Allan Ray has declared that I will be allowed to erase the horrible traveling call that went against him in the 2005 Sweet 16 from my memory, should Villanova advance to the National Championship and beat North Carolina:

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Thank you, Allan. Though I still might talk about it. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT:

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ONE! TWO! TWO STEPS!! A HA HA HA.

But this is a welcome proclamation. That was probably the most crushing sporting event I’ve ever attended live, and I was at Game 4 of the 1993 World Series. I was at Game 4 of the 2009 World Series. I was at Game 5 of the 2011 NLDS and watched Ryan Howard commence his five-year, $125 million contract by shredding his Achilles while slamming shut the Phillies’ window of opportunity on a ground ball to second. I was at Games 5 AND 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils. I’ve been to Sixers games. I know crushing defeats. This may have been the most crushing of all. I was a senior and made the trip to Syracuse for the game. Villanova was leading at halftime against the consensus top team in the country. They fell behind by 10 in the final minutes and stormed back up until this play, on which Ray should’ve been given a chance to tie it up. AND ONE!!! AND ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one came close to beating North Carolina that year except Villanova. The Cats legitimately could’ve won it all.

Now Ray, owner of one of our sweet V shirts and maybe my favorite college player of all-time, has granted me, and you (if you’re not a Main Line hater), a chance at redemption. Thank you, Allan.

Side note: He has once again cleared the air and explained that 604-year-old Carl Krauser did not poke his eye out and merely tucked the eyelid behind the eyeball the following year:

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Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go throw up.