Iona hate-fest; Why?

[SIram]

I hadn't realized that so many of the bars on North Ave. closed, I realize that bars change hands but they are normally replaced by another bar and that does not seem to be the case.  What type of businesses have replaced them?

Shame, one of the things I liked about Iona was the hometown/ college town feel those bars and restaurants gave the area

[ramMan]

....one of the issues I see with this board....is that you guys are a bit myopic.  I would characterize most of the posters here as Fordham fans....

[sarcasm]Gee, could that be because this forum is called FordhamFans.com with the tag line, "The online community for all fans of Fordham?"[/sarcasm]

....rather than college basketball fans....

Seriously, what's your definition of a "college basketball fan?"  E.g., although I'm a long-time season ticket holder for Fordham basketball, I go to more non-Fordham college basketball games a year than I do Fordham games.  So far this year, I've gone to games at Bradley, Illinois, Illinois State, Chicago State, etc.  None of the games involved Fordham.  Do I fit your criteria for a college basketball fan?  I think you're a valuable poster on this forum, ConnGael, but I'm somewhat baffled by the first paragraph of your post.

[ConnGael]

[sarcasm]Gee, could that be because this forum is called FordhamFans.com with the tag line, "The online community for all fans of Fordham?"[/sarcasm]


Seriously, what's your definition of a "college basketball fan?"  E.g., although I'm a long-time season ticket holder for Fordham basketball, I go to more non-Fordham basketball games a year than I do Fordham games.  So far this year, I've gone to games at Bradley, Illinois, Illinois State, Chicago State, etc.  None of the games involved Fordham.  By your definition, does that make me a college basketball fan?  I think you're a valuable poster on this forum, ConnGael, but I'm somewhat baffled by the first paragraph of your post.

You sound like a CB fan to me.

[ace93]

I watch a lot of college basketball, college football too, but I don't come here to discuss those games unless they involve Fordham in some way.

[ConnGael]

Well I guess my rather long winded point, which I appear not to have expressed very well, is sometimes, especially when things aren't going well, its helpful to get outside oneself for a bit.  So instead of analyzing what's wrong with Fordham, just discuss something else, like a great game between Duke and N.C., or a crazy call by an official somewhere, or something.  Maybe you guys do that and I missed it.

[ace93]

Well I guess my rather long winded point, which I appear not to have expressed very well, is sometimes, especially when things aren't going well, its helpful to get outside oneself for a bit.  So instead of analyzing what's wrong with Fordham, just discuss something else, like a great game between Duke and N.C., or a crazy call by an official somewhere, or something.  Maybe you guys do that and I missed it.

We have a private by invite only section of this forum for that stuff. 

[John]

Let me bring the discussion full circle by paraphrasing President Kennedy:

"Some people see an Iona hate-fest and say 'why'? I look at an Iona hate-fest and say 'why not?'"

[An Old Coach]

Here's a reason to hate them....Mo Mo Jones.  I went to the Iona game last night.  First time i saw them this year   That kid is a helluva player!   

[ace93]

We have a private by invite only section of this forum for that stuff. 

BTW, despite it being odd to quote oneself I thought I'd mention that I was kidding about the private invite only section of this forum.  It does not exist.  I will say though that I tend to discuss other college hoops on other forums, the A10 forum being just one of them.  Not sure it makes the most sense, but I like to keep this forum mostly all about Fordham and only have the Water Cooler section b/c there are many who don't agree with me and I kept getting urged to open it.

[DCRam]

No, you don't use it when you are pounding someone.  Why even bother, the scoreboard is enough.  It's not a claim of moral superiority the way that sign you mentioned was exactly that.  I think you are reading way too much into a chant.  As I mentioned before, it is like the "it's alright, it's ok, you will work for us someday" chant/cheer.  That would not make sense if you are pounding someone.  What's alright and ok, that you're winning?  Well yeah, duh, of course that's alright and ok.  It's alright (we're getting pounded), it's ok (we're going to lose), you will work for us someday.  It's humor.  You don't strike as being overly PC, so it surprises me that you read it the way you do.

I recall being at MSG during Smush's one year when we were playing St. John's.  We were on our way to a loss after having a big lead at the half and there were a bunch of students in front of me, looking all depressed, so I told them to break out the safety school chant and they said they couldn't, that we were losing.  I just shook my head in disbelief.  Now I will forever refer to that kid as DCRamII.   

No, it is blatant pettiness. We lose to Charlotte and instead of sucking it up, people chant safety school? Please! The last refuge of the desperate and pathetic! I have heard and said some pretty rough things at games, but those should be banished from our lexicon.

