Rhody Madness 2013!!

[Smokinjimit]

Don't miss the tip off of the 2013-14 Rhode Island men's and women's basketball seasons on Thursday, Oct. 17 as Rhody Madness returns to historic Keaney Gymnasium. The event starts at 9 p.m.

As the premier basketball tip off event for URI students and basketball fans, Rhody Madness will feature engaging and entertaining promotions with URI students and members of the Rams' men's and women's basketball programs. The night will be capped off with a slam dunk contest featuring members of the men's basketball team.

The event is free for all URI students and the general public. Students and fans are encouraged to get to Keaney Gym early to claim the best seats.

The 3rd Annual Rhody Madness event is presented by Dunkin Donuts, The Burger Shack, Rhode Island Blood Center, and the Mews Tavern.[/color]

Highlights from last season's event:

[rodfromcranston]

Also, what ever happened to the event that was supposed to take place
this month at Olive's?
They cancelled the one in the summer and never rescheduled it.

[twisted3829]

I don't think the full practice season has started yet, that starts in 22 days according to John Rothstein. I believe they are still on the summer practice limitations then on the 26/27 they can practice as much as they like. So expect midnight madness to be around then

[Blue Man]

I haven't heard anything about the Olives event...but I'm sure we'll hear something soon.

[rodfromcranston]

I'll have to dig and find out.

[EZBuckets]

There will indeed be Rhody Madness again this year.

They just finalized the date and I'm sure it will be released publicly soon.

[rodfromcranston]

The Olive's event will not take place,
but something will happen similar in the fall.

[ATPTourFan]

Rod, that's what I was hearing also. They will do something for season tix holders and active givers to celebrate the new season.

[rodfromcranston]

Adam Schemm told me it will be announced some time soon.
Good!

[Billyboy78]

No word yet? It must be in the next two or 3 weeks, right?

[Stop! Rammer Time]

Rhody Madness will be Thursday October 17th at 9pm in Keaney. Recieved a small flyer about it last weekend at the football game.

[bressler3south]

Is there something Thursday, October 17th, at 9 p.m. at the Ryan Center?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? If nothing is scheduled, I have no idea why it wouldn't be the venue for Midnight Madness, a la, "THE PRE-ITALY TRIP OPEN PRACTICE." A great experience for any fan interested in URI basketball!!!!! Also, prospective recruits would probably rather see the Ryan Center….

[EasyEdBrown]

Because I'm guessing it's a combination of not wanting to pay to use the Ryan Center and the possibility of there being like...1200-1500 people there which looks like hell for a major basketball event.

Or maybe the Ryan Center is booked for something else (either a smaller event, or building maintenance).

[rodfromcranston]

So what? PC uses Alumni Hall for theirs.
I love Keaney. It's quaint and very noisy.

[Iggy1979]

Maybe the floor isn't ready?

[Billyboy78]

I thought practice started at the end of September this year? If so, why a Thursday night in October?

[EZBuckets]

Is there something Thursday, October 17th, at 9 p.m. at the Ryan Center?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? If nothing is scheduled, I have no idea why it wouldn't be the venue for Midnight Madness, a la, "THE PRE-ITALY TRIP OPEN PRACTICE." A great experience for any fan interested in URI basketball!!!!! Also, prospective recruits would probably rather see the Ryan Center….

Trust me, Madness in Keaney is a MUCH better atmosphere than Madness at The Ryan. And until we can draw more than 1500-2000 people for such an event...it should stay there.

I MC'ed Madness at the Ryan Center for multiple years and the energy at Keaney last year was fantastic and made for a much better event. I for one am really looking forward to building on that energy this time around with even more excitement around the program.

[bressler3south]

Thank you, MCEZBuckets!

[rodfromcranston]

I remember in Harrcik's second year.
They had to control the crowd by giving out tickets.
Last time I remember that level of enthusiasm.

[ATPTourFan]

I'm looking forward to attending this year after missing last year.

