In two weeks our new football stadium will host the 2018 NCAA Division II Football Championship. After opening the facility last August to cross-town rivals and completing regular season play earlier this month, landing a college championship game has made this inaugural year definitely one to chronicle!
Aside from all the legend and lore that surrounds high school football in this state, the atmosphere and energy unique to the game is really something you have to experience to understand. It’s a time when communities come together and share their passion for something, whether that “thing” is the competition itself, or the half time show, maybe the traditions, the sounds, the memories – something. And then there are the people, often as diverse as the reasons that brought them there to begin with. Let me tell you about one game you likely didn’t attend and probably have never even heard about.
On March 24, 2007, the Winona State Warriors entered the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., on a 57-game winning streak, were the reigning Division II basketball national champions, and were led by the two-time D-II player of the year. They were overwhelmingly favored to defend their title against Barton College, a tiny school from Wilson, North Carolina, with an enrollment of less than 1,000. The Bulldogs were led by Anthony Atkinson, a largely overlooked point guard whose 5’9” frame made coaches question how well he could transition to the next level. On that night, he engineered one of the greatest comebacks in college basketball history, scoring 10 points in the last 39 seconds of Barton College’s 77-75 win.
He also has the distinction of being the first-ever player selected in the Harlem Globetrotters’ inaugural player draft.
Last weekend I took the family to see Anthony (now Ant) and the rest of his nicknamed teammates as they took on their constant companion rivals, the Washington Generals. For the record, the Generals last victory over their “foes” took place in 1971! In this Newsweek article on the history of the Globetrotters, you realize what trailblazers this organization has been for the past ninety years. They have broken barriers on race, gender, culture, society, and more. Beyond the pure talent and theatrics though, what really struck me about the evening was how, like our beloved football games, an entire community came together for a night of entertainment. If you haven’t been to an event like this before, just know audience participation is a non-negotiable. We saw kids of all backgrounds joining in on the fun, adults made to look silly, recognitions including a 25-year wedding anniversary, and a particularly special moment when a little girl sporting two prosthetic legs ran the length of the court to the cheers of the entire arena. This is what the Globetrotters are about – bringing people together so they can get to know one another better in a safe space. I don’t think our business is that much different when you consider our mission across generations. As we enter this holiday season, let’s make sure our kids know about safe spaces where they can just be themselves. Let’s make sure the adults know too!
What if? Why Not? 