Being in the SEC (especially a Tennessee fan), you are taught to have a string disliking towards everyone in your conference. Normally, we don’t have a very good reason but we do anyways. Vanderbilt basketball may be one of my favorite teams to hate simply because of the layout of their floor. It make absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. I really thought that Vandy would be smart enough to create a court that is at least kind of understandable. I have 3 reasons why I really do not like this place and hate watching game there.
1. The Benches
Who’s idea was it to put the benches on the end? What did they possibly gain from doing this? It completely throws off any basketball mojo that teams had going for them. When your team is on the other end of the floor, there is no possible way that you can hear what they coach is saying or directing them to do. Not only that, but when play is going on that end, it’s awkward. Now, I have never played on this court before (I consider myself lucky), but if I were playing point guard on the floor, I would probably be tempted to read the faces of the players and coaches on the bench instead of the defense in front of me. It distracting and, again, makes no sense. Be normal, Vandy, and put the benches on the side like every other basketball court in the world.
2. Raised Floor
I realize that Memorial Gymnasium is not the only court that has this, but I’m pretty sure that it started there. And guess what, I don’t like it! Again, what is anyone gaining by you making the floor a little bit higher than the seat. The people on the front row are gaining a view of the players shoes and probably a hurt neck by the end of the day! At least they realized that it’s not safe to have a raised floor because players can fall off and see their career dies before their eyes. So what did they do? They made the floor go out like 3,000 feet on the sides and put nothing there to fill the empty space. It’s just this big empty space of unusable court. First off, they killed like 5,000 trees to do this. Secondly, why is there nothing there? At least put the dance team or something there! It makes it so hard to watch at home. I don’t want to see empty space at the top while watching a game. I want to see that crowds and coaches reactions and I want to see who is coming in the game. But, no. Instead the players sub in on the bottom which no other school does except Duke (and don’t even get me started on Duke). it almost makes the games unwatchable at home.
3. It’s Vanderbilt
If a school like Duke decided to do this, I would not be as hateful towards it (and I never say anything nice about Duke). They have the tradition and prestige to get away with it in a way. Vanderbilt has had good teams in the past but they have never had any amazing teams or championships that I can think of (I apologize if I’m wrong here). As a UT fan, I can’t say that we’ve won any titles. But we have a normal stadium that has been recently renovated. No one leaves Thompson-Boling with a hurt neck.
It is going to be hard for me to watch this game tonight. This floor makes no sense to me. Yes, it’s different and it bring attention to Vanderbilt basketball in a way. I get that and I understand that. But you have got to think these things through first. Make a court different in a cool way, not in a weird way that makes no sense. As our editor, Sam Scott, would say, “It’s BRENT MUSBURGER dumb. Yes, it’s that dumb.”