[Rhodymob05]

I'm sure URI will advertise the HELL out of this years Madness. I'm expecting a good turnout

[EZBuckets]

I remember in Harrcik's second year.
They had to control the crowd by giving out tickets.
Last time I remember that level of enthusiasm.

Rod was that the year he rode into Keaney on a Harley?

[rodfromcranston]

Yup! On a Harley, with leather jacket and du rag on.
The year before, he body surfed to the floor, from the upper deck.
Why isn't this on a Friday night?

[rhodylaw]

Thursday night actually tends to be the bigger party night these days as people leave for the weekends.

[neil]

I was at the one with Harrick. I took my 10 year old and almost got trampled in the lobby. The atmosphere was electric. I vote Keaney!

[ramster]

Agree that Thursday night is the big party night.............always has been
I did not make last year's Midnight Madness but I have been a regular attendee to the "Midnight Madness" during the Baron years.
The event did not take place at Midnight either but more went from about 7-9pm
I was one of very, very few Alumni - composed 99.9% of students and was advertised towards students.
All that I attended were held in Keaney
Usually a good crowd, never over capacity, but crowd would ahve been dismal in the Ryan Center.

I think that Keaney is the best place to hold this event, at least until it shows that we can regularly get 4000 or more to attend.

Personally I love the nostalgia of going into the old Keaney Gym - it's cozy, kids are close to the action of the Event.

[RhodeIslandBred]

Agree Keaney much better for this type of event. I will be there. Go RHODY!!

[Iggy1979]

I believe the last two were in the RC. I remember Billy passing to Sponge from upper seats in slam dunk contest.

[ramster]

I believe the last two were in the RC. I remember Billy passing to Sponge from upper seats in slam dunk contest.

You are probably right, Iggy, I must have missed the last two then because I know I have not been to one in the RC, but I made a bunch in a row at Keaney and it was all students, 99.9%. I even felt like I didn't belong in the place. It was disappointing too because the guys really didn't play much and it was hard to make any kind of determiniation as to their level of talent (new guys) - unfortunately I think that is the way the Coaching Staff wanted it

[rodfromcranston]

Last year was at Keaney. I was there, sitting with a bunch od booster legends.
I sure didn't feel out of place. There were plenty of non students there.

[Rhody74]

Last year was at Keaney. I was there, sitting with a bunch od booster legends.
I sure didn't feel out of place. There were plenty of non students there.

That's when my bromance with Biruta started. You could see he was going to be a force. I'm sorry that we'll miss this year's since we'll be away on vacation.

[ATPTourFan]

Can't wait for another excuse to enter Keaney Gym to enjoy any form of basketball.

[rodfromcranston]

When I used to be there for Harrick's practices, I got to know almost every inch of Keaney Gym.
All the classrooms on the lower level on one side of the building. The women's BB office was there on the same side.
There was a back door that was unguarded and always open, where some of us slipped in to watch the games for free, a few decades ago.
The place is like a very old friend.

[ramster]

Last year was at Keaney. I was there, sitting with a bunch od booster legends.
I sure didn't feel out of place. There were plenty of non students there.

Rod,
I missed last year due to travel and I think I must have missed Baron's last year since I know I never attended one of these at the RC.
I probably made 4 of Baron's last 5 though and all were at Keaney. They were not promoted off campus much at all. No notification to Alumni or general public - most people did not even know it was going on. It was geared towards the students and even run by the Student's themselves. I don't think the Coaches (head or assistant) were allowed to participate - or so it seemed. I don't think Baron wanted the public seeing the guys play early on. He did not want speculation about who should be in the starting line up or who might start getting talked about as far as preseason expectation might be concerned - or so at least it seemed that way to me. It was also hard to make any judgements on the players since they did not play much in the way of a scrimmage..........again I think by design. In fact, most everyone on our message boards knew little or nothing about the event, and quite honestly nobody really cared.
At any rate, I saw just about only students in those years. I'll be there this year to be able to compare - to the "barren" years.
Keaney is fun to revisit. It brings back wonderful memories. It also is surprising to see how old the place looks, even the restrooms are "unimproved" and the gym seems to be just the way we left it.

