This is an editorial piece.
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If I gleaned one thing on Friday in San Antonio, it's that Dylan Cardwell is an exceptionally talented public speaker.
Cardwell is Mr. Auburn Fans adore him. Auburn's coach, Bruce Pearl, holds him in high regard. There’s a television position lined up for Cardwell once his professional basketball journey ends. He’s that impressive. Possibly as remarkable as Charles Barkley.
What Cardwell stated at the Alamodome caused Pearl to burst into tears in front of all the cameras. This touching scene should definitely be shared and commemorated.
I even felt a bit emotional, and it really takes a lot for this seasoned journalist to uncover their emotions.
Regardless of whether they win or lose in the Final Four, Cardwell and his Tigers will be remembered as the greatest team in Auburn basketball history. Auburn (32-5), facing Florida (34-4), will start their match at 5:09 p.m. Central Time on Saturday inside the historic Alamodome. Earlier this season, Florida stunned Auburn with an 90-81 victory at Neville Arena. The upcoming Final Four showdown between Auburn and Florida highlights connections, making Cardwell’s statement particularly poignant before such a significant contest.
This marks an SEC national semifinal clash, with the primary and clearest link being their conference affiliation.
Throughout the season, the SEC has been exceptionally powerful. Alabama showcased remarkable performance. Auburn emerged as an unstoppable force. Meanwhile, Florida evolved into a squad that numerous observers at the Final Four consider invincible.
However, the league displayed exceptional basketball talent nightly. Auburn secured the SEC regular-season championship. Florida claimed victory in the SEC tournament. Now, they resolve their differences on this raised court in San Antonio.
The closeness shared by Auburn and Florida extends beyond that, however.
Auburn is led by coach Pearl, whereas Florida is under the guidance of coach Todd Golden. When Pearl joined Auburn in 2014, he and Golden worked side by side as colleagues. During their time together, Golden shared his knowledge of analytics with Pearl, who in turn imparted his expertise on maximizing player potential to Golden.
It’s not much of a secret. It’s simply love.
Pearl cares deeply for his players, which makes him an excellent coach. This enables him to push them intensively.
The Final Four isn't merely a pair of basketball matches held in April; many individuals fail to recognize this fact. This event encompasses far more than just gameplay—it serves as a coaching conference and offers crucial training opportunities for up-and-coming athletes within the USA Basketball program. Additionally, numerous accolade ceremonies take place throughout the festivities. On Friday, Pearl secured the AP National Coach of the Year honor alongside Rick Pitino from St. John’s, resulting in a shared victory between them.
At his awards news conference, Pearl spoke about his approach as a coaches who prioritizes players' needs. To encapsulate this idea, he shared a tale attributed to Pat Dye, the iconic Auburn football mentor. Dye would often remark that fathers and uncles were able to impart harsh realities to their young relatives knowing these lessons stemmed unequivocally from affectionate intentions.
I pamper my children, but I'll correct their misbehavior," Pearl stated. "I coddle my players, but I'll correct their misbehavior as well.
Pearl cherishes his players as if they were his own kids. This approach provides Auburn with an edge on the basketball court and helps shape exceptional individuals. To Pearl, this method is the only one that makes sense, which explains why he shed tears during Friday’s press conference at the Final Four. The emotion welled up when Cardwell spoke about his beliefs.
Pearl is Jewish and he motivates all of his players to delve into the scriptures. When questioned about praying following his disqualification during the game with Alabama earlier in the season, Cardwell responded. How significant is spirituality for this Auburn squad?
Cardwell’s response was remarkable, so I’ll reproduce it in full here as I believe it holds significant importance. Ultimately, the games will conclude, but the connections we forge and the lessons we glean from these experiences endure for generations and are shared with future ones.
Primarily, all praise goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," Cardwell stated. "As Christians, Jews and ourselves may differ, we share belief in the same God. It has been wonderful and inspiring to observe that I'm under a coach who openly shares his beliefs yet permits each of us to follow our own paths. He even motivates us to express our convictions freely.
The impact of our faith on this team is immeasurable. We couldn't have made it this far without it. Faith acts as a major driving force due to the close matches we've had. Out of the ten to eleven one-point games, we've only lost once. That loss came during the Alabama game at home, which was particularly tough. However, seeing how things have turned out so positively overall is really uplifting.
We wouldn't possess such humility nor this strong connection among us without having faith. Let me illustrate: take for instance Bruce Pearl. Not only does he motivate us to attend these breakfast gatherings, but he also promotes participating in Bible studies. It’s rare to come across a coach who advocates for both of these activities. These interactions allow us to bond more profoundly beyond just playing basketball.
The theme of our year has been 'sacrifice,' " Cardwell stated. "True understanding of what sacrifice means comes from knowing Jesus Christ. It was he who gave his life for everyone’s transgressions. This explains why we've felt such intensity recently—because we recognize that our sacrifices could lead us to claim a national championship title. We do this not merely seeking personal accolades or individual praise, but rather out of devotion to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
But we also aim to secure a national title for both this university and Bruce Pearl. It’s my fifth year here, and he has guided me on how to become an outstanding Auburn man. Each time I pray, I pray for us to clinch a national championship, to claim victory for Bruce Pearl. He has worked hard and truly merits it.
I'm thankful to be standing on this platform and playing under a coach as remarkable as Bruce Pearl. I attribute my continued presence at Auburn over these past five years to divine guidance—I love God, I love Auburn. Importantly, not just among others—but indeed, I also hold Coach Bruce Pearl in high regard.
Pearl sat beside Cardwell on the podium. The coach from Auburn dabbed his eyes. A smile crossed his face as he gazed at Cardwell with an expression akin to a father beaming at his own child. While claiming a national championship is remarkable, it doesn’t compare to the true pinnacle of achievement.
The game between Auburn and Florida promises to be a thrilling showdown. Though I'm not a coach, perhaps Pearl might consider having Cardwell deliver the halftime address.
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Joseph Goodman serves as the chief sports columnist. For the Alabama Media Group, and as the writer of the book We Desire Bama: A Year Filled with Hope and the Creation of Nick Saban’s Premier Squad.
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