Dear Jim Boeheim ... a word with you, please? : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

Dear Jim Boeheim,

I’m not mispronouncing your name, am I, honey?

Good.

We hate to be rude down here. That’s one of the things you’ll learn about Greensboro when you come. And you will come, because this is the home of the ACC Tournament. Your new conference has a history, and we just love history.

No offense meant, but your question about where folks would rather see an ACC tournament — Greensboro or New York City — might be construed as, well, a little sarcastic.

I love New York, Jim. I love the crazy, busy bustle of people and the visual overload of Times Square. I love the Chrysler building with its art deco peak. Central Park’s greenery is an Eden amid the concrete and steel.

But after a few days, I start longing for the smell of honeysuckle. It grows wild here by the side of the road, offering its intoxicating fragrance to whoever happens by.

And, Jim, I need magnolia trees. Do you have those in New York City? Their lush blossoms are like satin, bigger than a dinner plate. They smell like lemons and good soil.

Down here, it’s soil, not dirt, and we grow things in it — strawberries, sweet potatoes, apples. We don’t fence off all our green. We live inside its landscape.

And the food? This is where pigs come to die so they can be made into barbecue and Neese’s Country Sausage.

We have a park, too. It’s a national park on the spot where Continental troops kept throwing themselves at the British army until Gen. Cornwallis was worn slap out. When he moved on to Yorktown, his forces were so decimated that he was forced to surrender.

If he hadn’t spent time down here, New York City might be called New London City, if you know what I mean.

Now, I’m not saying Greensboro is better than New York City. They’re too different to compare. Which is why your comments were a bit ill-advised. I’m sure you didn’t mean to be harsh. Maybe you’re just not as educated about Greensboro as you think.

So come on down. We’ll show you around and treat you like family. That’s what we do. Even if you are sort of acting like an ill-mannered cousin.

Not to be rude.

Love and bless your heart,

Susan

Susan Ladd is features editor at the News & Record. Contact her at 373-7006 or susan.ladd@news-record.com

crowe1856

September 25, 2011 - 7:06 am EDT

I'm sure High Point Road will charm his socks off.

Fred

September 25, 2011 - 7:16 am EDT

Or Lee Street. )

Okun

September 25, 2011 - 8:39 am EDT

Who cares what Jim Bayhime thinks? Who cares about what will charm Jim Bayhime? Just bring his team of OrangeNancyBoys down here a couple of times a year and couple that with referees who don't allow thuggery or other near-criminal acts during the game, and he'll grow to dislike this area even more. Remember, if it had not been for Carmelo Anthony putting Jim Bayhime on his back and carrying him across the finish line, then he would remain as relevant as Marv Levy. Go Richmond.

csk4

September 25, 2011 - 8:48 am EDT

Good lord, all you people up in arms about these comments just need to step back and get a dose of reality. Are you really serious? If you didn't live here, would you honestly rather come here for a few days or NYC? And the key - pay attention here - is "for a few days", which is all the tournament would take. Don't even start about "all" there is to do here, there's nothing when you think about what NYC offers tourists. He's not talking about living there vs here. There's no question about that. I've lived in both places and am soooo glad I'm here and not there. And I realize this author is writing with a bit of sarcasm herself, but if she wasn't at least a little offended by his comments, she wouldn't have taken the time in the first place.

nemo0037

September 26, 2011 - 7:32 am EDT

Even if we didn't live here, would we still prefer Greensboro to New York for a tournament? Yeah, I rather think so. How many people do you see tailgating around MSG between tournament sessions? During the tournament, the whole city is all about basketball. Bet you can't say THAT about New York. That's what makes Greensboro a better place for a college tournament than New York.

ylohekaw

September 25, 2011 - 8:58 am EDT

The author's own comments prove Boeheim's point-he didn't say he'd rather live in NYC than Greensboro, he said he'd rather go there for a few days for a basketball tournament. The author basically acknowledged that NYC is great for a few days. And it appears that the author believes that Boeheim LIVES in NYC. He lives in Syracuse, which is about as different from NYC as you can get, and is actually quite similar to Greensboro (I know, because I grew up there and one of the things that attracted me to Greensboro was how much like an upstate NY city it was). These types of articles simply make Greensboro look bad. Greensboro is a great place to live and Boeheim never said otherwise. Defensive responses like this show that maybe Greensboro-ites are a little insecure about our city.

