Nov. 17, 2006
The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears each Friday from September through February and monthly from April through August. This week we tag along as the Wildcats head south to the Paradise Jam, an eight team pre-season tournament held in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Wednesday, Nov. 15
Villanova, Pa.
5:30 a.m.
The `Cats journey begins on a warm, foggy morning near the Pavilion. A coach bus is here to transport the Villanova contingent, including coaches, players, staff and a handful of staff family members to Philadelphia International Airport.
The undertaking is considerable. On this morning, manager of basketball operations Jason Donnelly and the student managers will play a pivotal role. One night earlier, managers Dan Rosci and Mike Hall, collected much of the team's luggage and drove it to a hotel near the airport. There they were met by senior associate athletics director Bob Steitz. They checked into the hotel and arose at 5 a.m. to begin the arduous task of moving 45 pieces of luggage to the ticket counter.
The drill is unusual in that this is the only scheduled flight that will not be chartered in 2006-07. The charter flights are especially helpful in allowing the group to make it back to campus hours after a road game is complete, thereby saving valuable class time for the `Cats. They also reduce the amount of planning needed to transport video and team equipment, basketballs, and other necessities of a hoops teams life.
On this occasion when the team pulled up, the luggage awaited it. Thanks to the careful planning, the group was able to rapidly check the bags and grab its boarding passes. The traveling party then moved into the line with the rest of the public to await the security screening process.
By 7:15 a.m., the team was at its gate.
"That's as quickly as I've ever moved through that line," noted head coach Jay Wright.
No sooner did Wright pass through security than was he approached by a man directing the checkpoint. He introduced himself to Wright and handed him a business card.
"He's a Villanova guy," Wright said with a laugh. "No wonder that line moved so efficiently."
Charlotte, N.C.
10:40 a.m.
Upon the arrival of the connecting flight here, Villanova's team members head off in search of food. There are roughly 30 minutes between now and the start of boarding on the squad's flight to St. Thomas so there isn't a lot of time to dawdle.
There is little in the way of dining fare in the area near the gate. Beyond a couple of newsstands and small breakfast nooks, it appears nourishment won't be easily located.
As one group searches, it passes senior Curtis Sumpter, carrying a full plate back towards the Wildcats' departure gate. When asked if there are suitable dining options nearby, his advice is succinct: "just keep walking towards the terminal. Go past the first group of places and then there are a whole lot of things."
Sure enough, a wide variety of food options awaits those willing to walk a few more feet. Spotted in line at one establishment are senior guard Mike Nardi and freshman forward Andrew Ott. While they await their opportunity to order, Nardi tries to answer a couple of questions from his young teammate about how the schedule of events will lay out once the club arrives in St. Thomas.
Within 20 minutes, team and staff members have returned to the gate area, with food in hand.
Road Rule No. 1: when hungry, trust the players to lead you to nourishment.
8:05 p.m.
St. Thomas
When the `Cats flight touched down here just after 4:00 p.m. local time (3:00 p.m. EST), they didn't have to look far to locate the tournament venue - it was visible as they descended the outdoor stairs on to the tarmac. The University of Virgin Islands, is located next to the airport and the gym can be spotted from the terminal.
Following a spirited practice at UVI, the team exits the gym for the ride to the resort where the team will be headquartered throughout its six-day stint here. For those expecting to see the kind of coach bus that typically transports the team on the mainland, there is a surprise: on the island the larger vehicles of choice are called "safari buses." These are essentially converted flatbed trucks, with rows of seats under a covering behind the cab. It is an open-air kind of ride that would hardly be appropriate for winter in Philadelphia.
Here, however, it offers another chance to sample the 82 degree temperatures.
The team and coaching staff climb aboard the two buses assigned to Villanova. Donnelly and Steitz have each been assigned a pair of rental vans that will be used for an array of team errands over the course of the time here. The two rental vans exit the gym and begin following the main road - ironically, Rte. 30 - towards the resort at the opposite end of the island.
This Rte. 30 is much narrower and, amazingly, congested than the more familiar version. The mountainous terrain here presents a variety of driving challenges, not the least of which is that vehicles drive on the left side of the road here (the steering wheel is located on the left side as well). Driving through the center of the island, where traffic congestion is most heavy, offers all sorts of new twists.
The good news is that the locals seem quiet patient with wandering tourists: each time a driving "turnover" is committed, a simple wave of regret from the offending party is greeted by a smile and a return wave. With so little room to navigate, it appears most have concluded road rage is simply a waste of time.
After two missed turns, the rental vans come to a fork in the road. Since the information provided indicated the resort was off Rte. 30, the choice is made to follow it. For those of you scoring at home, that would be turnover No. 3. Within minutes, the two vans are riding through twists and turns and peaks and valleys with few other vehicles or, signs of life apparent.
Donnelly and his passenger decide they have seen enough. A call is placed to a tournament contact and it turns out that the group has chosen unwisely. Donnelly flashes his high beams to alert Steitz and the two vans pull off and turn around. They head back to the intersection and within 10 minutes have finally, thankfully, pulled into the hotel parking lot. By this time the team has already received an official welcome and briefing from tournament organizers.
Later one van passenger will discover the name of the path they had chosen. It's a stretch of asphalt the local populace refers to as "The Road to Nowhere."
GPS anyone?
Thursday, Nov. 16 11:00 a.m.
The day dawns with bright sunshine and warm temperatures. The Wildcats convene in a hotel room for a late breakfast before beginning the day's preparations for Friday's encounter with the College of Charleston. After a 90-minute break where the team enjoys some free time - those hoping to soak up a little sun are disappointed by some rain showers - the contingent boards the safari buses for a 10-minute ride to a local high school for practice.
Practice begins at 2:00 p.m. About 20 minutes later, strength and conditioning coach Jeff Watson is outside inspecting a ropes course that seems to have been neglected of late. As he begins walking back towards the entrance to the gym, a loud noise is heard. It could well have been a car backfiring but when he takes a look inside, he notes that the lights in the gym are now out. Only the scoreboards and a few windows provide light.
The `Cats, though, don't miss a beat. Practice continues without interruption. Within minutes, the lights begin flickering and after 10 minutes pass, there is no evidence of a power surge, the apparent cause of trouble.
By 4:00 p.m., Villanova has completed its work and heads back to the resort.
6:45 p.m.
The "Basketball Travelers", the group which organizes and runs the event, is hosting a welcome party for all eight clubs at "Paradise Point", which is said to be among the highest points on the island with a spectacular view. Team members and staff board the omnipresent safari buses for a drive past "Al Cohen's Mall" and up part of the mountain to a parking lot.
Awaiting the `Cats crew is a gondola, to take the group up the mountain to a restaurant atop the mountain. There are three gondola cabs, holding no more than seven people at a time. The view is indeed incredible as the gondolas rise up the mountainside. Passengers can see two huge cruise ships docked in town and other significant sites.
At the top, Villanova is treated to a presentation by the "Bird Lady", a woman who trains a collection of parakeets that ride bicycles, do simple math problems and even play "basketball." It is an entertaining 12 minutes followed by a buffet meal of chicken, steak, rice and assorted vegetables. The view overlooking the island during dinner is clearly something special.
An hour later, the group has boarded the gondolas, returned to its safari buses and taken the 15-minute ride back to its hotel. A team meeting begins shortly thereafter as Villanova begins to prepare itself for Friday: game day.
