I often think about the parents of murderers. I imagine myself as a father, experiencing the life-altering shock after first learning that my son had been arrested for taking the life of another human being. After the initial breakdown wears off, you’d prepare yourself emotionally for the arraignment/trial/conviction and begin the process of piecing your life back together again. There is nothing that can comfort you, time can only slowly erase the edges of your pain.
[su_pullquote]“This is going to be a big deal, the next 48 hours. This isn’t a positive trip home. It’s not going to be a positive 48 hours. It’s going to be a gut check for the guys to get up off the ground one more time and finish off the halfway point (of conference play) better.” – Archie Miller[/su_pullquote]
You would walk around in a daze, wondering where you went wrong, was it your fault, what could you have done to prevent this tragedy from occurring? Neighbors will stare and whisper behind your back, family members will eventually stop calling, Christmas cards will show up in dwindling numbers as the years pass.
This is EXACTLY what you should be experiencing following Thursday’s loss to Massachusetts. Confusion, hurt, regret.
But then, at some point, you find yourself in line at Chipotle wondering who the fuck is ordering the sofritas. Life has to go on.
Luckily, we will always have the forgiving embrace of the Fordham Rams. The Rams don’t judge, they’ve been hurt before (pretty much over their entire existence if we are being truthful). Fordham is the ex-girlfriend that picks you up when you are drunk at the go-cart track again. No judgment.
[title type=”fancy-h3″ color=””]Overview[/title]
Not much has changed since the Flyers faced off with Fordham a few weeks ago in the Bronx. For starters, the Rams have run off four straight losses since their game against UD, they are now 0-7 in the Atlantic Ten. Their last win was a month ago, a spirited victory against South Carolina State on New Year’s Eve. Fordham is dead last in most of the conference’s offensive categories, and near the bottom nationally as well. The coaching staffs may change, but the problems that plaque this program remain the same.
The one bright spot has been the play of freshman Eric Paschall. He is currently the second-leading scorer in the league, a solid rebounder that will add mass over his time at Rose Hill. Paschall has given Fordham some hope for the future. With almost the entire squad coming back next season, Tom Pecora may have a nucleus capable of winning a handful of games next season. Whether or not that comes to fruition is anyone’s guess (a betting man would say no), but Paschall, and fellow freshman Christian Sengfelder, provides the program a piece or two to build around the next few years.
[row]
[column size=”col-3″]
Christian Sengfelder • F (6’7″/238) • Fr.
10.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Needs to make defenses pay for keying on Paschall, not good enough offensively yet.
[/column]
[column size=”col-3″]
Mandell Thomas • G (6’2″/185) • Jr.
12.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.3 apg
Solid A10 guard, simply missing a jump shot.
[/column]
[column size=”col-3″]
Eric Paschall • F (6’6″/190) • Fr.
17.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg
The freshman was everything he was hyped up to be, needs to refine his mid-range game.
[/column]
[column size=”col-3″]
Ryan Rhoomes • F (6’8″/235) • Jr.
6.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg
A solid garbage man, everyone has to have one.
[/column]
[/row]
[row]
[column size=”col-3″]
Antwoine Anderson • G (6’1″/170) • So.
6.7 ppg, 3.4 apg
Team’s best pure guard, a decent perimeter shooter.
[/column]
[column size=”col-3″]
Bryan Smith • G (6’2″/190) • Sr.
3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.7 apg
The team’s lone senior, picked a horrible time to have his worst season in a Rams uniform.
[/column]
[column size=”col-3″]
Jon Severe • G (6’3″/180) • So.
5.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg
Relegated to bench minutes, I’d be shocked if he was at Fordham this fall (although I said the same thing about Devon Scott…).
[/column]
[column size=”col-3″]
Nemanja Zarkovic • G (6’3″/185) • Fr.
3.7 ppg, 39% 3fg
Has the potential to be a decent player for Fordham, needs more time, guys.
[/column]
[/row]
[title type=”fancy-h3″ color=””]Numbers Game[/title]
[fullwidth_section text_color=”dark” background_type=”color” bg_color=”#C4D8E2″]
[spacer height=”10″]
[title type=”fancy-h3″ color=””]Prediction[/title]
Dayton wins an easy one, 78-64. Dyshawn Pierre racks up a double-double and Dayton heads into a two game road trip with some momentum.
[/fullwidth_section]
Tom Blackburn
Tom Blackburn is a proud U. o' D. alum. He loses faith in humanity one day at a time, but not in you, you seem like you are all kinds of alright. Charter member of the T-Man fanclub.