Rolling

September 26, 2011 - 12:07 am EDT

Agree with your comments. Disagree with Boeheim's lamenting though. He's the new kid on the block and the other 12 teams in the conference have a lot of history with Greensboro and the tournament here, which is the older of the two tournaments and has been the home to more national champions than NY. When the Cuse wins a few tournaments, then they will have earned the right to host at MSG. Until then, they'll need to earn it.

marz09cuse

September 26, 2011 - 4:28 pm EDT

Sorry, but Syracuse doesn't have to prove, or earn anything once they join. They've already proven to be a perennial top 25 team over the past 40 years, and maybe the most consistent 20+ win team year in, year out in the country. They were brought into the ACC mainly because of A) the New York Market, and B) basketball. And if the ACC wants to expand their brand, it would probably be smart to try and get the ACC Tourney into MSG someday. Syracuse, Pitt, Duke, and NC are all major draws anytime they play at MSG, so you can only imagine the turnout and hype if the ACC Tourney was there. And only makes sense to throw MSG into the rotation if the ACC wants to make the most $$ it possibly can.

September 26, 2011 - 9:05 pm EDT

Sorry, but Syracuse is no UNC or Duke, or even NC State for that matter.

September 27, 2011 - 11:21 am EDT

Well you pretty much proved my point. Syracuse enters the ACC as one of top 3 basketball schools in the conference. And sorry, but NC State has only been to 1 sweet 16 since 1989, while Syracuse has been to 10 since that time. So they've been pretty irrelevant since the early '80s. But no where in my post did I say Syracuse was above Duke or UNC. Either way, Syracuse has nothing to prove to anyone, because they've already proved in the past to be a top tier college basketball team, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

albertgrant

September 29, 2011 - 1:46 pm EDT

I disagree with Boeheim's lamenting too. Maybe I'm not the most open minded individual, but honestly I can't understand how there can be different opinion about this. Albert from http://www.kingsizeheadboardsguide.com

eduguytoo

September 25, 2011 - 9:18 am EDT

A few years back, I served as an usher for three days during the ACC tournament. I did so because my son's elementary school could reap some financial benefit: the school supplied some mostly college-educated adults to serve in the role; the Coliseum made a monetary donation to the school's PTSA. It so happened that my assignment was in the nose-bleed section near a corner between two adjoining sections inhabited principally by Maryland and Florida State fans. At that time, those schools represented the far-reaches of the ACC. Honestly, I expected the experience to be less-than-fun; I could not have been more wrong. Those fans were, well, fantastic. They were polite. They rooted hard for their teams. They engaged with me in wonderful conversation. And the one thing that I'll never forget is how many people from those regions told me that if it could be arranged, they'd come to Greensboro EVERY year for the ACC men's basketball tournament. The reasons were myriad, but easy parking and tailgating were near the top of the list. They also liked the fact that the tournament was not an afterthought in Greensboro...it was the FOCUS of seemingly everyone. I've never forgotten that.

Mad Dog

September 25, 2011 - 9:35 am EDT

csk4-Define "all you people."

So Jim wanted to join the ACC and now complains because the tournaments are held in Greensboro instead of New York City? Sounds to me like he didn't do his homework. My only response is a quote from Lewis Grizzard: "Delta is ready when you are!"

Hey, Jim. If you don't want to come to Greensboro, then don't come. I really don't care.

September 26, 2011 - 5:01 pm EDT

Jim Boeheim did NOT want to join the ACC. He had no input into the decision. That was all on the Chancellor and AD.

September 25, 2011 - 10:25 am EDT

Do your homework. Boeheim DID NOT want to come to the ACC, and has said as much. He said he recognized it was the right move for school based on the lack of leadership in the Big East and issues with Notre Dame. But he clearly said he would have liked for Syracuse to remain in the Big East.

September 25, 2011 - 10:30 am EDT

And I've been to both the Big East Tournament in MSG and the ACC Tournament in Greensboro many times over. They are both great atmospheres. Syracuse, however, enjoys a distinct home court advantage at MSG because there is a huge alumni base in NYC. Similar to the NC schools when the tournament is in GSO. So aside from the fact that in terms of what the cities have to offer to tourists there is no comparison between NYC and Greensboro, Syracuse also loses a great crowd by coming to Greensboro for the ACC Tournament. Anyone upset about Boeheim's comments needs to ask themselves if they are upset because they were offensive or they are upset because they are true.

vkmoore95

September 25, 2011 - 10:55 am EDT

I think the comments made by Boeheim reflects what he doesn't have-class. I am sure that ACC coaches have thoughts about Syarcuse also, hopefully they will show class and not comment on this moron. The ACC tournement is most at home in Greensboro and although it is played in many places the ACC fans like Greensboro the most because of the history. Mr. Boeheim-please show respect to our conference and keep your mouth shut.

