A QUICK Q AND A WITH 3 SAINT XAVIER COUGARS FOOTBALL STARS

 The SXU Cougars are riding high right now. They’re 10-0 with the regular season about to end this coming Saturday against the University of St Francis. They’re ranked 3rd in the nation in the NAIA and their players have been setting individual and team records almost on a weekly basis. With the playoffs just over the horizon I figured it would be a good time to let Balladeer’s Blog’s readers get to know some of the SXU stars a little better. To that end I temporarily shelved my campaign to get them to change their name to “The Saint Xavier Cougats” (I’m kidding!) and with the kind cooperation of the SXU athletics administrators got answers to some questions that have been keeping Americans up late at night. The players’ names are familiar to regular readers of this blog so without further ado (Or Freddie Adu for that matter) let’s dive in.

 Anthony Kropp

Position: Quarterback

Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: Crop-Man (It’s a long story)

Proudest Individual Accomplishment: “Becoming SXU’s all-time leading passer over the weekend!”

One Thing Opponents Should Fear The Most From Him: “My knowledge of the game.”

Reason He’s Having The Kind Of Season He’s Having: ” The guys around me and all their support!”

Old West Gunfighter Or Classic Outlaw That Coach Mike Feminis Most Reminds Him Of: “John Wayne.”

Most Laughably Bad Movie He’s Ever Seen: “Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein.  Coach Fem makes us watch it every year on the bus on the road trip closest to Halloween.”

 Mike Maher

Position: Wide Receiver

Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: M Squared

Proudest Individual Achievement: “Becoming the best Wide Receiver in Saint Xavier history.”

One Thing Opponents Should Fear The Most From Him: “No matter what they do they can’t stop me.”

Reason He’s Having The Kind Of Season He’s Having: “I have more confidence in my ability to let the game come to me as a player on the field and just to have more fun because every game could be my last.”

Old West Gunfighter Or Classic Outlaw That Coach Mike Feminis Most Reminds Him Of: “Al Capone.”    (Balladeer: Let’s hope the IRS doesn’t take that the wrong way!)  

Most Laughably Bad Movie He’s Ever Seen: “Anything Coach Fem has us watch on the bus on road trips.”

 Tom Lynch

Position: Kicker

Official Balladeers’ Blog Nickname: Tommy The Linchpin

Proudest Individual Accomplishment: “So far this season I am 100% on my field goals. Even though I have only kicked 6 field goals so far this season (Balladeer’s Note: That’s only because when you have Kropp and Maher on your team the endzone is the usual end-point for a drive), I had never made 6 consecutive. I came into this season wanting to do better than I have ever done in any other season and so far I am.”

One Thing Opponents Should Fear The Most From Him: “I don’t want to seem conceited but my placement on kickoffs and the threat of kicking a long field goal should be what opponents fear the most from me.”

Reason He’s Having The Kind Of Season He Is: “I have the best special teams coach in the country, Coach Slovick, he has extremely high expectations and he sets goals extremely high. No matter how well I do he always finds ways for me to improve. Another factor is my long snapper, Brian Casson, and the offensive line. They block as hard as they can every time I attempt to kick and without them I would not be able to make any kicks. I also wouldn’t have this success without the best football holder in the country, Anthony Kropp. Everyone knows how great of a quarterback he is but no one knows that he’s even a better holder than a quarterback. Finally, the most important reason I’m having the season I am is because of the Lord. Without God, I wouldn’t have any of the accomplishments that I have and neither would this team. God gives us the opportunity to live through him every day and being able to live through him while playing the best sport in the world leaves me at a loss for words.”

Old West Gunfighter Or Classic Outlaw That Coach Mike Feminis Most Reminds Him Of: “I would have to go with John Wayne.”

Most Laughably Bad Movie He’s Ever Seen: “Date movie.” 

Well that wraps up another Quick Q&A! Thank you to the Cougars players, Coach Fem and SXU athletics adminstrators for their support with this item.

Things I Learned From This Q&A: Saint Xavier football players are very appreciative of their teammates and willing to share the credit for the terrific performances they’ve been turning out in recent years; that their coach has realized what may be every coach’s dream by being depicted as a cross between John Wayne and Al Capone and that we should all want to pile on the team bus for road trips just to watch the movies!

Site Where You Can Keep Up With All Cougars Athletics: http://www.sxucougars.com/index.php   

To enjoy more SXU Cougars coverage just use the search function on the right of the screen (NOT the search field at the top of the screen) and type in “St Xavier Cougars” for a boatload of articles.

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