Shall We Dance?

The NCAA basketball tournament has many nicknames, including "March Madness" and "The Big Dance."  I'm a huge basketball fan, so this time of year is always fun.

I can't tell you how many memories I have of watching NCAA tournament basketball games.  In many instances, I can remember exactly where I was and who I was with.  I remember: going with my former bishop to buy scalped tickets and see Kentucky (with Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, and Rick Pitino) play in the Huntsman Center; going to another Huntsman Center contest another year to see the Virginia Cavaliers play; buying tickets for my aunt to see UCLA (with Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook) play and then seeing BYU (and Jimmer) lose to Texas A&M; walking through the Wilkinson Center and seeing games broadcast on television; and running out to shoot free throws as a 14 year old kid during half time as BYU (featuring Marty Haws, Jim Usevitch, Jeff Chatman and Michael Smith) lost to UNLV one year...Good times!  =o)

BYU is back in the tournament this year. No Jimmer this year, but the team has a #14 seed.  BYU will be a Cinderella, underdog team at the Big Dance this year, but at least we're dancing!

The Cougars already played on Tuesday and won in a thriller--setting an NCAA record by coming back from being down by 25 points to win the game by 6.

Noah Hartsock and Brandon Davies

 The win Tuesday was a first for the Cougars in that it came in a "play-in" game (also known officially as a "First Four" game).  Last year, however, Virginia Commonwealth University started by winning its' "play-in" game as a #11 seed and went on all the way to the Mecca of college basketball--the Final Four!  It'd be great if the Cougs could have some similar success.

Speaking of the Final Four, my best friend from high school called me about two weeks ago to offer me tickets to the Final Four this year in New Orleans.  Unfortunately, I already have a prior commitment that Saturday (and I'm not talking about General Conference....)  I can't tell you what a bummer it was to have to tell him that I couldn't make it.  But I'm glad that they're going and I'll have to dream of making it to the Final Four someday.

Maybe if the Cougs manage to keep dancing all the way to the Big Easy, I'll end up skipping my Ironman race to go cheer on them on!  =o)