Nov. 24, 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 offer the second and final entry of our Paradise Jam travel diary, compiled as the `Cats completed a 2-1 visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this week.
Saturday, Nov. 18
St. Thomas
3:05 p.m.
After a light practice at a nearby high school the Wildcats and other members of the official travel party convene at a dock adjacent to the resort at which the team is lodged. A catamaran waits to take the group on a 90-minute expedition on the Atlantic Ocean towards a reef where the boat will drop anchor and allow its occupants to snorkel.
At lunch a short while earlier, head coach Jay Wright emphasized the team bonding aspect of the trip to his squad.
"It's something we will do together as a family," he said.
The first order of business prior to boarding the craft is to drop one's footwear into laundry baskets. This is a barefoot cruise and the shoes and sandals never reach the sea.
Soon the catamaran has shoved off and begins a brisk 20-minute ride to a reef visible from the beach near the resort. As the craft nears the reef, a crew member operates the anchor, dropping it into the water so that the business of snorkeling can begin. A stairwell is dropped into the water and masks and fins are distributed to all those interested in participating.
One dilemma is that some of the taller `Cats have difficulty finding fins that fit their feet. Several "super-sized" fins are located and awarded to the tallest athletes.
"We're just not used to having this many people this tall out here," explains one of the crew.
A short lesson on the basics of snorkeling is provided before anyone hits the water. Do not tighten the strap on your mask too tightly. Keep the mask in place so that water does not leak in. Breathe through your mouth, not the nose. And be sure to inflate your life vest with a bit of air.
When the crew member completes her lessons, she asks if there are any questions.
"What's the signal if you get in trouble," someone asks.
Hands above the head is the response.
Soon, all but a handful of the travel party is in the water. Assistant coach Ed Pinckney stays on board to supervise along with several players and this observer - participatory journalism is not a hallmark of the Notebook.
The majority of Villanova's team is in for the duration. Seniors Ross Condon, Mike Nardi, Will Sheridan and Curtis Sumpter spend virtually all of the available time in the water. Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, Bilal Benn and Reggie Redding take full advantage of the opportunity too.
Joining them for a brief period was sophomore forward Frank Tchuisi, who mentioned that he has only limited exposure to swimming. On the ride out his anxiety level appeared to be quite high. Yet he donned a pair of day-glow green fins and took the plunge. If he isn't quite ready to make a run at joining the Villanova swim team, he did confront his fears with courage.
By 5:00 p.m., the group has returned to the dock, with many smiles visible as they reclaim their footwear.
Sunday, Nov. 19
9:00 a.m.
This day begins with a Mass conducted by university president Rev. Peter Donohue, O.S.A. in a hotel ballroom at the resort. Also present are his predecessor as university president, Rev. Edmund J. Dobbin, O.S.A., vice-president Rev. William McGuire, O.S.A., and vice-president Rev. John Stack, O.S.A., who is also filling in for Rev. Rob Hagan, O.S.A. as team chaplain.
Villanova friends and family are also out in force. The event is sponsored by the university's alumni association, represented here by Eric Quisenberry of the alumni office, and is followed by a brunch, which serves as the breakfast for the team.
It's a morning filled with some of the most basic elements of Villanova basketball: the Catholic faith in the Augustinian tradition, amazing support from many fans who traveled far to reach this spot and ample supplies of hoops chat looking ahead to the semifinals that night.
"It's great for our young guys to see some of the things that make Villanova such a special place," says Wright of the event later that day.
2:30 p.m.
As the team makes its way in one of the omnipresent safari buses to an area high school for practice, word arrives that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was carted off the field in the second period of the game against Tennessee. More than a few staff members are chagrined to hear this news, including Wright.
Is it a harbinger that this is not to be a great day for representatives of Philadelphia?
Unfortunately, it appears to be. Villanova builds a 25-18 lead in the first half but a veteran Xavier squad picked to win the Atlantic Ten, rallies behind the work of Stanley Burrell and escapes with a 71-66 win. The Wildcats will face Iowa in the third place game on Monday.
"Give Xavier credit," says Wright. "They made the big plays and we just weren't able to guard Burrell."
Monday, Nov. 20
St. Thomas
Game time against the Hawkeyes is 7:00 p.m. When manager of basketball operations Jason Donnelly asks a tournament official if it is wise to leave early, given the daily exodus of tourists through the central part of the island as the visiting cruise ships set sail in the late afternoon, he is told it would be unnecessary. So the two vans and one mini-van carrying the team and coaches, embark at 5:00 p.m. for the arena.
Five minutes into the ride, they are gridlocked.
In one car, Pinckney, riding in the front passenger seat, asks Joe the driver to turn the radio on. He happily complies. Yet his program of choice is a political debate centered on the issues confronting the island's taxi drivers. The Virgin Islands answer to "Taxicab Confessions", rated G for general audiences, plays for the next 40 minutes.
Finally, the congestion on the road clears and the `Cats are in the arena, in time to watch Toledo hold off VCU in the event's fifth place contest.
Alas, thanks to a sensational effort by the `Cats, the ride back to the resort later that night is far more pleasant than the previous one. Sparked by Curtis Sumpter's 26 points, VU glides to an 89-60 victory over Iowa.
As he prepares for the final, Xavier radio color analyst Byron Larkin, a former All-American, pays close attention to Sumpter.
"I can't believe he had two ACL surgeries," Larkin marveled.
Tuesday, Nov. 21
9:30 a.m.
With competition complete, the beach becomes the location of choice for the `Cats, who saw little of it while preparing for action this weekend. The area is filled with Villanova athletes who take a few hours to soak up some sun and enjoy the crashing waves of the warm water.
Later in the afternoon, the team and most of those who followed it here, will be on their way back to Philadelphia. But for the Wildcats, this was a particularly valuable experience.
"This was great for us," noted Wright. "We spent a lot of time together as a team and played three games against good competition. It was a great experience in a lot of ways."
