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What a weekend.
Bradley d. Kansas, 77-73. Bradley d. Pittsburgh, 72-66.
I called both of them. And I don't say that to be a dick, or to make me sound smarter than you as far as college basketball is concerned (I'm in the middle of the pack in all of my brackets, just like you), I say it because, watching the Braves' last twelve games of the year, I knew there was something special there.
Knowing the way that the Braves played, with that intensity, athleticism, and size, I knew they'd be trouble in the Tourney. Actually, the main reason: They've had (essentially) the same starting lineup for the last two years. What has created this enjoyable parity in College Basketball isn't that the best prep players have been going straight to the pros. It's the fact that teams from the BCS power conferences have such a hard time having a line-up which has played together for years. When they can do that, the results are usually phenomenal (Illinois in 2005, Villanova, UConn and Duke this year, to site recent examples.) But generally, only mid-major teams can produce the continuity and confidence which comes from playing with the same group of guys over a 2-to-4 year span.
But that is neither here nor there. I'm writing today because chances are you are starting to get sick about hearing about stupid Bradley (and for that matter, probably George Mason and Wichita State, too.) And I can understand. The over-coverage and media crush on the little guys usually does get annoying (Sports Illustrated cover? Great. Nothing bad ever happens to guys/team who land on the cover of SI. Why don't the just announce that Patrick O'Bryant is on the cover of Madden 07?)
Here's the thing, though: I went to a D-III school (Southern Illinois-Edwardsville) and we had good sports teams, but really, who cares? It's just not D-I. I've always been an Illinois fan, but I'm not sure if they'd be able to pull a Cinderella card. With Bradley making it into the Sweet 16, this is the first time I have had a team which I root for that could seriously pull off upsets.
[And in case you're wondering whether or not I'm bandwagon-hopping; my dad went there (he had a class with Charlie Steiner, which makes me laugh just thinking about it), as did my grandpa. My cousin just graduated form there and is now in grad school. My aunt works there. I'm getting ready to sign up for classes there this summer. Plus, for all intents and purposes, it is Peoria University. I like to think that gives me cheering rights.]
And as you may well be getting sick of Bradley's now over-exposure, I'd like you to change your mind. Here in this little sleepy hamlet/murder haven, Peoria (I swear it's like a microcosm for all of America. The best and the worst in this town) the public is at its giddiest ever (and I hate to say that, because I absolutely despise hyperbole, but it's true.) Bradley’s magical run has absolutely galvanized central Illinois and has given a community something to rally around. These are the good moments in sports; the reason that I check Deadspin eight times a day and why I don't automatically change the channel when I flip across "Pardon the Interruption" in the afternoon. This makes having to hear about that ass-hat T.O worth while. Sometimes, the good stories do emerge. That a college team can have such an effect on a community is not surprising. it happens across America every March. But this year, it's Peoria's time to shine. This town's having fun. And I want you to be a part of it. When the Bradley game starts tonight, if you weren't already, I would like you and all of America to be pulling for this small school from the heart of Illinois.
What I love most about the Braves is that they are predominantly home-grown. This year's squad features five guys from the Peoria area (Peoria has long been, per-capita, one of the hottest prep hoops areas in the country, Coach Jim Les has done a great job keeping that talent close to home). That home-grown talent has seriously helped build a bridge from college to community.
Myself, a handsome 25-year-old who left home at the age of 18 to join the Marines and has only recently moved back to P-Town, have way to many connections to current and former Bradley Braves basketball players to make the rooting interest seem like more than just a passing love affair.
Braves senior co-captain Marcellus Sommerville has been balling around Peoria for what seems like an eternity. His Peoria High team beat my Peoria Notre Dame squad three times during my senior year of high school. In fact, 'Cellus single handily destroyed us that year in the Sectional semi-finals (me, a simple JV player/manager, sitting at the end of the bench in a shirt and tie, could do little to stop him, despite my best efforts of shouting "NOONAN!" whenever he shot.) And yet, some eight years later, Somerville is still playing deep into the playoffs in Peoria. This time, he's on the cover of Sports Freaking Illustrated. It's almost surreal. (Also, how in the hell is he still in college? I played him in high school eight fucking years ago!)
My buddy John's little brother Brian is a freshman walk-on for the Braves. He's played in only a handful of games this year and has yet to score. But still, for being a semi-athletic six-foot white kid... could you possibly imagine a better way to spend your time when you were 18? It sure as hell blows out of the water my "working at Office Depot and listening to Phish" stage when I was 18. John and Brian's dad Rich, spends three weeks a month in Tokyo on business. While listening to Bradley games on the radio this year, Braves color man Dave Snell would constantly give him a shout-out, knowing that no matter what the time difference may be, Rich would still be catching a live-stream on the Internet. Rich used to play professional football with the 49ers, but I can guaran-damn-tee that last weekend was the greatest damn sporting weekend of his life. Maybe it's just me getting older and lamer, but I almost wish I was Rich than Brian. That just seems like a ton o' fun.