We show up to play one of the most succesfull basketball programs in the nation and someone has a sign that reads, "Student Athletes"? What's that mean? Georgetown is fielding a bunch of convicts and Fordham is responding with a bunch of Rhodes Scholars? Gimme a break. Unless Fordham has a roster consisting of guys who were admitted first and then tried out for the team, that is hyprocrisy running rampant. It's a basketball game, not a debate match.

I remember when Seton Hall beat Duke in 1989. We were all discussing it at the office when some girl, Duke alum of course, interjects, "They did not deserve to win that game!" I replied that the Hall had won by 17 points and it was not like Duke was hit with a bad call. She replied, "Well, Duke players are smart!"

Not smart enough, at least during that game.

There it is. I will forever refer to her as AceII.  

[ace93]

No, it is blatant pettiness. We lose to Charlotte and instead of sucking it up, people chant safety school? Please! The last refuge of the desperate and pathetic! I have heard and said some pretty rough things at games, but those should be banished from our lexicon.

We show up to play one of the most succesfull basketball programs in the nation and someone has a sign that reads, "Student Athletes"? What's that mean? Georgetown is fielding a bunch of convicts and Fordham is responding with a bunch of Rhodes Scholars? Gimme a break. Unless Fordham has a roster consisting of guys who were admitted first and then tried out for the team, that is hyprocrisy running rampant. It's a basketball game, not a debate match.

I remember when Seton Hall beat Duke in 1989. We were all discussing it at the office when some girl, Duke alum of course, interjects, "They did not deserve to win that game!" I replied that the Hall had won by 17 points and it was not like Duke was hit with a bad call. She replied, "Well, Duke players are smart!"

Not smart enough, at least during that game.

There it is. I will forever refer to her as AceII.  

I never defended or agreed with the sign that you said you saw at the Georgetown game which therefore means that I would not have defended or agreed with that girl with whom you worked.  I made it very clear that I thought that sign was very different from the "safety school" chant.

The only thing I am defending is the "safety school" chant b/c it is a busting of chops and an admittance of having been defeated.  We can agree to disagree on it.

[joesunfish]

John, I believe the quote was from the Attorney General not the President.

[DCRam]

I never defended or agreed with the sign that you said you saw at the Georgetown game which therefore means that I would not have defended or agreed with that girl with whom you worked.  I made it very clear that I thought that sign was very different from the "safety school" chant.

The only thing I am defending is the "safety school" chant b/c it is a busting of chops and an admittance of having been defeated.  We can agree to disagree on it.

I reckon we will have to do just that. It's no biggie Ace, just something I find very annoying at times.

I was embarrased hearing it at RHG. A group of Charlotte alums were in front of me and upon hearing that, looked at each other with puzzlement and then said, "Safety School!" and high fived each other while laughing. I guess the chant devastated them.

I would like to have a consistently competitive basketball team. One that usually wins and can take the big boys to the hoop and throw a scare into them, if not beat them. Then maybe we would not have to qualify our pathetic performanaces with some notion of academic superiority that the schools beating us-- sometimes a better school-- do not give a crap about. As Georgetown went up by 30, I somehow doubt that fella's sign was tempering the GU students' enthusiasm.

Maybe I am just getting old....

[ace93]

I reckon we will have to do just that. It's no biggie Ace, just something I find very annoying at times.

I was embarrased hearing it at RHG. A group of Charlotte alums were in front of me and upon hearing that, looked at each other with puzzlement and then said, "Safety School!" and high fived each other while laughing. I guess the chant devastated them.

I would like to have a consistently competitive basketball team. One that usually wins and can take the big boys to the hoop and throw a scare into them, if not beat them. Then maybe we would not have to qualify our pathetic performanaces with some notion of academic superiority that the schools beating us-- sometimes a better school-- do not give a crap about. As Georgetown went up by 30, I somehow doubt that fella's sign was tempering the GU students' enthusiasm.

Maybe I am just getting old....

The Charlotte fans' reaction proves my point, the chant is an admittance of defeat.  Perhaps that's the reason not to use it.

I agree with you about the sign.  I say that again just in case you missed that.

[DCRam]

The Charlotte fans' reaction proves my point, the chant is an admittance of defeat.  Perhaps that's the reason not to use it.

I agree with you about the sign.  I say that again just in case you missed that.

A white flag would get the point across better. Chanting safety school is a petty message that says, "Yea you beat us, but we are still better than you. Nyaa, nyaa, nyaa." Very tacky.

When Iona beat us in the 84 MAAC championship, I did not go around whining about Fordham being a better school. I said I hope Virginia beats them. And, they did.

[Rich93]

The safety school chant is an embarrassment to whoever is doing the chanting.  I would like to see some of these schools go into a Fordham classroom and at the end of the class start chanting "You're athletics suck"

[Basketball Jones]

So when are the Gaels and Rams going get it back on?  It's overdue no?  Since you're A-10 you get home court for the first one.  But imo only it would be great if you guys came back to the MAAC.  It would be great for NYC basketball to renew what was such a one time passionate rivalry.  I also remember that Iona/Fordham brawl.  I ended up on the court in the midst of it.  Talk about a heavy weight fight!   There were some major being punches being launched by both sides.  My friend and I looked at each other and said "let's get the heck outta here"...then he got clocked by some friendly fire...3 stiches over his right eye.  I always thought that Penders was one of your best coaches.  Penders vs. Kennedy were great games.  You guys used to call him "Fat Pat".  Those were the days.  Great memories.  Bring them back without the fisticuffs!!!!

[CTRam12]

I did like the Tar Heel Rejects chant at the Chrlotte game though.

I've always wondered about the Iona thing, being too young to remember Fordham in the MAAC, and the PL for that matter. For me, I've always considered Manhattan and St. John's our biggest rivals but with Iona, a couple of train stops up the road I always wondered why we never played them. It would be good to see the Gaels in RHG next season.

[ConnGael]

I remember my buddies at Iona called Kennedy "Old Saloon-Face." 

[BronxKid]

re: ShortShot's "wish" for a round-robin of some sort with local rivalries, this has been bounced around now for almost 30 years. About 10 years ago, I had a conversation with a top guy (who you know) who headed up the NIT in the City about what he called, the Annual Big Apple Classic, with the 7 NYC Division I schools plus an annual guest for rivalries AND nostalgia such as IONA, Saint Peters, Hofstra, NYU, Fairleigh Dickinson, CCNY, etc. all on an alternating basis. The Tourney could be held at MSG or a representative school facility, once again on an alternating basis. NYC's version of the Philly 5.

According to him, Saint John's WOULD NEVER PARTICIPATE in this event. So, you can't have this "Classic" without them.

Dead deal.

[DCRam]

So when are the Gaels and Rams going get it back on?  It's overdue no?  Since you're A-10 you get home court for the first one.  But imo only it would be great if you guys came back to the MAAC.  It would be great for NYC basketball to renew what was such a one time passionate rivalry.  I also remember that Iona/Fordham brawl.  I ended up on the court in the midst of it.  Talk about a heavy weight fight!   There were some major being punches being launched by both sides.  My friend and I looked at each other and said "let's get the heck outta here"...then he got clocked by some friendly fire...3 stiches over his right eye.  I always thought that Penders was one of your best coaches.  Penders vs. Kennedy were great games.  You guys used to call him "Fat Pat".  Those were the days.  Great memories.  Bring them back without the fisticuffs!!!!

I always liked when Penders and Kennedy shook hands before the game. Arafat and Rabin had more cheer in their eyes.

[ram it 66]

Here's a reason to hate them....Mo Mo Jones.  I went to the Iona game last night.  First time i saw them this year   That kid is a helluva player!   

What are the odds that Momo gets an Iona diploma? What are the odds he
comes back for next year? That's one of the issues I have with Iona.

[B2Bomber]

I reckon we will have to do just that. It's no biggie Ace, just something I find very annoying at times.

I was embarrased hearing it at RHG. A group of Charlotte alums were in front of me and upon hearing that, looked at each other with puzzlement and then said, "Safety School!" and high fived each other while laughing. I guess the chant devastated them.

I would like to have a consistently competitive basketball team. One that usually wins and can take the big boys to the hoop and throw a scare into them, if not beat them. Then maybe we would not have to qualify our pathetic performanaces with some notion of academic superiority that the schools beating us-- sometimes a better school-- do not give a crap about. As Georgetown went up by 30, I somehow doubt that fella's sign was tempering the GU students' enthusiasm.

Maybe I am just getting old....

I know the "know it alls-have nothing better to do with their time" types here will chime in and say I dont know what I am talking about with regard to other schools, (when in fact I know more on my fingertips than "he" has in his entire cerebellum", but ....

UNC-Charlotte has a gorgeous and modern campus built with state money.    It is a relatively new college in the 19 college UNC-System.   In high schools it is generally regarded as a safety school for those trying to get into UNC-Chapel Hill, NCState and to some extent UNC-Asheville or APPState...though the latter two are now more on par as UNC-Charlotte has improved its freshman profile and footprint.   It IS a safety school for those applying to Davidson, Duke and Wake Forest, UVa, W&L etc.   

This chant was sorta borderline.  I am not a real big fan of that sorta thing....but I also know that college basketball fans are famous for it and there are some wicked chants coming out of the Dean Dome, Cameron, and other hallowed halls of bball.    Its part of the game.    If chanting gets our students to attend and get engaged and involved, so be it.   But there should be a bright red line of respectability.   Don't think we crossed it there, however.   

[ConnGael]

What are the odds that Momo gets an Iona diploma? What are the odds he
comes back for next year? That's one of the issues I have with Iona.

MoMo was a National Honors Society student at Arizona and is at Iona.  He's very bright.  He will be an integral part of the offense next year, even moreso than he is now.  And he's a very likeable young man.

[Rich93]

I know the "know it alls-have nothing better to do with their time" types here will chime in and say I dont know what I am talking about with regard to other schools, (when in fact I know more on my fingertips than "he" has in his entire cerebellum", but ....

UNC-Charlotte has a gorgeous and modern campus built with state money.    It is a relatively new college in the 19 college UNC-System.   In high schools it is generally regarded as a safety school for those trying to get into UNC-Chapel Hill, NCState and to some extent UNC-Asheville or APPState...though the latter two are now more on par as UNC-Charlotte has improved its freshman profile and footprint.   It IS a safety school for those applying to Davidson, Duke and Wake Forest, UVa, W&L etc.   

This chant was sorta borderline.  I am not a real big fan of that sorta thing....but I also know that college basketball fans are famous for it and there are some wicked chants coming out of the Dean Dome, Cameron, and other hallowed halls of bball.    Its part of the game.    If chanting gets our students to attend and get engaged and involved, so be it.   But there should be a bright red line of respectability.   Don't think we crossed it there, however.   

Wow you are improving, 1/3 of your post actually addresses the issue being discussed.  No one cares about which schools are/are not safety schools the issue is whether the chant has any place at sporting events.  ACE and others do  not mind it, DCRAm and I hate it. 

I think a guy with 4000 posts saying others spend too much time in this board is amazing, but not surprising.

[ace93]

Wow you are improving, 1/3 of your post actually addresses the issue being discussed.  No one cares about which schools are/are not safety schools the issue is whether the chant has any place at sporting events.  ACE and others do  not mind it, DCRAm and I hate it. 

I think a guy with 4000 posts saying others spend too much time in this board is amazing, but not surprising.

Good point.  The point was not whether the chant was fitting, but rather whether it is right to use it.  You had to see it coming though, any mention of anything NC or ACC related and B2B will chime in with his expert knowledge of the area and the conference.

[Rich93]

Good point.  The point was not whether the chant was fitting, but rather whether it is right to use it.  You had to see it coming though, any mention of anything NC or ACC related and B2B will chime in with his expert knowledge of the area and the conference.

I think one of the problems we have right now is that it seems the ACC becomes a part of almost every thread, whether it is relevant or not. Remember you banned all grammar and spelling corrections and that cleaned up that problem.  Why not ban all references to the ACC in the Fordham threads?  We have other threads dedicated to other universities and sports talk.  While I am not thrilled about those threads becoming an ACC fest at least we will be able to have discussions in the Fordham threads without the ACC becoming a part of it.  Just a suggestion.

[ace93]

The mention of the ACC does have to be curtailed and in most cases banned.  People are growing tired of it.  If it was relevant it would be one thing, but 99% of the time it is not.  I agree with banning it from the Fordham threads unless of course we are playing an ACC school, even then we should not go off on tangents about the other ACC schools.

[ConnGael]

As with most insults, it probably reveals more about the party slinging the insult than the recipient.  Especially that Ivy League chant.  You feel so embarrassed about losing a basketball game that you have to hit me over the head with a hammer by telling me you'll be my boss someday?  Really?

[B2Bomber]

Wow you are improving, 1/3 of your post actually addresses the issue being discussed.  No one cares about which schools are/are not safety schools the issue is whether the chant has any place at sporting events.  ACE and others do  not mind it, DCRAm and I hate it. 

I think a guy with 4000 posts saying others spend too much time in this board is amazing, but not surprising.

says the guy with 3338 posts...give me a break. (like rambacker hassling me for the same thing when he has posted 5,000 times.   what a joke!)     your sheer chutzpah and hypocrisy is staggering.   you really dont get it do you?   busy day at the office Rich?   you give lawyers a bad name.  seriously.

On the chanting, the issue was PRECISELY who was or wasnt appropriately called a safety school and if it was appropriate even if accurate.  
The fact that you are against and/or  "hate it" is of no concern or bother to me.   You dont decide Fordham policy, you dont decide policy on this board and you really are nothing more than a fanatical basketball fan at Fordham whose loyalty to the university despite you being a double Ram is measured by whether we return to the PL or not?   That speaks volumes to me and others.

But hey, nobody is perfect and I am a sinner like the rest of humanity too.