Wow. Now that's chutzpah.
Fake Chicago university scored Final Four tickets
By Frank Mathie March 28, 2006 -
It's almost impossible to get tickets to college basketball's Final Four tournament. Many years ago some creative people in Chicago found a way to get tickets by creating their own phantom school. It was called Maguire University.
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Kelly's Pub on Webster has been headquarters for DePaul fans since the early 1930's, but every year at this time there is a change of allegiance. Kelly's Pub is suddenly transformed into Maguire University, founded in 1963. Some of the students even have class rings.
"Maguire University started basically with a bunch of high school coaches on the West Side who used to hang out in a place called Maguire's Pub in Forest Park," said John Kelly, dean of Maguire University Fun and Frolic. Those coaches created Maguire University, a fake college, so they could get tickets to the Final Four each year. The NCAA fell for the scam and Maguire U was an official school. "We got away with our ticket allotment for two years and then Bill Jauss broke a story in the Chicago Tribune about it, and from then on the NCAA didn't take too much of a liking to it," Kelly said.
Maguire U then had to acquire their own tickets, and they moved to their new administration building at Kelly's Pub, and for 44 straight Final Fours they have partied at the Big Dance. But the students there still like to laugh about the times Division I teams tried to set up games with little Maguire. "Yes, the Air Force Academy," said Art Duffy, career student at Maguire University. "They called and asked for a game." Of course they couldn't. They didn't really exist, but it sure is a great college to attend -- for life.
Lyle Sammons is majoring in Final Four festivities What does Maguire University do for him? "Nothing." But what about that "Final Five" title?
They say they are always the fifth team at the Final Four.
By Frank Mathie March 28, 2006 -
It's almost impossible to get tickets to college basketball's Final Four tournament. Many years ago some creative people in Chicago found a way to get tickets by creating their own phantom school. It was called Maguire University.
Related Links
Watch the Video
Kelly's Pub on Webster has been headquarters for DePaul fans since the early 1930's, but every year at this time there is a change of allegiance. Kelly's Pub is suddenly transformed into Maguire University, founded in 1963. Some of the students even have class rings.
"Maguire University started basically with a bunch of high school coaches on the West Side who used to hang out in a place called Maguire's Pub in Forest Park," said John Kelly, dean of Maguire University Fun and Frolic. Those coaches created Maguire University, a fake college, so they could get tickets to the Final Four each year. The NCAA fell for the scam and Maguire U was an official school. "We got away with our ticket allotment for two years and then Bill Jauss broke a story in the Chicago Tribune about it, and from then on the NCAA didn't take too much of a liking to it," Kelly said.
Maguire U then had to acquire their own tickets, and they moved to their new administration building at Kelly's Pub, and for 44 straight Final Fours they have partied at the Big Dance. But the students there still like to laugh about the times Division I teams tried to set up games with little Maguire. "Yes, the Air Force Academy," said Art Duffy, career student at Maguire University. "They called and asked for a game." Of course they couldn't. They didn't really exist, but it sure is a great college to attend -- for life.
Lyle Sammons is majoring in Final Four festivities What does Maguire University do for him? "Nothing." But what about that "Final Five" title?
They say they are always the fifth team at the Final Four.
posted by grasshopper at Monday, April 10, 2006
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