Sort of OT, but also sort of not. | The Boneyard

Sort of OT, but also sort of not.

MinneHusky

MinneHusky

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As a UConn fan who doesn't get to go to games, is it worth going to the Big East Tourney? i"ve been thinking of saving my pennies and making the trip out east to possible make it there next year.
 
My take, for what it’s worth…maybe. I think a lot depends on the things that you like to do in your down time. Keeping in mind that I live about a half an hour from the Mohegan Sun, I generally find it to be boring. There are some fairly decent restaurants in the casino itself and there are more in the general area. If you want to do anything outside of the casino, you will most certainly need to rent a car. The biggest problem is that late winter is not the best time to visit eastern Connecticut. Many of the tourist attractions are closed and it’s likely to be cold and raw outside.
 
Puppy Love said:
My take, for what it’s worth…maybe. I think a lot depends on the things that you like to do in your down time. Keeping in mind that I live about a half an hour from the Mohegan Sun, I generally find it to be boring. There are some fairly decent restaurants in the casino itself and there are more in the general area. If you want to do anything outside of the casino, you will most certainly need to rent a car. The biggest problem is that late winter is not the best time to visit eastern Connecticut. Many of the tourist attractions are closed and it’s likely to be cold and raw outside.
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Scott's Lobster Dock, in New London, opened yesterday... and it snowed.
 
I would say that sitting and watching at a game versus in the comfort of your own home is a big decision. For me, it is a matter of how fast that I can get to a bathroom to take a L...k. At my age, the choice is simple: watch the game on a big screen TV and have my bathroom 20 feet away. I have to admit there have been some close calls lately, but no defeats.
 
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MinneHusky said:
As a UConn fan who doesn't get to go to games, is it worth going to the Big East Tourney? i"ve been thinking of saving my pennies and making the trip out east to possible make it there next year.
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We have tickets to the finals (UConn better win tomorrow) and a room for the night. Not only that we are getting a massage in the spa Monday afternoon and dinner at Tao that night, we're gonna have a ball. My advice to you is go for it!

Of course, my recommendation comes with the caveat that you are able to enjoy yourself in a casino/hotel. That's not a problem for me. What's going to cost you is a room at Mohegan on the weekend. It gets pretty expensive but they are really nice and clean. I would look into signing up for a "Momemtum" card. Out-of-staters can signup in person so I think you could do so online. If you have an account, they send you deals even if you don't play. More importantly, room prices can be lower if you book while logged into your Momentum account. Next month, John Fogerty is coming and I was stunned that a room was available for $55 out-the-door, I took it. I just checked the price without logging in - $259 before the addons.
 
There are a number of things at the shore which is about a 20 minute drive:
1. Groton and the submarine museums
2. Old Lyme Florence Griswold museum - american impressionist art on door panels, wall panels in the boarding house where many of the NYC artists spent their summer and paid their rent with the paintings.
3. Coast Guard academy and museum
4. Old Mystic Seaport
5. Various house museums including Eugene O'Niell's childhood home.
6. Lyman Allyn museum at Conn College
7. Some lovely public waterfront parks in Waterford CT just west of New London

Search google for attractions near New London, Mystic, and Old Lyme - there is quite a bit available in an area that was among the first to be settled by Europeans. Inland is mostly farming and old factory towns along the rivers where the factories mostly closed after the civil war.
 
Puppy Love said:
I think Buttonwoods opened March 1, but it’s too cold for ice cream.
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It's never too cold for ice cream lol. From someone living in Minnesota that eats ice cream when it's -10 but feels like -45 lol.

Thank you all for your advice, as much as i like staying home and watching the games on TV, it's great seeing them in person. If I go, it'll be just me so can do whatever, whenever. My soul feels like it belongs out east, so any excuse to get back there is good for me lol. I'd love to go to a game at Gampel but would want more then 1 game, so that's also a possibility.

I'm going to the game next year when they come to play Minnesota Gophers, I hope to be sitting around other UConn fans (sorry Minnesota, the only time I'll turn my back on the Gophers).
 
