You could, in many ways, compare the Eastern Connecticut Conference jamborees to a pre-season NFL football game.
Fans pay admission to get into the jamboree, although hardly comparable to an NFL game, but still you have to pay. You get to see the varsity players run through the motions of a basic offense for a quarter and then it's the JV's turn.
No one really cares who wins or loses, on the sidelines it's more of a concern about coming out of the whole affair healthy for the start of the season this Thursday.
Coaches, generally, grumble about the dress rehearsal especially about the length of it as the last two teams usually have to hang around for four hours before they get to go home.
Who benefits?
The ECC does get a little money back from the gates which isn't a bad thing and there's always that young player or two who gets ink they may or may not see for the rest of the season.
On Friday night, two sophomores shone brightly in Griswold as the Wolverines own Rob Foisey and Killingly's Anthony Tetreault were the headline-makers. Tetreault for his ability to carry the ball and Foisey for his ability to catch it.
For those two youngsters, at least, the night was just about perfect.