Posted: Friday, March 27, 2009, 2:38 AM | 0 comments |
 

Guru's Notebook: Trenton Tips, Other Items
options
 

By Mel Greenberg

As a public service, the Guru provides the following information for the biggest invasion of Trenton since a guy named Washiington several centuries ago delivered a surprise or two along the banks of the Delaware.

Saturday's practices for the Regional Semifinals and Final are free at the Sovereign Bank Arena, located quite near the Amtrak Train Station (hint- take a cab); and also near some neat Italian restaurants.

Tickets are still available, according to a release from the local organizing commitee, sent on Thursday. One can purchase either at the Sovereign Bank Arena or by calling 800-298-4200.

There will also be a fan fest with familiy activities and music on one of the arena parking lots.

Doors will open at 11 a.m.. Each session is one hour.

California: 12 p.m. (noon)

Connecticut 1:05 p.m.

Arizona State 2:10 p.m.

Texas A&M 3:15 p.m.

Free trolleys will run between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. from Gate A of the arena to various historical sites, other attractions and restaurants.

Texas A&M has some familiarity with the locale having been bounced out in 2006 in round two by Rutgers.

California coach Joanne Boyle spent part of her youth in Philadelphia, 30 miles to the south, but has no memories of Trenton.

Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma grew up in Norristown but any stories he has about Trenton are probably unprintable.

The Guru hasn't yet caught up with Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne but we're on the case.

Other notables:Virginia coach Debbie Ryan and former WNBA president Val Ackerman grew up near Trenton, while Northwestern coach Joe McKeown went to school at was then called Mercer County Community College and was known to hitch rides back to Northeast Philadelphia from former Immaculata star Theresa Grentz.

Penn Opening

The Guru hasn't been given the go-ahead to use the name, but a former WNBA All-Star has sent a resume to Penn, applying to fill the vacancy created last week when Pat Knapp's contract was not renewed.

North Carolina State Search

Nothing new, but stay tuned.

Maggie Dixon

The teleconference to select this year's Maggie Dixon Rookie Coach of the Year Award will be held this (Friday) morning and recent events should make the call fascinatng. The Women's Basketball Coaches Association will announce the winner soon as part of its release schedule.

Maryland Has Answers

Thanks to SID office's Sam Angell for coming up with name of jazzy music played during Terrapin introductions at the Comcast Center. It's Everytime We Touch by Cascada, which was quickly downloaded and three different versions are now housed in one of the IPods.

Theme Change

March to the Arch may be appropriate for St. Louis, the host city for the Women's Final Four, but for the two teams likely to play UConn, March to the Scaffold may be more appropriate.

Deviled Eggs

Was this just the worst 48 hours in overall Duke hoops history?

The Guru watched the men's demise to Villanova on the HD player on his laptop made available by CBS and the NCAA.

That's it for now.

-- Mel 

 

 

 
Posted by Mel Greenberg @ 2:38 AM  Permalink | Post a comment
0
Comments   


0 comments
About Mel Greenberg
Mel Greenberg covers college and pro women’s basketball for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he has worked for 38 years. Greenberg pioneered national coverage of the game, including the original Top 25 women's college poll. His knowledge has earned him nicknames such as "The Guru" and "The Godfather. He was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.



Click here for Mel's list of All-Decade players from Philadelphia-area schools.

Other contributors

Jonathan Tannenwald is a producer with Philly.com. In addition to covering the local college scene, he spent two years as the Washington Mystics beat writer for Women's Hoops Guru. He also writes his own blog, Soft Pretzel Logic, which covers men's college basketball, football, and other sports.

Kathleen Radebaugh is a recent graduate of St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. She covered women's basketball for the school's newspaper, The Hawk, and served as sports editor her sophomore year. She was also a four-year member of the varsity crew team.

Erin Semagin Damio covers the University of Connecticut and the WNBA's Connecticut Sun for the blog, and contributes other features. The Storrs, Conn., native also attends Northeastern University, where she is a coxswain on the varsity crew team.

Acacia O'Connor is based in Washington, D.C., where she reports on the Mystics and the college basketball scene in the nation's capital. A graduate of Vassar college, she played on the varsity women's basketball team and was editor of the student newspaper.

Click on any of the contributors' names above to e-mail them.

Advertise Here