Tag: PCI
Playing Through a Pandemic
by The Cowl Editor on October 29, 2020
Sports
Leagues Successfully Navigate COVID Crisis
The NBA in Orlando
by Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
Back in March, the NBA suspended its season following increasing concerns over the onset of COVID-19, along with the first player to test positive, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. The NBA, more than 75% through their 2019-2020 campaign, needed to then find a way to finish its season properly and safely. They did so by investing millions of dollars into creating a fun and entertaining, and most importantly secure, “bubble” at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
The bubble started with 22 teams, all either within striking distance of a playoff spot or already in one. The format was simple: each team would play eight seeding games in order to officially name those who would move onto the playoffs, which gave the outside teams a chance at the eighth seed. The Phoenix Suns, an afterthought heading into the bubble, went 8-0 in the seeding games as star shooting guard Devin Booker played some of the best basketball of his career. However, they would just barely miss out on the eighth seed to the Portland Trail Blazers, who used the bubble to revive a tumultuous season filled with underachievement. With a squad of Hassan Whiteside, Jusuf Nurkić, C.J. McCollum and, of course, bubble MVP Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers were able to capture the Western Conference’s eighth seed thanks to a victory over Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in game.
The playoffs brought a batch of equally exciting games. Two young, up-and-coming teams in the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz went to seven games in a historic first round series. Denver would defeat the Jazz and move on to face the Los Angeles Clippers, a title contender led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Nuggets mounted a furious comeback to beat the Clippers in seven games before falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. In the East, things unfolded as expected until the Milwaukee Bucks, led by back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, were knocked off by Jimmy Butler and a scrappy Miami Heat team. Butler and the Heat went on to beat the Boston Celtics and advance to the Finals where they would fall to the Lakers.
It always seemed inevitable that the Lakers would win the Finals. Not only were they one of the most talented teams in the world, featuring generational stars such as Lebron James and Anthony Davis, but they also had strong veteran players such as center Dwight Howard and point guard Rajon Rondo. The title significantly helps the legacy of James, who now has four NBA titles and four Finals MVPs on his resume. Important to note is that the Lakers were also playing in honor of franchise icon Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in a helicopter accident earlier this year.
Indeed, the fact that anyone was crowned a champion at all in this year of turmoil is something that the NBA should be proud of.
The NHL in Canada
by Ryan Carius ’21
Sports Staff
On Sept. 28, the Tampa Bay Lightning shut out the Dallas Stars 2-0, ending a six-game series in an unprecedented yet entertaining Stanley Cup matchup. Tampa Bay’s victory completed a two-month playoff bubble, which began on Aug. 1 and included 24 out of the 31 National Hockey League franchises. The Lightning skipped the qualifying rounds and entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay avenged last year’s shocking defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets, dominated the Boston Bruins, and then skated past the New York Islanders on the way to their second Stanley Cup Finals appearance in five years.
The Dallas Stars fought relentlessly, especially goaltender Anton Khudobin, but the Tampa Bay offense proved too much of a challenge for the young Dallas defenders. Tampa Bay centerman Brayden Point netted 14 goals and assisted on 19 other goals, a monumental performance for the young and rising star. However, it was Victor Hedman who took home the hardware awarded to the NHL’s most valuable player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hedman became the first defenseman to win the Conn Smyth trophy since Duncan Keith in 2015, when the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning. In just 25 games, the 6-foot-6-inch skater recorded 10 goals and 22 points, setting franchise records for both total goals and points by a Tampa Bay defender.
Besides the championship, the most important outcome of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs was the success of the NHL bubble that occurred in two cities. The NHL became the first of the four major North American sport leagues to complete a postseason in the COVID-19 pandemic. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the two Canadian cities, Toronto, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta, created an environment that ensured the safety of the players and staff. All personnel involved in daily bubble activity were divided into categories based on their roles and the people to whom they were exposed.
The NHL conducted 33,174 tests with zero positive cases among category one and category two personnel. Players, medical officials, and team and league staff members made up these first two categories. However, there were a few positive tests among category three and four personnel, which included individuals who had little exposure to the players but still participated in the bubble as hotel staff, cooks, and security officers.
The NHL and the NHL Player’s Association implemented Jan. 1, 2021 as the start of the next season. Bettman is optimistic for a “full regular season, and to have fans in the building, but there are a lot of things that have to transpire, many of which if not most of which are beyond our control before we can finalize our plans.” However, if the NHL needs to return to a bubble, Bettman can follow the success of this season to provide fans with entertaining and competitive hockey.
PCI: Who Will Win the World Series?
by The Cowl Editor on October 16, 2020
Sports
The Atlanta Braves
by Leo Hainline ’23
Sports Staff
In a season that seemed destined to fail, Major League Baseball (MLB) thankfully got its act together and is now at the final stretch of the postseason. The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is set between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. The American League Championship Series (ALCS) will feature the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays. While the Dodgers are favored to win and have won all five of their playoff games, they run into an equally hot team in the Braves, who will knock off LA and go on to win the World Series.
The MLB playoffs, while having some occasional upsets, have not produced any shocking results. The Braves upsetting the Dodgers in the NLCS will be the series that rocks the league. The team is peaking at the right time. While their pitching was subpar at times throughout the regular season, their rotation has found its rhythm in October, producing four shutouts in their five postseason games played. In 49 innings this postseason, the Braves have shut out their opponents in 46 of them.
