Jump to content

Richmond Sports

eandslee

By eandslee
in Richmond

 Share

Recommended Posts

HopHead City

HopHead

Posted
Posted

One of the downsides of having a successful program at the mid-major level... Big programs will be calling. VCU coach Shaka Smart is a target of Illinois. I'm sure they won't be the only ones calling. The plus side for VCU though is that they've done a nice job of finding replacements. Smart made a lot of people forget about Anthony Grant.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story/_/id/7711394/illinois-fighting-illini-targeting-vcu-rams-coach-shaka-smart-according-source

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 1.7k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

eandslee
eandslee

Looks like progress toward a new baseball stadium for VCU and the Flying Squirrels is going well, according to the article below. There is even the possibility of a new stadium ready by the 2023 seaso

eandslee
eandslee

Apparently, there is an announcement Monday morning in front of the Coliseum at 1100 with the Mayor and representatives from NH...in relation to the future of hockey in Richmond.  Looks like there is

Posted Images

burt Megalopolis

burt

Posted
Posted

One of the downsides of having a successful program at the mid-major level... Big programs will be calling. VCU coach Shaka Smart is a target of Illinois. I'm sure they won't be the only ones calling. The plus side for VCU though is that they've done a nice job of finding replacements. Smart made a lot of people forget about Anthony Grant.

http://espn.go.com/c...ccording-source

dbull, I think I read that Illinois is offering Smart $1,500,000 and he has taken the offer under consideration.

VCU pays him $1,200,000, plus other entitlements worth about a million. If he accepts the Illinois deal before May he will have to kick back about $800,000 to VCU. Also, there would be some kind of non-binding agreement to play home and home games in the next season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HopHead City

HopHead

Posted
Posted

^That speaks volumes for VCU. His stock probably hasn't been hotter than it has the last 2 seasons and for him to stay is a great indicator for the future. Perhaps he'll be like Brad Stevens (head coach of Butler who went to last 2 national title games) and stay to build a program. He was also on at halftime during the game of the Sweet 16.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RVA-Is-The-Best Burg

RVA-Is-The-Best

Posted
Posted

For those of you who are probably already aware, today is the day for the NEW BELGIUM BREWING URBAN ASSAULT RIDE.

Of course, it is taking place in the River City, and tickets have fared from $30-60. The race will benefit the Cycling Corps and Richmond MORE.

It includes several checkpoints involving the riders getting on feet and doing a mini obstacle course before hopping back on their bike to the next checkpoint.

Several locations have been identified as checkpoints in the Richmond.com article, but two mystery sites will be announced as well :thumbsup:

http://www2.richmond.com/lifestyles/2012/mar/21/new-belgium-brewing-urban-assault-ride-ar-1777696/

After today, the touring bike race will move on south to Charlotte. Before coming to RVA, they kicked it off in Tuscon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RVA-Is-The-Best Burg

RVA-Is-The-Best

Posted
Posted

Talk goes on about a new baseball stadium to replace The Diamond, but little action.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...1987/#poll_1359

In the Related box, there are a number of articles and such, but there is also one interactive one on the history of the Diamond and it's baseball. It is there in the print version in today's paper, but not on the article posted above.... I thought it was pretty cool. To save some time, here is the link to the interactive history below:

http://static.mgnetwork.com/rtd/special/Baseball2012/baseball_timeline.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HopHead City

HopHead

Posted
Posted

Some more national coverage of VCU and George Mason joining the Atlantic-10: http://www.cbssports.com/general/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18045227/vcu-george-mason-butler-in-discussions-to-join-atlantic-10

While the CAA has enjoyed a nice run over the last few years, moving to the A-10 is definitely a step up for VCU. That conference regularly gets at least 3-4 bids in the NCAAs, while only recently has the CAA received more than one. Also the level of play will be stepped up a notch too, which is good for VCU in the long run. Not to mention they'll be in the same conference as UofR so they can play twice a season. The only downside will likely be the trickledown effect on Richmond since it's home to the CAA and its tournament. It will definitely lose the luster it's gained the last 5 years with the loss of VCU and GMU as those schools tend to be the big draw.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
burt Megalopolis

burt

Posted
Posted

Some more national coverage of VCU and George Mason joining the Atlantic-10: http://www.cbssports...oin-atlantic-10

While the CAA has enjoyed a nice run over the last few years, moving to the A-10 is definitely a step up for VCU. That conference regularly gets at least 3-4 bids in the NCAAs, while only recently has the CAA received more than one. Also the level of play will be stepped up a notch too, which is good for VCU in the long run. Not to mention they'll be in the same conference as UofR so they can play twice a season. The only downside will likely be the trickledown effect on Richmond since it's home to the CAA and its tournament. It will definitely lose the luster it's gained the last 5 years with the loss of VCU and GMU as those schools tend to be the big draw.

It appears discussions about VCU and Mason moving over to Atlantic-10 are at a serious stage. Perhaps Smart's decision to stay in Richmond was contingent on the shift. :dontknow:

The CAA Tournament is contracted to remain at The Richmond Coliseum thru 2014. Considering the deterioration of the building it's unlikely an extension would be approved by the CAA board.

