Who Is Mercer?- We Are ALL Mercer- Love My Bears!!!
I can’t even hardly believe it. I mean- I do believe it but it’s such a high that I can’t even describe.
My alma mater, Mercer University, our basketball team in Macon Georgia beat DUKE.
Holy Jesus. We all knew on paper it was possible, but it’s Duke: with the most NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament wins Duke.
My Facebook feed will continue to blow y’all up with every Mercer update I runs across.
On ESPN they said- who is Mercer? They had a few bullet points but let me tell you a little bit more about just who Mercer is:
- We’re in the heart of Georgia- and today you got to see just some of that heart!!!
- We were also the first college to voluntarily desegregate our college in Georgia
- Mercer alums Phil and Alan Walden started a little company called Capricorn Records- they also managed an artist you might have heard of: Otis Redding
- We brought football back this year and had the winningest program of all the new NCAA football programs
Mercer student Mollie Davis created a Buzzfeed about Mercer as well:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mollied3/29-things-you-need-to-know-about-mercer-n0ba
I’m of the opinion that many times there are two big things that bring a community together: Music and Sports. As much as we might like to think that other things should bring people together let’s be honest, it’s generally music and sports that bridge the gaps. We’ve had the music here for a while, the sports have been a bit of struggle. With a well documented history of losing minor league baseball teams, hockey, I think also a brief stint with a women’s basketball team, we’re finally at the point where we have our sports team- and it’s Mercer. Mercer Football and Mercer Basketball. And while those are the two that got the most attention this year I would encourage you to go to other Mercer sports events- baseball is a great family event for instance.
I say this to put it in perspective that Mercer’s football and basketball teams seem to have united Macon in a way that we haven’t seen in quite a while. Like my friend Jonathan Dye said on his Facebook: ” Mercer’s victory today is a metaphor for Macon as a community. We’ve worked hard. We’ve been underestimated. But when we are put on the national stage, we will astound them all. If you’ve dismissed Macon in the past, take another look. Or you might end up like Duke.#GetOnTheBandwagon #GoBears #ILoveMacon“.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROl2SdWezGc]
I’m so PROUD to be a #MercerBear right now- I can hardly contain myself!!!
And for those of you not really familiar with what’s happening here and why it’s important: we played Duke.
Duke- with one of the best coaches and most storied basketball teams in the world. It pretty much goes like this: you hate Duke or you love Duke. There’s zero in between. So basically, everyone BUT Duke was cheering for us- but you have to wonder how many thought we would actually do it?
While I was watching the game in Mercer Village, I couldn’t even bring myself to mentally prepare for a loss. It was more like We Have To WIN!!!!! I knew on paper we were just as good- but- I mean it’s Duke…
And then it happened.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0SNCO1oFUQ&list=UUSal6zJF4VUqqj5TkIQJN0Q]
I’m sorry I’m not very concise right now.
I’m NOT sorry that I can’t contain my excitement. I mean Jesus y’all- what a huge year for US! A new football program, the 50th Anniversary of Desegregation, our Men’s Basketball team makes it to the Big Dance, I know there’s more but I’ve got a mental block-
AND WE BEAT DUKE!
It’s crazy to see all of the memes that are popping up about US- OUR MERCER- everything from Anthony White Jr’s robot behind Coach Hoffman to Kevin Canevari’s Nae Nae (note: I didn’t know what the hell a Nae Nae was til today).
@Atrain15 you made deadspin. I think you and @KCanevari3 went viral haha. #robotvideobomb #NaeNae
— Mercer Equipment (@MUEquipment) March 21, 2014
@Atrain15‘s Robot Bomb or @KCanevari3‘s Nae Nae? Too much greatness in one post game celebration! #MercerMadness — Donnie Gumble (@degumble) March 21, 2014
It’s always great to be a Bear- it really is and I’m always proud to be a Mercerian- but it’s a little bit sweeter with this win, too. And today- being a Mercerian and being a Maconite are one in the same. Mercer and Macon are one- just try to stop us now!
Mercer and Macon: both my home. Both are places which will embrace you, if you let us. We are a place that treasures the individual and welcomes you back with open arms should you stray away. And if you are a visitor- you’ll leave wanting to come back to a place that’s sure to adopt you as one of our own.
Love to ALL of my Mercer Bears and fellow Maconites!!!! It’s #OurTime- and as Anthony White Jr said in this tweet- #WeArentDone
THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR THE SUPPORT .. #WeArentDone
— Anthony White Jr ™ (@Atrain15) March 21, 2014
Molly
Postscript:
Even our Gubernatorial candidates are getting in to it over Twitter:
Bracket, busted. Congrats to @MercerMBB on a great and well-deserved win over my Blue Devils. Keep it going! #MercerMadness
— Jason Carter (@carter4governor) March 21, 2014
.@carter4governor What was the wager again? Loser buys @foxbrosbarbq for campaign staff? #MarchMadness #ProudAlumn #gapol @MercerBears
— Nathan Deal (@NathanDeal) March 21, 2014
@NathanDeal @foxbrosbarbq @MercerBears You're on. And an important lesson for 2014: Beware the underdog.
— Jason Carter (@carter4governor) March 21, 2014
