The end has apparently come. It’s been said that any idiot can start their own blog, but it looks like it takes slightly more than that to actually maintain one. This blog has obviously not stood the test of time, although, for a stretch of time there, it was receiving upwards of 300 hits daily, peeked at a one day total of over 1,500 (thanks deadspin)and now stands just shy of 30,000 – far more than I ever thought imaginable. But now, College Hoops Heaven resides on the side of a milk carton.
So what will happen to your favorite non-updated blog? As a reminder of past greatness, CHH will remain here until I or some fellow from blogger erases it. Someone, somewhere, has yet to stumble upon the beauty that once grew here. I will leave it here for them.
Maybe, one day, I’ll declare CHH open for business (for a fourth time!) and, after the spontaneous parade breaks out down Broad Street, I’ll actually keep it up to date. It could happen next week, on a lazy Sunday this summer, or never. I hope the suspense does not actually kill anyone.
In the meantime, my articles can be read daily at http://www.thebulletin.us/ and I can always be reached at bfquinn06@gmail.com
It was fun while it lasted folks. So, for now, thanks for reading.
Cheers -- bq
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
I Know This Hurts, But...
Monday, March 31, 2008
Hey! Hey! Opening Day!
With just one week left in the college basketball season, C.H.H., is getting ready to adjust to life without hoops. Luckily, the Fightin’ Phils kicked off the 2008 season today at Citizens Bank Park. Because the Phillies blew the game in the ninth inning, the only highlight of the game was the ceremonial first pitch being thrown about by our very own Mayor Michael Nutter. For some reason, the mayor’s advisors allowed him to rock a pair of ultra snug jeans with a tucked-in Phillies jersey. Apparently, Nutter scooped up a pair of Levi’s when The Fonz had his yard sale.
What the Phillies should have done is asked the mayor to rock the house to some funky jams of the 1980’s. Nothing says Opening Day like Sugar Hill Gang.
Go Phils!
The Final Chapter Of Davidson's Storybook
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Detroit — Every so often, the lasting image of an NCAA tournamentcomes well before the Final Four even tips off.
Despite yesterday's heart-wrenching loss to top-seeded Kansas in the Elite Eight, no one is going to take March's spotlight from Davidson College — the tiny liberal arts school with an endearing dispositionand one bona fide superstar. The story of the charming Cinderella from Carolina will forever betold when people talk about this year's tournament.
Long forgotten will be which of those four No. 1 seeds brings scissors to the nets in San Antonio. Ask how many people remember Florida winning the 2006 national title. Then ask them about George Mason.
Davidson's tale was a joyous combination of "It's A Wonderful Life" and"Hoosiers" wrapped into one picture-perfect package.
There was the new-born celebrity in Stephen Curry, the son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, who threw the Wildcats on his back with four jaw-dropping performances in the NCAA tournament. With a babyface and a flair for the dramatic, the sophomore took America bystorm.
Then there was the coach, Bob McKillop, a Bronx native who thought that Davidson would be a springboard to bigger and better things when he arrived in 1989. Nineteen years later, the 57-year-old is oh so glad he never left.
Finally, there was the school itself. Located 30 miles outside ofCharlotte, Davidson is a highly selective private school of 1,700 students. The college rests its dazzling academic reputation on a strict honor code and allows its students to take unproctored exams whenever and wherever they choose. While most schools in the Field of 65 count their number of Sweet 16 appearances, Davidson boasts its 23 Rhodes Scholars.
Which made all of this that much more special. The Wildcats were no fluke. They were legitimate Final Four contenders who never blinked when standing toe-to-toe with the big boys.
Ultimately, big, bad Kansas stood in their way like a blue and red brick wall.
"I told the team (Thursday) night that I have never felt confidence in a group like the confidence I feel in them," McKillop said following an upset of third-seeded Wisconsin on Friday night. "And if you have witnessed from day one the many opportunities they've had to surrender to a variety of temptations, be it expectations, be it the great schedule we had early (losses to Duke, North Carolina and UCLA), be it falling on our faces early on (losses to Western Michigan and Charlotte), be it an undefeated season (in the Southern Conference),be it having to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. ...They have faced every imaginable obstacle."
As the seconds ticked off the clock in the waning moments of Friday's victory over the Badgers, everyone wearing red sported expressions of disbelief — the Davidson fans, the Wisconsin players and fans —everyone except the Davidson players themselves.
The Wildcats celebrated, but at no point did it seem as if they thought they had pulled off another monster upset. This is the same team that had just registered its third straight win over a ranked opponent after entering the tournament without a win over a Top 25 team in the last 30 years.
All along, they knew how good they were.
Instead of jumping on top of one another, the Wildcats turned to salute their faithful fans that traveled long and far to be with them. Earlier in the week, the school's Board of Trustees made an extraordinary offer to provide free bus fares, game tickets and hotel rooms to all students willing to sit through the 11-hour ride to Detroit.
Those fans are set to saddle up and make the long drive home Monday morning.
"The sense of intimacy that exists on our campus is unparalleled in NCAA Division I basketball," McKillop said prior to the Wisconsin game. "You hear all about the free laundry (yes, free laundry is offered to all Davidson students). But when the Board of Trustees votes in a meeting on Tuesday to go into their personal pockets andput out the money so that every student can go to this game...that reaches a level that's unprecedented. I'm stunned by it, thrilled by it."
So many students jumped at the opportunity that the school couldn't secure enough buses to transport about two-thirds of the student body 650 miles. Ultimately, seven buses brought 350 students to the 72,000-seat Ford Field.
Though their noise vanished in the mammoth stadium's air, the Davidson fans sang, danced and cheered their way through a pair of games in the Motor City. One would imagine that the same thing occurred in front of televisions from coast to coast.
"We are thankful for every fan out there not wearing Davidson across their chest and cheering when we make a bucket or a steal," said junior forward Max Paulhus Gosselin. "We can only say thank you....They just want to feel like they want to be part of the story and it's amazing."
While everyone in the country now has a soft spot for Davidson, it is Curry (ABOVE) who truly reached iconic status. He blitzed seventh-seeded Gonzaga with 40 points in a first-round win and then dropped 30 on second-seeded Georgetown two days later. Friday saw him pour in 33 on the Badgers. But yesterday, his 25 just weren't enough.
There are few things that tell you that you've truly "made it." But when LeBron James sits two rows behind your bench yelling, "Pour it on'em, Steph, pour it on 'em. They can't stop you," as he did on Friday night — you know you're there.
As is his nature, Curry chalked up the attention to the name on the front of his jersey, not the back.
