Some of you may have heard my mini-rant on Hoopsville and I thought it was bringing to the blog Basically, I was trying to offer some (unsolicited) advice to those on the administrative site of things, with the purpose of making tournament week more enjoyable for fans (and even us media members) across the country. The three suggestions I made…

1. Update your Web site

To prep for Hoopsville today, I surfed to more than a dozen different team Web sites in the New England region. A couple didn’t have their season stats listed. One that did (and I won’t indict) had the 2004-05 campaign as the most updated version. Those that follow the games like to know as much about teams as possible. Since print/radio/tv coverage is usually very limited, a team Web site is the next-best place to go. Keeping those sites updated will keep your fans, and other Division III fans across the country rather happy.

2. Check your warm-up mix tape

This was one I wanted to write last season and didn’t. I went to at least 4 different sites last season in which I heard warm-up music containing either racial slurs or profanity. I’m all in favor of free speech, but it’s important to remember that these games are family entertainment. The demographic of attendees for championship week includes a younger crowd (parents are more likely to take little kids) and an older crowd (the grandparents turn out in droves, as I discovered at one game last year). I saw more than a few heads swivel in response to certain lyrics, and I don’t think anyones game would suffer if certain language were either bleeped or averted. The skip button the CD player can work wonders.

3. Crowd Control

I got my first look up close at a real “storm-the-court” scenario at Trinity (Conn.) last week. While those things may look cool on television, from just a few feet away, they can be rather frightening and dangerous. I’m not someone who’s into the idea of “spoiling your fun” but I’d encourage the necessary security be in place to prevent mob scenes from overrunning celebratory moments.

Ok … now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, back to the fun stuff …

By Adam Johnson
D3sports.com

To me, the once intense Johnnie-Tommie rivalry has been mediocre to weak in recent years. It was this mindset which led me to believe that even a regular season championship game wouldn’t draw a full house.

After watching my alma mater, Macalester, take a 14-point lead with six minutes to play, I left Hamline on a beeline for Schoenecker Arena with a friend following close behind. We got there at about 2:45pm and had to park far away in a residential neighborhood. As we walked to the gym, a friend called to inform me the game was sold out and they were turning away fans. He dropped the tip that he had used the side door and his media pass and was admitted after catching flack and a stern “No” when he pass dropped at the front door.

I approached the side door and put my pass to the window. Security hemmed and hawed a bit and asked if it was just me. I pointed to my friend and said, “Two of us, she’s taking pictures.” (She had a camera on her cell phone but had no intention of shooting pictures.)

They asked who we were with and we name dropped: “D3hoops.com.” We were promptly admitted.

Inside was a beautiful mix of passion, purple, rivalry, red and a buzz that screamed “The Johnnie-Tommie rivalry is back.” Fans scrambled to snatch up the remaining seats as both teams went through their pregame warmups.

My “photographer” and I looked for a spot to sit mingling in three of four corners of the gym before looking up and spotting our perch. It was in the press box–obviously. We climbed to the top, over Tommie fans, over Johnnie fans and to the rafters of Schoenecker Arena. For the next two hours we watched all that is wonderful about Division III hoops.

St. Thomas seniors walked out with their parents and I couldn’t help but notice the amount of talent that would soon graduate from St. Thomas. The Tommie student section, often criticized for its lack of attendance, let alone interest, was out in full force. The road team traveled well with many fans drenched in Johnnie red.

While the teams seemed to be separated by ten points most of the game, they were connected by verbal jabs, and hard fouls. After feeling each other out in the first half, the tempers started to flare in the second half.

St. Thomas’s Mike Keating and St. John’s reserve center Jason Fogt got nose to nose after Fogt scored and was fouled by Keating. No technicals were called but the tone was obviously set.

Later in the half, Schnettler and St. John’s Ryan Lieser, who had battled all game nearly came to blows. Both benches rose to their feet as Schnettler found himself nearly surrounded in the Johnnie huddle. It looked as though Schnettler and Johnnie coach Jim Smith exchanged words. Technicals were called on Schnettler and Lieser and normalcy was restored.

While emotions were at a high level, the Johnnies shooting percentage wasn’t and they eventually lost 74-59.

Thank goodness for my media pass and thank goodness these teams have an opportunity for a rematch this Saturday if they don’t overlook their opponents in the semifinals.

The second day of the 9 Days of Championships is a quiet one. The only conference tournament taking place is the CUNYAC Men’s Quarterfinals. So this seems like a good time to catch our breath and highlight a couple other playoff happenings from yesterday.

A gift from Camden: When TCNJ Head Coach John Castaldo won his 200th game against Rutgers-Camden on Thursday night, he probably figured he was done for the year. The Lions were just 5-8 and needed Rutgers-Camden to beat Kean for TCNJ to get into the playoffs. The Scarlet Raptors had only one win in three seasons of conference play entering the weekend.

