Getting out of hand

If you've been reading this blog or some others, you may have read about the ever-growing list of mishaps involving the security staff at Gampel Pavilion.

Some of the folks are regulars at UConn games. Some are not. Either way, they have put too much weight into their job titles.

The worst, as I reported here, was kicking Renee Montgomery out of Temple's open practice on Saturday. In case you aren't familiar with open practices at the tournament, they are meant as entertainment. No team runs plays or works on its strategy; it is all drills for 60 minutes.

Toward the end, Montgomery made her way down the stairs and was greeted by a security guard who left her post to inform Montgomery she had to leave. So fans, media, staff and whoever else can watch a free throw line drill, but not players of the other teams? Apparently.

Today, Maya Moore was escorting her mother into the player's lounge and a security guard attempted to stop them.

The media are not exempt of the stupidity.

The dining area (a shock this includes food) is in the hallway of the athletic department offices. We are told to walk into the gym and up through the stands to reach that spot. Today, however, we were told we had to go around to an elevator, take that to the second floor and walk around the concourse. OK, no problem. But once any of us reached the second floor, we were escorted out of the arena and told to walk around the building to enter at another point.

After I did this, I tried bringing a bottle of "Smart Water" with me to the work area. I was told no items with logos are allowed. Even if the item has the logo on the cups and coolers used by the teams and is the logo of an official sponsor of the tournament.

I was told the main issue is that the necessary spots for running the tournament at Gampel are not together. OK, that explains some things, but not tossing Renee out of an "open" practice or hunting down Maya and mom.

After experiencing the tournament in Hartford (A+) and Bridgeport (B), Storrs is getting a D to date.