So it’s an otherwise boring Friday night of basketball at my place.
After all of this madness today with the Orioles (as you might imagine, I’ve got MUCH better things to do then to fight with them at this point), my wife looked at me at 9 o’clock and said: “Hey we’re missing the basketball games!”
So, we turned on the games and up pops this Davidson team. This is a story so delicious that even when it’s easy to find things to hate about sports, you still hang onto sports to see stories like Davidson. Or George Mason. Or back in my day, it was Chaminade (but that wasn’t a tourney game).
My wife asked me about Davidson. I told her the few things I knew. Small school. Lefty Driesell was there a zillion years ago. Southern school. I told her it would be like Towson or UMBC or Loyola going to the Elite Eight. I think that’s a fair statement in most ways. (And doesn’t it make a Jimmy Patsos or Randy Monroe or Pat Kennedy dream a little, seeing Bob McKillup tonight?)
Seeing that coach walk the sidelines with dignity after 19 years. That Stephen Curry kid who you just want to give a hug and a razor. He gave a post-game interview that was dignified, intelligent and man, you just want to pull for this team.
I once had Dell Curry on my NBA Roto team. That was a lifetime ago!
Then the story about the students getting bused into the game and seeing them roaring in downtown Detroit. And knowing about the 1,500 kids and the college bringing the best students to game.
The next two days in Detroit? Only the best time of their lives!
My GOD…can you imagine the youtube videos from this roadie for these 20-year old kids? It must be MAYHEM right now in Detroit if you’re wearing a Davidson sweater!
I dont know about you, but I’m having those “Back To School” feelings about wanting to go back to college!
As for the tournament itself, it’s just not the same once Duke gets knocked out. There’s nothing better than watching Coach K sulk. Unless of course, you like the Peyton Manning face.
It’s fun hating on Duke, but it sucks when they get eliminated and you actually picked them to win the tournament. So it’s a win-lose, but in the end I’ll give up my pool to have Duke out.
But once the pool is reduced to a puddle (or in my case evaporated), it’s not as much fun watching the tournament.
That is until a Davidson comes along. How can you not wanna watch them play on Sunday, right?
It’s always weird watching these basketball games being held in these giant stadiums. It happens every year and I’ve been to numerous sites (Tampa, Georgia, Indy) for Final Fours and it’s just an empty feeling at these games in domes.
I know they make more dough and they accommodate more fans (which is a great thing), but the games kinda lose something from the fan experience.
I’m just sayin’…
