2014 Old Spice

[drewm88]

Bonus:  UCLA = UCLA

Whoa whoa whoa. Let's slow down here. Some of us can only handle one step at a time.

[frozena pizza]

MU vs MSU and new head coach Tom Crean?

Why would Crean go to Mississippi State?  More committed to basketball?

[Skatastrophy]

Why would Crean go to Mississippi State?  More committed to basketball?

His Sensei moved down there recently.

[CAGASS24]

Its easy to take potshots at Buzz, and many are deserved.

But we did manage to get off buzzer-beaters against St. John's for a share of the Big East title, Davidson to win a first-round NCAA game, UConn when Junior hit the 3, several by Jimmy his senior year, etc.

There are plenty of open scabs to pick when it comes to Buzz. Blanket indictments when unwarranted seem over the top.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to this tournament, too. Hope to make the trip down from Charlotte with the missus.

thats why I said a somwhat recurrent theme - think it happened 4-5 times while Buzz was coach - but yes, there are examples of other outcomes

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Why would Crean go to Mississippi State?  More committed to basketball?

Because of the Robert Jackson connection.

[muwarrior69]

KU = Kansas
UK = Kentucky

Bonus:  UCLA = UCLA

UCLA = カリフォルニア大学ロサンゼルス校(UCLA)

[ChicosBailBonds]

Who said I couldn't discern who was who?  I was looking to verify that the information was correct based on what that person said.  What's interesting, is that you'd rather pay attention to that, than the credence of the statement. 

I'm still processing your inconsistent criteria for blue bloods.....

[Jay Bee]

Rhode Island... dangerous

[AirPunches]

Its easy to take potshots at Buzz, and many are deserved.

But we did manage to get off buzzer-beaters against St. John's for a share of the Big East title, Davidson to win a first-round NCAA game, UConn when Junior hit the 3, several by Jimmy his senior year, etc.

There are plenty of open scabs to pick when it comes to Buzz. Blanket indictments when unwarranted seem over the top.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to this tournament, too. Hope to make the trip down from Charlotte with the missus.

Exactly. Buzz was suspended the uconn game.

[Benny B]

Its easy to take potshots at Buzz, and many are deserved.

But we did manage to get off buzzer-beaters against St. John's for a share of the Big East title, Davidson to win a first-round NCAA game, UConn when Junior hit the 3, several by Jimmy his senior year, etc.

There are plenty of open scabs to pick when it comes to Buzz. Blanket indictments when unwarranted seem over the top.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to this tournament, too. Hope to make the trip down from Charlotte with the missus.

Not to nitpick, but Junior's shot against UCONN wasn't a "last-possession" following a timeout.  Neither did a couple of JFB's shots.  I think you should only blame/commend a coach on end-of-game situations based strictly on those situations that come out of a timeout.

[Benny B]

Back on topic, Benny B's already got flights booked to MCO for the whole family... going to be the first time with three kids (18mos, 4 and 5) on a plane.  But that's going to be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be trying to avoid the remainder of Disney at all costs for a whole week... there's only so much of Kissimmee one can handle.

I.  Hate.  That.  Damn.  Mouse.

[warriorchick]

Back on topic, Benny B's already got flights booked to MCO for the whole family... going to be the first time with three kids (18mos, 4 and 5) on a plane.  But that's going to be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be trying to avoid the remainder of Disney at all costs for a whole week... there's only so much of Kissimmee one can handle.

I.  Hate.  That.  Damn.  Mouse.

Yeah, good luck with that.  You would be better off leaving the kids with Grandma.

If you do have to visit The Mouse, here is my one piece of advice:

Squeeze the two older kids into a stroller.  It prevents them from wandering off and lets you be in charge of the itinerary.  Also keeps them from getting tired out from all the walking.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Back on topic, Benny B's already got flights booked to MCO for the whole family... going to be the first time with three kids (18mos, 4 and 5) on a plane.  But that's going to be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be trying to avoid the remainder of Disney at all costs for a whole week... there's only so much of Kissimmee one can handle.

