More to Xavier than men's basketball, including...

[vee4xu]

In an effort to move the angst and conversation to a more positive note, there is so much good going on at Xavier these days. For example, all the new development, the men's swimming team winning Xavier's first ever Big East championship, the men's baseball team beating #12 UNC and going 4-0 for the first time since 1979.

In an effort to get ourselves into a better frame of mind, I would like to hear for all of you about what you like about today's Xavier, not only relative to today, but relative to your days there. This can be used as our anchor as we wade through the waters of the the final weeks of the regular season and the BE basketball tournament.

I hope you'll all play along!

[OH.X.MI]

Heard today that there is going to be a Starbucks, Lucy Blue pizza, and Greaters in the new development next year. Not sports related, but my god how nice it would have to get some Lucy Blue on weekend night (or early morning) instead walking to that health hazard Little Caesars on Montgomery.

[vee4xu]

Thx OH. Doesn't have to be sports related. In fact, would prefer it not be.

[Masterofreality]

Xavier University student athletes presented over $5,000 to a six-year-old boy through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Landyn, the recipient of the donation, suffers from spina bifida and he and his family will put the money toward achieving his wish to go to Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

The money was raised through the Student Athlete Activities Committee (SAAC) as a partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to make Landyn’s wish come true.

Make-A-Wish works to provide children with life-threatening illnesses one “wish,” like Landyn’s trip to Disney World.

Student athletes spent two weeks collecting donations for the cause and by the end of the campaign, the committee collected more than double their initial goal of $2,200.

[vee4xu]

Love it MOR! Thank you. Keep 'em coming everyone.

[SemajParlor]

I saw on twitter that Dana's created its first official Hershel pitcher. So that's pretty cool.

[coasterville95]

And any of us that donated (or bought chances on the baskets) at the Providence game can pat ourselves on the back for being a part of that Make A Wish success story. All For One, right?

[xudash]

One of the advantages, given that it's possible there aren't many, of being older is that it affords you the opportunity to look at things through a longer lense.

One specific thing in Xavier's case has to do with Xavier changing conferences. There are people on this board who witnessed Xavier moving from nothing into the MCC. There are people on this board who witnessed Xavier moving from the MCC into the A10, and at a time of Marcus Camby and UMass and John Chaney and Temple, not to mention Virginia Tech. It was a huge step at the time, and one which came after Xavier sweated and clawed its way to a barely noticeable but noticeable place in college basketball.

Now this move to the Big East. This was the Grail. This is the Grail. Yet, as was the case with the other two substantial shifts in Xavier's position, adjustments and calibrations are necessary. The difference this time around is that there is no doubt about our ability to handle them. For it is a fact that you don't make it to the Grail if you were never positioned well for the Grail.

I'm not too worried about any of this. One thing I've conveyed to myself about this move is that we're going to have to begin to act more like BCS level fans in terms of our expectations for the W-L thing than continuing to act like Xavier fans who tormented the MCC and A10 for most of the time we spent in each.

Beyond all this, we're going to be learning even more about where Xavier is headed. We're going to learn about capital projects that will continue to substantially change what already has become a wonderful campus. We're going to learn about where our endowment is headed. The things we'll learn about both will be very good news for anyone who loves Xavier.

We get to sit here tonight and contemplate all this as we otherwise read MOR's post about what the student-athletes just did. The trophy case is nice. The buildings are nice. The rep of the school is as solid as ever and getting better. Yet Xavier kids still are doing what Xavier kids are expected to do and should do.

That makes me feel pretty good about things.

[vee4xu]

71% of students finish their degrees in not more that four years. That is tied for third best percentage of any Ohio public or private university


http://www.dispatch.com/content/graphics/2014/02/23/switching-majors-art0-gc3r7kik-10223gfx-switching-majors-graduation-rates-eps.jpg

[Cheesehead]

I met my wife of 20 years at Xavier and it's been said I married up.

[SixFig]

71% of students finish their degrees in not more that four years. That is tied for third best percentage of any Ohio public or private university


http://www.dispatch.com/content/graphics/2014/02/23/switching-majors-art0-gc3r7kik-10223gfx-switching-majors-graduation-rates-eps.jpg

I'd like to think I never graduated...

[xu82]

I'd like to think I never graduated...

I graduated, but I'm sure some would argue I never grew up. I might agree with those people.

[xu82]

For those of you who see it on a regular basis, you may not realize the shocking difference in the campus over recent years. It's like watching kids grow, see your kid every day and there's no difference. See a nephew after a few years and drop your jaw in wonder - who is that giant? I needed to find landmarks a few months ago to orient myself. It's amazing, and I have to say much (but certainly not all) is related to making a national name for yourself through the hoops program. But X is much more than that!

[bourbonman]

Xavier prepared me for the future even when I didn't think it was. I didn't drink in high school. I learned that skill in at Xavier (when it was legal to drink at the age of 18 back then). I've parlayed that learning into an incredible skill set that I built a career around.