Coach Wright On Gay Player: It Didn't Matter

In an interview, here's what Villanova basketball coach Jay Wright had to say about former player Will Sheridan's revelation that he is gay:

“After I found out, I was like, ‘Did you know?’ And all the guys, [players] they were like, ‘Yeah, Coach, we knew,’ They just didn’t care and I guess I was just oblivious.

"He [Sheridan] was the perfect student, the perfect student-athlete, the perfect teammate. He never gave me an ounce of worry. He was so low maintenance. You could ask him to do anything and he’d do it. I don’t know. It sounds weird, but it never came up.”

One suspects Sheridan's sexual orientation "never came up" in part because Coach Wright treats everyone fairly and equally. He doesn't look at -- or for -- differences. He accepts people as they are. And his players follow his lead.
Wright leads by example. He builds a team; a family. He brings people together. And, he's still one of the classiest guys in sports.

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Former Nova Hoops Star Says 'I'm Gay'

His Villanova teammates knew it while they played alongside him on the basketball court.
And he says his friends knew it as well.
But they all respected his right to deal with it when and how he wanted to.
Now, this former Division I hoops star says he's ready. He's at peace with himself.
So, Will Sheridan tells ESPN: "I'm gay and I'm proud of who I am."

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Did Kobe's Slur Reflect Anti-Gay Bias?

The Christian Science Monitor leads with a revealing article about professional sports and what may be a pervasive anti-gay bias that lurks among top athletes in America.
Kobe used a homophobic slur during a nationally televised basketball game. It's a word we all know. but fortunately one we do not hear quite as much as we used to.
Here's an excerpt from the article:

Bryant was fined $100,000 by the National Basketball Association Wednesday – a decision Bryant says he will appeal – and gay-rights groups challenged him to back up his apology for the slur with actions. But the deeper question is whether this will become a "teachable moment" about the strongly antigay attitudes that pervade professional sports, says Jarred Chin of the Society for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University in Boston.
“A lot of people are condemning Kobe for this, but it is language that a lot of men use in our society without knowing what it really means and how ignorant and hurtful it is,” says Mr. Chin.
On a nationally televised broadcast, a frustrated Bryant clearly called the referee who gave him a foul and a technical foul a "f-----." Bryant later issued a statement saying that this outburst was a product of frustration and did not reflect his feelings toward gays.

One final observation: If Kobe (or any other guy) thinks that using a word like this makes him more of a man, shame on him!

Click here to read the entire article.

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Volunteers Will Welcome Hoops Fans To Newark

When thousands of college basketball fans arrive in Newark this week for the “Sweet Sixteen” round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, their path to the games and around the state’s largest city will be eased by the presence of nearly 1,000 volunteers recruited by the New Jersey Department of State and the Office of Mayor Cory Booker.

“The many volunteers stepping forward demonstrate the community’s commitment to not only the games, but to the city of Newark as well,’’ said Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, who doubles as Secretary of State. “It is very gratifying to see.’’

The volunteers will have one main goal: help visitors, many of whom likely will be visiting Newark for the first time. Rowena Madden, Director of the State’s Office of Volunteerism, said volunteers will be stationed at Newark Liberty Airport, Penn Station and downtown hotels. Wearing what will be recognizable black and blue shirts, the corps of volunteers will help visitors find their way around the city, whether they’re looking for a ride to the Prudential Center, the site of the games, or a good place for a late night snack or a gourmet dinner. A particular group of volunteers will be deployed along city streets from the downtown business district to the Ironbound section to help visitors find restaurants and cultural sites.

The volunteers were recruited and trained with help from the state’s Business Action Center, which is under the purview of Lt. Governor Guadagno.

Madden said the volunteers include not only Newark residents, but those who work in Newark, as well as students. The NCAA games will be played Friday and Sunday, but volunteers will start on Thursday in conjunction with GoNewarkHoopFest, a series of events aimed at promoting the weekend. Included will be a college fair with twenty universities represented and free open practices for all four teams playing this weekend: North Carolina, Marquette, Kentucky and Ohio State. There also will be a FanFest in downtown Newark featuring musical performances and local food vendors.

The best way to follow all the action and find specific information is to visit gonewark.com/HoopFest.

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College Hoops Tournaments: Upcoming Schedule

Men's college basketball schedule 

SUNDAY, MARCH 6

CAA Tournament/Richmond, Va.

Semifinals, 3/5:30

 
MONDAY, MARCH 7

CAA Tournament/Richmond, Va.

Championship, 7

 
TUESDAY, MARCH 8

Princeton at Penn, 7

Atlantic 10/Campus Sites

First Round, TBA

Big East Tournament/New York

First Round, 12/2:30/7/9:30

 
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9

Big East Tournament/New York

Second Round, 12/2:30/7/9:30

 
THURSDAY, MARCH 10

Big East Tournament/New York

Quarterfinals, 12/2:30/7/9:30

 
FRIDAY, MARCH 11

Atlantic 10/Atlantic City

Quarterfinals, 12/2:30/6:30/9

Big East Tournament/New York

Semifinals, 7/9:30

 
SATURDAY, MARCH 12

Atlantic 10/Atlantic City

Semifinals, 1/3:30

Big East Tournament/New York

Championship, 9

 
SUNDAY, MARCH 13

Atlantic 10/Atlantic City

Championship, 1

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Villanova: 'It's Us Against The World!'

So, Villanvova will be in the NCAA tournament after all.
Did you ever have any doubts.
This IS Villanova that we're talking about.
Here's an excerpt from the Philadelphia Daily News story:

This NCAA Tournament will be a little different for Villanova.
The Wildcats are the first team to enter the NCAA Tournament coming off five losses.
They also will be the lower seed for the first time in recent memory.
Villanova, the ninth seed in the East region, will face George Mason, the eighth seed, on Friday in Cleveland in a second-round game.
“We know we’re in the underdog role,” coach Jay Wright said after the selections were announced. “It’s sort of like us against the world. It’s a little different for us … We’re going to relish that position. There are a lot of people who expect us to fail and I can’t blame them. We do know how to do it because we’ve done it.”

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillyhoops/Villanova-loving-underdog-role.html#ixzz1GXFPdfsT
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

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Ohhhhhh, Those Villanova Basketball Fans!

Villanova beats Syracuse, GameWatch, Jan 22, Main St. Pub, Vorhees, NJ. Thanks to Joanne Cicione Savio for sending this along to us.
What a great-looking group of Wildcats. Go, NOVA!

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6' 11" Girl Hoops Player Dominates Team, Game

At 6 feet, 11 inches, Marvadene Anderson is no ordinary 17-year-old.
And she's no ordinary high school basketball player.
But the Rutgers Prep star feels the same today as when she used to walk the streets of her native Jamaica.She's always been taller than everybody else. But she's still the same person.
She plays today at Philadelphia University and Sunday at Upper Dublin High. And, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, she "expects the same reactions from her opponents that she had from her teammates when she enrolled at Rutgers Prep less than two years ago."
Here's how Marvadene tells it: 

"They were like 'wow,' because they had never seen a girl my height," Anderson said after scoring 18 points in a 58-33 win over Franklin on Thursday. "They were all like, 'Oh my God,' but I was used to it, anyway. Even now, people I am acquainted with, they still stare like they've never seen somebody my height before."

The Inquirer says Marvadene is a hot college prospect. She receives mail mostly from Big East schools, but also has received interest from Memphis, Florida, Florida State, and North Carolina State.

Keep an eye out for her. She's goin places!

Click here to read the complete story from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Video: Shocking Attack By Player On Referee

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