This was a tremendously fun season to follow them and it is amazing how well these young guys meshed as a team. Many were highly-sought recruits, who have been praised for much of their young lives, yet ego was never a problem. And while many players focus solely on offense and scoring points, these guys played tremendous defense for much of the year, allowing them to win even when they were not shooting well on offense.
I could go on and on about how happy the victory over a really good Kansas team felt, even as I went into work with only about 4 hours sleep the next morning, but I'll try not to say too much. In 1996, the championship was almost a relief, though it was the first I had experienced (I was too young to remember the 1978 team.) I worked night-shift at the time and remember calling home during the game to get score updates (in the pre-internet world - I'm making myself feel old now.)
The 1998 championship was more unexpected and perhaps fun, but the constant deficits the "Comeback Cats" had to overcome were a bit aggravating too.
This year's championship is my favorite. Of course, the immediacy of it is a factor, but the 14 year gap since the last one has made me appreciate it more and soak up the feeling of joy. Enjoy it while it lasts and understand how special it is - that's what I have tried to do.
I cannot express how fun it was to follow them this season and how amazing their 38-2 record and championship were. Incredible!
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| courtesy washingtonpost.com |
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