Richmond Sports

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Well, think, if it weren't for the Redskins, if it were just a regular training camp (like maybe just practice fields for anyone), let's be honest, it probably wouldn't be moving at such an alarmingly fast (and good) rate. It's the Redskins being professional and setting expectations. It's about time Richmond gets something like this, and the Redskins are indeed pro, so they wouldn't play around. If Richmond played it's stalling game, the Redskins could easily just push the city away. The Redskins are obviously the reason this project is moving along. Anything else (like the painful baseball stadium project, or the arena) would just be what it is now: a long, dreadful wait that has resulted in the loss of a Triple-A baseball team, and the loss more recently of a conference tournament (although I will admit, the loss of VCU from the CAA could also be blamed for the tourney moving). It's also why Richmond doesn't get any big name artists like it used to. We need more action to move civic projects like these around.

[540_804]

 

VCU to play Florida State in first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament

 

Virginia Commonwealth will play Florida State in the highlight game of the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament starting Nov. 21 in San Juan.

VCU beat Florida State 72-71 in overtime on the way to the Final Four in the 2011 NCAA tournament. VCU forward Terrance Shannon, who transferred from Florida State in May, will be going against his former teammates.

VCU will play Michigan or Long Beach State in the second round. The Rams lost to Michigan 78-53 in March in the NCAA tournament.

 

The other side of the bracket has Northeastern playing Kansas State, and Charlotte taking on Georgetown.

Source: RTD

The best part of the article is the selection in red. Apparently the RTD has no doubt that VCU will make it to the second round. VCU will play Michigan or Long Beach State in the second round. 

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Also with VCU Athletics:

 

They are supposedly unveiling a new "VCU Rising" strategic plan for the athletics department. We may end up hearing new bits on such things like:

 

-updates on the new practice BB facility next to the Stu,

-possible expansion of the Stu to 10,000

 

Of course my source is a little shaky: VCU Ram Nation, the biggest VCU sports forum on the web, however apparently one of the members was informed via someone with the athletic department, who says it will be unveiled tomorrow (Wednesday)

 

http://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/threads/vcu-rising-vcu-athletics-to-introduce-new-strategic-plan.11727/

 

So stay tuned, I'm really anxious to see what the VCU Rising plan has in store for VCU athletics!

[eandslee]

Also with VCU Athletics:

 

They are supposedly unveiling a new "VCU Rising" strategic plan for the athletics department. We may end up hearing new bits on such things like:

 

-updates on the new practice BB facility next to the Stu,

-possible expansion of the Stu to 10,000

 

Of course my source is a little shaky: VCU Ram Nation, the biggest VCU sports forum on the web, however apparently one of the members was informed via someone with the athletic department, who says it will be unveiled tomorrow (Wednesday)

 

http://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/threads/vcu-rising-vcu-athletics-to-introduce-new-strategic-plan.11727/

 

So stay tuned, I'm really anxious to see what the VCU Rising plan has in store for VCU athletics!

Looking forward to their announcement tomorrow!  I hope they will expand the Stu and I'm looking forward to hearing if they might start a football program - would love to see big-time college football in Richmond.  That would change so much about Richmond, especially if they could build a stadium somewhere near downtown if at all possible.  Could you just imagine 50K+ people showing up each Saturday in the Fall for a football game in Richmond?!  Holy cow!  It would do wonders for the downtown economy if the stadium could be located close.  Probably wishful thinking on my part, but I can dream can't I? 

[wrldcoupe4]

City Stadium site will be VCU football one day.

[eandslee]

City Stadium site will be VCU football one day.

 

I know, but that's so depressing.  My dream was better. 

Edited July 17, 2013 by eandslee

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Well, that VCU Rising strategic plan is unveiled.

 

From RVANews: http://rvanews.com/features/vcu-athletics-announces-new-strategic-plan/98795

 

And here's the 19-page document: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/t/62591

[eandslee]

Hmmm.  Well, not what I expected.  Huge disappointment, especially since there was no talk about starting a football team.  Fooy!

[wrldcoupe4]

Over 10,000 fans turned up for the first day of Redskins training camp.

[eandslee]

Yeah!  I was very surprised by the number of people that showed up!  They were estimating something like 5 or 6 thousand.  Well, I hope the crowds keep coming during this 3-week camp!  The only thing I wonder is that it can't be comfortable for all the fans with out any seating provided, right?  I know they have lawn/camping chairs, but I don't think I could sit there all day in those conditions.  Eek!

[jbjust]

Tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN, our own Tuckahoe Little League will be playing to get into the Little League World Series!!!

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN, our own Tuckahoe Little League will be playing to get into the Little League World Series!!!

 

It's the little things like this that count, right?

 

RVA FC goes on to have an undefeated championship season

 

http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/amateur/rva-fc-completes-an-unbeaten-championship-season/article_a2ec0209-06c5-58ba-b0f1-c361b83c33f5.html

 

While the Kickers lose their first game of the season (but still remain 3 points ahead of Orlando

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2013/08/13/ur-arena-loses-seats-but-adds-some-swank/

 

Richmond BizSense has more information on the ongoing Robins Center renovation going on on University of Richmond campus. They are shrinking the arena from 9000 seats to 7000 to create a tighter atmosphere and make the seats closer to the court, as well as add hospitality boxes and large screens in the corners of the arena.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Richmond Kickers win the USL Pro regular season championship (Commisioner's Cup)!!!

 

Now they win home field advantage in the playoffs and we'll see whether they can win the USL Pro Championship playoffs

[eandslee]

I am really in favor of having the baseball stadium built in the bottom, but the naysayers in the comments section of this article today are really speaking out...loud!  Their assumptions are incorrect IMHO about no one coming to see baseball in the bottom.  I think that's just a way for them to scare off development down there.  The other problem with their argument is that there are so many more success stories of stadiums being successful in their city's downtown versus not.  I also assume that there are more people for the stadium being built in the bottom than not - I just think there are just a few really loud-mouths speaking out.  Your take?

 

This development could be the key to an annoucement soon...but I am kind of leary of this Salomonsky guy who has proven to do things illegally before.  This has got to be done right, guys, if this is to get the support of the community.  Can't have any "shady" developers or people involved.  No matter what, there will be people who will oppose this thing, even if it were to guarantee lots of gold!  Just keep that in mind.

 

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/property-in-shockoe-bottom-could-be-key-to-ballpark/article_1573de69-4f19-5b88-b805-756d2b4be4aa.html

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I'm all for the project in Shockoe Bottom. The problem I have with the naysayers is not about history or slavery or sacred burial grounds and whatnot, but what their plan is to do with the site if they win: nothing. It will remain a surface lot/empty old eyesore of a former bakery. They won't do anything to establish that heritage (i.e. build a museum or anything), they'll let it sit and rot.

[Brent]

I like how a stadium down there would look. It would really tie the north and south sides of Broad Street together and would make the Bottom seem more connected to downtown. I don't see it as any kind of economics shot in the arm though. If stadiums are catalysts for development then the Boulevard would look very different (having had a much celebrated and successful stadium there for decades).

I'd rather see high-rise residential development on that site (15-30 floors). Residents are the only thing that is going to fill the existing storefronts.

[eandslee]

I think this is HUGE news and rather unexpected considering that the Coliseum is a piece of junk and needs to be replaced.  How did they land this!?  It is women's basketball, but still that's a huge win for Richmond:

 

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/a--women-s-tourney-moving-to-coliseum/article_45162060-208d-11e3-865e-0019bb30f31a.html

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I think this is HUGE news and rather unexpected considering that the Coliseum is a piece of junk and needs to be replaced.  How did they land this!?  It is women's basketball, but still that's a huge win for Richmond:

 

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/a--women-s-tourney-moving-to-coliseum/article_45162060-208d-11e3-865e-0019bb30f31a.html

 

Definitely something to be proud of. Getting the CAA tourney yanked is depressing, however this definitely fills that void.

 

Nice to see people still take interest in the brown spaceship. Now lets get them riled up for a new arena

[eandslee]

 Now lets get them riled up for a new arena

 

That's what I'm talking about!  I still hold out hope that if Richmond can support this event really well, that an NBA or NHL team may give Richmond a second look...or even a first look!  If Richmond can muster up some good sponsors, perhaps (in my wildest dream), a much-needed new arena can be built!  I'm still in shock that the Brown Spaceship actually attracted another tourney...an A-10 tourney at that!  My jaw just dropped when I read that today.  The A-10 must have been very desperate for a neutral venue...or Richmond has some very good salesmen!  Ha!

[eandslee]

Went to the A-10 Conference website just now and found this!  Now that's catchy marketing!  Awesome!

 

[Icetera]

That's what I'm talking about!  I still hold out hope that if Richmond can support this event really well, that an NBA or NHL team may give Richmond a second look...or even a first look!  If Richmond can muster up some good sponsors, perhaps (in my wildest dream), a much-needed new arena can be built!  I'm still in shock that the Brown Spaceship actually attracted another tourney...an A-10 tourney at that!  My jaw just dropped when I read that today.  The A-10 must have been very desperate for a neutral venue...or Richmond has some very good salesmen!  Ha!

 

How is Richmond a neutral venue with two teams in the conference?

[540_804]

I can't believe this hasn't been posted yet: VCU destroyed the Hokies Saturday night at the Coliseum.

 

The Rams used their “Havoc” brand of pressure defense to steamroll the Hokies 82-52 in front of a pro-VCU crowd of 10,065 fans in the Governor’s Holiday Hoops Classic at the Richmond Coliseum.

 

 

It was Tech’s most lopsided loss to an in-state foe since an 84-51 loss to Richmond in 1991.

 

 

Down 8-6 with 15:48 left in the half, the Rams went on an eye-popping 31-0 run to build a 37-8 lead with 6:08 to go in the half.

 

 

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/article_9295acda-6aa1-11e3-897c-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

VCU Athletics has just released its new Rams rebranding scheme, with new logos and all. I'm not entirely sure what to think about that leaping Buffalo Bill VCU Ram logo, but maybe you guys might like it a little more:

 

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2014/03/06/the-rams-get-a-march-madness-makeover/

 

http://rvanews.com/sports/the-new-look-rams-vcu-athletics-releases-updated-visual-identity/109808

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

More developing news and details on VCU's new basketball training facility, and RicmhondBizSense's detailed look on the parcel of land behind the Siegel Center in Carver that will get the new building, and what it's replacing (spoiler: it's nothing worth preserving).

 

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2014/03/11/rams-change-the-game-plan-for-new-facility/