"It just goes to show what we're doing at Davidson," he said afterwards. "It's just really cool to have a guy like LeBron James, one of the best players in the NBA right now, coming out and supporting Davidson."
In addition to Curry, the Wildcats had unsung contributors like senior point guard Jason Richards, whose last second-shot to beat Kansas hit only the backboard. Richards was the conductor of a Davidson offense that was a beautiful orchestra of screens and picks that had the sole intention of freeing up Curry on ever possession.
Back in 1968 and 1969, it was legendary coach Lefty Driesell who placed Davidson on a national stage with a pair of appearances in the regional finals. This time it was Curry, McKillop and the rest of the Wildcats who penned one of the most breathtaking stories in college hoops history.
It's just too bad that Kansas closed the book on it.
No one wanted this story end.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Kansas Way Too Much For Nova
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
"What was Stokes thinking on that?"
Ford Field Quite A Sight For Nova Nation
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Detroit - Walking down the lengthy ramp that leads out of the bowels of Ford Field, the enormity of the stadium slowly expands out before you.
By the time you hit the end of the ramp, it feels like you're standing at the base of a volcano lined with seats and luxury boxes. Everything around you rises up, higher and higher, to a partially windowed ceiling that allows natural light to beam through like a curtain being pulled aside at sun up.
The only thing hanging from the rafters is an American flag that seems to be the size of a napkin. Smack in the middle of it all is an out-of-place 94x50 ft. basketball court that sits about four feet elevated above the floor.
Feels strange, doesn't it?
It is on this hardwood that 12th-seeded Villanova will look to pull what would be a stunning upset of top-seeded Kansas in the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16. Imagine playing a game of one-on-one in an airport hangar that seats 72,818 - that's pretty much what the Wildcats and Jayhawks are walking into on Friday night.
"We got sent an e-mail (that showed an) overview of the court," said Villanova's Scottie Reynolds. "You could see all the stands and you see this little wooden thing, it was like a thumbnail small. We were looking for the court. Then we saw it in the middle. It was amazing to see from a picture aspect.
"This year, two NCAA tournament regions are experimenting with new-look configurations that are intended to make the games more TV-friendly and improve the sightlines and overall experience for those in attendance. In Detroit and Houston (Reliant Stadium), basketball courts will be set up in the middle of football fields surrounded by newly-created risers that were designed to provide unobstructed-view seating.
Though the intentions are good-natured - more fans are able to attend and the TV production should improve - the feel inside the arena can only be described as cavernous. For those sitting high up in the nosebleeds of Ford Field, it will look like gnats playing on a postage stamp.
Then there is the floor itself. Standing three or four feet higher than the covered football field below it, the court is surrounded by team benches on one side and three rows of media seating on the other side. On the ends of the floor, bleachers rise up from underneath the baskets. Think about the raised courts at Vanderbilt or Purdue, then imagine it inside a 70,000-seat football stadium.
"I asked Malcolm Grant, the smallest person on the team, (if) he would be able to see if he sat down there," Villanova's Dante Cunningham said with a laugh. "It was actually kind of funny, because the only thing you could see was his head above the court when he's standing (courtside)."
One of the odder sights on Friday night will be the coaches standing alone on the court, with the benches behind them lined with players who are eye-level with the knee caps of those playing in the game. At timeouts, no one is sure exactly what will happen.
"I'm delighted that CBS has two and half minute timeouts because it is going to take me that long to get down from the court, down the steps and kneel in front of our bench," said Davidson coach Bob McKillop, whose 10th-seeded Wildcats will take on third-seeded Wisconsin before Villanova and Kansas hit the floor. "I'll probably be up on the main court during the game."
One issue continually raised during Thursday's press conferences in Detroit was the idea that the players' depth perception will be thrown off because of the general vastness of Ford Field. It has long been thought that outside shooting in domes is especially difficult because a natural backdrop for the baskets does not exist. Nearly to a man, all the players and coaches dismissed the thought, saying it is a non-factor.
"When you get out there and start playing, getting the feel of it, it just felt like a regular gym," said Reynolds, following the team's day-before shootaround. "We try not to worry about the things on the outside, (we) just worry about the 94x50 feet and the 10-foot hoops."
In Thursday's walk-through, Wright and the Wildcats ran the most unlikely of drills. On the eve of their biggest game of the season, Villanova practiced, of all things, the timeout huddle.
"We had to go through how we're going to handle timeouts," Wright explained, looking slightly befuddled. "The players are going to have to crawl up (onto the floor). They give you (portable) benches (to put on the court)."
Kansas should be slightly harder to game plan for.
More >Travel Blog: The Quinn-tessential Journey
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Looking out the window of a United Airlines Boeing 757, it's hard to figure out how this all happened. As the plane dips to the right, the coast of Delaware Bay is revealed, with the Atlantic Ocean dropping off over the horizon.
Just 100 more miles to Philadelphia.
Not even a half-hour left in one of the most improbable journeys I could ever fathom. From Philadelphia to Denver, to Birmingham, to Tampa, back to Philadelphia - in six days. This might be commonplace for a presidential candidate or a lost UPS package, but not me.
In mid-February, I wrote in The Bulletin:
"If no Philly school hears its name called on Selection Sunday, does March Madness still make a sound in this city? We might soon find out. Unless Saint Joseph's or Villanova can make a serious push toward an at-large bid over the next month, the NCAA tournament could be without a Philadelphia representative for the first time since 1977."
And here I am, descending on the final 100 miles of a boundless 4,168-mile expedition that has taken me to three cities in three time zones to cover three Philadelphia teams playing NCAA tournament games over the course of four days. It has yet to register.
It isn't the easiest thing to realize that you're living out a dream while in the midst of actually doing so. Having to literally tell yourself, "There is a chance that no one has ever done this before," an odd combination of humbleness and disbelief is evoked.
In the end, it's simply another story to be told.
Even now, I can see myself as a weathered old man saying, "Oh, I remember when I covered three Big 5 tournament teams in three cities in one week." Down the line, it could stand as my, "I walked uphill, both ways, in the snow."
For now, it's simply a helluva tale...
Tuesday, 5 p.m. EST: Depart Philadelphia
Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. MT: Arrive in Denver
When the bracket was released on Selection Sunday, 12th-seeded Temple vs. fifth-seeded Michigan State was the game I circled. "This is the best chance for a Philly school to pick up a win and advance," I thought to myself. "That's the game I'll cover."
Gazing over the Denver skyline from my 14th floor hotel room, I can see the Rocky Mountains between the eye-level skyscrapers. I am under the impression that this will be my view until check out on Sunday.