The Rams and The Spiders as rivals would boost box office at The Robins Center and The Siegel Center (which is already in the top five among consecutive college basketball sell-outs.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
burt Megalopolis

burt

Posted
Posted (edited)

A sold out stadium watched the Richmond Flying Squirrels defeat the double A team from Altoona last night in the season opener at The Diamond on North Boulevard:

From RVANews:

http://rvanews.com/sports/photos-opening-day-for-the-flying-squirrels/58894

A side note: The 3rd picture from the very top is a view from one of the terraces at The Diamond Ball Park. The building across the street is the Greyhound Bus Terminal. Because Richmond is a mid-Atlantic hub for Greyhound, it is among the top ten busiest Greyhound stations in the country.

Edited by burt
Link to comment
Share on other sites
burt Megalopolis

burt

Posted
Posted

The American Hockey League's Norfolk Admirals won their 27th consecutive game in Binghamton, NY last night.

That's "the longest winning streak in North American professional hockey" according to sports coverage in today's Virginian-Pilot.

http://hamptonroads....th-straight-win

When professional hockey first came to Richmond in the early 1970's the team was affiliated with the AHL. They were called The Richmond Robins. Norfolk's Scope opened about the same time as Richmond's Coliseum and also hosted an AHL team. There was a rivalry that often filled both arenas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
burt Megalopolis

burt

Posted
Posted

Just as we learn that architect Steven Holl's design for VCU's Institute for Contemporary Art is to be unveiled in New York City next Thursday (see VCU Developments thread,) disturbing reports of changes in the school's athletic leadership are released.

Norwood Teague, VCU's Athletic Director, is the final candidate for a similar job at The University of Minnesota.

Teague joined VCU just as Anthony Grant was leaving. He brought in Shaka Smart to replace Grant.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...vcu-ar-1861228/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RVA-Is-The-Best Burg

RVA-Is-The-Best

Posted
Posted

And Richmond is revving up for NASCAR: tonight, the Nationwide race.

Tomorrow is the bigger night though, as over 100,000 people jam the raceway grandstands to watch motorsport superstars like Jeff Gordon or Kasey Kahne battle it out for not only the trophy, but for the more points that could determine whether they get to "Chase" the Sprint Cup in September. Richmond's other Sprint Cup race in September also happens to be the "Last Race to Make The Chase", being the last regular season race.

Here's more on that:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/2012/apr/27/race-fans-ready-big-weekend-rir-ar-1874404/

The RTD article also tackles the weather issues that may be problematic to RIR if it ends up raining tomorrow night, like expected.

Let's hope for the best. :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RVA-Is-The-Best Burg

RVA-Is-The-Best

Posted
Posted

Also, local favorite Denny Hamlin will also be chasing the title. He won the NASCAR race last weekend, and now he is looking to win at his hometrack. He was raised in Chesterfield County, and held a "Short Track Showdown" yesterday:

It was a charity race hosted by the native racer, who himself raced but got into two wrecks which eventually put him out of the race. Tony Stewart won the race, but another Chesterfield native (that's not Hamlin) finished third: Brandon Butler.

The charitable cause of the race was to raise money for cystic fibrosis research. The turnout was pretty good for the race: 6,000 people came out to cheer on some of NASCAR's true leaders (Stewart, Hamlin) while local racers also made quite an impact on the leaderboards (Butler, and Greg Edwards, hometrack Langley Speedway).The race was moved from Southside Speedway, who has hosted it before it came to RIR.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/2012/apr/27/tdspx01-tony-stewart-wins-denny-hamlin-short-track-ar-1872583/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
HopHead City

HopHead

Posted
Posted

Looks like VCU will be leaving the CAA for the Atlantic-10 in 2013 (same conference as Univ of Richmond). http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/19042989/vcu-joining-atlantic-10-in-2013. From a competitive standpoint, this is a good move (A-10 regularly gets more NCAA tourney bids). The only real drawback may be the prospect of the basketball-only members of the Big East forming their own hoops conference (which has been speculated), and then taking someone like Xavier and Dayton. George Mason has elected to stay in the CAA and Old Dominion is supposed to make a decision in the next several weeks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RVA-Is-The-Best Burg

RVA-Is-The-Best

Posted
Posted

I'm dissapointed beyond words. I thought the CAA was their home. Of course there is that ONE advantage of getting more and more berths into the NCAA, but otherwise, what more is it changing? This isn't really benefitting the Rams, it's benefitting the A-10, as stated in the CBSSports article that they earn like what, 10,000 dollars for every advancement in the tourney? And VCU has won like what, 4 or 5 conference tournaments? What about the CAA tournament now? It was just getting kickstarted with all the excitement of the Rams getting into the Final Four, and selling out all the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals with the Rams in it. That helped also to revitalize the Richmond Coliseum as a major competetive tourney arena. But now, if VCU has to travel all the way to some place in the middle of somewhere just to fight it out to see whether they get in the tournament (or NOT), VCU fans probably won't follow them. I know dedicated fans, but they surely will NOT travel somewhere just to see a conference tournament. And this is a MAJOR blow to the CAA. They just lost one of their three main players.

The way I see it, the CAA (used) to have a huge powerhouse triangle comprised of the three most prospective teams (I think you can guess who they (were)). Now with one of them gone, and one considering a move, the conference will probably go nowhere. If they can reverse their decision, I wouldn't blame GMU for moving with VCU into the A-10. There just won't be a competitive edge anymore in this place. And sadly, but mostly scarily, I see quite a bumpy and horrendous road ahead of us (the CAA). :cry::(

Whew! That was a mouthful! But seriously. I think this is going to be one helluva ride for both the Rams, who is entering the A-10 alone and without any company from their would-be new conference mate (cough, cough,GMU?), and also for the CAA, who, without their star team, will see quite a rollercoaster of a ride.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.