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| From http://czabe.com/ |
Two stories for you on this Day One of the NCAA Tournament. (The play-in games of Tuesday and Wednesday still don’t count in my book.)
1. Several years ago when Buzzy was beginning to experience some health problems, I took off from work on the Thursday opening day of the tournament and drove down to the Store just before the first game around noon. He of course was sitting behind the counter, reading the paper and asked what I was doing down the road on a Thursday morning. I told him that I was going to do nothing but watch basketball the rest of the afternoon and while doing so I would watch the Store for him. “You got the day off. Go do something else” I told him. He then replied “I don’t have anything else to do.” He then proceeded to remain seated behind the counter reading the paper as I watched the games. Somewhere along the line I remember feeling a little sorry for him.
2. My cousin Sister Marianne and I once visited the Colonial Downs racetrack north of Williamsburg. A first time visitor to horse racing, Sister Marianne’s handicap system involved picking horses with the most religious-sounding names. Thinking she may be onto something, I bet along with her.
We then bet and lost money on several nags with names like Spirit Alive, Holy Fire, Cardinal’s Rest etc.. It wasn’t until about the ninth race that Bishop Something or Other finished second and we cashed our one and only ticket for the day.
I tell you this because as I filled out my brackets yesterday I realized that my Final Four of St. Louis, Gonzaga, and Georgetown has a similar Marianne-based religiously named approach. I started to pick Temple in the 4th regional but stayed with the secular Miami who is my eventual overall winner.
So let the games begin. Although I do have several other things I could or should be doing, I will once again be at the Store watching them this afternoon. Only wish that Buzzy was there with me too.