Well, as everyone knows, the Owls ran into rock-solid Michigan State and were dealt a 72-61 loss in the first round of the Big Dance at the Pepsi Center. The game ends an amazing turnaround that saw Fran Dunphy turn a 12-18 team into a 21-13 team with an Atlantic 10 tournament title to its name.
Now a problem has arisen. The Owls are done, but Saint Joseph's and Villanova have yet to play. The ruling comes down to decide who is more likely to win - the Hawks or the Wildcats - and travel to their first-round destination.
In retrospect, I now understand why my father has always been critical of my decision-making skills...
Friday, 9:40 a.m. MT: Depart Denver
Friday, 2:00 p.m. CT: Arrive in Birmingham, Ala.
After hopping off a shoebox-sized plane that would make Indiana Jones raise an eye, I settle into Birmingham and learn that southern hospitality is not a myth. The town is easily the most welcoming I have ever been to.
Little do I know, my visit will last less than 16 hours.
While things start well for the 11th-seeded Hawks, they are soon overpowered by sixth-seeded Oklahoma and fall, 72-64, in their first-round tilt. Phil Martelli's team ends the season with a 21-13 record. I begin to believe that I am a jinx and am partially responsible for Philadelphia's two NCAA tournament losses.
With the conclusion of the Saint Joseph's game, Villanova-Clemson tips off in Tampa, Fla. After the press conferences wrap up at Birmingham's BJCC Arena, I check the television and find the Wildcats trailing Clemson, 36-18.
"Well, it looks like 0-3 for the Big 5," I think. "Time to go home."
Arriving back at my hotel, I realize Villanova has stormed back to pull ahead of the Tigers. By the time the Wildcats pull off a 75-69 stunner, I am scrambling to find a plane ticket to Tampa and double-checking my credentials with the NCAA.
Getting back to my hotel room at 1 a.m., I realize that I need to set a wake-up call for 4 a.m.
Saturday, 5:50 a.m. CT: Depart Birmingham, Ala.
Saturday, 8 a.m. EST: Stopover in Atlanta
Saturday, 9:57 a.m. EST: Arrive in Tampa, Fla.
Upon arrival in Tampa, I find the town buzzing. Friday turned the town into Upset City as St. Pete Times Forum became the first site in NCAA history to have four 12 or lower seeds win. First, No. 12 seed Western Kentucky knocked off fifth-seeded Drake in overtime with a desperation 26-footer at the horn. Then, 13th-seeded San Diego shocked No. 4 seed Connecticut behind a jumper with 1.2 seconds left in overtime. In the day's third game, No. 13 Siena upstaged fourth-seeded Vanderbilt. And the night commenced with 12th-seeded Villanova's comeback against fifth-seeded Clemson.
Tampa has everything. The upsets have resulted in wide-eyed fans, still in shock that their schools are in the national spotlight usually reserved for Duke, UCLA and the rest of the BCS blowhards. Only the contingent from Villanova is accustomed to such attention.
There are the Siena fans, who watched their beloved Saints fall to a 6-24 afterthought just two years ago. Wearing green and white from head-to-toe, they're cheering for everyone back in Albany, N.Y. who can't make the trip south.
Then there are those students from San Diego. A group of diehard fans wearing floral shorts, blue blazers and fresh coats of body paint, screaming, "San-Dee-Aygo!" Clap...clap... clap, clap, clap.
Lastly, there is the swarm of fans from Western Kentucky, a bunch of red towel-waving, hell-raising, Hilltopper followers who are outdone only by their mascot, Big Red - a morbidly obese Sesame Street-esque character wearing Nikes.
It's clear upon entering the Forum that Tampa is the host of everything that's great about college basketball. And within a few hours, it is also the site of Villanova's wire-to-wire victory over Siena. The Wildcats have eared a spot in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years.
All is well and, at long last, I've seen an NCAA tournament win. It only took 3,000-plus miles of travel.
I was starting to think my Irish luck had soured.
Ultimately, it's only appropriate that Western Kentucky and Villanova, a pair of No. 12 seeds, emerged from the wild weekend in Tampa still alive.
For me, the time finally came to head home again.
Monday, Noon EST: Depart Tampa
Monday, 3:05 EST: Return to Philadelphia
Walking through Philadelphia International Airport, it seems like weeks since I was last here. Turns out, I left only six days ago. Despite the excessive sleep deprivation and achy joints from cramped airline seats, I feel as good as ever.
As a longtime friend pulls his sedan up to the curb of my terminal, the locks pop on the doors. I open the back passenger-side door and toss my bags in.
"I can't believe you just made that trip," he says.
The feeling is mutual.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
WKU's Big Red is the Gregory Hines of mascots
READ THIS BEFORE WATCHING THE ABOVE VIDEO
I have never been shy about my fondness for mascots and why would I be? After all, a good mascot can make a bad game tolerable. People who don’t think along these lines are miserable losers with no sense of humor. With that being said, I may have crossed the line today. Here’s the situation…
I believe that when sitting on press row, one should exhibit some sense of professionalism because if you are sitting there, you are working, and that is how you must approach it.
Well, during today’s matchup between San Diego and Western Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA tournament, I got the opportunity to check out WKU’s Big Red in person. This mascot rightfully sits at No. 5 in College Hoop Heaven’s ranking of the 15 Best Mascots In America (posted in September), so I was looking forward to getting a first hand glimpse of him. Simply put, Big Red did not disappoint.
At halftime, the San Diego dance team took the court for their routine. They danced to about five songs in four minutes with the last one being Souldja Boy’s “Crank That”. That’s when it happened. I looked down to the other baseline and saw Big Red one-upping the Toreros Dance Team by doing the Soulja Boy dance to perfection. I mean it was dead on. And, well, I lost my shit. There I was, hysterically laughing on press row. I literally had tears in my eyes. It was the funniest damn thing I have seen in a long time.
I have watched three Philadelphia schools play three NCAA tournament games in three time zones over the course of four days and Big Red’s dance was by far the highlight of the trip.
Now, I ask you to watch the above video and tell me you wouldn’t have had the same reaction.
Thought so.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
If The Slipper Fits...
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Tampa, Fla. – Way back in August, Jay Wright had no idea what to expect.
His Villanova Wildcats were young kittens. Gone were all remnants of those great teams comprised of guys like Randy Foye, Allan Ray, Curtis Sumpter and Mike Nardi.
The only players with discernable experience remaining in the stable were sophomores Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding and juniors Dante Cunningham and Shane Clark.
For the first time since 1994, the Wildcats’ roster was without a scholarship senior.
“We feel this year like we’re starting over," Wright said then, just days before taking his group to Canada for several exhibition games.
But on Sunday – more than six months after taking his green Wildcats up north – Wright stood outside the Villanova locker room at St. Pete Times Forum in utter disbelief.
