Tuesday, December 05, 2017
An Intertwining Day of Emotions
That's right.
Today really really stunk.
You can substitute any word in Roget's Thesaurus for stunk that you want. They all applied. Indeed it was that bad.
By the time I got home this evening, it seemed like the best part of the day was that the Christmas tree fell over. That was the highlight. Listing the events of the day in order from bad to worse, the Christmas tree crashing to the ground, that was the highlight.
And yet the day wasn't over. I still had my wife's 25th birthday to celebrate and a doubleheader of my favorite sports team of all time Mt. St. Mary's, against Pittsburgh. That to be followed by my alma mater, the Syracuse Orange, in the World's Most Famous Arena, against the most exceptional basketball rival from my four years on campus the UCONN Huskies in the nightcap of the Annual Jimmy V Classic.
My father was here to watch his alma mater with me. That helped to start to make the day better.
But it really lacked clarity and perspective until about 20 minutes or so after 8 o'clock. At that time, despite some flashes of brilliance the young Mountaineers, like 12 freshmen on the roster young, trailed an ACC member, yet somewhat mediocre, Pitt team by 15 points.
And this team that really wasn't having a great night did something about it. They kept playing. They kept battling. They kept fighting.
Many of you know, I've been doing that for four years or so since I was diagnosed with the rare disease Sarcoidosis. I didn't do a lot of it today. There were times today when all the decisive moments I've had along a path to recovery and a sense of normalcy in my life seemed very distant.
But as I watched this group of kids places one foot in front of the other, precisely as they have since Day one of the season, I was inspired. I was inspired to continue along my path. Inspired to make tomorrow a bit better than today. And beyond that, I was inspired to make today great. There was still time on the clock today.
The Mount even had enough time left for enough three-point bombs to fall straight through and for the best unknown player in the country to rally the team from 15 down on the road at a Power 5 conference team, no matter how bad the whistle, continued to scratch and claw to force overtime.
Junior Robinson is nothing if he isn't inspirational.
I'd like to pay the player the respect he deserves and fail to mention his height. Because on the basketball court his height does not matter. Many people time and time again have told him it did. Or that sometimes it would. They told him he couldn't achieve his dream to be a basketball player. He ignored them. He's a not only a basketball player. He's a great basketball player. The leading scorer in a Division I basketball team trying to get back to the most magnificent sporting event of all, the NCAA Tournament, where it won a game a year ago.
All 5-feet and 5-inches of Junior Robinson entered the game at Pittsburgh as the 16th leading scorer in the country. He left with a higher average than he began with. The 24-point 9-assist masterpiece was spectacular. Much of it brought the Mount back from that 15-point deficit. Many other teams would have folded. In the end, the volume of those whistles became insurmountable, and the shots stopped falling, and Pitt survived.
Still, the game and the effort had provided for me. It had put me back on task, showed me exactly what I needed. I just didn't quite know it all yet.
The Jimmy V Classic happens every year. They play a pair of basketball games at Madison Square Garden. The teams are good, the matchups are marquee, but the event isn't about the games. It's about the message. A message that Jimmy V first delivered at the ESPY's in 1993.
I watch the inspirational speech often. At times, I've got the video on what seems like a constant loop.
Tonight before the Syracuse UCONN tipoff seemed like the right time to hit play.
Nothing changed in Jimmy V's speech. The same words I've listened to countless times before. Yet somehow, I always hear something new, focus on something different. Tonight I couldn't get past Jimmy V's opening plea, where he told us all that every day of our life, "We should laugh, we should think, and we should have our emotions moved to tears."
It all of a sudden hit me. I was privileged enough to have done all of those things today. Many weren't that fortunate. I was. Actually, I did all of that more than once.
Today was good.
That's right.
Today was really really good.
(Nothing that happens in the next 7 and a half minutes from Madison Square Garden can change that)
Thursday, November 02, 2017
It's Been Awhile
Here is the piece on my thoughts against Delaware. Who knows, it may not be two years until I write again.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
The Mount release on big incoming class
Send an email to thefanblog@gmail.com
Friday, March 17, 2017
Jay Wright on Mt. St. Mary's
Wow. As fans, we are all so lucky to get to see that team every time out.
