. Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants

NEW YORK -- Once the stories started being told it was hard to stop. The memories of the Big East Conference and Madison Square Garden for the past 34 years were the topic of a panel discussion Tuesday to celebrate the great relationship between conference and building.The late Dave Gavitt, the Big Easts first commissioner, is the person who brought the two sides together for the 1983 tournament -- after the first three were played in Providence, Rhode Island; Syracuse, New York; and Hartford, Connecticut -- and the rest is history.Dave Gavitt understood that the first three years we were off-Broadway and he brought us to Broadway, said former Seton Hall coach P.J. Carlesimo, who won two Big East Tournaments. We had the best players in the country and they loved to perform on the biggest stage.Every March, The Garden would be packed for four straight days as the Big East decided on a champion and the automatic bid it brought to the NCAA Tournament. Players like Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Pearl Washington were the early stars before the next generation of Kerry Kittles, Allen Iverson and Ray Allen filled the marquee.They were all neighborhood battles, our kids knew every guy on the other teams and everyone had a personal interest, said former Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun, who leads all coaches with seven tournament titles on The Garden court. The rivalries were unbelievable. Coaching Big East basketball, there was nothing like it. The Garden is the mecca.While growing up in New York, Mullin said, his dream was to go from the cheap seats up top down to the court.He did and his first Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden turned into St. Johns first title.I remember Coach (Lou Carnesecca) saying it was like playing in Macys window. I guess things went so well they havent left, he said.A video was shown with highlights of all the great plays and players including Syracuses Gerry McNamara and Connecticuts Kemba Walker, who led their teams to unexpected tournament titles with incredible individual performances. Then there was the six-overtime quarterfinal between Syracuse and Connecticut in 2009 that the Orange won 127-117.Thanks for bringing that game up, Calhoun said. As great as that game was, it was better because it was here.This March will be the 35th time the Big East Tournament is played at Madison Square Garden.Dave Gavitts idea all those years ago still is the best thing that happened to this conference, Carlesimo said. Milwaukee Brewers Store . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Milwaukee Brewers Gear . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/ . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Milwaukee Brewers Pro Shop . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Brewers Jerseys 2019 . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Denver Broncos starting right tackle Donald Stephenson, who suffered a calf injury during Sundays victory over the Indianapolis Colts, will miss this weeks game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to coach Gary Kubiak.Stephenson, who signed a three-year, $14 million deal with $10 million guaranteed in March, was replaced by starting right guard Michael Schofield against the Colts. Reserve lineman Darrion Weems replaced Schofield at right guard.The Broncos are optimistic tthat second-year offensive lineman Ty Sambrailo will be able to play this week.ddddddddddddHe was inactive for the first two games and missed all of the preseason with an elbow injury.Stephenson appeared in 16 games, including seven starts, with the Kansas City Chiefs last season. He spent his first four seasons in Kansas City before joining Denver. ' ' '