Philadelphia sports fans are notoriously filled with passion that goes beyond what you might see in other cities. During their team’s games, fans go through more emotions than a teenage drama. You will see and hear such a wide range of feelings from a Philly sports fan—things typically reserved for family reunions, not sitting on the couch enjoying an afternoon.
While Eagles and Phillies fans may be more well-known nationally, Philadelphia residents know that nothing brought out the competitive fire and vitriol in fans more than when Big 5 games were played. No longer the giant it once was, the Big 5 was known for bringing out the die-hard feelings in alums from La Salle, Temple, Penn, Villanova, and St. Joe’s.
Games are typically scheduled back-to-back at the Cathedral of College Basketball, the Palestra. Inside you couldn’t hear the PA announcer, but you could see and feel the passion from the fan bases in attendance. Whether it was banners and roll-outs denigrating the opposing university or a stoppage in play while arena staff moved to clean up the streamers that painted the hardwood in each school’s colors after the first basket of each game, it was obvious—when the Big 5 was good, college basketball was king in Philadelphia.
One of the brightest moments in Big 5 history was the amazing run the St. Joe’s Hawks went on during the ’03-’04 season. Local sportswriter for the Associated Press and hoops aficionado, Aaron Bracy, did a deep dive into that historic squad, who went on one of the most captivating runs in Philadelphia sports history. Those who weren’t around to witness the team themselves, or the peak of Big 5 competition, were handed down stories of the glory days like a family heirloom.
A Soaring Season
Bracy’s new book is called A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks and spans more than 200 pages. I attended the official book launch on Saturday, February 22, at the Wynnefield Public Library that sits right on the edge of the university’s campus. Members of the team, like Pat Carroll, Tyrone Barley, and Dave Mallon (among others), along with their head coach, Phil Martelli, joined Aaron to celebrate the regaling of that magical run to the Elite Eight.
As Aaron read the prologue, it was clear that the format was enticing—the entire room rumbled about wanting to hear the author deliver the next words while applauding. Without giving anything away, the format is Tarantino-esque, describing in great detail the final moments of that historic season before leaving those who don’t know the result with a cliffhanger before going through the important moments leading up to and during the season.
Whether it is going through results or explaining how the university was able to successfully recruit the eventual 2004 Naismith College Player of the Year, Jameer Nelson, Bracy goes beyond the normal “Hawks were victorious, led by Nelson and West’s combined effort” format you have come to expect from a book that recaps a famous sports season. Each chapter (starting with No. 6) may be focused on a specific game, but it goes well beyond that.
Chapter 10, for example, is about the team’s match-up against city rival, the University of Penn. But you quickly learn about Martelli’s deep connection to The Palestra and the city of Philadelphia, the history of the Big 5, and his connection to historic and recently retired coach Fran Dunphy, who led the Quakers against the Hawks that year.
Each chapter serves as a piece of cargo being added to the hull of the boat that traveled to a No. 1 ranking in the nation and an undefeated regular season that captivated basketball fans across the nation. The non-linear format adds depth to the twists and turns of the season, and all players on the team were highlighted—not just the big names like Nelson and Delonte West.
During the event, Coach Martelli spoke at the front of the room and talked about how everyone involved with the team had their own memories of that season and that Aaron allowing those memories to be shared was exceptional and that these stories “needed to be shared.” One story he highlighted, in particular, showed the integrity of his “exceptional” group:
The story about walking through the Pittsburgh airport and the women thinking it was funny to say to Jameer, “You must be the water boy.” His answer: “Yep, I’m the best water boy in America.” There was nothing about them that was entitled (these stories) that needed to be shared.
Martelli has high praise for that squad and gave high regards to Bracy’s efforts for the book. He took messaging he often uses with his players and applied it to ‘A Soaring Season’:
“Perfection is not attainable. You can say you’re going to have the perfect vacation. You might have the perfect job. You might have the perfect family, marriage, or whatever—it’s not attainable. But it is worth pursuing because sometimes, sometimes, if you are lucky, you will land on exceptional. What you saw (from that team) was exceptional. What this (book) is, is exceptional.”
The coach couldn’t have described the book better; it truly is an exceptional read from a wonderful author. I can’t recommend the book enough, even if you remember that season like it was yesterday—I am positive you will learn something new about this team. ‘A Soaring Season’ by Aaron Bracy is due to hit shelves on March 1. You can pre-order it at Bracy’s website, www.big5hoops.com or on Amazon.
You can follow Aaron on ‘X’ @Aaron_Bracy for more information and to keep up to date on all things Philadelphia high school and college hoops.
Photo Credit: Kyle Fisher
