JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The captain was a few minutes late, though no one seemed to mind. Russell Wilson is usually worth the wait, and no more than on this day, his final one speaking about the game before he actually plays The Game. Peyton Manning is supposed to be the star of this Super Bowl, but a minor league second baseman who refused to listen to those who said he was too small to play quarterback in the NFL may have something to say about that. Proving people wrong is almost as fun for Wilson as winning football games, and hes done both with great regularity since being drafted with the 75th overall pick two years ago by the Seattle Seahawks. "For all the kids that have been told, no, that they cant do it, or all the kids that will be told no," Wilson said. "Thats one of the reasons that I left playing baseball, to be honest with you. I had this urge to play the game of football, because so many people — I shouldnt say so many, a handful of people — said I couldnt do it. Richard Sherman will be the player most remembered from the win that got Seattle here. But if not for a gutsy play on an equally gutsy call, the Seahawks would not be in position to win their first Super Bowl title. Wilson found Jermaine Kearse in the end zone for the touchdown on a fourth down against San Francisco in the NFC championship game, giving the Seahawks the lead for the first time. It was the kind of play a veteran star like Manning might make when it counts most. The kind of play Wilson prepared for meticulously every day for the past two years. The kind of play that can win a Super Bowl. "I dont think Ive seen too many people have the knack to want be great. He wants to be a great quarterback," receiver Percy Harvin said. "He just doesnt want to be average or All-Pro. He wants to be talked about as a great quarterback and I dont think hes going to stop until he does." By now, Wilsons story is fairly well known. The son of the late Harrison Wilson III — a star athlete at Dartmouth who became a lawyer after briefly thinking of trying out for the NFL in 1977 — he lost a job as starting quarterback at North Carolina State while playing second base in the Colorado Rockies organization. Wilson would give up baseball to star as a graduate student at Wisconsin, leading the Badgers to the Big 10 title and a spot in the Rose Bowl. But he was undersized at 5-foot-11 and languished in the NFL draft before Pete Carroll and the Seahawks took a chance on him for what was expected to be a backup quarterback position. Instead, Carroll called him to the basketball court at the teams complex prior to his rookie season, where Wilson watched him shoot jumpers. "I go outside and he said, You want to shoot? " Wilson said. "Then he said, We want you to know youre going to be the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, hopefully for a long time. "That put a huge smile on my face. I immediately thought of my mom and dad and all the things theyve done for me and all the discipline they gave me." That discipline is evident in the way Wilson approaches his job as both the quarterback and leader of his team. Like all quarterbacks he watches film, but Wilson is constantly studying situations and is relentless about fixing mistakes. "He makes everyone around him almost a perfectionist because we pick up off that and the habits that he has," said receiver Ricardo Lockette. "He is always the first one there in the morning and the last one to leave." Those habits helped propel the Seahawks to an 11-5 record last season behind their rookie QB. They beat the Washington Redskins in the first round of the playoffs, then lost a shootout to Atlanta that had Wilson down in the dumps — if only for a moment. By the time he was in the tunnel going back to the locker room he had already begun thinking what he had to do in the off-season to get the Seahawks over the hump this year. "I want to change the game and theres a difference between being good and being great and changing the game," Wilson said. "Guys like Peyton Manning change the game in terms of the way he thinks and in terms of the way he processes things. Tom Brady is the same way, hes so clutch that people fear him. One day I want to evolve to that." Wilson can take a big step in that direction should he join an elite group of quarterbacks (Brady, Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger) who have won a Super Bowl in just their second year. Hes certainly not overwhelmed by the moment, and seems to embrace the challenge, even when it comes to answering the same questions over and over during the pregame buildup. A great believer in visualization, he already sees himself on the field at the Meadowlands, is already trying to figure out how to feel when the national anthem is sung and the stadium erupts in flashes for the kickoff. "Then it will be, OK, Im ready to go," Wilson said. 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The thinking at the time was Clowney could have already been promised he would be selected first overall by the Houston Texans, therefore negating any need to meet with any other teams. The plot took another twist this week.With the Ides of March Madness upon us, one man seems to be at the epicentre of many young Canucks chasing that One Shining Moment beneath the 49th-parallel. Today is the eve of many a Big Dance dream being shattered and powerhouses upset as conference tournaments and, for some, college careers end before Selection Sunday. Canadian Junior Mens and Ryerson Rams Mens head basketball coach Roy Rana is no stranger to winning on almost every level, having been instrumental in the growth of some of the top players who will play in the 2014 NCAA Tournament . I sat down with Coach Rana to better understand his journey and connection to eras past, present and future in Canadian basketball, as we all prepare to fill out brackets for a chance at a cool billion of Warren Buffetts dollars, win office pools, while giving the impression of productivity at work, and cheer on our favorite teams. Is perception about the level of play/competition in Canadian high school ball changing at all? Dramatically. There is a serious