Forde article on College BBall Venues
If you're a sports stadium fan you might enjoy this article on college bball's historic and not-so-historic venues:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4958…
My two favorite arenas are: Vandy - http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/vand/graphics/022608-memorial-gym-1600x120… Minny - http://blog.lib.umn.edu/carl1467/architecture/williams%20arena.jpg
Surprisingly Crisler was not listed under blandest arenas, though it probably fits under this category:
My two favorite arenas are: Vandy - http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/vand/graphics/022608-memorial-gym-1600x120… Minny - http://blog.lib.umn.edu/carl1467/architecture/williams%20arena.jpg
Surprisingly Crisler was not listed under blandest arenas, though it probably fits under this category:
Almost everything built between 1965 and 1975. This was basically the disco period for America's sporting architects -- nothing but bad ideas. Look at the baseball/football stadia built then: the cookie-cutter round blocks of bland in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Many of the college basketball arenas constructed at the same time are similarly lacking.
Forde articles would be my RAID.
I love vandy's floor. I wish more arenas had the step up court. It could be pretty dangerous I guess when players are diving for loose balls but it looks pretty sweet regardless.
Interesting article to poke through. Lots of places I'd like to make it to at some point...
The Pit (29). Who plays there: New Mexico. Opened: 1966. Capacity: 18,018. The place literally is a pit, with the floor 37 feet below ground level. The roof was built first, then they excavated beneath it to put in the seats.
That sounds like the most inefficient way to build an arena ever. How do you shovel the dirt out of the ground when there's a building in the way?
I've played pick-up games there before. Effing old school. Wish I could have caught a game there.
Basketball is funny in that you can be in a stadium one tenth the size of the Big House, but the Big House seems more intimate.
My wifes' company has season tickets to the Louisville Cardinals and we are going to go to the game this weekend. It is a really nice place to watch a game. A lot of history on the walls and in the rafters. I have gotten to see a lot of good games played on her companys' dime. It is also nice that they still sell alcohol as well! It's not like Chrysler where the students are right on top of the court but it gets ridiculously loud for a venue as open and big as it is. The people here are nuts over basketball.
A Michigan fan should know how to spell our basketball arena's name.
N-E-E-D-M-O-R-E-T-A-L-E-N-T
You are correct sir. I was thinking of the car company and just typed. My apologies.
My Daughter is attending KU (we live in Leawood Kansas) and Phog-Allen field house is an incredible experience. I have never been to the Carrier Dome but what I see for the Syracuse games looks rather intimidating. Dealing with Duke students just feet away from you on the bench must be a good time for the visiting team. Looking forward to K-State Vs. KU tonight.
The Carrier Dome was an excellent place to watch a game, despite our terrible (third deck behind a basket) seats. They put the court down in the endzone of the football field, and put up tons of rows of bleachers behind it. Walking around, you can see the astroturf and 30 yards and the endzone of the football field. That place is huge, and the orange is quite vivid.