THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 16, 1997 TAG: 9702160269
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: 71 lines
The Pepsi Star of the Game eased into a seat between John Castleberry and Dick Tarrant. Somebody slipped a headset over his ears, adjusted the microphone, and asked, ``That feel all right?''
James Callaway Bowdler II nodded nervously.
This was a first. Before Saturday night, nobody had ever asked Cal Bowdler to go on live TV following a college game. Now here he was sitting courtside at Scope, waiting for Home Team Sports to come out of a commercial break, wondering what Tarrant and Castleberry would ask about the most distinguished game of his brief, mostly modest, career.
Did it feel all right?
Bowdler's grin said it all.
Cal fielded a couple of questions. He talked about the team effort that led to Old Dominion's 75-70 victory over Virginia Commonwealth. He shrugged a lot.
``Whaddya doing with this `aw shucks' stuff?'' Tarrant joshed over the air. ``You played a heckuva game.''
The interview was finished now. Bowdler rose and walked toward the ODU locker room as fans reached out to offer their congratulations. His mother, who had driven down from Sharps, Va., caught him from behind for a big hug.
Outside the door of the Monarchs locker room, a father and small boy asked for his autograph. As Cal signed, he said, ``Don't leave. The other players will be out when they get dressed.''
The first player to greet Bowdler on the other side of the door was Reggie Bassette, a fellow sophomore. Bowdler took Bassette's place in the starting lineup Saturday. Bassette averages 20 minutes a game, but was almost invisible in four minutes against VCU.
Bassette walked up to Bowdler, a big smile on his face, and put his arms around him.
For the time being, everything was all right. The looks on the faces of his teammates as Bowdler entered the room told the story. Even to the other players, Cal had been nothing short of a revelation.
Little in Bowdler's past at ODU would have predicted a game like this. Cal is tall, but had yet to cast a noticeable shadow.
Until Saturday. He scored 19 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and had seven blocked shots against VCU's wider, rougher frontcourt. His one assist, a pass to Odell Hodge that put ODU up by three with 1:05 to go, was the biggest pass of the game.
His scoring and rebounding figures were more than three times his average. With 35 minutes on the court, he doubled his usual playing time. Jeff Capel was not about to rest Bowdler on the night of his young life.
``I was cramping up at the end in my calves,'' Bowdler said. ``Cramping up big time.''
Cramping is not a bad analogy for what's been happening to the Monarchs of late. They came limping into the game against VCU having lost six of their last seven.
The visitors, meanwhile, had ripped off seven victories in a row.
So naturally, ODU wins.
Try to figure the college game, or the kids who play it. Can't be done.
``I think we know it's down to crunch time,'' Bowdler said, trying to explain ODU's victory. ``We just have to come out of our slump now.''
The Monarchs got double-digit scoring from both Hodge and Mark Poag, always a good sign. But Brion Dunlap's 19 points, more than 14 above his average, were as important, if not quite as unexpected, as Bowdler's contributions.
A balanced attack. Scoring from every position. It's a concept ODU needs to remember.
It won't hurt that the Monarchs' final three regular season games are at home.
``We've got to send a message to the rest of the league,'' said Bowdler, ``that we're back.''
For all his heroics, you can't very well argue that Cal is back from anywhere.
He may, though, have just arrived.