With an 84-72 victory over Siena in the books and an improbable ticket punched for the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, Wright was asked to put things in perspective.
His Wildcats have come full circle.
“In all honesty,” he said, wide-eyed. “I am so surprised to be standing here.”
Even more surprising was just how easily his 12th-seeded Wildcats handled the 13th-seeded Saints, who were looking for their second upset in three days after Friday’s first-round defeat against No. 4 Vanderbilt.
But behind 25 points from Reynolds and 20 from freshman Corey Stokes, the Wildcats advanced with relative ease.
Now, Villanova, believed by many to have received the last at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, will meet top-seeded Kansas (33-3) in the semifinals of the Midwest Regional on Friday at Ford Field in Detroit.
“Right now, the last two or three weeks, we’ve been playing our best basketball and we’ve stuck together,” Reynolds said. “We have the mindset that if we’re going to go down, it’s going to be a dogfight.”
After jumping out to a 19-5 lead, Villanova (22-12) never let Siena come up for air. So many times, it seemed like Siena was finally ready to go on a furious run to put pressure on the Wildcats.
But those 3-pointers that fell in the Saints’ stunning win over Vanderbilt were nowhere to be found on Sunday. And the Saints never got to within striking distance.
“We had to come out and keep the pressure on them,” Cunningham said. “You’ve got to bury them. You can’t give them a chance to even get back in the game and get their momentum going.”
The closest Siena (23-11) came to really cutting into Villanova’s lead was 67-58 with 6:28 remaining in the game. But back-to-back turnovers led to layups by Reynolds and Cunningham.
And with that, Villanova’s lead swelled back to double figures and the Wildcats became the most improbable team to advance to the Sweet 16.
“Once you get that lead, it’s so hard to keep playing every possession and not take a break,” said Wright, who is going to his third Sweet 16 in four years. “It’s the hardest thing to do in sports, I think. It’s harder than coming back.”
The Wildcats built their first-half advantage with Reynolds starring and Stokes playing a supporting role. Reynolds hit three 3-pointers and assisted on two 3-point strikes by Stokes to spark the Wildcats to a 42-32 halftime advantage.
All told, the duo combined for 31 of Villanova’s 42 first-half points. Meanwhile, Siena could only muster eight first-half field goals and shot 27 percent from the field against the Wildcats’ swarming defense.
On the downside, backup center Casiem Drummond injured his left ankle midway through the half and hobbled to the bench in pain. The sophomore didn’t return to the floor from the halftime locker room.
Siena was paced by 18 points by sophomore Alex Franklin and 17 from junior Kenny Hasbrouck. Plymouth-Whitemarsh grad Ronald Moore scored just three points on 1-of-7 shooting.
If it weren’t for Siena’s woes from the free-throw line, it would not have been such a waltz for the Wildcats. The Saints missed 13 free throws and shot just 66 percent from the stripe.
“This game for us was a struggle from the start,” said Siena coach Fran McCaffery, a University of Pennsylvania graduate. “But I thought we really battled.”
In addition to his 25 points, Reynolds also registered eight rebounds and five assists. The sophomore drilled 3-pointers to open both halves and made it clear that it was going to be his day. In the end, the game ranks up there as one of the top performances in his two-year career with the Wildcats. “He is playing like a big-time point guard right now,” Wright said.
The Wildcats entered the day still hurting from Friday night’s brutal win over fifth-seeded Clemson.
In that one, Villanova stormed back from a 36-18 first-half deficit to win 75-69, but paid the price as the highly physical Tigers took their toll on the Wildcats.
Worried about the one-day turnaround between games, Wright did not hold a full practice Saturday. He brought his players to the Forum for media availability and then brought them onto the court for just 14 minutes - seven minutes of stretching and seven minutes shooting free throws. That’s it.
When Wright woke up on Sunday morning, the worry of sending out a team that did not have a full shoot-around the day before crept into his head.
But as Reynolds buried a deep trey to open the game, Wright breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“We were so beat up after the Clemson game,” Wright said. “I didn’t want to come out and not be able to make shots because we hadn’t practiced. It’s stupid when you think about it, but we were worried. That’s what you do.”Now the worry shifts to preparing for Kansas, one of the country’s finest teams.
Looking back, those young Wildcats of August are now a thing of the past. Bruised, battered and still alive, Villanova is one of only 16 teams left.
Who would’ve thunk it?Not Jay Wright.
“I never anticipated being here,” Wright said. “I’m really in shock, to be honest with you. I’m enjoying it and I’m so happy for them.”
The Build Up: Villanova-Siena
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Saturday, March 22, 2008
NCAA Travel Blog Update: Live From Tampa
Friday
6:00 a.m. MT – Wake up at Marriot Hotel in Denver, Col.
9:40 a.m. MT – Board a plane the size of a shoebox (see right) and fly to Birmingham, Ala. to catch up Saint Joseph’s and cover its NCAA tournament first round game vs. Oklahoma.2:00 p.m. CT – Arrive in Birmingham, check into Sheraton. Then take a walk to check out the town.
4:45 p.m. CT – Arrive at BJCC Arena. Not terribly impressed by the facility. Has many “shithole-esque” qualities to it.
6:10 p.m. CT – Tip off: Hawks vs. Sooners.
8:20 p.m. CT – Oklahoma wins 72-64. Story below.
10:30 p.m. CT – File story to The Bulletin.
10:35 p.m. CT – Arrive at hotel bar to catch the end of Villanova-Clemson.
10:55 p.m. CT – 12th-seeded Villanova completes amazing comeback and knocks of 5th-seeded Clemson.
10:57 p.m. CT – Realization sets in that I need to get to Tampa Bay to cover Villanova-Siena on Sunday afternoon.
11:15 p.m. CT – Flight booked for Tampa that leaves in about six hours.
Saturday
12:00 a.m. CT – Late dinner. Subway hoagies are terrible. Jared is still a loser, just a thin one, instead of a fatass.
1:30 a.m. CT – Lay down for power nap. Bag packed, ready to go.
4:00 a.m. CT – Wake up call rattles my head.
4:40 a.m. CT – Cab ride to airport. No one else is in the city of Birmingham is awake except for me and my cab driver.
4:55 a.m. CT – Back at Birmingham Airport for the second time in 14 hours.
5:50 a.m. CT – Take off for Atlanta to catch a connecting flight to Tampa.
8:00 a.m. EST – Hello Atlanta. Make call to book room at Tampa’s Marriot Waterside.
8:30 a.m. EST – Good bye Atlanta. I’m lucky enough to have a woman sit next to me who takes up her seat and about half of mine. I look like I’m the guy crammed against the car door in a backseat filled with five people. Except it’s not five people. It’s two. And I consider killing myself for an hour.