Atlanta has more than enough power offensively to outscore anyone. From the top to the bottom of the order, the Braves possess guys opposing pitchers should fear. Ronald Acuña, Jr., Freddie Freeman, Adam Duvall, and Marcell Ozuna can all knock one out of the park at any given at-bat, and their supporting cast features almost no offensive liabilities.
The overall composition of the Braves squad is perfect for a postseason run. In Freeman they have a veteran leader who has been with the team for over a decade . They have an ace in Max Fried who can single-handedly win a game. The rest of the rotation is full of young pitchers who are gaining confidence at the perfect time. And the lineup is composed of players who embrace the spotlight while adding character and a winning culture to the dugout. This team will not back down against the Dodgers, nor will they back down from whatever team they face in the World Series.
The Braves have the advantage of having yet to play the Dodgers this season. Los Angeles only lost one series all year and will come into the NLCS with confidence. But Atlanta will give them a challenge they have yet to see this year, which could very well throw LA off their game. While the NLCS and ALCS, as well as the World Series, are all best-of-seven series that theoretically would work in the favor of the “better team,” the Braves winning a game or two off the bat could get the Dodgers discouraged. Indeed, Atlanta has the roster to beat Los Angeles and then go on to win the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers
by Joe Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered this season feeling like they had an easy path to the 2020 World Series. After losing in the National League Division Series last season to the Washington Nationals, the Dodgers were left with a sour taste in their mouths. It was a tough loss to take after losing the previous two World Series. Somehow, manager Dave Roberts could not find a way to turn an already elite club into world champions. But, with the help of president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, L.A. was able to improve their roster further.
This past offseason, the Dodgers traded Alex Verdugo, a talented, young outfielder, to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts, a former MVP and one of the best outfielders in baseball. Betts joined an outfield that contains recent high-profile signing A.J. Pollock and 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger. That is not even mentioning the rest of the lineup, which features Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Enrique Hernandez, and Max Muncy. The Dodgers are a team that can hit both for power and for batting average in addition to their strong defensive play in the field.
While it may seem like most of the Dodgers’ talent is on the offensive side, this is not the case. The Dodgers possess a strong rotation featuring Walker Buehler, a budding young star with playoff experience, and Clayton Kershaw, one of the best pitchers to ever play. Rookie Dustin May is also pitching very well, as he posted a 3-1 regular season record with a 2.57 earned run average. The bullpen also contains the likes of Joe Kelly, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol and Kenley Jansen, one of the stronger closers in the league. While it is not the best bullpen in baseball, it is certainly capable of getting the job done. Combine that with some elite starters and arguably one of the best lineups in baseball, the Dodgers seem destined for the championship.
There is some cause for concern with Kershaw, however. The legendary pitcher was scratched from his game two start against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday with back spasms. Getting him back and healthy will be key for Los Angeles moving forward.
This experienced playoff club has easily made it through the first two rounds of this extended playoffs, and now look to knock off the up-and-coming Braves in the NLCS. After that, all that stands between Los Angeles and the championship is the Houston Astros, who lack in the pitching department, or the inexperienced Tampa Bay Rays, who have a lineup that pales in comparison to the Dodgers.
PCI: WHO WAS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA BUBBLE?
by The Cowl Editor on September 17, 2020
Sports
Devin Booker
by Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
The NBA bubble is a unique circumstance which the league has never seen before. With a high demand for the return of sports, it also provided a big stage for a lot of players to break out and establish themselves as dominant forces. No one took advantage of this opportunity more than Devin Booker.
In the 2015 NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Booker, a freshman at the University of Kentucky, with the No. 13 overall pick. This selection has turned out to be one of the smartest decisions in the history of the Phoenix Suns. Over his career, the 23-year-old shooting guard has averaged 22.5 points and 4.7 assists per game, while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three. Booker also scored 70 points in a game against the Boston Celtics, making it the 11th game in NBA history where a single player scored 70 points or more in one game. He is one of only six players to do so and the most recent since the late Kobe Bryant.
At the end of an abysmal 2018 season, Booker famously stated, “I’m done with not making the playoffs.” Unfortunately, Phoenix missed the playoffs in 2019 and 2020 as well. However, this season felt different. Booker had a career year, with averages of 26.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game on shooting percentages of 48.9 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three. Booker had one of his more efficient seasons as well, mainly because he could play off the ball more with the addition of point guard Ricky Rubio. He also had advanced floor-spacers in Kelly Oubre, Jr. and rookie Cameron Johnson, and strong bigs in Deandre Ayton and Dario Saric.
Indeed, the Suns were winning games and in striking distance of a playoff spot. When the bubble teams were announced, the Suns made the cut and made the best of their opportunity. Booker averaged 31 points, six assists, and five rebounds on efficient shooting splits while earning an All-Bubble First Team nod. He would lead the Suns to the only 8-0 record in the bubble. The stretch included wins over talented playoff teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Indiana Pacers.
All in all, Booker has put in a superhuman effort, elevating both his individual game and his team’s overall performance. The only reason the Suns missed the playoffs was because the Portland Trail Blazers, the team just ahead of them, won a game on a last second missed buzzer-beater.
Certainly, an argument can be made for other players to be named bubble MVP such as T.J. Warren and Damien Lillard, but Booker took the Suns to a new, unexpected level. He showed up when it mattered and beat some of the NBA’s best teams, which is why he should have earned MVP.
