Choose Charleston

Charlotte joins the Charleston Classic 2010 field with several questions. The biggest news for Charlotte is that Coach Allen Major will be taking over the program after Charlotte fired former Coach Bobby Lutz.  Lutz is the all-time leaders in wins at Charlotte and has left plenty for Major to work with.  Lutz had his Charlotte team on a roll until a late season cold streak left them sitting at home with no NCAA or NIT bid.  The A.D. decided Lutz winning record was not enough and decided to roll the dice on Major, who has no head coach experience.

Charlotte does not have a proven point guard, which usually is a huge disadvantage at the college level.   This is especially true when going through a coaching change.  I expect the Charlotte 49ers still trying to find who they are when they are playing here at the Charleston Classic 2010. On the wing, they will lean on Derrio Green to handle the outside scoring load. Inside,the Charlotte 49ers have two very solid players.  Former Boston College player, Shamari Spears and Chris Braswell provide two wide bodies who can both rebound and play at a physical level.  These guys will be key in potential match up against N.C. State as they have one of the best post scorers in the nation with Tracy Smith.

In Summary: Charlotte has some talented guys, I just think the inexperience at point guard and players adjusting to a new coach will be too much for this team to make a strong run at the Charleston Classic.  I feel they can out talent a team like East Carolina, but a team that can apply constant pressure on the ball could present problems for Charlotte. The question is, will Charlotte take that step forward this year and make a run in the Charleston Classic to help build an appealing NCAA resume or will they falter early on and test a rookies coach ability to rally the troops together for a March bid?

Interesting Fact: Shamari Spears formerly played at Boston College.  Spears could meet some familiar faces against N.C. State.  Spears transferred to Charlotte to be closer to home and will be finishing his career as a Charlotte 49er.

When you think of a “Cinderella” team come March Madness time, you may think of George Mason.  The Charleston Classic 2010 is welcoming George Mason to the tournament because they have a true winning program. The Patriots head coach, Jim Larranaga, signed a contract through the 2015-2016 season and if recent history is any indication, he will have his club ready to win when they make the the trip to Charleston.

George Mason’s Final Four berth in the 2006 NCAA tournament may have been wrote off as a miracle run but ask any rival fan in the CAA and they will tell you, George Mason has been winning for much longer than that.  George Mason has had 12 consecutive winning seasons and will be looking for no different this year.  Larranaga will lean on Cam Long to carry the scoring load for the Patriots but George Mason has a solid supportive cast to surround the talented Long with.

In Summary: George Mason always brings a solid basketball team, night in and night out.  Will that be enough to beat the likes of NC State or Georgetown to win the Charleston Classic 2010 title? I doubt so unless Cam Long can be a consistent star and some of the other guys around him decide to step up and seize the moment.

Interesting Fact:  George Mason’s Point Guard, Andres Cornelius, played high school basketball in Charlotte NC and picked George Mason over two other Charleston Classic participates.  East Carolina and UNCC both offered but Cornelius decided to play with for the Patriots.  He also had offers from Tennessee, Mississippi State, and C of C’s in-state rival South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Charleston Classic will be returning for the third year and will be hosted at Carolina First Arena in Charleston, S.C.  The tournament is held through Nov. 19-22 and will also be covered by ESPN.  So far, six of the eight teams have been named for the 2010 Charleston Classic basketball tournament.

The headliners are N.C. State and Georgetown University with some other Carolina teams such as East Carolina, UNC-Charlotte and Wofford rounding out the field.  The Charleston Classic offers a great opportunity for Charleston residents to catch some exciting and affordable basketball before March!

This tournament is promised to feature some future NBA talents!  Also, imagine getting the chance to see star coaches such as John Thompson III, Sidney Lowe, and Jim Larranaga. The Charleston Classic in 2010 is sure to be exciting so what are you waiting for!?

The ticket packages can be found here.

Charleston came up with a major upset tonight against the #1 seed and SoCon powerhouse Davidson Wildcats.  If you recall, Charleston had beat them earlier in the year.  Charleston was down at the half, but rallied in the second half to steal the victory from the Wildcats.

Here is a link to the AP story covering the big win.

