Why do we live and die (literally) over the fortunes of our beloved Wildcats? How many years can LOYALTY last? Are we richer if the Wildcats win? Are we poorer if they lose? Why do we love this Team so much?
In my case, my love affair with the Wildcats started in 1963 (Note: The year that President Kennedy was cowardly assassinated. We were all young Kennedy Democrats at that time. Some of us have changed over the years.) I have personally interacted with Al Severance ("The Very Honorable", as he referred to himself), Coach Kraft, Rollie, Steve Lappas and Jay. In 1971, I listened from somewhere in Southeast Asia to the AFRS broadcast of the Villanova/UCLA National Championship game. In 1985, Mary Anne Gabuzda (my dear friend and Rollie's long-time Secretary) called me on the phone to advise me that she had two tickets for me and the Mrs. for the game in Lexington, KY. I very sadly declined to accept Rollie's and Mary Anne's thoughtful kindness because, as I explained to Mary Anne, "we Islanders are superstitious and we have won every game in the Tournament up to now, while I watched from far away on CBS TV. Therefore, If, contrary to my best wishes, I stay, we will win. Let's go Wildcats!!!" I stayed and we WON! I befriended Jay when he was a very young assistant to Rollie (and I was also very young, although not quite as young as he). He is still my dear friend and I thank him for all the happiness that he and Patti have brought to me and my wife for the last 15 years. My love affair with the Wildcats goes on... until my last breath.
We live and die with the Team's fortunes because they (the TEAM) are us. And we, perhaps unbeknownst to us are they. That is why grown men and women have bonded together in this mysteriously covert Basketball Board for so very many years. We have things straight in our lives. In no direct order of priorities, our loyalties are pledged to Christ, the United States of America, our families and Villanova University and our much beloved Wildcats.
How long can our loyalty to the Wildcats last, win or lose? The answer is forever... to our last breath (Note: more on this later).
We are not made richer if they win. Likewise, we are not made poorer if they lose. But we are totally devastated when the final score does not favor our boys. That is because they are we and we in turn are they. Perhaps that is why we love them so much.
In mid-January of this year I was blindsided by a catastrophic illness. I spent 30 days in the hospital, 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit. I actually crossed that magic line between life and death, but I finally pulled through. I believe the Lord has some unfinished business for me. While I was in intensive care, dying yet trying to live, I forced my wife to smuggle in my I-Pad so that I could watch my Wildcats play some of their late season games. At that moment, with my life on the line, I gave complete priority to fighting on with my Wildcats. I won my personal life or death battle and my Wildcats gallantly battled on to their final game...
In my case, my love affair with the Wildcats started in 1963 (Note: The year that President Kennedy was cowardly assassinated. We were all young Kennedy Democrats at that time. Some of us have changed over the years.) I have personally interacted with Al Severance ("The Very Honorable", as he referred to himself), Coach Kraft, Rollie, Steve Lappas and Jay. In 1971, I listened from somewhere in Southeast Asia to the AFRS broadcast of the Villanova/UCLA National Championship game. In 1985, Mary Anne Gabuzda (my dear friend and Rollie's long-time Secretary) called me on the phone to advise me that she had two tickets for me and the Mrs. for the game in Lexington, KY. I very sadly declined to accept Rollie's and Mary Anne's thoughtful kindness because, as I explained to Mary Anne, "we Islanders are superstitious and we have won every game in the Tournament up to now, while I watched from far away on CBS TV. Therefore, If, contrary to my best wishes, I stay, we will win. Let's go Wildcats!!!" I stayed and we WON! I befriended Jay when he was a very young assistant to Rollie (and I was also very young, although not quite as young as he). He is still my dear friend and I thank him for all the happiness that he and Patti have brought to me and my wife for the last 15 years. My love affair with the Wildcats goes on... until my last breath.
We live and die with the Team's fortunes because they (the TEAM) are us. And we, perhaps unbeknownst to us are they. That is why grown men and women have bonded together in this mysteriously covert Basketball Board for so very many years. We have things straight in our lives. In no direct order of priorities, our loyalties are pledged to Christ, the United States of America, our families and Villanova University and our much beloved Wildcats.
How long can our loyalty to the Wildcats last, win or lose? The answer is forever... to our last breath (Note: more on this later).
We are not made richer if they win. Likewise, we are not made poorer if they lose. But we are totally devastated when the final score does not favor our boys. That is because they are we and we in turn are they. Perhaps that is why we love them so much.
In mid-January of this year I was blindsided by a catastrophic illness. I spent 30 days in the hospital, 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit. I actually crossed that magic line between life and death, but I finally pulled through. I believe the Lord has some unfinished business for me. While I was in intensive care, dying yet trying to live, I forced my wife to smuggle in my I-Pad so that I could watch my Wildcats play some of their late season games. At that moment, with my life on the line, I gave complete priority to fighting on with my Wildcats. I won my personal life or death battle and my Wildcats gallantly battled on to their final game...
