Fact on Villanova Theater

Why Jay Wright can never leave Villanova

2013-05-18T13:00:00.000-04:00

Villanova coach Jay Wright now stumping for donations for #TheVFoundation. He’s good at this. About $300k in five minutes.
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) May 18, 2013

No surprise. Jay Wright is Villanova's single greatest asset from a fundraising and public relations perspective.

From the Villanova Vault: Don Bragg wins gold in Rome

2013-05-17T20:00:00.000-04:00

Villanova's third all-time individual gold medal. For more on Don Bragg, his desire to be Tarzan and his ego, read this article from 1980.

Add Mount St. Mary's to Villanova's basketball schedule

2013-05-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

At least according to this guy, who is a Mount recruit. The addition would leave one vacancy in the Villanova schedule.

The Mountaineers finished 18-14 last season and ended their season with a loss to LIU Brooklyn in the NEC final.

Raphael Chillious Officially Out

2013-05-16T20:00:00.000-04:00

Today, Villanova confirmed the news that came out the other day of assistant coach Raphael Chillious returning to Lorenzo Romar and the University of Washington.

Jay Wright:

"Raphael did an outstanding job with our team last year. He and his wife Charlene and daughter Zaya quickly became a part of our Villanova family. Raphael has an opportunity to return to Washington in a more integral position on that staff. The Nova Nation will miss `Chill' and his family."

So that's that. Best of luck to coach Chillious in the future.

Coming this summer

2013-05-15T20:00:00.000-04:00

This summer, we're going to be less lazy and more substantive. Tackling politics, social issues, larger picture sports etc. with more long form opinion-based pieces.

Examples:

The failure of The Wire to articulate its stated goals.
In depth evaluation of Villanova's athletic priorities.
Film, music, and television reviews.
Reader submissions.

Basically, all the stuff I've been too lazy to talk about for years and material for when Villanova isn't playing games.

Report: Raphael Chillious out at Villanova

2013-05-15T10:30:00.000-04:00

Raphael Chillious is leaving Villanova to rejoin Lorenzo Romar's staff at Washington, per multiple sources....
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 15, 2013

Assistant coaches are a very volatile market. Best of luck to Coach Chills in the future.

How strong are Villanova football players?

2013-05-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

Quite strong I would say.

Villanova recruit Ben Malone runs NJ state record in 1500m

2013-05-13T22:45:00.000-04:00

Finally got my first state record! Ran 3:46 for 1500 finishing behind 2 of my future teammates.#goodday
— Ben Malone (@the_benmalone) May 14, 2013

Malone, a senior at Pascack Valley High School in Bergen County will be skipping the state meet to run the dream mile at the Adidas Grand Prix on Randall's Island next month.

Finishing first and second were Sam McEntee and Josh Lampron (running unattached).

The Villanova baseball team is 11-39

2013-05-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

That's a .220 winning percentage.

By comparison, the hapless 1962 New York Mets had a .250 winning percentage.

2-19 in the Big East.

Villanova's 2013-2014 out of conference schedule

2013-05-11T17:00:00.000-04:00

Villanova's non-conference schedule: Battle For Atlantis, at Syracuse, at Temple, at St. Joe's, La Salle, Towson, Delaware, Penn.....
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 11, 2013

Towson is the new addition to that group.

Villanova confirms two game series against Syracuse

2013-05-11T08:34:00.000-04:00

Starting December 28, 2013 at Syracuse, with the next game being in the 2014-2015 season at the Wells Fargo Center.

Still don't like this series. Vince NiCastro should have told SCC to shove it and looked elsewhere.

Rutgers hires coach who was too stupid to graduate from Rutgers

2013-05-10T16:00:00.000-04:00

Lmao

Video of Radnor's planning commission meeting

2013-05-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

Rabble rabble rabble rabble. There's nothing else to do but rabble.

Found in the Villanova Archives: Charlie Jenkins wins gold at Melbourne

2013-05-08T20:00:00.000-04:00

I had been looking for footage of this for quite a while because it was one of the missing pieces of the Villanova Olympic puzzle.

