This evening, while checking through television shows, I stopped for a bit to check up on the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I was kind of po'd when the Tourney Smarties decided to put all the Indiana Teams in the same bracket, but decided to see who won/lost today. Of course I ended up seeing the last layup for Butler that let them advance to a date with Number 1 Pitt. Then I thought back to last year.
Now I'll tell you in a heartbeat that I'm not religious; I seem to get more and more that way the older I get and sicker I become. I believe in science, I believe in 2+2=4; I don't believe that breaking a mirror brings 7 years bad luck or that black cats are bad. Hell, my Sadie is the coolest kitty I've ever known. So why do I hang on to sports superstitions? Today's start of the Tournament reminds me of last year and why that was so special to me.
Everybody in Indianapolis, IN knew about Butler making the NCAA Tournament; and, in fact, they had a relatively high seed (5). But I COULD NOT watch a single game. I found all sorts of diversions until I knew the game was over, and only then I would log on and watch the game after the fact. Ha! Even then there were times I couldn't figure out how they would win the game, but they did. Each step, each game only increased the stress. How could a mid major team compete against the "big boys"? Listening to the "experts" before each game would give very reasoned explanations why Butler would lose, and yet the team kept plugging along. I finally watched the final game and Duke won, kudos to them, but Butler did not disgrace itself in that game. And what was so inexplicable was the fleeting thought that had I not watched the game Butler would have won.
I lived about 1 mile from Butler and it has been a part of my life since 1978. I do not expect the same results this year, but last year was a pretty special March Madness. Best of luck to all of you and your brackets.