Great sellout, enthusiastic crowd of Tribe men's basketball fans last night
at Governor's Land clubhouse overlooking James River to celebrate this season's W&M team. Overflow crowd took up an adjoining dining room so everyone could be seated.

Wonderful farewell remarks from Sean and Terry that brought tears to both guys and standing ovations.

Tony's remarks highlighted pride coaching staff felt for this team and their achievement of a third consecutive 20-win season.

Highlight video of the past season brought oohs and ahs from audience.

Best part of the evening was the chance to talk with players and their families. W&M can be proud of these young men.

A few facts gleamed from conversations with many of players, coaches,
and player families:

*Tarpey and Sheldon headed to play in Europe after graduation. Terry to play as French citizen to take advantage of his dual US-French citizenship
and therefore not count as one of two Americans each European team permits on squad.

*Connor Birchfield kind of overwhelmed by ESPN coverage and has heard
from many people about it. Coach Shaver referred to him as "now the most famous three-point shooter in the land."

*Both incoming freshman players will be at W&M summer school.

*Coaches continuing to look at possible transfers but "nothing in the works right now."

*I didn't speak to one player who wanted to play in any of the "pay-in"
tournaments. Several, in fact, referred to needing to catch up on
their classroom work instead. One, Sheldon, spent the time teaching fifth-graders as part of qualifying credit towards his education degree (he has a double major along with physiology).

*Rowley and Birchfield already spending time in the weight room to build up and add 10-15 pounds.

(04-09-2016 07:34 AM)BigTribe2 Wrote:  *I didn't speak to one player who wanted to play in any of the "pay-in"
tournaments. Several, in fact, referred to needing to catch up on
their classroom work instead. One, Sheldon, spent the time teaching fifth-graders as part of qualifying credit towards his education degree (he has a double major along with physiology).

Thanks for this tidbit!

Rowley won the "Kraze" award, given in honor of John Kratzer, for inspirational leadership. Well deserved!!!

It was a fun evening...a good reminder of what we do right in Tribe Athletics.

Thanks for the feedback BT.

It was also great to see about 20 previous Tribe players there. They introduced themselves and told us what they are up to.

Brandon Britt was just accepted into the MBA program. Jim Kaplan used to be 6'7"--so did Doug Howard.

I think Tony said in his remarks that we have been invited to post-season tournaments three years in a row.

(04-09-2016 08:06 AM)wmmii Wrote:  

(04-09-2016 07:34 AM)BigTribe2 Wrote:  *I didn't speak to one player who wanted to play in any of the "pay-in"
tournaments. Several, in fact, referred to needing to catch up on
their classroom work instead. One, Sheldon, spent the time teaching fifth-graders as part of qualifying credit towards his education degree (he has a double major along with physiology).

Thanks for this tidbit!

I think it is remarkable, and to the credit of the coaches and players, that they have the discipline in publicly following, and articulating, the company line on this issue. It's a very admirable trait.

Three days in Las Vegas playing basketball, and having fun, one last time as a team with no pressure, or catching up on classes? 18-22 year olds want to do the latter? Seniors want to do the latter? Times have changed.

Not ... buying ... it.

Too many former Tribe athletes have stories and knowledge of the "frugality" of the Department in the past, and this doesn't wash.

Glad it was a great affair. Good for the players, families, and coaches.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Sean said in his remarks that he wanted to transfer during his freshman year. He spoke with Shaver and Driscoll about it and they told him he had to wait until he finished his freshman year. He then said he is very glad he did. Both he and Terry spoke a lot about the closeness of the players and that they are truly a second family.

(04-09-2016 07:30 PM)nj alum Wrote:  

(04-09-2016 08:06 AM)wmmii Wrote:  

(04-09-2016 07:34 AM)BigTribe2 Wrote:  *I didn't speak to one player who wanted to play in any of the "pay-in"
tournaments. Several, in fact, referred to needing to catch up on
their classroom work instead. One, Sheldon, spent the time teaching fifth-graders as part of qualifying credit towards his education degree (he has a double major along with physiology).