respect internationally for the talent we produce here. It used to feel like people looked at Canada as a third-world basketball country, but I believe weve answered a lot of questions there. There is a general perception that the level is down, mostly because many of our best head off to Findlay [Prep] in Vegas or other prep schools in the US for higher end competition and visibility. But many credible, hard-working, talented young players are making names for themselves in this country, too. By scheduling perennially exceptional NCAA teams like Wisconsin and Syracuse for his Ryerson Rams to test their mettle, Roy Rana continues to strengthen the program with an unyielding commitment to basketball in this country. Coach Ranas ability to mold young talent was never more evident than when he led the Cadet National team to a bronze medal finish, the highest honor a Canadian team has ever achieved at the U-16 World Championships last year in Uruguay. What made that cadet team so special? Canada had never fielded that age group before for international play. Expectations were low. We just wanted to give our young guys a chance to compete on the international stage. They were a very exceptional group: so strong… focused… selfless… no egos whatsoever. The way they shared the ball and played the right way was great for us. What gets you most excited about the future of the Canadian National Team system? The depth of our talent. Were young and will take some lumps early, but the experiences will help us grow. What are some things youd like to see changed? We just have to keep working, at every level: Senior National, Junior National, Cadet… every level. We have to stay hungry and never get complacent. Are the 2016 Rio Olympics a realistic goal? Its going to be challenging. Not many have expectations for us to do well. The experience we gain internationally in developing our system is a huge factor. Well take our best shot and see where we land. In addition to major coaching success internationally, Coach Rana also helped the World Select Team to back-to-back titles at the 2012 and 2013 Nike Hoop Summit vs. the USA Basketball Mens Junior National Select Team. Beating any US team in a major basketball tournament is serious. You did it twice in a row. How? Young men like Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, who will be incredible, as well as the multitalented Dario Saric. If you havent heard of Exum and Saric, you will soon enough. With very little practice time together, they gelled well enough and played with the kind of effort any basketball ffan would respect.dddddddddddd The journey thus far has taken Roy Rana all over the world, but dreams of a higher station in life and through coaching are real. To what college coach would you compare your style? Thats a great question. Ive never really thought about it. Honestly, I couldnt tell you. I really love what Billy Donovan does at Florida. Im a big fan of Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, Bill Self at Kansas. Really admire Gregg Marshall at Wichita State for what hes done with that program. Hard to compare… These guys are in a different world. With all of your international experience, have you ever thought about coaching abroad, say in the US, Europe or other basketball-developing ports? Man, I always dream about learning more about my coaching abilities in different situations and circumstances. I wouldnt rule out the possibilities, but I love the city of Toronto and this country. I am blessed for what I have now and the jobs in front of me at Ryerson and within the Canadian National Team system. What about the NBA? Thats the ultimate dream, you know? Just to be able to touch that level, contribute in my way would be incredible. It would definitely have to be the right situation… right fit… What is Roy Ranas ultimate coaching goal? Max out completely with what I have before me now. Everything is about my team. Any and everything else that comes my way will be as a result of efforts of a great many people, not just me alone. At some level, Roy Rana has coached scores of players who will be chasing the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship. Pinning down his favorite player or team was difficult, but enlightening as Coach Rana showed Canadian love across the board. Best player in the country is…? Well, Doug McDermott (Creighton), with all hes done with his career, is probably the most worthy, but its tough to pick a "best player" in the country. There are close to 10 guys in that conversation. Three Canadians in Andrew [Wiggins], Tyler [Ennis] and Nik [Stauskas]… Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle. Its very tough. Should Andrew Wiggins really stay at Kansas for another year of seasoning? No. If youre a top-three lottery pick and you know it, why not go? Sure, you sacrifice a bit of that college experience, which Im sure is special to him, but if the NBA thinks youre That Guy, you go, no question. Is Tyler Ennis ready to run an NBA team now? No, probably not right now. Can he come in at what 19, 20 and be a contributor immediately? Absolutely. But over time in a couple years, I believe hell be more than capable of running a team in the NBA quite well. Name your All-Canadian NCAA team. Can I have two first teams (laughs)? All of these young guys are great, but Id go with Ennis, Wiggins, [Melvin] Ejim (Iowa State), Khem Berch (UNLV) and Nik Stauskas, who had a fantastic season. I coached all of them at some point, so I dont want to leave anyone out. All had incredible years in their own right: Daniel Mullings (New Mexico State), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Jordan Bachynski (Arizona State), Dwight Powell (Stanford)… Whos that darkhorse Canadian who will shine in March Madness? DyShawn Pierre of Dayton. He fills the stats sheet. Hes exciting, can do it all, multi-talented. I believe he can win a game virtually on his own in the tournament. DyShawn has real NBA potential. Who do you think will make the Final Four? Hopefully, four teams with Canadians on them. Then itll be real tough for me to pick a team to win it all! I wish all the young people well, but I cheer for the Canadians! ' ' '