I’m not much of a sports fan, but I do love basketball and follow the NCAA tournaments religiously–let’s change that–with great devotion–whoops, wrong again. Anyhow, it’s a game I understand, even though my own basketball experience was limited to two on three half-court at the local playground.
Which is to say my bracket has been broken in several place by the Ramblers, Loyola University at Chicago. And I’m captivated by their assistant coach and scout, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt, 98 years old, who played basketball (ladies) herself in San Francisco in the 30’s.
Here’s a great interview and commentary about her.
Question: Why is it that Catholic Colleges (and universities)–I think of Georgetown, Xavier, Gonzaga–are so great at basketball? Second thought: they’re all Jesuit institutions, hmmm….
Only thing I don’t like about basketball is how breaking the rules can help you win (strategy of fouling). Don’t try that with God’s rules….it won’t help.
Ok, Ok, Ok congrats Bob & great game. That said…my Zags will get there next year. Indeed, next to baseball, it’s pretty hard to beat my devotion – uh – “appreciation” of NCAA basketball. My bracket made it all the way to day 2 🙁
Heard about that on the radio yesterday– they described her as the “team chaplain,” which got my eyebrows up. 😀 I have no idea if one can be a chaplain without being a preacher.
Foxfier, I did volunteer work at a Federal prison 10 or so years ago (Eucharistic Minister, catechist, etc.) and one of the prison Chaplains was a nun…I forget which order.
78-62 …made it to the Final Four! Hooray!!!
Bob K– thank you!
Villanova grad here, looking forward to seeing the Ramblers in the championship game. For what it’s worth, we’re Augustinian, not Jesuit. From our end, I was pleased to see that the athletic department’s emails to alumni told us where to join the university president for both Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday mass.
Mike S, I knew Villanova is Augustinian, I cite their “St. Augustine Day By Day” when I excerpt a quote from that. But is Villanova the exception that proves the rule: every good basketball team from a Catholic institution of higher learning is from a Jesuit school (except for Villanova and Notre Dame).
🙂 As you say, “hmmm….”