Final Four moves to Fort Wayne in 2019

[Gregory Sager]

I think that there's more to it than that. My guess is that Chuck is right about all of the players in certain power conferences being aware of the Salem metonym. North Park has fallen well short of qualifying for the D3 tourney throughout most of this decade, and it fell short again this season even though the Vikings were CCIW co-champs ... and yet I'm sure that the Vikings themselves have all been well aware of the idea that "Salem" = Final Four, because I know that they've heard that metonym from people besides me and I've heard them use it themselves. (And this was long before NPU star Juwan Henry went to Salem this year to play in the Reese's All-Star Game during the Final Four.)

I don't think that it's because of "culture", though, in the broader sense; I think that it's because of recent success by the league in getting to Salem. My suspicion is that the five appearances in Salem over the past six years by CCIW teams have sharpened awareness of the location of the Final Four for everyone who plays in that league. I would not be the least bit surprised if what I've observed at North Park also holds true for the players from Carthage, Millikin, and Wheaton, even though none of them have participated in any D3 tourneys during that timespan, either. Similarly, it wouldn't shock me if players from Hamilton, Colby, and Connecticut College, and from UW-LaCrosse, UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-Platteville, are all aware of the Salem metonym as well.

[WUPHF]

I do agree that there are other ways in which a team might learn to embrace the notion of Salem other than through the coach.  I was just offering a way in which we might be able to predict those teams.

I had considered adding power conference affiliation, but either I am not as convinced of that point as you or I have a broader definition of power conference. 

I was thinking about Case Western Reserve who had a great season a few years ago, but struggled at the end and just missed the tournament.  I had read an article in one of the Cleveland area newspapers about the commitment the team had made the summer before.  They players all committed to more time in the gym, skills and speed work etc in a way that went way beyond previous seasons.  That team would not have known of any other UAA team getting to Salem.  Is getting to Salem something they would have discussed?  And, if so, would this have been because of the coach or might they have heard of it in other ways?  There is no way to know of course.

Maybe a question could have been has a conference opponent made it to Salem in the past four years?

[Gregory Sager]

That's exactly why I stated it as "certain power conferences". While the UAA is undoubtedly a power conference, it has not been represented in Salem with regularity in recent years the way that the CCIW, the NESCAC, and the WIAC have.

[WUPHF]

That's exactly why I stated it as "certain power conferences". While the UAA is undoubtedly a power conference, it has not been represented in Salem with regularity in recent years the way that the CCIW, the NESCAC, and the WIAC have.

I missed that...my mistake.

[gordonmann]

I interviewed Nathan Dennison, V-P for Sales at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. He was a leader on the Fort Wayne team that submitted the winning bid. If you're interested in this process or just learning more about the facility, it's worth a listen.

http://d3hoops.com/notables/2017/05/fort-wayne-dennison-interview

[Gregory Sager]

Good interview, Gordo ... and thanks for asking the question about whether or not Fort Wayne sees hosting the D3 men's Final Four as a springboard to drawing D1 men's basketball events. I must admit that I was taken a little aback at his candor in what was essentially an affirmative response.

[gordonmann]

Yeah. He paused for a second and then answered straight up. I appreciated that.

[Greek Tragedy]

Here you go, 89pirate