Why We Root and Where We Go From Here
Heartbreaking Selection Sunday Ends with more Questions than Answers
I root for the Providence College Friars for 3 main reasons. First and foremost, because PC is my alma mater, and selfishly, anything positive that happens to Providence on the basketball court in some loose transient way reflects well on me (or at least that’s what I’ve convinced myself). The second reason I root for the Friars is because while I was there as a student I met numerous people that made it their mission to set me up for success in life. While some would argue I’ve done my best to squander those efforts, it’s worked! I have a good life. Many of those people are still at Providence College and I, unselfishly this time, want them to enjoy the successes that come when the basketball team performs well. The third reason is a bit more personal. As my core group of college friends inevitably drift apart by the realities of growing older, having the Friars as a common rooting interest is a great way to stay connected.
I know many of you reading this share similar reasons for rooting for this Friars, and perhaps other reasons that involve your immediate families, or your relationships with the city itself. All of those reasons are certainly legitimate, and all of them are beautiful in their own ways. The truth is you have to be a bit off kilter to live and die with a college hoops team. For reasons that would take all day to truly delve into, college basketball has become more and more of a niche, regional sport over the last two decades. But that’s also the beauty of it. We have all played a role here in building the greater Providence basketball landscape into a community of some of the most passionate people you will ever meet. For better and for worse, that passion runs a lot deeper than one Selection Sunday.
The last 72 hours have been soul crushing. The moment Josh Oduro got called for a phantom moving screen (which Kim English later took to Twitter to voice his complaints about) I knew that Marquette was going to escape a furious Providence comeback. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be back at the Big East Tournament next year, losing my voice next to generations of other Friar fans.
As other conference tournaments unfolded across the weekend and one after another ended with a ‘bid stealer’ champion, the light quickly started to fade from Providence’s chances. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t hold out hope until the very last name was called by the Selection Committee.
As we walked out of MSG Friday night and exchanged knowing glances with other Friar fans, knowing we likely came up one win short in a season that started 4 months ago, a few old timer Friar fans stopped my group and asked us the usual ‘when did you guys graduate, where are you from’ icebreaker questions that you so often get at the Big East Tournament from other strangers donning your schools colors. These four Friar fans had been supporting the Program for almost 40 years, and had graduated a decade before I was born. I asked them (a few whiskey ginger ales deep I grant you) how they keep coming back. A Program that hasn’t been to the Final 4 in 37 years, and the Elite 8 in 27. A Program with 0 national championships, 1 Big East regular season title, and 2 Big East Tournament titles in its history. A program that despite all that, is always so god damn close to breaking through. How do you keep coming back?!
“It’s in my blood. I don’t have a choice. And from the look’s of things, neither do you.”
He was right.
As soon as that ball tips of the 2024-25 season I’ll be back. Analyzing every game, every possession, and doing my part to will this team, this team, this community and this Program that I love far too much, to new heights.
So where we go from here, I guess that depends on who you ask. For Devin Carter, he’ll be on his way to the NBA as a surefire first round pick in this year’s draft. For Josh Oduro and Ticket Gaines, I suspect their basketball journey will lead them to a professional league internationally, although I wouldn’t be shocked to see Oduro bounce around and get an eventual shot with an NBA franchise. As for Kim English, after sounding off on analytics and his teams missed opportunities throughout the season last night, he’ll be coaching the players on his squad who don’t opt out against Boston College in the first round of the NIT Tournament on Tuesday night.
English’s rant on analytics will get the headlines because he used a bad word, but the most important thing he said last night was in the second clip. “We want to be firmly in the field”. Anyone reading this knows the annual feeling of refreshing bracket matrix, devoutly following the results of other bubble teams, and the general feeling of uncertainty that permeates Friartown once the calendar flips to February. I’m tired of being on the bubble. It appears that after just one season at Providence, so is Kim English.
As for the rest of the team, after the NIT run (however long that lasts) they’ll go through exit interviews and then have to make a decision for themselves whether to enter the transfer portal to look for greener pastures elsewhere, or stick with what English is building at Providence. Bryce Hopkins, Justyn Fernandez and Anton Bonke are the only players guaranteed to be back next season for the Friars, and there have been rumblings that 1 or 2 players with eligibility remaining may look elsewhere to continue their college careers. Given the production going out the door with Carter, Gaines and Oduro, English will have his work cut out for him in the portal regardless of who else decides to stay or go. Given his recent emphasis on building a roster that can ‘withstand injury’, English will realistically need to bring in 5 players from the portal for next season’s roster.
As for me, it’s time for a mini vacation! My Fiancee certainly deserves one after dealing with me living and dying with every Friars possession since November (she went to Providence as well so don’t worry, she gets it, kinda…). It’s been a long 12 months of fandom in Friartown, from a coaching change to Bryce Hopkin’s injury to falling just short of the NCAA Tournament and everything in between. If fans can’t get up again for the NIT I can’t blame you. I’m right there with you. I’ll be back in 2 weeks once the transfer portal season gets rolling, over analyzing every rumor that comes my way. Because like that man from the class of ‘84 said on the steps of MSG, I don’t have a choice.