My good friend Andy's great-uncle is former Bradley coach Joe Stowell. Stowell has not coached in decades, but has been the Braves radio color man for as long as I can remember. He's the classic color man type of guy; the overly-excitable, seemingly drunk, loves his team more than life itself character in the manner of a Mike Shannon or Ron Santo. I spent many a nights when I was little staying awake until midnight so I could hear the Braves' games radio replay and catch Stowell sound like he's having a heart attack while stumbling through sentences where he waxed poetically about the likes of Curtis Stuckey, Marcus Pollard, Deon Jackson, and Aaron Zobrist. After Bradley's win over Pitt, I got a text message from Andy saying "this is the greatest day of Joe Stowell's life." And that is not an understatement. For many a 70-year old man, let alone Coach Stowell, dreams have come true by seeing this Bradley squad make it into the third round of the big dance. An institution which, when they were my age, was at the top of the ladder of NCAA basketball schools had made its way back. What’s not to love about that?
That's three instances I can think of off the top of my head that makes me feel an intimate connection with this year's Bradley squad. The weird thing is, I'm sure as connections with the Braves go, I am on the short end of the stick with most Peorians. That's what I'm loving about this... it's so small town... so John Mellencamp.
Crying? Whatever.
Hopefully, I've helped you turn the corner on your "I like this Bradley team-Shit, they killed my brackets-Stop talking about fucking Bradley already!" mindset and you'll be rooting for the Braves tonight. Chances are I've just made you read yet another article about Bradley and you're as pissed off as I was when I saw that fucking Applebee’s commercial for the 3,274th time last weekend.
But, I want to help you out on one thing: Bradley is playing an athletically gifted, young team on Thursday night. One that can score a ton of points, but can also get sloppy and careless. That sounds exactly like Kansas, doesn't it?
While I don't think the Braves will reach the Final Four...they'll still be playing on Saturday.
There is no way in hell Bradley is going to beat Memphis. It has a been a good run for the Bradley boys, but the thugs from Memphis are going roll al over the Braves. Haven't you seen Hustle and Flow? "Whoop dat trick, whoop dat trick!" That's straight up Memphis! Good luck to the town on Peoria and Bradley but the run ends tonight! Book these nuts!!!
Hater
SUIE is D II
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Posted: 3/23/2006 10:31:05 AM
Southern Illinois Edwardsville is division 2 you donkey. Good research douche.
I liked Bradley until I read your article.
Alex
Wo
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Posted: 3/23/2006 1:04:30 PM
See, I didn't even know what division SIUE was, I and went there for 2 years. I just didn't care.
GRB
Bradley
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Posted: 3/23/2006 2:32:11 PM
Bradley = bracket busting assholes = George Mason
MEH
Nice...
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Posted: 3/23/2006 3:33:16 PM
Excellent work, Alex. I was in Auburn Hills when Bradley shat on my bracket (not as much as George Mason ass-fucked it), and the excitement of bradley fans is amazing. A 60-year old man with a huge red mohawk wig, grown men covered from head to toe in "GO BU!" stickers in a non-ironic way, made me a huge Braves fan. And the scene when they walked off the court into the stands absolutely cemented it (the three co-eds in tiny skirts and tight "GO BU!" shirts had nothing to do with it). I'll definitely be pulling for them long as they last. And I'll be happy as hell if they can be the ones to stick it in Adam Morrison's face.
me
Bradley fan
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Posted: 3/23/2006 6:44:30 PM
Loved Bradley for years now... glad to see them win some games and hopefully they can beat the over-rated Memphis team tonight....
Joe Mama
Overkill
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Posted: 3/23/2006 7:57:58 PM
Fritz,
Generally I am a fan of the fact that you give the asshole of the country that is the Midwest the recognition it deserves. Your article on Wichita State (Shocker? Shocked me) was awesome and despite the fact that you hate on my alma mater (Rock Chalk) and Bill Self, I'll still give you due respect. But, enough with sucking Bradley's dick for an unbearably long article. Despite all of Bradley's "glory years" (aka this year and the time they had Hersey Hawkins) there really isn't much to BU and the shithole town in which it resides (the Lucky Lady is awesome, however). So I suggest maybe winning a few national titles and appearing in some Final Fours first before rambling. Just a thought.
Joe
AIR CARNEY
Bradleys going down
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Posted: 3/23/2006 9:20:31 PM
Nice run by your Bradley boys and their pretty boy coach, but Memphis is gonna lay a beat down on them. WHOOP DAT TRICK!!
Alex
ya-ma-la-hat-la
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Posted: 3/24/2006 12:33:26 AM
And a beat down that was.
Horrible game by Bradley. Great effing game by Memphis. Well played, sirs.
Oh well, it was a good run while it lasted.
And for the record, the only glory years by Bradley were by squeaky and the bunch in 1950-51. Or when Curtis Stuckey's flat-top won "Best Fade 1988"
I guess the only thing those guys will be playing on Saturday is" bang the 17 year old" down at the lady.
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What I love most about the Braves is that they are predominantly home-grown. This year's squad features five guys from the Peoria area (Peoria has long been, per-capita, one of the hottest prep hoops areas in the country, Coach Jim Les has done a great job keeping that talent close to home). That home-grown talent has seriously helped build a bridge from college to community. 
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