John Phillips Northwestern Crying Kid
College BasketballBy Sean Keeley on

How long has it been since Northwestern last made the NCAA Tournament? So much so that the iconic Crying Northwestern Kid is now a Northwestern Young Man.

It was way back in the 2017 NCAA Tournament when top-seeded Gonzaga withstood an onslaught from the eighth-seeded Wildcats in their first-ever tourney appearance. The Bulldogs won 79-73, leaving many Northwestern fans feeling emotionally spent.

That included John Phillips, son of then-Northwestern Athletic Director Jim Phillips. A camera caught the 12-year-old crying and exclaiming “Oh My God!” over a technical foul called on Wildcats’ coach Chris Collins that essentially closed the door on their comeback efforts.

Phillips became a living meme and has been immortalized in the years since. Anytime something bad happens to Northwestern, the crying kid is there to embody their pain and suffering.

It was revealed Tuesday that Phillips is all grown up now. The college freshman was spotted courtside at the First Four matchup between Pitt and Mississippi State alongside his dad, who is now ACC commissioner.

The college basketball world had a field day realizing who that was.

The Panthers defeated Mississippi State 60-59 in Dayton, Ohio in the First Four. While the game was a nail-biter, it lacked the quintessential elements to make Phillips break down in tears. For the best, really. The guy’s been through enough already.

[Mike Rutherford]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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