Butler vs. Duke, NCAA Final Four championship game. Duke won 61-59. Photo courtesy of Jon Gardiner, Duke University.
So, in my NCAA National Championship post, I may have insinuated (or flat-out said) that “if you had told me 10 years ago that Chris Spatola would be a national champion, I would have asked you what drugs you were on.” Some people (ok, just my mom), took offense to that statement, but I promise that the emotion behind it was nothing but genuine.
Photo courtesy of USA Today.
10 years ago, Chris was the star of a struggling Army basketball team, in a struggling Patriot League. While I firmly believe that Army basketball players play their hearts out every game, Chris played harder than most, and it was clear that he was full of talent. But the only certain thing about his life at that point was that, after graduation, he’d be headed into the Army, and most likely to war. From that to a championship ring in 10-years’ time is quite an accomplishment.
For more on Chris as a Duke basketball coach, read Justin Rodriguez’s article from The Times Herald Record. Or catch Malcolm Moran’s piece on him from 2006.
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