[twisted3829]

the one year in the RC was when they were redoing the floor of Keaney I believe

[rodfromcranston]

CFL treated everything as if it were a CIA operation. Recruiting, practices, events....
He was the "anti-Penders".
I think one of the reasons Dan Hurley and Tom Penders got on so well is,
they're kindred spirits. Their passion for the game and love for the fans of
the program are obvious.
Keany still is alive, but with volleyball. The court lines will look very different.

[ace]

I thought practice started at the end of September this year? If so, why a Thursday night in October?

Practices can start on 9/27 but most schools are choosing to still hold their Midnight Madness events later. It takes away a little bit from the one day, big event across college basketball, but I don't mind the early start. It makes a long season even longer, though, but I'm sure the coaches will adjust the workload.

[EZBuckets]

I thought practice started at the end of September this year? If so, why a Thursday night in October?

Practices can start on 9/27 but most schools are choosing to still hold their Midnight Madness events later. It takes away a little bit from the one day, big event across college basketball, but I don't mind the early start. It makes a long season even longer, though, but I'm sure the coaches will adjust the workload.

The actual idea of Madness isn't really to mark the start of practice, but to officially unveil the team and build anticipation to a fever pitch just before the start of the season.

Who would throw a pep rally a full month before any actual game is played? It's counter-productive & makes no sense.

[BFC]

2. A number of schools will sprinkle in "Midnight Madness" events earlier than Oct. 18. The purpose has been to build these around important official visit recruiting weekends, and that won't change with the new early start date. The uniformity of some sort of special tipoff now with practice and/or an event is gone. Hoop teams will be sporadically starting and having madness-type events on random weekends throughout October.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... point-shot

[ATPTourFan]

Thx for the link, BFC!

[rodfromcranston]

September 20, 2013

Rhody Madness Scheduled for October 17

KINGSTON, R.I. -- Fans of Rhody Basketball can tip off the 2013-14 men's and women's seasons on Thursday, Oct. 17 as Rhody Madness returns to historic Keaney Gymnasium. The event starts at 9 p.m.

As the premier basketball tip off event for URI students and basketball fans, Rhody Madness will feature engaging and entertaining promotions with URI students and members of the Rams' men's and women's basketball programs. The night will be capped off with a slam-dunk contest featuring members of the men’s basketball team.

The event is free for all URI students and the general public. Students and fans are encouraged to get to Keaney Gym early to claim the best seats.

The 3rd Annual Rhody Madness event is presented by Dunkin Donuts, The Burger Shack, Rhode Island Blood Center and The Mews Tavern.

[ATPTourFan]

See ya there, Rod!

[ace]

Brief article about the changes with the start of the season and practices.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports. ... -approact/

[RoadyJay]

Thanks Ace. Hopefully we do in fact see better quality basketball early.

With all the new faces this season there is not another team in the country that will benefit more from the additional practice time than our Rhody Rams.

A little sad to see the near death of Midnight Madness across the country.

[zporiri]

There are advertisements all over campus for rhody madness, far more than in the 4 previous years I've been at URI. The school is going all out this year to make the game day atmosphere better, and I love it. Hopefully if we can set a mentality for the freshman that all basketball games are something that everyone on campus goes to regardless of what else they have going on, it's going to be a great year in terms of the game day atmosphere.

[ATPTourFan]

Hear hear, Zporiri!

[Billyboy78]

Yes, they are definitely pushing it. Let's hope the students respond!

[ATPTourFan]

That is an awesome sight!!

[ATPTourFan]

[EZBuckets]

Thursday is quickly approaching! Hope to see you all there.

Marketing has got some great stuff planned and although I'm no Nick Cannon, I'm excited to be hosting and helping to kick off the season in style.