The Cougars will face Chattanooga Monday for a chance to play in the NCAA tournament.

 It will be a battle for sure, I will have more coverage soon in regards to the run   C of C is currently on!

Oh btw, I told you the guys were heading in the right direction….NIT bid is looking good even if the Cougars fall Monday.

Looking for things to do in Charleston?

Let me go over a view that my readers, both residents and tourist have said would be great for people in looking for things to do in Charleston.

If you have ever spent a day in downtown Charleston, you will realize that a Charleston Carriage Tour is one of the most popular ways to learn the history of Charleston. The carriage tours are affordable and a unique experience for kids who have never been around a horse.

 If you are part of the younger crowd, you may want to look into what the Charleston nightlife scene is. The downtown area of Charleston has both clubs and plenty of bars to hang out in the early morning.

 Is sport your thing?  You are in luck!  Charleston offers a wide range of Golf courses, for beginner up to pro level.  Want to take in some pro baseball?  Then check out our hometown Charleston Riverdogs.  Charleston also offers pro soccer!

See, they are plenty of things to do in Charleston, SC!

 If you would like any other suggestions of things to do in Charleston, browse ChooseCharleston or e-mail me.

I know we can all agree it has been really hot recently but I think it is time to try my hand at golf again.  I recently purchased a new set of irons so I am ready to see if they improved my game any. (Don’t laugh!)  Since I have not played recently, I am asking anyone who golfs to weigh in on the topic.  What is your favorite golf course in Charleston, South Carolina. Or what course offers the most value? I am sure we have many readers who are coming to Charleston with the idea of playing some golf on vaction or a business trip.  You could help them make a great choice! Over the coming weeks, I am going to write a few articles about the Charleston golf courses mentioned!

Which Charleston golf course is your favorite and why?

Hit em straight!

Davidson won the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament for the third year straight.  College of Charleston beat The Citadel in the first round but ran out of steam against Elon in the semifinals of the 2008 Southern Conference Basketball Tournament. I attended all the games from Saturday until the finals on Monday night. I could have scripted how this tournament would end (Davidson 2008 Champs) but to the credit of Elon- good try! Davidson must be able to the Charleston as they are headed to the big dance once again! I hope some of my readers were able to come out to this great even in North Charleston!

The Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will be in Charleston this weekend.   March 7th will be the first day of games and two local colleges, College of Charleston and The Citadel will battle that evening.  I think the game should be roughly around 7:30 but it depends on the games ahead of them. (Overtimes!?)  Either way, the Southern Conference Tournament offers a great opportunity to watch some high quality hoops!  Davidson has won the tournament the past two years, beating out our own College of Charleston Cougars  in the finals last year by the score of 72-65.  If you would like more details, visit SoConSports.com.  What are you waiting on sports fan?  March Madness is coming to Charleston.

A great event for a great cause will be going on March 8th, The 2nd Annual Sailing For The Future Benefit Regatta.  This gives opportunity to our Charleston youth to get involved in a great local event.  The harbor start will be at 1:00 pm but feel free to come early and get to know some of the local Charleston sailors!  The race will be followed by a reception that features a cash bar and light food and then awards.  Registration fee is $100 and will need to be completed by March 7th.  What a great event this will be!  Come out and show support everyone! 

For more information, go to CharlestonCommunitySailing.org

If you are planning on touring Charleston then I would suggest doing so by horse and carriage. Whether you are on a vacation to Charleston or planning a romantic outing, a horse carriage ride in Charleston is a great method to see what the city of Charleston has to offer.  Are you are ready to ride in elegance? Great! Old South Carriage Company is one of the more popular carriage services in Charleston.  Olde Town Carriage Company has been in business for over 25 years providing professional tour guides to vistors, they even can handle special events and large groups.  Carolina Polo and Carriage Company is a local family owned company that specializes in providing romantic adventures and is a great option if you are planning a wedding in Charleston.  Lastly, Classic Carriage Tours provides rides for couples and wagons for large groups.  All of the companies have unique offers and experiences.  I would suggest visiting the websites of each to gather a better idea of what they have to offer and if they will fit within your budget.  Enjoy your ride and view of the great city of Charleston! Don’t forget to give the horse a treat!