Even here, you guys live up to your well-deserved
rep as good folks.
I am thrilled to see J.T.3 leave his alma mater and
get off to such a good start for you guys, you've
suffered thru some tough patches, much as we have
since 1999.
Both schools have national followings -- I have seen
Georgetown and 'Nova folks all over the place -- and
we really look forward to our games against each
other.
Our national championship was special, of course, but
it took a truly great Georgetown team to make it
special, because if you'd been playing just about
anybody else, you would have hung another banner
in McDonough Gym. We just rode the wave and feared
nothing and nobody that year.
Hope this doesn't get too long-drawn-out, but I can
tell you a little about one angle on the road that year.
I was at Villanova for what I thought would be the last
game we'd ever play in our field house, a sluggish 80-
75 win over a not-too-good Seton Hall team.
I talked to a couple alum-friend/fans around me and
told 'em we were in big, deep doo-doo against Pitt
that Saturday at Fitzgerald Field House. I am originally
from Ohio and Pittsburgh and knew the feelings Pitt
folks of that era had toward Villanova and how they'd
circled March 3 on their calendars.
"Ahhh, Buckeye," one of my buds said, "we'll do fine
at Pitt Saturday."
Yeah, right. 85-62. Not that close. We fell behind by
some seriously butt-ugly scores in the first half, like
34-15, 45-23 at halftime, then Rollie read the starters
the riot act at halftime and in came the shock troops,
who played respectably after Pitt blew out to a 30
point lead.
Anyhow, we deservedly got pushed down to the #8
seed in the Southeast, and when we watched the
Selection Sunday show, I saw the matchup with Dayton
and knew I'd get over that way for the first round
game.
At Dayton!
We had fully 700 folks there, but there wasn't a whole
lot open to negotiation as to the crowd's loyalty. But
when Harold Jensen drove the lane with 3 seconds
left on a great back-screen by Ed Pinckney, we snuck
out of the U.D. Arena with a 51-49 win.
The eastern majority of our fans was afraid of the
crowd loyalty switching Sunday for our game with
Michigan. I had to be back in the 'Burgh for a parish
church function, a command-performance. But I told
'em "Not to worry. This crowd will be in the palms of
our hands Sunday."
I said the way Michigan's "Victors" fight song goes
virtually anywhere in my beloved state of Ohio is
"Blaaahh blah blah blah BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
I told a couple of my friends this Sunday, as we
gathered to watch V.U.-Michigan at a local culture
center (pub). Sure enough, the Wolverines headed
down past their 8-900 fans in the Arena's lower north
stands, the U-M pep band blared the song and
the boos rolled down from every corner of the Arena.
God bless 'em. The crowd was ours, we could have
been playing the Wolverines in Philadelphia. The
rest I won't bore you with -- hope this didn't.
You guys and us are a terrific advertisement for what
college hoops should be about. I also include Notre
Dame with you guys, because the relationships and
the in-common nature of the rivalries make them
special. I hated losing to the Fighting Irish over at
the Joyce last Saturday, but I always feel at home
there.
Again, good luck. You guys deserve a good upturn and
I think J.T.3 is the guy to get you there. Jay and J.T.
will be around for a long time.
b70
