When VCU made it to the NCAA Final Four this year, VCU students and the people of Richmond flooded Broad Street in downtown Richmond. From the stories I heard, the police had to block the street off, car alarms were going off, people were excited and celebrating all night long.
Well, after Butler beat VCU yesterday with a score of 70-62, people flooded the streets yet again to celebrate the hard work that VCU's basketball team and Coach Smart put into this season. However, this time the police were out and about expecting the worst (it seems) way before the game even ended. The celebration on Broad Street was huge. Fireworks, chants, fires, black and gold, bottles, glass, people, people, people, more people... and the police armed in gear--- being forced to throw tear gas.
VCU making it to the Final Four was, and is still, of great importance to the city of Richmond. I've seen several comments about college kids "not knowing how to act/celebrate appropriately," but the first word that popped in my head when I saw this video was "unity." It's not often that you see this many people come together in Richmond, VA to celebrate. And the celebration was not limited to college students. Several people in Richmond were rooting on the Rams; my mom (who knows nothing about basketball--who doesn't even watch basketball... EVER) called to make sure I was watching the game. She never calls to ask about a GMU game... EVER. And she is just ONE of the many examples I could give. VCU's basketball team making it as far as they have is a BIG deal; and if that's what it takes to bring the people in Richmond together, then I am all for cheering the Rams on every season.
Congratulations to VCU's Men's Basketball Team and their coach Shaka Smart (who has been nicknamed "Shaka Flocka Flame" by many) for making it to the Final Four this year and for beautifully giving the people in city of Richmond an exciting reason to come together.
The video above was shot and edited by Nick Wurz and Kevin Bennett. They did a wonderful job putting this video together, especially considering how quick the video was posted. The song you hear in the background is "Memories" by Clint Mansell.
Shouts to The Dopeness for the video.
