2008 Woodie Awards
Encore!
Brian A. Hodge
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
I just want to see all of it, all over again.
I want to see Jared Jordan's drives, Will Whittington's three-pointers, James Smith's jam at the end of overtime.
I want to see Dave Magarity, Jr. introduced in the starting lineup. I want to see Miles Orman's face after the game. All of it.
The portions of the telecast I have seen simply don't do it justice. I mean, how could it? There are no instant replays for it all how it felt.
From pre-game tailgates, to hundreds of kids braving the cold for hours; draping McCann in white and storming the court after the win. This is what Duke or UNC must feel like every weekend - big time hoops buzz in little Poughkeepsie.
And what a send off for the seniors. The first outright conference crown. They seemed absolutely determined to not let Siena steal the show. A bounce here or there and maybe Marist loses this game - but this is a special year and the team is playing special basketball.
But, I think the best news is that the season isn't over. Even if I can't relive the Siena game, we all have the opportunity to see the team play at least two more games. But we'd all be kidding ourselves if we said we'd be happy with Marist in the NIT.
Ever since freshman year, it's been a dream and a goal for all the players, especially the seniors to make the "Big Dance." Now the team is one step closer to adding that elusive banner to the rafters and etching their collective names to the history books.
One of the things I love about this team is the fact that they seem totally focused on winning the conference tournament - clearly their chief aim since freshman year.
Jared Jordan is most likely the player of the year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) after leading the nation in assists for two years in a row. A two-time first team-MAAC selection, he's achieved so much in his college career. Still, he has not reached one goal.
"It's great to win the [regular-season] championship, but the ultimate goal is to make the NCAA tournament," Jordan said after the Siena win. "We're just looking forward to next weekend."
Whittington just broke into the top 25 in career three-pointers made in NCAA history. He currently stands at 23rd all time. He leads the nation in threes made, and is second in the country in threes per game.
"It means everything in the world to me," Whittington said.
He was talking about winning the MAAC tourney.
So as the days slowly peel off the calendar of my college days, I will be thankful to have at least a tape of the Siena win and infinite chances to replay the game again. But even better, I - no, we, still have the chance to see this team play a few more games.
We get to see Jordan dropping a dime to Stilphen and Whittington knocking them down from long range; big James Smith controlling the paint and Dave Magarity patrolling the lay-up lines.
We get to see all of it, all over again.
You can contact Brian Hodge by e-mail: Brian.Hodge@marist.edu
I want to see Jared Jordan's drives, Will Whittington's three-pointers, James Smith's jam at the end of overtime.
I want to see Dave Magarity, Jr. introduced in the starting lineup. I want to see Miles Orman's face after the game. All of it.
The portions of the telecast I have seen simply don't do it justice. I mean, how could it? There are no instant replays for it all how it felt.
From pre-game tailgates, to hundreds of kids braving the cold for hours; draping McCann in white and storming the court after the win. This is what Duke or UNC must feel like every weekend - big time hoops buzz in little Poughkeepsie.
And what a send off for the seniors. The first outright conference crown. They seemed absolutely determined to not let Siena steal the show. A bounce here or there and maybe Marist loses this game - but this is a special year and the team is playing special basketball.
But, I think the best news is that the season isn't over. Even if I can't relive the Siena game, we all have the opportunity to see the team play at least two more games. But we'd all be kidding ourselves if we said we'd be happy with Marist in the NIT.
Ever since freshman year, it's been a dream and a goal for all the players, especially the seniors to make the "Big Dance." Now the team is one step closer to adding that elusive banner to the rafters and etching their collective names to the history books.
One of the things I love about this team is the fact that they seem totally focused on winning the conference tournament - clearly their chief aim since freshman year.
Jared Jordan is most likely the player of the year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) after leading the nation in assists for two years in a row. A two-time first team-MAAC selection, he's achieved so much in his college career. Still, he has not reached one goal.
"It's great to win the [regular-season] championship, but the ultimate goal is to make the NCAA tournament," Jordan said after the Siena win. "We're just looking forward to next weekend."
Whittington just broke into the top 25 in career three-pointers made in NCAA history. He currently stands at 23rd all time. He leads the nation in threes made, and is second in the country in threes per game.
"It means everything in the world to me," Whittington said.
He was talking about winning the MAAC tourney.
So as the days slowly peel off the calendar of my college days, I will be thankful to have at least a tape of the Siena win and infinite chances to replay the game again. But even better, I - no, we, still have the chance to see this team play a few more games.
We get to see Jordan dropping a dime to Stilphen and Whittington knocking them down from long range; big James Smith controlling the paint and Dave Magarity patrolling the lay-up lines.
We get to see all of it, all over again.
You can contact Brian Hodge by e-mail: Brian.Hodge@marist.edu
Be the first to comment on this story