Planes, Tain(ing)s, and Referees

[johno]

Just a few questions and commments of a former lurker:

1. Anyone know when the Zags leave for Raliegh? Are there NCCA rules that limit how far in advance a team can travel before an NCAA tournament game? Do former or future Zags get to travel with the team?

2. Anyone know anything about the officiating crew assigned to the game and what conference they come out of? Or how to find out?

3. Do the zags assign a coach to exclusively study the potential opponents in the round of 32 before the round of 64 is completed? Would the Zags devote any practice time to a potential round of 32 opponent?

4. Rant: I wish the local TV stations would broadcast the pre and post game press conferences in there entirety. It's frustrating to know your team and coaches are giving great insights and there's no coverage.

WE ARE GU
GO ZAGS

[ZagNative]

Hey, Johnno! Congrats for coming out of the shadows and joining the fray! Your post asks some good questions, so I'll give it a bump and see if anyone pitches in with some answers. Today is such a busy day on the board, with so much to read and respond to, I feel like a cranberry merchant at Christmas, but let's see if we can get you some answers.

Off the top of my head, I would guess that former players do not travel in the same plane with the team, because I would expect the players to be flying on the relatively small jet leased by the Zags thanks to generous contributions from four boosters, as described in this Spokesman-Review Story.

The typical men's travel party is 22 with the remaining spots reserved for the four boosters. If there are any seats left, Roth said they would likely go to GU development officials.

Doubt that NCAA rules would allow the school to have future recruits (even kids who've signed letters of intent) accompany them on the school's dime. In fact, NCAA rules would preclude GU from even providing them with tickets to tournament games, since I believe rules limit free tickets even to home games on GU's campus.

[SunDevilGolfZag]

I'm pretty sure the NCAA makes all the travel arrangments and makes you do it their way. I could be wrong

[cats28036]

Davidson fan here. I know the NCAA makes the travel arrangements, and not always by the most expeditious route. They also assign hotels, which the teams are required to use. When we were in Dayton two years ago we were assigned to a 1960's vintage Holiday Inn. I understand that UNC was in a different, and worse, Holiday Inn, and even Roy wasn't allowed to move elsewhere at UNC's expense.

[PepBandMom]

Since a former lurker posted the questions, I will come out of the shadows myself and offer what I know.

My son is in the pep band, which will travel tomorrow with the team. Perhaps they usually fly on a private jet, but for NCAA they will be on a chartered flight, including the team, cheer squad and pep band members. They leave campus around 9:30 Wednesday morning, and have been told that they will arrive at the hotel around 9:00 pm, east coast time. They have also been told to "eat well" before leaving, and bring food along. Sounds like quite the journey..... I just worry about the 6'10" guys who have to sit in an airline seat!

[ZagNative]

Since a former lurker posted the questions, I will come out of the shadows myself and offer what I know.

My son is in the pep band, which will travel tomorrow with the team. Perhaps they usually fly on a private jet, but for NCAA they will be on a chartered flight, including the team, cheer squad and pep band members. They leave campus around 9:30 Wednesday morning, and have been told that they will arrive at the hotel around 9:00 pm, east coast time. They have also been told to "eat well" before leaving, and bring food along. Sounds like quite the journey..... I just worry about the 6'10" guys who have to sit in an airline seat!

Good info, PepBandMom! Thanks for chipping in, and welcome.

Those travel times are hideous. If it's a charter flight, why would it take them so long to get there? Nine hours travel time? Geez, NCAA, do me no favors!

[GonzagaGurl08]

Being a pep band member myself maybe I can clarify a bit. In years past the team has practiced before leaving so that can slow things up a bit. Also it will take quite a while to get everyone through security. It's a game of hurry up and wait. Also there is travel time to and from the airports.

PepBandMom, PM me I probably know your son.

[jayray]

Did they practice today at 9AM?

[PortlandbasedZag]

Interestingly, I was surprised to learn the college couldn't make its own arrangements and so I went on to the NCAA site to see what I could find and here is what I found:

"During the 2007-08 academic year, 88 championships will be held in locations all across the United States. The NCAA will spend in excess of $30 million to transport student-athletes, teams, officials and support personnel to and from their destinations."

"Teams located within 350 ground miles of the competition site are required to travel via ground transportation. For Division I men’s and women’s basketball, teams located within 300 ground miles of the competition site are required to travel via ground transportation."

"If an institution is eligible to use air transportation to the site of the championship, and there is a major airport located within 120 miles of the championship site, then the participating institution is required to fly into/out of that airport and utilize ground transport to and from the site of competition."

"Charter options will be pursued by Short’s only if reasonable commercial options are not available. All charter flights for a team’s participation in an NCAA championship must be arranged through Short’s."

"Flight options, both commercial and charter, are limited due to the quick turn around time of championship travel and the seasonality of NCAA championships. Institutions that fly should be prepared to have connecting flights, split their travel party and depart early in the morning or late in the evening. The NCAA national office travel staff is responsible for making the determination of what should be considered reasonable options for the official traveling party."

Sounds like a pretty big scam to me. The NCAA gets to choose a travel agent to make all of the arrangements, and gets final say over those decisions....Surprised the larger conferences don't try and exert a little more force and let teams that want to opt out. It would sure save the NCAA some money if they let the bigger teams do thier own thing...

[CDC84]

If you get ESPN News, they carry several of the NCAA post game press conferences. I am also wondering if the new CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) will have post game press conference coverage. I know CSTV used to carry pregame press conferences.

[SDUQ]

Post Game Stuff

Looking ahead on my satellite TV guide - it indicates that CBSCS (formerly CSTV - forgive me if I mess up, I can be acronym challenged at times) will be doing post game and in game looks all day.

In additon it looks like they will be broadcasting the Stanford game during the dead spot where CBS decides it needs to show the Price is Right and Dr. Phil - although Dr. Phil may be needed to facilitate some marriages this time of year.

[Thomas_Sutpen]

3. Do the zags assign a coach to exclusively study the potential opponents in the round of 32 before the round of 64 is completed? Would the Zags devote any practice time to a potential round of 32 opponent?

I'm not sure exactly how GU handles this but since we're the first game in Raleigh, you can bet we'll have everybody at the GTown-UMBC game if we beat Davidson. You often see winning coaches watching the next game get interviewed ("who would you rather play, coach?" "well, they're both great teams," etc.). I think I remember seeing Coach Rice watching a possible opponent's game in past years.

However, no coach in his right mind would even MENTION the next game to his players, let alone devote practice time to the opponent, until round 1 is OVER.

That being said, I'm sure some assistant's assistant is looking at GTown film already, although the program would never admit to this.

[Scotto]

Roy Williams was on TV last night and he said that one of his assistants will each look at one of the potential 2nd round teams. Then if they win they all sit together and watch the other game. So he has a scouting report from his assistant plus his own ideas from watching them live.

[PepBandMom]

The Warriors have Landed

I thought you might like to know that i received a text message from my son - - the plane landed in NC around 4:15, Pacific Time. Glad to know that their flight was not delayed, especially with all of the storm systems that are happening in the mid-west.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a fair amount of pacing to do before Friday morning.......

[cats28036]

PBMom, glad to hear the troops arrived. If they landed at RDU around 7:15 EDT their timing was impeccable as they just beat a serious band of thunderstorms.

Win or lose, I know many Davidson fans look forward to meeting some Zag fans and extending some southern hospitality.

Should, heaven forbid, DC lose on Friday, the Easter Sunday game between two fine Jesuit institutions will be like a home game for the Zags. Carolina fans will fill the RBC Center, and cheer raucously against the Hoyas after last year's Elite Eight debacle.