Damian Lillard
by Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
The conclusion of the NBA regular season saw some breakout performances from players such as Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, and Michael Porter Jr. The playoffs have also brought some iconic performances, including Luka Doncic’s game-winner against the Los Angeles Clippers and Donovan Mitchell’s 57-point game against the Denver Nuggets. Any of these players are worthy of being considered the bubble’s best player, but the NBA got it right when they gave the award to the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard at the end of the regular season.
Even though the Trail Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, Lillard’s performances reigned supreme and were the best in the bubble. In Orlando, Lillard averaged 33 points, eight assists, and 4.8 rebounds. Most importantly, he was able to lead his team into the eighth seed after entering the bubble 3.5 games out of the final playoff spot.
After missing two key free throws against the Clippers in their fifth game, Lillard not only stepped up his game, but became the best player in the league. Needing to win out to have any chance at making the 8/9 seed play-in game, the Oakland native dropped 51 and 61 points in his next two contests. Lillard channeled one of his many nicknames, “Logo Lillard,” as his shooting became automatic from everywhere on the court.
He came up clutch against the Dallas Mavericks in his 61-point game, hitting an insane high-bouncing three-pointer to bring Portland level in the closing moments and then seized the victory with crucial plays on both ends of the court. He followed with scoring 42 points, leading Portland to a crucial come-from-behind one-point win against the Brooklyn Nets to seal their place in the Western Conference play-in game. Lillard then had 31 points and 10 assists against the Memphis Grizzlies to secure Portland’s spot in the playoffs.
Lillard’s most iconic moment came in Game one of the opening round against the top-seeded Lakers. With the game going back and forth all game long, it became “Dame Time” for the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter. Lillard started knocking down contested threes from way downtown. The game began to shift in Portland’s favor when Lillard buried a deep three to tie the game at 87 with five and a half minutes to go. After that happened, Lillard was locked in, and the Blazers never looked back, taking the first game 127-119 over the top-seeded Lakers.
Although the Blazers lost their next four games and got knocked out of the playoffs, Lillard’s performances were incredibly memorable. No individual player on any team made more of an impact than Lillard for the Blazers in the bubble.
PCI:Should There Be College Football This Fall?
by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2020
Uncategorized
Yes, It Will Be Safe!
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
After colleges across the country canceled the end of their winter and spring sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many senior athletes missed out on what would have been their final season of collegiate competitive sports. Basketball players who were on their way to play in March Madness lost their last chance to win a national title; spring athletes lost the chance to celebrate their final home game. It was difficult for many athletes to face the cancellation of their season after putting in countless hours of work. The NCAA should not put the same burden on football players and allow them to play this fall.
College football is the most profitable sport at many universities and many schools need the revenue in order to pay for athletic scholarships. Even though stadiums would not be able to sell out their seating to fans, schools could still make money from broadcasting their games and fulfilling their TV deals. The pandemic has already tightened athletic department budgets across the country and many schools have had to cut sports that do not generate any revenue. By having football games this fall, universities would be able to help fund other sports that may have had their season canceled and support other athletes.
While there may be safety concerns about having players travel and face teams from other schools, teams have been testing their players on a consistent basis and the NCAA has laid out a plan for teams to follow in order to proceed with the season. If the athletes are truly committed to playing out their final collegiate season, then they would have to follow the rules laid out for them to avoid any unnecessary risks that could ruin the season. By participating in regular practices and games, players would create a bubble for themselves since they would essentially be interacting with the same people on a daily basis.
Playing out the season is just as important for underclassmen as it is for seniors. For the players who are eligible for the next NFL draft, playing games is really the only way for them to get noticed by NFL teams and have a chance to continue their careers at the next level. Without a season, NFL teams could only judge players based on their performances from last season and the draft combine, neither of which can solely represent a player’s abilities accurately.
There are multiple parties who would benefit from having a college football season for a variety of reasons. Not only do players want to compete in the sport they put so much work into, especially the seniors who may be playing their final season, but the athletics directors want to bring in any revenue they can to make up for the lost profits from the cancellation of March Madness and spring sports. Yes, there may be some risk involved, but with the proper rules put in place, college football teams should be able to play out their seasons safely.
No, It Is Irresponsible.
by Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
In times such as these, it seems almost insensitive to believe the upcoming college football season should occur. The threat of COVID-19 is real, both to college campuses and the surrounding communities. College football should not happen this year for the safety of all.
To begin, one should look at the fact that many other college sports will not be competing for the remainder of the calendar year. Universities are going to be missing out on the likes of soccer, volleyball, cross country, and field hockey this semester. To give football the chance to play while other sports will not be given that same chance seems rather unfair.
Many of the other canceled sports are hoping to play in the spring semester, which begs the question: why are some schools in such a rush to be playing football at this moment? Athletic directors will say that postponing this football season to the spring, just a couple of months before next season’s restart, will not work. That may be true, but we find ourselves in a time when no one should be taking massive risks that can put people in danger, no matter how inconvenient it is.
College football, with a few exceptions, is currently set to be played across the country in one way or another this fall. The two major exceptions to this trend are the Big Ten and the Pac-12 conferences. Despite holding some of the most well-known college football teams in the country, these conferences have decided to suspend their seasons. Although they have received backlash, it is the right decision. The country has come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic, and any further setbacks should be avoided at all costs. The sheer number of players on a given football team should be reason enough for no college football this year.
A lot has been sacrificed to maintain some semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy. Some universities have already shifted to online learning. owever, these same schools want to be playing football soon. This is not only selfish, but a clear money grab. Essential workers have worked so hard to keep this country afloat. Can we really say that young college football players are essential workers right now? Maybe they could be considered as such for the universities where these players are generating millions of dollars, but not for a country that needs everyone to continue to make smart and safe choices.
