MORGANTOWN — Throughout the course of his college basketball career, Beetle Bolden understands what it’s like to play with pain.
Swelling in his hand. An elbow that he can barely straighten. Cuts above his eye, a busted nose and body cramps.
All of it, Bolden knows in his heart, are nothing compared to what he and his teammates experience every year when they visit sick children at WVU Medicine Children’s.
“It’s bigger than basketball,” Bolden said. “You get there and show those kids that we really care about them. You get a smile on their face to get them to forget what they’re going through for a second, I’ll do that any time.”
West Virginia players, team managers and coaches visited the hospital last week, armed with gifts and, more importantly, their time to hear from those who would give anything to be in the players’ shoes instead of their own.
“It was a blessing for us, especially for the new guys to be able to spend time with the children,” Bolden said. “It’s a reminder to count your blessings every day.”
As he has every season, Bolden dressed for the moment as an elf, decked out in a green top, yellow pants, black belt and an elf’s hat.
“He was a willing participant,” joked West Virginia coach Bob Huggins.
West Virginia forward Derek Culver dressed as Santa Claus, as players went from room to room visiting kids.
“That’s a great deal, but it is a small part of all the things that they do,” Huggins said. “At Thanksgiving, they were down feeding the homeless. It seems like every weekend, they’re doing something. It helps keep them grounded.
“When you start thinking things are terrible and then you go see people who are in pretty much in life-and-death situations, I think it gives them a different perspective on just how fortunate they really are.”
Huggins honored at Cincinnati
While players were at the hospital, Huggins was honored at Fifth Third Arena, in Cincinnati, as part of the school’s completion of an $87 million renovation project.
Huggins, who led the Bearcats to the 1992 Final Four, won 399 games at the school from 1989-2005.
“There are some people there I have great respect for,” Huggins said. “It was a nice thing. It was really centered around the three coaches who have taken [Cincinnati] to a Final Four, and I’m the only one who is still alive. After this year, maybe barely for me.”
Ed Jucker and George Smith have also led Cincinnati to past Final Fours. Former players were also honored during the Bearcats 93-64 victory against UCLA.
Renovations included new entries and plazas and lobbies, as well as 500 club seats and 16 luxury suites.
The school also added a HD video scoreboard and a new sound system.
“The Champions Club is where they displayed the championship coaches and the Final Four teams and it’s really nice,” Huggins said. “The suites are really nice. The chairs don’t droop down when you sit in them. They’re pretty comfortable. They did a really good job.”
For the occasion, Huggins decked himself up in a double-breasted blue suit jacket.
“I keep looking for things that don’t make me look fat, and that didn’t help,” Huggins said.
FOLLOW on Twitter @bigjax3211
