Hail Providence, We Praise Thy Sports

Rhode Island is best in summer. I make no effort to deny that. However, in the spirit of making the most of the coming cold, I offer you the consolation that is the winter sports schedule in our little state.

My fellow Friars might recognize the reference to the Providence College alma mater in the title. I'm certainly not a great booster of the school in most respects: let's just say that I read the Publisher's Clearinghouse letters before I pay attention to the fundraising letters I get. But I will say that the school excels its Rhode Island peers in two areas: alcohol consumption per capita (URI grads, please don't argue this point. You'll lose, and it really isn't that great of a title to hold, anyway.) Second is our sports teams. I know URI has football, which, if they ever get to a BC-ish level, will put them ahead. But aside from some success with the teams nobody cares much about (go track!), we have good teams in two top-tier divisions: hockey and basketball.

In some ways, the PC hockey team is actually the better, or at least the more fun, of the two. PC hocket is played in Schneider arena on campus, and tickets are only $5. Hockey really needs to be enjoyed live, and this is a great, intimate venue. The season has already started: there is usually a home game a week on Friday or Saturday, or Thursday this coming week.

But Big East basketball is the main event, probably across the state's sports calendar. I'll save my preview for another post, but suffice it to say that the Friars have a chance to suprise some people. Tickets are usually about $15 for the cheaper seats, and the place rocks, especially on nights when a team like UCONN is in town. Opening night is November 15th against Temple.

If you want to go minor leagues, the P-Bruins are one of the more respected franchises at that level (I haven't been to see them yet, but I will this year. I'd much rather see them than their major league counterparts in Boston.) Their opening night is November 14th, and that Friday, the 16th, they are having free t-shirt night. Tickets run about $18.

As much as I'd like to ignore URI completely, or just stick to making fun of them, the game I saw at the Ryan Center was one of the best college hoops games I've ever attended. Their opening game seems to be November 9th. I'd like to tell you more, but their web site stinks. Probably because people who go to URI can't use computers with their big ape hands. (Sorry, so sorry! Instinct.)

While football is a fall sport, and while Brown (and all of the Ivy league, for that matter) isn't what you'd call "good", it is entertaining, and worth it to go to a game at Brown's big, old fashioned stadium. Their final home game is November 10th versus Dartmouth, and adult tickets are a very reasonable $15. (Be warned, that's going to put you on a bench.)

While Rhode Island will never compete with the World Series and Superbowl teams up north, we have a variety of fun winter sports that can cheer the long winter. So check them all out, and go PC!