Nov. 19, 2002
Dear Friend,
It's been an exciting championship week on the road. Thought I'd send you a quick note to catch up ...
We started Friday in Worcester, Mass., at the Patriot League men's soccer championship tournament. Two defensive struggles, but Holy Cross and Lehigh survived for Sunday's championship match. The LU vs. American match went to a shootout - very exciting afternoon.
Friday night in College Park, Md., the American women's soccer team gave highly-ranked Maryland all they could handle in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to the Terps, 1-0. An impressive effort by the Eagles, who won their first PL title the previous weekend.
Saturday, I drove to the Bronx to see Fordham top Towson and keep a stranglehold on first place in the football championship chase. Colgate also won at home against Georgetown, so the Rams and Raiders enter the final weekend of the season tied for first place.
Sunday, after an ice storm hit New England, we drove to Boston University's to play the men's soccer championship match in the cold and rain. It went to the 11th penalty kick before Holy Cross captured its first title. Not many hearty souls at Nickerson Field, but those who persevered witnessed a finish that will be remembered for a while.
One day back in the office, and we all celebrated the NCAA men's soccer announcement that included three League teams in the 2002 College Cup. It's the best the League ever did in any sport. Holy Cross got the automatic bid, but American and Lehigh gained at-large invitations. AU and LU will host first-round games Saturday, and Holy Cross will play at Fairleigh Dickinson. American surprised many by winning two NCAA playoff games last year. Hopefully, it won't be considered an upset when the League gains some post-season success this year.
Tonight, I'm at Allen Field House at Kansas University for the pre-season NIT men's basketball clash between Holy Cross and the second-ranked Jayhawks. The historic Allen Field House. ESPN. The start of the hoop season. Great stuff.
The Bucknell women played at Penn State last week in the Pre-Season WNIT. The defending PL champs were within a couple of possessions of the Nittany Lions in the second half, but couldn't pull off the upset.
The basketball season starts in earnest this weekend, and on the schedule for PL teams are, Notre Dame, Duke, Providence, Georgetown, West Virginia, Boston College, Missouri and Illinois are all on the PL hoop schedule in the first five days of the season.
This weekend, I'm headed for Hamilton, N.Y., to see if Colgate can clinch at least a share of the football title. My boss will be at Bucknell for Fordham's first shot at a PL crown and NCAA Tournament automatic bid since joining the League in 1989.
Several others will spend championship weekend in Washington, D.C. The two-day women's volleyball Tournament begins Friday evening, and Saturday afternoon's championship match will be televised on Comcast. Just before that broadcast is the Eagles' men's soccer NCAA battle with cross-town rival George Washington. Twenty-four hours of championship fever at AU.
Did I mention the 26 Patriot League student-athletes that were named to the Verizon Academic All-District football, soccer and volleyball teams? I guess that shouldn't be a surprise from the League that leads the country in graduation rates. The only League in the country where every full member graduates more than 82% of its student athletes, most in four years (the NCAA graduation rate is compiled over a six-year span).
Yeah, it's been a fun week. Hope the boss doesn't notice I haven't been in the office much the past few days. See you when I get back - we'll have lunch.