Like the biblical one, hopefully this Noah has weathered his storm.

The sad tragedy that is the story of Noah Cottrill is well documented.  However, that story is apparently not finished. Not yet at least.

The comeback. Redemption. Second chances. Those themes pull at the heart-strings. Americans love a good rags to riches, or a turnaround story. They like to see someone climb back up from the depths and become a redeemable character. We love to see folks beat their demons and make things right. Not so much as to root for that person, but to remind ourselves that it can be done. It's  good food for our souls.

Noah Cottrill , now, has his chance to be one of those beloved characters. He has the chance to rewrite his story and be an endearing character in a story of overcoming obstacles, instead of a pitiful, pathetic character in a tragedy of throwing it all away.

Cottrill is getting his second chance to make good on his God-given talent. Noah, is suiting up for NCAA Division II West Virginia Wesleyan this season.

It's a long way from Big East battles, now Big 12 battles. it's even quite a distance away from The Capital Classic. It's under the radar and goes mostly unnoticed. It's unsung glory. It's not the road to March Madness, and it's most assuredly not games on ESPN or conference tournaments in locales like Madison Square Garden or regional games in the Georgia Dome.

What it is, though, is a second chance that may have not been deserved, but was granted none the less, for Noah Cottrill to be on a college basketball floor.

Cottrill's accomplishments and feats will go largely unnoticed now. This is the bed he made for himself, but at least he still gets to turn down his own sheets and lay in it.

Lord knows, he wasn't headed that way.

Noah will have to walk a very fine line. He will have to be on the most narrow of straight and narrow paths.

There won't be any clashes with the likes of Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, or even Marshall. More importantly than that though, is there will be the opportunity for Noah Cottrill to prove that he can endure and overcome clashes with Noah Cottrill.

He has been given the unique and what seemed unlikely second chance at life. This Noah Cottrill has the opportunity to make us forget that other Noah Cottrill. He has the chance to prove to himself that he isn't that Noah Cottrill, as well.

Cottrill is playing as a Freshman for the Bobcats. On the season so far, Cottrill is averaging around 15 points per game. WVWC is currently 7-5.


(West Virginia Wesleyan seems to be a hot-bed for second chances these days. The Football program welcomed former Notre Dame QB(2008 walk-on), and son of Hall of Famer Joe Montana, Nate Montana this past season as a senior QB. Nate had also previously attended Pasadena City College(2009)then transferred to back to Notre Dame(2010) before he moved on to FCS Montana(oddly enough) in 2011. He finished his playing career with WVWC this season and is eligible for the NFL Draft, which I don't think matters.)