9:57 a.m. EST – Touch down at Tampa Bay Airport. Secretly curse the white version of Star Jones.
11:00 a.m. EST – Check in at Marriot Waterside.
11:07 a.m. EST – By far the best room of the trip. Deck overlooking the bay – outstanding.
12:00 p.m. EST – Eats.
12:10 p.m. EST – Find out Patrick Mayhew is also in Tampa. Ridiculousness will ensue this evening. Two words – Ybor City
1:00 p.m. EST – Sitting here on the deck writing this. No time for sleep. Have to be at the St. Pete Times Forum by 2:30 for Villanova’s press conference, then write two stories.
---
So let’s recap – That’s 31 hours. 3 cities. 3 time zones. 3 hotels. 2 hours of sleep. Sooner or later, I am going to crash like a car driven by Eddie Sutton (poor taste? I disagree). I wouldn’t last five minutes running for president. It’s one thing to simply stay awake and be active, it’s another thing entirely to look good and be articulate. I am neither at the moment.
By the time Villanova-Siena rolls around tomorrow, I will have seen three different Philadelphia schools play NCAA tournament games in three different time zones over the course of four days. This has to be some sort of triumph. My award is a pounding headache and a rewarding sense of accomplishment.
For some reason, on all of my flights, I have been a cavity search-short of being interrogated like a member of Hamas. What the hell is going on here? The only explanation I can come up with is that all of my flights have been one-way tickets. If anyone can figure this out, please comment below (that’s certainly an invitation for some interesting commentary).
Wulp, that’s it for now. I am 0-2 so far in the tournament. Sorry Owls. Sorry Hawks. To ‘Nova, I’ll try to wash the bad luck off me. No guarantees though.
Now it’s time for some press conferences. Then, Boston Rick and I have some business to attend to.
Cheers - bq
St. Joe's Sees Season End In Birmingham
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Phil Martelli had hoped it would end on an upswing. Instead, Oklahoma and unlikely hero David Godbold ended the Hawks’ season with a 72-64 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament’s East Regional.
In a season where Saint Joseph’s seemed to be in and out of the tournament picture with every passing week, last night served as a microcosm of the last four months.
Twelve minutes of solid play.
Eight minutes of sloppy, unfocused basketball.
Average play for five minutes.
Inspired for 12.
Out of gas for the final three.
The result was a first-round exit at BJCC Arena and tear-filled eyes as a furious comeback effort came up short.
“Unfortunately, for all the excitement that goes into being in the tournament, this is the reality,” Martelli said. “Thirty-two teams go home and we’re one of them.”
Unexpectedly, it was Godbold, a senior role player averaging 6.9 points per game, who ultimately did in the Hawks. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard scored the sixth-seeded Sooners’ first 11 points of the second half and pushed a 34-22 first-half advantage to a daunting 19-point lead.
Starting at the 12:41 mark of the second half, 11th-seeded Saint Joseph’s stormed back with a 28-13 run sparked by the shooting of sophomore Darrin Govens. By the time Garrett Williamson flipped in a little putback, the Oklahoma lead was cut to 65-61. With a healthy contingent of fans who made the trek from Philadelphia in a frenzy, Oklahoma star freshman Blake Griffin converted back-to-back layups to help the Sooners (23-11) slam the door on the Hawks’ hopes.
Saint Joseph’s (21-13) scored just four more points, all coming from the foul line.
The loss ended the Hawk Hill careers of Rob Ferguson, Pat Calathes, and seldom-used reserve Arvydas Lidzius.
Ferguson saved one his best performances as a Hawk for his curtain call. The power forward scored a team-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Whenever Saint Joseph’s was in desperate need of a bucket, it was Ferguson who delivered.
“We never once felt that we were out of it,” Ferguson said. “We just kept fighting and fighting, because that’s what we do.”
Entering the night as the Hawks’ leading scorer, Calathes struggled against a physical Oklahoma defense and was held to six points on 2-of-11 shooting.
Ahmad Nivins (14 points) and Govens (12 points) also reached double figures for Saint Joseph’s.
“I think we kind of dug a hole for ourselves offensively,” Nivins said. “Plays that we normally can execute, we didn’t execute. I think that was a huge momentum swing.”
Longar Longar had 14 points for the Sooners, who shot 57 percent from the field. Griffin finished with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Austin Johnson added 10 points and five assists for Oklahoma.
Things went as planned for the Saint Joseph’s through the early goings. If only for a fleeting moment.
With Ferguson splashing in jump shots from the perimeter, the Hawks jumped out to a 19-16 lead. The offense was sharp and the defense was tight.
For exactly 12 minutes.
The remainder of the half saw the advantage and the momentum shift drastically to the Sooners.
The Hawks would convert just one field goal – a Ferguson jumper from the wing – the rest of the half. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s offense picked up steam and closed the half on an 18-3 run. Most of the baskets were scored with relative ease, as 10 of the Sooners’ 13 first-half field goals came in the lane and 14 points came as a result of Hawks turnovers.
“We had unforced turnovers, dropped passes and threw the ball away,” Ferguson said. “That, for the most part, was on us.”
A fall-away jumper by Griffin with six seconds left sent Oklahoma into the locker room with 34-22 lead. Calathes was held scoreless through the half, while Ferguson scored 13 of the team’s 22 points.
“It got away from us in the last 8:07 of the first half,” said Martelli, who is now 6-5 in NCAA tournament games. “We had 13 possessions, six turnovers, (went) 1-for-5 from the field and 1-for-4 from the foul line and then (we were) working (our) way back uphill.”
While the Hawks weren’t exactly irreconcilable after the game, the heartbreak was everywhere.
With the players showered and in street clothes, the locker room was still dead silent 20 minutes after the game - and their season - came to an end.
“Plain and simple, that team – my team – had a great year,” said Martelli, whose Hawks knocked off nationally-ranked Xavier twice this month, including an upset on their way to the Atlantic 10 tournament title game. “We got 1-of-6 non-BCS (at-large) bids. … That was a great year. To be one of 65 teams selected for the tournament, really is a terrific year.”
Friday, March 21, 2008
Travel Blog: Following The Owls To Denver
For those of you who don’t know, I am currently in beautiful Denver, CO covering Temple’s improbable trip to the NCAA tournament. While the Owls fell to a very quality Michigan State team today, the experience of covering my first NCAA tournament as a “professional” (used very loosely) has been wonderful.
Through it all, I’ve had my notepad in my back pocket and have been keeping a running tab of my travels and experiences to post here and have finally found some time to do so.
