{"id":1622,"date":"2013-03-26T09:00:58","date_gmt":"2013-03-26T13:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=1622"},"modified":"2013-03-26T09:10:25","modified_gmt":"2013-03-26T13:10:25","slug":"go-eagles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=1622","title":{"rendered":"go eagles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stop the presses.\u00a0 Postpone the previously planned post.\u00a0 Forget (albeit momentarily)<\/em> about the seizing of individual savings in Cyprus and the Defense of Marriage Act currently contemplated before the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Forget, too, the 3 year anniversary of Obamacare \u2014 and the increasing wearying of the public, growing incrementally more knowledgeable about the actual, massive, embedded costs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ah, even forget for this day the promise of spring \u2014 especially as God\u2019s sense of humor is once again evident, poking through the flakes of yet another Midwestern snow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yes, forget all of the above in today\u2019s tribute to one event, one little school… a school of only 12,000, with pretty much zero famous alumni, residing just south of Fort Myers, Florida… a university which only offered its first class in August of \u201997, which has now arguably, easily evolved into the sweetest story of the NCAA\u2019s Sweet 16.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On Sunday, Florida Gulf Coast University became the first 15th seeded basketball team to ever advance to the 3rd round of the NCAA\u2019s notoriously maddening, men\u2019s basketball tournament.\u00a0 With all due respect to their (now obviously disappointed)<\/em> opponents, the 2nd seeded Hoyas of Georgetown and 7th seeded San Diego State, the Eagles from Florida GC are the sweet story that has stopped the presses.\u00a0 Note captions from an increasingly captive audience:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCinderella Story Florida Gulf Coast\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFlorida Gulf Coast University:\u00a0 They’re for Real and They’re Spectacular\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFlorida Gulf Coast Makes NCAA History\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Perhaps best expanded upon by Eric Adelson of Yahoo Sports:\u00a0 \u201cThey came from a made-up place called Dunk City, a rollicking, refreshing GIF-machine consisting of nobodies who became somebodies with dunks and oops and just enough sass to raise an eyebrow.\u00a0 And now the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast University have made history:\u00a0 They are the first 15-seed ever to be one of the top 16 college basketball teams in America.\u00a0 But it’s not just that.\u00a0 No, not at all.\u00a0 It’s the way FGCU has leapt and heel-clicked and chicken danced into America’s hearts.\u00a0 It’s the memories they’ve made during games with their above-the-rim aerials and their below-the-backboard antics.\u00a0 In a college sporting world of corporate fakery and soiled amateurism, FGCU stands for pure joy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the most recent prior post of the Intramuralist, you will note that we acknowledged the reason this tournament is so fun to watch is because a group of young men come together \u2014 undaunted by the impure influence of arrogance, money, and power \u2014 and humbly recognize that this game is \u201cnot about me.\u201d\u00a0 There is a joy in that pursuit that an intelligent, watching world so often misses… perhaps because, too often, we omit that humility, and too often, it is the \u201cme\u201d we are about.\u00a0 Very bright, intelligent people still pursue the \u201cme\u201d first.\u00a0 And thus, very bright, intelligent people so often make foolish mistakes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the day before the tournament began, in the Intramuralist\u2019s household, each of my sons completed their annual basketball bracket.\u00a0 My youngest son, Josh, an insightful 11 year old who also has Down syndrome, completed his as well.\u00a0 (Just for the record, he picked Duke to win; it\u2019s the most fun school name to say.)<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As we worked our way through the brackets \u2014 with me reading to Josh the name of each team, attempting, no less, not to over emphasize any opponent \u2014 he would articulate his forecasted winner.\u00a0 As we came to the Georgetown\/Florida GC match up, without delay, Josh confidently proclaimed, \u201cFlorida Gulf Coast.\u201d\u00a0<\/em> Wanting to steer my son wisely but not wanting to pollute the purity of our household’s competitive process, I hesitated, stared at my young son, and slowly said, \u201cReally, Josh? \u00a0Are you sure? \u00a0Florida Gulf Coast?\u201d\u00a0<\/em> To which, Josh paused, smiled, and while attempting to heed his parent\u2019s caution, he then nodded slowly but affirmatively, saying, \u201cYes… Florida Gulf Coast!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I, too, had obviously made a most foolish mistake.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(Go Eagles… go.)<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Respectfully,<\/p>\n

AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stop the presses.\u00a0 Postpone the previously planned post.\u00a0 Forget (albeit momentarily) about the seizing of individual savings in Cyprus and the Defense of Marriage Act currently contemplated before the Supreme Court.   Forget, too, the 3 year anniversary of Obamacare \u2014 and the increasing wearying of the public, growing incrementally more knowledgeable about the actual, … <\/p>\n

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