Games give Driscoll ‘purpose’
PC athletic director happy Friars are back in action
The Providence Friars are back in action. For Athletic Director Bob Driscoll, that’s all that matters.
“It gives me stuff to look forward to. It gives me purpose,” said Driscoll when reached Friday. “My adrenaline is going again. The whole reason I do what I do is to watch young people compete.”
When the subject turned to Driscoll’s viewing habits when the Friars hit the hardwood and ice during the 2020 portion of the winter sports calendar, it was revealed that he’s staying clear of Alumni Hall and Schneider Arena on gamedays.
“I didn’t want to take away a slot from someone who actually has a job to do besides being a cheering fan,” said Driscoll, noting it’s been a combination of TV broadcasts and listening to the longtime men’s basketball radio combo of John Rooke and Joe Hassett that are carrying the day, at least for the time being.
“Now I’ve just got to cheer. I’m a regular fan here,” added Driscoll.
In non-COVID times, Driscoll would routinely take refuge in the tunnel that the men’s hoop team comes bouncing out of during games staged at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. If the game went down to the wire, Driscoll would let loose an emotional reaction based on what transpired.
“It’s more stressful than being there in-person,” said Driscoll when asked about his current plan of watching the Friars from the comfort of his favorite chair located at home. “At least if I’m there, I can go into the locker room and talk to the kids and coaches. I can distract myself by talking to fans. In some weird way, I feel part of the action. I know that I don’t have an influence on the outcome, but the illusion is that I do.
“It’s much harder for me. I find myself turning the TV on and off or turning the radio down if we aren’t playing particularly well. It’s a love-hate relationship,” Driscoll continued. “I feel much more anxious, but that’s just my nature. I’m attached to the outcome and I want the young people to do well.”
Ideally, Driscoll would have boarded the bus with the rest of the Friar men’s hockey team members for Friday’s season-opener at Boston College. He won’t be at Alumni Hall when the men’s basketball Friars host Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Still, he takes comfort in believing that viewing PC home games from an off-site location won’t last forever.
“It feels surreal, but I have great confidence that this vaccine is going to work,” said Driscoll. “I think we’ll be back to normal soon – whatever that is.”
Save for the men’s hockey team dealing with a COVID issue that stemmed from practicing off-site due to the installation of new equipment in Schneider Arena, PC’s student-athlete population has stayed the course during a trying and unprecedented period. Driscoll’s message has been one rooted in flexibility.
“What I talk about is relentless preparation and be ready to pivot. There’s going to be starts and stops. The pandemic is still with us. If you prepare for every scenario and be ready to be flexible … you can’t get down by the fact that we have to pause,” said Driscoll. “No one has an answer to it, but the teams that handle the disruptions the best are going to enjoy it the most and have the most success.”
From Driscoll’s vantage point, the PC basketball traveling party was in good hands earlier this week while participating in the relocated Maui Invitational in Asheville, N.C.
“We’ve got really good protocols. We’re getting on buses where we know the driver is COVID free. We’re getting on chartered planes where you’re not going through the airport. No one was in the hotel other than us. You go into a bubble atmosphere where you’re testing every day,” said Driscoll. “I felt very confident that they were in a safe environment.”