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Arizona Daily Wildcat February 26, 1997
Thoughts on Internet name calling
I'm not much for the Internet. I'm old fashioned, I like a good newspaper. Besides, I can get through entire sections before my computer can link to a page. However, the other day I ventured on to the web to do something more than check on my fantasy basketball team. I checked in at the site for the Daily Wildcat online version and discovered a little feature called "Wildcat Chat."It seemed pretty interesting at first glance. I always here about those seedy people who sit around their house naked all day and talk on their computers. I was in the office, though, so I was fully dressed.
The chat room was filled with posts by people from Philadelphia who are still bitter that Arizona's basketball team canceled its trip to play St. Joseph's last year. I couldn't believe it. Some of these people are a little crazy, too. One guy said Lute Olson had no balls and that the clock was ticking on Arizona. He said if we met them in the NCAA Tournament, we'd get knocked out.
By St. Joseph's. What, are you kidding me?!
The Hawks entered the Associated Press Top 25 this week for the first time since 1973. Arizona has appeared in over 160 consecutive regular season polls.
St. Joe's is a team that hasn't even been to the Tournament since 1986. Arizona - by my count, but you can check my math - has made two trips to the Final Four in that time. Oh, and Arizona has been to the Tournament every year since 1985.
Another guy said that St. Joe's coach Phil Martelli is a genius. If I had to coach a team that had Fordham and St. Bonaventure on the schedule twice a year, I'd look like a genius, too.
This Martelli guy had some unkind words for Lute Olson last year. But I get the feeling that had Arizona gone to that game, Reggie Geary and Co. would have tallied a lot of unkind dunks on the heads of St. Joe's players.
The student newspaper at St. Joe's was calling last night's game with UMass "the game of the century." No, seriously, they did. Well, they won. The beat a Marcus camby-less UMass team. Hurrah, let's have a parade.
But it must have been the game of the century. Hey, UMass, a team without its best player ever - save for that guy they call Dr. J - and its best coach ever, is certainly an achievement for a team that can't even get press in a town with the 76ers and the Phillies.
Then there was the guy who tried to convince me that Philadelphia is a great city. Okay, I enjoy a nice, greasy cheesesteak, but in Arizona it's 70 degrees in February. I'm wearing shorts and sandals and the girls are wearing even less.
And the only thing I've ever had to shovel myself out from under is the B.S. coming from St. Joe's fans.
Sports editor Craig Degel shares his thoughts on sports and life every Wednesday in the Wildcat.
