New Banners in Hart

Sader1970 sent along these fine photos of the new "tournament appearances" banners hanging in the Hart Center. They are hanging on the same side of the gym as the Bud Ryan room, next to the men's NIT and NCAA Championship banners. Frankly, the color contrast between the purple of these new banners and the faded championship banners is startling.

The new banners look sharp, though, and let's hope we quickly run out of space on the top half of these banners! Thanks, '1970.

Ashley Returns

Thanks to sader1970 for sending this picture of sophomore forward Ashley McLaughlin's return to the starting lineup! (McLaughlin is on the left.) Ashley returned from her stress fracture, on schedule, for the women's hoops game against the Peahens of St. Peter's College. The Crusaders downed the Peahens (of course), 65-56.

As always, click the photo to expand it. "We Are Crusaders" is your home for exciting close-up pictures of the scorer's table!

Soulman Speaks

With the surprising early-season struggles of the HC men's basketball team, the debate on the Crossports message board has really heated up. Several posters have entered panic mode, threatening to stay home from games, and questioning Coach Ralph Willard's various decisions.

Stay home from games? I believe it's always more rewarding to continue supporting a team through its struggles, rather than abandoning it. The payoff is far greater in the end.

Thankfully, newbie poster "Soulman" has piped in with some of the most lucid comments I've read in recent days:

Part of the joy of college basketball is watching teams and players grow year to year--and then have to grow again when seniors graduate (yes, graduate!)...And within that, it's fun to watch and root for the program grow as a whole.

These are students, after all. Students with real career goals, students who represent Holy Cross well, and students of whom we can be proud. There is joy in following Holy Cross athletics, even in the tough times (like football, post-Duffner).

Soulman continues:

I want to see the team win, win a lot, and win big, just as much as (and maybe even more) than the next guy. I'm as die hard as anyone at the Hart Center. I was at two of the three NCAA games, on the floor with the band, losing my voice and greeting the players back at the hotel. But that's the thing--this isn't the game to watch if you want to rip into players for not doing it right. That's what the pros are for...But Holy Cross basketball players are young men who are students and people who are going to do things other than play ball for the rest of their lives. Yes, they want to win. But personal attacks and criticism of character is unwarranted and ultimately damaging to the spirit of the game and Holy Cross basketball. Let's root hard, but root with respect for the school and the students who play. Leave the character evaluations to Ralph, who does a great job, in my book, of balancing real-life priorities with his team, and who keeps things in perspective.

Thank you, Soulman. And I'd apply your thoughts to all the student-athletes, not just the men's basketball players, at Holy Cross.

Final thought on this topic for now:

IN RALPH WE TRUST

Dartmouth Game, 2004

I scanned in a bunch of photos the other day, many of them relating to Holy Cross athletics. They cover various events from the past year, so I'm going to post them in chronological order.

This picture is from the Holy Cross vs. Dartmouth football game, held on October 16, 2004. (Click photo to enlarge.) This is the game that broke the 15-game losing streak. It was a crisp autumn day up in Hanover, NH, and the Crusaders played an excellent game. It was a pretty emotional scene on the field afterwards. Our guys are 9-8 since then (counting that game).

I also have pictures from my visit to Colgate in May, the Delaware football game from September, and a couple other games.

CC Debuts for HC

Colin Cunningham, from Memphis, TN, made his Crusader basketball debut last night, as Holy Cross fell to the Cincinnati Bearcats, 77-55. Colin had a pretty good game in his initial appearance. He played 18 minutes, had four points and six rebounds, two assists to one turnover, plus a steal.

Non Alum Dave and I agree that Colin looks familiar. His appearance reminds of us someone, but we're not sure who. Dave seems to believe Colin looks like a current or former college player. I offered that it might be someone from the NBA.

Then I thought he resembled someone from television or the movies. Maybe Vinnie Barbarino?

