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T-8 - in addition to Abner's Cheesesteaks sponsoring both Penn and Drexel basketball, I think Larry's Cheesesteaks sponsors St. Joe's basketball. Larry's is right next to Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse (St. Joe's home gym). Actually, the Almuni Memorial Fieldhouse is another historic gym; the main reason it doesn't get mentioned often is because the Palestra is in the same city (and is also St. Joe's second home; they usually play a handful of home games every year at the Palestra.) I think St. Joseph's University runs the risk of violating fire codes every time a men's basketball game is held at the Fieldhouse. The facility was built in 1947. I've only been there once because tickets are almost impossible to get except when students are on break for Christmas (same is true with Villanova at the Pavilion).
Getting back to the Palestra, for about 30 years (1955 to 1985), almost EVERY game between two of the Big Five schools was held at the Palestra. It didn't matter if Penn was involved in the game or not. A lot of fans were upset when Villanova and Temple moved their "home" Big Five games to their on-campus facilities. Nowadays, only Penn and St. Joe's play all their Big Five games (and games against Drexel) at the Palestra. Also, for many years Saturday or Sunday doubleheaders were a staple at the Palestra; these doubleheaders often included a Big Five matchup in one game and a game involving a third Big Five team hosting a good, often nationally-ranked team or "name" school in the other game.
A few other Big Five amd Big Five-related factoids:
*Since the 1955-1956 season excluding most of the 1990's, there has been a full round-robin among the Big Five teams. The team with the best record in their 4 games against the other schools is declared the Philadelphia city champion. Only once (one year in the early 1980's) did every team finish 2-2. In recent years, most of the Big Five schools have annually played Drexel (though LaSalle and Villanova only play them periodically and Temple only started playing them when Fran Dunphy took over as Temple head coach).
*Historically, tickets for most Big Five games at the Palestra were/are split 50/50 between the two schools; the student sections for both schools are behind each basket. The split crowd meant big plays by either team would be cheered wildly.
*Until the early 1990's when the NCAA changed its rules to call technical fouls when objects were thrown on the court, fans at Big Five games would throw streamers on the floor after their team made its first field goal. The game would need to be stopped twice to pick up the streamers from both teams' fans.
*Penn fans, who I think are some of the smartest in the game, will chant "airball, airball, airball, YOU SUCK!" after an opposing player shoots an airball. They will also yell "airball" every time that player touches the ball thereafter until he makes a shot.
*St. Joe's mascot, the Hawk, attends every game, home and road, and waves his/her arms for the ENTIRE GAME. The person who performs the mascot duties gets a scholarship for their efforts.
*For a number of years up through the late 1970's, the Big Five had an unofficial mascot named Yo-Yo. He was a homeless guy who always found a way to get into the building. From what I've read, he often would shoot free throws at halftime to entertain the fans.
*Either Penn or their archrival Princeton has won the Ivy League every season since 1987-88. (That streak may be broken this year as Penn has a very young and suffered some key injuries and Princeton is still rebuilding from the Joe Scott era.)
*The Palestra stands next to another historic sports venue, Franklin Field. Franklin Field is the longtime home for Penn football, soccer, field hockey, and the world famous Penn Relays. It was also the Philadelphia Eagles' home field from 1958-1970.
*The Palestra is within about a 10 minute walk of 30th Street Station, Philadelphia's historic and monumental-looking train station.
*Every Big Five school has appeared in the NCAA Tournament Final Four at least once. Three of the schools - St. Joe's, Temple, and Villanova - have appeared in the Elite 8 in this decade.
*Since the Big Five was formally started in the 1955-1956 season, there has only been one season (1975-76) where the Big Five schools as a group failed to put at least one team in the NCAA Tournament. This achievement is in spite of the fact the Big Five champion does not receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
If you are curious to learn more about the Palestra and/or the Big Five, I suggest you pick up "Palestra Pandemonium" by Bob Lyons. That book is really good and very interesting; it was published in about 2003.
Excellent posts on the Palestra, but I can not believe that even after all their success in recent years and all the history, Butler gets absolutely no love in the college basketball and sports world. Hinkle Fieldhouse anyone? Not one mention out of many I've seen posted. Hello?!
Though I'm a North Carolina Tarheels fan, I'd have to say hands-down Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University. Opponents feel like they're in the pits of hell!
And its is just about as hot, even in the winter, as there is no air conditioning.
Thanks to all of you,
this thread is getting higher than I thought.
I really got impressioned by all the things I've learned about the Big 5ive, especially the one conceirning streamers thrown on the court...
Apart from the personal list that gave birth to this thread, which was absolutely built without ANY intention to somehow hurt excluded schools fans, I'd like to notice - as a foreigner, so forgive my craps - that, quite nationwidely, every school got a functional and comfortable venue to play in.
Just for the sake of knowledge: when I was playing basketball (it was from 1997 to 2001), I used to visit venues that were unbelievably managed.
We had no possibility to get a shower inside after the games, because bathrooms were kinda "access interdict". We often played on a linoleum surface, - with air bubbles spreading and rising under the surface and forcing turnovers - and my former homecourt got parquet surface only one year after my resignment. Moreover, when outside was raining, it really wasn't weird seeing water drops falling from the roof !!
We have won a couple of games under the rainfall...
This is to say that, by the way, whatever homecourt your favourite college team plays in, it would be a good place to play in, without any glass window broken during the winter nor stupid referees wearing dark glasses during the games...
Believe me, Italy is full of crazy people.
Lucky the ones that weren't born here...
Last edited by T-8; 01-26-2008 at 04:35 PM..
Reason: incomplete text
How many college basketball arenas have, OR COULD, host the NBA All-Star game?????!?!?!?!?! You've got to include the T&M as one of the top arenas in college basketball. The facilities are top notch, there's only a handful of teams that have as nice an arena, but the T&M has the distinct advantage of being able to sustain itself without University funding (with boxing events, the national finals rode, etc...), and the arena is CONSTANTLY being updated.
This year alone, a new wrap-around graphics/scoreboard is being installed, like you see in NBA arenas, and a new center scoreboard.....no other university will have the state-of-the-art facilities that we have, except maybe St. Johns when they play in Madison Square Garden...but the difference is the T&M is owned by UNLV.
Oklahoma State has one of the best. First class in every way. The banners are incredible. Definitely one of the loudest arenas in the country. The recent renovations kept the original structure, but added twice the seats and major amenities.
"The first basketball game was played on December 9, 1938 when Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies beat Phog Allen’s Kansas Jayhawks, 21-15, in a battle between two of the nation's early basketball powers".
"The original maple floor, still in use today, was the most expensive of its kind in America when it was installed in 1938".
"Now entering its 70th season, historic Gallagher-Iba Arena remains home to more national championships than any other facility in America. With its immense history, notorious reputation for noise and intimate setting, Gallagher-Iba has long been recognized as one of the best college basketball venues in the country".
Gallagher-Iba Arena - Official Website Of Oklahoma State Cowboy And Cowgirl Athletics (http://www.okstate.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=200&ATCLID=5836&SPID=14 6&SPSID=1482 - broken link)
Whoops already posted my opinion....
Last edited by happytown; 09-09-2008 at 01:13 PM..
Mcarthur Court has an atmosphere that not many other arenas can compete with. The overhang balcony has a theatre-like feel and the noise level, as well as the humidity from the moist air can make for an imposing home court.
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Building Homecourt