PCI: Who Will Win the Big East Tournament?
by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020
Sports
Seton Hall University
by Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
The Big East Tournament is just around the corner, and the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is looking to become champions for the first time since 2014. And with their recent form, the Friars have shown they are more than capable of making a deep run. It would be quite an accomplishment as the Big East is notably deep this year, full of talented programs from top to bottom. One of these teams is Seton Hall University, a foe that will unfortunately end up winning the tournament over the Friars.
Indeed, Seton Hall appears to have the regular-season championship and no. 1 seed locked up as they sit at 13-3 in Big East play. However, they do play two tough games this week first against Villanova University and then away at Creighton University. Both of these teams currently sit at 11-5 in the conference and will likely be the two and three seeds, respectively.
If Providence finishes its season with wins in their games vs. Xavier University and DePaul University, they will be at worse the four seed. Xavier, Marquette University, and Butler University are all strong programs that are currently sitting in the projected NCAA tournament field. Georgetown University, St. John’s University, and DePaul, could potentially pull off an upset in an early-round (St. John’s has the energy and home-court advantage to cause a high seed some trouble), but they do not pose much of a threat to win it all.
Seton Hall, though, has arguably the most complete team in the Big East. They have a senior leader in Myles Powell who can get a bucket in the biggest moments and is a player who loves playing in New York City. 7’2’’ Romaro Gill is a tough matchup for anyone. Quincy McKnight, Myles Cale, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Jared Rhoden can all knock down shots and fill out the roster nicely. Here and there, Powell has had poor performances, but it is hard to see him having any letdowns at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall is also having a historically great year for the program – the last time they won the Big East regular season was in 1992-93 under coach PJ Carlesimo. That year, they won the Big East Tournament and won at Villanova for the first time in 25 years.
If the Pirates finish their regular season with momentum from wins over Villanova and Creighton, I think that there is no doubt they have the best shot at winning the Big East Tournament.
Providence College
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Coeditor
The 2020 Big East Tournament is fast approaching and, at the moment, it is completely up for grabs. Seton Hall University is arguably the favorite to win the whole tournament, but the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team is currently in a position that could very much challenge that. I predict that they will be victorious in the tournament.
The main reason why PC has a shot at winning the entire tournament is because, compared to the other teams, their momentum has finally kicked in and it is strong enough to carry them throughout the tournament. Coming off of one of the best months of basketball play, PC has won four-straight games, with three of those wins coming against top-ranked teams. According to ESPN, PC is one of only five teams ever to knock off five top 25 teams in a month.
The most recent was their upset win against Big East rival Villanova University, who is ranked third in the Big East, just behind Seton Hall and Creighton University, and 14th in the country. This 58-54 win secured the Friars a first round bye in the tournament. In addition, with the exception of Xavier University, PC has beaten every team in the Big East.
Alongside their momentum, Luwane Pipkins ’20GS has finally found some consistency. Playing what is without a doubt his best play this season pointwise, Pipkins has finished the last four games with 27, 24, 16, and 13 points, respectively. He also shot 71 percent against Georgetown University, 64 percent against Marquette University, and 54 percent against Villanova. Averaging about 20 points per game, the burst in Pipkins play has, without a doubt, transformed a formally dismal season and has given the team life and chance to secure a NCAA tournament bid.
With Pipkins leading the way, other Friars such as Alpha Diallo ’20 and Maliek White ’20 are playing exceptionally well and other teams will have a hard time shutting them down defensively. Diallo scored a remarkable 35 points against no. 1 ranked Seton Hall and White scored 15 points against Villanova.
In addition to players such as Pipkins finding his stride, the Friars’ defense has been a key component to the success that the team is finding. As head coach Ed Cooley said after the team’s upset against Villanova, “We hang our hat on defense.”
The tenacity that the Friars are displaying after their dismal 6-6 start to the season, along with the fact that key players such as Pipkins, Diallo, and White are finding a way to make their presence known on the court and their recent stellar defensive play are all reasons as to why they have the best shot to claiming this year’s Big East title.PCO
PCI: Should Students be Allowed to Storm the Court After Upsets?
by The Cowl Editor on February 27, 2020
Sports
Yes, They Should Be Allowed To
by Gavin Woods ’22
Sports Staff
In light of the recent Providence College Men’s Basketball Team victory over Seton Hall University on Feb. 15, many are questioning whether or not student spectators should continue to storm the court. However, I do not think that this instance should be representative of the policy. Storming the court after a big win is a staple of the college basketball experience and should be continued.
Part of what makes the Dunkin’ Donuts Center such a difficult arena for opponents to face is because the PC crowd is so vocal. The best way to measure a crowd’s effect on the game is to look at how it affects the home team’s performance. Head coach Ed Cooley commented, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about how great our crowd was tonight. Our crowd helped us win this game, no question about it. I don’t know what they fed them in here tonight.”
It was exactly this intense excitement that the student section showed for their Friars that made them want to celebrate this conference win. Coach Cooley offered his perspective on the premature court storming: “I know it got out of hand at the end when they thought the game was over. Hopefully we won’t get fined for that. But if we do… I’ll pay for it. It’s worth it if we’re winning.”
When Alpha Diallo ’20 was asked how the sold-out crowd at home made him feel, he replied, “It was a great moment. The storming the court is always fun, especially for the young guys. It was a great atmosphere and we fed off of it for sure.”
