Wall Street on Big 5

NCAA March Madness and Philly's Big 5 - WSJ.com

The highlight of my Big 5 tour was La Salle-St. Joe's. The two small Catholic schools epitomize Philly basketball. While agents and scouts hover at many college basketball games, the ever-present figure here was the priest, offering a prayer and a pat on the back. The teams' fans were literally packed to the rafters of the 4,200-seat Hagan Arena at St. Joseph's University. The pep band was at full throat. And the Hawk, the St. Joe's mascot, was running along the sidelines whipping the crowd into a frenzy. The game meant literally nothing, with both teams anchoring the bottom of the A-10 standings. But to the fans who grew up with and graduated from these two schools, it meant everything.