Some Things Are Bigger Than Sports : Siena's Michael Baer Puts Up Career Performance In A Win Over Iona Just Days After Losing His Father To Cancer
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — How you like them Saints? Siena men’s basketball opened the second half with a decisive 20-2 run to rout reigning MAAC regular season champion and preseason favorite Iona 70-53 in front of a raucous crowd of 7,801 in the annual Gold Rush Game at MVP Arena.
On Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Night, Michael Baer, who lost his father, John, to bladder cancer just five days ago, had a storybook performance. The one-time manager turned walk-on at Iowa led Siena (14-7, 8-2) with a career-high 18 points on 7-11 shooting and added 12 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double.
Trailing 36-33 at the break, the Saints received some divine intervention to soar past their archrivals. It felt almost like Siena was playing 7-on-5 in the second half with John Baer and Evan Franz, the Saints’ honorary team member who himself passed away just four days ago to brain cancer, leading the charge from above.
Reason 64839202174749 to love sports. Sometimes in the midst of tragedy, we get beautiful stories like this. Siena was playing with heavy hearts last night as they lost super fan and honorary team member Evan Franz just days ago.
Then they lost Michael Baer's father, John, to cancer. Baer was at one time a manager of Iowa who worked his way into a walk on spot with the Hawkeyes. He transferred to Siena last season, and has contributed to the Saints rotation the last two years.
During John's battle he had appeared in the locker room after wins. On January 6th he delivered an emotional message to the team.
Last night he put up a career performance to help lead Siena to an upset win over Iona.
All week I had seen Iowa players and former players sharing the news of John's passing. I never had the pleasure of meeting Michael but it seems like he was the kind of guy who was a great teammate and friend. It also seemed like even though he was now wearing the green and gold instead of the black and gold, he was a guy everyone stayed in touch with and missed being around. It clearly shows in how he has shaped his career to start as a manager and work his way onto the court of Big Ten games.
Siena's Andrew Platek shared a quote after the game that touched on Baer's strength through this time.
Daily Gazette - “He not only inspires me, but our entire team,” Platek said of Baer. “For someone who’s going through what he’s going through, it’s just incredible how he comes into work every day with a smile on his face and a positive attitude. It’s absolutely mesmerizing to watch. I’ve learned so much from him — how to carry myself every day, how to carry loss and grief the way he has with such maturity. He’s an incredible guy. I’m lucky to be friends with him.”
Siena's Carmen Maciarello shared a quote that really sums up how tight the Siena community is.
Daily Gazette - “So many teams use the word ‘family’ and put it on the back of their shirt and stick it on the wall,” Maciariello said. “And it doesn’t mean what it means here at Siena College. For me, that’s the most inspiring and special thing.”
Baer will be missing Sunday's game to fly home and be with his family for the funeral of his father on Monday. He could never play another game again, and to me the strength he showed Friday night in one game was tougher than most people's entire careers putting on a uniform. It takes someone really tough to not only lace them up after a tragedy like that, but to perform at the highest level and deliver a career high. It's very clear Michael Baer is a special person, teammate, friend, brother and son.
Prayers to The Baer Family and The Franz during this difficult time. I think I speak for everyone when I say the entire country will be rooting for Siena the rest of the way. Go Saints. Cancer Sucks.
“Fairness," he said, 'does not govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young.” - Mitch Albom