I'm embarrassed to share our initials

It's almost October - and although you may not believe me due to lack of posts, I've been starting to think a lot about the start of BU basketball season!

I have dutifully been following Coach Chambers on Twitter, and on his blog Chambers Vision... and now even John Holland is blogging! That's one thing I can say pretty definitively, that John Holland wouldn't be blogging under a Coach Wolff regime. Chambers seems to think that the more people read and hear about the team, the more people will get interested in it. That's the main point behind a lot of blogs, including this one!

What really jumpstarted me into writing again, however, is the steaming shitpile emanating from the Southern Tier of NY. And for once, I'm not talking about Elmira.

Binghamton, of course, is making national headlines again. Tiki Mayben, their point guard who couldn't even make grades at UMASS(!), was arrested because he had a warrant out in lovely Troy, NY for selling crack cocaine, the result of a 3-month investigation. He went home to Troy "after class" last Wednesday, and got picked up -- and he had a bunch of coke on him when he was arrested too! Not only that, but he had been arrested like 12 days earlier on Binghamton's campus for pot possession. Stop me when you've heard all this.

Long story short, the city and state created a backlash against the Binghamton program and its leadership, going all the way up to the statewide chancellor. They had seen enough of the bullshit brought on by the shady Coach Kevin Broadus. Mayben is now off the team, along with 5 of the shadiest other dudes on the team. One happens to be Malik Alvin, a starter from last year, and one happens to be DJ Rivera, the so-called best player in the conference. All this is the name of cleaning up this "zoo" of a program (the athletic director's words, not mine).

Now this is a sad story. I feel bad for Tiki in a sense... he is a product of his environment to a degree... and especially bad for his kid. But this is a basketball blog.

Everybody else in the conference knew Broadus was taking shortcuts in building his program. So screw him. There's no being torn about how to treat Binghamton when we play them. These assholes are the defending champs. Their dirtbag coach brings in questionable character guys as a shortcut to win. And their fans were incredible d-bags about it. They loved Broadus when he was winning games with these guys. Now they reap what Broadus sowed. Frankly I'm embarrassed our school is associated with them. No mercy.

Their own fans are finally seeing what this strategy has brought. The alumni and community, especially, are turning away from the team. Here is a hilarious letter to the editor of the Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin from the manager of the local zoo:

Comparison insults zoo
September 29, 2009

I am tired of hearing that blight on Binghamton University, the men's basketball team, being referred to as a "zoo." The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park has just received re-accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the industry's governing authority. We achieved this status by being in the top 10 percent of all the zoos in the country.

Our animal care, safety, employees and educational and service standards are set high and met accordingly. Not one of our tigers has been arrested with cocaine. No otter knocks over old ladies to shoplift condoms. Our bear doesn't have temper tantrums and storm off his exhibit. You won't find any of our lemurs busted for smoking pot. So, please, stop insulting zoos by comparing those criminals to us.

Amanda J. Padwa
Business Manager
Binghamton Zoo

I usually shy away from writing about other teams in the conference. However, this thing couldn't be more huge for BU. I haven't gotten to see all the preseason previews, but most have Binghamton #1 and BU #2. Without all these guys, there is zero chance Binghamton finishes in the top half of the conference, or even out of the play-in game. Before any shot is taken, in the blink of an eye, the biggest obstacle to Coach Chambers' taking BU to the promised land just vanished.

BU has just become the clear favorite to win the America East.