Make that two wins after Rutgers-Camden stunned Kean 86-77 yesterday. That win put TCNJ in the NJAC tournament where they will travel to reeling Ramapo, who has lost two straight. Lions’ fans can send those thank you cards to Rutgers-Camden Athletics; 3rd Street; Camden, NJ 08102.

Phew: Susquehanna certainly made things interesting in their quest for a MAC-Commonwealth playoff bid. The Crusaders rallied from down seven on the road at Lebanon Valley with under three minutes left to force overtime on a Brad Okonak three-pointer. After trailing virtually the entire game in regulation, Susquehanna never trailed in overtime, surviving 74-69.

Susquehanna travels to Juniata on Wednesday for the MAC-Commonwealth semifinals. Lebanon Valley’s season ends with the heartbreaking loss.

High five: The Muhlenberg men won their fifth game in a row yesterday, beating Ursinus 76-68 to clinch the fifth and final playoff spot in the Centennial Conference. As is usually the case in the Centennial, this was a crazy race with 9 of 10 teams still harboring playoff hopes entering the final week.

On a down note, Muhlenberg’s gain is McDaniel’s loss as the Green Terror fell to Washington College yesterday. As has been chronicled here and elsewhere, this has been an especially trying season for McDaniel whose Head Coach Bob Flynn passed away during the season. McDaniel missed the conference playoffs but showed a lot of fight this year. Coach Flynn was building something special in Westminster and we wish the Green Terror the best as they continue his legacy.

Just like they Drew it up: Congratulations to the Drew Rangers who clinched their first MAC-Freedom Women’s Conference Playoff birth yesterday. The Rangers defeated Wilkes 84-70 and got help from Lycoming, who beat Delaware Valley 80-64, to wrap up the fourth and final playoff spot.

Special kudos go out to three women who have had a phenomenal season at Drew. The Rangers have a very special backcourt in Melissa Kraft (18.6, 5.3 rpg) and Courtney Cunningham (18.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg), the second and fourth all-time scorers at Drew. They were both All-Academic and All-Conference honorees last year, excelling on and of the court. And Karin Harvey, who got the head coaching position very late in the offseason when G.P. Gromacki left for Hamilton, has done a great job.

Even if Drew’s run ends abruptly on the road at No. 6 Scranton, this team should enjoy this special accomplishment.

And these are just a couple playoff stories from one part of the country. Let’s hear more good stories below.

“Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up
Churning and burning they yearn for the cup”

– Cake, “The Distance.”

Tomorrow begins nine days of conference championship action after which we’ll have 122 teams – 63 women’s teams and 59 men’s teams – who will make up the 2007 NCAA Tournament fields.

Like last year, we’ll use the Daily Dose to highlight big games and shine a spotlight on the lesser known races worth watching.

Day one brings a formerly ranked team on the brink, a full day of action in New York City and a sleeper with one last chance to wake up.

Rocky Road: For those who doubt the NESCAC’s depth, witness the plight of the Bates Bobcats. They spent a good portion of the season ranked after plowing through their non-conference schedule. Then they hit the conference schedule – or the schedule hit them – and now they are the eight seed in their own tournament.

So all they have to do is win three games. On the road. Starting with an angry No. 3 Amherst team. Might as well get the hardest one out of the way first, I suppose.

If the Bobcats have any hope, it resides in the dynamic duo of Zak Ray (12.3 ppg, 140 assists) and Rob Stockwell (15.9 ppg, 9.2 rpg). The Lord Jeffs held Ray to 8 points on 2 for 11 shooting in the first meeting, a 79-64 Amherst victory.

Webcast: 3 PM EST: Bates @ No. 3 Amherst (Men)

NESCAC fans can also watch Little 3 rivals Wesleyan and Williams battle in the women’s quarterfinals at 4 PM EST.

Almost Paradise: Head Coach Machli Joseph and Baruch played an aggressive non-conference schedule this year that included four likely tournament teams (No. 5 Messiah, No. 6 Scranton, Kean and Chapman). That provided very valuable experience, but it also added a few more regional loses.

The Bearcats are the heavy favorites for the CUNYAC tournament and they probably need to win it to make the NCAA tournament. The next loss will be their seventh in region and they were not ranked in this week’s regional rankings.

It’s up to Preseason All-American Chiresse Paradise (12.5 ppg, 13 games) to help the Bearcats complete an undefeated season in the CUNYAC. They start with New York City Tech tomorrow.

Waking Wesley: Last year Wesley nearly upset Alvernia on the road in the PnAC Tournament final. With players like Rashawn Johnson (22.9 ppg) returning, the Wolverines had a chance to contend for this year’s regular season title. Instead they lost seven of their first 10 and needed a win over Misericordia just to grab the sixth seed.

That gives the Wolverines one more chance to live up to the potential they showed late last year, starting in the conference tournament quarterfinals at Immaculata. The Mighty Macs are a good story themselves having taken the third seed in just their second season of men’s basketball.

There are lots of other good stories and big games out there, including a D3hoopsNet broadcast of the de facto NJAC regular season title game between Ramapo and NJCU.

Feel free to talk them up.