Nov. 30, 2007
The Nova Notebook, by Villanova director of media relations Mike Sheridan, appears weekly beginning in September through February with monthly updates in the off-season with features on the men's basketball program. After a break last week while the team played in Orlando, we offer a supersized account of the Wildcats visit to the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007
5:45 p.m.
Villanova, Pa.
In the parking lot behind the Pavilion, a coach bus sits idling waiting for the Wildcats to board. The original departure time for the team's charter flight was 6:00 p.m. but air traffic at Philadelphia International Airport has delayed takeoff for at least an hour. What promised to be a frantic dash for the athletes following practice into a quick shower and on to the bus, is now a more relaxed departure.
As the team completes its afternoon workout on its new practice court inside the Davis Center for Athletics and Fitness, the other parts of the Villanova Basketball operation are hard at work to insure the team's exit goes smoothly. Manager of basketball operations Jason Donnelly is in charge of all of the details. During practice, he is on the telephone with the operators of the aircraft company as well as Villanova's Travel Coordinator, Jennifer Burns.
Near the bus, the student managers are charged with the task of packing the essentials on to the bus. This includes video equipment; basketballs; practice gear; home and road uniforms; as well as a host of other elements. And that doesn't include the travel bags of each player and a larger than normal traveling party. By the time they are finished, the luggage compartments of a large coach bus and a smaller 20-seat van are packed to the brim.
Graduate managers Mark McLintick and Adam Fisher are Donnelly's chief deputies in this enterprise. Students Mike Hall, Dan Rosci and Joe Bianco will accompany the team to Florida. The rest of the student staff, including Jake Becker, Matt Cahill, Andrew Duffy, Drew Flanagan, and Colin Liberatore lends a hand in the hours leading up to the departure.
One of their tasks is to see that the food delivery which will serve as dinner for the team on the way to the airport is complete. For the past few seasons, that task belonged to the remarkably efficient Courtney Scrib, who has since graduated to become part of the Villanova Basketball office staff. On this day Becker is in charge of it all. Each player and staff member's choice of sandwich is laid out on a shelf in the Pavilion Press Room.
Once the group has donned its travel gear, grabbed its dinner and found a seat on the bus, it is finally off to the airport.
6:45 p.m.
The Wildcats plane is located on the tarmac just off the Atlantic Aviation headquarters. The buses pull into a parking lot with late model, high end vehicles as far as the eye can see. This is the same launching point used by Philadelphia's professional teams and it does not lack for quality automobiles when those squads are out of town.
On one of the year's busiest travel weekends, the Wildcats are delighted to be traveling by charter. In contrast to the long lines awaiting many flying commercially on the holiday, Villanova's group is checked through and on board the airplane in less than 30 minutes. By 7:30 p.m., the plane is airborne and headed south.
It is more than mere convenience, however.
"These flights are really helpful to our players," states Wright of the flights, whose cost is funded through external donations. "Most importantly, they reduce the amount of class time we miss and allow us to return immediately following the game."
This trip exemplifies that. Had the Wildcats flown commercially, they may have been forced to leave earlier on the final day of classes before Thanksgiving break in order to be in Florida for the opening of tournament events. As it was, they completed classes, practiced and were in Orlando en route to the site by 10 p.m. There will be an even larger benefit on the return: with the tournament final not ending until after 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, it would have been impossible to schedule a commercial flight that could have returned the `Cats to campus in time for Monday morning classes.
Thanks to the charter, Villanova will be back on campus before 2:00 a.m. Monday morning.
Wednesday, Nov. 21
7:40 p.m.
On the eve of the tournament, ESPN hosts an event at the MGM Studios lot at Walt Disney World for the eight teams along with coaching and support staffs. A buffet dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and vegetables is the main course for more than 500 people. Five tables of 10 are assigned to each team and when the meal is complete, each group is invited to a walk through MGM's downtown. The attraction has been closed to the public and is available only to the teams and their traveling parties.
When it is Villanova's turn, the `Cats are led through a Christmas light show in "Manhattan". As they turn the corner of one street, "snow" begins to fall.
At the end of the walk, the team is photographed with Mickey Mouse and is then invited to sample a couple of the park's more notable roller coaster rides. Most of the group eagerly does so.
By 10 p.m., everyone is back on the bus headed towards the sprawling resort which houses all eight of the teams. It's time for basketball.
Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007 10:45 p.m.
While fans and friends celebrate a 76-68 victory over UCF in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic at the Milk House, the work of the basketball staff has only begun. Tipoff for the second semifinal is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Friday, meaning there are approximately 19 hours to tipoff.
That means the heat is on two of Villanova's newest staff members, assistant coach Doug West and video coordinator Keith Urgo. West drew the assignment of being the primary scout of George Mason, which earns a spot opposite Villanova with a win over Kansas State that ends after 11:30 p.m. While the fact that he was able to watch them live against KSU - something the NCAA permits only during tournaments - is a plus. But there is little time to compress it all into a detailed scouting report that can be presented to Wright and, ultimately, the team.
Urgo is in a similar bind. The first order of business is to process the tape of that night's Villanova game for Wright and the coaching staff to study. Once Wright views it, he generally touches base with Urgo to request certain video highlights that can be used to emphasize a particular point he wishes to bring to the team's attention.
Later, there will be "attitude" tapes and "pump" tapes to produce for the team to watch together. These are designed to highlight those Wildcats who have performed exceptionally well in the gritty parts of the game the staff values and are generally set to the musical choice of the "attitude club" champion for that game. (In this instance it was sophomore center Casiem Drummond).
The next day, Wright points that all out to the `Cats.
"You should know all of the work that people were doing to help get us ready for George Mason," he says. "The coaches were putting the scouting report together most of the night. Keith Urgo was up the whole time working on tapes. The managers were racing around to get the uniforms washed. It's important that you get your rest, but we should appreciate that there are a lot of people around here doing all kinds of things to help us be prepared for this game."
Friday, Nov. 23, 2007
8:20 p.m.
With its berth in the championship secured with a tough 84-76 victory over George Mason, the `Cats return to the hotel meeting room that has been their gathering place for much of the past few days.
There is a buffet meal with plenty of food. The athletes file back into the room one by one after showering and grab some dinner.
After speaking with Donnelly about the team's schedule for Saturday - an off day - Wright solicits the input of captains Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark, Dante Cunningham, and Scottie Reynolds. It is decided that there will be no formal gathering until the team boards a bus at 1:30 to depart for the Magic Kingdom.
Slowly, the Wildcats file back towards their rooms and a well-earned night of sleep.
Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007
2:15 p.m.
The Wildcats have been given some time to sample Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Once inside the park, they are free to roam as they choose but they elect to stick together and head for Space Mountain, the venerable interior roller coaster that has thrilled customers for the better part of 30 years. Before long, the team is charging up a ramp, some more eagerly than others.
Inside there is darkness everywhere, save for a few lights in the "sky." The `Cats wait patiently so they can go as a group. The contingent jumps into the cars, with men like Andrew Ott and Drummond doing their best to fit inside the vehicle. All manage to do so.
Reynolds and Reggie Redding are in the last car. As the ride begins, Reynolds can be heard to shout all the pet phrases of Villanova basketball. It makes for an entertaining few minutes.
At ride's end, Drummond has forever forsworn roller coasters. But mostly there are smiles as the crew heads past the daily Disney parade - Prince Charming is in the center of it all - and towards Splash Mountain. There tournament organizers have arranged for another ride the thrill seekers among the `Cats crave. Anderson is last seen with his hands clasped together in prayer but the laughs and smiles go well with the drenched t-shirts.
It's then time to return to the transportation center for the ride back to the resort for a quick change of clothes and a first class meal at a nearby restaurant. By 11:00 p.m., the `Cats have their Magic Kingdom memories tucked away and the focus shifts to the matchup with N.C. State.
Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007
11:02 p.m.
By the time the basketball team reaches its charter flight, the other members of the traveling party are already seated. It is a rather quiet cabin as the Wildcats process the disappointing final seconds that resulted in a 69-68 loss to the Wolfpack.
Yet there is a sense, echoed in Wright's words to the media before the team departed the Milk House, of strides made over the course of the weekend.
"It didn't end the way we would have hoped for it to," he told the media, "but we learned a lot about ourselves. None of our mistakes were caused by lack of effort. We have things we need to improve on but I like the progress we have made."
Shortly before 2 a.m., the `Cats are back on campus, ready to apply the lessons of the weekend to the rest of 2007-08.