Banning the act of court storming would discourage the crowd’s participation. Big wins do not happen often and when they do, students should have the opportunity to celebrate with their fellow classmates. The student body should be free to celebrate with the team however they see fit, so long as it does not interfere with the game as it did this past Saturday.
Storming the court is a longstanding college tradition that has, in some cases, been deemed an essential part of the college experience. To deny students the opportunity to do so takes away the ability for students to make memories of a situation they may never find themselves in again. To put a limit on their celebration is to essentially remove students from the game, which already confines them to mere spectators. Lastly, to reiterate what Diallo said, storming the court not only energizes the fans, but also the players because they feed off the excitement in the stadium and it can be a motivating factor for the team going forward.
Therefore, storming the court, when done correctly, should be allowed because both the fans and players love it. It is a great sports tradition that brings players and fans together.
No, It’s Too Dangerous
by Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
With unexpected outcomes comes unexpected celebrations, and for college basketball an upset at home usually calls for the students to storm the court at the final buzzer.
What might seem like harmless excitement at first can actually turn into mayhem on the court. In addition, large fines can be placed on the institution itself. Some might argue to “let the kids play,” but there have been incidents in the past that should convince any school or league to ban fans from storming the court, with no exceptions.
Student fan sections during the game are expected to get rowdy. Indeed, they are responsible for cheering their team on when it is on a roll, as well as in charge of picking their team up when they need some momentum. Chants, signs, and themed outfits are all encouraged and express the crowd’s commitment to their school’s team. Rushing the court, however, creates a dangerous situation for students and players that can be completely avoidable.
One of the worst cases was in 2004, when a promising high school basketball player, Joe Kay, helped his team beat their rival school with a game-winning dunk. The high school students, who had watched college court storms all their lives, were ready to celebrate the same way. Unfortunately, Kay was a victim of the chaos, being thrown to the ground before suffering a stroke which would later paralyze him on his right side.
The Southeastern Conference and the Big East have started to implement fines for teams that continue to storm the court even after being advised not to do so. However, this does not seem to stop students. A University of South Carolina announcer warned the Gamecock fans prior to their upset victory against University of Kentucky that if the students were to storm the court, the school would be fined up to $50,000. The students charged the court anyways, leaving their school to pay the large fine.
Providence College students are all too familiar with rushing the court after their basketball team comes up with an unexpected win. This season, the team was 0.2 seconds away from beating Seton Hall University, who was sitting first in the Big East and ranked tenth nationally. With an unexpected foul, the students started rushing the court even though the game had not yet ended. Embarrassing the team and the school, the students took their time walking off the court. Providence College was issued a $5,000 fine for the unnecessary fiasco.
How do you distinguish which victory deserves a court storming? Many PC students decided the game was not worthy of storming the court and stayed in their seats at the end of the game, which was a good thing.
Storming the court is not going to get any safer, it embarrasses the school, and in the end, is just not worth it.
PCI: Did the MLB Do Enough to Punish the Astros?
by Meaghan P Cahill on February 13, 2020
Sports
Yes, They Did Enough
This past offseason was one of the most active and dramatic the MLB has seen in recent history. Compared to the past couple of offseasons, this year MLB fans witnessed big name free agents getting paid faster, more trades, and the biggest scandal the sport has seen since the steroid era. Many could not believe the Houston Astros, the 2017 World Series Champions, were accused of conducting an elaborate system to steal other team’s signs.
After the report from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred came out, the country was shocked by the levels of sophistication the Astros used. It was revealed that the Astros had set up a camera in center field and then put up a monitor between the clubhouse and dugout. Players could study the signs the pitcher was receiving from the catcher, identify what pitch was going to be thrown and then communicate that to the batter either by noise (banging on a trash can) or possibly other means.
So, what did this trash can orchestra lead to? The MLB handed Houston one-year bans for their manager and GM (both fired), forfeiture of first and second round picks in the next two drafts, and a $5 million fine. Houston then fired their manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow. The Red Sox and Mets then fired their managers Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran for their roles when they were with Houston.
I believe that this punishment was completely fair. Obviously the two in charge needed to be suspended. There was no precedent for this because the game has not seen a scandal like this. A year was fine since the scandal only lasted a year. In the end, the Hinch and Luhnow will likely not be allowed in the MLB anytime soon. It would not be fair to punish other coaches and players involved because they are scattered on different teams, and punishing them now would also unfairly punish those teams. If you are not punishing all the players, you also cannot punish those still on the Astros. The fine given was the most the MLB could give and losing draft picks, will significantly hamper the club’s future.
Many people also wanted a postseason ban or removal of the World Series title. Both of these are trivial. The MLB wants to continue and put this behind them. Keeping one of the best teams or any team for that matter out of the postseason not only affects that team and the city’s local economy but also the league. As for the removal of the title, that does no good. Everyone will still remember the Astros as champs; you cannot just crown one of the teams they beat the new champion. There is no satisfaction in that, and it will only create controversy.
-Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
No, Far From It
If a player in the MLB tests positive for steroids, they receive an 80-game suspension, a second failed test leads to a full season, a third leads to a lifetime ban from baseball. Former player/manager Pete Rose was banned from baseball for betting on games. Even players who were suspected of taking steroids have had their reputation tarnished to the point that it has prevented them from being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The punishment for using cameras to steal an opponent’s signs: nothing. After Major League Baseball investigated and found the Houston Astros guilty for using technology to steal signs, manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were each suspended for a year by the league and subsequently fired by Houston. The team was fined and lost four draft picks over the next two years. Meanwhile, the players were granted immunity for their cooperation in the investigation.
