Dear Providence College Friars Men’s Basketball,
With around ten games left, I thought I should talk to you all. Growing up in Rhode Island, I have been a Providence Friars fan before I was any other sports fan. I remember going to my first game at the old Dunk and we beat Notre Dame. I have seen many great Friars pass through the organization. From Ryan Gomes to Donnie McGrath, to MarShon Brooks, and most recently Bryce Cotton, Ladontae Henton and Kadeem Batts.
For the past 20 years, there have been some special teams, such as the 2008-09 team that upset #1 Pitt or the 2013-14 who were Big East Champions, but I see something different in this year’s team. This year I see everyone performing to his highest potential. You guys started out unranked and now you are among the best teams in the country (above famed Duke and Kentucky). You upset #4 Villanova, #9 Butler and #11 Arizona. I have faith that you will go far this season and postseason.
To Coach Cooley, I have heard so much about you since my dad works on campus. I see you in the gym (when I go, which is rarely) pumping iron, and you are a celebrity on this campus, with your cook-offs and calling out students who are wearing a rival team’s apparel. But along with those things, the other hundreds in the student section and I see your compassion for your players and the determination to have your players put the right foot forward in a game, and we cannot thank you enough for being such an amazing coach.
Friars, every time we enter the Dunk, we expect a win. There have been some heartbreakers, but you have bounced back and given us a phenomenal season. It’s not over, so push through. Everyone has to step up and rise to the challenge when their number is called because we can’t only rely on the starting five.
Bench players have done exceptionally well in my opinion, and I want you to keep doing what you’re doing. Whoever steps on that court represents the team, and you guys made the team a giant in this conference that is the Big East. You can beat any team you come across, and we’ve seen that from the stands.
I’m proud to say that my school’s basketball team is amazing and I hope there are some surprises coming this March. But March is a long way away, so stay humble. Cooley, lead our team to something special, put our little school on the map, and I’ll make sure we are always chanting "Let’s go Friars" in the stands.
Sincerely,
A Fellow Friar
