There’s always something a little odd about basketball in a dome, particularly one as empty as the Georgia Dome was to open things Thursday. But this year’s ACC Tournament feels a little odd in the media areas, too.
Not only are there approximately 200 fewer media members credentialed than last year, there are some people missing for the first time in decades.
N&O columnist Caulton Tudor isn’t here for the first time since 1972. Chip Alexander, who moved from the N.C. State beat to the Carolina Hurricanes beat at the N&O, isn’t here for the first time since 1987.
Down the road, former Durham Herald-Sun columnist Frank Dascenzo isn’t here for the first time in decades either, and there are many more from papers large and small that either don’t have the money to travel to Atlanta or have lost their jobs over the past year due to the general contraction in the newspaper business.
This is only my second ACC Tournament (2004, Greensboro) but even I can feel their absence.
On the plus side, this is a first-class work environment from our perspective — the wireless works and our cell phones get reception, which isn’t always the case.
On a completely different note, Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic writes today about Doug Collins’ work with Herb Sendek at Arizona State, which includes this line:
“And you wonder why the student body loves him?”
Are we talking about the same Herb? On the other hand, this is the line that precedes it:
“Entering today’s Pac-10 Tournament, he’s beaten Arizona four consecutive times.”
Maybe if he’d been that fired up about beating State’s biggest rival, the fans would have loved him here.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or
Comments
Sendek and UNC
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 17:18 — rwharris311Your comment "Maybe if he’d been that fired up about beating State’s biggest rival, the fans would have loved him here." is not only insulting to Coach Sendek but to the intelligence of every ACC basketball fan. To compare playing Arizona to playing Duke and UNC on a regular basis and to question Coach Sendek's dedication is ridiculous. You had better stick with hockey, Luke. As to Coach Sendek and NC State, the State fans who ran Coach Sendek away are getting precisely what they deserved, a short season and a chance to watch UNC and Duke play in the NCAA tourney.
Get real
Fri, 03/13/2009 - 08:52 — heelsno1Playing Arizona is not the same thing as playing UNC, Duke and Wake Forest 2 games each season.
Herb Sendek did a fine job at NC State, although he never was fully embraced by the Pack faithful. It seemed to me that a good man and a good coach was done in because he lacked a flambouyant personality. In my opinion, he was more effective than Chucky th Chest!
Good luck to Herb Sendek and his Sun Devils!