Monday, March 13, 2017
First Four Game Watches
Go Watch The Game with Some Mount Friends!
#MountMayhem is Everywhere
It's dancin' time! Catch the Mountaineers as they take on the New Orleans Privateers in the First Four on Tuesday night! Join fellow Mounties for some rounds of pre-game "warm-ups" at the Regional Game Watches listed below.
If you're in Dayton for the game, stop by Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Ave. Dayton, OH 45410, between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. for the pregame social.
No game watch in your area? No problem! You can watch the game from the comfort of your own home on TruTV or on NCAA.com! No matter where you watch the game, you can show your support and make your gift of $68 to Mount Athletics in honor of the Mount being part of the Elite 68.
Please email alumni@msmary.edu if you have any questions.
GO MOUNT!
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Thursday, March 02, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Sunday, January 08, 2017
Per @TeamRankingsCBB #Odds that the Mountaineers make the NCAA tournament are up to 26% (auto bid), an #increas... https://t.co/n5vT4RIrPd
Per @TeamRankingsCBB #Odds that the Mountaineers make the NCAA tournament are up to 26% (auto bid), an #increas... https://t.co/n5vT4RIrPd
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Per @TeamRankingsCBB #Odds that the Mountaineers make the NCAA tournament are up to 26% (auto bid), an #increas... https://t.co/BkfMYF2xxf
Per @TeamRankingsCBB #Odds that the Mountaineers make the NCAA tournament are up to 26% (auto bid), an #increas... https://t.co/BkfMYF2xxf
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Per @TeamRankingsCBB #Odds that the Mountaineers make the NCAA tournament are up to 26% (auto bid), an #increase of 2% since yesterday
Per @TeamRankingsCBB #Odds that the Mountaineers make the NCAA tournament are up to 26% (auto bid), an #increase of 2% since yesterday
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/bEbJ3MJNeP
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/bEbJ3MJNeP
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/7km07SLOeM
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/7km07SLOeM
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/FaZbnoIkZZ
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/FaZbnoIkZZ
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Per @TeamRankingsCBB beating Cent Conn 77-68, Mt St. Mary's is now projected to finish the regular season 14-17 (12-6 NEC). #nature #video
Per @TeamRankingsCBB beating Cent Conn 77-68, Mt St. Mary's is now projected to finish the regular season 14-17 (12-6 NEC). #nature #video
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/86jh3Wc4XB
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/86jh3Wc4XB
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/cMK9GQknvU
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/cMK9GQknvU
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/MpAEU1FGIx
Stanley Black & Decker to open U.S. plant after Trump's 'border tax' threat https://t.co/yb8qCYpBXP............... https://t.co/MpAEU1FGIx
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 8, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
Saturday, January 07, 2017
Oakland vs. Valparaiso game recap: Martez Walker puts on a show in road win - Mid-Major Madness https://t.co/XXyYkX5cWg
Oakland vs. Valparaiso game recap: Martez Walker puts on a show in road win - Mid-Major Madness https://t.co/XXyYkX5cWg
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 7, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
This is getting totally nonsensical -Will Hamidou Diallo actually play college basketball? | https://t.co/oizOuL1mHG https://t.co/0ma5MsA9PT
This is getting totally nonsensical -Will Hamidou Diallo actually play college basketball? | https://t.co/oizOuL1mHG https://t.co/0ma5MsA9PT
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 7, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
It's a #MountMayhem Day! Go Mount! Beat Central! - It's a #MountMayhem Day! Go Mount! Beat Central!— Ryan Raffe... https://t.co/iziWWN0nX4
It's a #MountMayhem Day! Go Mount! Beat Central! - It's a #MountMayhem Day! Go Mount! Beat Central!— Ryan Raffe... https://t.co/iziWWN0nX4— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 7, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog
It's a #MountMayhem Day! Go Mount! Beat Central!
It's a #MountMayhem Day! Go Mount! Beat Central!
— Ryan Raffensperger (@TheMountFanBlog) January 7, 2017
from Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMountFanBlog