the SCOUTING REPORT

I’m Pulling For The 101-Year-Old Nun

Well, it’s not the first time. But this year, the players and coaches aren’t the only ones not handling the Covid-19 virus. Not only are fans still getting sick; but the inc onsistency caused by playing the season with this virus is simply destroying our brackets. How can this Georgia Bulldog maniac explain that his pick to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, the archrival Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, lost in the first round.

I must confess that I was really enamored with this Yellow Jacket basketball team, which went into their first round tournament game against Loyola of Chicago without their best player.

Moses Wright, the 6’9” Yellow Jacket center, who was named as the ACC’s MVP, missed the game due to testing positive for the virus. He was extremely upset; but the protocals made Tech’s MVP take an early flight back to Atlanta.

Could Tech have beaten Loyola? Undoubtedly, but the Catholic school from Chicago is claiming a position it’s had before, as the Cinderella team in the tournament.

Loyola proved they belong in the Sweet 16 again by whipping up on Illinois, the Big-10 Champions and the #1 seed in the Regional. I’ve always wondered why Catholic schools are so tough in basketball.

There were plenty of other upsets too. Oral Roberts, the #15 seed in its Regional and a bigger underdog than Loyola whipped Ohio State, the second seed, in the Regional in their first round game. The Buckeyes missed a last second 3-pointer to lose 75-72.

And on Sunday night, Oral Roberts upset Florida 81-78. So, the 15th seed was in the Sweet 16.

North Texas State’s Big Green knocked off another Big 10 team when they beat Purdue 78-69.

Who am I pulling for now? Certainly not Alabama. I’d rather Tech win it than Alabama. Alabama has garnered enough trophies in football; and I don’t think all of them were above board.

If the Tide started garnering basketball trophies too, I think I’d just quit collegiate sports altogether. Alabama in football is worse than Kentucky in basketball. And just like Kentucky, the Roll Tiders need to sit on their behuncus for more than a while in the SEC’s favorite sport.

I could pull for LSU or Arkansas, and I certainly wouldn’t mind if those two teams reached the Final Four. I hope that Georgia just gets there again in basketball. The Bulldogs did make one Final Four, in 1983, where they lost to one of Jim Valvano’s North Carolina State teams.

It’s hard not to be on the side of one of the underdogs. So, I’m going to pull for the team with the 101-year-old Nun as a fan.

Sister Jean, the Nun from Chicago who has been a big fan of Loyola basketball, was with the team when they made a run in 2018. Now, she’s just turned 101 years old. That’d be a great story in this year of the pandemic.