While the MLB recognized handing suspensions down to the players would trigger a battle with the Players’ Union, not even giving a fine to any of the players puts all the blame on Hinch and Luhnow. While both knew of the scheme, Hinch broke a TV monitor twice to show his displeasure in the scheme.
It is unfair that Hinch and Lunhow are taking the full brunt of the punishment of the scandal. It may be the leaders’ jobs to make sure that their team complies with the rules (which both failed to do), but they are working with grown men who were very aware they were breaking the rules.
Finding the extent of the involvement of each player is hard to pinpoint exactly, but if there is no punishment to teach players to not cheat, what is preventing another scandal from happening again? Even a basic fine can dissuade players on cheaper salaries from participating.
The only player from the 2017 team who has gotten any sort of punishment was Carlos Beltrán. Beltrán was hired by the New York Mets in the fall to become their new manager.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made it clear that it will be on the leadership of each team to make sure everyone in the dugout and front office complies with the rules, taking the pressure off the players. What hurt Hinch was that he trusted his players too much and failed to intervene when he needed to.
Very few players have come forward to apologize, and no one still on the team has spoken. The people who led this scheme need to be held accountable for breaking the rules. The men who failed to stop it will serve their time, but how about the ones who were the ringleaders?
-Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-editor
Providence College Investigates: Kobe Bryant’s Best Moments
by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020
Sports
Bryant’s 81 Points vs. Toronto Raptors & Free-Throws Post-Achilles Tear
by Leo Hainline ’22
Sports Staff
In a 2006 mid-season game that nowadays some star players would consider taking off, the Los Angeles Lakers went up against Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors in the Staples Center.
The first quarter was nothing special and Toronto was up early. Kobe Bryant was keeping the Lakers in the game, but the Raptors had a serviceable cushion for most of the first half. Nobody would guess that he would end up dropping the second-most points in a single game in NBA history. At half time, despite Bryant having 26, the Lakers were down 63-49 and looked like they were on pace to drop their third game in a row.
Instead of waiting for his teammates to wake up from their off-night, Bryant took the initiative to elevate his game to the next level.
Down double digits, who else was going to get the Lakers back in the game? Lamar Odom? Bryant knew he was that guy who had to put the team on his back. He missed the first couple of shots of the third quarter but kept shooting and one after the other, his shots started to fall. Scoring three-buckets in a row, Bryant single-handedly cut the lead. Out of a timeout, Bryant got the ball, drove baseline, pulled up, pump-faked twice, got fouled and got the bucket. He was locked in—lay-ups, mid-range, threes, it didn’t matter where Bryant was on the court, he was going to score. With a minute left in the third quarter, Bryant stole the ball and got a fast-break dunk to take the lead and the entire crowd was up on their feet.
Bryant entered the fourth quarter with 53 points and was just getting started. Bryant kept attacking, driving to the bucket, hitting jump shots, getting to the line. Halfway through the fourth quarter, he got fouled on a three and surpassed his previous career-high of 62. Staples Center was hot—every time Bryant got the ball the people rose out of their seats and started cheering.
At this point, Bryant was pulling up every possession and extending the Lakers lead to close to 20. Everyone in the arena knew that this was one of the best individual performances in the history of basketball. He knocked down his final two free throws to finish with 81, and more important to him, a win for the Lakers.
This game, where one person singlehandedly outscored the opposing team in the second half, is a nice individual memory of Kobe Bryant as a basketball player, but Bryant’s legacy will be remembered for much more than his contributions to the game of basketball, or a single game for that matter. He will be remembered for his energy, hard work, commitment, faith, and love that he spread on a daily basis. The impact he had on his friends, family, and fans is much more significant than a number in the box score.
Another game that displayed Bryant’s tenacity occured seven years later at the end of the 2012-2013 season.
During their 80th game of the season, the Lakers were fighting to secure a playoff spot. The team was playing Bryant heavy minutes for this final stretch of games, trying to make the most of what was a bit of a disappointing season. Some of their new acquisitions did not exactly live up to expectations. Regardless of the situation, Bryant was still leading the team, scoring over 27 points a game and contributing on both ends of the court.
The Lakers were in a dogfight with the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. Bryant was repeatedly banged up in this physical game. In the third quarter, he was down for about a minute after hyperextending his knee but shook it off and continued to play through the pain. Late in the game, Bryant was knocking down threes and doing everything he could to put the Lakers into the lead.
With three minutes to go, the Lakers were down 109-107 and Bryant drove in on Harrison Barnes at the top of the key. He got fouled but immediately went down, grimacing, grabbing his left heel in what appeared to be a non-contact injury. The severity of the injury wasn’t immediately clear—he still had his game face on and limped over to the bench as the Lakers took a timeout.
Once the coverage resumed on TV it was obvious that Bryant was badly injured. Under his own power, he gingerly moved from the team huddle to the foul line, putting no pressure on his left foot. Down by two, Bryant stepped up and knocked down the first free throw.
At this point, you could see the emotion in his eyes—likely not from the pain of the injury but because he knew that he would be out for the game and rest of the season, unable to help his team.
The referee tossed him the ball, and again, Bryant stepped up and calmly hit the free throw. Tying it up late into the fourth quarter in what some considered to be a must-win game on a torn achilles takes much more than pure talent—it’s takes something that’s inherent in Bryant’s Mamba Mentality. The traits that Bryant possessed in his personality and mentality never just purely applied to basketball. They apply to life, and that is partly why Bryant is respected and beloved by so many people.
