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Great Expectations
Against this background of hypocrisy, Division III sports are a relief. Small schools like Hopkins don't give athletic scholarships for their Div. III teams. The atletes play in small gyms in front of sparse crowds. And they play for the fun of it-- because athletics provide moments of pure, ecstatic joy that become all too rare as one becomes an adult. Watching the Lady Jays play basketball is a lovely experience. They are very, very good at the game, but no more exalted, unapproachable, or arrogant than your kid sister. They deserve more fans, but when you go to one of their games, you feel like you're in on a secret, and that's fun in its own way. They probably will not win the national championship; the odds are against any team doing that. But they have as good a shot as anyone in the country, and come March, I'll be there pulling for them.
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