Announcement

**bigjimmy** · 03-12-2019, 02:41 AM

It was really hard trying to process everything that happened in St. Louis on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 3 gut wrenching, emotionally charged games that weren't decided until the final buzzer took all of us on an up an down roller coaster ride that for me was almost to hard to comprehend. This was as improbable as my Cubbies winning the World Series in 2016 though no less emotional than when that moment happened. Having gone through and thankfully kicking cancer ass in 2012 and 2013 it has made me more emotional about things that I really care about and tears were shed on November 2, 2016 and on March 10, 2019. It was 31 years ago when the Braves last won the conference tournament championship and as great as that was this feels so totally different because of the emotional investment I have for BU as a season ticket holder since 1992 and going to each and every tournament game in St. Louis since then except for the 2 semi final games in 1996 (Don't ask why as it still pisses me off to this day). After all that time of coming up, frankly, way short most of the time to finally win it, and especially the way we won it, was FREEKIN AWESOME! I'm just glad that I've had the chatzy chat room to talk to other Bradley fans during the games. It keeps me focused during the game and it allows me to harken back to my days as a sports reporter and director in the mid 80's to early 90's and report on the action. I apologize to anyone when I've reported the action before it's seen on TV but I get so focused and excited about it I have to write it down and I'm a pretty quick typer so I'm sorry if I've spoiled anything. I've tried to stay positive on this board though occasional negative thoughts have made its way on but as fans that's what we do. This team has showed us it's worst and showed us it's best and we saw both in this game. I thank Coach Brian Wardle, his staff and this gritty, gutty bunch of players for not giving up on this season after starting the Valley 0-5 and taking us on this journey to the Big Dance. ALL HAIL! HAIL! HAIL!

**Da Coach** · 03-12-2019, 08:41 AM

Bigjimmy, I am glad you beat cancer and are still around to see the Braves return to the NCAA and enjoy this!

**wily coyote** · 03-12-2019, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by Da Coach View Post

Bigjimmy, I am glad you beat cancer and are still around to see the Braves return to the NCAA and enjoy this!

Yes congrats bigjimmy on beating cancer from me too. Don't need to apologize for putting your comments on the chat room before we see them i just enjoy your comments.

**LittleBrave** · 03-12-2019, 03:15 PM

You go BigJimmy!
Happy for you man.

**LittleBrave** · 03-12-2019, 03:20 PM

I have been a die-hard Cubs fan for 37 years now.
Die-hard BU Braves fan for 25 years....

That said, I was twice as thrilled after Bradley won the MVC tournament as when the Cubs won the WS in 2016.
Maybe it's that basketball is more exciting and emotional than baseball...but I think it's more that I've invested more time and energy in following Bradley hoops over the past 2 decades, and it's been a roller coaster ride as a Braves fan during that span.

Has it been worth all the time and energy?
Now, I can say, HECK YEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

**tornado** · 03-13-2019, 02:20 PM

Bradley is 12-4 since Jan. 16
and 9-2 since the loss to SIU on Feb. 2

Of those only two losses in the past roughly 6 weeks -
one was that Drake game which ended up being such a valuable teaching experience and helped our guys limit foul trouble ever since...
..and the other loss was the game at Loyola that was also a TREMENDOUS teaching experience when Coach Wardle benched some guys who were not giving full effort..

so KUDOS to the coaching staff for making the best of the losses and turning this team around and preparing for the run thru the MVC Tourney

**basketball nut** · 03-17-2019, 08:34 PM

This was so much fun for me also as last year I was in the hospital in St Louis after having a heart attack on Friday morning. Went from the Savis Center to St Mary's Hospital where I spent the weekend instead of watching BU. This year I had a cardio version on Tuesday before the tournament and Dr. Sarmiento told my wife that I would be fine as long as I didn't get to excited. What a joke with 3 buzzer beaters but stayed as calm as I possibly could.
It was great to see some you there and Big Jimmy it's always great to see you there every year also.