On November 29, 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, Charlie Jenkins earned the distinction of being Villanova's first ever Olympic gold medalist, winning the 400m dash two days before his teammate Ron Delany of Ireland won gold in the 1500m. Jenkins also has the distinction of being the only Villanova alum with two gold medals, winning gold in the 4x400m relay in the final event of the Olympic program. Jenkins owns the distinction of being the only American athlete from Villanova to have won an individual gold medal in an international championship. Jenkins also holds the distinction of being the first man to stand atop an Olympic podium where four men were awarded individual medals as Ardalon Ignatyev of the Soviet Union and Voitto Hellstén of Finland were determined to have tied for bronze.

In 1981, Jenkins took over as the head coach of the Villanova track team following the death of legendary coach Jumbo Elliott. As head coach at Villanova, Jenkins coached his son Charles "Chip" Jenkins, Jr. who would later win Olympic gold as a member of the American 4x400m relay team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. They are the first father son pair to win gold medals in the same event.

Welcome back Tony Chennault

2013-05-07T21:05:00.000-04:00

I guess he's not transferring after all.

Kinda awkward.

Enough with the bullshit: Boycott Radnor businesses

2013-05-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

Villanova's plans to expand along Lancaster Avenue were dealt a decisive blow by Radnor township last night,when the planning commission voted 8-1 to deny Villanova's proposal after listening to public comment on the issue (See: Protecting your ass).

This comes after more than a year of stalling Villanova, asking for more plans, giving the school false hope that the plans would be approved, in addition to the normal Radnor-Villanova chicanery. Those of us who have been around forever should not be surprised by this turn of events, but things have finally reached the point where decisive action must be taken by the Villanova community.

One of the main issues with this whole situation is the total ignorance that Radnor and its residents have on the sizable economic impact that Villanova students have on the local economy. The fact that Radnor businesses are willing to accept the Wildcard despite the fact that it's a huge pain in the ass is prime evidence of this.

So what can be done about this problem? The simplest remedy would be to keep your money away from Radnor's ungrateful hands. This means no more shopping in Radnor stores, no more renting properties in Radnor, and no more parking in parking lots in Wayne that are where quarters go to die.

This is not an easy decision due to the convenience of certain Radnor businesses. It's unfortunate that these business owners are the people who would have to bear the brunt of the mess, but a portion of every dollar you spend in Radnor will end up in Radnor's coffers in one way or another, so it's time to start denying them that.

If Radnor business owners begin to feel the hurt and make noise about it, the township will be put in a position where they will have to capitulate to Villanova's eminently reasonable demands or risk having businesses flee.

It's time to treat these jerkoffs with the same contempt they've been showing Villanova for decades.

Blech: Villanova and Syracuse to continue rivalry

2013-05-06T20:00:00.000-04:00

Do not get me wrong, beating Syracuse is always a great feeling, and I greatly enjoy rooting against them, but when I found out that Villanova will continue their series against the Orange, I was angry.

Why was I angry? Well, it starts from the fact that Syracuse killed the Big East. It basically ends with that too, but I also think that Syracuse gets much more out of this arrangement than Villanova does. Now Jim Boeheim has an extra arrow in his quiver by being able to tell recruits from the Philadelphia area that their parents will be able to see them play more often.

If we know what Syracuse gets out of it, then what does Villanova get out of it aside from a boost in the non-conference strength of schedule? The answer to that is nothing really aside from a game that could draw, but there are plenty of other programs that do that, and most of them didn't stab Villanova in the back.

Jason Collins, social progress, and the dilution of heroism

2013-05-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

A hero is someone who can your breath away

Jason Collins is not a hero.

In order to be a hero, a person must be able to show that they have distinguished themselves by doing something that is abnormal. In order for Jason Collins to be a hero for admitting that he is a gay man, an acknowledgement must be made that being gay is abnormal, being a gay athlete is abnormal, and lastly that being an out of the closet gay athlete who is still playing is extremely abnormal.

If equality means that there is no "normal" sexual orientation, then how is someone a hero for telling the truth about who they actually are?

What Jason Collins' coming out represents more than heroism is social progress. The response from the media and public was almost universally positive, and it looks as if he'll get a chance to continue his NBA career despite the fact that he is a marginal player and has been for quite some time.

Isn't it possible that we can applaud social progress without applying hyperbolic praise to people that admit to an essential trait that doesn't make them any different than millions of other Americans?

