Five years ago, AU left behind the triple-A lifestyle for the big leagues of the Patriot League, or so it thought. And in these big leagues, AU was supposed to become the New York Yankees, a team that would dominate in all spheres and be the envy of the PL.
But in the words Phil Collins sang to our parents in the late '80s, "something happened on the way to heaven."
As I watched Bucknell beat Kansas Friday, I was overcome with excitement and emptiness. That was supposed to be us pulling off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history.
When AU entered the PL, it came with stipulations. A league rich in academic tradition and athletic competition was adding a school that demanded a full slate of athletic scholarships, something it hadn't had before. Due to AU's value to the league, the Eagles were let in.
Earlier in the '90s, Holy Cross had threatened to leave the league if it couldn't offer scholarships. When it won that right, the number of scholarships it offered paled in comparison with AU.
In addition, the relatively urban location of AU threatened the rustic world of the league's Lafayettes and Colgates - sprawling campuses with centuries of history.
In contrast, AU is a more modern place, bursting with progressive thought that once seemed likely to lead to PL superiority.
Because of these advantages, I should have been watching the AU basketball teams this weekend, not playing pickup ball with Andre Ingram and Brayden Billbe.
I don't blame the players. I don't blame the coaches. I don't blame the administration. It's just a combination of unfulfilled potential and deserved praise for coaches like Ralph Willard and Pat Flannery, who constantly just produce better teams.
We dominate field hockey, volleyball, men's soccer and both men's and women's tennis. Yet, to improve our basketball positioning, we're going to eliminate two of our most successful programs, men's and women's tennis?
If true, it's a gutsy move, though perhaps unwise. It's no secret Athletic Director Joni Comstock is taking a bullet that previous ADs have shot. Without hoops success, it could be a fatal wound.
AU so desperately needed a tournament appearance to deflect attention away from the soon-to-be-defunct tennis programs. Even after President Ladner granted those programs a one-year reprieve, AU basketball now has no choice but to reach greatness or suffer the consequences.
With Lafayette the only PL school still without scholarships, the gap is closing on AU's window of advantage. Holy Cross and Bucknell are the class of the league. The second tier is composed of AU, Lehigh and Colgate. If AU wants to reach the Crusaders and Bison, it must happen in the next two years.
With the elimination of successful programs, the Eagles must capitalize quickly. The women's team graduates six seniors, while the men's team graduates five, making things even more difficult.
Looking at the big picture, Holy Cross is a couple strong seasons away from being asked to join a power conference. Should this happen, AU would inherit the title of most desirable institution in the league. And if Holy Cross doesn't leave, maybe AU's success would give it an opportunity to move up the conference ladder.
But the fact still remains that last Friday, Brayden Billbe was dunking over me and not Wayne Simien, and later that night, it was the Bison celebrating.
I was excited for Bucknell, but I felt a little slighted. This isn't how it was supposed to be. I guess something happened on the way to heaven.
