Blue and White Tears

More than 24 hours have passed, yet I still can’t breathe. I feel as if someone administered a wicked knee to my package. Believe me, this hurt, as back in 5th grade my “friend” Jean Claude Van Dammed my junk for hiding his gym shorts. Yeah, I haven’t forgot about that, Dan. Ironically enough, old Danny seems to once again have played a role in my inability to normally inhale and exhale. Reason being, he’s a Buckeye, as in Ohio State, as in the team that just ripped away my, and Muskie Nation’s, joyous elation of proceeding to the Sweet 16 like Chris Hansen greeting a pedophile.

I’m not even going to talk about the questionable calls or the mediocre offensive effort, when it seemingly mattered most, Xavier rose beyond the occasion and played with the hearts of giants. Win or lose, no one would have mistook them for the better team, but on this particular day they were better.

What they lacked in talent, they more than made up for with resolve, drive, and passion. These immeasurable traits aren’t exclusive to the Davids of college basketball, but are ignited by the Goliaths’ arrogance. Whether it was personal because of who State’s coach is, or personal pride, the X-men had the game with 9 seconds left despite having no business even being in the game.
But that’s why games last 40 minutes and not 39 minutes and 51 seconds. So there was Senior Justin Cage at the free-throw line with 9 ticks to go, after having a career game. His first attempt was money and put X up by 3. His second rimmed out and the rebound was snatched by State’s Ivan Harris. The door had been left open just a crack, and that’s all a thief needs.

Harris outlets to Conley Jr., Conley Jr. passes to Ron Lewis, and with 25 feet and no conscious separating him from the basket, Lewis arches the rock toward the rim, with the decisive power that would separately devastate and ignite the two sides of the battlefield. One shot, like the bullet in Aaron Burr’s gun, whether it hit its destination would be the difference between life and death. Salvation or damnation, decided by a youth of a nation (we are, we are). Time had no choice but to stand still as that hopeful sphere of despair soared toward its target, until…….

BOOM! went the dynamite. The game was tied, but it might as well have been a 4-pointer. X’s hearts were crossed and spirits broken. The promised sudden death would be executed. The bullet pierced their abdomen; there was no way Alexander Hamilton could survive. The extra 5 minutes were nothing more than a victory lap for State. The battle was over, along with the collective hopes of Xavier fans, the season, and careers. But in this moment, I was proud, proud of my alma mater, to be a Musketeer, and of the valiant effort of these warriors. Long live the Republic, for which it stands.