The determination he had to fight through the pain and knock down those shots in this single situation is representative of the tenacity he brought on a daily basis, both in basketball and outside the game.
Bryant’s Final Career Home Game & Winning Game Seven of the 2010 NBA Finals
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Before the 2015-2016 NBA season, Kobe Bryant announced that it would be his last season after missing the majority of the previous two seasons due to injury. Immediately fans began to purchase tickets to get the chance to see one of the greatest players of all-time one more time. Bryant’s farewell tour was made with applause from other team’s fans, jersey swaps with a player from every team, and retirement gifts. With each passing game, anticipation rose for the regular season finale on April 13 at the Staples Center against the Utah Jazz. The Los Angeles Lakers came into the game 16-65 and had been long out of playoff-contention, meaning this was going to be Bryant’s final appearance.
Every former Laker and celebrity that you can possibly think of were in attendance to watch the Black Mamba play in his last ever NBA game. Bryant, the final player left from the 1996 NBA draft, was ready to put on a show one last time and let everyone know, including his daughters and wife, that he was not going to go out quietly.
During the season, Bryant averaged 17.6 points per game in 66 games. Expectations were high that Bryant was due for something special, and special was just an understatement of what happened on that night. After being down by 15 at halftime, Bryant put the Lakers on his back one final time and gave one last memorable game. After scoring 22 points at halftime, Bryant exploded for 42 points in the second half to finish with 60 in his final game.
In the final minute with his team down 95-96, Bryant hit a mid-range jump shot to give the Lakers the lead 97-96. He would seal the game with 15 seconds left by hitting two free throws to make it 99-96. The Lakers gave Bryant the chance for one final curtain call by subbing him out with four seconds left to a standing ovation by the home crowd. Bryant gave the crowd one last salute before walking off the floor forever and leaving everyone with a moment they will not forget.
The other moment that will forever define Bryant’s legacy is when the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the 2010 NBA Finals. The two teams also met in 2008 when the Celtics took the series in six games. Boston was looking for their second title with their Big Three. Meanwhile, Bryant was ready to bring LA back-to-back championships and win his fifth overall. Going into Game Six Boston held at 3-2 advantage in the series with two chances to take the series. The Lakers made sure there would be a Game Seven after beating down on the Celtics 89-67. Bryant scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Lakers forced a Game Seven on their home court.
While Boston held the lead after three quarters with the title close in their sights, Bryant was going to make sure his team did not go out quietly. After averaging 27 points during season, Bryant scored a game-high 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter in a tight battle with the Celtics. The Lakers pulled ahead late in the game pulled out the 83-79 win. The series gave Bryant his fifth ring and second Finals MVP award. He averaged 28.6 points per game during the series and shot 40.5 percent from the field.
This series helped cement Bryant as an all-time great, putting him one championship behind his idol Michael Jordan. After winning his first three titles with teammate Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant showed that he could lead a team on his own and carry them when needed most.
Kobe Bryant was more than an athlete, he was a leader, MVP, father, and most importantly a legend amongst all the branches of sports. He will be missed and never be forgotten for his actions on the court and the greatness he achieved off the court.
PCI: Who Will Win Super Bowl LIV?
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020
Sports
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers: a matchup of two of the most consistent teams this season. The team that will be coming out victorious on Sunday will be the Kansas City Chiefs.
It has been 50 years since the Chiefs have made it to the Super Bowl. This has been a long time coming for Kansas City fans and they will be even happier soon. Make no mistake, the 49ers are a great football team with an outstanding running game and a defensive line that will hit you in the face every single snap. However, they do not have that “it” factor the Chiefs have, and that has a lot to do with a man named Patrick Mahomes.
The quarterback out of Texas Tech University has set the league on fire ever since he took the starting role in Kansas City. He has not put up numbers like he did in his MVP season last year, but he is thrown for 4,031 yards with 26 touchdowns and only five interceptions, while also posting the second best QBR (total quarterback ranking) at 76.3.
Needless to say, he has done all of this after coming back from a dislocated kneecap midseason. Mahomes is built for the big stage and he will be excited as ever to show everyone why he deserves to be called one of, if not the best, quarterback in football this season.
There are also some explosive players surrounding Mahomes on offense.
No lead is safe with the Chiefs. Kansas City’s high-powered offense has three Pro Bowlers: Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman. They also have the down field threat and speedster Sammy Watkins. It is too much power for a very good San Francisco defense to contain.
The flip side of the ball will be the difference maker for the Chiefs. Their defense has been on a steady rise for most of the season and is peaking at the right time thanks to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who knows a thing or two about winning a championship as a defensive coordinator having won Super Bowl XLII with the New York Giants. The Chiefs secondary has been totally revamped compared to last season and safety Tyrann Mathieu has been a leader. The rush defense for the Chiefs is going to have to step up big if the Chiefs want to host the Lombardi Trophy, but with the massive momentum they have created over the past couple of weeks and an offense averaging 43 points per game this postseason, the Kansas City Chiefs will be crowned Super Bowl Champions.
– Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are primed to win this year’s Super Bowl, coming off of a dominant playoff performance and a remarkably successful regular season. They will face off on the second of February in Miami with the AFC Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 49ers have solidified themselves as a run-first offense from the onset of the season, with the combined forces of Matt Breida, Tevin Coleman, and Deebo Samuel.