Colin has since cut his mop top. I was watching MSNBC the other night, and former Court TV/O.J. Simpson reporter Dan Abrams was hosting a program. I think there's some resemblance there.

But I don't think either is dead-on. I'll take suggestions, though! Drop a comment if you know who Colin looks like.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best wishes to "We Are Crusaders" readers, and everyone in Crusader Nation.

Steve Silva: All-Everything

Congratulations to HC senior gridder Steve Silva, who has won Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year!

From the release:

He becomes the first Crusader since Tom Ciaccio in 1990 to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors, and is the first Holy Cross standout to ever be named Special Teams Player of the Year.

Very well-deserved. Steve had some kind of season. And other HC players received honors:

Silva was joined on the All-Patriot League first team by senior center David Cannon (Export, Pa.) and senior tight end Luke Dugan (Maple Plain, Minn.). Four other Crusaders, junior cornerback Casey Gough (Hinsdale, Ill.), senior wide receiver Sean Gruber (Richwood, Ky.), junior punter Ryan McManaway (Ferdinand, Ind.) and junior offensive guard Andrew Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.), earned second team All-Patriot League honors.

Congratulations, guys!

Torey Thomas: Leader

As an addendum to my Josh Kramer post, I don't mean to imply that this year's men's basketball team doesn't have a vocal leader. Sure, it's always nice to have a fiery player like Josh. But I believe this is Torey Thomas's team. He's a born leader. How many students, never mind Division One basketball players, are resident assistants by their sophomore year? Now a junior, Torey is the captain of this ship, at least in this fan's opinion.

California Dreamin'

Remember this scene from the Lafayette men's hoops game at Hart in 2004? It's former Crusader Josh Kramer, sulking on the floor after the buzzer sounded, after he missed a last-second jumper that would have sent the game to a second OT.

Well, Josh is now playing NAIA basketball on full scholarship at Concordia University in Irvine, CA. And although he's gone from Holy Cross, you could argue his absence is being felt. I know, he's gone and it's the past. But right now, it's hard to make a case that the HC men's basketball team couldn't use (a) a body like his to take some charges and bang around in the post, and (b) a vocal personality like his (remember all the Curry comparisons?)

In Crosschat during the William and Mary game, I suggested that HC could use a guy like Kramer. A regular Crossports poster replied, advising, "Don't overrate Kramer." Well, perhaps I am "overrating" him, but if he wasn't a good player, why did Ralph have him on the floor in the final minutes of close, crucial back-to-back home PL games in 2004? That's an interesting thought in light of recent sentiment that "it's not who starts, it's who finishes."

(As an aside, Josh should've been in line with the rest of his teammates, shaking hands with the Leopard players when this picture was taken. I remember a few Laf players looking over at Josh at that moment. He eventually got up and joined the line, but kind of late. I remember thinking it looked a little disrespectful.)

Congrats HC Football!

Before it becomes "old news," I have to pass along hearty congratulations to Coach Tom Gilmore, the coaching staff and managers, and all the players for a winning Holy Cross football season!

At the pre-season get-together with Coach Gilmore at Funky Murphy's on Shrewsbury Street, my friend and occasional Crossports poster "Jim" told HC Athletic Director Dick Regan that he thought HC would win seven games this year. Dick shouted over to Coach Gilmore, saying, "Hey Tom, this guy here already has you losing four games!" Everyone got some laughs from that, but Jim's seven-win prediction wasn't far off.

Fifth-year seniors Steve Silva (pictured) and Luke Dugan were a big part of the team's turnaround. Hopefully Steve will get his deserved consideration for the Payton Award.

And let's not forget senior QB John O'Neil, from White Plains, NY, who may be, statistically at least, the third-best quarterback to play at Holy Cross. He's played through injuries for the better part of two seasons, and had some rough spots in his senior year, so I'm happy he's able to walk away a winner.