Villanova events at the Big East Track and Field Championship tomorrow

2013-05-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

After a day of mostly preliminary events, the Villanova track and field team will look to score big points tomorrow afternoon at the Big East Championships at Rutgers (boo).

Here's the schedule of events tomorrow (* denotes an event a Villanova runner will be competing in)

Live stream here

11:00 AM

400m Relay - W

11:15 AM

400m Relay - M

11:30 AM

1,500m Run - W*

11:35 AM

1,500m Run - M*

11:45 AM

100m Hurdles - W*

11:55 AM

110m Hurdles - M

12:05 PM

400m Dash - W

12:10 PM

400m Dash - M

12:15 PM

100m Dash -W

12:20 PM

100m Dash -M

12:25 PM

800m Run - W*

12:30 PM

800m Run - M*

12:40 PM

400m Hurdles - W*

12:50 PM

400m Hurdles - M

1:00 PM

200m Dash - W

1:05 PM

200m Dash - M

1:10 PM

5,000m Run - W*

1:30 PM

5,000m Run - M*

1:50 PM

3,200m Relay - W*

2:05 PM

3,200m Relay - M*

2:20 PM

1,600m Relay -W*

2:35 PM

1,600m Relay - M*

Villanova Lax Loses To Syracuse

2013-05-04T15:30:00.000-04:00

After a valiant effort that saw them getting it within two goals at one point in the fourth quarter, the Villanova lacrosse team lost the Big East title game to Syracuse 13-9, ending their season.

Luckily, they won't have to play against Syracuse anymore. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say.

Villanova Lacrosse advances to Big East Championship Game

2013-05-03T20:00:00.000-04:00

They'll play Syracuse tomorrow at noon for the conference title. They beat the Orange earlier this season.

11-33

2013-05-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

That is the record of the Villanova baseball team this season

Something needs to change.

Radnor NIMBYs have resorted to an online petition

2013-05-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

A "new" group calling themselves "Friends To Preserve Radnor" (not to be confused with Right Plan For Radnor, I guess) has popped up expressing its opposition to Villanova's eminently reasonable plans for expansion.

This new group is circulating an online petition imploring Radnor to say no to granting Villanova a one time zoning exemption claiming that it would allow any Radnor institution to build at will, which is absolutely not true.

Their claim:

If passed, this will change Radnor Township, our community, and our way of life irrevocably. We want to preserve Radnor for now and for future generations.

This amendment will have an immediate negative impact to our Township, as the proposed build would increase density, traffic, noise and sound pollution, and decrease our quality of life.

This amendment would allow any educational institution within Radnor Township to build beyond the current parameters of the building/zoning codes, such as increasing building heights from 3 stories to 5 stories and decreasing setbacks from streets from 120 ft to 38 ft.

I particularly love the ludicrous argument that moving currently commuting undergraduate students on campus would increase traffic to the university.

Oh yeah, they also have a blog: http://friends2preserveradnor.wordpress.com/

In an interesting sidenote, the spearhead behind this new group is comic book artist Rick Leonardi, who has a Wikipedia page, and has drawn for both DC and Marvel during his career. He also must make frequent trips to Comic Con.

NFL teams should be beating down Norman White's door

2013-04-30T20:00:00.000-04:00

During Norman White's career at Villanova, there were not many opportunities to catch passes. Sure, the team threw the ball, but it was generally as a means of creating running lanes. So White's primary responsibilities on the football field during his college career were not as a receiver, but as a blocker. Despite this reality, which a lot of receivers do not relish, Norman was able to distinguish himself not only as a blocker, but also as a receiver, finishing his career as one of the most prolific wide receivers in Villanova history from a statistical perspective. If Norman White had played for Villanova ten years earlier, he'd be a mid round pick in the NFL draft, even with his concerning injury history and unspectacular 40 yard dash times.

The fact that White has not even gotten a mini camp invite yet shows that someone has not been doing their homework. Here is a selfless player who produced in college, that NFL teams were interested in since the beginning of his junior year, but all the sudden they cease being interested?

If I was an NFL coach, Norman White is exactly the kind of player that I would want in my camp.

Penn Relays Weekend Highlights

2013-04-30T16:00:00.000-04:00

Both the women's distance medley relay win and the 4x800 collegiate record.