So here it is, from the start. I’ll continue this Travel Blog* tomorrow as things get really crazy when I head to Birmingham, AL. to catch up with those Saint Joseph’s Hawks.
(* I fully expect to catch hell for using this expression. I think it’s so bad that it’s good. Bring it.)
So for anyone who cares, here is a look at the beginning of one great trip….
Tuesday
2:48 p.m. EST – Philadelphia International Airport: The man standing in front of me in line just turned around and said, “This is like waiting in line for bowling shoes on a Sunday morning,” and looks at me like I’m supposed to know what the hell that means. He has a Jay Buhner-esque goatee and is wildly overweight. I can’t figure out this guy goes to the world’s most crowded bowling alley on Sunday mornings or if he’s just insane. I’m intrigued, nevertheless.
4:52 EST – Philadelphia International Airport: I’ve been involved with the ever-famous airport good-bye, but never again. Standing just 10-feet away from me, some dude and his girlfriend are having an emotional breakdown. The girl has literally drenched the front of this guy’s shirt with her tears and snot. This is pathetic.
It’s like a god damn eclipse, I just can’t look away.
If he is sitting next to me on the plane, I’m going to lean over mid-flight and say, “She’s probably cheating on you already.”
5:20 EST – Cramped Plane: So I was under the impression that plane’s have outlets near each seat. Am I moron? Is this not the case? Either way, I was planning on getting about 5 hours worth of work done on this flight and that ain’t going to happen. Instead, Esquire will be read cover to cover.
7:49 MT – Denver International Airport: What in the hell? Apparently, whoever designed D.I.A. thought it would be a good idea to have the baggage claim in a separate building that travelers need to take a train to. Why would anyone ever consider this to be a good layout.
9:15 MT – Center City Denver Marriot: The room is pretty sweet and the bar is still open. Nice.
Wednesday
7:30 a.m. MT – Center City Denver Marriot: Wake up, open blinds and wow. Room is on the 14th floor and in between all the eye-level skyscrapers I can see the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. Pretty damn awesome.
9:38 MT – Pepsi Center: The Pepsi Center is enormous. There are a lot of doors. I’ve tried to go in every one except the correct one.
9:45 MT – Pepsi Center: Inside and all good.
10:00 a.m. to 6:30 pm – Pepsi Center: Lots of interviews, lots of writing, five stories filed to The Bulletin. Highly successful day. I deserve beer.
7:23 MT – The Denver Chophouse & Brewery: Dinner with fellow Philly-based reports. I usually don’t like Belgian White beers, but I found a good one in Wild Rascal. Ribs get a B-.
8:40 MT – Someone not named Brendan Quinn picks up a monster tab. This is a good thing.
9:07 MT – (Bar name unknown) Change of scenery. Find a place that serves up a nice stout.
11:13 MT – The Bar at Center City Denver Marriot: Night cap turns into interesting conversation about John Chaney’s final years on the job at Temple.
Sometime after 1:00 MT – Bed. Looking forward to an Owls’ victory tomorrow.
Thursday
7:00 MT – Center City Denver Marriot: Rise and shine. Let the madness begin.
7:23 MT – Center City Denver Marriot: Highlights of Iverson’s return to Philly are outstanding. I still love the guy.
8:30 MT – Media Shuttle: Rolling into Pepsi Center. This is it. I am officially pumped.
9:12 MT – Pepsi Center: Walk out of the tunnel and onto press row. I look at the huge blue NCAA logo at center court and get goose bumps.
9:31 MT – Pepsi Center: I hear a voice that I recognize, turnaround, and there’s Gus Johnson. I want him to follow me around for one day and call the play-by-play of everything I do. He is the man. (Turns out, he should have been in Washington D.C. to call the Duke-Belmont game).
10:12 MT – Pepsi Center: Temple warming up and looking confident. Michigan State is big. Really big. Raymar Morgan especially. The guy looks much bigger in person and has shoulders like bowling balls.
10:30 – Pepsi Center: “The ball is tipped, there you are, you’re runnin’ for ya life”….. Temple vs. Michigan State.
12:48 – Pepsi Center: Back in media work room. Michigan State was flat-out better and Temple was off. Now life gets interesting. I need to write two stories, then get to Birmingham by 6:00 ET tomorrow to cover Saint Joseph’s-Oklahoma.
1:40 – Pepsi Center: Very impressed by Temple’s composure in the post game. Owls deal with the loss with class and Fran Dunphy looks as proud as ever.
3:53 – Pepsi Center: Game story filed. Read abridged version here.
4:12 – Pepsi Center: Decision comes from the boss to reserve a seat on a six-passenger plane that is departing from Denver at 10:00 am MT on Friday and arriving in Birmingham around 3:30 EST. The flight time is great, I dunno how I feel about the plane. We shall se.
5:35 MT – Pepsi Center: Story filed on the bright future of Temple basketball with Fran Dunphy at the helm. I’m outta here.
5:50 MT – Pepsi Center parking lot: Reservations made for Birmingham Sheraton. We’re all set.
6:00 MT – Braun’s Restaurant: Grab a pint and sandwich while watching numerous games at once. Life is good.
6:22 MT – Braun’s Restaurant: Bosses ask for story on Notre Dame-George Mason as a follow-up to this story. Heading back to Pepsi Center.
6:45 MT – Pepsi Center: Receive a call saying that errors have occurred with flight arraignment from Travelocity.com
9:11 MT – Two things. 1.) Everyone who works for Travelocity should be clubbed over the head with a tack hammer. I THINK my flight is still on. I have a feeling I will learn otherwise tomorrow morning. 2.) George Mason lost the magic. This team is toast.
10:35 MT – Pepsi Center: Notre Dame story is finally done. Brain beginning to not work properly. Hopping on the shuttle to head back to the Marriot.
10:52 MT – Center City Denver Marriot: Heading down to hotel bar for late bite to eat and a cocktail.
11:35 MT – Center City Denver Marriot: Back upstairs, ready to snooze, but need to pack for early trip out to Alabama (hopefully) and iron cloths.
12:42 MT – Center City Denver Marriot: Sitting down and typing this, posting it to C.H.H., wondering if anyone will actually read it, then hitting the lights.
1:22 a.m. MT – Shut eye. ‘Bama bound.
Tomorrow, I am hoping to do live posts through the day. Say a prayer that this puddle jumper I’m going to be rising is up to code.
Cheers - bq
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Temple's (Little) Man In The Middle
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Denver - As yet another Temple practice comes to a close, the team meets as one. Shoulder to shoulder, brow to brow, packed in like a crowded elevator. All reach toward the rafters and look toward the floor. Layers of sweaty palms come together above their heads.