And They Rage On

Just in case anyone's wondering, the nightclub Rage isn't advertising only on HC football broadcasts. I also heard their ad during this weekend's WTAG broadcasts of Holy Cross men's and women's basketball games, right in the mix with Al's Oil, JJ's Sports Bar, Sullivan Group and many other businesses.

First eyewitness report from VA

So Sader81 has provided the first eyewitness account of the men's hoops team's opening win over High Point in the William & Mary Tournament. What we really need to know, however, is did the guys shave their heads for this game, a la last year's opener at Boston University? (Photo credit to Annie.)

Or, God forbid, did they come out for the game wearing those goofy headbands that we saw in Indy against Marquette? Loved the solidarity, disliked the look. And Tim Szatko can some day tell his grandkids that he once played against NBA star Dwyane Wade. "Here, wanna see the picture?"

Same Hair Stylist?

Freshman HC hoopster Kathy Gruzynski (left) and senior Sarah Placek got a two-for-one deal at the hair salon when prepping for the team photos.

Meeting My Title IX Requirements

Ok, HC1843, here you go. Background: I created a "starting lineup" picture for the HC men's hoops team, and posted it in a men's hoops thread on the Crossports message board. It's the same picture shown at the bottom of my earlier post in this blog.

'43 jokingly wondered where my picture of the women's lineup was. So here it is. And they're off to a fine start to the 2005-06 season!

Gay Club Advertising on HC Football 'casts?

I haven't listened to many HC football broadcasts on WTAG 580AM this year, because I've attended all the home games, plus the Delaware game, and watched the Lehigh game on TV. I've had conflicts for a couple of the other road games.

But one WTAG advertiser surprised me today. It's not the usual Hair Doctor, optician, or Sullivan Group that we're used to hearing from. It's Worcester's gay nightclub, Rage. Have they been advertising all season?

Rage has been expanding their advertising presence in the mainstream media recently. I've seen them on various Charter cable channels, and heard their ad during a Pats radio broadcast on affiliate station 100.1 FM The Pike. But somehow I didn't expect they'd advertise during HC football games.

Of course they have as much a right as any business to advertise and expand their customer base. You'd have to be living under a rock to think their target audience consists only of hairdressers and interior decorators. So the folks at Rage are advertising to the local gay fans of college and pro football, an audience that does exist.

One Day 'til Tipoff!

Holy Cross Crusader basketball tips off Friday night! The Ralph Willard-led squad faces High Point in the William & Mary Tip-Off Classic, in Williamsburg, VA. The Crusaders are coming off a 25-win season highlighted by a win at Notre Dame in the postseason NIT. My pal "Non Alum Dave" and Crossports poster "lou" are among the Crusader fans who'll be in attendance. Wish I could be there! Go Cross!

There was significant discussion over on the HC message board speculating about the Opening Day starting lineup. In a big revelation, the Holy Cross pre-game notes list freshman forward Alex Vander Baan as the starting forward. This isn't a surprise to me, of course. I predicted either he or fellow frosh Lawrence Dixon would draw the starting spot at the forward position. Vander Baan, from Uxbridge, MA (Whitinsville Christian), is the truer forward (Dixon is more of a 2-3), so Alex has apparently received the nod. Sophomore center Tim Clifford, from Walpole, MA, whom many fans expected to start, will come off the bench and play significant minutes in the paint.

I agree with many fans who believe the starting lineup itself doesn't matter too much. This team is athletic and versatile, and Clifford, Dixon and guard Pat Doherty will have critical bench roles.

This game against High Point will be an excellent gauge for the season. I think HC should smoke this team. We'll know soon enough.

Genesis

I originally included Holy Cross content in my other blog, Three-Wide Off Four, but realized HC fans probably have little interest in the NASCAR content, and the NASCAR visitors probably don't care about Holy Cross athletics (although of course, they should.)

So I now have two blogs. Look for some different things here than I'd typically post over on the message board on Crossports. Go Crusaders!