I.  Hate.  That.  Damn.  Mouse.

A one day visit to the mouse is going to cost you more than (3) nights of hotel with a large pool & waterslide in Central Florida.  Make it two days visit and it'll be more than you're whole week.  Your kids are probably too young for Harry Potter, but a two days pass to Universal is only slightly more than one with the mouse.  Thankfully my kids are not "Disney People" and two visits there (to see 3 parks) only reinforced it.  Their first choice was to go see Harry Potter at Universal and they would like to re-visit, but it turns out their favorite park of the three was Sea World (which is the least expensive).

Since the Lego Movie came out they've been asking about LegoLand.

[GooooMarquette]

Yeah, good luck with that.  You would be better off leaving the kids with Grandma.

If you do have to visit The Mouse, here is my one piece of advice:

Squeeze the two older kids into a stroller.  It prevents them from wandering off and lets you be in charge of the itinerary.  Also keeps them from getting tired out from all the walking.

One other piece of advice on The Mouse.  Picture a mouse with an enormous vacuum cleaner that he wants to put in your wallet.  Everywhere you turn, there is The Mouse with his vacuum, and you are powerless to keep his vacuum out of your wallet.  Become comfortable with that image.  Embrace that image.  Become one with that image.

If you are successful, your visit to The Mouse will go just fine.

[77ncaachamps]

All I know is this: Santa Clara is going to get CREAMED.

[MUSF]

MU vs MSU and new head coach Tom Crean?

It will be a cold day in hell before Crean coaches MSU.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I would kill for a visit to Disney World right about now.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Back on topic, Benny B's already got flights booked to MCO for the whole family... going to be the first time with three kids (18mos, 4 and 5) on a plane.  But that's going to be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be trying to avoid the remainder of Disney at all costs for a whole week... there's only so much of Kissimmee one can handle.

I.  Hate.  That.  Damn.  Mouse.

And don't forget to use FASTPASS.

[denverMU]

Back on topic, Benny B's already got flights booked to MCO for the whole family... going to be the first time with three kids (18mos, 4 and 5) on a plane.  But that's going to be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be trying to avoid the remainder of Disney at all costs for a whole week... there's only so much of Kissimmee one can handle.

I.  Hate.  That.  Damn.  Mouse.

Did you book through the Old Spice Classic website or go on your own?  Thinking of going and wondering which would be best way to go?

[MUMountin]

Did you book through the Old Spice Classic website or go on your own?  Thinking of going and wondering which would be best way to go?

Having never traveled to one of these before--MU usually puts together packages for these events, right?  Are they worth it, or better to do it all on your own?

My wife is a GT alum, and loves Disney, so I'm sensing an opportunity here...

[tower912]

Back on topic, Benny B's already got flights booked to MCO for the whole family... going to be the first time with three kids (18mos, 4 and 5) on a plane.  But that's going to be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be trying to avoid the remainder of Disney at all costs for a whole week... there's only so much of Kissimmee one can handle.

I.  Hate.  That.  Damn.  Mouse.

Two years ago, spent 6 days at Disney.    Customer service sets the standard by which all others are measured.    When I went over to Universal with my then 17-year-old daughter who's life would simply not be complete unless she saw the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I was struck by how merely normal customer service seemed incomplete.    There was a week or a piece of trash on the ground that wasn't immediately picked up.    Nobody told me to have a magical day.      My now 7-year old still talks about the trip, though, two years later.   

[murphmurphy]

Its easy to take potshots at Buzz, and many are deserved.

But we did manage to get off buzzer-beaters against St. John's for a share of the Big East title, Davidson to win a first-round NCAA game, UConn when Junior hit the 3, several by Jimmy his senior year, etc.

There are plenty of open scabs to pick when it comes to Buzz. Blanket indictments when unwarranted seem over the top.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to this tournament, too. Hope to make the trip down from Charlotte with the missus.