Most players can still be pointed out. Dionte Christmas, the team's leading scorer, is clearly visible. Mark Tyndale, the squad's unquestioned senior leader, is surrounded by teammates, but discernable nevertheless. Looming large over the cluster is 6-foot-9 Lavoy Allen and 7-footer Sergio Olmos.
As the huddle breaks with "A-10 Champs!" resonating through the airy Pepsi Center, all go their separate ways.
Unveiled is 5-foot-8 Chris Clark. He was there all along, arm raised, at the heart of the huddle.
One of the most unassuming and unimposing players in the NCAA tournament, Clark isn't one to stand out. Neither with his game, nor on the stat sheet. The senior can easily be overlooked, like a pine tree among the Rocky Mountains.
But looks can be deceiving.
If not for Clark, the Owls would never have flown to the Mile High City. And they certainly would not have made the school's first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2001.
Today, as the 12th-seeded Owls (21-12) step toe-to-toe with fifth-seeded Michigan State (25-8), it is Clark, the smallest man on the team, who is the biggest reason Temple is still playing.
"Without Chris, I don't think we'd be sitting here," Christmas said Wednesday. "He's been the backbone of this team. ... He's been the leader, on and off the court. Anytime somebody messes up, he's getting on them - from me, to Mark, to the freshmen."
With a high basketball IQ and a knack for motivating teammates, Clark's leadership has always been an asset to Temple head coach Fran Dunphy.
But things have changed.
It started in late January, when the St. Joseph's Prep grad strung together three straight double-figure scoring performances against Fordham, George Washington and Richmond.
As the 3-pointers started to fall, Clark's confidence began to climb.
Then came a Feb. 23 matchup with Charlotte at the Liacouras Center. It was Clark's Senior Day. Finally, an opportunity to take the floor as a starter after four long years on the Temple bench. But the Owls entered the game with serious momentum, much of which was a product of Clark's contributions off the bench. With the game having major implications on the Atlantic 10 standings, Clark approached Dunphy prior to tip-off.
"We're not doing that Senior Day stuff," he said. "We're playing well the way things are, so we're gonna keep that going."
Dunphy obliged and sat Clark for the opening tip.
"That told me all I need to know about Chris Clark," Dunphy would later say. "We won, and that was all that mattered to him."
Two weeks later, on La Salle's Senior Day, Clark made his first eight shots of the game on his way to a career-high 22 points to secure the Owls a share of the Big 5 title.
"I don't try to do too much," Clark said yesterday. "I take the open shots when it's there. If I see my teammates struggling, I try to be aggressive at times.
"Through the Owls' run to an Atlantic 10 title, there was Clark, hitting timely shots and pushing his teammates. Playing more minutes than any other Temple sub, he averaged 11.7 points per game for the tournament.
This is the same player that drew the dreaded "Did Not Play - Coach's Decision" in 25 games through his first two seasons on North Broad. And the same guy whose career high was eight points entering this season.
"I think Chris is the captain of this team," Tyndale said. "I've got the label of the leader, but Chris is really the leader. What he's doing right now doesn't surprise me."
Throughout the postseason, Dunphy has attributed the Owls' evolution - from a 6-8 team in January to the Atlantic 10 champions in March - to Clark's selflessness and guidance.
Just like that huddle, he'd always been there. But no one really knew it.
"I'm not sure where we would be without him," Dunphy said. "If you said there's a single catalyst that has brought Temple along late in the season, I would probably have to say (Chris) would be one and maybe Mark Tyndale's improved play."
On the cover of Temple's media guide, Tyndale and Christmas are pictured wearing boxing gloves with "Temple's One-Two Punch" written underneath. Forty-two pages into the guide, on Chris Clark's biography page, he says his favorite book is Quiet Strength by Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy.
The inside flap of the book reads:
"Tony Dungy is a real-life hero, one who teaches us about the importance of quiet strength, fierce determination, and a humble heart."
Sounds familiar.
With Tournament Approaching, Local Coaches Shift Focus
AS APPEARING IN The Bulletin
Philadelphia - All over the country Monday, coaches rolled out of bed and jumped into high gear.
With every NCAA tournament-bound team in America learning its fate on Sunday night, Monday morning was valuable time. Travel arrangements needed finalizing and game plans needed forming.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Champ Is Here
It was pretty much everything it was billed to be.
As 10,116 Philadelphia turned Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall into Palestra-East, Temple secured itself a spot in the Field of 65 with a thrilling 69-64 victory over Saint Joseph’s in tonight’s Atlantic 10 championship game.
The Owls earned their first NCAA tournament berth since 2001 by knocking off their bitter rivals behind a 22-point performance by junior Dionte Christmas. The win set off a raucous celebration in Atlantic City as a throng of Temple students stormed the court to celebrate the Owls’ amazing turnaround.
Let’s not forget, this team sat at 6-8 at one point this season and is now 21-12 and will likely receive a 10 or 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The remarkable accomplishment is truly a testament to the coaching and character of Fran Dunphy, the senior leadership of guards Mark Tyndale and Chris Clark, and the firepower and gustiness of Christmas.
Both Tyndale and Christmas were named to the tournament’s All-Championship Team, along with the Hawks’ Pat Calathes and Ahmad Nivins, and Charlotte’s Leemire Goldwire.
After starting the game 1-for-11 from the field, the Owls hit their stride and ended the game 9-of-18 from long range, while shooting 44 percent from the field.
Temple ran away from the Hawks at the start of the second half with a 16-2 run that turned a 32-25 halftime deficit into a 41-34 lead.
After splitting the season series with Saint Joseph’s in a pair of wild games decided in the final seconds, Temple got the last laugh.
Nivins had 18 points and Calathes added 14 for the Hawks (21-12), which is in solid shape to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, according to Joe Lunardi.
"Our body of work is on (the Selection Committee's) desk right now," said Phil Martelli, who’s Hawks haven’t danced since 2004. "I pray that it is good enough."
Tomorrow, I will post much, much more on the Owls, the Hawks, the A-10 title and those Villanova Wildcats. At the moment, a few brief hours of sleep are called for. I’ll close with an update of each school’s plans for Selection Sunday...
Temple: The Owls will watch the NCAA Selection Show at The Draught Horse, a bar located on Cecil B. Moore between Broad and 15th Street.
Saint Joseph’s: Nothing is set in stone as of 2:00 a.m., but I heard from some reliable folks that the Hawks are likely to tune into CBS from The Teletorium, a large, theater-style room located within SJU’s Mandeville Hall. The event will probably be closed to the general public.
Villanova: The Wildcats will find out their fate privately inside the brand new 18.5 million Davis Center – the school’s swank basketball center and fitness facility. Jay Wright and a few players will then address the media in The Pavilion.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The C.H.H. First Annual A-10 Awards
With the Atlantic 10 tournament set to conclude tonight, I’m ready to give out a few awards. The last few days have been pretty wild and some people/things need to be acknowledged…
Best Look: Bobby Lutz, Charlotte
Donning a sharp green blazer on Thursday night, Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz looked like he just arrived in A.C. from Augusta following a win at The Master’s.
Best Mascot: Norm The Niner, Charlotte
I can’t do Norm any justice in describing him, but I’ll give it a shot. With a giant beard, deep eyes and a sexy swagger, the 49er is the full package. At one point Thursday night, he was propped up against a barricade running game on a bombshell of a cheerleader and looked like he was in the zone. The dude brought his A-game to A.C.
When he’s not breaking hearts, remaking kick ass music videos or combing his beard, Norm can be found throwing down filthy jams for free bar drinks at your local watering hole.
Worst Mascot: The Richmond Spider
This thing looked more like a fly than a spider and only had two arms. It was beyond weak. The Spider does get some kudos for rockin’ a fine pair of red Chuck Taylor’s.
Best Bar: Mickey’s Raw Bar, Brigantine, N.J.
There are two primary ways to order a beer at Mickey’s – a tower of draft beer or a bucket of ponies (small 7 oz bottles) – throw in some oysters and clams and you’ve got yourself a good time.
Best Breakfast: The Pirate’s Den, Brigantine, N.J.
It feels like you’re eating in your grandmother’s living room, but the food is great. The Pirate’s Den shovels out brick-sized pieces of scrapple and some damn good coffee. Only downside is when the guy you’re eating breakfast with orders strawberries and whip cream with their French toast. Talk about awkward…
Best Performance Outside Of A Strip Club: Temple Students
Driving past The Playground, a go-go bar on Atlantic Ave., a friend of mine and I gave a shout out to a group of Temple students catching a smoke in front of the establishment. One of the fine young men raised his glass a shouted “(Rhymes with cities) and winners, that’s what Temple does!” Absolutely Priceless.
Best Single Fan: Dude From Xavier
During Thursday afternoon’s matchup between Xavier and Dayton, I looked up into the stands and said the reporter next to me, “Check out the kid with the enormous afro wig in the Xavier student section.”
Fast forward about 10 hours, I’m sitting in Game On, a sports bar in the Pier Shops at Caesars, and lo and behold the afroed-kid goes walking past. I can’t help myself and say to him, “There is no way that thing is real.”
I’d imagine you can figure out the rest…
Best Fan Group: Xavier’s Construction Helmet Guys
I didn’t get a chance meet these four handsome devils, but they looked like my type of people. Sporting matching shirts, beer guts and white construction helmets, these fellas from Xavier are basically college hoops’ version of SNL’s Da Bears fans. One of my few regrets from the past couple of days was not heading over to meet them and find out who started the tradition and why.
Best Fan Support: Tie – Dayton & Saint Joseph’s
Not surprisingly, Dayton had a hefty contingent of fans make the trek to Atlantic City. The numbers brought out by the Flyers’ faithful never ceases to amaze me. While Saint Joseph’s didn’t have a huge showing for its first two wins, the Hawks had a monster student turnout for their upset win over Xavier. The home crowd had much to do with the Saint Joseph’s surprising victory.
Most Resiliant: Tie – Leemire Goldwire & Keith Kosich
One, you probably know. The other, you’ve never heard of.
Goldwire hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 62 seconds to play and clinched the game with another in the closing seconds in Charlotte’s stunning comeback win over UMass in the quarterfinals on Thursday night.
The sixth-seeded 49ers rallied from deficits of 18 points early in the second half and nine points in the final five minutes as Goldwire scored a game-high 24 points. The senior’s performance was the stuff of legends.
Kosich, on the other hand, was my host for four days in Atlantic City and putting up with me for that long is certainly worthy of a mention. In addition, Keith’s main goal for the week was to sweep up an absurd amount of pine cones and pine needles that blanketed the left side of his family’s house in Brigantine. It sounded easy enough at the time, but 12 leaf bags later, Kosich was exhausted.
“I turned a two-hour project into a three-day festival,” he said.
The Stage Is Set
“What more could you ask for? We are going to play for the championship against our biggest rival. This is what it is about.”
-Temple's Fran Dunphy
All week in Atlantic City, media and fans alike talked about it.
“So what kind of crowd do you think a St. Joe’s-Temple championship game would draw?” people asked.
Well, now we’re going to find out.
With so much on the line – an Atlantic 10 title and an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament – the Hawks and the Owls are set to meet for a third time this season. For Saint Joseph’s, the rubber match represents an opportunity to win the school’s first conference crown since 1997. Even more so, the game represents a stunning conclusion to what has been an amazing two week run.
This time last week, the Hawks bubble was burst. Now, a tournament bid looks likely.
"I'm telling you if we had lost any one of these last three games we were going home for good," said Phil Martelli, who led Saint Joseph’s (21-11) to 61-53 upset of No. 10 Xavier in the A-10 semifinals. "If that put a little knot in their stomachs, good, because I've had a knot in my stomach trying to figure out what the right message was to deliver was, and it worked with this group.
The fifth-seeded Hawks are looking to lock up their first NCAA tournament berth since 2003-04
"All year long we've been breaking our huddle with 'One, Two, Three, Championship! Now we're 40 minutes away."
With Temple’s 60-45 victory over a surging Charlotte team in the semifinals, the Owls (20-12) might be on the verge of their first NCAA bid since 2001.
The teams split their two meetings this season, with each winning by a point. Temple took the most recent game 57-56 on March 2.
"A couple of kids on St. Joe's team stopped and said something to me over the last couple of days, something like: 'Let's play for the final,'" Dunphy said. "I think that's the respect both programs have for one another. This is phenomenal for Philadelphia and great for Atlantic City."
After all the talk of this year’s NCAA tournament being the first since 1977 to be without a Philadelphia representative, the city is guaranteed at least one spot in the Dance. According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, both Saint Joseph’s and Temple are IN, as of noon Saturday, regardless of who wins the A-10’s automatic bid. Villanova might be on the outside of the bubble, but will definitely be in the conversation on Selection Sunday.
For now, I’m not worrying about Bracketology. Tonight’s rumble in A.C. has the potential to be something very special. It should be a near-capacity crowd of 10,000 Philadelphians packing into Boardwalk Hall and the air will be thick with the venom of a true rivalry.
It’s Saint Joseph’s-Temple with a pair of dancing shoes hanging in the balance, let’s enjoy it.