Heard it From Hoard: Column 74
One thing you will never, ever hear me do is criticize attendance.
You have to pay for tickets - I don't.
You have to pay for parking - I don't.
Shoot, those of us lucky enough to have a press pass get a free pre-game meal for gosh-sakes.
For that reason, I don't think I have the right to tell anyone how to spend their hard-earned money. In fact, the next time you hear a media member complain about empty seats, ask them if THEY would have forked over cash to be there.
Having said that, I would love to see a great crowd on Wednesday for the St. John's game because I think the Bearcats have proven they will give you your money's worth and more.
Saturday's win at Georgetown was phenomenal. For the 4th time this year, Cincinnati trailed by double digits and won (16 vs. Rutgers, 15 vs. Eastern Kentucky, 11 vs. St. John's) as they rallied from 12-down in the 2nd half to beat a team that was ranked in the Top 10 last month.
Sure the Hoyas have been struggling lately, but they're still the only team in the country to beat top-ranked Connecticut. Georgetown lost TWICE IN 10 DAYS to UC, despite leading 55-54 with less than 5:00 to go in each game.
When UC was drawing big crowds in the Bob Huggins era, fans loved watching the 'Cats win with great effort and stifling defense.
Sounds a bit like this year's team doesn't it?
That was certainly the formula at Georgetown as DaJuan Summers made a 3-pointer with 7:19 to go and the Hoyas managed to make one field goal the rest of the game - including overtime. Over the last 12+ minutes, the Bearcats held Georgetown to 1-for-12 shooting and forced four turnovers. In their 6 BIG EAST wins, the 'Cats are holding opponents to 62.6 points a game.
When UC was drawing big crowds in Andy Kennedy's year as head coach, fans rallied around a team that was a big underdog in the BIG EAST, and showed tremendous heart after losing a key player (Armein Kirkland) to injury.
Sounds a bit like this year's team doesn't it?
The Bearcats were picked to finish 11th by BIG EAST coaches and that was before Cashmere Wright's injury. Playing without a true point guard, Cincinnati is 16-8 overall, and tied for 6th in the league at 6-5. They have clinched a winning regular season record, become a legitimate NCAA tournament contender, and could get some Top 25 votes this week for the first time all season.
On Thursday night I had the good fortune to attend the Celtics vs. Lakers game in Boston (it was the only gift my wife Peg requested for Christmas which is one of the many reasons why she is the greatest wife ever). It was a fantastic game as the Lakers beat the Celtics 110-109 in overtime to end Boston's 12-game winning streak. It was also the highest-rated regular season game on TNT since 1996 when Michael Jordan's Bulls beat Magic Johnson's Lakers.
I paid a bundle for the tickets, and the 2 beers we had were $9 each. It was worth every penny.
I think you'll feel the same way if you come to the game on Wednesday night.
I'd love to hear from you. The address is dhoard@pawsox.com.
Enjoy this week's photo of the handsome lad showing off his leaping ability while jumping a bed.
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