Syracuse to build new practice facility - named after 'melo

[rocky_warrior]

Just got this off of Cracked Sidewalks.  Of course, 'melo is donating $3MM to it, but it got me thinking...

I'm guessing there would be a lot of MU fans outraged if we had built a practice facility, and named it after wade just because he gave $3MM.  I mean...a number of people have expressed displeasure with seeing his jersey in the rafters without having a degree first.  What would you think if there was a  "Dwyane Wade Center"?

For the record...I think it's fine to retire his jersey now, but I might be slightly disturbed by a practice facility with his name on it.

[Bob "Big Daddy" Wild]

I think something like that is slightly different between Wade and Melo because Melo is the person most accredited (by the public) for bringing Syracuse the national title...

Our practice facility is named after the person most accredited for bringing Marquette the national title...

Just an observation...not saying this is right or I agree with it.

[SoCalwarrior]

I understand the National Title thing, but to name the facility after a one year player seems silly.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

It's ridiculous to name it after Carmelo. How about after Boeheim? Or Jim Brown? Or Ernie Davis? Carmelo was there for exactly one year. If the entire athletic department is going to use it, I saw use one of their legendary alums...McNabb?

[NYWarrior]

McNabb played on a Final Four team and serves on the SU Board of Trustees......not a bad choice.

IMHO, Melo shoulda gone off script and said that he'd donate the $$ only if the facility would be named after Jim Boeheim.  That woulda been fantastics

[NavinRJohnson]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the court they play on is already named after Boeheim. I have no problem with this. He is coming forward with the scratch and he almost single handedly won them a national title. Without him, they probably wouldn't have either. People get way too uptight about this stuff. Should we not have names on Schroeder Hall, Weasler Auditorium, Straz Hall...?

I wouldn't be surprised if Nike or some other mutual sponsor/endorsement doesn't have some involvement in this. 'Melo is one of Nike's Marquee guys and also happens to have an agreement with Syracuse. Maybe it is just coincidence, but it seems plausable to me.

[SoCalwarrior]

I wouldn't be surprised if Nike or some other mutual sponsor/endorsement doesn't have some involvement in this. 'Melo is one of Nike's Marquee guys and also happens to have an agreement with Syracuse. Maybe it is just coincidence, but it seems plausable to me.

This seems more than plausable, but I still don't like it.  It's bad enough that the naming rights of pro stadiums are for sale and constantly changing, but college too?   

[NavinRJohnson]

This seems more than plausable, but I still don't like it.  It's bad enough that the naming rights of pro stadiums are for sale and constantly changing, but college too?

See and this is what I don't understand. If the seats are comfortable and give me a good view of the game amd easy access to a beer vendor and a bathroom, who cares what's on the outside? Is County Stadium really a better name than Miller Park?

[rocky_warrior]

easy access to a beer vendor

Oh wait...they're going to serve beer at the practice facility?!?  This changes everything 

Since you went there, and to stray the topic more...how many other BE arena's let you buy Beer?  I'm know the BC, and Allstate do, but I don't think there are many others.

[SoCalwarrior]

See and this is what I don't understand. If the seats are comfortable and give me a good view of the game amd easy access to a beer vendor and a bathroom, who cares what's on the outside? Is County Stadium really a better name than Miller Park?

Obviously, it's a matter of opinion.  Professional sports have always been about show business.  And like it or not, collegient sports are not that far behind.  However, when sports are more about business than the show, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  Changing County Stadium to Miller Park certainly put more money into the owner's pocket, but did it put a better product on the field?  You can argue that the product is no longer on the field, but it is the field, the stadium, etc.  But, I'd take a good team over a good bathroom any day.
Sports is also deeply entrenched in tradition.  When owners mess with tradition to squeeze an extra dollar out of the fan, it's usually upsetting.  They may have the right as you say, but I have the right to bitch about it.

[MUMac]

Correct me if I am wrong, but Melo is donating 20-25% of the building cost.  Is that any different than some other individual donating the same and having their name on the building?

[SoCalwarrior]

Correct me if I am wrong, but Melo is donating 20-25% of the building cost.  Is that any different than some other individual donating the same and having their name on the building?

Total speculation on my part, but this Melo thing just stinks of Nike marketing.  But if I'm wrong, then I would agree with you.  But, I still cringe a bit that a 22 year old kid is naming a college building after himself that he only attended for one year.

[NavinRJohnson]

But, I still cringe a bit that a 22 year old kid is naming a college building after himself that he only attended for one year.

And that brings it right back to a point you made in an earlier post..."Professional sports have always been about show business.  And like it or not, collegient sports are not that far behind."

Obviously since I raised the possibility in an earlier post, I agree that Nike is probably involved. Then again, if LeBron wanted to do the same thing for ______ University that he never even attended, I don't see how or why anyone would have any objection to that.

[spiral97]

how cool would it be if dwyane contributed money to build a brand new facility for MU's diving and swimming team??  it would be called.. wait for it.. it's coming.. it's coming.. and here it is: Wade Natatorium    or we could have the Diener mess hall.. OH or the novak maintenance facility.   

ok.. they weren't that good.. but would I have an issue with it?  Nah - it'd be a win-win situation for them, for the university, for the students, for the athletes, for the fans, and certainly for the alum.  when I think of marquette I don't think of any of the named buildings.. when I think of mu basketball I don't think of the Al per se or of the Bradley Center.. I think of what each of those represent - a winning tradition (housed in world class buildings). 

[tweakers_suck]

If Wade were to ever donate money to MU, I would hope that it would go to the general endowment fund or to endow scholarships.  Endowments are the gifts that keep giving.  But hey, it's not my money and any gift is a great gesture.

As for SU, I don't care what they choose to name their new practice facility.  It just shows that as far as MU has come along with facilities, that other schools will catch up eventually.  MU needs to be always on the look out to differentiate itself from everyone else.  I don't know what the next step is, that is the future AD's job.

[WashDCWarrior]

I was considering donating $3M to Marquette, but realized it would drop my net worth to $3.3M in the hole, so I decided against it.  If I had, I would hope they would have used my namesake.