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Peers and Seers

Game 7-026: Trinity International at Chicago State
December 15, 2010 9:13 am ET by Kyle Whelliston

Trinity International (NAIA) at Chicago State Cougars

December 14, 2010 8:00 pm
Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center
BBState Stats/Recap

Chicago State is one of the weirdest ongoing stories in Division I, much less higher education. And while framing a New York Times story by using a nearly-empty basketball arena as a metaphor is a questionable proposition (Drexel circa 1997 would have been a real implosion candidate), the Grand Gray Bird did a great job documenting all of its problems.

The Southside state college, which has a 90 percent minority population, graduates one of eight matriculators, fired a president for expensing a Caribbean vacation as a "leadership conference," and got a shiny new $38 million basketball arena it didn't have to pay a dime for... one which somehow has the name of the state senate president and his wife on the front. Chicago is a city of big shoulders and greasy palms. "The common thread that runs through all of this," a political science professor said in the article, "is negligence, incompetence and malfeasance."



And about that basketball arena. The team that plays there was once a member of the Mid-Continent Conference before the school thought they could get a better deal. I can recall a time when people around the program were seriously talking about them joining the Horizon League, even though Chicago State routinely has the smallest athletic budget in Division I (2009: $3.4 million, 344th among 344 reporting schools). Not so shockingly, the Horizon took Valparaiso instead. Chi-State is stuck in the Great West. The team banners hang proudly.



And then there was the time when Cougar forward Cam-Ron Clay ripped off his shirt in the middle of a home game and challenged his own coach to a fight, requiring police intervention. It's not all embarrassment though. Two seasons ago, the team won a school Division I record 19 games, pretty good considering the win totals have been solidly in the single digits for years. There have been some great miniature high-scoring guards like Royce Parran and David Holston, the latter of whom we profiled long ago in a galaxy far, far away.

And did we mention that the seats, paid for with earmark money, are super-comfy?



The game, against a NAIA Division II team from the vaunted Chicagoland Conference, was a mere two-hour diversion. There were a few moments early on when it looked like Trinity International could pull a Black Line Upset, but there was little else than the love of the game making them show up. It's not like they were on scholarship or anything. The biggest thrill of the evening came when I realized I was sitting next to 1968 Olympic high jump champion Bob Beamon.



Beamon, a Chicagoan, was involved in the city's failed bid for the 2016 Games, and stuck around afterwards. He's basically there to bring prestige and credibility to the school, do some fundraising, and speak at Kiwanis Clubs. But he comes to the Cougars games and sits silently. I didn't even know it was him, but we were the only two people in the building wearing suits. We gave each other a little look, the one that people wearing suits give each other, and that was it. If I'd actually introduced myself, I would have lost control of my bladder. I'm not good at things like that.