Recording an impressive 2,305 rushing yards as a team, as well as averaging 4.6 yards per carry, the 49ers have worn out defenses with their massive volume of rushing attempts. This enabled Jimmy Garoppolo to take the occasional deep looks to their star tight end, George Kittle, who led the team’s receiving corp, recording 1,053 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season. This explosive offense, implemented by Kyle Shanahan, led the 49ers to an impressive 8-0 start to the season, before a crushing loss to the Seahawks in overtime.
However, the story of the 2019-2020 49ers has not been the success of the offense, but rather their defense. The statistics speak for themselves: first in scoring defense with 15.3 points allowed per game, third in forced fumbles with 12, ninth in interceptions with 12, 10th in sacks with 23, and first in rushing defense with only 73.2 yards allowed per game.
Their defense is somehow just as star-studded as their offense from Richard Sherman to Arik Armstead and the astonishing rookie, Nick Bosa. Unfortunately, the stats simply do not do Nick Bosa’s performance justice. This is not to say that nine sacks in the regular season for a rookie defensive end is not special, but the most impressive aspect of Bosa’s game is the immense pressure he can put on quarterbacks. Combining his 6-foot-four-inch and 266-pound frame with a 4.79 second 40-yard dash will prove to be a major problem for the Chiefs’ offensive line.
Come Super Bowl Sunday, expect both teams to test their opponents’ defensive backfield, as it is likely the weakest point for each team. This applies particularly to the Chiefs, who will almost certainly struggle to move the ball on the ground against the iron-clad 49ers defensive line. Regardless, this will prove to be a shootout between two talented and young quarterbacks, with possibly the two most explosive offenses currently in the NFL.
– Gavin Woods ’22
Sports Staff
PCI: What was the Best PC Sports Moment of the Decade?
by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020
Sports
Men’s Hockey Wins National Championship
One of the best parts of sports are the iconic, unlikely, and exciting pieces of history they create. A lot of these great sports moments have blessed Providence College within the last decade alone. With a plethora of iconic memories to choose from, it is difficult to pick just one. However, for me, it has to be the 2015 Men’s Hockey National Championship.
Hockey has been a staple of this school and the New England area for a very long time. It was not until recently that the men’s hockey team became a competitive force to be reckoned with in the NCAA. Led by head coach Nate Leaman, at the time in his fifth year with the team, the 2015 Friars won 26 games. That was their best mark since the 1980’s. This, along with a second-place finish in the Hockey East conference set them up nicely for the tournament and a chance to reclaim glory for PC hockey.
Unfortunately, this was not the case. The Friars suffered a quarterfinal upset to the University of New Hampshire and crossed their fingers. Eventually, they did secure one of the last tournament spots and started their improbable run that included beating 4-seed Miami University, the University of Denver, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The Friars faced off against the Boston University Terriers on April 11, 2015 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Slated to win, the Terriers went into the second half of the third period with a 3-2 lead against the Friars. However, in the final minutes of the game, PC scored two unanswered goals to not only win the game, but also to secure the program’s first ever NCAA win in hockey.
The team was packed with several great players who would eventually move on to the NHL. Players like Noel Acciari ’15, Brandon Tanec ’16, and Mark Jankowski ’16 were key players that pushed the Friars to the title. Acciari was tied for the team lead in goals while Jankowski was second on the team in assists.
The win managed to pull the Friars not just back to relevancy, but to the top of the nation as the team still remains one of the biggest powerhouses of hockey to this day. This championship was an incredible feat for the school as well as a turning point for the program as it allowed the team to consistently compete at this level in the years to come and set them up with great, national recognition.
– Joseph Quirk ’23
Sports Staff
Kris Dunn Drafted in 2016 NBA Draft
One of the best Providence College sports moments of the decade occurred off the court: the 2016 NBA Draft. Indeed, this event was made so special because point guard and Friar Legend, Kris Dunn ’16, was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Being selected to play professionally in the NBA is already an accomplishment in itself. However, being selected in the first round, and in the top five especially, is a shining moment in a decade of PC success.
Dunn was among All-NBA talent, like Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, and Jaylen Brown. This gives a better picture of just how special this moment was. Indeed, it cemented him as one of the top talents not only from the collegiate level, but also from around the world.
The talented Friar point guard did not get drafted as high as he did for just any reason. His college career featured a wealth of highlights and notable awards including being named a Second-Team All-American in 2016, receiving Big East Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and a two-time First-Team All-Big East in 2015 and 2016. Dunn was also a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and finally, was a Big East Tournament champion in 2014.
Even with all the statistics and accolades received throughout his tenure at PC, Dunn never let personal achievement get in the way of the success of the team. He was renowned for always putting in 110% in every game and against every team he faced. This is best shown in the win over a challenging University of Southern California team in the 2016 March Madness Tournament.
As brilliant as the 2016 draft was, Dunn struggled in his rookie season for the Timberwolves. Dunn, in 78 games played, averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 assists per game.
Currently, Dunn, in his fourth season in the NBA and third with the Chicago Bulls, is averaging 7.2 points, 3.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. He is in second place in the league for total steals, and has been hot on the tail of league-leader Ben Simmons for the entire season.
Truly, college basketball players work hard to achieve their dream of making it to the professionals, going out every night to play the game they love. This is why hearing one’s name called on the stage is such a special moment for not only the player, but also for the school they represent. It exemplifies the hard work put in to get to that point, and the support the school provided along the way.
Dunn was able to use the knowledge he had gained from PC to achieve the greatest accomplishment for a basketball player: getting drafted. His recent success on the biggest stage makes it one of the best moments of the decade for PC athletics.
– Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff