CIS Hoops.ca

Wonderful, yet another hyper-defensive Nova Scotian going on about how the tournament is somehow their birthright and the evil CIS and Ottawans stole it from them.

That's right Mr. McHugh, you should pore over every second of coverage to look for any perceived slight of the most-perfect-host-city-to-ever-host-a-CIS-event-ever (tm).

We'll just sweep the many years with poor attendance when the AUS was not well-represented and the home cooking on the wild cards and seeding before the CIS took it away from the host committee under the carpet.

I know!! The nerve of those maritimers thinking of the tournament as their own. I mean they only hosted it for 24 years and grew it to the point where it made as much money for the CIS as all other men's championships combined (Vanier and University Cup incl). And attendance....honestly, how can anyone consider an average attendance of 30,000 from the early 90's to late 00's as anything other than paltry...(hmmm maybe if they just doubled the attendance numbers no one would notice....naw, no one is that dumb). And wildcards...you would think those maritimers would have clued in after all those years that one of those wildcard spots was almost always saved for an OUA team. The CIS wanted to rename it to the MAC-card but the AUS hosts didn't think maritimers would miss something like that.....

/sarcasm.

PS - let me know if you want sources...(except for the Mac-card; I'm pretty sure that's just a figment of my imagination)

Well what do you expect?
Some hack writer for a local community rag...LOL, the Beckford/Sucksville Herald?
Don't get me wrong, I like Halifax and I like that there are a lot of pubs and restaurants within a stone throw of the Met.
But Jesus...the sense of entitlement you get when you're down there.
It was the same with the Atlantic Bowl, which was the de facto national semi final for years for CIS football.
When the AUS was no longer guaranteed a home spot in the semis, there was wailing about that, too.
Too bad Halifax didn't get their 25th anniversary of their iron clad monopoly.
I been there at six tournaments and I can tell you the last one there they were basically on auto pilot.
So blase, so smug, so self assured that they'd have it for 20 years more...actually, moving it out for three yers is the best thing that could have happened.
They needed that kick in the arse.
Undoubtedly, they'll never take it for granted again.

The escalation of nastiness is a shame. Let's give the Atlantic hosts some credit for a) building the championship, and b) having the pride in the event and their own ability to host it.
There are many places (most) in the country where these types of attendance would be impossible. I'm not in favour of a permanent site, but, if we move it around, let's be sure it is an event that will be as big as it is in Halifax.
The CIS Final 8 is a highlight event for the CIS, and it needs to get bigger, better, and draw more attention to an under-appreciated sport and level of competition.
Let's work together to promote and sell our game across the country, rather than engaging in the tiresome inter-regional sniping, which is so unproductive.
Write about the game, the players, and the other interesting personalities around CIS hoops.

I liked having the tourney in Ottawa (I live in Montreal), but it simply didn't work in Ottawa.

The atmosphere was dreadful inside 18,000-seat ScotiaBank Place - crowds were often only several hundred (official attendance figures were pure fiction). The only thing more dreadful than the atmosphere was the dearth of things to do around that bloody arena. (A Toyota dealership appeared to be the only thing one could walk to before or after games.)

Whew... lots of anonymous hidden hatred. Interesting.

Having lived elsewhere, it certainly re-affirms my decision to choose to live here in the land of 'community rags'.

As a former corporate sponsor, Marketing Director and Honourary Chair of this great event, I will share that we take great pride in hosting this wonderful tournament.

Host it forever? No, we never expected that. Plus, why take that abuse? Let others take the risks and headaches of hosting.

However, give us the honour of having a 25th celebration tourney a few years ago? Absolutely. Very poor move by the CIS.

Unfortunately, the CIS is is not a major product in most major markets in our country. There are too many competing interests.

However, in a small market like Halifax it takes center stage and gives exposure our gifted athletes who have decided to stay and play in their native land. The tourney is ubiquitous when here.

Anyhow, any of you are welcome to visit our great part of Canada this coming week-end or any other time in the future.

We take pride in our hospitality and our value system that says to treat all people (who deserve it) with respect.

Life's short. Live it well.Ed McHugh

I find much irony in the posturing of some Halifax defenders.

McHugh - the fat is certainly in the fire on this board...Lots of pressure buildign towards this weekend, but I think you can always count on nay sayers who want to take a dump on other folks' good time.
As they say- good times in the maritimes. That's what goes on, that's what we're about. That's why we throw a good party. It's what we know how to do. Yes, I'm a maritimer, although live in central Canada now (no, not you Toronto, although you gotta love the Billy Bishop airport). I'm ecstatic about the return of the tourney to Halifax. It's something I remember going to as a youngster and had visions of playing on that court one day.
After seeing the shadow that the tourney played under the last 3 years, you can't say that Ottawa knows how to host better than Hali. Just try to find something to eat after 2:15 am in Ottawa, or be able to walk from bar to bar, restaurant ot restaurant, Metro Center to hotel, all in about 60 minutes or less. I think it took the same amount of time (or more) just to go from downtown Ottawa to the correct exit in Kanata in a car, looking at drab government faces and construction workers blocking half the lanes. And let's not forget Darth Harper lurking in the shadows.
Just come on down, wont cha come down, wont cha come down to Hali town? It'll be a good time, we promise. We wont hold a grudge, just let your hair down, relax, and have a drink on me, this ride's for free.

So many people upset that anyone dare criticize Halifax even a teeny tiny bit, suggesting it's anything but perfect; yet these same people are more than happy to trash Ottawa.

To borrow upon a theme of another poster, I suppose some people have no sense of irony.

I have lived in Halifax most of my life and I love attending the event but even I get a lit tired of the manufactured outrage of the hometown boosters of the event.