In the silent Auction they were bidding on naming a horse. Ruben Prey actually bid on it but didn’t win but that was funny. NIL !
I was at the table with Rick and Prey. Prey bid $3,000 to name a racehorse. When he was outbid, he started to raise his hand to bid more but Rick sitting to Ruben's left, pulled his arm down and firmly said laughing, "No, that's enough for you." Generous kid to want to donate some of his NIL money, and great of Rick to stop him in a paternal way looking out for the kid.
Loved seeing so many of you and so many others. I saw 3 Deans that I know, and clearly basketball is driving the university upwards. Father Shanley said that our sports teams are the front porch of the university, welcoming prospective students in.
Rick spoke and said the very special thing about St Johns is that everyone here has had to work very hard for our successes. Rick is now front and center one of us, knows us, and understands us.
Rick also mentioned how special our fans were to chant Zuby's name the very next game after missing the 2 free throws that could have clinched the Baylor game in the Bahamas. I pointed across to room to mjmaher when Rick said that.
All in all a golden afternoon for St. John's University, but because it was about basketball but what this basketball revival is doing for us in all ways.