Heading to the airport for a 30 minute flight to Dulles. Longest or shortest flight?
Born in the PIttsburgh and had only been back twice in 20 years. Going over that bridge brought back all kinds of memories as a kid. Nova lost, the world was coming to an end. It was weird/tough. Few tears in the car to the airport.
Jay's speech on the steps of the hotel has been brought up many times. I wrote a similar note after last season and referenced that moment. I was never more proud of Jay and our kids. "We will own this but it does not define who we are and Villanova". He spoke of the community and what the team meant to our community. We won together, we lost together but our team was always ours, part of us. Our kids were Villanova. Just like us. Jay Wright is the perfect coach, at the perfect school for him, at the perfect time. And he got it. We were not defined in losses or wins.....fast forward
To Houston. I missed Brooklyn and the Ville. Usually unheard of but it was spring break and missing Brooklyn was fine by me. Pittsburgh was too fresh. However, like many of you, this was different and we knew it. Went to Houston and had a blast. Too many amazing stories, too much booze and too many great moments with great people. LIfe-changing. If you were there you know exactly what I mean. I won't try to relive the game, the shot, Ryan Fannon giving us the call in the lobby, the team on the stage at the hotel...oh, and we saw the greatest game/shot in NCAA history. It's too much to even try to put in a post on a board. So I won't. Note, cool story: after all the hoopla, Tuesday morning at 4:00AMish, I took the elevator up with none other than EW's. I won't speak for him. We both were kind of just standing in the elevator with big ass smiles, we drank all the beer, we partied with many of you, we took pictures, we won, we laughed, we cried, we met new friends, we met some people from this place, it was crazy and amazing but it was the Villanova Community. The kids, the coaches, the University staff. It was an incredible celebration of Villanova and highlighted family. I'm upset I missed Father Peter's Sunday mass at the hotel. Heard it was amazing.
Villanova is a special place, a special community and this is a special time in our school's/program's history. I'm ending with this advice: we are in the midst of the greatest era of Nova hoops. since 2010 we have been a two seed or better 4 times. Next year should be similar. It Hart returns we are the best team in the country to begin the season. Kentucky and Duke will have the talent to run us down. However, that's to my point. Enjoy this run. This is as good as we'll ever get. Jay has a good 10 year run coming. Appreciate what you've seen the past 3 years. More wins than any program in the country and one national fuking title. Jay has us loaded for bear. The school and the donors have stepped up. New Pavilion, new buildings all over campus. We are going to be the best Villanova we can be. Villanova is going to start looking a lot like Duke on and off the court..
As an alum, I wear my stuff everywhere. I have the Nova plate on my car. My wife is convinced I"m a complete loser. I try not be that guy but all this new gear is too much to resist. How many guys in the DMV have a "Bang" tee shirt with the guy from the DMV hitting a championship winner? I also orded the one Jay's hand with the "V" in the air. Loser.
Houston was the pinnacle but I was as proud to be a Nova alum after Pittsburgh. Our kids and Jay were humble, respectful and amazing in defeat. They were as good in victory. Winning or losing never defined our kids. And it never defined our support I was never more proud of the Nova fans who all stood at the bottom of the steps in Pittsburgh. We cheered our kids when they got off the bus after NC State. We never get to Houston without PIttsburgh (cap tip as that's ACE's line). Similar to Houston, at the team hotel bar we drank all the beer, we laughed, we cried, we met new friends, we met some people from this place, It was a really tough ending to a wonderful year. That time it hurt. It might never feel as good as it did on April 4/5. Regardless, we poised for a huge run and the entire Villanova community has been along for the ride. Buckle up and appreciate what we're in the midst as a university and program. Oh, and donate.
