tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21169094.post4646520268594628000..comments2023-10-21T22:50:57.669-04:00Comments on Villanova Viewpoint: An Updated History of the Holy War - The Villanova / St. Joseph's Rivalry Resumes at the Palestra TonightVillanova Viewpoint Publisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04626480031009448915noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21169094.post-8684000298432824782009-12-10T16:52:37.730-05:002009-12-10T16:52:37.730-05:00Hello, Seamus-
Thanks very much for the extended ...Hello, Seamus-<br /><br />Thanks very much for the extended comment. Some thoughts-<br /><br />It is good to give the lower-profile sports some credit, as the athletes are no less accomplished and don't have the adulation that comes with being on the hoops squad.<br /><br />That '97 team with Boden was an awesome team, and it had a legitimate shot at winning the entire tournament. Hopefully, the football Wildcats will bring us a win over William & Mary on Friday, in what will undoubtedly be some very chilly temperatures on the Main Line...<br /><br /><b>Go Wildcats!</b>Villanova Viewpoint Publisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04626480031009448915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21169094.post-91794701710362625962009-12-10T01:51:22.804-05:002009-12-10T01:51:22.804-05:00Terrific game. Enjoyed watching it. Typical Big Fi...Terrific game. Enjoyed watching it. Typical Big Five brawl. Nice summary of the history.<br /><br />I need somewhere to laud the wonderful accomplishments of two Villanova teams this year: football and women’s cross country. Glad to be able to use Villanova Viewpoint.<br /><br />First the football team – 12-1 and into the FCS semi-finals against William and Mary on Friday night, with Andy Talley garnering CAA Coach of the Year Honors and AFCA Regional Coach of the Year (for I think the fifth time). He’s also a candidate for the Eddie Robinson award, symbolic of national coach of the year, an honor he’s already earned once. <br /><br />He has assembled a great team and it is superbly schooled by the coaching squad. I’ve been happy to watch it twice on national television. I see more than I want to of PAC-10 football these days and I am struck by how well coached our guys are compared to these BCS teams. We belong on the same field as a lot of these teams talent- and coaching-wise and I am not at all surprised that we beat bowl-bound Temple early in the year. <br /><br />The Boden-led team of ’97 (which was ranked #1 for I think ten weeks that year) broke my heart when it lost to eventual national champion Youngstown at Villanova. The 2002 team that lost in the semi-finals was also a fabulous team, led by Drew Gordon. I’m beginning to suspect this team is the best of them all and may be better suited to playing at this time of year. Excellent defense combined with a fabulous ground attack simply destroyed New Hampshire last weekend. It’s nice to be able to run the ball amidst high winds, cold and snow. Babbaro, Whitney, Szcur and Ball are a load and if we need to turn to the air, Whitney and Antwan Young can get the job done. I think if Whitney gets tired of quarterbacking, he might want to give middle linebacker a shot. Should be a good game with William and Mary, which will be loaded for bear to revenge their earlier defeat.<br /><br />The women? What can you say? National champs! That’s what you can say. Five women earn All-America status in the NCAA finals and run away with the team title – Amanda Marino in sixth place Sheila Reid, 13th; Bogdana Mimic, 22nd; Ali Smith, 24th; and Nicole Schappert, 26th. Team scoring just adds up the place of finish and the lowest total wins. Villanova’s 86 points handily outpaced runner-up Florida State’s 133. Defending champ University of Washington, favored to repeat, finished third.<br /><br />Congratulations to head coach Gina Procaccio for winning her first national championship. She was an assistant coach in 1998, when the cross country team last won a team title. I think this is the eighth team title for our cross-country women, a remarkable accomplishment, given the relative recent history of women’s track and field and cross country at Villanova (and elsewhere). And of course Procaccio has already been named Division I cross country coach of the year. Nice going. <br /><br />SeamusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com