It made sense to me. I went to La Salle, but I'm totally behind 'Nova.
Still, I wasn't convinced that all of the Big Five's long-standing rivalries had been suspended in favor of a temporary truce. After all, any meaningful treaty would have to be signed by the good citizens on Hawk Hill. And in case you haven't heard, they're not crazy about their foils from the Main Line.
Yesterday, I took a trip over to City Avenue and conducted an unscientific poll: Would the students there be willing to suspend their reflexive hatred of Villanova and root for the Wildcats this weekend?
That's how I met Amelia Arnold. She's a sophomore at St. Joe's. She was perfectly pleasant when I approached her outside Campion Hall. But when I asked whether she would support 'Nova against UNC, our dialogue deteriorated. She told me, quite simply, that she would "never, ever" root for the Cats.
Like an idiot, I asked why.
"It's tradition," Arnold said, as though that pretty much summed it up. I didn't press her on it. According to human resources, getting beaten up by a college girl isn't covered under The Inquirer's health plan.
This might surprise you, but Arnold's response wasn't unusual. Her reaction was fairly typical of the students I spoke to about 'Nova. Of course, it probably didn't help that I bothered most of them while they were eating lunch.
Hey. You there. Random St. Joe's student. Put down that turkey club so I can talk to you about Villanova.
Did I mention this was an unscientific poll?
"I hate 'Nova," Giacomo DiLisi said. He spit out "'Nova" the way you or I would spit out bad egg salad. DiLisi is a sophomore, and he plays soccer for the Hawks. He told me he didn't even consider rooting for the Cats. "I despise them. Sometimes they act like they're better than us. I hope they get worked by UNC."