I specifically remember two of JBs buzzer beaters his senior year after timeouts and buzz frantically scribbling on his white board.  The 1st one they wasted precious seconds passing the ball around the top of the key and JB wound up with the ball at the top of the key with 5 seconds left.  Out of desperation he drove down to the right base line and put up a short jumper over a 7 ft 2 inch defender in his face.  In the 2nd buzzer beater the ball was deflected and heading out of bounds on the right baseline when JB raced for the ball, grabbed it just before going out of bounds, and turned back to put up a fade away from 12 ft that went over the back of the backboard and when in.  There was a late 3ptr this year by Todd Mayo after another frantic white board scribbling timeout where they wasted precious seconds passing the ball around the perimeter and then passed it to TM 3 feet outside the 3 pt line on the left wing and he made a nba plus 3 with 5 seconds left.  In a post game interview Todd said one of the assistant coaches grabbed him as the timeout huddle broke and told him if you get the ball shoot it.  If these where the plays that Buzz drew up in the timeouts at the end of these games he should have been fired a long time ago.  

[swoopem]

Having never traveled to one of these before--MU usually puts together packages for these events, right?  Are they worth it, or better to do it all on your own?

My wife is a GT alum, and loves Disney, so I'm sensing an opportunity here...

MU does put together travel packages, but I've never used them. I've been to NYC for the BEAST tourny and I went to Vegas this year for the New Mexico game. Each time I've booked everything on my own and it's work out just fine.

[muhoosier260]

http://espnevents.com/old-spice-classic/

Some interesting notes.... they still have Buzz up there if you click on MU, no surprise, but if you click on Tennessee.... spoiler alert!!!!

Hahahah, nice catch. How on earth did this happen? Hopefully just a mixup of Tennessee and MSU. Crean to Sparty?

[Benny B]

Did you book through the Old Spice Classic website or go on your own?  Thinking of going and wondering which would be best way to go?

Having never traveled to one of these before--MU usually puts together packages for these events, right?  Are they worth it, or better to do it all on your own?

My wife is a GT alum, and loves Disney, so I'm sensing an opportunity here...

So the question is whether it's better to book the package or to "self-book."  Generally speaking, I don't know, but in my limited experience, I would suggest self-booking if you can do so well in advance (when hotels and car rentals are generally cheaper).

Here's the thread discussing the Maui 2012 travel package which was offered by Anthony Travel who is, incidentally, also putting together the packages for Old Spice 2014:
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=32454.0

The Maui package was $4,700 for two people which included 6 nights, airport and game transportation, tickets, a luau, and some souvenirs.  I self-booked at the team hotel and a rental car in May when the rates were cheap ($2,300 all-in).  "Booster" tickets (to MU games only) were something around $300pp IIRC, and the luau was another $120pp.  So my wife and I assembled the exact same package as the travel agency minus the souvenirs (but IMO, even better since I had a rental car instead of being restricted to a shuttle) for about $1,500 less than the package.

Now that being said, there are advantages to going with the package... namely, peace of mind.  Anthony Travel had reps at the team hotel and the Civic Center all week.  Some people also don't like to wait until tickets go on sale to the general public (the travel package guarantees tickets, self-booking does not and tickets don't go on sale until Aug/Sep).  The question was whether it was worth $1,500, and for me, I can say unequivocally, it was not.  However, the "rack" rate of the Maui hotel if you booked in Aug (when tickets went on sale) was over $400/night.  Car rental prices were double what they were 90 days prior; so if you waited until Aug/Sep to book, the $1,500 savings would have dwindled to around $200.

As it pertains to Old Spice 2014, AFAIK the team hotel has not been announced, so it's hard to say at this point whether the package will be a good deal or not, more information will come out next month.  Other than airfare (which it may be a good idea to wait another month or two), the only thing that's worth doing right now is getting a "safety-net" reservation booked at a hotel... something you'd be comfortable with that has a good rate right now and no cancellation penalty should you book a different hotel/package at a later date.