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| I couldn't find a better picture. Seriously. |
I've shown way too many times why
sports can be so great.
Oh I get it. It's always horrifically
flawed. What sports has become, at time, is so frustrating. No need
to run through the list.
Yet if you've been following the tale
of coach Mike Hvizdo and the Weston boys basketball team, then you
know that we're seeing something remarkable.
The Trojans have had quite a season,
make no mistake. They finished the regular season at 10-10, which is
good enough to make it into the Connecticut Class M state
tournament*.
* Yes, at .500, they're a playoff team.
Basically, if you win 40% of your games, you're in. That's right.
It's not uncommon for an 8-12 team to be in the playoffs.
The story is fine right there. But now
let's let the screenwriters have at it. As the team is heading
towards the end of the regular season, go ahead and have the coach
resign. Or be forced out. Make the reason be a movie that he made
10 years ago. Just a short movie, maybe nine minutes, but the topic
is a threesome. Not exactly wholesome stuff, but not illegal either.
Write in some villains. A team parent,
and an affluent and influential one at that. Make him the one that
alerted school officials to the film. Make the school board look
clueless. Yeah, they're comic relief.
Now bring on the people! BRING OUR COACH BACK! Chaos and drama spike! Then...have the school board
change their mind as the townspeople cheer!
Now, strike up the band. We need
dramatic music! Maybe John Williams, or maybe Jerry Goldsmith (he
did Hoosiers). The team heads to the playoffs as the 23rd
seed. They open against 10th seeded University* on the
road and darned if they don't beat them, 54-53. The seventh seeded
team (Windham) gets knocked off by Tolland (who is 26th).
* Seeding in Connecticut is based
solely on record, with various tiebreakers. Strength of conference,
schedule, etc, matter very little in this case.
The Trojans meet Tolland in the second
round at home, and there's no drama here. They win, easily, 74-50.
Onto the quarterfinals where number two Kaynor Tech is waiting.
Playing on the road in Waterbury, the Trojans do it again. They win
62-54.
This can't be happening. The Weston
Trojans – the very ones who were just 10-10 when the playoffs
started, with the quote-unquote controversial coach, are now heading
to the state semifinals. Sixth ranked Enfield is the opponent, to be
played on a neutral court. The winner plays in the state
championship, at Mohegan Sun Arena, no less*.
* I like that Connecticut makes their
hoops tourney finish big time. They tried it with football at
Rentschler Field, and have abandoned it. Those games are heading to
Arute Field at Central Connecticut State. Whatever.
That HAS to make you think of this scene...
Chills.
So, come on. It can't be. Can it?
The Weston Trojans will play tomorrow
night for the state championship. The number five team in Class M,
Valley Regional, awaits. The Warriors are 22-2.
David, meet Goliath. Jets-Colts.
Giants-Pats (Super Bowl 42 version). Maybe the best comparison is
Villanova-Georgetown, 1985.
If that doesn't draw your attention,
then I don't know what to say.
It's a great story. Up until now, it's
been all real. The final chapter will be written tomorrow night.
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