VCU Rams Final 4!

Another TWO bite the dust...

In this town, we don't know how to react to major sports victories. The biggest thing we've seen is when one of our high school teams make it to states or the Richmond Braves of days past had a winning season - but nothing like this. The VCU Rams making it to the final four is more than just a bump in pride for VCU students past and present - it's a victory for Richmond. It's giving some underdogs from a non-sports based town the faith of a country (okay - maybe just a state :). To watch these young men encourage and push each other - a thing of beauty. Also a big noteworthy key to their success is that one player isn't the star of every game - during a couple of the first match ups Rodriguez pulled it out, then Burgess made it rain threes, during the last games Skeen and Rozzell were the MVP's - through it all Smart and his coaching staff have kept them with level heads and humility. The energy on the VCU campus right now is palpable and everyone wants to be a part of it. The capital city is ready... hope Butler is!

Hoopstown, USA

I've written before (about 4 years ago as a matter of fact) about my pride for VCU basketball. I grew up on it on a much smaller scale. It wasn't a popular school - just a school in the city with really no campus - especially to those of us who grew up in Richmond, VA. When I chose to attend VCU, I realized quickly that there was a very pronounced and distinct campus which has only expanded more since my graduation in 1999. When I approached the VCU Sports Center about writing

a children's book commemorating the greatness of VCU and it's basketball team, I did run into some slight hesitation. To me it was a no brainer - the team was on an upswing, enrollment was at an all time high and the Siegel Center was a new center of pride for the Rams. The release of Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork (2 years later) was such an accomplishment for me on so many levels. My love for Rams basketball has only grown over the past 4 years since the book's release. I thought it was at its peak when VCU beat Duke in the 2007 NCAA tournament - but that was nothing compared to what the whole city of Richmond feels right now. For the first time in VCU history, the Rams have made it to the sweet 16 of the NCAA tourney. Two things have totally become the icing on the cake - first, that U of R is also in the sweet 16 (collosal for Richmonders) and secondly that most sportscasters across the country didn't think we belonged in this tournament. We beat the first team just to get into the big dance - we were on the bubble and a part of the "extra games" just to make it to the starting line with everyone else. Down went USC, down went Georgetown, down went Purdue... Seminoles next? These haven't even been close games - 10-20 point games and I've loved every second of it! I bought my son a "We Are VCU" shirt during the CAA tournament this year and I'm so glad I did - he has just as much pride in the Rams as I do!

Here in Richmond, the Richmond Spiders and the VCU Rams have an annual match-up called the Black and Blue Classic... it's never been a tremendously popular game but I think this tournament is changing that forever. We are hoping for a Black and Blue Classic on a national scale in San Antonio this weekend in the Elite Eight...

Signing off from Hoopstown, USA - AKA Richmond, Virginia!

Serendipity: Fact or Myth... or cute RomCom with John Cusack

I've been thinking a lot lately about how things happen for a reason - I'm convinced now more than ever. Some occurances are a little more private and don't need to be blogged about but for those that can be shared... here it goes. Last week, a midwestern teen died instantly on the basketball court after making the game winning shot against a rival team. One minute he was posing for pictures with teammates and being hoisted in the air by fans - and in the next instant he's collapsed on the court. He suffered cardiac arrest as a result of an enlarged heart. This made me instantly think about my uncle who died several years back (in his late 50's) on the dance floor with my aunt. He had his favorite cocktail in one hand and twirled his wife with the other - seconds later collapsed from cardiac arrest as well.
I don't want it to be lost on me that both of these deaths, while extremely heartbreaking and tragic, happened doing what they both loved doing. I know not everyone is so lucky but if we focus on the clouds, we will most definitely miss the silver lining.
Don't get me wrong, I can absolutely focus on the darkness as much as the next guy - but this is what I'm trying to shift. I suffered a mini-stroke back in the Fall and my cloud is that I am going to need to be aware of my internal workings for the rest of my life but my silver is that it wasn't a full blown stroke and my dependence on others is temporary - I'm also able to hug my son with the use of both arms - not everyone can say the same.
Hopefully this won't drag down those reading this but rather lift you to a different way of looking at situations... as opportunities and not always coincidence.