By Katie Day

During last year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship game, coach Brad Stevens’ glasses were famous.  Fans on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter mentioned the catchphrase “Fear the Glasses” repeatedly for weeks, and pictures were posted all over the web of Stevens in his famous glasses.

But Stevens was never aware of the popularity of his spectacles.

“I don’t have Facebook,” Stevens said.  “I had no idea my glasses were such a hit.”

Senior captain and point guard Ron Nored said Stevens finally gave in and got a Twitter account this year but “mainly just to follow the guys on the team.”

Social networking is not a priority for Stevens, who schedules practice at 5:30 a.m. so that he and the other coaches can be home when their kids get done with school.

“Basketball is his job, but he prioritizes family time,” Nored said.

Stevens has a daughter named Kinsle and a son named Brady, who are both under the age of 10.

Even team dinners are a family affair.  Players, coaches and their families gather in the Wildman Room at Hinkle Fieldhouse and enjoy dinner. Stevens’ wife, Tracy, usually brings in Maggiano’s. Team dinners happen four times a year—once in the fall, twice around Christmas and once at the end of year.

Everyone also gathers at Stevens’ house once a month.

“I love team dinners at coach’s house,” Nored said.  “Just the way he is with his kids, the way he acts with his wife. I look at it and think, ‘I hope someday I can be that kind of father, that kind of husband.’  He just does it the right way.”

Stevens said he believes character, academics and athletics should be priorities, so long as they are in that order.

“I’m here to win, of course,” Stevens said.  “But I also understand that most of these kids will go on to do something other than play basketball in the future, and that’s what I’m trying to prepare them for.”

Stevens, who grew up with a father who played football at Indiana University,  has competitive roots that are close to home.

“He doesn’t like to lose,” said Carl Heck, assistant athletic director for internal operations.  “He wants to win.  But he wants to do it the right way, and he wants his players to do that.  He tries to make his players the best they can be.”

Preparation and hard work are important parts of Stevens’ winning season formula.  Stevens, who claims he has been watching game tape since his kindergarten days, reads and learns his opponents like “A” students study for tests.

“He’s a genius, and that’s the best way I can describe him,” Nored said.  “He’s really a math person.  He always has us ready in the way we should be.  A lot of our success has been because of his brains and his game plans.  He gives us the freedom and confidence to go out and do it.”

Confidence will be an essential part of the Bulldogs’ equation this year, as the team has gained seven new players and lost four starters.

Despite the turnover, recruiting since the back-to-back national championship runs has not shifted too much, mainly because Butler is looking for a certain kind of player.

“Regardless of what the ranking is, Butler is always looking for someone who can fit in the Butler Way, and it takes a special person to be able to do it,” Nored said.  “People like that find more success here.  People that can come somewhere and give up themselves for the betterment of the team make for a successful program, and that’s what Butler has had for the past 10 or 11 years.”

Creating a successful team for this season and the future are on the agenda for Stevens, and it’s clear to fans and players alike that he will do so with his calm, focused coaching style.

In light of the recent success of the Butler men’s basketball team in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships, the Butler community, as well as Indianapolis, has grown closer. We have all utilized the team’s success as a reason to unite as we cheer “our team” on to victory. It is a unique experience to see an entire city unite over a simple sport and a simple team.

At the beginning of the tournament, different Indiana residents were cheering for different teams. But as the competitive field was narrowed, the view was narrowed onto Butler.

Although it’s been said that many fans are jumping on the “band wagon,” I think it is so much more than that. It stems from the fact that there is a team in the national spotlight who is representing our state and its residents. We are taking pride in that by supporting Butler throughout the remainder of the tournament.

This year, sportscasters around the nation have been asking, “Who’s the new Butler?” even though Butler is still in the spotlight from last year. I haven’t been able to understand why so many people insist that Butler has had its fifteen minutes of fame and will now slip into the shadows.

Butler making its way to the national championship game last year and this year was not a result of luck or coincidence—it was the result of hard work. While it is enjoyable to beat the odds and be labeled the underdog, it grows tiresome. Perhaps it is time for those who doubt us to accept the fact that Butler has a quality basketball program. I’m not asking for everyone to become instant Butler fans, but simply to respect the quality and talent that our team possesses.

As I drive through downtown Indianapolis and even to my hometown of Franklin, In., I spot people donning Butler t-shirts, hats and jackets. I drive past houses with signs in their front yards proclaiming “Go Dawgs.” I always take pride in seeing fellow residents cheer on Butler. Amidst all the hype of the tournament, conversation can be struck up with any stranger about Butler. It is the one topic of conversation that never grows tiresome.

Butler has repeatedly been referred to as “America’s Team” and it isn’t difficult to understand why.  Butler has captured hearts around the nation as well as the hearts of Indiana residents.

Butler is the small school that has for two consecutive years fought its way to the NCAA championship game. It is hard not to root for a team and university that is so small and is succeeding so immensely against powerhouses like Wisconsin, Florida and Pittsburgh.

Butler has the ability to inspire fans across the state and country, as well as energize the nation to cheer for a new team with passion and intensity. The excitement for Butler is definitely contagious as it spreads across our country, engulfing even the smallest cities and towns.

As the tournament nears its end, I take pride in knowing that Butler has made such a significant impact on the country and has united the city of Indianapolis through their victories and hard work on the court. Band wagon or not, it is hard to deny the energy and enthusiasm that accompanies the Butler Bulldogs.

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