September 26, 2011 - 1:49 pm EDT

You want to talk about classless, it was the ACC commissioner who came out and stated he would like to have the ACC Tourney in MSG someday, which was a major slap in the face to the Big East, who currently holds a contract with MSG until 2016, and has had their tournament there every single year for decades.

So maybe you should tell your commish to keep his mouth shut, because Boeheim was asked in an interview what his thoughts were on YOUR commissioners comments that it would be nice someday to have the ACC tournament at MSG.

September 26, 2011 - 1:51 pm EDT

So here you argue that its arrogant to suggest a tournament at MSG and below you make the case that it should be at MSG. You seem confused.

September 26, 2011 - 4:18 pm EDT

What? The poster I replied to seems to believe that Boeheim just came out and demanded that the ACC Tourney should be in MSG. I was merely pointing out how all of this nonsense began, which was with the statement by your commish about having the tournament in MSG someday, which resulted in someone asking JB what he felt about that. So maybe all of you should be more upset about what your commissioner said, and not what Jim Boeheim said in reply.

hoosier transplant

September 25, 2011 - 11:10 am EDT

The Big East already plays its tournament in MSG. Its not even possible that they could host another tournament at the same time. Plus MSG is OVER 40 years old!! We've got a nicer gym than NYC. Unfortunately, I do have to agree with earlier comments that Lee St, and High Point Rd are an embarassment.

ItIsMe

September 25, 2011 - 5:37 pm EDT

Ummm. Ok. As a resident of Greensboro for 14 years, and a graduate of Syracuse University, and as a person who lived just an hour from Syracuse for 27 years, I must say...Syracuse is 5 hours from NYC and has more cows and farms within a short distance from the city limits than Greensboro does. It really is a rural area. Just thought you'd like to know. :)

September 25, 2011 - 7:50 pm EDT

Might I also point out that Boeheim's comments were actually in response to the ACC Commissioner's comment that the ACC tournament could now possibly be played in MSG, and Boeheim was agreeing with him that it is a great spot for a conference basketball tournament. So...

September 25, 2011 - 7:52 pm EDT

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/09/acc-c...

johnodrake

September 26, 2011 - 12:32 am EDT

I'm not that thin skinned.... Welcome Jim!

September 26, 2011 - 1:43 pm EDT

Hmm, would you rather go to watch, or play a basketball game in Madison Square Garden, or the Greensboro Coliseum? Some of you, including the author, are way to insecure. I'm sure Greensboro is a wonderful place to live, but when we're talking about a College Basketball tournament, I'm sure the majority of people would much rather be in the world's most famous arena, which just happens to be located in one of the greatest cities in the world.

But hey, since Greensboro has honeysuckle, magnolias, good soil and such, the ACC tourney should just stay permanently in Greensboro.

Cuse can ask for a MSG tournament after they win a few ACC tournament championships. You have to earn what you ask for, you don't just get to waltz in to one of the oldest conferences and start demanding like a child. Highly unlikely they'll win a tournament anytime soon.

Citywatch

September 26, 2011 - 2:39 pm EDT

Earn...when it comes to conferences all the ACC can do is steal. You can take them but just be careful what you wish for.

There are a few tough ACC teams (Carolina being one of them) but BE players don't the refs to protect them like the dukies do.

September 26, 2011 - 9:09 pm EDT

Steal? You mean like when the BE stole UL, Cincy, WVU, Villanova etc. when they expanded? Did someone kidnap Syr and Pitt?

Don't confuse thuggery with skill my friend.

Pam

September 26, 2011 - 4:17 pm EDT

Most folks do like the area they live in and take offense when someone disrespects it, which is exactly what Mr. Boeheim was doing. He could have taken the gentlemanly route and said something gracious or complimentary about both places, but he chose to sound like a jerk. I agree that as the new kid on the block, he shouldn't come running into the conference demanding to have things his way. Good luck on obtaining those ACC championships, Jim - you're gonna need it!

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