and punches thrown in this game before last year that were just as bad if not worse. It only seems to matter NOW because X is winning more than they lose and certain people can't take it.

Get over it. Stop this crap and schedule a better opponent instead of UC. Murray St. or Valparaiso are probably available.

[LA Muskie]

TIRED OF THIS. There have been more elbows and punches thrown in this game before last year that were just as bad if not worse. It only seems to matter NOW because X is winning more than they lose and certain people can't take it.

Get over it. Stop this crap and schedule a better opponent instead of UC. Murray St. or Valparaiso are probably available.

On paper, maybe. But UC is a Big East team and -- for now at least -- that matters. We tally up our Big 6 wins on this Board every year. Let's not pretend we don't revel in our victories over UC.

[UCGRAD4X]

No doubt that a win against UC is a resume booster. Last year, however, I think that boost was offset by all of the negatives and then some.

Even if we are to assume that similar incidences are unlikely to occur - Xavier will continue to get negative feedback.

How long will UC's status be able to make up for it?

[Fireball]

Obviously, I voted for campus sites. In my opinion, games like Xavier beating #1 UC on its own floor are what make the rivalry that it is today. You take it out of the home-and-home series and we lose a little bit of that.

THAT BEING SAID, the game simply has to continue. I do not agree that if they don't play it at campus sites, it should be cancelled. If the only way to get both sides to agree to have the game for the next couple years is to have it at U.S. Bank arena, then so be it.

[Benxman]

Well, it's already been decideded to play down on the river at a 'neutral' site, but I prefer the home and home configuration we have had recently. It promotes student interest and it gives a definite 'home court' advantage.

I think the 'neutral' site gives a fan advantage to UC, because of their larger alumni base. Face it, a school with an enrollment of upwards of 35,000 has a lot more alumns than one of 6,000. X grads and fans may support the team better at this juncture (or not), but the shear mass of numbers gives UC the edge.

I hope this new arrangement last no more than two years before we return to home and home.

Just one man's opinion.

GO MUSKIES!

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[STL_XUfan]

Well, it's already been decideded to play down on the river at a 'neutral' site, but I prefer the home and home configuration we have had recently. It promotes student interest and it gives a definite 'home court' advantage.

I think the 'neutral' site gives a fan advantage to UC, because of their larger alumni base. Face it, a school with an enrollment of upwards of 35,000 has a lot more alumns than one of 6,000. X grads and fans may support the team better at this juncture (or not), but the shear mass of numbers gives UC the edge.

I hope this new arrangement last no more than two years before we return to home and home.

Just one man's opinion.

GO MUSKIES!

:logo:

True, but they don't have fans that buy tickets. X fans have had no problem getting seats at Uc over the past few years. Our attendance dwarfs theirs despite being the smaller school, and I don't think that will change at a neutral site.

[Thor in 204]

If it's played at U.S. Bank Arena, the tickets must be divided equally between the two schools and it will be important for X fans to step up and buy every allotted ticket. Hopefully ill will about the arrangement will not result in boycotting by some X fans, nor will any reluctance by some of the fan base to go downtown, without premium parking, in the cold weather, with busy holiday activities, every year, if it's not already part of the season ticket package, etc., and if any of those reasons come into play for people who have tickets, they should make every effort to sell those tickets to X fans.

I feel we need to come out strong as a fan base. Reminds me of the many posts over the years about how there are there so many empty seats at the Cintas at the tip-off of games, and what that suggests about the level of interest on the part of those fans in the games themselves, vs. interest simply in a social outing in friendly confines.

[XURunner85]

I heard that before the game this year at US Bank that both teams will stand around the circle at center court, it will be a Xavier player with a uc player on each side. Fr Graham will lead in a healing prayer. Of course all Xavier players will wear boxing head gear just in case of a sucker punch by a uc player.....let the healing begin......put the game back on campus...