I'm starting to look at a banner in Siegel differently

RamboRowdy

RamboRowdy

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Siegel Center has many banners. Banners celebrating achievements from all VCU sports. We have banners that show the constant success of our men's basketball program as well as our rising women's program. We have banners to honor our always competitive tennis teams as well as our great volleyball teams.

All these banners are proudly displayed. However, tucked next to the scoreboard on the East Side of Siegel hangs a small banner. Not a flashy banner by any means but it hangs among our NIT banners. A banner that people were very split about hanging in the first place. Some made jokes about it even.

The banner I am of course referring to is the CBI Banner.

Last season following the disappointing loss to ODU in the tournament VCU decided it would take part in the CBI following a snub from the NIT. During the tourney the Rams grew as did a talented transfer who has now become a focal point in the Rams offense, Jamie Skeen. The Rams claimed the tournament championship and Joey was named MVP. Possibly the biggest part of this was the Rams finished the championship series on the road. The Rams became the first team to sweep its opponent in the CBI championship.

Ram fans were left with a positive feeling for the next season following the championship win. Mainly because it seemed the road troubles were coming to a end. Road troubles of course cost the Rams a chance at top 4 seed and forced VCU to play Friday. No team had ever won when they played on Friday and VCU sadly didn't become the first one.
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Skipping ahead to the current season the Rams are now 15-5, 7-1 in the CAA, and tied for first place

Looking back now the CBI may have been what this team needed. I personally was fine with a banner when we won the CBI as long we didn't make a big deal out of it. Now when I walk in Siegel I'm beginning to look at our CBI banner with a lot more respect.
 
It's still a crappy tournament, and the players feel the same.

It did get extra practice though.
 
Well said...crappy tourney or not...I'd say it's paid dividends for us now...especially over the last few days.
 
RAMified said:
ISwamRam said:
Well said...crappy tourney or not...I'd say it's paid dividends for us now...especially over the last few days.
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Can you clarify?
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RRR's post said it better than I...this team had road issues last year...CBI seemed to solve that...Skeen became Skeen, or started to get his game back...the team grew as a team...those are benefits had we not gone to the CBI (or any post season, provided we committed to it) I'm not sure we'd be where we are now...

I know a lot of folks on here don't like the CBI or the NIT for that matter...and you won't catch me bragging about our 'national championship' to my UR peers at work...but that won't stop me from acknowledging the fact that going to the CBI was a good thing all around.
 
I look at the CBI banner as a positive also. This team needed something good to end last seasonwith and I think it is what started the peseason nit run...MSG are you kidding me! This is a great time to be a RAM FAN.
 
I think it is always a good idea to continue playing when given the option. That is what a basketball team does, they play basketball games. Opting out of one of these tournaments and saying that we are "too good for it" is cowardly in my opinion. If you think you are too good for it and deserved better play in it and win it. I too enjoyed the games with GW, Boston, Charleston, and St. Louis. Maybe we will end up playing a series with one of those teams in the future. All good teams with different styles. Gave us an opportunity to keep practicing and prepare for various teams on short notice. I haven't heard any one brag about winning the thing, but it was darn sure better than losing it.
 
VCU Finance 2008 said:
I haven't heard any one brag about winning the thing, but it was darn sure better than losing it.
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Or sitting on our rumps moping about getting snubbed from the NIT. :?
 
ISwamRam said:
...and you won't catch me bragging about our 'national championship' to my UR peers at work
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It's not a "National Championship" ... it was just the CBI championship. Duke/Butler was the "National Championship".

For the record, I agree with our decision to play in it. I just don't think it gives us any bragging rights. We all kind of laughed at ODU for being so proud of their NIT Final Four and that was more of an accompishment than the CBI championship. I also think it's kind of silly when BCS schools like Alabama refuse to play in it. They don't have much to gain by it, but it extends the season one game at a time for fans and gives players extra real game experience heading into the next season.
 
RAMified said:
ISwamRam said:
...and you won't catch me bragging about our 'national championship' to my UR peers at work
Click to expand...

It's not a "National Championship" ... it was just the CBI championship. Duke/Butler was the "National Championship".
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My guess is that ISwamRam was implying that our winning a third tier mid-major championship, was akin to Richmond winning a 1-AA National Championship. I could be wrong.
 
I was one of the people who advocated skipping the CBI or College Insider tournament and I was wrong. I'm glad VCU participated. However, I doubt it really had any impact on this season (but I could be wrong). Regarding the banner, I'm pretty neutral about it. Don't really care either way.
 
VCU Basketball winning=Always Good

I totally agree that lessons were learned by the returning players....heck, lessons were learned @ Ga State @ UAB and @ USF.

Still got some tough road games, but I like where the teams head is at. One night it's Skeen, or Rob, or Joey.....that's a lot more palatable then "just" Nick George, or Maynor, or Jenkins or whomever.
 
RAMified said:
ISwamRam said:
...and you won't catch me bragging about our 'national championship' to my UR peers at work
Click to expand...

It's not a "National Championship" ... it was just the CBI championship. Duke/Butler was the "National Championship".

For the record, I agree with our decision to play in it. I just don't think it gives us any bragging rights. We all kind of laughed at ODU for being so proud of their NIT Final Four and that was more of an accompishment than the CBI championship. I also think it's kind of silly when BCS schools like Alabama refuse to play in it. They don't have much to gain by it, but it extends the season one game at a time for fans and gives players extra real game experience heading into the next season.
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I don't think Alabama or "BCS schools like Alabama" are invited to play in it....
 
In most of our opinions this team was a lock for the NIT last year, I have to believe our team felt the same way. I guess 11-7 in the CAA will not get you into the NIT though. With that being said, we were all planning on watching more basketball while the team was certainly preparing for more games. While playing in it was dissapointing, a lot... A LOT of good came out of it.

I've had this conversation with 4Life before... didn't we benefit more from playing 5 games in the CBI instead of just being one and done in the NIT? Yep, we sure did!
 
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