Let’s get this out of the way…St. Patrick had the better PR person. St. Joseph, he preferred to stay in the background. However if the devil (pun intended) is in the details, I will take pastry over salted red meat every day. And today if I were to make a wager, I would take scrappy, throwback wing player led St. Joe’s on Hawk Hill over UAB in the NIT. Like Pitino and Calipari coaching in Italian dominated Providence this week, how can you bet against the Hawks on THEIR FEAST DAY. lol
Well, I know a little bit about St. Joe’s. When we were with the Sixers it was our practice home every year, out on City Line Avenue, and the people who took care of us around the Hawks, starting with then Athletic Director Don DiJulia, were always first class, and always made the Sixers part of Hawk Hill. The days of NBA teams using college facilities for practice are long gone, but the relationships remain, as do the rooting interests. I love the Big Five in Philly and all its traditions that remain, even enjoy Drexel being part of the City Series, but when I see the Hawks on the screen I always pay attention. The Hawk will never die, in my mind.
I bring this up for a somewhat different reason for what this blog has been devoted to for over 15 years, but I thought about this and felt it had its spot. Wednesday March 19 , is my feast day, the last day of winter and The Day honoring St. Joseph. The father of Jesus Christ. We have our pastry, and our patron, a humble carpenter who was the ultimate team player, if you think about Christian doctrine. St. Joseph accepted a highly unusual and somewhat dangerous path, to take his wife, who was with child. He may not have understood what the reasons were but he accepted and built a family life, as scripture tells us, for his wife and Son.
It just struck me as funny again this week when we think about all the ideals we should look for in business, and even in sport, when we look for team players. People who give selflessly, are extremely loyal, work hard for little credit, inspire those around you, and lead by example.
That was what St. Joseph, the humble carpenter, The Patron Saint of workers, did for all. Maybe its why I hold St. Joe’s and all from Hawk Hill in such high regard as well…those Hawks teams lived by the same rules of hard work and selflessness, and largely still do.
So there ya go. As we move into March Madness, even with St. Joe’s playing in the NIT, give a high five to St. Joseph…his qualities resonate every day. Their mascot is very flappable, never stopping moving his or her arms until the final buzzer sounds, regardless of score.
And the pastry is better than anything served up by those wearing the Green as well.
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