@midmajority Game Tweets


20:22 Game 7-026: Trinity International at Chicago State. Wireless? None.
20:24 The Jones Convocation Center. http://img.ly/2CJR
20:27 You are not familiar with our work. RT @MikeMinyard: Dude...Really? Why. RT @midmajority: Game 7-026: Trinity International at Chicago State
20:29 Trinity International is a D2 school, and is down only one to Chi-State at the end of the first quarter. Black Line Upset watch in effect.
20:31 The PA announcer here says "You can put it on the board... Yes!" after every basket. It sucks at Comiskey, kinda okay here.
20:33 And yes, that's NAIA Division II, the Chicagoland Conference. TIU has one tall dude who looks like a Korver, but he is so not.
20:35 And by tall, I mean 6-5. It's 24-24 with 7:40 1H. I'm tapping away on an iPhone b/c this is the last D1 arena without wireless.
20:37 PA means "play-by-play" at Chicago State. "No basket! No basket! And the follow for twooooooooooo! By the senior! Cougars lead!"
20:38 If you were me, you'd be looking at this. http://img.ly/2CK0
20:38 RT @KraigW: @midmajority If he starts calling things "Duck Snorts" or says "grab some bench" GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE
20:44 The Emil Jones Convo cost $36m, Chicago State didn't pay a penny. All from IL state treasury. State senate president's name: Emil Jones.
20:47 Late in 1H, Chicago State putting on a run. 41-35 Cougars. "A threeee! He's a senior. He's a senior. HE'S A SENIOR!"
20:49 Halftime. 44-34 CST. "Are you ready for some halftime entertainment? I ca'nt hear you! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME HALFTIME ENTERTAINMENT?"
20:50 The Cougar Express dance team came out for exactly 90 seconds. Not even I was ready for that.
20:52 "Who can make a free throw? Who can make a threeee-point shot." They are taking volunteers. Anybody. Anybody?
20:54 RT @adamamin: @midmajority RLU Alert: 11-0 Oakland run, Grizz up 79-76 on #7 Tennessee with 3:05 to go!
20:55 If the final attendance is quoted as higher than 141, they're lying. I just counted. (Bally would be 142)
20:56 Bally luvs the Great West. http://img.ly/2CKf
20:56 RT @bubbaprog: Oakland fouls Tennessee, Volunteers miss both FTs. 81-78 Oakland 2:00 left @midmajority
20:58 So I took the wrong exit off the Dan Ryan thanks to some bad Robot directions. Drove 30 blocks of MLK Drive; absolutely fascinating.
20:59 I forget who said it first, but it's sadly ironic how MLK Drives are usually the most depressing streets of any city.
21:00 But in Chicago, MLK Drive from 60-90 goes from The Wire to the Huxtables and back again like three times. It's weird.
21:01 Warm up the RLU Robot! RT @Dobber_BtB_SBN: LARRY WRIGHT!!! 85-79 OAKLAND :37 left @midmajority
21:04 Second half. This building seats 7000, and there are fewer than 150 here. That's 2% full.
21:06 Oakland! Oakland!
21:07 [RLU ALERT] Oakland 89, Tennessee 82 | http://tmm7.me/6ip @RedLineUpsets
21:09 Chi State=a sad, failed experiment. 16% of students graduate. Fmr president fired for expensing Caribbean vac as a "leadership conference."
21:14 CST 53, Trinity Intl 40 at 15:36 2H. PA on opponent shooting fouls is priceless. "TWO (shouted) shotssssss (whispered)."
21:14 "The BRAND new Cougar Express!" http://img.ly/2CKz
21:17 And thanks everybody, yes it was Chris Rock who said that about MLK-titled streets. My second guess, behind Cornel West.
21:19 My favorite thing about the Jones Convo is that the only banners are for the Great West teams. I'm sitting directly under South Dakota.
21:21 And these chairs! This is high-major comfort right here. http://img.ly/2CKG
21:21 RT @polarscribe: @midmajority Why, why, why is CST even Division I? An island-hopping president's delusions of grandeur?
21:23 CST never existed in the real world. They have an incredible line-item arena, no money, and once thought they were too good for the Mid-Con.
21:26 PA big hyping the upcoming Great West opener with Utah Valley. With the reverb, it sounds like the most exciting thing since Duke-Butler.
21:27 RT @NickyTheC: @midmajority Has the PA guy used "He gone" yet? Let's hope someone on Trinity fouls out.
21:27 RT @polarscribe: @midmajority NYT piece on Chicago State from last year. Nothing's changed, it appears - except the arena's even emptier. http://is.gd/iLpvb
21:30 End of 3rd quarter: Chicago State 63, Trinity Intl 49. I want to tell the PA announcer about #superhoop. "He's a freshman. HE'S A FRESHMAN!"
21:31 RT @defiantlydutch: @midmajority: "You're on MLK? RUN!"
21:38 Can't talk about CST hoops without mentioning David Holston and Royce Parran. Little guys (5-8/9) who could fill it up. They were awesome.
21:41 Trinity's coach looks exactly like a philosophy professor of mine, right down to the blo-do, round glasses and sweater vest. 71-53 CST.
21:44 I just realized I don't know where the PA announcer is sitting. Not on press row or with the officials. Where is he?
21:44 RT @adamamin: @midmajority Parran was listed at 5'6"!!! and didn't he participate in (and maybe even win) the college dunk contest that one year??
21:45 There's a feature I did on Holston somewhere in the WWLIS archives. I think it came out pretty good, but I remember writing it at 3 am.
21:46 RT @rhettumphress: @midmajority "The (PA) calls are coming from inside the house!"
21:47 "Doo be doo be... HE'S A FRESHMAN!" #ice
21:47 RT @jscottfitzwater: @midmajority He's in your heart.
21:51 HOLY WHAT. Bob Beamon is in the house tonight?! #29twopointfive
21:53 Beamon is an assistant AD here. Did not know that! I guess something good came out of Chicago 2016?
21:54 One minute to go: 88-69 Chicago State. And not a single person has left. #weird
21:55 RT @thenational: @midmajority 29 2 1/2 Bob Beamon in the House!!!! Queens,NY KID!!!!
21:58 And I was SITTING NEXT TO HIM the entire game. Beamon and I are the only ones here wearing suits.
22:01 Had no idea. Would have said hi but would have crapped pants. Final: Chi-State 88, Trinity Intl (NAIA D2) 69. Everyone just left at once.
22:05 I'm like shaking. I'm such a pathetic fanboy. Anyway, this is a pretty fantastic arena for what it is. http://img.ly/2CLs
22:06 http://img.ly/2CLu
22:07 And what it is is a Great West arena. http://img.ly/2CLx
22:09 With excellent concession prices. http://img.ly/2CLy
22:10 And now it's back out into the cold. Saint Louis University tomorrow, friends. Let's see what happens there. Good Night Hoops Nation.
22:51 RT @walleye14: @midmajority No discount on the combo though...quite disappointed...$4 for a $2 Hot Dog $1 Drink and $1 popcorn/candy
22:56 RT @SkywayChicago: Fear The Griz! Oakland University Golden Grizzlies Upset #7 Tennessee! If you love Mid-Major Basketball this is your day!


Boxscore


at CHICAGO STATE 88, TRINITY INTERNATIONAL 69
12/14/2010

CHICAGO STATE 3-9 (0-0) -- A. Lofton 7-8 9-9 23; S. Martin Jr. 1-6 3-4 5; H. Martin 6-8 1-2 13; C. Wall 3-7 2-3 9; C. Montgomery 6-9 3-4 15; V. Scott 1-5 0-1 2; J. Montgomery 2-12 0-2 5; A. Simmons 1-2 0-0 3; S. Montgomery 4-8 1-2 9; P. Kielbasa 1-1 0-0 2; J. Hill 1-2 0-0 2; Q. Ukaigwe 0-0 0-0 0; J. Harris 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 33-71 19-27 88.

Three-point goals: - , CST 3-14 (J. Montgomery 1-6; C. Wall 1-3; V. Scott 0-3; J. Harris 0-1; A. Simmons 1-1); Rebounds: , CST 49 (A. Lofton 8); Assists: , CST 18 (C. Wall 3); Total Fouls -- , CST 25; Fouled Out: -; CST-None.