I realized this weekend that something beautiful is happening on our campus.

I am not sure that I could tell you when it started, but it was completely evident these past couple of weekends. And it has the potential to change the way we think about our University.

The Saint Louis University Billikens are competitive.

Let me explain what has me so giddy about our Billiken athletes.

I was having a conversation with a friend about why America is such a sports-driven nation.

Have you noticed how, with the start of the 2010 NFL season, our country seems to stop on Sunday afternoons? Or how about how we all froze two years ago to watch Michael Phelps win gold after gold in Beijing?

We had our back-and-forth about the topic, concluding that it wasn’t just men that turn into boys at the sound of a homerun.

Ladies, how many of you watched the Superbowl last year? And Chicago ladies, who won the Stanley Cup this year? That’s what I thought.

No, we decided, there had to be something more. Finally it hit me. Ever since our inception 234 years ago, our great nation has been addicted to competition. King George, the South, Germany (twice), Russia… when has America ever backed away from a fight?

We can vicariously feed our hunger for battle through watching athletes wage war each week on the gridiron, around the diamond, on the field and over the net.

And, as is our American nature, we are addicted to winning. The only thing better is when the little man beats the big, bad bully.

So let’s revisit Homecoming Weekend at SLU. Let me fill you in on what has me so giddy about where our athletic programs are now, and where they are headed.

War was on the horizon for the volleyball team as they hosted Nemesis #1 (Dayton) and Nemesis #2 (Xavier).
I cannot put this lightly enough; when I say war, I mean smack-them-down, make-them-cry-wee-wee-wee-all-the-way-home war.

The show was everything that was promised and more. Dayton came out swinging and, with a one-two punch, pushed SLU to the edge of the cliff.

Here’s where the story gets good.

Those young volleyball players, players who were up against a mammoth, did not run; they dug in and they fought back.

Resiliency: another fine American trait.

While Dayton came away with the 3-2 match win, the American (okay, the guy) in me was roaring proudly for what the emergent team did against a much older and much better Dayton squad.

Oh, and by the way, SLU went on to smack Xavier around 3-1.

Regardless of age, experience or tempo, SLU Billikens find a way to win.

Anne Kordes’ squad is just one fine example of the beauty that is taking place on courts and fields across our campus.

Here at SLU, we compete. Hard. And we revel in it.

So, God bless the American spirit. And God bless the Billikens.

After all, without the St. Louis Cardinals playing October baseball, and with the St. Louis Rams (about that…), we need someone to give us a reason to rattle our sabers, rally around each other and pretend we have the greatest teams since SLU had football.