VCU Players Soaking It Up

Here is an article from the Richmond Times Dispatch. Apparently they are trying to create bulletin board material because not every UCLA player knew what VCU stood for. It's probably because we skipped that step and were already watching film. Go Bruins.

7 months ago rfirpo 12 comments 0 recs |

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Apparantly they don't have time for punctuation there

This was the first sentence/paragraph/jumbled mess of this piece.

VCU’s players are soaking it in Rams’ Pishchalnikov getting crash course about UCLA history The buzz about Virginia Commonwealth University getting a crack at UCLA in the NCAA tournament still hadn’t died down after the selection show ended Sunday night.

More bulletin board material (well, kinda…)

Pishchalnikov doesn’t know much about UCLA’s revered status in college basketball. The Bruins — and the NCAA tournament — are not a big deal in the part of the world he calls home: Maykop, Russia.

Well, being from Russia, Pishchalnikovinskibarishnakov should know that UCLA has Drago and just like the Russian boxing hero, he “must break you”!!!!

by bruinponcho on Mar 17, 2009 10:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

In Russia ...

In Russia BASKETBALL DRIBBLES YOU!

Sorry, I didn’t have near as much hacky comedy today. Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

by Seanny Rotten on Mar 17, 2009 12:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

All of this bulletin board material is overrated IMO

From either side. You’re in the NCAA Tournament, playing for the national championship and a loss ends your season. There shouldn’t be any bulletin board material in the world that could get your more amped up or motivated to get a W. If you need the bulletin board material then you probably won’t go far anyways.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Mar 17, 2009 11:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

talk about bulletin board material is cliche, but I couldn’t resist their attempt to create it.

by rfirpo on Mar 17, 2009 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed II

It would have to be a pretty blatant affront to cause any extra motivation, and even that doesn’t mean much five minutes into the game.

by bru79 on Mar 17, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I gotta disagree rye

Emotion to me is a HUGE part of college basketball. This is what makes college athletics so different and special from the pro version. And every edge a team can get in the department of emotion matters.

To me the point became very clear when Duke took on Tark’s UNLV in 1991 national semifinals. Duke had no business winning that game. They didn’t belong in the same court with the Rebels. They were disrespected all week heading into that game. For those who watched the game remember what happened afterwards.

As big as Ed O, Tyus, Zidek were in 1995 … emotion and perceived disrespect of UCLA basketball team played a huge part in our run. All through that big dance, the ESPN crew was picking UConn and then Maryland to come out of West. Dickie V was blabbering how Calhoun’s team was going to run us out of Oakland. And during the finals we had to hear about how we were not going to stack up against Richardson’s “forty minutes of hell.”

So I don’t buy the argument that emotion and bulletin board materials don’t matter in college sports. I saw our team feed off it when I was a student at UCLA.

by Nestor on Mar 17, 2009 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree here as well,

having a little extra incentive can be very motivational. While both teams are playing for the right to continue their season, I think playing for respect or to prove the doubters wrong can serve to add a little extra adrenaline, if not, when would the underdog ever come out on top?

O.A.

by Ollie on Mar 17, 2009 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What about all those times there was bulletin board material

and a team came out and got flattened? I’m not going to pretend like I’ve had national commentators talking about my team, but in high school I had teams say things that were bulletin board material and they seemed like great motivators, but as soon as the game got underway it was far from anyone’s mind. I don’t deny that emotion is a huge part of the game, but I don’t think that once the ball is tipped anyone from either side will be thinking about whatever’s been said and I’ve been told by UCLA players (not on this team) that bulletin board material is overrated. I don’t deny that emotion is a major part of the college game, but I don’t put much stock in bulletin board material.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Mar 17, 2009 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We will just have to agree to disagree on this rye :)

by Nestor on Mar 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree with Rye 100%

Anyone who disagrees with Rye is basically pointing to anecdotes seen through the lens of confirmation bias.

by dokein on Mar 18, 2009 1:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what?

So I pointed to couple of examples. I am sure if were to do a thoroughly exhaustive post I could have come with examples after examples and data points. Rye has a good point but that doesn’t take away from the fact what a huge part emotion plays in college athletics. Any one who disagree with that doesn’t have a clue about college sports.

If you feel like writing up a robotic post on how emotion doesn’t play a role in college sports go for it. It will make you look tonedeaf and completely out of touch … and we will tell you to find a blog that just covers sports storylines without any emotion.

by Nestor on Mar 18, 2009 4:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs