THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 19, 1995 TAG: 9503190183
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
DATELINE: ALBANY, N.Y. LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
By the look of Old Dominion's hotel, you know the Monarchs weren't expected to be around for a second day of NCAA tournament play.
``C-minus,'' is the rating ODU shooting guard Mike Jones gives his team's quarters.
``Reminds me of some of the places we stayed in when we were in France over the summer,'' he said.
This is not meant as a compliment. Or a complaint, either. It's a fact of tournament life that the highest seeds in each region get the best hotels. The low seeds, like No. 14 ODU, get what's left.
Early in the tournament, a very simple equation rules: No mint on the pillow, no respect.
Once you understand this, you can see why Leona Helmsley would be as equipped as Billy Packer to handicap the NCAAs.
In ODU's region, UMass is the highest seed, so the Minutemen are dwelling in a swanky place by the name of the Desmond Hotel.
A native was asked about the Desmond.
``Plush, real plush,'' he said.
Before they were so rudely hurried out of town by ODU, Villanova, a No. 3 seed, was housed at a very good Marriott.
And ODU? The Monarchs are clearly mintless. They are staying on the edge of town in a Quality Inn.
``Describe it?'' shrugged Tom Yeager, commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association. ``It's a Quality Inn. A bowling alley is next door.''
The commish is loyal to ODU. He could be staying at the downtown Omni, home to the pampered media. He'd rather rough it with the Monarchs.
At Chez Eau Dee Yoo, Yeager can share the excitement that overflows the hotel's lobby and bar, spilling out into the parking lot, where near midnight Friday the ODU band serenaded its conquering heroes.
In 1988, Richmond put the CAA in the headlines when Dick Tarrant's Spiders brought down Indiana and Georgia Tech to move into the field of 16.
In this weekend's party-filled atmosphere, Yeager insists that ODU's three-overtime upset of Villanova ``is the sweetest.''
``Because the conference has gotten cuffed around lately,'' he explained. ``All the stuff we've endured over the winter. Our power ratings were down. People said some uncomplimentary things.
``And the three overtimes. What can you say about that?''
Headlines in the New York papers say a lot. The word ``unbelievable'' keeps cropping up.
``I guess it's got to be unbelievable to everybody,'' said Jones, ``because only about 15 people believed we could win, and they were members of our team.''
Jones and his teammates tried to get some sleep in the wee hours of Saturday morning, but the phones in their rooms kept ringing.
``It was a very emotional night,'' said center David Harvey. ``We were getting lots of calls, even from people we didn't know.''
This is what an NCAA upset is all about. Calls from strangers. Bands blaring in the parking lot. The way the Monarchs are feeling today, they'd be content to sleep in a van down by the river.
``We want to ride this wave as far as it takes us,'' Jones said. ``It's a great sensation.''
Next, ODU meets No. 6-seed Tulsa. For handicapping purposes, you should know that the Golden Hurricane is staying in a Holiday Inn.
``A very nice one,'' disclosed Don Tomkalski, the school's sports information director.
Once again, then, ODU is overmatched in the all-important hotel department. Not that this did Villanova any good.
``Probably made us a little meaner,'' said a smiling Jones.
Hope Villanova enjoyed the mints.
ODU gladly will take its Quality Inn ... and its quality win. by CNB