Baylor MBB saluted with Downtown Waco Parade, Trip to State Capitol
4/14/2021 9:14:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Fan Experience
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Baylor basketball got to "run it back" on Tuesday, celebrating the program's first national championship with a parade in downtown Waco.
"You win the second national championship in the state of Texas, you deserve a celebration," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "This trophy isn't just for Baylor University, it's for Waco, Central Texas and the state of Texas."
Lining both sides of Austin Avenue from 14th Street to 3rd Street, Baylor fans cheered wildly as city officials, parade sponsors, Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone, former Baylor players and the 2021 NCAA National Championship coaches, players and staff passed by.
Clutching the National Championship Trophy, All-American guard Jared Butler was in the final vehicle along with Matthew Mayer, Jackson Moffatt and Mark Paterson.
"You can't ask for anything else," said Butler, named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after scoring 22 points in last Monday's 86-70 win over Gonzaga in the championship game. "As a college basketball player, you want to win, you want to do it for your city. And that's what we got to do. It feels great."
A busy day started with a trip to the State Capitol in Austin, where the team got to visit with Gov. Greg Abbott before being recognized on the floors of both the Texas State House and Senate. The team also presented Gov. Abbott with a signed No. 35 Baylor jersey.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Drew said. "I do love the carpet, it's green. They chose wisely. I really appreciate Gov. Abbott and everyone making that possible for our guys."
The players were decked out in suits for the Capitol visit, which also included a memorable TikTok video with Drew, Dr. Livingstone and Baylor VP and Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades, along with Butler, Moffatt and Mayer.
At the end of the parade, the team was presented with proclamations from Waco Mayor Dillon Meek and Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Matthew Meadors and the beautiful Waterford crystal National Championship Trophy from Ferris Mowers and the National Basketball Coaches Association.
"What a special occasion, what a special achievement, a special accomplishment," said Rhoades, who presented the trophy to Drew. "But, it's not a surprise. If you spend any time around Coach Drew, our entire coaching staff and our student-athletes, truly you wouldn't expect anything less.
"Yes, they are great coaches. Yes, they are great players. But guess what, they're even better people. It's unbelievable."
Drew credited a group of over 130 former players who were part of the parade for "pouring in all those hours building the foundation for this program, so these guys could bring us our first national championship."
Included in that group were former Houston Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson, former NBA players Terry Teagle, Micheal Williams and David Wesley, current University of North Texas head coach Grant McCasland, Matt Sayman, Terrance Thomas and Tommy Swanson off Drew's first team in 2003-04 and more recent players like King McClure, Jake Lindsey, Fred Ellis and Josh Lomers.
"One of the most special things about today is you get to share this amazing accomplishment with family," Rhoades said. "We have over 130 former players here to help celebrate this. We appreciate you guys and the foundation you laid for this program."
Dr. Livingstone said the players and coaches "represented us so well in every I could imagine of how we want to live our lives at Baylor and how we want to be presented in the country."
"As proud as we are of this team for what they did on the court," she said, "we're even prouder of the way they conducted themselves off the court."
Baylor Bear Insider
Baylor basketball got to "run it back" on Tuesday, celebrating the program's first national championship with a parade in downtown Waco.
"You win the second national championship in the state of Texas, you deserve a celebration," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "This trophy isn't just for Baylor University, it's for Waco, Central Texas and the state of Texas."
Lining both sides of Austin Avenue from 14th Street to 3rd Street, Baylor fans cheered wildly as city officials, parade sponsors, Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone, former Baylor players and the 2021 NCAA National Championship coaches, players and staff passed by.
Clutching the National Championship Trophy, All-American guard Jared Butler was in the final vehicle along with Matthew Mayer, Jackson Moffatt and Mark Paterson.
"You can't ask for anything else," said Butler, named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after scoring 22 points in last Monday's 86-70 win over Gonzaga in the championship game. "As a college basketball player, you want to win, you want to do it for your city. And that's what we got to do. It feels great."
A busy day started with a trip to the State Capitol in Austin, where the team got to visit with Gov. Greg Abbott before being recognized on the floors of both the Texas State House and Senate. The team also presented Gov. Abbott with a signed No. 35 Baylor jersey.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Drew said. "I do love the carpet, it's green. They chose wisely. I really appreciate Gov. Abbott and everyone making that possible for our guys."
The players were decked out in suits for the Capitol visit, which also included a memorable TikTok video with Drew, Dr. Livingstone and Baylor VP and Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades, along with Butler, Moffatt and Mayer.
At the end of the parade, the team was presented with proclamations from Waco Mayor Dillon Meek and Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Matthew Meadors and the beautiful Waterford crystal National Championship Trophy from Ferris Mowers and the National Basketball Coaches Association.
"What a special occasion, what a special achievement, a special accomplishment," said Rhoades, who presented the trophy to Drew. "But, it's not a surprise. If you spend any time around Coach Drew, our entire coaching staff and our student-athletes, truly you wouldn't expect anything less.
"Yes, they are great coaches. Yes, they are great players. But guess what, they're even better people. It's unbelievable."
Drew credited a group of over 130 former players who were part of the parade for "pouring in all those hours building the foundation for this program, so these guys could bring us our first national championship."
Included in that group were former Houston Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson, former NBA players Terry Teagle, Micheal Williams and David Wesley, current University of North Texas head coach Grant McCasland, Matt Sayman, Terrance Thomas and Tommy Swanson off Drew's first team in 2003-04 and more recent players like King McClure, Jake Lindsey, Fred Ellis and Josh Lomers.
"One of the most special things about today is you get to share this amazing accomplishment with family," Rhoades said. "We have over 130 former players here to help celebrate this. We appreciate you guys and the foundation you laid for this program."
Dr. Livingstone said the players and coaches "represented us so well in every I could imagine of how we want to live our lives at Baylor and how we want to be presented in the country."
"As proud as we are of this team for what they did on the court," she said, "we're even prouder of the way they conducted themselves off the court."
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