SAN ANTONIO — A media crowd of more than 100 squeezed into a small interview room to hear from the biggest celebrity of the NCAA Tournament: Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt.
Loyola’s 98-year-old basketball chaplain was poised and answered reporters’ questions like a pro.
Here are her top five answers from Friday’s news conference:
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1. Do you think God is a basketball fan?
“He probably is. And he’s probably a basketball fan more of the NCAA than the NBA. . . . I say that because these young people are playing with their hearts and not for any financial assistance.”
2. Your face is on socks, T-shirts. How cool is that?
“I see them and I think to myself, ‘Well, maybe I’ll get a pair of socks myself to wear around.’ It’s overwhelming to me. And my bobblehead. I’m not saying this in a proud fashion, but the first bobblehead, we gave away at a game in Milwaukee. And then this one is updated with different Rambler clothes. I think the company could retire when they’re finished making these bobbleheads.”
3. What do you think of this turnout?
“I can’t believe it. Even in the morning, I wake up and I say, ‘Is this real or is it a dream?’ And I say, ‘No, it’s really for real.’ ”
4. Have you seen Jalen Rose’s grandmother’s message to you, and the Michigan billboards?
“I saw it on Facebook the other day. I also heard that she said she’s out to get me, so we’ll see. Somebody said, ‘Maybe you need a pair of boxing gloves,’ and I said, ‘Well, we’ll see what happens.’ I hope we see each other. I hope we meet there. I love to meet people.”
5. Have you ever had more fun than you’re having right now?
“This is the most fun I’ve had in my life. It is. It is just so much fun for me to be here, and I almost didn’t get here, but I fought hard enough to do that because I wanted to be with the guys.”
