Saints in Cards’ Sights

Posted: March 22nd, 2009 | Filed under: Ruminations | No Comments »

To paraphrase one of the great quotes from Louisville tournament lore, Siena must be “one of them academic schools.” Knowing fans recognize that Milt Wagner was talking about Drexel back when, but the same might apply.

Ronald Moore, the Saints jet-footed point guard, the guy who hit a trey to get them to OT against Ohio State on Friday then another for the win, the guy with a 4-1 assist to TO ratio, the guy who is going to test Andre McGee’s new found fame as America’s best defender, that Ronald Moore, likes to read. His favorite book: The Great Gatsby. Which is only the great American novel.

Which is to point out that Siena may be one of them academic schools — thank you, Milt — but they can also ball.

Frankly, Ohio State, home court advantage they would have had and all, would have been a walkover. The Cards press would have turned the Buckeyes into mashed mush by halftime. But, as things happen in the NCAA, Louisville has to face the most menacing #9 seed in the Dance.

You only play who you have to play.

Several other tidbits about the Saints for you to munch on during what will probably be a nail biter this evening. (And, hey, don’t you just love that it’s the last Round of 32 game? No. I’d rather have been Villanova, sitting at home with a smile, awaiting 15 other schools to join me next weekend.)

The consensus favorite TV show of the players? Entourage. Let’s hope they mess things up like Johnny Drama.

The team took one of those sanctioned summer trips to Italy. Hmmmm, Rick, doesn’t that sound famiar?

Consensus funniest guy on the team: Ryan Rossiter, that goofball looking pivot, who is going to surprise Mardo and TJ with his skills today.

You might have read somewhere that Ronald Moore’s uncle played for the Kentucky Colonels. Oh yeah, you’d have read that here. Problem is that his uncle’s name is Jimmy Baker, not Eugene Moore. Which was the misinformation I passed along previously. See, I heard about the familial situation and assumed his uncle would have the same name as his, so I wrote that, making that assumption without actually checking my facts, and, well, I was wrong and I now stand corrected. Frankly I have no recollection of Jimmy Baker. Oh well.

Ryan Rossiter’s favorite thing about Siena is “the friendly cafeteria staff.” Rim shot, please. Now that’s funny. His favorite book: The Miracle of St. Anthony. They read, they read.

In 1985, Fran McCaffery, then at Lehigh, was the youngest head coach in America at age 26.

Okay, that’s all I got. We’d be rooting our butts off for the Saints if our favorite school wasn’t the one tipping it off with them. Today they are the enemy.

Go Cards.

– Seedy K

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