UcMiami said:
There are a number of things at the shore which is about a 20 minute drive:
1. Groton and the submarine museums
2. Old Lyme Florence Griswold museum - american impressionist art on door panels, wall panels in the boarding house where many of the NYC artists spent their summer and paid their rent with the paintings.
3. Coast Guard academy and museum
4. Old Mystic Seaport
5. Various house museums including Eugene O'Niell's childhood home.
6. Lyman Allyn museum at Conn College
7. Some lovely public waterfront parks in Waterford CT just west of New London

Search google for attractions near New London, Mystic, and Old Lyme - there is quite a bit available in an area that was among the first to be settled by Europeans. Inland is mostly farming and old factory towns along the rivers where the factories mostly closed after the civil war.
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It’s early March and the outdoors attractions would be closed or too cold to enjoy
 
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MinneHusky said:
As a UConn fan who doesn't get to go to games, is it worth going to the Big East Tourney? i"ve been thinking of saving my pennies and making the trip out east to possible make it there next year.
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Do the early NCAA tournament games at Gampel instead. There is nothing like the atmosphere of a Big Dance game. You ca still go to the casinos, if that’s on your wish list
 
UcMiami said:
There are a number of things at the shore which is about a 20 minute drive:

2. Old Lyme Florence Griswold museum - american impressionist art on door panels, wall panels in the boarding house where many of the NYC artists spent their summer and paid their rent with the paintings.
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Lemme give a shout out for the Florence Griswold Museum. Back when my folks still lived in CT, I'd try to get there every couple of years. The Hudson River School gets all the press, but the Connecticut Impressionists were da bomb, too.

I'll be retired in a year or two and will definitely be heading to the BET and will hit the museum, too.
 
Some of the outdoor attractions are really nice - if you like living history places, Mystic Seaport is excellent. But as Nan notes, in early March access to these places is limited.
 
MinneHusky said:
It's never too cold for ice cream lol. From someone living in Minnesota that eats ice cream when it's -10 but feels like -45 lol.

Thank you all for your advice, as much as i like staying home and watching the games on TV, it's great seeing them in person. If I go, it'll be just me so can do whatever, whenever. My soul feels like it belongs out east, so any excuse to get back there is good for me lol. I'd love to go to a game at Gampel but would want more then 1 game, so that's also a possibility.

I'm going to the game next year when they come to play Minnesota Gophers, I hope to be sitting around other UConn fans (sorry Minnesota, the only time I'll turn my back on the Gophers).
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Rather than go to the BE Tourney, consider the first and second round games at Gampel. The first round game will not be competitive, but the second will. I also found it fun to scout the second round opponent. On the off day, Boston is so incredibly close.
 
Bigboote said:
Lemme give a shout out for the Florence Griswold Museum. Back when my folks still lived in CT, I'd try to get there every couple of years. The Hudson River School gets all the press, but the Connecticut Impressionists were da bomb, too.

I'll be retired in a year or two and will definitely be heading to the BET and will hit the museum, too.
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The Museums in Cos Cob, Uconn's Benton, and the Florence Griswold did a traveling show combining all their CT Impressionist paintings and displaying at all three venues for a few months each back in the late seventies which was fabulous. I went to the show in Old Lyme since the door panels and room panels did not travel. But the Benton if you are at Uconn is worth a look.

The other CT museum that I absolutely love is the Hill-Stead in Farmington - full of international Impressionist paintings including 2 Monet haystacks. 10 miles west of Hartford. The legacy requires that painting cannot be loaned out.
 
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There is a caveat that no one mentioned. If you just want to see UConn in action and more than one game, the atmosphere at the NCAA's is great in general, we were at numerous Rutgers appearances both at home and on the road (including in Gampel of all places).

That said, if you are a fan of "women's basketball" in general (as well as UConn) and want a big bang for your buck - conference tournaments are great. We attended numerous conference tourneys in the old big east, including those at Rutgers, at Gampel and at the Hartford Civic Center by whatever its name is now. All of these were great experiences.

While the tourney at Mohegan Sun is not within my time (and I don't think we ever stayed overnight, but maybe once) we did go to a couple of non-NCAA games there and thought it was a fine venue. Of course the restaurants have all changed since then, so I can't speak to that.

As a NJ native, those touting attractions in that part of Connecticut are also spot on, a nice area to visit, however, I have to be honest, the week of the tournament would not be my choice for season.
 
The cost of the all game package for the BE tourney is very reasonable. If attending all or most of the games you won’t have concern yourself with other places to go. One advantage to the casino is most of the parking is in covered garages and is free.
Staying in the casino hotel can be pricey. However, there are several hotels in the immediate area that are less expensive. Most have shuttle service to and from the casino. If you want to give it a test run, there has been a one day, two game “tournament” at the casino for several years on a Sunday afternoon in December. UConn and three other quality teams each play one game of a doubleheader.
 
kjkj3 said:
Except if you are tall. My husband is 6’6” and those seats don’t have enough leg room.
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Has your husband ever had bench seating in Gampel? He might need to buy 2 seats, his seat and the seat in front of him for his legs. (For football at the Rent you could be a 7 footer and still have plenty of legroom.)

Another difference is the "for profit" Mohegan Sun has free parking while Gampel with parking lots built with my tax dollars charges me to park in a lot that I helped to finance. Nice! Surprised they don't have a toll on 195...
 
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I am a fan of WBB in general so I always try to see UConn play in March and go to the BE tourney in March. The atmosphere is really fun and you really notice the fast pace of the game. I usually stay with my parents but this year I got a room for myself and my mom at the Holiday Inn in Norwich. Easy drive (didn’t try the shuttle, since MS has free parking) and cheap. Ate at Tuscany’s for $50 (a steal) brunch on Sunday and didn’t spend money the rest of the day. I don’t really gamble but it’s nice to just walk around and people watch. I’m mostly there for the games though and to me it’s well worth it to make a trip (if you can).
 
MinneHusky said:
As a UConn fan who doesn't get to go to games, is it worth going to the Big East Tourney? i"ve been thinking of saving my pennies and making the trip out east to possible make it there next year.
Expand ...
I am amazed at how many negative Nancy’s there are out there. I would absolutely do it! You get to see three back to back games of your favorite team. Mohegan Sun is it good location to see the game with great sightlines. There are plenty of restaurant choices there. Casinos aren’t really my thing, but they’re there as well. If you’ve never seen the team live before, you are in for a real pleasure. The energy is amazing.

Now, Nan’s suggestion to come out and see a game at Gampel is also a good one. There are trade-offs. You would be seeing one game, instead of three, but on the other hand, Gampel, is a great place to see a game. The energy there is amazing. There are some shortcomings, though. Food choices are very limited, and there can be lines at for bathroom. But on the other hand, you are on campus and it’s under appreciated on the board just how lovely it is. The Graduate hotel on campus is UConn themed so that would be fun. Storrs Central does give you some dining choices and the dairy bar is a mandatory stop, even in winter.

For those who note that March isn’t the best time to visit southeastern Connecticut, they’re not wrong, but it doesn’t sound like outside tourism is really motivating you as much as an opportunity to see the team. If you decide to do it post on the board and you will get plenty of suggestions for restaurant choices and tourism possibilities.

If this is something you’d like to do, by all means, do it, either one would be memorable. There is nothing like the energy of being at the game.
 
If you ever choose Gampel, make sure you get "seatbacks." We willingly pay extra to avoid the discomfort of the "bleacher seats," which were tolerable when we were in our 50's. Now, not at all.
 
Bigboote said:
Lemme give a shout out for the Florence Griswold Museum. Back when my folks still lived in CT, I'd try to get there every couple of years. The Hudson River School gets all the press, but the Connecticut Impressionists were da bomb, too.

I'll be retired in a year or two and will definitely be heading to the BET and will hit the museum, too.
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We were just there a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely a go to. The whole story is wonderful.
 
All great options. If you have to money to travel and the freedom to change your plans at the last minute I would go to the deepest round in the tournament I could. This way you will see all great teams and the atmosphere will be amazing (UCONN always has a great atmosphere). The Final Four is the Crown Jewel but that one you gamble a little bit on seeing your favorite team.
 
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