Thanks for this tidbit!

I think it is remarkable, and to the credit of the coaches and players, that they have the discipline in publicly following, and articulating, the company line on this issue. It's a very admirable trait.

Three days in Las Vegas playing basketball, and having fun, one last time as a team with no pressure, or catching up on classes? 18-22 year olds want to do the latter? Seniors want to do the latter? Times have changed.

Not ... buying ... it.

Too many former Tribe athletes have stories and knowledge of the "frugality" of the Department in the past, and this doesn't wash.

Glad it was a great affair. Good for the players, families, and coaches.

I'm with you on this one. Players want to play, compete, see new things. We should not even think of recruiting guys who don't have this attribute.

Fact is we didn't speak to one player who was in favor of the pay-in "tourneys". Sean had to, for one example,
teach those two weeks to fifth graders for credit towards his teaching degree (he is a double major in education and physiology and is hoping, eventually, to earn a masters and then a doctorate). Much as some moan and groan about not playing, these guys are serious students and saw little to gain from playing in these
events.

And the Columbia players? Did you talk to them? Are you inferring that they are not serious students?

C'mon man! An Ivy team, with a small hoops history, got all home games and won a post-season tournament. Columbia seized an opportunity.

I'm not moaning and groaning. I just happen to hold a different opinion.

We're not a P5, which means little chance of an at large to the NCAA or NIT.

We're a "have not" who chooses not to participate in the CIT, CBI, and Vegas.

We're being boxed in, AND boxing ourselves in. Not a good place to be.

And another thing :-)

Who do you think we are?

Maybe, just maybe, some of us graduated with double majors, got a post-graduate degree, and played a varsity sport that, back in those days, ran from September to Thanksgiving (weather permitting), and then January to April. As for missing classes, maybe, just maybe, some of us missed five straight Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes due to five road games on those days.

I get it if people look down on the CIT, CBI, Vegas. I view it as an opportunity, nothing more, nothing less. Our program doesn't get many "opportunities" in today's set up.

Sorry for the rant! :-)

And one!

(04-12-2016 06:40 PM)ocfrank Wrote:  And one!

What happened to SoCal Frank?!

(04-13-2016 04:02 PM)hktribefan Wrote:  

(04-12-2016 06:40 PM)ocfrank Wrote:  And one!

What happened to SoCal Frank?!

He moved to Ocean City, MD.

(04-14-2016 04:35 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(04-13-2016 04:02 PM)hktribefan Wrote:  

(04-12-2016 06:40 PM)ocfrank Wrote:  And one!

What happened to SoCal Frank?!

He moved to Ocean City, MD.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
You are kidding, right?

(04-14-2016 08:58 AM)62Indian Wrote:  

(04-14-2016 04:35 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(04-13-2016 04:02 PM)hktribefan Wrote:  

(04-12-2016 06:40 PM)ocfrank Wrote:  And one!

What happened to SoCal Frank?!

He moved to Ocean City, MD.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
You are kidding, right?

Would I kid?

(04-14-2016 09:02 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(04-14-2016 08:58 AM)62Indian Wrote:  

(04-14-2016 04:35 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(04-13-2016 04:02 PM)hktribefan Wrote:  

(04-12-2016 06:40 PM)ocfrank Wrote:  And one!

What happened to SoCal Frank?!

He moved to Ocean City, MD.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
You are kidding, right?

Would I kid?

Rhetorical questions just

He has morphed into another Tribster. OC is an aphorism for Orange County.

(04-14-2016 03:13 PM)ocfrank Wrote:  He has morphed into another Tribster. OC is an aphorism for Orange County.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orange County is in Southern California - keerect?

The OC is one of the five most populated counties in the country. Median housing price is 650k+ located just south of LA County.