Sister Jean offers pearls of wisdom on basketball and life

The 98-year-old nun has become the sensation of March Madness, blending her words of wisdom with a superfan’s love of the Ramblers – the 11th-seeded team from Loyola-Chicago that plays MI on Saturday in the next step on an improbable run to the cusp of the national title.

From watching the games during the tournament, I’ve noticed that Marques Townes is doing the things he did past year on scout team, just at a higher level.

“I could stay for an hour”, she said.

Even Sister Jean recalls watching the team of ’63 and being in awe of the national championship.

“You’ve got to coach to your personnel and coach to your roster”, Self said.

Nuncio has lived in MA for 11 years, now in Salem.

“I hope we play a lot like them”. It was the second time at Loyola that she became connected with the legendary nun. After playing sparingly as a freshman, he made a decision to transfer and landed at MI, where he had to sit out his sophomore season to satisfy NCAA rules. I remember giving her a hug and I don’t remember why I did it. Then-coach Jim Whitesell’s contract was going into its previous year, which meant she had to make a decision quickly. And Sister Jean? She’s the face of it, the embodiment of everything that is right and pure about this sport. “And he’s probably a basketball fan more of the NCAA than the NBA … and I say that because these young people are playing with their hearts and not for any financial assistance”. And we at Loyola know the story, I think basketball historians know the story, and I’m loving that the conversation of what they meant to the country for integration is being told again. “I learned so much about humility and devotion to others”.

Sister Jean’s presence has reminded everyone that the game is about more than slam dunks, busted brackets, big money and the glossy “One Shining Moment” video that wraps things up at the end.

The Michigan Sports Marketing Network, headed by flagship stations WWJ (950 AM) in Detroit and WWWW (102.9 FM) in Ann Arbor, will have the call. Do people around here know that? It’s been great not only for us as a bookstore but certainly for the Loyola brand. Having this turn of events has been an unexpected treat. One of the concepts being considered is attaching an academic benchmark to the year in residence that would allow athletes with grade-point averages of 3.0 or better to transfer without sitting out.

At least some of them are, Sister Jean.

A typical day includes early morning prayers, breakfast and she studies Loyola opponents. It is part of her calling. “After every game she sends an email to congratulate them or lift their spirits”. Those bobblehead dolls have skyrocketed to more than $300 on eBay.

At first, I couldn’t understand why that was being asked. I saw it was going for 300 dollars on EBay.

“We’re going to Good Friday service this afternoon because we have that nice break”, she said.

So, the next time someone asks me, “How upset are you?” “And we’ve won every game”.

Ben Richardson, a Loyola player and former Overland Park product, said Sister Jean has a “calming effect” on the team, adding “it’s really special” to have her around. Well, if she did, she never expected it to be quite like this. The stories about the emails post-game are true and I still have some floating around in my inbox. All those upsets, insane finishes and stellar performances have brought us to San Antonio, where a Cinderella and its telegenic nun join three power programs in the Final Four.

Why does Cristina Nuncio, an academic advisor for Northern Essex Community College’s Lawrence campus, have so much respect for Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt?

Loyola-Chicago would be the predecessor of what Texas Western later did.

►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. “It’s about students changing schools”. There were a lot of hurt feelings. My guys have been proud of that.

Sister Jean said she prays for every team, but she only has a “working relationship” with opponents – which is fine with MI coach John Beilein, a Jesuit-educated man who is relying on his own divine help.